Pastor's Bookshelf: Knowing Scripture by R.C Sproul

"We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because [we feel] it is dull and boring, but because it is work.  Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion.  Our problem is that we are lazy." -- R.C Sproul - "Knowing Scripture", pg.17

I just finished reading this book.  From the on set I have to say that R.C Sproul may in fact be one of most intelligent men of God alive today.  This book is fantastic, although for me at times it was a bit hard to read simply because it presumes a knowledge of theological "technical" terms and at times I found myself dwelling on a particular term for an extra moment before moving on to be sure that I would understand the further explanation and application of that term later on.  It may well have been my own mental limits in this area because I am in no way the plumb-line for intelligence!

That said, this book sets out to accomplish three purposes.  One, explain the need for Scripture.  Two, equip the reader with an overview of hermeneutic principles for studying the Bible.  As an aside I have to say that for a book of only 125 pages the explanations of each step in the interpretation process are incredibly thorough.  Sproul also takes time to explore misconceptions about Bible interpretation as well as common errors in our approach to serious Bible study.  The third purpose is a challenge to students of the Bible to do that which God has called us to do and that is "abide" in His Word.  He challenges readers biblically to study God's Word and also provides tips and recommendations that range from great Greek Dictionaries, Concordances, and the Bible reading plan that he has personally found most helpful.

Everything that he puts forth in this work is designed to point readers to Scripture, to develop a habit of reading Scripture daily, and most of all to see the amazing fulfillment that God has promised for those who abide in His living Word!

Seeing as how I will be beginning a year long reading plan myself starting January 1 (not the recommended one though) this book has been a great encouragement for me.  I give it 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it for anyone.

Pastor's Bookshelf: Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

Tedd Tripp doesn't lay out some new method of parenting, he doesn't encourage parents to adopt his methodology of parenting, he even openly admits short-comings that he and his wife had as parents.  What he does is pull out sound Biblical principles to child raising.  The overall theme is that behavioral correction is not the end goal in parenting.  The goal is orienting your child towards the Gospel and teaching them the truth of God's Word from birth so that they know truth from lie as they grow.  I was challenged, convicted, encouraged, and overall just blown away.  We have put into practice many of the Biblical principles that he outlines in the book and have already noticed a change in the goals and expectations we set for our children.  Godly child discipline always points your child towards the saving power of the Gospel of Grace in Jesus Christ alone.

I highly recommend this book for parents with children of any age.  He offers encouragement for the new parent who is a bit scared and overwhelmed by the immense responsibility of raising a child as well as those parents who perhaps didn't raise their child in an always godly fashion and now the teen is rebelling more and more.

Read this, as any theological book, with Bible in hand.  Do the work of a Berean (Acts 17:11) and examine the Scriptures to see if what Tedd Tripp says is fact.  I believe you will find, as I did, that it is.  The absolute best thing about this book is the fact that it points parents to the Word of God for their principles of how to steward the amazing gift of the children that God has given them.

Briefly: The religion of secular humanism

Just something to consider.  And this will be very brief.  So many times when a Christian takes a stand for their beliefs (whether it be in the political realm, or in a public school, or wherever...) we usually hear something like this from those in authority; "Well, I see your point, but that is a religious view and you can't push your Christian values on others."

I would readily agree that there is NO benefit whatsoever in forcing someone to believe the way I do.  First of all, if I force someone to think that way then they may act in a way that seems to agree with my way of thinking, BUT it doesn't change their minds and views.  It only breeds resentment to a certain extent.

What strikes me as humorous in their argument about impressing values and such is that they fail to realize that they too push their views on Christians (and everyone else).  Make no mistake... unbelievers, atheists, agnostics, pagans, false converts, and all the rest... all of them worship a god figure.  The difference between truly born again Christians and the unbelieving world is that we worship the One true God and they worship themselves.

In the case of secular humanism, which is the predominant religion found in public schools and the government, worships a god... the god is man.  They do what seems "right" to them and love the things that indulge man's covetous, lustful, hateful, self-centeredness.

Christians are not perfect and we are not without sin.  We are not better than other people.  We are simply better off because of the One in whom we trust.

