fides quaerens intellectum
Sep 12 2009
You can read the rest of the article below. Do we really need to explain this, or the difference between the Law (OT) and Grace (NT)?
Continue reading “Top 10 worst Bible passages (And 2 other Top 10 Lists)”
Jul 13 2009
Freedom of Speech is important to me, and attacks on the use of that freedom in cyberspace startle me. Roger Pearse points us to a story about two men recently convicted in the United Kingdom for inciting racial hatred using websites based in the United States.
First, let me state that humanity’s ability to use good things, fruitful things, civilization changing things, for evil and wretched acts disgusts me. I do not believe that freedom of speech should be abused, used to spread hate and fear – nor do I believe that it should be threatened with jail time.
From the BBC:
Simon Sheppard, 51, of Selby in North Yorkshire, received four years and 10 months, and Stephen Whittle, 42, of Preston, two years and four months.
The men printed leaflets and controlled US websites featuring racist material.
They fled to the US after being convicted at Leeds Crown Court last year, but failed in an asylum bid.
Sheppard, of Brook Street, Selby, was found guilty of 11 offences and Whittle, of Avenham Lane, Preston, was found guilty of five offences at a trial in July last year.
Sheppard was convicted of a further five charges in January 2009.
However, before the jury in the first trial could return verdicts, both men fled to Los Angeles International airport and attempted to claim political asylum.
Their bid was thrown out by a US immigration judge.
The men were charged with publishing and distributing racially inflammatory material, and possessing racially inflammatory material with a view to distribution.
…snip….
That, said Adil Khan, head of diversity and community cohesion at Humberside Police, makes their conviction a first.
“This case is groundbreaking,” he said.
“The fact is now that we’ve been able to demonstrate that you’ve got nowhere to hide; people have been hiding on [sic] the fact that this server was in the US.
“Inciting racial hatred is a crime and one which seems to occur too regularly. This kind of material will not be tolerated as this lengthy investigation shows.”
I find the inciting of racial hatred disgusting, but when does it become a crime? Further, at what point does a dearly held freedom here in the States give way to fear? Do we make it a crime when people say things that others do not like? The BBC did not give details on the website, but there is a far cry between being racist and stupid and urging genocide.
There is a short line, however, concerning civil liberities when it comes to fear.
What do you think? Do you think it will stop here, or do you see it progressing to a point where the internet will be tightly controlled?
Jun 24 2009
Over the past few years, we have seen the Roman Catholic Church suffer great condemnation because her priests have not only abused young men, and at times young women, but that others priests covered-it up. Molestation is a heinous crime, but the cover-up is infinitely more serious.
In the United States, in the individual states, laws have been enacted to order certain people – and in some states, all people – to report instances of abuse of any variety.
A few years ago, I was given information about severe abuse on two precious little girls. As a minister, then, I was bound by law to report what I knew. In no time, we were in court, on the witness stand, staring down months of threats and harassment, torment and near torture, but I told the truth and I did my duty. The harassment didn’t stop – Child Services were called on my family – but I was proud to do my duty then, because in the end, the little bit that I knew, was only the small tip of a very large iceberg.
That’s the way with child abuse, of any kind – it’s not just a slap here, but something more serious. It’s not just inappropriate touching of one child, but more often than not, it involves other children. What you see, believe it or not, is generally only a small portion of what is going on. That is why it is important for those required by law – which is supported by Scripture – to do their duty.
If I had not reported what I knew, I believe that I would have been just as guilt as those parents who abused those two precious little girls.
Tennessee for instance, requires
Any wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition which is of a nature as to reasonably indicate that it has been caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect; also includes sexual abuse (37-1-401, et seq.)
Be reported by,
Physician, chiropractor, hospital personnel, any other health or mental health professional, spiritual healing practitioner, school teacher/personnel, judge, social worker, day care center worker, foster care worker, law enforcement officer, neighbor, relative, friend, or any other person
Having knowledge or being called on to render aid to any child suffering from or sustaining a wound or injury which is of such a nature as to reasonably indicate or which on the basis of available information appears to indicate have been caused by brutality, abuse or neglect
And if you fail to report?
Class A misdemeanor – Possible Jail Sentence of 11 months and 29 days, with a maximum fine of $2,500
Most states have a mandatory reporting requirement for clergy; frankly, I believe that all states should be like Tennessee. In studying the laws in my home state, I found that child abuse laws actually grew from the laws afforded to animals.
