Pastoral Musings

The Will of God And Questionable Issues Pt.3

The Essential Issue (The Glory of God)

As we look back on our study concerning questionable issues, it is obvious that there are things which deeply divide God’s people. Many of these things are things which are issues of Christian liberty. Often these things are very distracting and cause much confusion. Many times people who are good people with good intentions sin and separate from their faithful brethren over these sorts of issues. It is the contention of this writer that we must remember that, while we have issues which are important to us, there is one issue that is essential to the Christian life. That issue is the glory of God.

The scriptures tell us that God made man for His glory. “I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” (Isa. 43:7) “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:36) Many other passages of scripture could be given to illustrate this point. It is the point of this article to simply remind us what is most important thing on which we should focus our ministries and our energies in this life. That most important thing is the glory of God. God must be manifest in our lives. We are told to let our lights shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify God (see Mt.5:13-16). We are also instructed that we should live our lives in such a manner that, when men inspect our lives and behold our good works, they would give God glory in the day He visits them (see 1Pet. 2:11,12) God intends for us to give Him glory in our lives.

Not only did God create us for His glory and command that we live for His glory, but the glory of God is the motive of God’s work in our salvation. We are told that we are saved and accepted in Christ “to the praise of the glory of His grace.” (Eph. 1:6) We are also told that Jesus came to bring “many sons to glory.” (Heb. 2:10) The scriptures are filled with instances where God tells us that He saves us that He might receive glory for being merciful and gracious to us.

As we think upon our duty to glorify God, it is imperative that we also understand that God is very jealous of His glory. God is due glory: “Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” (Ps. 29:1,2) When we consider that the things which are important to us signify where our hearts are (see Mt. 6:21), and that covetousness is idolatry, (see Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5) we know that it is very easy for anything to become idolatrous. Why? Simply because it is easy for us to allow things to become more desirable and important to us than Christ. Not only can statues be idols, but material things can be idols, too. Ideas and principles can become idols if we are not careful. We can emphasize principles and ideals as well as our means of practicing (or not practicing) questionable issues to the point that we neglect to honor Christ. While we do not intend to do so, it is really very easy to lose sight of the most important thing in the world; the glory of God. God is very jealous of His glory. “The LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Ex. 34:14) “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” (Deut. 4:24) “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isa. 42:8) This writer asks all his Christian brethren to beware of the idolatrous practice of placing principles concerning these questionable issues above the person of Christ. God’s glory in our lives is more important than insuring that everyone utters our particular “Shibboleth.”

This important truth is well stated in Romans chapter fourteen. Consider the following verses: “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom. 14:6-12) “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 14:17) The inspired apostle contended that, while exercising their liberties in the way they approached these questionable issues, each was seeking to give glory to God. The man who regarded a special day did so because he desired to honor God. Another man considered every day as a special day in which he was to live for God. Each man sought to live for the glory of God. Thus Paul instructed them to not allow these issues to divide them, as they were all seeking to honor God. We also see that some ate meat and gave God thanks for the meat. In so doing they gave God the glory. Another did not eat meat, and gave God thanks for the food he did eat. In doing so, he gave glory to God as well as the other man. While approaching issues of Christian liberty in two very different ways, these brethren are both found to be giving God glory. The way the brethren practiced the questionable issue didn’t matter as much as the spirit in which they practiced it. How well we would do to understand this critical point!

We can do good things in the wrong way and not give God glory. We can have opinions concerning how to conduct ourselves in relation to the matters of Christian liberty and yet fail to give God glory. What we must do is seek to please God and manifest His character in all that we do. Attitude does make a difference. Our worship can actually become empty and useless if we emphasize the doing over the glory of God. We can make our opinions concerning questionable issues of Christian liberty into doctrines that divide. We can give lip service and outward worship with our hearts far from God, if we are not careful. (See Mt. 15:7-9) How sad it is to the heart of this writer to see people he loves divided over issues that are largely matters of opinion and interpretation and not matters of fundamental importance. May God help us to give Him the glory by loving our brethren even when we disagree about issues of Christian liberty.