Pray for those who persecute you and continue contending for the truth Christian.  Don't back down and even though the world will hate you, take heart for greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

j

Angels - What are they? Where do they come from? Do we become them when we die?

Probably the most universally recognized "religious" symbol in the world is that of an Angel.  They are drawn as fat little cherub-like babies, brilliantly illumined figures with long flowing hair, holding trumpets, holding harps... All sorts of images exist of them.  Equally as known as their visage are common misconceptions and cliche phrases about what they are.  

Now let me state up front I am aware that this may hurt a few feelings and I assure you that my intention is not to hurt feelings.  Probably the most common statements heard are that:

1.) People who go to Heaven become Angels when they die.

2.) The people who have become Angels are watching down over us from Heaven.

Let's address those two statements, although I'm sure there are PLENTY more, by looking first at what Angels are according to Scripture.

Angels are Created Beings.

Colossians 1:16 - For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 

They are created beings.  God created them.  We know this because God created ALL things.  Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology defines Angels as follows: "Angels are created, spiritual beings with moral judgment and high intelligence, but without physical bodies."  It does seem that Angels are male.  They are never referred to with a feminine gender anywhere in Scripture.

Angels have a certain degree of moral choice available to them because 1/3 of them were able to sin and join Lucifer in his rebellion (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-18).  Although they sinned against God, no redemption is available for them.  For those that joined Satan in his rebellion, they remain to this day condemned and damned for all eternity. 

2 Peter 2:4 - For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

Jude 6 - And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,

Psalm 103:20 tells us that the purpose of Angels is to glorify God and do His will.  Angels readily await to be dispatched to do the will of the Father. One way in which Angels do the will of God is that they do watch over Believers and war against demonic powers.  

Angels DO watch over us... however, those Angels are NOT our loved ones who have passed away.  Angels are not omniscient nor are they omnipresent.  But they do watch over Christians.  Whether or not each person has a specific "guardian" angel assigned to them is unclear from Scripture, but whether it be one for each believer or just the idea in general that angels are watching over us the same result is clear.  God has provided for our care. 

There are only two Angels given specific names in Scripture.  Gabriel (Luke 1:19)  and Michael (Jude 9).  Other than that Angels are referenced by three different terms.  ((The following types/ descriptions was also taken from Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology.))

a. The “Cherubim”  The cherubim were given the task of guarding the entrance to the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24), and God himself is frequently said to be enthroned on the cherubim or to travel with the cherubim as his chariot (Ps. 18:10; Ezek. 10:1–22). Over the ark of the covenant in the Old Testament were two golden figures of cherubim with their wings stretched out above the ark, and it was there that God promised to come to dwell among his people: “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of testimony, I will speak with you of all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel” (Ex. 25:22; cf. vv. 18–21).

b. The “Seraphim”  Another group of heavenly beings, the seraphim, are mentioned only in Isaiah 6:2–7, where they continually worship the Lord and call to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3).

c. The Living Creatures: Both Ezekiel and Revelation tell us of yet other kinds of heavenly beings known as “living creatures” around God’s throne (Ezek. 1:5–14; Rev. 4:6–8). With their appearances like a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, they are the mightiest representatives of various parts of God’s entire creation (wild beasts, domesticated animals, human beings, and birds), and they worship God continually: “Day and night they never cease to sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”’ (Rev. 4:8)

Angels remind us that the unseen world is very very real and we must be very careful in dealing with it.

In Galatians 1, Paul warned that fallen Angels may even appear and try to distort the truths of the Gospel and deceive people.  He said that we are to consider such a one anathema.  Which literally means damned and accursed.  

