Category Archives: Doctrine

How Can We Know What God is Like?

Posted by Dan C. on

What is God Like? – Part 2

When you think about it, the most we can know about other people is what they reveal to us. The extent and quality of our knowledge of them depends more on them than on us. Knowing God is no different. Only what God has chosen of Himself to be revealed can be known, and that which God has chosen to reveal to us can be found in Holy Scripture.

Our quest to know God begins by understanding that God is our Creator and that we are a part of His creation (Genesis 1:1 Psalm 24:1). God said that man is created in His image. Man is above the rest of creation and was given dominion over it (Genesis 1:26-28). Creation is marred by the ‘fall (‘Genesis 3:17-18) but still offers a glimpse of His works (Romans 1:19-20). This glimpse of God that we do have is available to all men – we are all born with the knowledge that God IS. By considering creation’s vastness, complexity, beauty, and order we can have a sense of the awesomeness of God. However, considering how often and how lightly we use the term “awesome” in today’s culture, I don’t think it’s nearly a “big enough”  word to begin describing our God.

clip_image002I remember when I was just a wee lad and we would visit my grandparents’ farm in Wisconsin. There weren’t any street lights and I remember looking up at the night sky and all the stars with a feeling of “WOW, God made that!” filling my little heart with wonder at how BIG God is. That was awesome.

I also remember a church, nestled in tall pine trees across the road from Grandma’s house. I found an old photo of that church, dated back to around 1955. As if it was yesterday, I can still hear the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy” resounding through the pines as we walked to church. That was awesome.

I can’t even describe just how “BIG” God was to this 5 year old – from just looking at the night sky and hearing a hymn. As we grow older and begin to read scripture our sense of God’s greatness looms even larger, or at least it should.

Face it; we don’t much care for hearing God when He speaks to us about our sin, our guilt, our helplessness, our weakness, our blindness, and spiritual “deadness”. We would rather hear just the “good stuff” He would tell us about ourselves. Nevertheless, knowing God first involves listening to His Word, receiving it as the Holy Spirit interprets it as it applies to us and to the character of God. When we see our “true selves” in the blinding light of Scripture, we can ‘know” God more fully, and even might have something to boast about.

“This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24

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To be continued. . .

Part 1

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

What are the attributes of God? What is God like?

Posted by Dan C. on

“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

(John 17:3)

This is an introduction to, and the first in a series of posts offering answers from scripture to the above questions. To say that they are important questions, questions that deserves serious consideration, is a huge understatement!

I first learned something about God’s glorious attributes years ago from two main sources: Lutheran Catechism and reading the Bible for an “Advanced” English course as a senior in high school. Catechism provided sound doctrine (and large words) to describe characteristics of God found in the Bible. In reading the Bible for itself, I found out that what it said about God matched the big words I learned in Catechism. (As odd as it might sound in today’s scholastic environment, in those days it was permissible to write a paper about The Bible as Literature, my chosen subject.)

In addition to Scripture itself, a source of information for these posts is J.I. Packer’s book, Knowing God.  Scripture references, unless otherwise noted,  are from the NIV and linked to their context in an online Bible. Please read them, read the context around them, and let scripture speak to you. There are of course other, more exhaustive treatments of the attributes of God; one of the most notable being Arthur W. Pink’s work, available online here.

These posts can really only provide a short glimpse into the awesome character of God and will hopefully whet your appetite to learn even more about the Creator of the universe and the One who sent His own Son to die so that you might live. The reason for these posts is two-fold. First, there seems to exist today, in American Christianity, a deplorable lack knowledge concerning what God has revealed about Himself in scripture. Most of what we hear from pulpits stages across the country speaks only of God’s love, and even that, for the most part, is described  according to our concept/definition of love, not His.

The second reason is from Scripture itself. John 17:3 tells us that “eternal life is knowing God“.  That can be a bit difficult to get our heads wrapped around, but it speaks of our eternal life has a  “right here”, “right now” aspect. How do we explain that in more practical, understandable terms? What effect does knowing God have on a person? J.I. Packer suggests four great effects:

1. Those who know God have great energy for God.

2. Those who know God have great thoughts of God.

3. Those who know God have great boldness for God.

4. Those who know God have great contentment in God.

We must ask ourselves, do we desire such knowledge of God?  While you ask yourself this question, remember that it’s not a matter of knowing God so we can “become” great for God, it’s simply that really “knowing” leads to “having”.

And lest I forget, when God sees knowledge of Himself in his children, It gives Him pleasure. 

