2009-01-03

Swan points out that to understand Mary in Revelation 12 is to admit she gave birth in pain, which runs contrary to the dogma of the immaculate conception. Madrid exercises private interpretation to try to resolve this, an interpretation which differs from other Romanists. Not only is this hardly the clarity supposedly found in the Roman church, and not only is it hypocritical, as Romanists go after protestants for private interpretation, but the reason for this is that they must make the Bible fit what the church has told them. Patrick Madrid Interprets Revelation 12

White covers some basic objections from an ?Arminian? to Calvinism. God freely dispensed His own mercy as He saw fit to demonstrate the full range of His attributes. Arminianism seems far more concerned with the freedom of the creature than the freedom of the Creator. Calvinists Are not Christians-

Piper says, "I love Jesus." He points to a number of texts which show that love for Christ is necessary, not optional, and that our obedience is an expression of that love. Loving Jesus is natural and necessary for the children of God. "I admire Jesus Christ more than any other human or angelic being. I enjoy his ways and his words more than I enjoy the ways and words of anyone else. I want his approval more than I want the approval of anyone else. I want to be with him more than I want to be with anyone else. I feel more grateful to him for what he has done for me than I do to anyone else. I trust his words more fully than I trust what anyone else says. I am more glad in his exaltation than in the exaltation of anyone else, including me." http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/3476_I_Love_Jesus_Christ/

Piper exhorts believers to fast, for the following reasons: 1) For the return of Christ, 2) For help in new ventures of ministry, 3) To avert some danger or threat, 4) To express sorrow or loss, 5) To express repentance and grief for sin, 6) Not for the praise of men. The Crazy Idea of Fasting in '09

Piper articulates nine biblical ways to pray for your own soul. For desire for God, opened eyes, enlightenment to glory, unity in heart to God, satisfaction in God, strength in His joy, visible good deeds and love, God to be glorified, and in Christ's name. 9 Ways to Pray for Your Soul

Engwer briefly reviews the first two volumes from Joseph Kelly on Christmas. He concludes, "Given how little Kelly seems to know about conservative scholarship and argumentation on the infancy narratives or his unwillingness to interact much with what he does know, the degree to which he agrees with conservative conclusions is significant. Still, the first two volumes in his series are more liberal than conservative, and they don't do much to advance the issues. Kelly considers himself a Christian, and he "loves Christmas" (2:100), but these two books are largely a disservice to Christianity and to Christmas." Joseph Kelly On Christmas

Here's Challies own testimony to the pointlessness and irrationality of worrying in his own life. He recalls believing that it was the worrying that brought about provision! Effectual Worrying

Patton writes a post on how he fears he is not fit for ministry. It is worthwhile to read: "Am I inadequate for ministry? Yes. So are you. We all are. If you have the “I’m not fit for ministry” syndrome, you are in good company. In fact, I have come to fear those who don’t have this syndrome. We know ourselves better than anyone. We know who we really are. We are intimately acquainted with our past failures and present struggles. These are not pretty. We are often selfish and many times prideful. We will let people down. We doubt and are scared, and we are not really as smart as we think. Laments are the norm rather than praise. In short, we are sinful." I’m Not Fit for Ministry

Gilbert isn't a real supporter of the "transformationalist" perspective on culture; i.e. that the church's mandate includes transforming culture. He argues briefly that the end of human culture is judgment, based on the Bible oddly noting that it was the serpent's line that is recorded as producing the first cultural accomplishments, and that Revelation depicts the whole of human achievement being wiped away and replaced (the city of man by the city of God). "I think language to the effect that we are "joining God in his work of renewing the world" or "redeeming the culture" is probably not the best language. " "Of course it's true that Christians can do much good in society. But the good that's been done: Is it really fair to call that "transformation?" That's entirely subjective, I know. And maybe it would be appropriate to call some things in history (the work of Wilberforce comes to mind) "transformative." But I think the story of the church's engagement with culture on the whole has been and is going to be less transformational than a fighting of what Tolkien called the Long Defeat. Human culture has always on the whole progressed in sinfulness, filled up its iniquity, and wound up being judged. " Some Unfinished Thoughts on the Cultural Mandate by Greg Gilbert

Carrie points out that the common low-view of Scripture - even hostility at times - from Roman Catholics is probably a result of having to serve two masters: Scripture and the Magisterium. Catholic Quotes on the Bible