Finally, we find that the judgment is about the glory of God. That is why Paul tells us we are not to judge one another. Judgment is the divine prerogative; it is not ours to employ against our brethren. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall

bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom. 14:11,12) Judgment is about God being acknowledged as all glorious and worthy of all our praise. How sorely do we mis-step when we condemn and criticize our brethren who exercise their Christian liberty in ways that differ from our opinions of how things should be done. Judgment belongs to God alone. We obscure the manifestation of the glory of God when we so judge our brethren. We also steal from God the glory that is His alone when we judge our brethren. The question is asked: “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” (Rom. 14:4) When we judge our brethren we usurp the authority of God, and thus attempt to take His glory for our own selfish ends. Judgment is about the glory of God and is part of His glorious character. “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” (Rom. 14:13) Our Christian duty is to love our brethren and to seek

to edify them. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but

the profit of many, that they may be saved.” (1Cor. 10:31-33) May God help us to remember that our purpose in life is to give God glory by manifesting His character above all other things. While each person is free to have opinions and convictions concerning issues of Christian liberty, we all have a sacred obligation to seek to glorify God and respect those who differ with us in the way they seek to glorify God in their exercise of Christian liberty.

 Part 1

Part 2

This is an old post that somehow did not migrate when I swapped servers a while back.

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What Is Justification?

As we study the doctrine of justification, we must first of all determine the meaning of the word. To justify is “to prove or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, propriety or duty; to defend or maintain; to vindicate as right.” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary) In other words, to justify is to issue a legal declaration of justness, or righteousness. Let us search the Scriptures to see if this is verified therein.

The LORD used Moses to say, “Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.” (Ex 23:7) KJV Again we read, “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.” (Deut 25:1) KJV These statements show that justification is a legal declaration of righteousness. God expects judgment to be just so that the righteousness of the righteous will be declared and rewarded while the wickedness of the wicked will be punished. In fact, He used Solomon to say, “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.” (Prov 17:15) KJV Again, the LORD used Isaiah to say, “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (Isa 5:22,23) KJV So far we have seen that justification is a legal declaration, or recognition, of righteousness.

While we acknowledge justification to be a legal declaration of righteousness, we must also understand what it is not. Justification is not making someone righteous; it is the simple declaration of righteousness. Justification does not make one righteous, but is the equivalent of a sentence of acquittal. This truth is seen in verses which speak of God being justified. David said, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Ps 51:4) KJV David was not seeking to make God righteous, but he was simply declaring the fact that, while he was wrong, God was right. As Jesus spoke to the Jews concerning John the Baptist, it is stated that “all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.” (Luke 7:29) KJV In other words, the people acknowledged the justness of God and gave Him glory for that righteousness.

Finally, we find that justification is a legal declaration of righteousness as opposed to the legal declaration of sinfulness, or condemnation. “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Rom 8:34) KJV

The Ground of Our Justification

By what means are we justified? Is it on the basis of our own goodness? No. If we were justified because of our own goodness there would be no further need of our being justified. Unfortunately, we are sinners who have come short of glorifying God (Rom 3:23) and have nothing within ourselves that is good (Rom 7:18) whereby we can justify ourselves. What then, is the ground of our justification? We are justified by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

There are three specific things that Christ did that together form the perfect work of Jesus that is sufficient for our justification. First of all, Jesus obeyed God completely and without failure. This is seen in the following statements made concerning Jesus: “We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15) KJV “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22) KJV “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Rom 5:18,19) KJV By Jesus’ obedience we shall be made righteous.

Next we find that Jesus died that we might be justified. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom 3:24-26) KJV While it is an abomination for wicked people to be justified, the cross of Christ declares how God does so righteously. It also declares that the one thing that is sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins is the righteousness of Jesus. Jesus’ death satisfied the righteous demands of God and His law on our behalf. That is why Paul said, “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor 5:21) KJV Jesus’ death for our sins declares that God’s righteousness if what is necessary for the remission of our sins, as well. The death of Jesus for our sins declares that man’s righteousness under the law is insufficient, and that man needs a Divine righteousness imputed to him if He is to be justified. “The righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:21-23) KJV

Finally, the resurrection of Jesus was for our justification. “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom 4:25) KJV Jesus’ resurrection signified and accomplished the victory over death and the sin that caused it. “Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” (Rom 6:9,10) KJV Jesus’ resurrection shows that, though He died for our sins, He would/could not be held by death because death had no authority or power over Him, because He had no sin. Thus, Jesus conquered sin and is able to justify us.

The grounds of our justification is the perfect work of Christ who lived a sinless life, died as a sin offering for us, and rose from the dead to break the power of sin.

Why Faith?

Why is justification by faith? Why are we not justified some other way? There are two very important reasons why we are justified by faith. Those reasons are: one, because we are sinners who are unable to be justified by any other means; two, because God is due the glory and not ourselves.

