tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60835526355665492942024-03-17T17:07:34.501-07:00Assembly QuestBehold the tabernacle of God is with menclumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.comBlogger404125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-5588906148721581832024-02-17T11:22:00.000-08:002024-02-17T11:22:51.504-08:00Direct ActionAbout 30 years ago, I was reading through a Passover Haggadah and was struck by a statement to the effect that God Himself had come down to save Israel from Egypt. "That's odd," I thought, "wasn't it an angel that struck the firstborn?"I have searched the scriptures for many years, and have been unable to find a mention of this angel. Scripture is consistent on this point: it was God who struck clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-40928533766798730442023-11-04T14:41:00.001-07:002023-11-04T14:41:22.760-07:00If anyone sinsI don't think we can talk too much about God's forgiveness, Christ's advocacy, or our own need of Him.We all sin. " for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We are guilty of sin ("all have sinned") and we all continue to fail ("all... fall short"). There is no one who does not continue to sin. Our response to this fact is telling. We might respond by leaning clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-26155432511219666102023-09-25T17:05:00.004-07:002023-09-25T17:05:56.083-07:00Intentional sinFor as long as I can remember, I've heard that there's no sacrifice in the Mosaic Law for intentional sins. I'm sure that's not a true statement, because Leviticus 6:1–7 outlines the trespass offering. The trespass offering is prescribed for when someone defrauds his neighbor or swears falsely. These are undoubtedly intentional sins. Notice the difference in the descriptions of the theclumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-49930209095402456922023-09-03T10:18:00.000-07:002023-09-03T10:18:29.088-07:00SeeingI've taken some flak in Bible readings for this, but I think it's worth making a small point that could be helpful. We'll start in Exodus 14:27–31, and observe – as we have several times already – that Israel was saved when they saw the Egyptians dead on the shore. This passage gives us a clear idea what salvation is: it's not merely escaping slavery in Egypt, it's not even escaping the judgment clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-49479963404344338282023-08-30T12:21:00.008-07:002023-08-30T12:21:55.953-07:00The least you could doIt's not uncommon to hear preachers say something like, "Christ died for you, the least you could do is to live for Him." It's worth noting that the epistles make no such claim. In fact, they seem to say the opposite. Consider 2 Corinthians 4:7–12 as an example, or Galatians 2:20. "[I]t is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20, LSB). It's worth spending some time clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-13909144886348451452023-08-21T12:36:00.004-07:002023-08-21T12:37:12.429-07:00Cornelius and KellyI've been listening to some talks on "The Dangers of Calvinism" that are more entertaining than helpful. It's not that there aren't real dangers in Calvinism, but these particular talks are more unhinged rants than careful analysis. And it's frankly sad I have to say that, because the speaker does bring up some good points, but his carelessness throughout makes it all too easy to ignore them.At clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-9079739751618601092023-08-04T08:00:00.001-07:002023-08-04T08:00:00.157-07:00Righteousness greater than the scribes and PhariseesSometime in the last couple years I visited a Baptist church. The pastor began his talk by saying they were going through a series on the Beatitudes. I thought, "of course you are!" I spent a lot of time in a Baptist church growing up: I'm not sure they believe anything outside the Gospel of Matthew is truly inspired.I was reading through Matthew's gospel, and I was struck by a contrast clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-75443930455781457202023-07-29T15:06:00.001-07:002023-07-29T15:06:11.727-07:00Worth itSeveral years ago I was invited to a party at the home of a co-worker. At the end of it, he looked at me and said, "I'm glad you came." That was a very kind thing to say, the fact that I remember it after ten years attests to that.Isaiah 53:11 is a sort of an "I'm glad you're here" verse. It's amazing to think that God looks on the results of Christ's atonement for us and is satisfied. clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-2686708924332203942023-06-23T08:00:00.002-07:002023-06-23T08:00:00.143-07:00we need bothWe talked before about justification (by faith alone in Christ alone) and new birth. We are justified in God's sight – declared righteous by Him – when we do not work, but believe (Romans 4:5). We have life through His (Christ's) name when we believe (John 20:31). Both are true, but they aren't the same.There's a temptation when we talk about this sort of thing to err in one of two directions: clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-77652782417895355852023-06-16T08:00:00.004-07:002023-06-16T08:00:00.136-07:00by faithScripture tells us we're justified by faith (Romans 5:1) – by faith alone in Christ alone.It's important to note that being justified in God's sight doesn't imply any sort of moral transformation: it's God's counting righteousness to us, not our changing into something (or someone) who is actually righteous (Romans 4:5). God counts righteousness to the one who does not work, but believes.John 20:clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-18842605134075818982023-04-08T11:10:00.000-07:002023-04-08T11:10:28.412-07:00The Lord's returnMy dad died earlier this year. I wasn't there the day he died, but I was able to see him just a couple days earlier and sit with him in his hospital room overlooking the water while the sun came up. I'm very grateful I was able to say goodbye: not everyone gets to do that.Dad was characterized by 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. He talked about the Lord's coming every time he got a chance. My mother clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-28007231270156320902023-03-24T08:00:00.001-07:002023-03-24T08:00:00.219-07:00Not all who sayOnce again I've heard someone appealing to Matthew 7:21–23 to convince an audience that if their works don't line up with their professions, they're not "truly saved." I've heard this line of reasoning more than once, and I have to admit I find it puzzling. It makes me scratch my head. After all, the ones Christ rejects in those verses are the very ones who appeal to their works in order toclumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-31109480748714705242023-03-17T08:00:00.011-07:002023-03-17T08:00:00.221-07:00Accusing GodI was sitting in the Remembrance meeting one morning, and a man stood up and read Luke 15:1–2, "this man receives sinners and eats with them," he