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Biblical Illiteracy and Islam
April 29, 2005
Biblical illiterates in our churches abound. We talk about the general "evangelical" church and its decline, but assume we who are "reformed and churched" are immune from spiritual and intellectual decline. The Islamic Research Foundation International has taken notice. They site our lack of Bible knowledge when they form their prostelization efforts. This article about Christian's lack of basic biblical knowledge appears on their website.
This hit home yesterday as we studied Romans in our Women's Bible Study. We as a group tried to name all ten commandments (we were studying Romans 13). We failed! According to a study done in 1999, six out of ten Americans cannot name 1/2 of the ten commandments. As a group of churched women, we could only name seven.
We read Jonathan Edwards, debate the fine points of Luther's teachings, discuss John Piper's latest book - but we cannot name the ten commandments. I think we all need to go and shore up our foundations, catechize our children and ourselves, and return to Sunday School basics. Islam is on the march - we as people of the Word, need to learn the Word!
Tithe your vacation
April 23, 2005
What a wonderful idea and yes, Everybody Should Do This Once in Life.
I've been thinking along the same lines this last year. Bringing the reality and importance of missions home to our family has been a considered thought. I didn't know how to go about doing this, but just recently I was looking at some missions websites and I found that many offer short-term family mission trips. Whether its building housing and schools in Appalachia or going oversees, there is a broad variety. How great it would be to study a country, an area, a need and come to know and love the people before arriving - and than spend vacation time acting on the love that the Holy Spirit has put upon your heart.
Here are a couple of links: World Vision Family and Teen Trips, Mission to the World - 1 month trips and many others. Tithe your vacation.
Evangelicals and Catholics together - the debate
April 23, 2005
The current debate regarding Evangelicals and Catholics together rages on in the blogosphere. I have never seen such acrimony, kindness, hate and love. Having not grown up Catholic but married to a former Catholic I realize my view of Roman Catholicism is colored by a very small slice of life. I've come to know and love former pre-Vatican II Catholics, post-Vatican II Catholics (my husband is one), Ameri-Catholics, Cafeteria Catholics and every other type of Catholic under the sun. They all bring unique perspectives on Catholicism that are sometimes no more similar than broccoli is to strawberries, (both having their merits).
Rather than rehashing something I know little of let me point you to a post and its COMMENTS (comments here are even better than the original post) . I don't know how to link directly to comments within a post so forgive me for copying large parts of certain well expressed thoughts. One is from a sincere Catholic sister responding to the Protestant backlash she has been experiencing on pro-life, Protestant blogs. First the post:
David Bayly writes in Out of our minds, too: The Beam in Our Own Eye....:
If we are honest, we must admit as Protestants that what the Reformers viewed, to a man, as the baseline defective principle of Roman Catholicism is so entrenched within Protestantism we are blind to it. Typical Protestant and Evangelical theology is little better than Roman Catholic. Theology which makes the human will sovereign in salvation is Roman, no matter where it is taught.
The reason so many Protestants have so easily and happily made the transition to Rome in recent years is that Protestant soteriology has devolved, in many cases, to Roman soteriology. We have thrown in the towel on the bondage of the will, on depravity, on the sovereign grace of God.,,,read the whole thing.
Tess a Catholic believer comments:
I know I said I didn't want to get into theology, but I have to ask this question. Sorry if it annoys you :(...
"Theology which makes the human will sovereign in salvation is Roman..."
As a Catholic I don't feel as if my will is sovereign _at all_. I'm so finite and wretched, just a dust mote in God's Creation. How could my will be sovereign compared to Our Lord's will and the firey love of the Holy Spirit? At the center of everything is Jesus Christ, radiating out His Divine love and mercy. My greatest hope is to die to my own self and be filled to the brim by God, so that in every action performed I do His will. Even if it breaks my human body, so be it, as long I am His little child.
What you say about Catholicism, and what I experience are so different that I don't understand. I just want to love Jesus. In a way I don't care about all the "theology", I just want to see the face of my Lord and worship Him forever. Even if He sent me to Hell, I would still love Him.
David (the blogging PCA pastor of Baylyblog) replies:
Dear Tess,
Let me say to you as a pastor that I am not seeking--nor I believe is anyone else on this blog--to cause you to question your justification. I don't have total recollection of all you've said on this blog, but my impression is that you have given strong evidence (as far as fruit is discernible on a blog) of regeneration both through your profession of faith and by your gentle and kind conduct here in our midst.
I think I speak for almost every writer on this blog when I say that I am confident there are true men and women of faith, thus regenerate Christians, within the Roman Catholic church.
No Protestant writing here has any desire to attack you personally in your faithful walk with God. Our desire is to rejoice with you in salvation through the blood of Christ, appropriated by faith, the fruit of which is works, entirely and together by the sovereign grace of God.
Yet to one convinced of Roman Catholic theology, our criticisms of Roman Catholicism, and particularly of Roman Catholic soteriology (doctrine concerning salvation), will inevitably appear personal.