Just as the Sadducees in Jesus’ day said that “there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit” (Acts 23:8), so many in our day deny the reality of anything they cannot see. But the biblical teaching on the existence of angels is a constant reminder to us that there is an unseen world that is very real. It was only when the Lord opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to the reality of this invisible world that the servant saw that “the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17; this was a great angelic army sent to Dothan to protect Elisha from the Syrians). The psalmist, too, shows an awareness of the unseen world when he encourages the angels, “Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!” (Ps. 148:2). The author of Hebrews reminds us that when we worship we come into the heavenly Jerusalem to gather with “innumerable angels in festal gathering” (Heb. 12:22), whom we do not see, but whose presence should fill us with both awe and joy. An unbelieving world may dismiss talk of angels as mere superstition, but Scripture offers it as insight into the state of affairs as they really are.  Even Satan himself disguises himself as an "Angel of Light" (2 Corinthians 11:4).

1 Timothy 2:5 says that there is but one God and one mediator between God and men and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore we are not to pray to or seek out contact with Angels.  If God needs to contact us utilizing Angels He will do so and make it clear that is what happened because they will speak His truth and nothing contradictory.  I'm not certain whether I feel they do or do not appear in visible form today but they are present nonetheless.

When we are protected from some danger, our slipping foot gains footing somehow... or a car swerves and misses us somehow when a crash should have been inevitable.  Anytime we are spared from some apparent danger we can attribute it, I think, to God commanding His Angels concerning us.  

Psalm 91:11-12 - For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.  12 They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

Now, how about our loved ones that pass?  Well the Bible says that their bodies go into the ground and their they wait for the return of the Lord Jesus.  We further know that the moment a person dies their soul goes to either Heaven or Hell.  Believers' souls are immediately taken to Heaven. 

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 - Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—  7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—  8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

So if your loved one has passed on and they had been born again through Jesus Christ, take heart, they may not be watching down over you but they are in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ and they are ever before His throne praising Him and they suffer no more, neither will they ever taste death again.  And when Christ comes again they will receive their physical bodies back only now they will be glorified and perfected, unstained by the sin curse of this world.

I understand that a cliche like "God got a good angel", "They are an Angel now and watching over me.", etc.. I get that it is intended to bring comfort to the grieving.  And I'm not trying to be callous but rather trying to point you to a living hope!

I would simply suggest that rather than dwelling on your loved one being an Angel and speaking to them and such, seek your comfort from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Cast your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you.  

Psalm 55:22 - Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Hebrews 4:16 - Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

 Trust in the Lord.  He is your refuge.  You need not believe that your deceased loved ones are watching down over you in order to find peace... there is a greater peace available and His Name is Jesus!  He is greater than the Angels (Hebrews 1).  He is the King of Kings and the Savior of sinners.  He has come and died so that you might have life!  If you don't know Him, repent of your sin and trust in Him.  (Visit Needgod.com for the specifics of your sin)


As for Christians who are using these unbiblical cliches to comfort others.  Please, you are doing them more harm than good.  If you are unsure what to say in those difficult times, labor in the Scriptures all the more to determine what God's Word has already spoken about our comfort and peace available in Him.  If you can't think of a good verse to share or anything Biblical to say, don't pop out a saying that isn't true... Just be there for the grieving... be a friend to them... try and care for their needs as best you can and pray with them.  Ultimately, from my experience, most people who are grieving are looking for truth but they are also looking for someone to simply be there for them.  Christians have a unique opportunity in that we are often those friends who are there to comfort AND we are armed (or at least we should be armed) with the truth of God's Word which is the best source to turn to in ANY situation.


Hope this helped you glorify God for His provision of Angels for you and cleared up any misconceptions you may have had.

A very brief word on why people go to Hell...

You hear many these days say that people die and go to Hell because they don't know Christ.  There is definite truth in that statement... but it isn't the most accurate way to phrase the 'why' of why people go to Hell.  Let me make this statement which will at first make you recoil.  No one has ever gone to Hell because they didn't trust Christ.  No No No I am NOT a heretic... Please read on and let me explain.

John 3:16-18 (NASB) - “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

In verse 17 it says that Jesus didn't come to judge the world but to save it.  If He came to save it then we can easily see the inference that the world stood condemned.  Not for a lack of belief in Christ but for something else.  Ephesians 2 makes it clear that we WERE dead in our sins.  We are dead in our sins but God in His goodness has sent Jesus Christ so that those who repent and trust in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

What does it say there in verse 18.  He who does not believe has been judged already.  He who does not believe is ALREADY CONDEMNED.  The REASON people go to Hell is because they are dead in their sins.  If God sent people to Hell because they didn't trust Jesus then He would be a cruel God wouldn't He?  It seems that way to me.... in a way of thinking at least...

