Functional Religion

A functional view of belief assumes or “brackets” the question of whether the beliefs are true. One who holds to a purely functionalist view of religious conviction is not concerned with the truthfulness of these beliefs, but only with the effects the beliefs have on the believer, both privately and in social contexts.

Al Mohler takes a look at the recent media attention surrounding some critical comments Obama made. He takes it through a Christian-lens and examines how political motivations fictionalizes religion. I think it is something that all Christians should be aware of. Scripture proclaims truth, not functional ideas.

Worthy is the Lamb

Today New Testament believers know that the blood of bulls and goats is not enough to take away sin. But I think that we can often just take for granted Jesus’ death in our place. We don’t think about his innocent blood draining away because we can’t conceptualize it. We don’t always appropriate the idea of substitute because we’ve never seen a living object die in our place. But our loss can be this: sin is easy because forgiveness (we think) is cheap.

There is a video released showing people sacrificing a lamb. (I have not seen the video yet, I doubt it is proper to view it at the workplace.) Aside from all the controversy surrounding this, it is a sobering reminder for the Worthy Lamb who was slain in our place. If you think about the gruesomeness of how a lamb was slain for a “couple sins”, how much more gruesomeness did our perfect Savior endure to take away all our sins.

Love for the Gospel

That guy will go in life pushing and pushing aside the gospel not wanting to hear it, not wanting to think about it and have nothing to do with it. He’s going to wave that hand every instant the cross is presented and that will harden his heart even more every time.

How much love do you have for the gospel? Do you recognize God’s sovereignty no matter how the person responds? It is very interesting to read of the experience David Ko had with sharing the gospel.

Sound Doctrine, Sound Faith

The idea of doctrine and theology, and especially systematic theology, are head in great suspicion in the church today. “Christianity is a life, not a doctrine,” say the critics. They may think this is something that is greatly original, but in reality this was a phrase coined by nineteenth century liberals. If we are to remain faithful to the message of Scripture we need to remain Christians who love the systematic theology of Scripture.

How important is doctrine in your life? Do you see the fruition of doctrine applied in your life? Or do we simply shrug off doctrine as something “unattainable”, “left for the leaders of the church”, or “something our minds cannot understand”?

The website showing the features of the new ESV study bible has just opened.

This is looking to be the best-looking study bible to be released. The features seem to be endless. There are dozens of articles by many different great men of God (Wayne Grudem, John Piper, Mark Dever) covering a wide array of topics: “The Reliability of New Testament Manuscripts”, “God’s plan for salvation”, “The Authority and Truthfulness of the Bible”, etc.

Top this off with commentary from different scholars for each book, 200 color maps, 40 color illustrations (There is a very cool illustration of Solomon’s temple sample on the website), and 80,000 cross-refereneces.

I already have my ESV, but I am definitely tempted to purchase one of the 8 formats of this new study bible! If you don’t have an ESV yet, I HIGHLY recommend this as a resource to you and your study of God’s amazing word.

Pridefully Judging Sinners

He seems to have two categories in this story: perfect and not perfect. So what Jesus really suggests is, if you are in the latter category, what in the world do you think you’re doing judging other people who are also imperfect just like you?

Are we quick to judge others in their sin or do we bow at Jesus’ feet recognizing our own sin in our lives? We are no different than a murderer or prostitute. There is no such thing as a “level” or “severity” to sin. All sin is an abomination in God’s sight.

The World’s Redefinition of Love

Most of the talk about love these days ignores this principle. “Love” has been redefined as a broad tolerance that overlooks sin and embraces good and evil alike. That’s not love; it’s apathy.

It is funny how different love is defined in the world versus how the bible defines it. We should tread very carefully in encouraging what the world considers love. Let us live love according to how Jesus taught it: sacrificial, self-giving, merciful, compassionate, sympathetic, kind, generous, and patient.

More American Idol Response

Let’s reserve our ‘outrage’ for the real tragedies in this world…Let his praises rise… Even from hearts as cold as stones… God can command praise from stones—not just the redeemed.

Whether you are appalled or excited or indifferent, God’s work is coming to show. Just look at the varied response of Christians on this blog about the controversy. It is definitely insightful.

