5/8/12- Attacks on Solo Scriptura

The scripture cannot be broken.  (Jesus- John 10:35).


Phyllis Tickle and "The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why" details why she thinks sola scriptura is no longer valid.  Her thesis basically is that the world is so much faster now, that it has left the old, outdated scripture behind.  Her theory is that the idea of the Sabbath was left behind by the emergence of "the tin lizzie."  So progress won over scripture.  She goes on to say that scripture allowed for slavery, did not promote women's rights and women's ordination hard enough, and did not give an okay for divorce, and finally does not allow for gay sexual practices.
    She is right in her observations that our culture has wandered far away from scripture.  But she is wrong in her conclusion that therefore scripture is wrong.  Progress does not necessarily mean that we cannot take a breath- or a rest- or a Sabbath.  Instead, progress without Sabbath leads to too much unrestrained consumerism and therefore debt, stress, depression, and more.
    She is right in saying that scripture allowed for slavery.  But slavery is never commanded in scripture, and was seen mainly as something that could not be changed by a fledgling small group of followers of Christ.  But they rightly saw that the message of love and grace would defeat slavery.
    She is right in saying the scripture was written in a patriarchal time, that did not allow for women's rights or ordination.  But certainly there are elements of scripture that allow and even encourage women's rights and ordination (such as baptism of women and men replacing male-only circumcision, Paul saying there is neither male nor female, Phoebe the deaconess, Lydia leading the church, Philip's daughters who were prophetesses, etc.).
      She is confused about divorce and scripture, for certain scripture allows for divorce in certain situations (adultery, unbelieving spouse, etc.).  She rightly says that scripture is "not so black and white on this issue" (p. 100). However, scripture seems to indicate (rightly I believe) that unrestrained divorce can be similar to unrestrained adultery.
      She is right in saying scripture forbids adultery and gay sexuality, and that if gay ordination is approved then the idea of sola scriptura- the teaching about scripture for five centuries will be dead.
      What she has missed is that if scripture is more than just something to restrain us- if it is a word from God to us- even sacramentally- then to leave scripture in love with our own expertise and speed is to leave God.  What Tickle doesn't answer, because she cannot be sure, is whether leaving scripture behind also means we leave God behind forever- into the hell of our own uncertain expertise.  Does anyone really doubt the authority of science which has sped us toward the destruction of the world, toward a global warming, toward a daily changing theory of what is good and what is bad for us?  When we deny scripture's sole authority, we also deny the need to listen, to obey, or care about whatever God says- or even that God can speak today.  But beside that, there is always another authority- usually in pride our own.  Tickle implies that the culture is absolutely right all the time- especially about the Sabbath, divorce, and gay marriage.  But there are times that a society can be wrong (Hitler and 1930s Germany, or the Hutus in Rwanda, or the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia).  The scripture is a check on our own sin.  If it is not the sole authority, I would contend, it really loses all its authority.  Christians are always called to seek to listen to God than to listen to the selfish voices of life- even if those voices are loud and many.

Prayer: Help me to trust your Word and to trust you only Lord.

5/7/12- Faith is a Gift

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21)

know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:16)

(Lost sheep - Sourd)

Thoughts: Our temptation is to think that it is our faith that saves us, and we have faith all on our own (as in a vacuum).  In this, the drowning person saves themselves by swimming in the right direction. The other temptation is to think that our faith and God's grace meet half-way.  In this the drowning person saves themselves by reaching up half-way to the great lifeguard- God.  However, the better image is that we are "dead in our sin" (Ephesians 2:6), and can no longer swim or have the strength to grab God's hand.  This does not mean that faith is not necessary.  But it does mean that even the ability to have faith is a gift from God.  Without God, there is no lifeguard.  The glory goes not to our works.  We should not see our faith as another good work.  The glory goes to God- who regenerates us, calls us, turns us around, and accepts us.  

Prayer: May I give you honor for my salvation, Lord.  You chose me, not because of my goodness but despite my sin.  You drew me to yourself, and for that I am grateful to you.  Give me grace to lead a grateful life to you, O Lord.  

Question 73: How does faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?

Answer: Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification; but only as it is an instrument by which he receives and applies Christ and his righteousness.

5/6/12- How Faith Justifies Us

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11)

However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.  (Romans 4:5)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Thoughts: It is by grace through faith that we are justified (saved).  God's grace enables us to have faith- and faith is the instrument, the tool of grace.  The Greek is dia pisteos (through faith).  Finding out what saves us can be illustrated by thinking of what makes a great golf drive. The club (faith)- is the instrument, but the hand that wields the club (grace) is the force.  The hand that wields the club also purchased the club.  Faith is a gift of God's grace.  Grace gives us faith.  Grace also wields faith in order to make it work.  The good that comes from a life of faith is not to be confused with faith itself, or as a way to earn our way to heaven.  Back in golf terms, that would almost be like confusing the trajectory of the ball (works) with the hitting of the ball  by the one that wields the club (grace).  The trajectory does not get the credit- it is a result of the one who hit the ball using the instrument.  The Larger Catechism tells us not to give credit to works or to faith for our salvation- but to give credit to God's grace.  Just as we should not give credit for the trajectory or the club for a good shot- but the one who is driving the ball.  

Prayer: Help me to give credit and honor to you alone, O Lord.  Keep me from patting myself on the back when anything good I have is a gift from you.  

Question 73: How does faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?

Answer: Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification; but only as it is an instrument by which he receives and applies Christ and his righteousness.

