Mounce takes the play on words in John 15:2-3 between ‘pruned’ and ‘cleaned’ as meaning that Jesus is encouraging His disciples in verse 3 that the disciples are attached to Him, and that they have been pruned – purified by His word - and so they will not be cast off. The term for ‘branch’ is better ‘tendrils’, pointing to the fruitlessness of them. This pruning will not be pleasant. Also, these verses show us that perseverance is the mark of true disciples, and that there is a strand in the NT of people who show some degree of connection to Christ, but eventually show that the grace of perseverance was never with them and that they never had vital connection to Christ. John 15-2-3—Play on Words (Monday with Mounce 30)
AiG suggests that the discrepancy in the release of Jehoiachin isn’t a copyist error, but rather due to Jeremiah and Kings reporting distinct events (the decree for Jehoiachin to be released, and the actual releasing from prison). http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/03/30/contradictions-get-out-of-jail-twice
AiG points to a vegetarian lion as an illustration the pre-fall predation need not be true. Cats require taurine in their diet, as they are the only animals that don’t synthesize it, and they also need vitamin B12. It’s possible that pre-fall, bacteria lived in animals guts that synthesized things like this, but that this balance has been ruined by the fall. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/03/30/no-taste-for-meat
The Dutch, in addition to being famous for their liberal approach to suicide and euthanasia, now have suicidal churches. A pastor at a Dutch church is an atheist, for whom there is no being of God, but rather God is just a useful idea, thus denying divine realities. They are theological anti-realists. The church refuses to discipline the pastor, saying that the protracted discussion wouldn’t result in any clarity. This is the legacy of their own work. http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=3532
Turretinfan comments on a debate between those who follow Clark and those who follow Van Til. The former denied paradox, while the latter embraced it (simply speaking). T-fan tends to the former (though pointing out that the latter seems to magnify God by describing his knowledge as qualitatively different from ours), briefly arguing that the existence of paradox (irresolvable, apparent contradiction due to the finiteness of our minds) does seem out of step with God’s aim to reveal truth to His creation. Moreover, the appeal to paradox could amount to simply throwing up one’s hands in the face of a challenging problem. Rather, we shouldn’t welcome paradox but be concerned by apparent contradictions, because they could be actual. We should search the Scriptures, and see if they contradict our doctrine, and change if necessary (if its more than an apparent discrepancy). Paradoxes and the Christian Faith
AiG summarizes the problems with the ‘death-bed conversion of Darwin’ claim. “Given the weight of evidence, it must be concluded that Lady Hope’s story is unsupportable, even if she did actually visit Darwin. He never became a Christian, and he never renounced evolution. As much as we would like to believe that he died with a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, it is much more likely that he didn’t. It is unfortunate that the story continues to be promoted by many sincere people who use this in an effort to discredit evolution when many other great arguments exist, including the greatest: the Bible” http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/03/31/darwins-deathbed-conversion-legend
JT points to “Paul Miller's new book, A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World. WTS Books has now received the second printing and it's available. You can read online the table of contents and the Foreword by David Powlison.” A Praying Life
JT’s church posted two sermons on hell. He supplies a quote to the effect that hell is no medieval invention, but it is Christ’s, and His deliberate judgment upon sin. The worm and unquenchable fire are Isaiah’s and Christ’s, and if one repudiates hell, he repudiates Christ. David Sunday- Sermons on Hell
Bayly argues that to redefine the office of deacon is to redefine the PCA denomination, because essential to the denominational definition is the nature and powers of church office – this is the heart of presbyterianism. He doesn’t buy the argument that deacons do not have authority over men, but only serve, and “that women are made deacons to bear the burden of diaconal service together with men rather than to participate in a male calling or share male authority. But if this is truly the case it's all the more reason why men should perform the service alone. Woman is the glory of man. She's not the bearer of man's ordure.” Some initial thoughts on the deaconess issue
Piper doesn’t know how it is that a morally pure and perfect being could fall, and how it is that God could cause this non-culpably, but this is the case. Nevertheless, eternal life is eternal, it does not end, for Christ has promised that no one shall pluck His sheep from His hand, and therefore this shall not happen to His people, and they shall not fall, no matter how long they are in heaven. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/AskPastorJohn/ByTopic/77/3805_If_the_angels_could_sin_and_fall_how_can_we_be_sure_this_wont_happen_to_us_sometime_in_eternity/
Wallace and the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts have located 23 new manuscripts in Athens! Twenty-three New Manuscripts in Athens!