Purposeful Fellowship

During these trips, we’ve heard great preaching and teaching. But we’ve also used our meal times (and late evenings) for discussion and application. We spend time encouraging one another, at times correcting one other, and contemplating the future together. We think much, laugh much, and eat much—all to the glory of God.

Reading about how Pastor C.J. Mahaney is building up his pastoral team through attendance at a conference is making me excited about the upcoming attendance of our fellowship to the Resolved Conference this June. I sincerely pray that we would build, correct, and contemplate the future together in genuine fellowship—all to the glory of God.

Would you be okay with a gay kid?

Christians know that homosexuality is a sin — that it is not the Creator’s purpose for our sexuality. The Christian parent’s response to the “coming out” of a child is surely shock and grief, but also an opportunity for grace and witness. At that point the child needs those Christian parents to be deeply Christian. We are indebted to Details for reminding us of that.

God sometimes has a strange way of getting our attention.

This is a fascinating article by Al Mohler on a topic that is usually hush-hush in many churches and fellowships. I really like how he brings out homosexuality not just as a sin, but a sin no bigger or smaller than others. And it is very interesting to see him analyze the article and bring about the natural tendency of the world to unknowingly set a moral standard hypocritically.

How much do we know about mormons?

Many Christians seem unsure of how to react to the rise of Mormonism. Mormons are adept at using Christian language and in affirming their love of the Bible and of Jesus Christ. But behind the language and behind the similarities is a whole world of difference. Christians do well to arm themselves with some knowledge of this religion and of those who adhere to it.

With the rise of Mormons in headlines, it should come to all believers minds what Mormon’s believe in. I think it is right to educate ourselves in the differences and not be oblivious to what heresies they teach. How can we not extend grace to our the Mormon’s around us if we first don’t understand what they are lost in?

American Idolatry

Apparently American Idol decided to do a rendition of “Shout to the Lord”, only the word “Jesus” was changed to “Shepard”. It’s interesting to see the controversy rising from this. From this article, you can see how the gospel offends the world-view. Funny God is coming from a show rightly named American “Idol”, something God is oh so very displeased with.

ESV study bible!

The ESV Study Bible includes the 757,000 words of the Bible along with an additional 1.1 million words of theological resources, which is the equivalent of a 20-volume resource library. Those resources include 25,000 notes, over 50 articles, 200 full-color maps, 200 charts, 80,000 cross-references, and some 40 color illustrations that are far cooler than the typical Bible pictures that look like a kindergartner tried to draw the Temple with their left hand.
As a geek who always reads the footnotes, I am particularly excited about Clinton Arnold’s work in Colossians and Philemon, Andreas J. Kostenberger’s work in John, Raymond Ortlund’s work in Isaiah, Grant Osborne’s work in James, Simon Gathercole’s work in Galatians, Thomas Schreiner’s work in Romans, 1 and 2 Peter, and Jude, and Frank Thielman’s work in 1 Corinthians.

Crossway looks to be cranking up (by God’s good grace) a crazily cool study bible for the ESV version. Using men of God like Piper, Grudem, and Dever. I’m excited for this bible, looks like it will be a great resource for studying the word of our great God.

Biblical view of taxes

Even with all those criticisms, the Bible is explicit. Without equivocation it tells us to pay our taxes. It doesn’t even qualify that statement. It doesn’t say to pay them if you agree with what they’re used for; it just says to pay your taxes. If we can come up with criticisms of our present tax structure, the people in the time of Paul could as well. Actually, their government was worse than ours in many ways. But that is never the issue. It wasn’t the issue in the time of the Lord, and it isn’t the issue today. The simple statement of Scripture is to pay your taxes.

How do you view taxes? Do you grumble and despise taxes or do you pay them obediently as Jesus has called us to do?

Biblical authority from the pulpit

I am certainly supposed to be a mouthpiece for Scripture, a human instrument through which the Scripture is heard and received by God’s people. But the human preacher’s authority only reaches the human ear. It is only God himself who can take his word from the human ear to the human heart.

