There has been much debate concerning the so-called insider movement which advocates removing references in the Bible to Jesus as the Son of God. The debate is important. Obviously, Muslims are offended by any language that would refer to Jesus as anything other than a great prophet. And, since Muslims are anti-Trinitarian, references to God's Son would be, to them, blasphemous. What motivates the Insider Movement is, of course, noble. But how far should we go when seeking to reach out?Bible translations geared for Islamic contexts should not be driven by concerns that Muslims may recoil from biological terms applied to God or Jesus. That revulsion originates primarily out of religious conviction, not any communicative limitation of the terms themselves. The essentially biological terms (Hebrew, ben and ab; Greek, huios and pater) are divinely given and therefore should be translated into comparable biological terms. Footnotes, parentheticals and other paratextual comments may be used to explain the biblical and theological riches of Scripture, while never subverting the important truths embedded in the biological contours of Scripture’s words.Sacrificing the clearly inspired Son of God references to Jesus is giving up far too much. It begs the question, how do we win someone to Jesus, if the Jesus we win them too is not the Jesus revealed in God's Word? Further, if the idea that Jesus is God's Son offends Muslims (and it surely will) just wait until you tell them about the cross and Jesus' substitutionary death.
Not all translation workers share these methodological commitments. Therefore, churches should carefully assess the philosophies and practices of translation workers whom they support. Churches should direct resources toward faithful translation and, if loving attempts at correction fail, away from projects and persons advocating problematic approaches to translation. For the honor of the God who has revealed himself in his Word, churches and agencies involved in translation should collaborate to improve the spread of the Christian message worldwide, ensuring that Bibles oriented towards those in Muslim contexts retain the fullest range of theological meanings resident in the original languages.
The responsibility for faithful translation and worldwide gospel proclamation rests finally in the church of Jesus Christ.
As evangelicals who came of age during the culture wars, we’re part of a generation ready to move past the pitched left-right debates. The critiques of Christian political activism have held some merit: A hyper-focus on elections, voter guides, and strategy has often buried the gospel story. Sometimes following Christ has strangely looked like following an elephant or a donkey. . . .Read the entire article HERE.
We’ve heard well-meaning, but cautious lovers of the gospel say that the cause of the unborn is too political, that it casts a harmful pall over the church, damaging gospel witness. To be sure, politics has not always brought out the best of God’s people. A renewed embrace of the grace-truth tension is needed. And yet, can we really claim to be social justice warriors if we ignore the millions of unborn children silenced and snuffed out in America at the altar of convenience? Can we overlook the corporatist worldview of Planned Parenthood that has industrialized abortion? No, we cannot. . . .
In fact, the denial of human life is arguably what triggers all other forms of activism. If we don’t get our witness right on life, how can our witness on any other issue seem anything other than pyrrhic? A Christian approach to social engagement cannot be calculated through the grid of popular appeal or mass approval. . . .
Being pro-life is about justice. And justice is blind—blind to color, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic status. Justice is standing up for what is true, good, and beautiful; and on the issue of life, we insist that every child is a uniquely good and beautiful creation of God, and therefore deserving of life.
I have long registered my dismay over the popularity of the "I died, went to Heaven, and God sent me back" books. First of all there is no biblical category for this. "It is appointed unto man once to die and then face the judgment." Folks, "clinically dead" is the not the same thing as "dead dead." What is more, these testimonies tend to go off into flights of fancy. For instance, the Burpos would have us believe that we will have wings in Heaven. Also, they undermine the sufficiency of Scripture. I have had brothers and sisters in Christ tell me, "I always believed in Heaven but now (after reading one of these books) I really believe."The question really isn't about whether or not a 4-year-old's description of heaven lines up with what the Scriptures teach. The question is whether or not we really believe that God in his Word "has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3). Admittedly the Bible does not provide as much detail about what awaits us beyond this life as some of us might like. It does tell us four significant things:Read the whole post HERE.
