Richard Dawkins has just published The God Delusion, a 416 page tome decrying the improbability and implausibility for the existence of God.
Yet, Alvin Plantinga wrote a scathing review not just of the book, but of the philosophy behind such a premise. Click here.
Also, if you are a fan of Stephen Colbert, host of the Colbert Report on Comedy Central, then you will enjoy this interview he conducted with Richard Dawkins. Click here for Part I and here for Part II to view.
An excellent clip from the movie “Luther” (2003). All we ask is to be convinced by Scripture and not by man.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-4, ESV).
In his commentary on Ephesians, James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000) makes a great point that all of us who have children would do well to remember:
It is a conviction of mine that no man has a right to tell other people how to raise their children until he has children of his own and has tried to raise them. As a corollary, I am convinced that no wise man will give advice even then until his own children have grown up and turned out well.
He speaks wise words indeed. No duty on earth is more joyous, more rewarding, and at the same time painstaking and heartbreaking like raising children. Danny Akin one time said that if school were life, marriage would be graduate school and raising children would be doctoral work. With raising children, you not only learn much about children, but oftentimes you learn more about yourself.
This morning, our passage deals with the mutual relationships between parents and children. Yes, I have four children, but I am not qualified by experience to tell anyone how to raise their children. But through the leadership of the Word of God and the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, we can see what God’s design for this relationship is.
Paul writes this in a very troubling period in history. The Roman Empire gave ultimate rule to the father to do with his children as he pleased. Sadly, too many of these fathers ruled in a selfish, heartless, iron-fisted manner. William Barclay notes in the patria potestas (“the father’s power”), it states:
A Roman father had absolute power over his family. He could sell them as slaves; he could make them work in his fields, even in chains; he could take the law into his own hands, for the law was in his own hands, and he could punish as he liked; he could even inflict the death penalty on his child. Further, the power of the Roman father extended over the child’s whole life, so long as the father lived. A Roman son never came of age.
Roman fathers could also reject their children based upon his first sight of the child as well as the gender. One Roman father wrote his wife, “If — good luck to you! — you have a child, if it is a boy, let it live; if it is a girl, throw it out.”
Christianity has done so much for the elevation of the status of women — and now in this case, for the status of children in society. Paul was well-aware of this mindset of parenting and was also aware of how diametrically opposed his worldview was. But as Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. We are still struggling with very similar problems here in 21st America.
Here are some more troubling statistics:
One million children a year see their parents divorce.
More than 50% of the children in America’s public school live in single-parent homes.
35% of America’s children live apart from their biological fathers.
50% of children who live apart from their biological fathers have never set foot in their father’s house.
Children in single-parent homes have a 300% greater possibility of a negative life outcome than children raised in homes where both parents are present.
The majority of children in America have less than 10 minutes of significant and meaningful conversation with their parents each week.
It seems that all aspects of the home are under assault by the enemy. With the divorce rates both inside and outside the church up around the 50% area, with the majority of homes in America in which our children are raised are single-parent homes. Even so many who keep their homes together find themselves ruled by a me-first attitude which leads either to yelling on the one end or cold wars on the other.
This morning, I pray that God’s Word will not only inform us about his will, but will also transform our hearts through His Holy Spirit.
(To listen to the rest of this sermon, click here If you would like to save this to your computer, simply right click your mouse and then click “Save Target/Link As…” and you’re good to go!)
Notice how those who hold to gay ministers that they keep saying, “Who I believe God made me to be” and how in her gay relationship, she “feels whole and complete” — even though Scripture mandates something completely opposite . We must be who God made us to be as he has revealed in his word. Notice the man who begins to question Dr. Mohler’s use of the word ‘truth.’ It’s the old Postmodern understanding of truth being how we personally define it rather than an absolute standard. Who made that rule? We must keep those who claim the name of Christ, yet divert from his Word, in prayer.
Some of you may not know who Rhett and Link are. To quote Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, “You have my pity.” They put together some very clean and creative (borderline ingenious) videos online — even one with Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler (click here to see).