How do preachers today view the biblical authority from the pulpit? It is interesting to see the range of responses to questions on scripture and how God ordains preachers. Also, read Al Mohlers reflections on the interview.

Pastor John MacArthur wrote a very interesting article about the epidemic of “seeker-friendly” services in Pulpit magazine today. He starts by explaining the dangers of having such services and the reason why they are dangerous. He explains that a non-functioning, non-participating member can be detrimental to a church.

Scripture teaches us that the church is to act as one body. 1 Corinthians 12 is very clear in teaching us of the unity and contribution each member has:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

1 Corinthians 12:12-20

If you read through all of chapter 12, you will notice how Paul explains that the church is meant to act as one unit. Having some not function, with something just as minor as a toe can have a huge effect on the whole body. John MacArthur writes a wonderful analogy on this:

I can’t read that verse without thinking of Dizzy Dean. He was a Hall-of-Fame baseball pitcher, whose career peaked in the 1930s. His 1934 season has never been excelled by any pitcher in history. Dean won thirty games that year, a feat that hasn’t been repeated since (though Dizzy himself came close, winning 28 games the following year). But in the 1937 All-Star game, he took a hard line drive off his toe, and the toe was broken. It should not have been a career-ending injury, but Dean was rushed back into the lineup before the fracture was completely healed, and he pitched several games favoring the sore toe. That led to an unnatural delivery that seriously injured his pitching arm. The arm never fully recovered. Dizzy Dean’s major-league career was essentially over in four years.

Something similar happens in any church where there are non-functioning members. The active members of the body become overextended, and the effectiveness of the whole body suffers greatly. Even the most insignificant member, like a toe, is designed to play a vital role.

I really enjoyed reading this article and it has convicted me in my love for the church. Do I simply become a spectator during church services? What does it mean to worship God? Too often, churches today, are trying to entertain it’s congregation with music, with dynamic sermons, and hollywood-like drama programs. Where has God gone in the midst of this? Is God the center of our worship, or are we worshiping the tools of the service? And if God is the center of our worship, how can we not but be involved in our worship. Can I truely say I worship God if I just sit back and soak things in?

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

-James 1:22-25

I sincerely pray to God that I would be an active member in the church for the love of my Father’s glory and his great namesake. I also hope in Christ that my church would function as one body and one unit.

Tips for writing

In writing, don’t use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feel about the things you are describing. I mean, instead of telling us the thing is “terrible,” describe it so that we’ll be terrified. Don’t say it was “delightful”; make us say “delightful” when we’ve read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers “Please, will you do my job for me.”

I particularly like the point made above. I hope I can learn from the tips provided in the post.

Don’t provoke your children

To “provoke . . . to anger” suggests a repeated, ongoing pattern of treatment that gradually builds up a deep–seated anger and resentment that boils over in outward hostility.

I don’t have children, but I find this good to keep in my heart when the day comes I do have a family. I also think parts of these advice can be applied to our other family members, friends, and those we know.

Super Mario in JavaScript

This is exposing the geek in me, but it never ceases to amaze me how much can be done in JavaScript. Whether you think it’s geeky or not, God is amazing that he would create things out of just 0’s and 1’s.

Gospel Counterfeits

Biblicism. “I know my Bible inside and out, but I do not let it master me. I have reduced the gospel to a mastery of biblical content and theology, so I am intolerant and critical of those with lesser knowledge.”

Which one do you struggle with? I struggle with biblicalism. I pray that God will strike my heart and humble me to understand that everything comes from Him alone.

Knowing Christ

Notice that those are not advanced skills for second-level Christians. They are the most elementary issues of the Christian life. That underscores the truth that intimacy with Christ is not some sort of mystical secret. It is the whole point of our life in Christ. Indeed, it is the chief end for which we were created: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Knowing Christ is something so elementary to our faith, yet time and again we fail and struggle to do it. Thank God for his steadfast mercy that falls upon us.

God’s expression through us

After all, the psalmist tells us, God has given gifts of all kinds to all kinds of people, even those who are in rebellion against Him, with the idea that He might express Himself through those gifts, as they are brought to bear on the task of creating culture.

Do you recognize the author of your gifts and the purpose in which they serve in glorifying our maker?