” For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” – Hosea 6:6 (KJV)

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To be continued. . .

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Man in His Fallen Estate

Posted by Dan C. on

. . .and sacrificing Truth on the Altar of Niceness

“Man, with all his boasted understanding and attainments, is a fool: so long as he is destitute of the saving grace of God, his conduct, as to his most important concernments, is more absurd and inconsistent then that of the meanest idiot; with respect to his affections and pursuits, he is degraded far below the beasts; and for malignity and wickedness of his will, can be compared to nothing so properly as the devil.” – John Newton (1725 – 1807 & author of “Amazing Grace) from the letter “Man in His Fallen Estate”.

That is HARSH! I can’t even imagine Rev. Newton preaching that in  some many most(?) of today’s churches!  Where did he ever get such a low opinion of people who have not believed in and received Christ as Savior? That’s a BIG difference in the way many preachers and teachers talk about man’s condition in today’s Christian environment.

Was John Newton too harsh? Do some of today’s preachers sacrifice hard truth on the altar of niceness?

Think about it and feel free to share your thoughts.

How to Hate Your Neighbor – Redux

Posted by Dan C. on

II don’t spend a lot of time using the WordPress tools to analyze this blog, but a few days ago I actually took a look at my blog’s Dashboard and noticed that the “Most Active” post right now is How to Hate Your Neighbor, with triple digit views. Discounting the possibility that some of my own views are in included in the count, It’s still a sizeable number, at least for an ‘average guy’ blog. There are only four comments for the most active post, however, two of them being author replies to reader comments.

Apparently, while the title attracted curious viewers, few wanted to talk about the subject matter. Either they just thought the author was nuts, might have had a point but it was hard to understand, or the point just escaped them. Whatever the case, a bucket load of viewers didn’t comment, even though discussion was invited and encouraged at the bottom of the original post.

Perhaps the ‘personal’ tone generated the usual “he’s judging ME” in the minds of viewers who either don’t share the Gospel, or who share the “wrong” gospel (that would have been the “don’t ever tell them” list).

That post was only as personal as any reader perceived it to be, and if perceptions are a a kind of reality, I guess it was personal. When I remember the time, years ago, when I shared a tract with a prostitute on a downtown street of a small Kansas town that maximized God’s “wonderful plan” but gave second place to “sin”, it’s personal to me.

I was really proud of myself for not ‘witnessing’ like the fellows on the other side of the street who passed out tracts that talked about Hell and judgment and asked passersby “Where’s your soul going to die?”, with what I thought was a snarky tone. Those same fellows, from an Independent Protestant church in town with what I called “legalistic” tendencies, operated a little Servicemen’s Center on that street. Night after night, they would stand outside of the entrance and “ambush” unsuspecting sinners. The “regulars” just walked on the other side of the street.

Back to the point. . .

I was really proud that I was engaging a few people on the street that night in real conversation and not ambushing them. I simply walked both sides of the street striking up a conversation or two and guiding it to spiritual matters. If the person with whom I was speaking seemed receptive, I pulled out one of the pamphlets I had in my pocket and shared all about “God’s love and wonderful plan”. Sure, sin was mentioned, but in the sense that it separates us from God and the “wonderful plan”.

Does God have a plan” Sure He does, but it might only be wonderful in His mind and not ours. He doesn’t think like us. If you take a close look at evangelistic encounters in the New Testament, you don’t find the “wonderful plan” approach anywhere!

Where did that leave me, considering I loved sharing the Gospel? It left me with SIN as the main issue. I would have to be able to talk about that which unbelievers find extremely offensive and I certainly wouldn’t win friends and influence people. The ONLY reason a non-believer needs to come to Christ is to deal with the SIN issue. Everything else falls into place after that is taken care of.

“Leading” people to a “decision” to accept Christ for all the great things in store for them, is disingenuous at best, and an outright lie at it’s worst. You see, a half truth is still a lie, and representing something as the “main thing” when it’s not, is likewise a lie, at least in my book.

So yes, that last post was personal – and you are still encouraged to read it and respond, whether you agree, disagree, or just don’t care. I would love to talk about it.

"Strawmanicus Maximus"

Posted by Dan C. on

That’s a term I came across researching the issue of Sola Scriptura, a Christian doctrine restored to the church as a result of the Protestant Reformation. It appeared in this article by Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries, in which he summarized some of the main points made during a debate with the Catholic apologist, Patrick Madrid. The straw men presented here are typically seen an most debates between Protestant and Catholic apologists.

Straw Man Number One: Misrepresent the issue(s). In this case we are talking about Patrick Madred misrepresenting what Sola Scriptura actually means.