As members of the ministry, you not only take upon yourselfs the solomn duty of God, but you must respect the laws of Caesar as well.
You can find more here:
May 09 2009
Yes, a quiz on Saturday -
Once upon a time, biblical literalism was thought to be the supreme view on the Bible – until the question was applied, how literal? Then you had to apply the Law vs. Grace, God’s will vs. Human will. The Bible Definition of Marriage is One Man, One Woman, but human practice often times did other things. Yet, that doesn’t change the requirements. This quiz is funny, because the author does not take into account what is written, but focuses on what what is practiced. He sites examples from the Law but not from Grace.
1. The biblical definition of a traditional marriage is one between a man and: a) many wives or concubines, b) sex slaves, c) prostitutes, d) his harem, e) all of the above.
2. Homosexuals are to be: a) tolerated, b) encouraged, c) killed, d) banned.
3. Women are saved: a) through baptism, b) by reciting a sinner’s prayer, c) through child-bearing, d) accepting Jesus, who died for their sins, as Lord as Savior.
4. God tries to kill Moses, but does not because God is appeased by Moses’ wife Zipporah, who: a) cuts off the foreskin of her son’s penis and rubs it on Moses’ penis, b) offers up a bull as sacrifice, c) takes a vow of silence, d) prays for forgiveness.
5. Evil and evil spirits come from: a) God, b) Satan, c) neither a nor b, d) both a and b.
6. Every year, one must take a tithe of all the land has yielded and: a) give it to the priests, b) give it to the church, c) give it to the poor, d) convert it to cash to buy wine, strong drink, or anything else their heart desires.
7. The Bible makes provisions for offering a sacrifice to: a) nature, b) the demonic god named Azazel, c) God, d) a and d, e) b and c.
8. To call somebody a “dog” during biblical times was: a) a term of endearment meaning “my little one,” b) an epithet of contempt, c) slang for “favorite one,” d) a term meaning “young puppy.”
9. My response to taking this test will be: a) stick my fingers in my ears and loudly sing “na na na na na,” b) question De La Torre’s salvation again while again stating never to read such commentary in ABP, c) ignore these parts of the Bible so I can maintain my literalism, d) read the text for what it says and struggle with it in the humility of knowing that a clear answer may not be evident in this lifetime.
Go to the above link for the answers.
But, his true intent is summed up in this:
The Bible is not the fullest revelation of God; Jesus as the Word taking on flesh is the fullest revelation of God.
Well, he’s not wrong, and he goes on to state that the bible should not be worshiped (Obviously, he’s never met a KJVO). He is right in the sense that the bible should not be worshiped, but he seems to be wanting to say more. Well, I’ll you judge -
Mar 14 2009
Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me,” says the LORD. “Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: Where have you not lain with men? By the road you have sat for them Like an Arabian in the wilderness; And you have polluted the land With your harlotries and your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot’s forehead; You refuse to be ashamed. Will you not from this time cry to Me, “My Father, You are the guide of my youth? Will He remain angry forever? Will He keep it to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and done evil things, As you were able. (Jeremiah 3:1-5 NKJV)
I want to speak a bit more about the divorce of God and the children of Israel.
Humanity has never had a steady walk with God. Throughout the covenants established by God with His Creation, God has never broken His promises while those on the other side have on a regular basis. During the past few weeks, there has been a conversation going on on this blog concerning the Law and Grace. I and others have taken the position that we are under Grace, and because of this we are no longer required to obey the Law, specifically the ceremonial Law detailing the sacrificial system, the holy days, and the holiness code of physical cleanness.
I have attempted to put forth a previous argument concerning another view of the Cross of Christ, and I will take this time to add to it.
The Book of Jeremiah was God’s bill of divorce to Israel and Judah. It laid out the reasons why God had now been forced to withdraw from the Covenant (the Law) that He had made, as in reality, the Covenant was broken many times over. But a mere withdrawal was not enough for our righteous God.
Below is a passaged from Romans 7.1-6 (NKJV) with some slight modification
Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the Torah),
Paul was speaking to the Jews.
that the Torah has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the Torah to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the Torah of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that Torah, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.
We already know that the marriage between a man and wife is a motif that represents the relationship between God and Israel as well as Christ and His Church. Paul is not creating a new allegory, but using something very familiar to his Jewish audience. Ideally, a man and a woman would stay married until the end of life – how rare that seems to be today – but if a divorce occurred for ungodly reasons , then it took a death to finalize the agreement.
