Temple Comparison

I thought this was a great illustration to show the size difference between the Temple of Solomon and that of the one we read about in the New Testament. 

Solomon’s Temple, finished in 957 BC, was less than one-half the size of Herod the Great’s expanded Second Temple in Jerusalem, built in 20–19 BC.

 

 

The Radical Act of Baptism?

Believer’s baptism by immersion was no insignificant step when Baptists championed it in the 17th Century. This radical and public act was a break with over 1300 years of recognized practice in Christian society and it won few converts in the early years. Why was it so unpopular?

Infant baptism was important to almost everyone. With it came a Christian name, a recognized family and community relationship. For the church it meant another communicant who would obey its teaching and support it financially, either through offerings or taxes (or risk severe punishments!). Since church and state were wed across Europe, infant baptism was significant because it was the first point of accountability and authority which a person met.

Baptists, on the other hand, saw no scriptural basis for infant baptism and no need to succumb to the authority of the church in this way. Dedication of children to the Lord was permitted, but scriptural baptism was something else. A believer’s baptism by immersion was a profession of his faith in Christ as Savior and Lord … it was a picture of his death, burial and resurrection. When Baptists immersed new converts, the believers knowingly and voluntarily sought baptism and church membership, thus exercising each individual’s precious liberty of conscience. Believer’s baptism was an act that no parent, guardian or sponsor could do on one’s behalf. It was a personal, public witness of faith.

For those who defended the baptism of infants, the public spectacle of immersion was disgraceful, unbecoming and unhealthful. More than that, believer’s baptism was an affront to church tradition, control and authority, and certainly the continued well-being of both church and state.

Baptism is a declaration to the world that we belong to Jesus. Believer’s baptism by immersion … a radical act indeed!

Bibliography

Christian History Magazine-Issue 6: The Baptists (Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 1985).

Redifining God

An article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported in April 21, 2000 that "Across the country, the faithful are redefining God. Dissatisfied with conventional images of an authoritarian or paternalistic deity, people are embracing quirky, individualistic conceptions of god to suit their own spiritual needs.”

You might say, ‘yes, this is what our culture is doing’, but I would submit to you that it’s also in our churches.  We have a tendency today to redefine God into who we want Him to be.  He’s a god that is okay with the middle class American way of life.  He’s a god that’s okay with our self-satisfied lukewarm faith.  He’s comfortable with our apathy and half-hearted devotion to him.  He’s comfortable with our materialistic indulgences.  He’s okay with these things, why? – because we are. 

And so what do we do? – we fashion a god who looks a lot like us and this is a dangerous thing because when we gather together each week for our so called worship services what happens is not true worship to the revealed God of the Scriptures who is worthy of our praise.  In all reality the only person we are worshipping is ourselves and the actual God we’re supposed to be worshipping has been grossly mis-defined.  We become just like the Israelites who fashioned a golden calf in the desert.  We worship a god that we’ve crafted in our own mind and this god is one that we can control and he’s okay with whatever we do, to include even our sin.    

Our goal must not ever be to redefine God, because He’s not open to redefinition.  The goal is revelation –to see how He has chosen to reveal Himself in scripture. 

The WSJ goes on to say that “These gentler, almost mystical forms of theology have found a receptive audience in today’s affluent society.  Americans are cobbling together a spiritual life from a variety of religious influences, along with a dash of yoga and psychotherapy or whatever else moves them.”  This is an example of man-centered theology in which people will be quick to quote “Cast all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).  But avoid verses that say “If any man will come after me (Jesus), let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).   

“People seek out these new gods the way they seek out new products in the marketplace, ‘says Randall Styers, assistant professor at Union Theological Seminary, in New York.  ‘It’s the ultimate form of individualism.” 

There are some key questions that we all need to think about: Who are we worshipping?  Is it the true God that has revealed Himself in Scripture or is it some other god that we’ve created in our minds?

What is a True Christian?

I have been thinking a lot lately about the word Christian.  What is a Christian?  Good question – right?  It seems to be a question that should be easily answered by anyone who has “been one” for very long.  Now I know that there are many different facets to this question of what a Christian is.  However, one of those many facets that seem to be absent, at least in my mind, is the acknowledgment of the word of God and the willingness to subject or submit themselves to it. 