Verse 18 is explaining what was said in verse 16 and 17.  Verse 18 makes plain that those who are in Christ are saved from the judgment that once awaited them and that those who have rejected the Savior are still facing judgment as a result.

However, we are responsible for our own sin (Romans 3:23).  God does not cause us to sin.  We sin because we are sinful.  So we condemn ourselves to Hell.  However, Jesus Christ is the only One who can save us!  Those who don't believe on the Son are condemned already, yet those who trust in the Lord will be rescued!  Will be saved! 

That shows Him to be the good God that He is, the beautiful Savior that He is!

All Hail the Power of Jesus Name!

Doctrine of Hell

In the Bible, three specific terms are used for hell.  Hades/ Sheol and Gehenna.  Studying the words will help us compile a Biblical Doctrine of Hell.  Even though many don’t believe in hell… in fact a recent survey showed that only 65% of Americans who believe in God believe in Hell also. (staggering)

The first term: Hades/ Sheol is the Hebrew equivalent.

Hades is a Greek word.  Hades is the Greek word for Hell. Sheol is the Hebrew word and it means the unseen world.  Unknown world.  The place where disembodied souls reside.  It is used 10 times in the New Testament.  Four of those times it is used specifically from Jesus and 4 times in Revelation which is Christ speaking through John and then it is used twice in Acts.

It is always used to refer to the dwelling place of the dead and a place of torment.

There are a couple of ways that Hades/ Sheol and Gehenna are viewed Some scholars say that they are two separate places.  Hades is the place you go when you die in your sins and you await the Final Judgment there and after that you are thrown into Gehenna.

Others hold that they are the same place completely.  This view says that if you die in your sins you go to Hades/Gehenna where you remain apart from your body until the Final Judgment at which point you will be reunited with your body and both will be cast into Hades/Gehenna together.

I hold that second view personally.  That they are one in the same and that right now just the souls of the damned are there and after the Final Judgment of the entire world they will be reunited with their physical bodies and they will be both thrown into Hell once for eternity together suffering God’s wrath.

The other word used is Gehenna.  Used twelve times in the New Testament, it was used by Christ 11 of the 12 times in describing Hell.  Unlike the words Hades or Sheol, Gehenna is a more descriptive and more terrifying word for Hell than any other.

Turn over to Matthew 5 I want to specifically call your attention to verses 22;29;30.  Gehenna is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word gehinnam.  It means “The Valley of Hinnom”. 

In the times of Jesus, the Valley of Hinnom was used as the garbage dump of Jerusalem.  Into it were thrown all filth and garbage of the city including dead animal carcasses and the bodies of executed criminals.

To consume all of this, fires were burned in this place constantly.  Maggots worked in the filth and when the wind blew across it in the direction of the city, it was AWFUL.  At night you could even hear wild dogs howling and fighting over the waste.

Jesus used this awful scene as a symbol of Hell.  In effect He said, “Do you want to know what hell is like?  Look at Gehenna.”  So you could say that hell is similar to this place only the fires in hell will burn but never consume their fuels fully.

Mark 9:47-48 - “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,  48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Essentially saying that life without one eye or hand would be better lived than going with both eyes or hands into a place worse than the Valley of Hinnom.   All that is unfit for heaven, which is anyone who has not been washed by the Blood of His Son, all without Christ are thrown into Hell.

So they would have understood very well what he meant by those words.

2 Thessalonians 1:7b-9 - when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,  8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

Away from the presence of the Lord.  Presence of the Lord, there, also translates to face of the Lord.  Hell is where God’s face is turned away from those there.  Which is always a way of saying that God’s favorable presence is not on you. 


Luke 13:24-28 - “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  25 “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’  26 “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’;  27 and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’  28 “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.

It says there that they will be able to see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but they will not be let in to them. 


Revelation 14:9-10 - Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Who is clearly doing the tormenting there?  God.


