As we worship God we must remember the glory of covenant which enables us to worship Him. Too many Christians regard the New Covenant as God “dumbing down” His requirements. The Old Testament represents graduate school worship, and the New Testament somehows sends us all back for some training in the remedial basics. This thinking …
The Scarecrow’s Hat
One of the regular charges leveled against Auburn Avenue types is that we are paving the way for our folks to go over to Rome, or, mayhap to the other church, farther to the east, that has apostolic credentials going all the way back. Unless you count the Copts. And the Armenian Orthodox. Bunch of …
Postscript on Timeless Truths
Yesterday I posted something on N.T. Wright’s take on timeless truths, and here is one additional thought on that subject. Relativism wants to localize all values, decentering everything. This is what lies behind the postmodern shift from virtues to values. The virtue of honesty is the same in every culture, time and place. But values …
Like One Another
By the grace of God, we are growing into a genuine community. This means that we must deal with far more than the simple issues that attend membership in a religious club that meets once a week. We are learning to live together. This means shared meals. It means watching one another’s children. It means …
Scriptural Hermeneutics
Here is an interesting site that has some good info on Old Testament passages that are quoted in the New Testament. Since this whole subject mounts the central challenge to “scientific” hermeneutics in the evangelical camp, I would encourage all evangelicals everywhere to pursue this subject diligently. Longnecker’s book on the subject was really informative, …
Three Cheers for Timeless Truths
Anyone who has read even a little bit of N.T Wright’s stuff knows that he regularly takes a swing at the whole idea of “timeless truths.” Now I think I know what he is getting at, but I really think the whole subject needs to be nuanced far more than I think Wright does. All …
Their Foundry Is Deceit
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! I have been dealt with graciously, According to Your Word. Teach me Your judgments, all are good, Give me your knowledge freely now, For I have faith in all Your law. Before affliction, and the chastening rod, I wandered off alone, But …
The Man Who Sat In A Chair
Once there was a man who sat in a chair. His friend came up to him after he had done so, and asked, quizzically, “Why did you do that?” “My feet were sore . . .” began the man who was sitting down. “No, no, that’s not what I meant. Why did you sit down …
Discipline and Punishment
The previous chapter, that great hall of fame, sets the stage for this particular exhortation. The author of Hebrews was not telling Bible stories to no purpose or end. He was emphasizing the centrality of faith in all previous trials because his readers needed an exhortation to persevere in their faith, in the midst of …
Ezra Nehemiah 16
Introduction: The church of God has always had to deal with threats from two directions. The first is the obvious threat from without, from the enemies of God and the gospel. But the other threat comes from sin within the camp, from internal dissension, and from poor leadership. Nehemiah here sets us a wonderful example. …