J.I. Packer in this regard states that “true Christians are people who acknowledge and live under the word of God.  They submit without reserve to the word of God written in ‘the Book of Truth’ (Dan 10:21), believing the teaching, trusting the promises, and following the commands.”

I recently went to visit my son in college and on Sunday we all went to church, of course with the intent to worship our God and Savior.  The church property was beautiful and the auditorium was incredible and could seat at least 3,000 people if not more.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against big churches and beautiful buildings and to be honest I was probably drooling a little bit and in somewhat in the state of awe.  Everything in the service from start to finish was polished and good.  The music, the announcements, the preaching – everything was all good.  However, those thoughts that I had been thinking were still in the back of my mind in a nagging sort of way.  I began to think, how many of these 2,000 plus people here in this early service where there as “Christians” that were intentionally putting themselves under the authority of the word of God?  On the other hand, I wondered how many were there and ready to give their critique of the music, or the announcements, or even how well the message was going to be delivered that morning? 

I continued to contemplate how many will leave the service talking about the message of God’s word from John chapter 11?  How many there that day will allow their life to be changed because of the word of God and it’s authority on their life?  How many of them because of the word of God preached that morning will change their business habits, parenting or perhaps think of someone that they could share the wonderful message that they heard from John chapter 11? 

I think most of us know the answer to that question.  However, I wonder what would happen if instead of us coming into church to evaluate how well the building and grounds are maintained.  Or whether or not they sang the songs I like the way I like them.  Or how well the preacher was and if he followed the program and stopped on time.  I just have to wonder what would happen if we actually came through the doors of the church this week with the prayer and attitude that we are going to be a true Christians and acknowledge and live under the word of God.  I wonder what would happen if we actually came to church and expecting God to do a work and to allow the word of God to evaluate us.  I thought to myself, things would be radically different then. 

You see that’s exactly what I caught myself doing last week - critiquing and evaluating the church and I believe it’s the default mode of most of us “Christians” that live in an entertainment all about me based culture. But God and His wonderful, yet convicting way gave me an illustration that brought these thoughts to my own present circumstances.  I was there in church evaluating everything that was going on and totally indifferent to God’s presence and Him standing at my hearts door knocking and desiring to do a work in my own life. 

What snapped me back to reality and the presence of God was a young couple who sat in the row ahead of us and to my right.  Specifically, I noticed that the young lady was already moved by the Spirit of God.  This was visibly evident by her swollen eyes and the tears that trickled down her face.  I immediately repented and begged God for forgiveness and prayed for God’s Spirit to continue to work in this young ladies life and that my indifference to the Spirit of God would not be a hindrance to His divine work.  I then prayed for Him to minister to me and that I needed to submit myself to the word of God in my own life. 

I want to be a true Christian.  My desire is to be a person who acknowledges and lives under the word of God.  I want to be a true Christian that will submit without reserve to ‘the Book of Truth’ believing it, trusting in its promises and following its commands.  God help me. 

Difficult Subjects

I have decided to teach some lessons this year called “Primers”.  These lessons are designed to introduce people to some of the more difficult subject areas in Christianity.  Probably one of the reasons that they are seldom taught in the church.  The major topics will include Theology, Church History, The Bible, and Apologetics. 

Well, we had our first class and it was on the Trinity – what a heady subject to start with and to teach in only an hour.  I told the class at the beginning that they were going to find themselves being a “heretic” because of the way they most likely viewed and explained the doctrine of the Trinity.  I defined a heretic as person that claims to be Christian, but deny some essential aspect that has always defined Christianity both biblically and historically for the last 2000 plus years. 

It’s been said, “God writes straight with crooked lines,” meaning God has allowed heresy to arise to help Christians clarify what they believe.^[1]  That is something that we don’t know for sure, but it often helps to go back in history and look at differing views (heresies) of the Trinity to help clarify the biblical and historical view.  The Bible also says that as believers we should put our ego’s and pride aside and be willing to be corrected.  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Tim 3:16).  Part of discipleship, not only involves growth, but correction and we all need to allow Scripture and others to correct us on our journey. 

