The greatest gift God gave His covenant people is of course His Son Jesus Christ in all of His works and teachings and glory. The second greatest gift God gave His church is the Bible by which we can know about His greatest gift in the person of His Son. But how we got the Bible we have, why we have 66 books as opposed to the additional books recognized by Rome, why the Book of Mormon is not Scripture, etc. is given very little attention in the church. So I can recommend this fascinating conversation at the G3 conference between James White and Michael Kruger on the Biblical canon. It sounds like a very boring, esoteric topic and it can be kind of deep but if you are someone who loves Scripture and encounters people that don't, this is the sort of information you need to have.
At around the ten minute mark I think Kruger hits on a critical distinction. We shouldn't talk about the canon with an attitude of what books has the church accepted and instead ask what books has God given us.
The canon of Scripture is not primarily the result of an academic endeavor. We don't have a canon because of monks or church fathers. We have the Scriptures because God Himself decreed to reveal Himself to man in His own manner and ordained that these revelations that we call Scripture would be preserved in a way that His people would be able to access them throughout history, even though there were many times and many places, even now, when Scripture is hard to come by. To put it more simply, the Bible is the result of a supernatural action by God in the same way that the creation of the universe, the parting of the Red Sea and the resurrection of His Son were supernatural acts.
Watch this video and be sure to thank God that He made provision to preserve His Word for His people that they might come to know His Son.
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Monday, March 05, 2018
Friday, December 11, 2009
The problem with Scripture proofs
A friend recently asked if I had any disagreements with a particular section of the London Baptist Confession. Now I love me some 1689 LCF, I have a couple of copies on the shelf, I refer to it periodically, I even have Sam Waldron's Modern Exposition of the 1689 LBCF. Having said that, there are places that I disagree with the London Baptist Confession. One area is Chapter 26, section 10 (the section he asked me about). I have some obvious issues with what it says about pastors in the church but I also have a real issue with the way it (mis)uses Scripture proofs (those Scripture references you find in all sorts of Christian writings). Let me show you what I mean...
10. The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him; it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability, so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others; and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.
( Acts 6:4; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18; Galatians 6:6, 7; 2 Timothy 2:4; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Corinthians 9:6-14 )
Well that all seems very sound and has lots of Scripture proofs referenced, so it must be right. Or maybe we should look at these proofs and see what they actually say...
Acts 6:4 is talking about the apostles, not elders in a local church
Hebrews 13:17 seems to be talking about missionaries or apostles (the "leaders" who preached the Gospel to you, past tense. More about that in a future post)
1 Timothy 5:17-18 is perhaps speaking of giving to or sharing with elders (see Alan Knox on this question)
Galatians 6:6 speaks of sharing, not of paying a salary
2 Timothy 2:4 is directed at Timothy specifically
1 Timothy 3:2 refers to the qualities to be desired in an elder
1 Cor 9: 6-14 is the most inexplicable because in 1 Corinthians 9 Paul is saying that he did not take money from the Corinthians. Why?
What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. (1Co 9:18)
So yeah, I have a disagreement with the LBCF on this issue. I don't think the Scripture proofs given by our brothers in the 17th century do much to bolster their case in this instance. I especially am concerned that when Christians see a listing all of these Scripture proofs, are they actually comparing what the proofs say to what the confession writes? The confessions are useful tool but cannot replace studying the Word.
10. The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him; it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability, so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others; and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.
( Acts 6:4; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18; Galatians 6:6, 7; 2 Timothy 2:4; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Corinthians 9:6-14 )
Well that all seems very sound and has lots of Scripture proofs referenced, so it must be right. Or maybe we should look at these proofs and see what they actually say...
Acts 6:4 is talking about the apostles, not elders in a local church
Hebrews 13:17 seems to be talking about missionaries or apostles (the "leaders" who preached the Gospel to you, past tense. More about that in a future post)
1 Timothy 5:17-18 is perhaps speaking of giving to or sharing with elders (see Alan Knox on this question)
Galatians 6:6 speaks of sharing, not of paying a salary
2 Timothy 2:4 is directed at Timothy specifically
1 Timothy 3:2 refers to the qualities to be desired in an elder
1 Cor 9: 6-14 is the most inexplicable because in 1 Corinthians 9 Paul is saying that he did not take money from the Corinthians. Why?