They won a radio station contest which allowed them to go to the Grammys in LA. They arrived — but would they be able to get past the checkpoints — and if so, would they get on the Red Carpet?
They did so. You will not believe this.
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17, ESV).
When Jesus spoke this high priestly prayer just prior to His arrest and crucifixion, He sought to comfort His disciples in a number of ways. First, He comforted them with the fact that He would return to take them to where He would be: heaven (John 14:1-3). He continued to comfort them with His Holy Spirit who would serve as Helper (John 15:26, 16:7), Truthbearer (John 16:12-13), Paraclete, and many other functions.
But in John 17:17, Jesus comforts them with Basic Theological Principle #1: His Word is truth. And here, Jesus longs to sanctify them in this truth. They were to be set apart for holy use by His Word, the Word of Truth. Whatever else we discuss on theological matters, if we miss out on the trustworthiness of the Holy Writ, all other matters will be mere conjecture and speculation.
As a preacher and pastor, I could never enter the pulpit before my people with any sense of confidence and rest unless I have understood the nature of the Book from which I preach. This is not merely a great piece of literature; this is not some philosophical work by Immanuel Kant or Rene Descartes; this is not a great scientific work by Stephen Hawking. This is God’s Holy Word. And the truth contained in this makes all other literature, philosophy, or science look, as John Piper once said, like a first grade reader.
We hold the truth in our hands — and this Book springboards us intoall other theological matters, for this is how God has chosen to reveal Himself to His people and to the world.
Let us be beavers for the Book, dear friends.
Recently, I was reading one of my favorite Puritan authors John Bunyan and his work Heart’s Ease in Heart Trouble. Bunyan, most known for his Pilgrim’s Progress (a book every Christian must read), writes on Jesus’ statement in John 14:1, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” This condition is something we must battle against, especially when an enemy seeks to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10).
But I was especially captured by what Bunyan wrote concerning the devil:
Two main designs the devil hath upon men: The one is, if possibly, by all imaginable sleights, temptations, and enticements, he may keep men in a course of ungodliness, to hinder them from coming to Christ by faith and repentance, to deter them from His holy ways. And when he cannot prosper in this, but that unsearchable, rich, free grace takes hold of some poor souls, and they are snatched out of the devil’s hands, their captivity led captive by that mighty Redeemer, than all the devil’s labor is to hinder their comfort, and to interrupt their peace, and to make their way to heaven as hard and uncomfortable to them as possible, pursuing them with all dejecting and heart-troubling temptations.
How many of us are experiencing right now the devil’s hindering our comfort and interrupting our peace? We must first consider if there is some unconfessed sin in our hearts and minds. Psalm 66:18 tells us that:
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
With this, we see that when the home of our hearts is troubled, it is because we have let the devil in the front door.
Next, we engage in some active warfare. Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” How do we get past this? “You believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Faith in Christ allays all anxieties and doubts and strengthens one with an unassailable joy in the One who triumphs over our circumstances.
After watching the recently-released movie Luther, there is a scene in which Martin Luther (played to near perfection by Joseph Fiennes) is preaching to his congregation. He confesses to his congregation that the devil reminds him of his sins and his worthiness of hell. Then he says, “When the devil reminds you of how you deserve hell, you say to him, ‘Yes, I do deserve that fate, but what of it? I have one who stands in my behalf and His name is Jesus Christ who purchased heaven for me by His blood for my sins.” When I saw and heard that scene, I said, “Woo! Glory! Preach it, Dr. Luther!”
Jesus Christ offers ease to the heart for the trouble of the heart. Many times, all we need to do is recall the promises of God and the redemptive work of Christ and that will cure what ails us.
Tim Challies, uber-blogger extraordinaire, wrote an incredibly convicting piece concerning a cultural phenomenon known as American Idol. As someone who in the past has truly enjoyed watching this show, I realize I am much like the average viewer he describes. I realize that I joke about those who cannot sing more than I praise those who can sing.