1. We will be with Christ (Luke 23:42-43, Phil 1:21-23).
2. It will be far better than life on this earth (Phil 1:21-23).
3. We will be away from the body (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).
4. Our spirits will be made perfect—completely cleansed of sin (Hebrews 12:22-23).
Since we know that to be at home with the Lord is to be away from the body, when one of these books describes physical bodies in heaven that are healed and whole, we know instantly that it is not a genuine account of the current realities of heaven. One day the physical bodies of those who are united to Christ will be healed and whole like the body of the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22-23; 1 John 3:2). But that will not be until the day Christ returns and makes all things new. Right now "we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21).
Until then, we do not need the testimony of an impressionable 4-year-old boy, a neurosurgeon, spine surgeon, sports writer, or even a pastor to know that heaven is real. We have everything we need in the Bible. Its testimony is enough to generate genuine faith in Christ, as well as a greater longing for unending life in his presence.
The latest Mortification of Spin is up and running. What's the purpose of a sermon? Is it to inspire the congregation or just a means of transmitting knowledge? Or is the sermon something greater? Dead bones came to life when Ezekiel preached. Are the sermons you listen to that powerful? Listen to Aimee, Carl and Todd once again discuss sermons.Of course, if you want a description that is a bit more "creative" you can read Carl's take.
Nine Marks has been running some helpful articles on the Prosperity Gospel. Many of the practitioners of this false teaching are easy to recognize: Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, etc. But prosperity teaching also comes in subtler forms from more unlikely people. 1. Soft prosperity elevates “blessings” over the blessed God.Read the entire article HERE.
First, soft prosperity elevates “blessings” over the blessed God. When blessings are divorced from the triune God, compromise ensues. True blessedness resides in God alone, “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15). By consequence, to seek God’s blessing requires seeking him (Isa. 55:6-7; Matt. 6:33). Christ is the true treasure (Matt. 13:44-46), and any pursuit of blessing that makes God a means to another end is erroneous and idolatrous.
2. Soft prosperity detaches verses from the redemptive framework of the Bible.
Second, soft prosperity detaches verses from the redemptive framework of the Bible. When preachers present isolated verses as time-honored principles for claiming God’s blessings, a counterfeit gospel results. Instead of relating all blessings to Christ, they directly apply individual verses to people today.
Such a promise motivates the strong and extinguishes the weak. Unless a passage is rightly related to redemptive framework of the Bible, verses like Psalm 1:3 become treadmills on which earnest Christians tire themselves out. Genuine Christ-centered expositional preaching prevents this sort of textual manipulation, and guards against the gospel of soft prosperity.
More specifically, soft prosperity delights in the tangible promises of the Old Testament.[3] The error is often found in promising old covenant blessings to new covenant saints. Whenever we read the Old Testament, faithful interpreters must see how the promises first related to Israel in their historic and theocratic state; second, to Jesus who perfectly fulfilled the law (Matt. 5:17); and third, to us. Because we live under the new covenant, there will always be continuity and discontinuity between the Old Testament promise and its contemporary fulfillment. Preachers must learn how to interpret these ancient texts at the textual, epochal, and canonical levels.[4] Likewise, healthy churches must learn to see how every blessing is found in relationship to Jesus Christ, the mediator of the new covenant.
3. Soft prosperity diminishes the curse that Christ bore and the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
Third, soft prosperity diminishes the curse that Christ bore and the blessing of the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, blessedness is not an amorphous idea. Deuteronomy 27-28 specifies the content of the Mosaic covenant’s blessings and curses. Quoting these verses, soft prosperity preachers advertise divine blessings through greater obedience, but they ignore the fine print. Only one man has so perfectly obeyed God’s so as to merit God’s blessing (Heb. 10:5-10). And for Jesus’ covenantal obedience, he was sentenced to death on a Roman cross, accursed for the sins of his people (Gal. 3:10-13).
Perhaps the greatest problem with the soft prosperity is the way it assumes the cross of Christ, instead of adoring the Blessed One who bore the wrath of God in our place (Gal. 3:13). Soft prosperity preachers speak often about what you can do to experience God’s favor, but they rush past the cross, missing the fact that every spiritual gift has been secured for the believer by Jesus, who gives us his Spirit as the preeminent blessing (Gal. 3:14; Eph. 1:3). Although they don’t deny the Romans Road, they are driving on another highway.