What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. (1Co 9:18)
So yeah, I have a disagreement with the LBCF on this issue. I don't think the Scripture proofs given by our brothers in the 17th century do much to bolster their case in this instance. I especially am concerned that when Christians see a listing all of these Scripture proofs, are they actually comparing what the proofs say to what the confession writes? The confessions are useful tool but cannot replace studying the Word.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Seeking the accolades of the world at the expense of the Word
USA Today featured an editorial today by Karl Giberson and Darrel Falk, both university professors and co-presidents of the BioLogos Foundation. The editorial, We believe in evolution — and God tries to make the case that belief in evolution and Christian faith are compatible.
Quite frankly it is not a compelling argument. It is the same “this is indisputable” string of reasoning we always get from evolutionists. The more someone throws out “indisputable”, “overwhelming” and words like that, the more I question the foundations of their argument. Even where they make what must have seemed like sound arguments, it doesn’t prove a thing. For example:
The discovery of DNA now provides an irrefutable digital record of the relatedness of all living things.
Which in and of itself is not an argument for evolution. In fact, given the creation record it strikes me that it is more a defense of creationism, that all life is interconnected because it was all created by the same Creator God, not over the course of “billions” of years but in a moment.
The tragedy is that these people think they can take what the Bible teaches, that man was created by God in His own image and distort that by taking their dogma from science. The same science that says that man must be the product of evolution also rejects the idea of a man being crucified and rising from the dead. The high priests of evolution are every bit as dogmatic about their religion as a fundie preacher. The editorial does little other than throw out blanket assertions and try to paint people that are presumably fellow believers in as bad a light as possible for their woefully ignorant beliefs.
Mr. Giberson and Mr. Falk are trying to juggle to irreconcilable world views. One is a world where life was created by chance, a series of random events that fortuitously (or not if you see humans as a threat to the environment) resulted in human beings. The other is a world where God is Creator, not Evolver, and He did just as He said He did, He spoke the universe into existence and His crowning creation was man. Those worldviews are irreconcilable. Either God created the universe as He has recorded in the Word or He didn’t. If you distrust the Bible from the first page, what sort of treatment does the rest of it get? It comes down, as it so often does in a wide range of issues, to authority. Mr. Giberson and Mr. Falk view the opinions of “scientists” and their own limited understanding of the universe as more authoritative than the Word of God. As for me and my family, we will continue to teach that God is capable of and willing to create all of Creation in an instant by the sheer force of His will. Trying to make God fit into a box of our own understanding is always a fool’s errand and borders on idolatry. I have no doubt that Mr Giberson and Mr. Falk believe in evolution and God. I just question who this God is that they believe in .
Quite frankly it is not a compelling argument. It is the same “this is indisputable” string of reasoning we always get from evolutionists. The more someone throws out “indisputable”, “overwhelming” and words like that, the more I question the foundations of their argument. Even where they make what must have seemed like sound arguments, it doesn’t prove a thing. For example:
The discovery of DNA now provides an irrefutable digital record of the relatedness of all living things.
Which in and of itself is not an argument for evolution. In fact, given the creation record it strikes me that it is more a defense of creationism, that all life is interconnected because it was all created by the same Creator God, not over the course of “billions” of years but in a moment.
The tragedy is that these people think they can take what the Bible teaches, that man was created by God in His own image and distort that by taking their dogma from science. The same science that says that man must be the product of evolution also rejects the idea of a man being crucified and rising from the dead. The high priests of evolution are every bit as dogmatic about their religion as a fundie preacher. The editorial does little other than throw out blanket assertions and try to paint people that are presumably fellow believers in as bad a light as possible for their woefully ignorant beliefs.