What I failed to realize was that before these hopefuls come before Simon and Randy and Paula, they have already gone through two screenings. Has AI duped these folks who have no singing talent into thinking they actually have some? Are they truly setting these people up high on a pedestal, only to have them put down by the laughter of Randy, the pity of Paul, and the skewering of Simon? In front of 41 million viewers?
And what of us! We watch! We cringe! We are amazed at the talent — good and bad! They produce conversation around the water cooler and are the fodder of jokes and punchlines for weeks on end. All I have to do is mention William Hung and Red, and nothing else needs to be said for the picture to be painted.)
We really need to look at ourselves and see if American Idol is really good for the American soul? Is American Idol really conducive to the Christian worldview who sees everyone made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and with that comes a certain dignity that we should certainly uphold? Do we really understand that these are human beings with human feelings aspiring toward a very real dream they were led to believe they could attain?
It reminds me of the story of a man in Roman times who at first refuse to go to the coliseum to see the lions tear someone to shreds. He found it barbaric. Finally, he gave in. At first, he covered his eyes. Soon, he peaked through his fingers to see. Soon after, he found himself cheering it on with the masses.
We have a way of being desensitized to the most heinous activities around us. How much as American Idol desensitized us to the value God places on humanity?
What are your thoughts?
Please take time to read all of Tim’s article by clicking here.
Written to the Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, Lexington, KY
Laying the Foundation, Vol. 1, no. 9
(c) 2007
As you know, each Spring we have our yearly revival services where we prayerfully bring in a speaker who is faithful to the Word of God and reliant on the Spirit of God as he is used by God to preach to the people of God and woo souls into the Kingdom of God (got all that?). This year, our revival services kick off with a youth rally on Saturday, March 17, followed by services on the 18th-21st (Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m., then Sunday night through Wednesday night beginning at 7:00 p.m.).
Recently, my good friend Mark Combs (who is pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Salem, KY) and I were having an interesting conversation about revival services. Growing up, I always took them for granted. We discussed how oftentimes it seems as if people wrongly mistook revival services as an appropriate (and often only) time to engage in evangelistic work — and even then, it is done by the musicians and the preachers, not necessarily by the people of the church.
Because of this misuse of revival services, we as young pastors try to avoid singing the “because-that’s-what-we’ve-always-done-before” blues. As a result, this conversation made me contemplate this one simple question: “Are revival services still a good thing?” Have they outgrown their usefulness? Have we moved on to other more productive types of ministries and meetings?
Since I’ve been at Boone’s Creek, we have had revival services each Spring. These revival services have been good for the brothers and sisters in Christ in our church for a number of reasons.
Revival Services are an Initiated Time in the Word
I am convinced after being in the ministry for fifteen years that we must be proactive in readying ourselves for when the Spirit of God chooses to move on his people. Too many well-intentioned evangelicals who love Jesus and want to see souls saved and see Christians committed to their Lord and his church make the mistake of thinking they can manipulate situations through preaching or other special events which will be key in having folks “come to Jesus.” We think we can tell the Spirit when to move, but we just can’t.
You see Jesus himself tells us in John 3:7-8: “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’” We do not know when the Spirit of God will move. This is on God’s timetable — not an activity or a movement that can be manipulated by any human. Too many folks look down on revival services for that reason —- too many man-centered churches using man-centered techniques.
Yet (having said all that), what we are responsible for is getting ourselves ready when he does choose to move. We must certainly be proactive as individuals and as a community of faith to get our vessels ready. When we expect company, we make a full-fledged effort to get our houses ready. Revival services serve that function: where a people of God initiate a time in the Word of God so that when his Spirit moves, we are ready because the Word has readied us.
First Corinthians 2:3-5 sums this up beautifully:
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Revival Services are an Anticipated Time in the Word
Whenever we schedule a revival service, we obviously find a Spirit-led speaker who will come ready to open up God’s Word. About two months prior to this, we begin to promote these special services, giving our people a chance to anticipate this special time in the Lord.