4. Soft prosperity relies on pastor-prescribed therapeutic techniques.
Fourth, soft prosperity relies on pastor-prescribed therapeutic techniques. By assuming the gospel, soft prosperity preachers fill the vacuum with a full plate of therapeutic techniques. With the language of Zion, they emphasize the good works of the believer. Although not explicitly denying salvation by grace through faith, pastors who repeatedly insist on life tips, techniques, and strategies for saintly success undermine the faith once for all delivered to the saints.
5. Soft prosperity largely addresses first-world, middle-class problems.
While the previous four trademarks could in many ways apply to hard or soft prosperity preaching, one striking difference remains. Whereas hard prosperity preaching invites followers to name it and claim it, soft prosperity preachers inspire the upwardly mobile to reach for their dreams. In the former good health and a strong portfolio prove God's tangible salvation; in the latter preachers proclaim a religion of therapeutic solutions. To quote only one of their teachers: "Do I believe in supernatural return on giving? Yes, sir! Do I believe God blesses tithes and offerings? Yes, I do. But why should we teach you to claim a car without teaching you about the car payment and interest rates on loans."[5]
In a nutshell, T. D. Jakes' message promises the same gold, through a different line of credit—superabundant faith mixed with well-ordered works. In short, this softer prosperity preaching appeals to first world, middle class people who are too busy living to examine a message that reaffirms their natural aspirations for success. Tragically, "believers" who buy into this false gospel may remain ignorant of their greatest need—atonement for sin before a holy God—unless confronted with true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Recently I posted at Ref21 my thoughts on Sara Young's Jesus Calling. Two thoughts have 
"As we observed at the outset, induced abortion was so abhorrent to the Israelite mind that it was not necessary to have a specific prohibition dealing with it in the Mosaic law. The Middle Assyrian laws attest to an abhorrence that was felt for this crime even in the midst of the heathendom around Israel, lacking though it did the illumination of special revelation. For in those laws a woman guilty of abortion was condemned to be impaled on stakes. Even if she managed to lose her own life in producing the abortion, she was still to be impaled and hung up in shame as an expression of the community's repudiation of such an abomination. It is hard to imagine a more damning commentary on what is taking place in enlightened America today than that provided by this legal witness out of the conscience of benighted ancient paganism!"
I have been greatly helped by the work of Michael Kruger. So when he says a particular book is "one of the best apologetics books in years" then you can bet it's on my list.Every once in a while a book is published that is so helpful, so original, and so needed, that it makes one wonder, Why was this book not written before now? James Anderson, associate professor of theology and philosophy here at RTS Charlotte, has written such a book: What’s Your Worldview? An Interactive Approach to Life’s Big Questions (Crossway, 2o14).
This is a wonderful little book for a number of reasons. (1) Target audience. Although this book is certainly for Christians, it has a strong evangelistic thrust to it. It is designed to be given to non-Christians. (2) Methodology: Anderson has written this book from a presuppositional perspective and demonstrates that such an apologetic approach is really practical, understandable, and effective for evangelism (despite perceptions to the contrary!). (3) Creativity. This book is distinctive in terms of how it is structured. Anderson takes the reader through a “Choose Your Own Adventure” type of journey, where the path is chosen by the responses of the reader. There is really nothing else like it.
Don’t miss this book. Buy a bunch of copies and give to your neighbors or friends. Or work through it in a Sunday School class or home Bible study.
What do you look for in a good church? Bouncy castles, a good social network, a place to land a good business deal? Those may be fun, but there’s more to it than that. Don't forget about good preaching and a robust confession. Listen to Bully Pulpit with Carl, Todd, and Aimee to learn more.Here are Carl's observations:
Todd wants comfy armchairs on a lavish stage, a lady with big hair ministering to the congregation in song, a Country and Western aesthetic. What can one say? You can take the boy out of the Southern Baptist Convention but you can't take the Southern Baptist Convention out of the boy. Shirley -- I mean, Aimee -- thinks music trumps everything. I kid you not. Just take a listen -- and it wasn't even a trap. Quite shocking --- but, like Todd, she is PCA so we should perhaps make allowances. She also wants a coffee shop in the church foyer, along with liturgical mixed martial arts. As for me -- no flimflam, no fancy tricks, no big hair. Just the means of grace. Ordinary. Very Ordinary. But hey, I'm OPC. What do you expect?