Straw Man Number Two: Misrepresent the opponent’s point/argument. In this case Patrick Madrid misrepresents James White’s position concerning 2 Timothy 3:16-18 and the passage’s presentation of a case for Sola Scriptura.

Following is a direct excerpt that appeared in the beginning of the above referenced article (and the actual debate), in which Dr. White explains exactly what Sola Scriptura does not mean and what it does mean.

What the doctrine of Sola Scriptura does not say.

First of all, it is not a claim that the Bible contains all knowledge. The Bible is not exhaustive in every detail. John 21:25 speaks to the fact that there are many things that Jesus said and did that are not recorded in John, or, in fact, in any book in the world because the whole books of the world could not contain it. But the Bible does not have to be exhaustive to function as the sole rule of faith for the Church. We do not need to know the color of Thomas’ eyes. We do not need to know the menu of each meal of the Apostolic band for the Scriptures to function as the sole rule of faith for the Church.

Secondly, it is not a denial of the Church’s authority to teach God’s truth. I Timothy 3:15 describes the Church as “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” The truth is in Jesus Christ and in His Word. The Church teaches truth and calls men to Christ and, in so doing, functions as the pillar and foundation thereof. The Church does not add revelation or rule over Scripture. The Church being the bride of Christ, listens to the Word of Christ, which is found in God-breathed Scripture.

Thirdly, it is not a denial that God’s Word has been spoken. Apostolic preaching was authoritative in and of itself. Yet, the Apostles proved their message from Scripture, as we see in Acts 17:2, and 18:28, and John commended those in Ephesus for testing those who claimed to be Apostles, Revelation 2:2. The Apostles were not afraid to demonstrate the consistency between their teaching and the Old Testament.

And, finally, Sola Scriptura is not a denial of the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding and enlightening the Church.

What then is sola scriptura?

The doctrine of sola scriptura, simply stated, is that the Scriptures and the Scriptures alone are sufficient to function as the regula fide, the “rule of faith” for the Church. All that one must believe to be a Christian is found in Scripture and in no other source. That which is not found in Scripture is not binding upon the Christian conscience. To be more specific, I provide the following definition: The Bible claims to be the sole and sufficient rule of faith for the Christian Church. The Scriptures are not in need of any supplement. Their authority comes from their nature as God-breathed revelation. Their authority is not dependent upon man, Church or council. The Scriptures are self-consistent, self-interpreting, and self- authenticating. The Christian Church looks at the Scriptures as the only and sufficient rule of faith and the Church is always subject to the Word, and is constantly reformed thereby.

This explanation by Dr. White of what Sola Scriptura does not mean was quite useful to this blogger because it told me why conversations I have had and/or observed seemed to go in endless circles. Opposing parties in the debate often argue from different perspectives. I hope you find this information useful.

As for SM#2 and 2 Timothy 3:16-18, well, that’s another blog post.

How to Hate Your Neighbor

Posted by Dan C. on

Recently I watched a short video clip from a well known American entertainer and atheist in which he made a very thought provoking statement. The speaker defended both atheists’ and Christians’ efforts in proselytizing.  About Christians he asked a question that could be summarized: “If you believe there’s a Heaven and a Hell and people go there, that eternal life is a possibility, how much to you have to hate others to NOT tell them about it?”

Think about it for a minute. . ., or two, or three, or more. This guy did.

Well, after the dust settled in my brain, and I picked my heart up off the floor, I had to admit that the man had a point. We MUST really hate our neighbor to NOT share with him/her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, I couldn’t get it out of my head. Could there even be anything worse, more cruel or hateful, than NOT to share the truth that sets men free, can keep them from Hell, and assure them a home in Heaven? And it hit me like a ton of bricks. . .

Tell them, but. . .lie. . .

Just tell them . . .

  • God loves them so much He can’t imagine His heaven without them in it.
  • They can come to Jesus WITH their sin.
  • They can have their best life now !
  • They have a special purpose in life, custom made by God, and they just need to discover it to be happy and fulfilled.
  • Jesus died for their dreams.
  • God knows we are just human and make mistakes that separate us from Him, so He sent His Son to “bridge the gap”.
  • All they have to do is “decide” to follow Jesus, “ask/accept”  Him into their heart”, or repeat a little prayer. That way they are in total control.

In other words, tell them stuff that emphasizes that they are the very center of God’s universe and everything He does, He does just for them!

But don’t ever tell them. . .