During this promotion time, we must be careful. How easy it would be to promote special singers, special fellowship dinners, or even to promote the preacher delivering the Word of God. This year, Bro. Mike Caudill from First Baptist Church, Hindman, KY, will be our guest preacher. Mike has a pastor’s heart with a passion to see people come to Christ and know God through his holy Word.
Yet we cannot elevate the people and events in the service above the reason why we have these special services: to be reawakened to the glories of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be motivated by those glories to put feet to our faith. This is what we must anticipate. This is what we must promote. Not people, places, or events —- we must promote Jesus Christ who is the Gospel. Hear Jesus’ words from the Gospel of John
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me … How can you believe, when you receive glory from one an other and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God (John 5:39, 44, ESV)?
Revival Services are a Concentrated Time in the Word
Revival services are about concentrating on the Spirit of Christ reawakening our heart to the joy of the Gospel. We believe the Gospel is not simply a set of facts we have to hold to to get to heaven. If that were the case, the Pharisees would be knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door before all others. No, the Gospel is a way of life, something that the Christian must continually preach to himself in order to live a life of worship before God not just in church but in all areas and in all relationships. Revival services (or whatever you choose to call them), are four days and five services of redirecting our focus on Christ who we pray will awaken our hearts to a passion and a delight for himself.
In our culture, it is impossible to concentrate on any one thing. We have so many options. I sit here at my computer and can be distracted by e-mail, iTunes, web pages with sermons and news items, telephone, and even men hammering outside as they install their windows. I can go home and be distracted again by phones as well as television, books, and a myriad of other household activities. We are an ADD/ADHD culture who seeks to either multitasks or impatiently moves on to another project when the original project bores us. C.S. Lewis noted that “we are far too easily pleased.” I would add that our culture is far too easily bored and distracted.
Revival services give us an opportunity to focus and concentrate on the Word of God (the Scriptures) that shows us the Word of God (Jesus Christ —- John 1:1). God has used these revival services to help change lives if for no other reason that to help us concentrate for these few services during the week on His Word.
Ever notice how those who go off to a Christian camp or on a missions trip seem changed when they come back? They have concentrated that particular time on Kingdom work and Kingdom thoughts. This revival service can serve in just that way.
The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6:
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Revival Services are an Extended Time in the Word
How long does one have revival services? Generations ago, no one would think twice about having a two-week long set of meetings where God would visit and do awesome things for the Kingdom of Christ. Nowadays, three or four day meetings are typical. Why so long?
We are creatures of habit and routine, are we not? It takes humans very little time to adjust to a situation — and when we do, it takes just as much time to adjust back to the original setting. Having revival services for an extended amount of time is key for our constitutional make-up. We often need a day or two to get the ‘self’ out of the way so we may be receptive vessels to receive God’s Spirit. Oftentimes, these extended times enlighten us as to how must ‘self’ has clouded our communion with Christ and our siblings in Christ, as well as our communication with God in worship and prayer.
This year, our revival services are from March 18-21. This means we will have two services on Sunday (normal), then a service on Monday night (OK, that’s weird having church on Monday, but … o-k, I’ll come), then Tuesday night (“You know, God really touched me on Monday night — I wonder what he will do tonight!”), then finally Wednesday night (“I know this is normally prayer meeting night and I usually don’t make it to that, but this is the last night of the services, and God’s really awakening my heart — I must come tonight to see how these times will end”).
Yet, they do not end, do they? It would be ludicrous to say, “OK, the revival services have ended — now back to business as usual.” If you have anticipated and prepared your heart spiritually for what God purposes in your heart, then your business as usual will become one who lives a life eyes wide open, awakened to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the
counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers
(Psalm 1:1-3, ESV)
Revival Services are an Edifying Time in the Word
Face it —- we’re selfish. We spend our time simply trying to figure out how to improve our personal situation. Too many come to church to have their personal needs met or to ‘get a blessing’ or to figure out how to ‘get right with the man upstairs’ (a dangerous expression if there ever was one). It’s inward-focused. It’s all personal.
And it’s not biblical.