Some years ago, out of personal respect for a number of the Evangelical leaders involved in formulating the Evangelicals and Catholics Together statement, I told my associate pastor that I thought I could sign on to the statement. I had not thought much about the actual statement; just a casual read and a nod of agreement at the time.
But Gary, my associate, normally a gentle giant of a man, got as angry at me as I've ever seen him. Why? Because he grew up in a Roman Catholic church, attended Roman Catholic school, considered the Roman Catholic priesthood, all without ever hearing the true Gospel. He had only heard the sacerdotal, sacramental, works-based theology of the typical Roman Catholic church--and, I must add, of Trent--before coming to salvation in a Protestant church as a young man.
Tess, any teaching which denies God's truth and leads men astray we must oppose and seek to expose. Thus, you will find on this blog that, unlike Roman Catholic writers who must defend Roman Catholicism lock, stock and barrel because of Roman ecclesiology, when necessary, we are equally critical of Protestant churches.
We don't claim that all of Protestantism is better than all of Roman Catholicism, unlike the Roman Catholic apologists here. We claim that God's Church, while visible, is defined ultimately in God's eye by its invisible qualities. We don't deny the visible nature of the Church. We celebrate it. But we are very careful not to assume that the visible Church is precisely identical with the invisible Church. How to define that distinction requires more time than we have here, and perhaps more wisdom than I possess.
May I say gently in conclusion that experience can be true yet the assumptions we make based on our experience can be dead wrong. When I was in my teens, I once saw an oval set of lights hovering eerily in the sky. My initial assumption was that they were a UFO. It turned out they were the traveling lights and overhead destination sign of an old Greyhound bus coming slowly toward me over the brink of a hill.
I was probably subtly influenced toward thinking it was a UFO by a recent report from friends--two older couples I respected--that they were sure they had seen a UFO while driving one night.
You may truly have come to know the goodness of salvation in Christ. Your experience, therefore, would be true. But that does not necessarily make your assumptions about how you came to have that experience accurate. If people are telling you it came by mass, auricular confession, baptism, etc., you may believe them and be wrong--yet still have tasted the goodness of the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Peace, friend. I trust I am...
Your brother in Christ,
David
Amen to it all. This is the type of sensitive conversation that needs to be taking place when discussing the essential doctrines of salvation and the visible church.
Again, I point you to Charles Hodge who addressed this same debate 150 years ago when defending himself against the charges that recognizing Roman Catholic baptism was not true baptism and a believer needs to re-baptized.
Praying-up the invisible and visible Church
April 22, 2005
Jollyblogger says in his post The Power of Spirit-Less Preaching:
In my last post on preaching a couple of commenters mentioned the importance of spirit filled preaching where the preacher is full of unction from on high. I agree that there are those whom God moves on in a powerful way and through whom He speaks in a special way. Yet, I don't think that what we often mean by "spirit-filled" preaching is as important as we think it is. I am not saying that it is ok for a preacher to preach while in rebellion to the Spirit of God. But I am saying that even such a preacher, if he faithfully brings the Word, can see the spirit move through his preaching. The notion of the primacy of the spirit filled preacher misses a very important fact. It is the Word of God that has power, not the one who delivers it.
As I look to Rome the last several weeks, and as I look to our own churches I see the importance of his statement, the Word of God has power. Reading Charles Hodge he talks about the constant testimony of the Spirit.
The Scriptures teach that the Spirit operates through the truth; that we have no right to expect his influence (as far as adults are concerned) where the truth is not known, and that where it is known, he never fails to give it more or less effect; that wherever the Spirit is, there is the church, since it is by receiving the spirit, men become members of the true church; and wherever the true or invisible church is, there is the church visible, because profession of faith; and, therefore, where these true believers are united in the profession of that truth by which they are saved, with a society or community-- then such society is within the limits of the visible church.
When Christ is preached, when the doctrines essential to salvation are proclaimed - the Spirit is giving testimony - God is glorified. No matter that the vessel of that preaching is clay, sinful, full of envy and rivalry (Phil. 1:15-18).
Reformed churches proclaim loudly the purity of doctrine and the orthodoxy of our teachings. True - this is our standard. But, God has chosen men to deliver his message through the divinely inspired Word of God. We are weak and God is strong - as long as the Word is proclaimed, we have reason to rejoice and enjoy worship in our churches.
Let me offer one more quote from Jollyblogger that nails it, whether Rome or our own church:
It is true that preachers need to be prayed up and Spirit-filled, but I think the reason for this is not so much to make the preacher more effective in and of himself, but simply to make him more effective as a conduit for the clear proclamation of the Word of God. If a preacher's message is powerful, its not because he himself is so powerful and Spirit-filled, it is because the Word of God came through loud and clear.
The good news of this is that no preacher ever comes to the pulpit without carrying a heavy weight of sin with him. Even on his best day, the most Spirit and unction-filled preacher has enough sin in his heart to disqualify him from the Spirit's blessing. But, if it is the Word of God he is preaching, if it is Christ he is preaching, the Spirit will attend that Word about Christ, even in spite of the preacher's sinful heart.
