On Prayer, Wine, And The Soul

I am humbled by Hannah's prayer. Moreover, I love her response to the Priest, Eli, who thought she was drunk. Hannah replied with, in my opinion, an interesting play on words that highlights a disposition of her soul that is worthy of reflection.

"I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord."
- 1Samuel 1:15b (emphasis added)

Indeed, she did not pour wine and drink in her distress and bitter weeping, but instead she poured out her soul before the Lord in prayer. I am thankful for a God who is sovereign of creation, life and my soul -Soli deo gloria.

On Revelation, Relationship And Christology

Reflecting on U2's music. Bono writes:

"I have spoke with the tongue of angels

I have held the hand of a devil

It was warm in the night

I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for"

I suppose this is small, but it seems that in light of biblical revelation such as Colossians 1:13-20; John 1:1-18 that the hook should be changed from an object to a person. The lyrics should be as follows:

"But I still haven't found [who] I'm looking for."

Granted, Bono probably wasn't intending the song to be thought this way -maybe. Regardless when I listen to it, I can't help but say in my head, "person -not thing."

On Ontology and Action Theory

The point of Matthew 7:15-20 is that believers know the difference between a false prophet, who are ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing (difficult to tell on a superficial level), by their fruit. This of course implies that false prophets and Christians are different. More specifically, this text argues that different plant produce different fruits. And, going deeper, this text has interesting implications that bring to light the differences between those of God and those not of God.

What exactly can be inferred? Answer: ontology and action theory. Otherwise known as being and ability, Scripture is rather clear concerning the reality that there are (at least) two different plants (vs. 16) and that each plant can only produce fruit in correspondence to its species (vvs. 17-19). Namely, the plant type determines the fruit, the nature determines ability, and ontology determines action. The point that Christians can differentiate between wolves and sheep (Christians and false prophets) seem to hinge on this reality. Conclusively, it's the only way the text makes sense.

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

- Matthew 7:15-20 (NASB)

Before I end, a word of application: what fruit do you produce (action/ability)? What kind of plant does that make you (ontology/being)? May the Holy Spirit convict your soul, and may God draw you to Himself. He who has ears, let him hear.

On Discipline, Death, And God's Love

"The Lord has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death."

- Psalm 119:18 (NASB)

On the Faith, Hope, Love and Joy

Paul explains that our peace is grounded in our justification. Our justification is a result of faith in Jesus. Moreover, we are extremely joyful in the hope of the glory of God. I am guessing that means sanctification in that the next verse then discusses the relationship between: tribulations and perseverance, perseverance and proven character, proven character and hope. More specifically, this hope is grounded in grace (similar to our faith) in that, the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (notice the passive verbs).

The text simply strikes me as amazing for four reasons:
1) Faith in Christ is the cornerstone. Everything is grounded in faith and is by grace.

2) Sanctification, tribulation and love are related. Sanctification (tribulation) is the result of the very love of God.

3) Worship and joy is not absent from these key doctrines. Let it be said that the word exult is mentioned twice: once in relation to the hope of sanctification and the next time in relation to tribulation. It seems then reasonable to draw a connection between: sanctification and joy, and also tribulation and joy. Moreover, by extension it also seems reasonable to draw a connection between justification and joy and also the love of God and joy. In my opinion, this only makes sense to draw a connection between God's sovereignty and joy -but that's another blog entry.

4) And finally, where justification comes through Christ, sanctification, it seems, comes through the Holy Spirit. I am no Dr. Earle Ellis, but this seems like a quasi-Trinitarian text (assuming that God the Father is the source).

"1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith in this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

- Romans 5:1-5

On God's Love

While Paul is discussing the nature of man, and his nature in general, he makes a passionate exclamation of reality (v. 24a), then dangles a question that all men, when confronted with their nature, must answer (v. 24b), and he finally provides the glorious answer pregnant with incarnate grace, mercy, hope and love (v. 25). He states:

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a differ net law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 aWrteched man that I am! bWho will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

- Romans 7:21-25 NASB

On Special Revelation, Anthropology and Teleology

Aquinas begins by expounding the purpose of Scripture in light of the purpose of Man:

"It was necessary for man's salvation that there should be a knowledge revealed by God, besides philosophical science built up by human reason. Firstly, indeed because man is directed to God, as to an end that surpasses the grasp of his reason: The eye hath not seen, O God, besides Thee, what things Thou hast prepared for them that wait for Thee (Isa. lxvi. 4). But the end must be known by men who are to direct their thoughts and actions to the end. Hence it was necessary for the salvation of man that certain truths exceed human reason should be made known to him by divine revelation. Even as regards those truths about God which human reason could have discovered, it was necessary that man should be taught by a divine revelation; because the truth about God such as reason could discover, would only be known by a few, and that after a long time, and with the admixture of many errors. Whereas man's whole salvation, which is in God, depends upon the knowledge of this truth. Therefore, in order that the salvation of men might be brought about more fitly and more surely, it was necessary that they should be taught divine truths by divine revelation. It was therefore necessary that besides philosophical science built up by reason there should be a sacred science learned through revelation."

- St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica Part I, Question 1, Article 1 (New York, NY: Benziger Bros., 1948).

On Being "Gennethenai Anothen"

Can one really know if someone is born again (John 3:3; 3:7)?

"No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious (phanera): anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother."

- 1John 3:9f

On The Humility of Tomorrow

For a practical application of James 4:13-17 note Luke's record of Paul's words:

"But taking leave of them and saying, 'I will return to you again if God wills," he set sail from Ephesus."

- Acts 18:21

On Responsibility

In a word:

"Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

 - Genesis 3:9

On God's Sovereignty Over Moral Evil

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know -this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to held in its power."

- Acts 2:22ff

On the Gift of God

"... And as I, [Peter], began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" When they, [the apostles and brethren who were circumcised], heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."

- Acts 11:15-18

On the Law

"But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it."

- Deuteronomy 30:14 (NASB)

On God, Man, and Scripture

Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God (1Cor 10:31), and to enjoy Him forever (Ps 73:25f).

Question: What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him?
Answer: The Word of God which is contained in the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments (Eph 2:20; 2Tim 3:14-17) is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify God and enjoy Him (1Jn 1:3).

Question: What do the Scriptures principally teach?
Answer: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man (2Tim 1:13; Eccles 12:13).

 - Charles H. Spurgeon, A Catechism With Proofs (Pasadena: Pilgrim Publications, 1985).

On Martin Luther and the Apocrypha

"During the council of Trent [1546], Martin Luther argued against the canonicity of the Book of Maccabees, citing the New Testament, early church fathers, and Jewish teachers in support. The Roman Catholic Church responded by canonizing the Apocrypha."

- Paul D. Wegner, The Journey from Texts to Translations (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999).