Yes, Christ did die on the cross so that we as individuals may come to him and be reconciled to him by grace through faith (Romans 3:24-26). Yet in the Scriptures, our lives are never divorced from the community of faith known as the Church. And our lives are never separated from the world in which God placed us.
Look at Paul’s heart in Romans 9:1-3
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
You may read that and say, “Huh? Paul, are you willing to forfeit your salvation so your kinsmen of Israel may know Jesus?” That’s his passion —- and if you read through the book of Acts, you see his great effort in the power of the Spirit to go to the Gentiles so they may know the great salvation provided in Christ —- often to the expense of his own personal safety.
While revival services were never intended to be the sole evangelistic role a church plays, these services most certainly open eyes to our need to see the lost as Christ sees. We see the shepherd in Luke 15 who leaves the 99 sheep to go find the lost one —- and a party ensues over the finding of the lost sheep. This is the heart of God and it must be our heart as well.
Hear this: revival services are for Christians, not the lost. You cannot be re-vived until you have been ‘vived.’ You cannot be re-awakened until you have come out of your sin and slumber to your situation through faith in Christ’s work on the cross. When we are reawakened, we take that passion into the mission field God has placed us: work, home, school, travel, bowling alleys, golf courses, fishing holes, supermarkets —- everywhere. This is how Christ’s body works.
Conclusion
I am not against revival services —- I’m against man-centered, man-manipulated, entertainment-driven, and ill-focused revival services. May God tune our hearts to sing his grace as we seek all seek to be tuned to the Holy Spirit of God —- with His Word as our tuning fork. Hope to see you at the revival services this coming March.
Graeme Goldsworhy serves as lecturer in Old Testament, biblical theology, and hermeneutics at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia. He has authored numerous works, including Gospel and Kingdom, The Gospel in Revelation, Gospel and Wisdom, and According to Plan.
The purpose of this work “is to provide a handbook for preachers that will help them apply a consistently Christ-centered approach to their sermons” (ix). He also acknowledges the use for lay-leaders who have “had little or no formal training” (ix), thus he aims to keep technical language to a minimum. Goldsworthy understands the need to display “the function of biblical theology” (ix) in moving the listener from the text to the hearer. With this conviction, he seeks to bridge the gap between biblical studies and biblical theology.
Summary
Goldsworthy divides this work into two parts: Part I is entitled “Basic Questions We Ask About Preaching and the Bible” and contains chapters 1-9. Part 2 deals with “The Practical Application of Biblical Theology to Preaching” and contains chapters ten through eighteen.
In Chapter 1, entitled “Nothing but Christ and Him Crucified,” Goldsworthy notes how central the gospel is theologically and experientially in the person of Jesus Christ in both the Old and New Testaments. Chapter 2 seeks to answer the question, “What is the Bible?” Goldsworthy contends that an evangelical is “one who maintains adherence to the conviction of the final authority of the Bible as God’s word written” (11). The Bible is the one Word of the one and true God — a conviction which Goldsworthy believes must be proclaimed in light of both the Enlightenment and postmodern mindsets which both denounce the authority of Scripture.
Chapter 3 seeks to answer the question, “What is Biblical Theology?” “Biblical theology,” writes Goldsworthy, “involves the quest for the big picture . . . of biblical revelation” (22). Through this quest, principles arise out of the Bible’s unity revealing God’s progressive plan and purpose amongst the redeemed. Chapter 4 seeks to answer yet another question: “What is Preaching?” Goldsworthy believes that evangelicals must ask the hard questions about preaching. He believes by looking into the New Testament in a “holistic way” (32), the interpreter sees what prominent doctrine comes to the fore concerning the various events as well as those issues concerning Christ, the focal point of biblical theology.