Mr. Giberson and Mr. Falk are trying to juggle to irreconcilable world views. One is a world where life was created by chance, a series of random events that fortuitously (or not if you see humans as a threat to the environment) resulted in human beings. The other is a world where God is Creator, not Evolver, and He did just as He said He did, He spoke the universe into existence and His crowning creation was man. Those worldviews are irreconcilable. Either God created the universe as He has recorded in the Word or He didn’t. If you distrust the Bible from the first page, what sort of treatment does the rest of it get? It comes down, as it so often does in a wide range of issues, to authority. Mr. Giberson and Mr. Falk view the opinions of “scientists” and their own limited understanding of the universe as more authoritative than the Word of God. As for me and my family, we will continue to teach that God is capable of and willing to create all of Creation in an instant by the sheer force of His will. Trying to make God fit into a box of our own understanding is always a fool’s errand and borders on idolatry. I have no doubt that Mr Giberson and Mr. Falk believe in evolution and God. I just question who this God is that they believe in .
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Ability versus Obedience
Magazine Featuring Female Pastors Pulled From Shelves, 'Treated Like Pornography'
ATLANTA — The five women on the cover are dressed in black and smiling — not an uncommon strategy for selling magazines.
But these cover girls are women of the cloth, featured in Gospel Today magazine's latest issue, which the Southern Baptist Convention has pulled from the shelves at its bookstores, though the magazine is available for sale upon request.
The group says women pastors go against its beliefs, according to its interpretation of the New Testament. The magazine was taken off stands in more than 100 Lifeway Christian Bookstores across the country, including six in metro Atlanta.
Published for nearly 20 years, Gospel Today is the largest and most widely distributed urban Christian publication in the country, with a circulation of 240,000. The magazine's publisher, Teresa Hairston, said she was just reporting on a trend, not trying to promote women pastors.
"They basically treated it like pornography and put it behind the counter," she said. "Unless a person goes into the store and asks for it, they won't see it displayed."
Nationally, the Southern Baptists have adopted statements discouraging women from being pastors, but their 42,000 U.S. churches are independent and a few have selected women to lead their congregations. The faith was organized in 1845 in Augusta, Ga.
Chris Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, said the cover was not the reason the magazine was pulled from Lifeway's shelves.
"The buyers said the statements that were in it took positions that were contrary to what we would say," Turner said. "It wasn't so much that there were women on the cover."
Featured on the cover are Pastor Sheryl Brady of The River in Durham, N.C.; Pastor Tamara Bennett of This Is Pentecost Ministries in Sacramento, Calif.; Bishop Millicent Hunter of The Baptist Worship Center in Philadelphia, Pa.; Pastor Claudette Copeland of New Creation Christian Fellowship in San Antonio, Texas; and Pastor Kimberly Ray of Church on the Rock in Matteson, Ill.
Bennett said the issue of women in the ministry is not one that should be shelved.
"It's a story that needs to be told," she said in a telephone interview Friday. "Sometimes we forget that ministry is God's business. It's not a man's business. God gives gifts to whomever he sees fit."
Bennett said she is encouraging people to ask for the magazine.
"All Dr. Hairston did was tell a story, she didn't preach a doctrine," Bennett said of the article. "It's just sharing news."
Ms. Bennett, God does indeed gives gifts where He sees fit, and the Scripture is one of those gifts. His Scripture is clear who is and who is not to be called as pastors...
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
That is pretty clear, isn't it? For further clarification...
I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12)
ATLANTA — The five women on the cover are dressed in black and smiling — not an uncommon strategy for selling magazines.
But these cover girls are women of the cloth, featured in Gospel Today magazine's latest issue, which the Southern Baptist Convention has pulled from the shelves at its bookstores, though the magazine is available for sale upon request.
The group says women pastors go against its beliefs, according to its interpretation of the New Testament. The magazine was taken off stands in more than 100 Lifeway Christian Bookstores across the country, including six in metro Atlanta.