5/5/12- Faith and Saving Faith

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)


For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

God is the magnet- faith is the steel that we have inside us that draws us to God.  


Thoughts: There is a difference between faith and saving faith.  It is almost like the difference between the person who know there is a cinco de mayo celebration and the person who takes part in it.  Saving faith is not just knowing that there is a God.  Part of the difference lies in recognizing we cannot save ourselves.  The first step to obtaining faith is to recognize we need God's grace and our own efforts are limited.
A second part of the difference between the two kinds of faith is that saving faith trusts that God will reward people.  That is, we must be able to trust in the goodness of following God.
Finally, faith is the reward those who seek Him with His presence.  Faith is the tentacle reaching out toward God- like a root goes to water.  But it is more than that- it is like steel that heads toward the most powerful magnet.  Faith and God belong together. Faith naturally seeks God and because it too is a gift of God, finds Him.
Many people have faith.  Jesus said many will say to Him, "Lord Lord" but he will say "Depart from me for I never knew you."  True, saving faith draws us to know God more and more, and to trust in Him more and more.  


LC Q. 72- What is Justifying Faith?
A: Justifying faith is a saving grace, worked in the heart of a sinner, by the Spirit and the Word of God; whereby being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his righteousness, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

5/4/12- Justifying Faith

⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^[d] that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: ⁹ That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ¹¹ As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”(Romans 10:8-10). 

LC Q. 72- What is Justifying Faith?
A: Justifying faith is a saving grace, worked in the heart of a sinner, by the Spirit and the Word of God; whereby being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his righteousness, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

(Barth says faith is finding yourself asleep on your mother's lap).

Thoughts: Faith is knowledge and trust.  Faith is knowing God and putting our confidence in Him.  Calvin talked of faith as "Knowledge of God's benevolence toward us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise of Christ."  Faith has to have an object.  God is the object of our faith.  Christians put their confidence and trust in a benevolent and just God.  In that faith is knowledge, it involves assent.  In that faith is trust, it involves receiving and resting in Christ's work for our salvation. Karl Barth described the trust part of faith as "the simple discovery of the child which finds itself in the father's house and on the mother's lap."
It is one thing to have faith without an object.  But "Just Believe" is meaningless and baseless optimism without God. But faith is not just believing that there is a God out there somewhere.  James says even the demons believe in God.  But the demons do not trust in God (rather they rebel against Him).  Faith involves trusting in God.  Relying, falling- back-on God; believing He will catch us when we fall.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see my need to rely on you.  Give me grace to trust you more.

5/3/12- What is Prayer?

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6,7)


Today is the National Day of Prayer for America. 

(Praying Hands Albrecht Durer- 15th century)

WSC Q. 98- What is Prayer?
A: Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, for things acceptable to his will , in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies.

If we are trying to decide what is prayer and what is just talking, the catechism gives us five checks.
1) It is our speaking to God.  It is not our speaking to ourselves.  It is our desires being poured out before Him.  Christian prayer is not just meditation, or rote repetition- but it is directed conversation from our heart to God's heart.
2) It is for things acceptable to God's will.  In the end, all prayer is subject to God's will, and it is not a magic lamp in which we control God.  But as Jesus prayed, "Not my will but thine be done.'
3) It is in the name of Christ.  A too common way of ending prayer today is "In your name we pray amen."  This is an effort to not offend someone by mentioning Jesus' name.  But leaving Jesus out of it takes the power of prayer away.  We pray for his sake, honor, glory and pleasure.  But we also pray to the Father because we are connected to the Son.  Our ability to have our prayers answered is not based on our status as good people, but on the better merits of Christ through whom we pray.
4) With confession of sins.  Three times scripture says, "If I cherished sin in my heart the Lord would not have heard me."  We do not pray proudly or demandingly, but humbly depending on God's grace.
5) With gratitude. Ten lepers were healed but only one came back to say thanks.  Often people would give thanks to God before the event even happened,  because we believe and trust God's power and willingness to help (eg. Psalm 50:14,15).

Prayer is one of the most powerful things a Christian has.  It is one of the most uniting things as well.  I may pray with a catholic who will not have communion with me.  I may pray with someone who does not like me.  But prayer brings us together.  Prayer puts God's power into our lives.  It focuses His eye and attention on our need.  No wonder some unbelievers wanted it out of schools.  But we must make sure that our children are taught to pray.

Prayer: On this National Day of Prayer- we pray for your blessing on our nation, not because we deserve it, but because of your great name that has rested on us for many years.  May we come to you, and may you come to us.

5/2/12 Justification

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Q71: How is justification an act of God’s free grace?
A71: Although Christ, by His obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction
of God’s justice in the behalf of them that are justified;  yet inasmuch as God accepts the
satisfaction from a guarantor, which God might have demanded of them, and did provide this guarantor, His own only Son, imputing Christ’s righteousness to them, and requiring nothing of them
for their justification but faith, which also is his gift, their justification is to them of free grace.

Thoughts: The Larger Catechism gives us a theory on how God's grace pays for our sins.
There are four steps to the free gift of God for our sins:
First Christ's death satisfies God's justice;
Second God needs and accepts someone as a guarantee for His satisfaction;
Third Christ's righteousness has been given to us;
Fourth this righteousness does not need anything added to it- we don't need to be any more righteous than Christ.  This giving of Christ's righteousness is a free gift for us.

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to have a grateful heart for your free gift of salvation.