looked up and added, "Thank God He does!"Here are the Pharisees accusing the Son of God of eating with sinners. That's not the only accusation they make against Him, of course, but it's one that sticks because it's true. They know they can't accuse Him clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-71377476937565125662023-03-09T16:31:00.000-08:002023-03-09T16:31:12.288-08:00Has God really said?Someone was talking about revival in the context of the current events at Asbury. The person made the statement that they're not preaching repentance like Jonah preached repentance. Regardless of what's going on at Asbury – I'm skeptical – , I'm having trouble understanding how someone can read the book of Jonah and conclude that Jonah preached repentance.Jonah is a remarkable book both because clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-59945215924311643682023-02-24T08:00:00.001-08:002023-02-24T08:00:00.173-08:00Prophetic certaintyI used to wonder why the Lord's coming for us is in Acts (Acts 1:10–11) and the epistles (1 Corinthians 15:51–57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18), but not in Revelation. I think there are a few reasons for it, which we might want to discuss. J. N. Darby differentiates prophecy (which relates to God's purpose and government on earth) from revelation to the church. From that point of view, we could say clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-90150781874087239222023-02-17T08:00:00.055-08:002023-02-17T08:00:00.167-08:00Comfort one anotherJ. N. Darby, commenting on 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 said,It is remarkable that the consolation which he gives to those who
surrounded the death-bed of a Christian, is their friend's return with
Jesus, and their mutual meeting. It is customary to say, "Be content: he
is gone to glory." This was not the way with the apostle. The comfort
which he proposes to those who are mourning the death of a clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-2075715562916103822023-02-04T16:12:00.002-08:002023-02-04T16:12:13.597-08:00Here be dragonsSomeone tweeted this quote from J. N. Darby:A distracted heart is the bane of a Christian. When my heart is filled with Christ I have no heart or eye for the trash of the world. If Christ is dwelling in your heart by faith it will not be the question, What harm is there in this, or that? Rather, Am I doing this for Christ?Now, I have read a LOT of Darby's writings. I'm a huge fan. Still, I found clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-85582261955515374392023-01-28T15:15:00.006-08:002023-01-28T15:21:41.306-08:00Fatal assumptionsWhen I read through the Old Testament I am struck every time by the tension between the Law on the one hand, and the common state of godlessness on the other. And this tension occurs at more than one level. Let's consider some examples.When Moses brought the Israelites to Sinai, the command to circumcise all males was very clear (Leviticus 12:1–4). This command really predates the Law entirely (clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-83113080802222015132023-01-06T08:00:00.001-08:002023-01-06T08:00:00.179-08:00Not under law, but under graceRomans 6:14 says we are not under law, but under grace. In my experience, that verse is easier to quote than it is to hear, believe, and take to heart. It is good for us to meditate on it.Scripture is adamant that no one has ever been justified by works of law (Romans 3:20, 27–28; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:10). No one is justified in God's sight by obedience to law – neither the Law of Moses, clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-12717016158743243242022-12-26T11:07:00.003-08:002022-12-28T17:27:39.715-08:00Four kings vs. fiveIt's Boxing Day. We had a solid week of snow leading up to the 24th, followed by a warm-up and rain for the last 48 hours. I hadn't been able to see the surface of the road outside much since November, but now it's a sheet of slush with pools of water, and the odd icy patch. Here and there, gravel peeks through the slush. That doesn't sound very nice, but I'm sitting next to the wood stove, the clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-29799820278029072822022-12-19T17:05:00.000-08:002022-12-19T17:05:59.721-08:00FatnessJeremiah 11:15–20 uses the image of a green olive tree to give a prophetic picture of our Lord. The green olive tree is destroyed for the sins of the houses of Judah and Israel (Jeremiah 11:17), and the men of Israel and Judah set out to destroy him, as a lamb led to the slaughter (Jeremiah 11:19). This isn't the only place where the image of a green olive tree is used to describe the Lord clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-49394148717080832672022-12-08T18:57:00.000-08:002022-12-08T18:57:28.999-08:00Masters and employeesAs long as I can remember, I've heard Christians teach "how Christians should behave in the workplace" lessons from the Epistles' instructions to slaves and masters. I really cannot count the number of times I've heard someone say, "We don't have slavery today, but these verses apply to employees and employers too."Do they? I've never heard anyone quote 1 Corinthians 7:21 in connection withclumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-51971528451701476002022-11-18T08:00:00.003-08:002022-11-18T08:00:00.171-08:00Part of an elect nationDispensationalists frequently defend their view by saying something like, "God has made promises to Israel that He has not fulfilled. Therefore we trust that He will fulfill them at some future date." That seems to be a recurring theme among dispensationalists. And I agree with that whole-heartedly.At the same time, I recognize that there is an issue we need to address in this argument. There is clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-70935765174732990852022-10-26T18:37:00.001-07:002022-10-26T18:37:42.361-07:00Caricatures AboundSomehow I missed John MacArthur's series, "Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist" when it came out. I found a reference to it on the testing 5-2-1 blog, and thought it would be a worthwhile listen. Was it ever! It was a remarkably good sermon series. I've listened to it twice now.But...In the first message, he talks about J. N. Darby (the transcript is available here), and it wasn't clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083552635566549294.post-29800339730979035482022-09-29T20:39:00.004-07:002022-09-29T20:39:33.490-07:00The Good ShepherdIt's easy for us to miss how remarkable the Lord's claim in John 10:11ff is. We find the imagery of the Good Shepherd striking: I suspect Sunday School artwork has something to do with that. But the Lord was addressing people who knew the Old Testament very well indeed, and His claim would be astonishing – even offensive – to them in light of the book of Ezekiel.Ezekiel 34 is a treatise on the clumsy oxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698216739528209499noreply@blogger.com2