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the Torah through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another–to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the Torah were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the Torah, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Paul is speaking, I believe directly to the Jews, and indirectly to the entire Church when he says ‘my brethren.’ We have become dead to the Torah because of the body of Christ. This is not the Church or the communion, but the death of Christ on the Cross. Yes, Christ was a substitution for us, in that we could not offer a sacrifice for our sins, but it was also the end of the Old Covenant. The day that Christ died, the Torah’s letter ceased to exist as a means of salvation.
Are we free from the law? Yes, we are under grace instead (6:14). Does this mean sin is irrelevant, that we can be indifferent to the distinction between sin and virtue (6:15)? No, as slaves of God we are still under absolute obligation to obey his commandments (6:16-23).
In the body of Christ, we can find peace because the enmity – the Law – has been removed,
For he himself is our shalom – he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah which divided us by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity. (Ephesians 2:14-16 Complete Jewish Bible)
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (Ephesians 2:14-16 NKJV)
Chapter 7 of Romans is not a new and complete conversation, but a continuation of chapter 6. Death to sin is accomplished by baptism,
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Far be it! Seeing that we have died to sin, how can we live any longer therein? Are you ignorant that all we who were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried together with him through baptism into death, and just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so also we should walk about in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall also be sharers of his resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified together with him, that the body possessed by sin might be destroyed, that we should no longer serve as a slave to sin: For he that has died in baptism, stands free from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we know that without a doubt that we shall also live with him, Knowing that Christ having been raised up from the dead, no longer dies; death has no more dominion over him. (Romans 6:1-9 CTV-NT)
For more in this category, click here.
Feb 20 2009
The blogger at C. Orthodoxy has posted a timely post ( timely because of here and here), saying,
Such is how, I believe, John views Moses, the Torah and the Temple. As the incarnation of the one God of Israel, Jesus does not replace those “predecessors” (after all, he thinks Jesus, as the logos, predates them), nor is their status as “witnesses” (John 5) a demotion from their previous roles. Instead, John seems to be saying that this is the purpose they have always served. Jesus is not a new Moses, a new Torah or a new Temple, but the divine king to whom all three have always pointed.
I believe that perhaps in my own understanding, I am leaving out the Incarnation of the one God of Israel out of my view.
Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”–not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen. (Luke 9:28-36 NKJV)
I am ashamed to say, that in my discussions, I have left out the single most important event in history – the Incarnation. Well, backing to the studying stone.
Feb 18 2009
Recently, we have enjoyed a fruitful discussion on Prophecy, especially concerning the Jews and the Church. (Start here) The focus of the discussion thus far is the return of the Jews to Israel, or rather in Covenant with God. (Has it been fulfilled?)As we know, the dispersion of the Jews happened in two phases. First, the northern Kingdom (Israel or Ephraim) was dispersed by the Assyrians while some time later, the Babylonians conquered the southern Kingdom (Judah – and Benjamin).
Feb 17 2009
As many of you, my friends, may have noticed, I have focused a bit on Messianic Judaism and the Hebrew Roots movement over the past week or so. This blog has been hit by those who feel that the Law is still in effect (and those that feel that Christ our Lord and God is a pagan creation). While countering the claims, a friend of the blog as assembled his own thoughts and teachings on the subject, at his blog, for those that might be interested. This discussion is important and just as relevant to the Church today as it was to the congregations of Galatia and the audiance of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Grace, Law, and the Christian
God has shown us grace and sent His Son Jesus to suffer and die for our sins. As such, He has taken away the requirements of the Law. This subject is so important that I chose to make a page specific to it.
- Christians following Jewish Traditions
- Christians And The Law
- Should Christians keep the Jewish Dietary Laws?
- What do abolish and fulfill mean in Matthew 5:13-20?
- Are Christians under the New Covenant or not?
- Has the Mosaic Law been abolished?
- Was the Law originally intended as a means of Salvation?
- How do the Law, faith, and wrath relate?
- Significance of The Mosaic Law
- What is work in relation to faith?
- What is meant by Grace in relation to God?