Chapter 5 asks, “Was Jesus a Biblical Theologian?” Goldsworthy notes, “The unity of the Bible is a matter of theological conviction and faith because of the testimony of Jesus and the nature of the gospel” (51). Chapter 6 deals with the type of unity the Bible possesses. Goldsworthy does not believe this is merely an “academic question” (63). He disavows any need for theologies dealing with only the Old Testament or only the New Testament. He examines how the gospel provides in the Scriptures “both unity and diversity” (64). Chapter 7 addresses the gospel’s function in the Bible. He advocates the gospel being not only the interpretive key to the entire Scripture but that the Gospel is “the theological center of the whole Bible” (86) as well as the structure of all history and the end times.
Chapter 8 addresses the nature of the structure of biblical revelation. Goldsworthy notes, “Expository preaching can only proceed if it places the text into the salvation-historical context so that its inter-textual relationships can be seen” (99). Through understanding that history’s structure has its “high points in Abraham, David, and Christ” (100), the structures comes into shape as the interpreter sees Christ’s person and work fulfilling every piece of God’s progressive revelation. Chapter 9 concludes the first part of this book by asking, “Can I Preach a Christian Sermon without Mentioning Jesus?” Goldsworthy answers in the negative. He puts the question in another way that crystallizes his point: “Why would you even want to try and preach a Christian sermon without mentioning Jesus” (115)? Goldsworthy notes that “the evangelical preacher needs to resist the modern hijacking of hermeneutics by purely literary and linguistic interests that ignore the ultimate purpose of God’s word, which is to proclaim Christ to a lost world” (122).
In addressing the practical application of biblical theology to preaching in Part II of this work, Goldsworthy contends that two primary epochs span salvation history: creation to the first portion of Solomon’s reign, then the second part of Solomon’s reign until the exile and return. Having this paradigm in place will assist the preacher greatly as he preaches redemptive history to his people.
Chapter Eleven addresses preaching from Old Testament Law. Goldsworthy recommends preaching this portion “with Christian eyes,” not only starting from Sinai and working toward the New Testament, but also starting from the Gospel and working backwards. Chapter 12 deals with preaching from the Old Testament prophets, Goldsworthy notes that “all prophecy after Moses reinforces and reapplies this definitive Mosaic Ministry” (170). These prophets span the entire Old Testament History. Chapter 13 addresses how to preach from the wisdom literature. Goldsworthy notes how Solomon in relation to the Temple is key to understanding this genre. Yet, “wisdom points to our responsibility to try to understand life and reality in the light of Christ so that we might make wise decisions” (188).
In Chapter 14, Goldsworthy details how to preach from the Psalms. “The Psalms, then, reflect upon the saving deeds of God and upon human failings. They, like the narrative history and the prophets, describe the disintegration of the kingdom and the longing for the day when God will act to save his people” (197). In Chapter 15, Goldsworthy outlines how to preach from the apocalyptic texts. In Chapters 16-17, Goldsworthy helps the preacher in preaching through the Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles. In Chapter 18, he concludes this book by helping the preacher preach biblical theology as a whole from all of Scripture.
Critical Analysis
Goldsworthy desired to bring a Christ-centered approach to the preaching of the entirety of Scripture and succeeded admirably. His strong convictions of the authority and primacy of Scripture stem from his position, which “is one of reformed and evangelical theology” (xv). He continues, “On this basis I seek to establish my biblical theology as a primary hermeneutic tool for understanding the significance of the biblical text and as a vital expository tool for preaching” (xv). His conviction of the Scriptures being the Word of God, of Jesus being central to every theme in Scripture, and of history reflecting the saving purposes of God are expounded through this work.
Goldsworthy rightly promotes understanding the Scriptures as the one true Word of God.
I am simply saying that the way the Bible presents its message, a message that reaches the climax in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, provides us with the principles we need. Biblical theology is nothing more nor less than allowing the Bible to speak as a whole: as the one word of the one God about the way of salvation (7).
Goldsworthy diligently presents the case to the expositor and interpreter to let the Bible speak on its own terms. This mindset is especially needful in a Western culture heavily influenced by the Enlightenment that questions the authority of biblical texts and its meaning therein, as well as postmodern thought that questions the nature of absolute truth. Goldsworthy advocates a confidence found in God’s Word and its historical perspective. “Secular history presupposes human observers of events and evidences; biblical history presupposes the revelation of the divine ordering of events” (27).