  • That apart from Christ, we are all DEAD in our SINS, deserving of God’s wrath – that we are “born on death row”.
  • The truth about SIN – it’s not just mistakes and errors in judgment (things we do) but a terminal illness we are born with (who we are).
  • That Jesus died for their sins, in their place, to appease the wrath of His Father against all sin.
  • That the first word of the Gospel preached by John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter and John on Pentecost, was “repent”.
  • That repentance is part and parcel of the gift of faith and genuine belief in Christ.
  • Being a Christian is no guarantee of a better job, house, car, or any other form of material gain.
  • That they would face trials, persecution, be hated, and might face death because of their faith in Christ.

In other words, don’t tell them that God’s primary concern is His own Name – that everything He does is first and foremost a demonstration of His power, designed to bring Himself great honor and glory!

There you have it. Two ways to hate your neighbor: 1) Don’t tell others about the path to peace and eternal life, or 2) tell them, but lie about it.

And how might following the above lists of “do’s and don’ts” show a greater hatred for my neighbor than not telling them at all? 

Think about it and let’s discuss it.

The True Gospel – Paul Washer

Posted by Dan C. on

This might be one of the most important sermons preached in our time. I might just leave it at the top of this blog because we are in a battle for the True Gospel.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “The True Gospel – Paul Washer“, posted with vodpod

 

What does the Bible say about the pope / papacy?

Posted by Dan C. on

This is a question addressed at the gotQuestions site.  It is the central question to be asked and answered – What dies scripture have to say about the issue? Below is the answer that was presented and that seems to have been very objective and really address the issue directly from scripture. I believe all the links work and will take you to the referenced scripture or reference cited. Search the scriptures and please discuss!

Answer: The Roman Catholic Church’s teaching about the Pope (“pope” means “father”) is built upon and involves the following Roman Catholic teachings:

1) Christ made Peter the leader of the apostles and of the church (Matthew 16:18-19). In giving Peter the “keys of the kingdom,” Christ not only made him leader, but also made him infallible when he acted or spoke as Christ’s representative on earth (speaking from the seat of authority, or “ex cathedra”). This ability to act on behalf of the church in an infallible way when speaking “ex cathedra” was passed on to Peter’s successors, thus giving the Church an infallible guide on earth. The purpose of the papacy is to lead the Church unerringly.

2) Peter later became the first Bishop of Rome. As Bishop of Rome, he exercised authority over all other bishops and church leaders. The teaching that the Bishop of Rome is above all other bishops in authority is referred to as the “primacy” of the Roman Bishop.

3) Peter passed on his apostolic authority to the next Bishop of Rome, along with the other apostles who passed on their apostolic authority to the bishops that they ordained. These new bishops, in turn, passed on that apostolic authority to those bishops that they later ordained, and so on. This “passing on of apostolic authority” is referred to as “apostolic succession.”

4) Based upon the Roman Catholic claim of an unbroken chain of Roman bishops, they teach that the Roman Catholic Church is the true church, and that all churches that do not accept the primacy of the Pope have broken away from them, the original and one true church.

Having briefly reviewed some of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church concerning the papacy, the question is whether those teachings are in agreement with Scripture. The Roman Catholic Church sees the Papacy and the infallible teaching authority of “mother Church” as being necessary to guide the Church, and use that as logical reasoning for God’s provision of it. But in examining Scripture, you find the following:

1) While Peter was central in the early spread of the gospel (part of the meaning behind Matthew 16:18-19), the teaching of Scripture, taken in context, nowhere declares that he was in authority over the other apostles or over the Church (see Acts 15:1-23; Galatians 2:1-14; 1 Peter 5:1-5). Nor is it ever taught that the Bishop of Rome was to have primacy over the Church. Rather, there is only one reference in Scripture of Peter writing from “Babylon,” a name sometimes applied to Rome, found in 1 Peter 5:13. Primarily upon this, and the historical rise of the influence of the Bishop of Rome (due to the support of Constantine and the Roman emperors who followed him), comes the Roman Catholic Church teaching of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome. However, Scripture shows that Peter’s authority was shared by the other apostles (Ephesians 2:19-20), and that the “loosing and binding” authority attributed to him was likewise shared by the local churches, not just their church leaders (see Matthew 18:15-19; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Corinthians 13:10; Titus 2:15; 3:10-11).