The doctrine of the total depravity of man means that man is a sinner from birth. This, of course, means that man cannot justify himself. Paul stated the fact of our sinfulness very plainly saying, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Eph 2:1-3) KJV Again, we find that, “ as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom 5:12) KJV Having sinned in our federal head (Adam), and being born with a sinful nature, it is impossible for man to justfiy himself. Man must look outside of himself and trust another to justify him. Why? Because one with a sinful nature will never produce righteous fruit. “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Matt 7:17,18) KJV This being so, man has no capability to justify himself.

On the same token, the law cannot do man any good in his attempt to be justified. The law, though holy, just, and good (Rom 7:12), but it had a fundamental weakness: human nature. The scriptures tell us that the law is weak through the flesh (Rom 8:1-4). This simply means that human nature, when confronted with the law, rises up in rebellion against it. Paul said that “ sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” (Rom 7:11) KJV Again, he said that “the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom 8:7,8) KJV Human nature simply will not abide by the law of God, and thus man cannot justify himself. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:19,20) KJV

God ordained that man be justified by faith due to the fact that all glory belongs to God. If man were able to do some good deed by which he would be justified he would have reason to boast. “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Rom 4:1-3) KJV As great a man as Abraham was could not be justified by his works. If Abraham could have been justified by his works he would have had something of which to boast, but before God he has nothing. Why? Because Abraham was justified by faith. Paul told the Romans that there is no room at all for boasting. “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” (Rom 3:27) KJV In fact, Jesus came to become our righteousness that we might boast in Him alone. “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1:30,31) KJV This being true, there is only one in whom we can boast: Jesus. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Gal 6:14) KJV

Results of Justification

In what does justification result? What benefit is there to the one justified? There are several things that result from justification, but the first is the simple fact that man is right with God. What else is there?

Justification causes man to stand before God with no condemnation and no guilt. While we are guilty before God, justification removes that guilt. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Rom 3:19-28) KJV The guilt that we carried is removed, our sins are remitted, and we are declared righteous when we are justified. What a blessing this is! Not only so, but we are no longer under condemnation. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18) KJV “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” KJV For everyone who is justified by faith in Christ there is presently no condemnation. What a wonderful gift from God this is. We are not left in the balance wondering whether we shall or shall not be justified in the day of judgment, but are assured that there is now no condemnation. Not only so, but there never shall be any condemnation to those who are justified. Paul said, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Rom 8:33,34) KJV There shall be no more condemnation to those who belong to Jesus Christ. Justification is the work of God and His work is eternal and shall not be destroyed.

Another blessing of justification is the fact that we have peace with God. No longer are we at enmity with God; we are reconciled to Him. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom 5:1,2) KJV Not only are we at peace with God, but this standing is secure. Paul’s statement tells us that we stand before God in grace. Just as we are justified by freely by the grace of God (Rom 3:24,25) we stand before God securely, because our standing is based upon grace and not works.

Finally we read,“The kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) KJV In this text Paul is telling us of two great benefits of justification: regeneration and inheritance. When one is justified, he also becomes a new creature; the old man passes away and he becomes new (2Cor 5:17), having new life because the Spirit of God dwells within him. Having been born into the family of God, the justified person becomes heir of God (Rom 8:16;Eph 1:12-14). Rich indeed are the blessings of being right with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!

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Note the passage in the KJV:

“For the woman which hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of the husband. ” (Romans 7:2)

Now note it as it is found in the UBS:

“ἡ γὰρ ὕπανδρος γυνὴ τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ δέδεται νόμῳ· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνήρ, κατήργηται ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἀνδρός. ” (Romans 7:2)

ὕπανδρος is a compound word that is literally “under husband.”  Now the question is this: Is the woman under the husband as under the law?  Does this speak anything to the issue of male headship in the home?  Does it only speak to the issue of the binding nature of marriage?  Does it speak according to the laws and customs of the time only?

I’m not so much worried about egalitarianism vs. complementarianism as I am the Greek and the meaning of ὕπανδρος in this context.

Anyone wish to take this one on?

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As Clement wrote to the Corinthians about their divisions he said,

let us give up vain and fruitless cares, and approach to the glorious and venerable rule of our holy calling. Let us attend to what is good, pleasing, and acceptable in the sight of Him who formed us. Let us look steadfastly to the blood of Christ, and see how precious that blood is to God, which, having been shed for our salvation, has set the grace of repentance before the whole world. Let us turn to every age that has passed, and learn that, from generation to generation, the Lord has granted a place of repentance to all such as would be converted unto Him.