In dealing with the role of history, Goldsworthy continually outlines how history reflects the saving purposes of God.
Once the historical framework is recognized, the task is to try to understand how the biblical writers present the account as one that reveals God’s purposes and acts. The unity of the biblical history lies in the selective way in which the story is pursued in certain directions and not by other possible routes (69).
Later in this work, he makes a statement which would startle most secular (and even evangelical) thinkers:
History happens because of God and his purposes. … Salvation history refers to that aspect of universal history in which God is specifically active both to reveal and to effect the salvation of his people. . . . God is working to redeem a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language group” (88).
These quotes serve as a powerful reminder for both expositor and layperson alike. Every event that happens in our world happens with an end goal in God’s eye. Goldsworthy reminds the expositor of the Bible’s unity and how God revealed his word and work progressively through history. Thus effectively demolishing the notion that the Bible is simply a collection of random writings and that history is a progression of random events.
Goldsworthy also displays a pastoral heart. In Chapter 1, Goldsworthy notes that evangelical preachers stand in the tradition of the apostles, yet preachers often relegate the gospel to simply the events surrounding the initial decision. As a result, these preachers display a “failure to think through how the link between the people and events of the Old Testament are to be made with … New Testament people” (3). He notes in Chapter 9 how the preacher should install a Christian Education program to help the congregation understand the unity of the Scriptures. He notes this again in Chapter 11 in helping Sunday School teachers avoid teaching the historical narratives in isolated segments. He notes, “A comprehensive Christian education program … will be designed with an eye to the need for every Christian to be nurtured in the four areas of Bible knowledge, theology or Christian doctrine, practical issues of Christian living, and skills for particular ministries” (130). He also advises drawing up a preaching program “that includes one or more series based on historical narrative texts” (151), providing a wider look at the theological thrust of the entire Scriptures. This mindset gives the expositor a much needed glimpse into the necessity of having his congregants in mind not only as their preacher but as their shepherd. Preachers are tempted to simply believe that their work is done when they preach their sermons, but they must also take their parishioner
The only weakness in this volume was the Bible version Goldsworthy used to bolster his case. As mentioned earlier, he comes from a reformed and evangelical background through which he sought to “establish my biblical theology as my primary hermeneutic tool for understanding the significance of the biblical text and as a vital tool for expository preaching” (xv). Why then would Goldsworthy use the New Revised Standard Version of the Scriptures in a book with this particular aim? When discussing Jesus’ title of Son of Man, he noted how the NRSV translates the phrase in Daniel 7:14 as “one like a human being” and acknowledges that “it obscures the link with Jesus’ technical use of it.” First of all, the verse to which he refers is Daniel 7:13, not 7:14. Secondly, the phrase in the Hebrew literally reads vn”ßa/ rb:ï (bar enesh) which translates “Son of man.” He uses a faulty mistranslation as a basis for his argument.
Conclusion
This book serves as one of the finest works dealing with preaching from the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. Though this work may be too technical for many novices to this area, Preaching The Whole Bible as Christian Scripture is a work well worth undertaking.
—
Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000. 272 pp. $25.00.
Graeme Goldsworhy serves as lecturer in Old Testament, biblical theology, and hermeneutics at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia. He has authored numerous works, including Gospel and Kingdom, The Gospel in Revelation, Gospel and Wisdom, and According to Plan.
The purpose of this work “is to provide a handbook for preachers that will help them apply a consistently Christ-centered approach to their sermons” (ix). He also acknowledges the use for lay-leaders who have “had little or no formal training” (ix), thus he aims to keep technical language to a minimum. Goldsworthy understands the need to display “the function of biblical theology” (ix) in moving the listener from the text to the hearer. With this conviction, he seeks to bridge the gap between biblical studies and biblical theology.
Summary
Goldsworthy divides this work into two parts: Part I is entitled “Basic Questions We Ask About Preaching and the Bible” and contains chapters 1-9. Part 2 deals with “The Practical Application of Biblical Theology to Preaching” and contains chapters ten through eighteen.