Feb 16 2009
Over the weekend, Dr. West posted some information that he had gathered from somewhere concerning a group of Pentecostals which require their Deacons to be circumcised. This feeds into the false notion that we have to obey the Jewish ceremonial Law; however, Paul, under grace, gave us true circumcision:
In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:11-14 NKJV)
Paul, himself a circumcised Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, wrote as well,
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; (Philippians 3:3-5 NKJV)
In Romans, to a congregation of Jewish and Gentile Christans, Paul wrote,
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. (Romans 2:28-29 NKJV)
There is a warning, of course, in Paul’s words – that we are not to turn back to the Law. Grace has given us freedom of the Law, yet so many people are willing to forsake the Grace of Christ for a dead religion. Is it me, or it this an every increasing heresy faced by those that profess Christ? The turn to heresy is not an immediate action – it starts small, like a cancer, and spreads faster as it picks up steam. It eats up anything good, leaving only the bad. It starts as a new take, perhaps, on an old doctrine, or even better a new doctrine that hasn’t been seen in a long time, that the Church ‘needs to get back to.’
I have noticed a pentecostal place that has over the past 30 years loosened their doctrine so that now, they have dropped any semblance of their former self and has now started to look to this ‘Hebrew Roots’ movement. Last weekend, they brought in Manhu.org. It started earlier, with a fascination of the Jewish things and now it has spread to the Manhu. I do not intend to let this heresy enter into the congregations that I love, so when I can, I will point these things out.
Feb 12 2009
On a recent conversation, a commentator raised the issue that a 1st Century Palestinian Rabbi was not the Son of God, God Incarnate, but in fact preached a strict adherence to the Law. (Original Post here) Here is one of the passages that he brought up. (Bare in mind, he has been blinded by the Law to Grace, and has same some antichrist things about the Lord and His Church. He is only repeating, and should be in your prayers.)
“Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)
The word that is important here, and must bare examination is ἀνομία (lawlessness, iniquity. Note, the Aramaic’s word here is ‘evil’, which is Traditionally the original language of Matthew). The Greek lexicons contribute the meaning to this word of ‘illegality’, or ‘without law.’
We call upon Paul to show us how he used this word,
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19 NKJV)
We, as Christians, are called on to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, so we turn to John,
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4 NKJV)
John, the Apostle and Disciple of Jesus Christ, understood Christ to mean sin. All sin is against the Law of God. Sin existed before the law of Moses and will exist until Christ returns. Unless you attribute the above passage to some sort of ‘pagan redactions’, it is easy to see that the iniquity that Christ was speaking about was sin. One of the things that we have to remember is that there is law which is morality, and then there is the Law of Moses. The law of morality which is contained in the Law of Moses, but existed before it, do not end with Christ, as the Law of Moses did.
“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. (Luke 16:16 NKJV)
The same Christ that spoke in Matthew to the evildoers (Murdock’s Aramaic New Testament) is the same Christ that spoke here.
As a final note, again reference the above conversation, Julio mentions this except of a passage:
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. (Matthew 23:1-3 NKJV)
First, I would agree with the Orthodox commentators that this passage is to be taken as hyperbolic, in a manner, to understand that Christ was teaching those around Him that those that have authority are not without sin. If one reads the entire chapter, you will note Christ’s teachings against giving people undue credit, and by attributing to them some special power to change the laws of God. It is entirely possible that Christ is telling those around him to listen to the words that come from that seat – which was the Law and the Prophets – for these words pointed to Him. If one hears the words then would follow Christ.
When Jesus says that the scribes and Pharisees ’speak’ but do not ‘do’ , the implication is that they ’speak Torah but do not do Torah.’ To ’speak Torah’ means to cite accurately what the Scriptures say. To ‘do Torah’ means to demonstrate understanding of Torah through word and deed (5:19). In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus claims that the scribes and Pharisees do cite the Torah accurately but he maintains that their words and their deeds reveal them to be ‘blind guides’ who do not understand the Torah they cite (15:14; 23:16, 17, 19, 24, 26).
Barclay says it better than I,
What he is saying is this, “In so far as these Scribes and Pharisees have taught you the great principles of the Law which Moses received from God, you must obey them.” When we were studying Matt 5:17-20 we saw what these principles were. The whole of the Ten Commandments are based on two great principles. They are based on reverence, reverence for God, for God’s name, for God’s day, for the parents God has given to us. They are based on respect, respect for a man’s life, for his possessions, for his personality, for his good name, for oneself. These principles are eternal; and, in so far as the Scribes and Pharisees teach reverence for God and respect for men, their teaching is eternally binding and eternally valid.
The entire passage has to be read, and compared to what Christ has said. If one has no faith that the Scriptures are inspired, then it becomes fruitless to discuss things. The Scriptures that we have, they lie not. They have not been redacted, or corrupted, but brought forth through history by God Almighty. When they become hard and distasteful, then it is not the Scriptures that are in error, but the reader.
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. (Titus 1:13-16 NKJV)
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