Philip Schaff, vol. 1, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, electronic ed., 0 (Garland, TX: Galaxie Software, 2000).

Well said, and said in the fashion of Paul who said,

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ” (1 Corinthians 1:10–13)
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ” (1 Corinthians 2:2)

 

Even in the most necessary and important of divisions we sin if we forget the cross of Christ.

It is only when we keep the cross before us that we can stand firmly, truly, and rightly.

Perhaps Paul was only condemning disordered, unloving gossip and slander; he just hadn’t imagined the Christian sort. In the first century, the only disobedience to parents on offer was the unChristian kind, but perhaps now we are able to think the possibility of righteous, loving disregard of parents. Good greed and good envy – Paul was too much a man of his culture, and couldn’t yet imagine the insight of a Gordon Gecko, who envisions an entire world-order founded on greed.

And why not idolatry? Paul condemned idolatry just because he didn’t know of the tolerant, nice sort of idolatry that we moderns practice.

What in the world was he talking about?  Well, click the link below to find out.

via Peter J. Leithart » Blog Archive » Loving Idolatry?.

The Wrath of God Revealed

Romans 1:18-32

Introduction: Have you ever wondered about the evil that is in the world? Have you ever wondered why people are as they are? Do you ever ponder and ask yourself about the eternal destiny of those who have never heard of Jesus? Today we shall attempt to answer these questions. The answer in a nutshell is that man has descended. Darwinism says that man descended from a common ancestor, but is ascending in power, knowledge, wisdom, and goodness. Scriptures speaks of man descending from a common ancestor as well, but also descending from the pure worship of the Creator to the degrading and defiling worship of self and created things. For this reason the wrath of God is revealed.

:18-22a Wrath due to suppressed knowledge

:19-20 Knowledge of God evident in to all men in all ages Psalm 19:1-3;Acts 14:17;John 1:1-4,9

:21-22a Vain, worthless thoughts and darkened minds. Professing wisdom, yet becoming fools.

Why? The downward spiral of intelligence due to rejecting truth. Psalm 111:10 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise… In other words, beginning at the wrong starting point and taking the wrong road, man arrives at the wrong destination. It works that way every time one rejects the truth of God. It is inevitable.

:22b-32 The progressive revelation of God’s wrath

:22-25 the first exchange-the first abandonment by God. Exchanging God’s glory for the non-glory of idols. Exchanging truth for lies. Acts 17:22-28 Often this passage is spoken of as simply referring to Gentiles and their failure to honor God. This view neglects two things: 1. That it treats all of humanity since the fall. Following the fall, man became very wicked, so God sent the flood. Well before the establishment of Israel as a nation, even during Abraham’s day we find Sodomites and idolaters. 2. Israel was guilty of idolatry cf Exodus 32; Jeremiah 2:11 Having abandoned the truth of God and worshiping creatures, God abandons man to worship creation even more through sexual degradation. “Lusts of their hearts” James 1:14 cf Jeremiah 17:9 Man is abandoned to do as his heart desires Ephesians 2:1-3 ALL of us…

(It is here that we find the reason that the ignorant heathen are damned. It is because they are not ignorant of God. They know He is there, and they know He is eternally powerful and Divine, yet refuse to seek Him.)

:26-27 the next exchange- the second abandonment by God. Man continued in his worshiping of creation instead of the eternal God who is to be praised forever. Because of this, God abandons him to more degrading passions. “Burned” cf. The amazingly strong desire of the Sodomite men in Genesis 19 who, though stricken with blindness still try to find the door to Lot’s house so that they can gang rape Lot’s male guests. Ephesians 4:17-19 abandoned themselves to work all uncleanness… It should be noted that homosexuality is more than a matter of “plumbing” or “love” , but a matter of misdirected worship.

28-32 the final exchange- the final abandonment by God. They refused to approve the knowledge of God in their consciences, so God abandoned them to unapproved minds. What an exchange! They traded the knowledge of God for the absence of God. Without God in our hearts and minds our thinking is futile. There’s simply no worthwhile knowledge. Psalm 14:1-4a It’s not that there’s no knowledge of good; it’s simply that the knowledge one has will always tend toward evil in some manner or another. Consider Genesis 6:5 and the continual goal of wrong in their thoughts.

Finally, they are filled :29-31 cf Galatians 5:19-21 Though they know God’s righteous decree, they not only practice these things, they approve, encourage, applaud, and take hearty pleasure in others who do these things.

(The reason that we see so much evil in this world is that man is an idolater. Whether the idol is money 1Timothy 6:10;Colossians 3:5, fame,pride,etc 1John 2:15-16 , man works evil due to his own lusts James 3:16.)