Well the class ended and I fell that it was a success – not that everyone there had a clear understanding of the Trinity, but by their actual looks of confusion.  They left that night wrestling in their minds and hearts who God really is as revealed in His Word.  Hopefully, they see that God is much “bigger” then the box we often put Him in.  Hopefully, they have a greater awe of God and as they pray and sing praises to His name that they will know Him just a little better than they did before.

“But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me…” (Jer 9:24).

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^[1] Christian History Magazine-Issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1996).

The Council of Nicea

What was at stake in the church's first general council (325) was the simplest, yet most profound, question: Who is Jesus Christ?

This question brought about a great divide in the church. The emperor, Constantine told the church leaders that they were to come to an agreement on this crucial question and that this division must come to an end.  This was remarkable, considering that this was the first time that the church was not under such persecution and an enemy of Roman Empire.  Many of these leaders still bore the scars. 

To settle divisions in the church the emperors called for church councils that would promote doctrinal unity.  The Council of Nicea, would bring together some 220 bishops, who would meet for two months to hammer out a succinct definition of Jesus Christ.  It’s interesting to note that the first council held would take on such a critical question.  A question that is still being hotly contested today. 

The prevailing teaching that brought this about stated that Christ was more than human but something less than God.  God started out alone and then created the Son, who then created everything else.  Arius, a notable pastor in Egypt, was the one that this false doctrine was attributed to.  However, it’s important to note that he did not do this maliciously, but was only trying to make the person of Jesus understandable.  This false doctrine became very popular to the many new converts as it was similar to their religions of their youth.  This was a religion that looked at there being one supreme God, who dwells alone, and who makes a number of lesser gods who do his bidding.  They found it difficult to understand the Christian belief that Christ, the divine Word, existed from all eternity, and that he is equal to the Father. 

As the Council met, there were many who were quick to compromise, yet there was one young man, Alexander, who was obstinate that Arius’s doctrine left Christianity without a divine Savior.  He called for a creed (statement of faith) that made clear Christ Jesus’ full deity (Jesus actually being fully God in human flesh).

Eventually, they began to hammer out a definition of Jesus Christ that would include some exceedingly important series of phrases – “True God of true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father…”  From this came the word homoousion (homo = one, ousion = substance) “of the same substance.”  Thus Jesus is the same substance as the Father (homoousion), namely, the eternal, uncreated, and identical substance.  He differs in function, not in essence, from the Father.

This first Council of Nicea, laid the foundation for the orthodox understanding of Jesus Christ. That foundation, praise God,  has stood ever since.

Bibliography:

Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Two: God, Creation (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2003).

Christian History Magazine-Issue 28: The 100 Most Important Events in Church History (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1990).

The Hidden Life of Prayer

This book is short in pages but large in content and you will not be disappointed. You can read it online for free but the book is packed with footnotes that are also rich in content. I would highly encourage you to pick this book up. You can find it online for about $10.

These endorsements for The Hidden Life of Prayer: The Lifeblood of the Christian—originally published in 1891—make me eager to get it, read it, and put it into practice.
“God brings books at their appointed times. The Hidden Life of Prayer arrived late but well-timed. This little jewel-strewn tapestry has done for me at 64 what Bounds’ Power Through Prayer did at 34. I could be ashamed that I need inspiration for the highest privilege. But I choose to be thankful.”
—John Piper, Senior Pastor, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

“”I have read The Hidden Life of Prayer again and again since Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia first gave it to me when I visited there as a prospective student forty years ago. Every time I read this book, the Lord uses it to deepen my prayer life and encourage my faith. I strongly recommend it!”
—Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

“It was in 1971 I first read this book I was shown a copy in Al Martin’s home and he told me how he used it, which plan I took up enthusiastically and have used ever since. I have read it through aloud during a week of morning meetings with various assistants and with deacons before they have started work. . . . Every time I read it I discover something fresh, convicting and helpful. The book does not make you afraid of prayer. It has a fragrance of Disruption times and the Awakening in the middle of the 19th century, in fact the author was born in that great year of 1859. He later married the daughter of Andrew Bonar and that warm piety and close walk with God characterizes this, McIntyre’s best book.
—Geoff Thomas, Alfred Place Baptist Church (Independent), Aberystwyth, Wales