2) Nowhere does Scripture state that in order to keep the church from error, the authority of the apostles was passed on to those they ordained (apostolic succession). Apostolic succession is “read into” those verses that the Roman Catholic Church uses to support this doctrine (2 Timothy 2:2; 4:2-5; Titus 1:5; 2:1; 2:15; 1 Timothy 5:19-22). What Scripture DOES teach is that false teachings would arise even from among church leaders and that Christians were to compare the teachings of these later church leaders with Scripture, which alone is cited in the Bible as infallible. The Bible does not teach that the apostles were infallible, apart from what was written by them and incorporated into Scripture. Paul, in talking to the church leaders in the large city of Ephesus, makes note of coming false teachers, and to fight against such error does NOT commend them to “the apostles and those who would carry on their authority,” but rather he commends them to “God and to the word of His grace…” (Acts 20:28-32).

Again, the Bible teaches that it is Scripture that is to be used as measuring stick to determine truth from error. In Galatians 1:8-9, Paul states that it is not WHO teaches but WHAT is being taught that is to be used to determine truth from error. While the Roman Catholic Church continues to pronounce a curse to hell “anathema” upon those who would reject the authority of the Pope, Scripture reserves that curse for those who would teach a different gospel (Galatians 1:8-9).

3) While the Roman Catholic Church sees apostolic succession as logically necessary in order for God to unerringly guide the Church, Scripture states that God has provided for His church through:

(a) Infallible Scripture, (Acts 20:32; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; Acts 17:10-12; Isaiah 8:20; 40:8; etc.) Note: Peter speaks of Paul’s writings in the same category as other Scripture (2 Peter 3:16),

(b) Christ’s unending high-priesthood in heaven (Hebrews 7:22-28),

(c) The provision of the Holy Spirit who guided the apostles into truth after Christ’s death (John 16:12-14), who gifts believers for the work of the ministry, including teaching (Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-16), and who uses the written word as His chief tool (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17).

While there have been good (humanly speaking) and moral men who have served as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, including Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, the Roman Catholic Church teaching about the office of the Pope should be rejected because it is not “in continuity” with the teachings of the original church, that related to us in the New Testament. This comparison of any church’s teaching is essential, lest we miss the New Testament’s teaching concerning the gospel, and not only miss eternal life in heaven ourselves, but unwittingly lead others down the wrong path (Galatians 1:8-9).

Recommended Resource: The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Bible pope, Bible papacy and The Word of God by James McCarthy.

For this Christ Came. . .Part 3

Posted by Dan C. on

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – 1 John 4:10

The word propitiation carries the basic idea of appeasement, or satisfaction, specifically towards God. Propitiation is a two-part act that involves appeasing the wrath of an offended person and being reconciled to him.

The word propitiation is used in several key verses to explain what Jesus accomplished through His death on the cross. For example, in Romans 3:24-25 we see that believers in Christ have been “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.” These verses are a key point in Paul’s argument in the Book of Romans and are really at the heart of the Gospel message.

In the first three chapters of Romans, Paul has made the argument that everybody, both Jew and Gentile alike, is under the condemnation of God and deserving of His wrath (Romans 1:18). Everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). All of us deserve His wrath and punishment. God in His infinite grace and mercy has provided a way that His wrath can be appeased and we can be reconciled to Him. That way is through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ, as the atonement or payment for sins. It is through faith in Jesus Christ as God’s perfect sacrifice, foretold in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament, that we can be reconciled to God. It is only because of Christ’s perfect life, His death on the cross, and His resurrection on the third day that a lost sinner deserving of hell can be reconciled to a Holy God. The wonderful truth of the Gospel message is that Christians are saved from God’s wrath and reconciled to God not because “we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The only way for God’s wrath against sinful man to be appeased and for us to be reconciled to God is through Jesus Christ. There is no other way. This truth is also communicated in 1 John 2:2; “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” An important part of Christ’s saving work includes deliverance from God’s wrath that the unbelieving sinner is under, because Jesus’ atonement on the cross is the only thing that can turn away God’s divine wrath. Those that reject Christ as their Savior and refuse to believe in Him have no hope of salvation. They can only look forward to facing the wrath of God that they have stored up for the coming day of judgment (Romans 2:5). There is no other propitiation or sacrifice that can be made for their sins.

Recommended Resource: Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper.

Conversation with Paul Washer

Posted by Dan C. on

Just listened to this and needed to share it.  The same themes that are central to Paul Washer’s preaching are contained in this short video clip, albeit on a softer, but not less passionate, note.

The comments he shared concerning the impact of personally searching the scriptures is especially poignant. I am hard pressed to find a difference between previously believed things about God, Christ, and the Gospel and what I believe today that have not been the result of reading the Bible and receiving, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the truth presented plainly within its inspired text.