Romans 1:16-18 This condemnation is why the gospel is necessary. It is why the gospel is good news. It is why God’s righteousness is revealed in the gospel- we have none apart from faith in Him.

Have you ever wondered about the liberal/agnostic idea that the Pastoral Epistles are not truly Pauline? Have you ever wondered about the idea that 2Peter may be pseudonymous?

Where did those ideas come from?

Why do those ideas exist?

Do they truly come from scientific studies?

What if they actually are the result of a philosophical mindset?

What if they are the result of a set of presuppositions?

What if that mindset is one that rejects Divine inspiration?

What if those presuppositions reject the miraculous?

What if those presuppositions and that mindset establish the authority of scholars above the authority of Scripture?

After all, the rejection of the Pastorals and 2Peter would serve to further those ends. You see, 1Timothy 5:18 quotes the Gospel of Luke ( Luke 10:7 )as authoritative Scripture with a probable nod to Matthew 10:10 as well. 2Timothy 3:14-17 speaks of Scripture as being given by inspiration. Depending on how young Timothy was, Paul’s statement could very well have held reference to some of the earliest New Testament texts. 2Peter 3:15 speaks of the writings of Paul as authoritative scripture. To reject this strong internal evidence to the inspiration and authority of the New Testament texts would serve to undermine the authority of the Scriptures and the Word of Christ to us in them.

Do scholars have presuppositions?

Do some scholars have anti-supernatural biases?

You decide.

For further reference:

Pastorals as Pauline-  Titus Pauline Epistles

2Peter as Petrine

The Living Paul: An Introduction to the Apostle’s Life and Thought by Anthony C. Thiselton

The Living Paul

Subtitled, An Introduction to The Apostle’s Life and Thought, this book lives up to its title.
Written by Anthony C. Thiselton, professor of Christian Theology at the University of Nottingham, The Living Paul will be a helpful addition to any Bible student’s library.
The first four chapters deal with Paul as a person, preacher, writer, apostle, etc. and introduce us to the man.
The following chapters deal with Pauline thought. Referencing various theologians and various viewpoints time and again, this book seeks to draw from learned men for the purpose of presenting Paul to us, and has done a good job for a book that is an introduction.
What I appreciate the most of this book is the arrangement of it. While I appreciate its content, and benefit from it, the arrangement is very helpful. Not only does it provide a bibliography, but a good index. The arranging of the chapters is well done, too. One only need to go to the table of contents to determine where he shall find that aspect of Paul’s thought he wishes to consider. In that sense this book is a mini encyclopedia of Pauline thought and doctrine.
Of special interest is the fact that the author deals with much modern thought as he deals with Pauline thought. The New Perspective on Paul is discussed as well as postmodernism. The latter shows how relevant Paul is to today’s issues.
The con is that I believe there are many who would be put off by the fact that the author does not see Paul as a complementarian when it comes to the roles of men and women. While I think Paul was, I do not see this as a reason to reject the whole book.
The Living Paul will not only be a read-through-at-once book, but also a good reference book.

Thanks to IVP for providing this book for review.

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A Brief Look At The New Testament Use of The Old Testament

In my time of studying the Bible I have often wondered about the New Testament use of the Old Testament. Of special concern were Matthew 2:11-15 and Galatians 3:16. Did the NT writers use some sort of Holy Ghost exegesis that led them to their conclusions? Did they simply impose their doctrine upon the OT texts? Neither of these things truly seemed to be in keeping with the integrity of a Christian character, nor did they seem to be consistent with Divine inspiration. What was I to do, then? What was I to believe about this issue? This short paper is my effort to come to a conclusion based upon the two texts above.

In this article I shall begin in Genesis and work my way through several OT texts in an effort to show that the NT writers were actually using the texts in a manner that would be consistent with the understanding of the OT writers.

The passage in Matthew 2 reads:

“And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. ” (Matthew 2:13–15, KJV)

The Galatians 3 reads:

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. ” (Galatians 3:16, KJV)

It is my contention that the OT writers did indeed have Christ in mind as they wrote.

The expectation of the people of God in the OT was that there would come a deliver. God’s promise in Genesis explicitly promises a son to come.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. ” (Genesis 3:15, KJV)

Not only does God promise a son, He promises a seed (singular). Thus, in the very beginning, the expectation of the savior would that one who is both seed (singular) and son.