Published for nearly 20 years, Gospel Today is the largest and most widely distributed urban Christian publication in the country, with a circulation of 240,000. The magazine's publisher, Teresa Hairston, said she was just reporting on a trend, not trying to promote women pastors.
"They basically treated it like pornography and put it behind the counter," she said. "Unless a person goes into the store and asks for it, they won't see it displayed."
Nationally, the Southern Baptists have adopted statements discouraging women from being pastors, but their 42,000 U.S. churches are independent and a few have selected women to lead their congregations. The faith was organized in 1845 in Augusta, Ga.
Chris Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, said the cover was not the reason the magazine was pulled from Lifeway's shelves.
"The buyers said the statements that were in it took positions that were contrary to what we would say," Turner said. "It wasn't so much that there were women on the cover."
Featured on the cover are Pastor Sheryl Brady of The River in Durham, N.C.; Pastor Tamara Bennett of This Is Pentecost Ministries in Sacramento, Calif.; Bishop Millicent Hunter of The Baptist Worship Center in Philadelphia, Pa.; Pastor Claudette Copeland of New Creation Christian Fellowship in San Antonio, Texas; and Pastor Kimberly Ray of Church on the Rock in Matteson, Ill.
Bennett said the issue of women in the ministry is not one that should be shelved.
"It's a story that needs to be told," she said in a telephone interview Friday. "Sometimes we forget that ministry is God's business. It's not a man's business. God gives gifts to whomever he sees fit."
Bennett said she is encouraging people to ask for the magazine.
"All Dr. Hairston did was tell a story, she didn't preach a doctrine," Bennett said of the article. "It's just sharing news."
Ms. Bennett, God does indeed gives gifts where He sees fit, and the Scripture is one of those gifts. His Scripture is clear who is and who is not to be called as pastors...
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
That is pretty clear, isn't it? For further clarification...
I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12)
And...
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (1 Corinthians 14:33-35)
Kind of hard to be a pastor and preach when you are not to have authority over men and you are supposed to remain silent! It is not an issue of ability, it is an issue of obedience. We don't get to ignore Scripture as we see fit because someone has a "gift". I am sure Ms. Bennett and these other ladies have Bibles, they ought to check out these passages instead of being concerned with that their "gifts" are.
Well, I guess it makes some sense. Women are clearly prohibited by Scriptural mandate from serving as pastors but the Bible is also clear that we worship a triune God. The magazine in question, Gospel Today, featured heretic T.D. Jakes on a cover, declaring him "America's most prominent preacher" as well as "Pastor" Paula White, who "preached" the heretical prosperity gospel. Clearly not a very discerning magazine. If Scripture prohibits women from being pastors, and the cover declares the five women on the cover as "pastors" then it shouldn't be sold in a Southern Baptist bookstore.
Well, I guess it makes some sense. Women are clearly prohibited by Scriptural mandate from serving as pastors but the Bible is also clear that we worship a triune God. The magazine in question, Gospel Today, featured heretic T.D. Jakes on a cover, declaring him "America's most prominent preacher" as well as "Pastor" Paula White, who "preached" the heretical prosperity gospel. Clearly not a very discerning magazine. If Scripture prohibits women from being pastors, and the cover declares the five women on the cover as "pastors" then it shouldn't be sold in a Southern Baptist bookstore.
Does that mean that women have no role in the church? Certainly not! Just not as pastors (or I would argue as teachers of classes including men) So what are they to do? Luckily Scripture has an answer for that too!
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3-5)
Love your husbands and your children, teach the next generation of girls to be godly women, keeping their home. Those are noble tasks and to assume that women have to be pastors instead of mere "housewives" demonstrates that one is more concerned with the world's opinion than God's commandments. Being equal does not mean being the same. Being a mother and a wife is a high calling, a noble calling. What the Apostle Paul has to say should be more important to Christian women than what Gloria Steinem has to say.
(As a side note from the sixth paragraph: The faith was organized in 1845 in Augusta, Ga. . The Southern Baptist faith was not organized in Georgia in 1945, it was organized in Jerusalem in the first century. The denomination was organized in Georgia in 1845)
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