DeYoung writes to another pastor who wants to have two sets of membership vows, one for unbelievers. DeYoung points out that there are many wrong reasons to join a church (e.g. for business connections), and that if we purposefully allow unregenerate persons into the membership of the church we do three very bad things: we tarnish the holy character of Christ, we allow unchecked sin and unbelief to act like leaven in the congregation, and we deceive our people. It sounds loving to say, ‘peace, peace’, when there is no peace is our world, but the more loving thing is to call people to repentance in Christ. Better to be in a small church with God than a large church against Him. The Bible is indeed exclusive, and people who do not believe in the unique divinity of Christ and will not call him Lord are not Christians (1 John 5:10-13; John 8:24). We cannot call unbelievers members of the church because they are not members of the body of Christ. Church Membership as Pastoral Care
Adams notes the persistence in preaching of John the Baptist in spite of the fact that he knew that those to whom he was preaching had the axe laid to them. Will Anything Stop Him-
Piper defines repentance as turning from unbelief and sin to Christ, and civic engagement as making efforts in the public sphere for a more just and loving social order in the name of Jesus. He concludes that repentance is commanded of every single person, but it doesn’t stop there, for this implies turning from all evil, which includes bearing fruits that entail a just and loving social order – so the call to universal repentance is a call to Christ-exalting civic engagement. Repentance and Christ-Exalting Civic Engagement
A pastor has been jailed for trying to help those seeking abortions to find alternatives, despite video tape evidence that he complied with unconstitutional laws trying to prevent him from coming to near those seeking abortions. A jury found him guilty anyway, despite his accusers being proved liars – even the clinics own ‘escorts’ for patients testified that the pastor was always cordial, etc.. Moreover, he opted for jail rather than a plea agreement. How far off the reservation will America go, when this is how the courts are dealing out “justice”! http://www.worldmag.com/articles/15341?CFID=3689174&CFTOKEN=93703285
Little more than 200 years ago, nothing moved faster than a horse. No goods, information, or people. Compare that with today. A Radical Transformation
Here’s some statistics on people changing denominations. Most do so before 24, change multiple times, do so because of the teachings or not being spiritually fed, and people tend to settle into their faith as they get older. New Pew Forum Results on Changing Religions
Hays rejects that it is intrinsically evil to inflict pain on another human without their consent. He points to the Law (Among the various forms of punishment meted out in OT law, some of them are distinctly painful: stoning (e.g. Lev 20:2-5,27; 24:15-16; Num 15:32-36; Deut 13:1-5; 17:2-7; 21:18-21; 22:22-23), flogging (Deut 25:1-3), burning (Lev 20:14; 21:19), and mutilation (Deut 25:12)), and points out that God does not command that which is evil. Moreover, only one of these is potentially beneficial to the offender (and note these are far worse than the interrogation techniques the Bush administration used). It doesn’t settle the question of torture. But it does debunk facile arguments against torture based on the Imago Dei. Inflicting pain
Gender Blog points to an article at the Washington post that is saying, say yes to marriage. Author and sociology professor Mark Regnerus points out that parents have more to do with deferring marriage, that marriage wisely entered into is good for the couple, for the economy, for wealth, for the environment, etc. Moreover, marriages that begin at age 20, 21 or 22 are not nearly so likely to end in divorce as many presume. Also, there is wisdom in an age gap, for women who get married at 18 have a better shot at making a marriage work than men who marry at 21. Also, for women, age is a debit, decreasing fertility, while for men its a credit, increasing resources and maturity, etc. There is no guarantee for marital success, and the ‘wait till you’ve got your degree and settled and gained wealth’ isn’t it. Just Put a Ring On It
Piper writes about the paradoxical command to spouses that they each not withhold from each other, since they have authority over each other’s bodies. This results in a stalemate, since each has authority to then have the other withhold for the other’s increased pleasure. This is the same paradox in outdo one another in showing honour. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Men are to lay down their lives for their wives, taking her longings deeply into account rather than pressuring her to adopt his. We are seeking to mainly please each other. There is a holy and humble and self-sacrificing competition to make the other maximally glad. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2009/3869_Sexual_Intimacy_and_the_Rights_Over_a_Spouses_Body_in_Marriage/
Carolyn Mahaney encourages older women in the churches to actively seek out younger women whom they can disciple in biblical womanhood. Join the WOTT
This post at 9 Marks reflects on the difficulty of determining what to reveal to the congregation in a congregational polity. Churches Keeping Secrets by Aaron Menikoff