2.) Indescribable Suffering

Clearly taught in the Bible is the suffering, the horrible sufferings, of the wicked in Hell.  It isn’t that they are tormented out of God’s cruelty, because God is not cruel.  They are tormented justly for their sin.  He does not gleefully torture them.  In fact God’s chief pleasure is not in their demise.


Ezekiel 18:23;32 - Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?; 32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”

God is a God of justice and Hell is the place where that justice is dispensed.  The wicked receives no less or no more punishment than they deserve.


In Luke 16:28 the rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus or anyone to his living brothers to warn them not to die in their sins so that what?  They don’t end up in that place of torment.


Matthew 8:12, says it is a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Indescribable pain is there.  Not the least of which is the full understanding of our sin.  Just as the believer will rejoice in that day because he will see the fullness of the sin he was saved from and what it cost Christ to redeem him, so the unbeliever will feel the fullness of the weight of their sins.


3.) Unending Punishment

Hell is eternal.  It is not a purgatory that purges us from our sin and then sends us on to Heaven.  By the way, have you considered this… that those religions who teach purgatory as a true doctrine, not only are they teaching a false doctrine but they are also implying that there are two ways to be saved.  One, through Jesus and two through purgatory.

So it is more than a small doctrine we can differ on, it’s heresy.  If it’s heresy, it isn’t Christianity.


Revelation 20:10 - And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Matthew 25:46 - “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The wicked go to eternal punishment; the righteous go away into eternal life.  It would be inconsistent to give two contradictory meanings to the same word in the same sentence.  If “eternal” punishment doesn’t mean punishment forever then it would make sense that “eternal” life doesn’t mean that the righteous will enjoy heaven forever either.   So it is either that they are both eternal or both temporary.  The Bible insists that they are both eternal.

We are warned to avoid Hell at all costs and believers are told to warn others of hell at all costs.

Matthew 10:28 - Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

What is man’s only hope?


Scripture is clear that hell is the fate that awaits all mankind.  All of us stand condemned by default before God.  All of us are capable of all sorts of sin and perversion and all of us have violated God’s perfect standard of the righteousness needed to enter into Heaven.

We are in a great deal of trouble on our own, BUT there is a hope!  A singular hope!


Galatians 3:22-24 - But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.  24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest, our Living Hope.  He has said that if you will turn from your sin and trust Him for forgiveness then He will forgive you and you will be able to enter into Heaven through that narrow gate.

Guest Blogger: Chris Bottoms - A Healthy Church

There is a lot of talk out there in the blogsphere relating to The Church. I'd like to throw in my two cents.

I think we have to start with the issue of sin. Before we can talk about The Church and what it is but could be or isn't and should be, we have to deal with the issue of sin.

Why is the church failing to fulfill its Christ-breathed mission?

Sin.

Why isn't the church ministering as it should?

Sin.

Let's just look at it the way Jesus does. Start in Matthew 5; Jesus is sitting on a mountainside, teaching the crowd of disciples, and leads with eight characteristics that Believers must embody to be "approved". First up, Jesus gives us the "poor in spirit". This speaks to the realization that we have nothing to offer God that we can redeem for our salvation...nothing to plead with...nothing of value to give Him in exchange for real, present and eternal life. That characteristic permeates our person and is lived out as an ongoing act of repentance. Consider the tax collector of Luke 18, who cries out for mercy realizing that he is bankrupt spiritually because of his sin and must depend on God's mercy and grace for salvation. Next Jesus offers us "those who mourn", speaking to those that are completely broken over their sin and the sin that permeates our humanity. Right out of the box, Jesus is dealing with a Believers' relationship to sin. Of course, the Beatitudes go on into other markers, but we'll stop there for brevity's sake.

Now, if the Church is the gathered body of Believers, then we, not "it", ought to have such an attitude toward sin...which would of course lead to repentance, humility, meekness, and utter dependancy on Almighty God for all things, not least of which is our redemption.

If that were the case, we'd see an exponentially more effective Church, actively growing in discipleship, serving the Lord, the Body, and the community for the sake of the Kingdom.