I owe this insight to Carl Trueman’s book The Creedal Imperative. Confessions of faith are not first and foremost defensive. Rather they represent the aspirations the church holds for its members. Trueman writes: “[Confessions of faith] represent that which the church aspires to teach its members…If a church has a six-point creed or confession, she essentially communicates to her people that these six things, and only these, are important. Everything else is so minor that it forms no part of its identity” (177, 178). A church ought to desire something more for God’s people. A church ought to desire its members to be mature and maturing in their knowledge of God’s powerful and profitable Word. A church ought to aspire to more than simple agreement on the broadest possible doctrinal categories. It ought to aspire to greater things than simply “majoring on the majors.” Again, Trueman writes: “A good confession becomes not a stick with which to beat people…but an exciting map of the territory of biblical truth and something to which to aspire” (180).Read the whole article HERE.
What role does preaching play in today's church? The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Master joins Carl Trueman and Todd Pruitt to talk about the importance and gravity of preaching. Through the book "Preaching & Preachers" by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, they show the necessity and primacy of the proper preaching of the all-sufficient Word of God. Listen the Mortification of Spin to learn more about this imperative and perennial topic.
A year ago President Obama praised lifting restrictions from women in combat: “Today, by moving to open more military positions — including ground combat units — to women, our armed forces have taken another historic step toward harnessing the talents and skills of all our citizens.”Read the entire article HERE.
His argument was that “many [women] have made the ultimate sacrifice, including 150 women who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Therefore, “valor knows no gender.”
For thousands of years of military wisdom and noble instincts that reasoning would have been unintelligible. Of course, there are women of valor. But for a male commander-in-chief to say that since they are willing to die in combat, therefore we should arm them for it, is a non-sequitur, and a shame on the president’s manhood.
It’s a non-sequitur because more factors than valor go into fitting a person for combat, and it’s a shame because true manhood inclines a man to fight to protect women; it does not incline him to arm women for the frontline of combat to defend him.
That’s the main issue, not pull-ups. The main issue is: how God has designed manhood and womanhood to honor each other and to create a cultural choreography where men and women flourish.
Over at Ref21, I have posted the following list of resources on the doctrine of Hell.Articles:I know that Hell is an unpleasant subject for many. Some Christians struggle with the idea of Hell, wondering if it is truly just. Some prominent evangelicals have openly questioned and even dismissed entirely the Bible's teaching on Hell. Even the late John Stott opted for Annihilationism over the historic Christian understanding of Hell. The resources above will help you not only understand what the Bible teaches about the coming judgment but also to appreciate what the doctrine of Hell teaches us about the perfections of God.
The Importance of Hell by Tim Keller
Paul On Hell (pdf) by Douglas Moo
Francis Turretin on the doctrine of Hell
Hell by Thomas Boston
Hell and Annihilationism by Sam Storms
Speaking Seriously and Sensitively About Hell by Ligon Duncan
A Review of Rob Bell's "Love Wins" by Kevin DeYoung
Hell: Remembering the Aweful Reality (Various Authors) 9 Marks Journal
Audio:
What Happens to Those Who Have Never Heard the Gospel? by John Piper
Universalism and the Reality of Eternal Punishment Sinclair Ferguson (Conference Messages)
The Echo and Insufficiency of Hell by John Piper
How Could a Loving God Send Someone to Hell? by Al Mohler
Books:
Hell Under Fire, Morgan & Peterson (ed.)
What Is Hell? by Morgan & Peterson
Heaven & Hell by Edward Donnelly
Is Hell For Real? by Christopher Morgan
The Other Side of the Good News by Larry Dixon
How can Christians appropriately, firmly but sensitively talk about the Bibles teaching on sexuality. Our sexuality is for the glory of God and not a means to its own end. There is so much that can be said about our sexual identity so listen now to Carl and Aimee on the Bully Pulpit as they touch this important subject.