The expectation of the people no doubt grew when Jacob prophesied of the coming Messiah saying:

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. ” (Genesis 49:10, KJV)

Later, the LORD would speak of the nation of Israel as “my son” when He sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt (cf Exodus 4:22). Later the nation of Israel would be spoken of again in the singular in a reference that is no doubt Messianic in nature:

“He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. ” (Numbers 23:21–24, KJV)

In verse 24 the prophecy moves from “the people” to “he shall rise up as a great lion…” This lion-like man will conquer his enemies.

Balaam prophesied again of the coming Messiah saying:

“I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. ” (Numbers 24:17–19, KJV)

Note that the expectation is that there will be a seed out of Jacob. Though he does not use the word “seed”, yet the Messiah, the coming King shall be a descendant of Jacob. Not only that, but the prophecy speaks of one man, not many just as Paul shall later do in Galatians 3:16.

Later a prophet like Moses would be promised (Deuternomy 18:15-19) and that would lead the people even further in their expectation of this one man who would come to be their deliverer.

David had an especially significant event in his life when he realized the this deliverer would be a descendant of his.

“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. ” (2 Samuel 7:12–15, KJV)

“And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God. And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. ” (2 Samuel 7:23–26, KJV)

Again, the prophecy is regarding one seed who shall be king. This seed is the seed of David, yet he is to be the son of God. (cf Psalm 2:6-12;89:19-29;Isaiah 9:6-7)

Later, Isaiah would speak further of Him (Isaiah 11:1-10), as would Jeremiah (Jeremiah 23:5-6;33:15-16), and Daniel would have a vision of Him coming to rule the world:

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. ” (Daniel 7:13–14, KJV)

“And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. ” (Daniel 7:27, KJV)

Having seen the development of the expectation of the Messiah as one who is the seed of Abraham, the seed of David, the son of God, and the king of all, I am not surprised to see the following verse used in reference to Jesus the Christ being the son of God:

“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. ” (Hosea 11:1, KJV) (cf Matthew 2:13-15)

After all, the people of Israel looked for this One who is the seed of Abraham (cf Genesis 22:18) and the embodiment of all that God expected Israel as a nation to be. After all, Jesus is the ultimate Israelite. He is the Son of God and the son of man. The seed of the woman (cf Galatians 4:1-5), the seed of Abraham, and the Son of God. Through the years the people knew that their Messiah would be what they were not – perfect. He would rule over all as the ultimate Israelite/descendant of Abraham, and the One to whom all of Israel’s history was leading them. Thus the prophecy of Israel coming out of Egypt could indeed apply to the Messiah as the Son of God.

Considering the Galatian passage we find that it, too, is interpreting the OT text correctly, because the OT prophecies clearly anticipated the coming Christ, the seed of Abraham.

When we come to an Old Testament quotation in our New Testament which gives us pause to think that there is a difference between the NT writer’s meaning and the OT meaning, then we should seriously consider what the body of OT truth has to say about the matter before we hastily declare that the NT writers were inspired to use the OT in a way inconsistent with the intent of the OT writers, or that the NT writers added meaning to the OT texts. When writing inspired Scripture the NT writers did not miss anything about the OT texts, but we may very well be missing much. I am sure that we are. I trust that this study will help us to consider how we must carefully approach the Scriptures when we study them, and that we should certainly appreciate the richness of the OT texts more than we do.

Introducing Paul The Man, His Mission and His Message

By Michael F. Bird

ISBN: 978-0-8308-2897-5

Introducing Paul is my first encounter with Michael F. Bird. I must say that I was very favorably impressed. He is a good writer. His writing is easily understood. His style is comfortable to me.

Bird takes Paul, studies his life, writings, backgrounds, travels, and theology. That could make for boring reading, or very interesting reading. It would be difficult to fall anywhere between the two. Thankfully, Bird made this interesting.

Bird’s approach to Paul is relatively conservative, for which I am grateful. While he does not pretend to give us a complete biography, he shows us that we can all learn more about Paul’s life. Bird’s coverage of Paul’s intentions, missionary work, and writings are good, too.

I was especially grateful for the overview of Paul’s theology. Bird did a good job with that as well as the rest of the book. While this is not intended to be a systematic theology based upon the Pauline corpus, it is none the less a good overview of what Paul had to say.

The one drawback I saw was regarding Paul’s views of roles of women. I believe Bird could have gone further and stated Paul’s teaching a little more plainly.

As a whole, this book is a five star book. It takes a large, difficult subject and presents it in a concise, accurate, and interesting manner.

I recommend it to all Christians.