So let's pray up the invisible church, the visible church and the men and women who proclaim the Gospel.
Buffing up the College Resume
April 21, 2005
Todays Wall Street Journal's article " For High Schoolers, Summer Is Time To Polish Résumés:"(subscription required) is not news to those of you who have high schoolers. For me - this is scary and expensive! The article highlights what I've already heard around town. Super-achieving teens need to polish their elite college applications with psuedo-volunteer trips. Mind you, these are not real missions trips - they are trips where kids pay $7000 or more to bike the alps, kayak in the South China Sea or explore the Great Barrier Reef. Of course they spend a few days, or hours - painting schools, playing with children, cleaning up poor neighborhoods to rake up those community service hours.
I'm beginning to learn the college application game. My friends tell me I must start now (my son is in 7th grade). First, I need to buff up his summer resume by working on his foreign languages and get him "used to community service". By 8th grade I need to have his entire summer mapped out - maybe a semi-rugged bicycle tour of the Canadian Rockies, or an adventure trip hiking and rafting the Grand Canyon. It can fun, but it's time to show character building summers. By 9th grade, I better start interviewing PSAT prep firms, and narrow down my $25,000 college admission counselor. Than in 10th, it is full-court press - every minute, every activity, every move planned until ADMISSION day.
This new plan casts a new light on my summer hopes. I was hoping my son could spend his summer on the church youth group mission trip to Voice of Calvary and really learn to care and serve those in need. If time permitted he could attend Worldview Academy and began to build a Christian worldview that would serve him in college and beyond. Of course, I hoped he would earn some spending money and learn the value of work at the local grocery store (baggers are hired at 14). - that would help in the character building department. Then, there is the pool, town baseball, chores around the house and family vacation. These are our summer dreams.
Ramping up his spiritual, physical and academic resume for college admission is going to take some work. I was hoping that during the year, he would remain involved in the church and the church youth group, attending Bible study and youth missions activities. In town, he would continue working toward Eagle Scout with his Boy Scout troop - helping out with regular community service. Baseball and basketball, whether intramural or local would fill his physical exercise requirements. Studying hard, refining research skills, loving his learning would round him out academically. Most of all - he would seek the Lord's will for his every minute, every activity, every move.
As for college admissions - we would seek God's will, apply to the schools that seem best, and trust God. I wonder if God only works through College Admissions Counselors????
Why did Adam have to eat the apple?
April 20, 2005
My son Matthew said today upon discovering a pimple, "Why did Adam have to eat the apple?" He asks this question every time he suffers. (And a 13 year old suffers when he has a pimple!). My response is to remind him that we would have all eaten from that tree, just as the first Adam did. But the good news is Christ is the 2nd Adam and in heaven there will be no pimples.
Theology enters into the strangest of conversations.
P.S. To my very tiny readership - long break from blogging, family duties were pressing. I need to learn to blog quickly if I going to keep this up.
Why I am sad and conflicted about the Pope.
April 1, 2005
Read Pastor Paul T. McCain , he thoughtfully and kindly says what is on my mind tonight.
Paster Paul McCain explains why a reformed-evangelical like myself is sad to see the Pope die, but also conflicted about his legacy. I share with the Pope his embrace and defense of the sanctity of life. I admire his strong defense of marriage, family and God's blessing of sexuality. I admire his stance against oppressive governments, communists and socialists. My favorite writer on Christian social issues is Father Richard John Neuhaus who is a close admirer and follower of the Pope. - I go to him first - before my evangelical sources. The Roman Catholic church under the guidance of Pope John Paul II has stood firm on social issues and has been a model to the constantly fluctuating mores of the modern evangelical church. For these reasons I cannot speak ill of the Pope.
Yes, my criticism runs deep - it is theological - it is the basis of salvation - the core of all of life. Today, I cannot get caught up in detailing our profound differences - those discussions must wait for another day. Today I am sad and fearful. I am sad because we are losing a great advocate for the poor, the disabled, the afflicted, the oppressed. His voice will be missed. I'm fearful - because I am afraid Rome will follow the way of the mainline churches, not only will the gospel be lost, but so will Christian thinking be lost and the good works this thinking has borne. The unborn, the Terri Schiavo's, the world will be poorer. I am sad.
The Beginning, Middle and End of Life
April 1, 2005
The beginning of life in Massachusetts can now be a cloned life - created to be experimented on. Last night in Massachusetts the Senate and House passed legislation approving embryonic stem cell research on cloned human life.
In the middle of life, Terri Schiavo's life was taken because she was no longer deemed to have a worthwhile life.
At the end of life, the Pope has died after a lifetime of serving God trying to protect the beginning, middle and end of life.
I pray the next Pope, and all Christians, fight unfailingly to continue this critical fight in Massachusetts, the United States and the world to protect those created by God - in his image. Imago Dei.
Update: Reuters has reported the Pope has died, Foxnews is now retracting this news. I was touched by the initial reports.