“All the audio and video from The Pastor As Scholar and the Scholar As Pastor is now available. Piper's message (audio, video, manuscript) Carson's message (audio, video, manuscript coming soon!) the discussion that followed (audio, video).” Pastor and Scholar Media Is Here
Ligon Duncan articulates some of the differences between T4G and the Gospel Coalition, largely in terms of their origin in this post. TGC aims to foster a "network of networks" that would be Gospel-driven, and robustly biblical and theological. T4G grew out of a desire to see a wider Gospel benefit in inviting others to join in on and in extending the friendships between the diverse leaders of the T4G conferences. T4G and TGC by lduncan
Turretinfan writes that when the Scriptures speak of the wrath of God, it conveys that judgment is coming upon someone, and that the regenerate and justified will not experience the wrath of God. Responses to Audience Questions About the Substitionary Atonement Debate
Jongkind over at ETC explains that it is “just as wrong to say that the old Nestle-Aland text was that of Tischendorf, or Weiss, than to say it was that of Westcott-Hort.” Was the old Nestle-Aland text basically Westcott-Hort-
Leeman encourages pastors to look at Access Partners, which seeks to enter nations hostile to Christianity by business avenues, since this is the only way that many of them will allow Christians to live within their borders. They build businesses to enable church planting among people least reached by the gospel. Pastors, check out Access Partners (1 of 3) by Jonathan Leeman
Dever has more points on the church and community and social actions. “We should never mistake social action or mercy ministries (e.g., caring for the poor, soup kitchens, etc.) for evangelism (though it may be a means to it).” He points out that the church should speak to the ought, not the how, being careful not to commit to a particular solution or policy. Moreover, congregations should be warned about accumulating wealth, which the Bible teaches is more spiritually dangerous than poverty (and Christians throughout the centuries have concurred). The church itself should remember its responsibility, the Gospel, and that matters of concern for education, politics, and mercy ministries for those beyond the church’s membership are proper concerns for Christians to have, but the church itself is not the structure for addressing such concerns. The Congregation and the Wider Community, Part 4 by Michael Mckinley
Hays has some interesting thoughts on the movie Twilight. Of note, this stood out: “They can gaze longingly into each others eyes, but they can’t give physical expression to their feelings. Not in a mutually fulfilling fashion. The passion is there, without the natural outlet. As such their relationship becomes an unintended metaphor for homosexual attraction. Two (or more) “lovers” who are fundamentally ill-adapted to each other. It leads to a perennial state of emotional and sexual frustration. Any attempt to “consummate” the illicit passion is mutually destructive and self-destructive. Conflicting appetites. Passions inhabiting the wrong bodies.” Twilight
Turk quotes Spurgeon making a few points, like the unique promise of Christianity to make the human nature new, rather than just improve it. “Why do they themselves make such a wonder of a fallen professor? Are adulterers so very scarce that such a noise should be made when a minister is, truly or falsely, charged with the crime? The world's conscience knows that the religion of Jesus is the religion of purity, and if professed Christians fall into uncleanness the world knows that such a course of action does not arise out of the religion of Christ, but is diametrically opposite to it.” A Sidebar on Blameless
Mohler has some thoughts on Christians and how they should view a flu outbreak. Christian leaders have ministered in the midst of sickness in the past. We know that we are dying. And we know that disease is the result of the curse. And we do not make our faith contingent upon particular healing. Ministry always opposes sickness and death, seeking to mitigate it. “In the end, sickness points to sin and sin points to our need for Christ. Luther, Calvin, and all true ministers of Christ know that sickness and death point to our need for a Savior. Even as Christians seek to minister to the physical needs of the sick, the spiritual need is even more urgent. Each tiny germ shows us our need for the Gospel. Every cough is a reminder of coming judgment. Our confidence is placed only in the ministry of Christ our Physician, "who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases." [Psalm 103:3]” The best medication is John 3:16. http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=3713
Denny Burk writes that Adam Nagourney reports for the New York Times that the same-sex “marriage” issue has become a hindrance to the Republican Party. More and more voters are simply disinterested in fighting over this issue. Parties, therefore, change their message. But Christianity doesn’t do that – we are to conserve the message. And that means that the more mainstream homosexual marriage becomes, the more marginalized we shall become. But this shouldn’t surprise us (John 15:18-27). It’s just one more reminder that “here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come” (Hebrew 13:14). The Difference between Christianity and Politics
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