In Chapter 1, entitled “Nothing but Christ and Him Crucified,” Goldsworthy notes how central the gospel is theologically and experientially in the person of Jesus Christ in both the Old and New Testaments. Chapter 2 seeks to answer the question, “What is the Bible?” Goldsworthy contends that an evangelical is “one who maintains adherence to the conviction of the final authority of the Bible as God’s word written” (11). The Bible is the one Word of the one and true God — a conviction which Goldsworthy believes must be proclaimed in light of both the Enlightenment and postmodern mindsets which both denounce the authority of Scripture.
Chapter 3 seeks to answer the question, “What is Biblical Theology?” “Biblical theology,” writes Goldsworthy, “involves the quest for the big picture . . . of biblical revelation” (22). Through this quest, principles arise out of the Bible’s unity revealing God’s progressive plan and purpose amongst the redeemed. Chapter 4 seeks to answer yet another question: “What is Preaching?” Goldsworthy believes that evangelicals must ask the hard questions about preaching. He believes by looking into the New Testament in a “holistic way” (32), the interpreter sees what prominent doctrine comes to the fore concerning the various events as well as those issues concerning Christ, the focal point of biblical theology.
Chapter 5 asks, “Was Jesus a Biblical Theologian?” Goldsworthy notes, “The unity of the Bible is a matter of theological conviction and faith because of the testimony of Jesus and the nature of the gospel” (51). Chapter 6 deals with the type of unity the Bible possesses. Goldsworthy does not believe this is merely an “academic question” (63). He disavows any need for theologies dealing with only the Old Testament or only the New Testament. He examines how the gospel provides in the Scriptures “both unity and diversity” (64). Chapter 7 addresses the gospel’s function in the Bible. He advocates the gospel being not only the interpretive key to the entire Scripture but that the Gospel is “the theological center of the whole Bible” (86) as well as the structure of all history and the end times.
Chapter 8 addresses the nature of the structure of biblical revelation. Goldsworthy notes, “Expository preaching can only proceed if it places the text into the salvation-historical context so that its inter-textual relationships can be seen” (99). Through understanding that history’s structure has its “high points in Abraham, David, and Christ” (100), the structures comes into shape as the interpreter sees Christ’s person and work fulfilling every piece of God’s progressive revelation. Chapter 9 concludes the first part of this book by asking, “Can I Preach a Christian Sermon without Mentioning Jesus?” Goldsworthy answers in the negative. He puts the question in another way that crystallizes his point: “Why would you even want to try and preach a Christian sermon without mentioning Jesus” (115)? Goldsworthy notes that “the evangelical preacher needs to resist the modern hijacking of hermeneutics by purely literary and linguistic interests that ignore the ultimate purpose of God’s word, which is to proclaim Christ to a lost world” (122).
In addressing the practical application of biblical theology to preaching in Part II of this work, Goldsworthy contends that two primary epochs span salvation history: creation to the first portion of Solomon’s reign, then the second part of Solomon’s reign until the exile and return. Having this paradigm in place will assist the preacher greatly as he preaches redemptive history to his people.
Chapter Eleven addresses preaching from Old Testament Law. Goldsworthy recommends preaching this portion “with Christian eyes,” not only starting from Sinai and working toward the New Testament, but also starting from the Gospel and working backwards. Chapter 12 deals with preaching from the Old Testament prophets, Goldsworthy notes that “all prophecy after Moses reinforces and reapplies this definitive Mosaic Ministry” (170). These prophets span the entire Old Testament History. Chapter 13 addresses how to preach from the wisdom literature. Goldsworthy notes how Solomon in relation to the Temple is key to understanding this genre. Yet, “wisdom points to our responsibility to try to understand life and reality in the light of Christ so that we might make wise decisions” (188).
In Chapter 14, Goldsworthy details how to preach from the Psalms. “The Psalms, then, reflect upon the saving deeds of God and upon human failings. They, like the narrative history and the prophets, describe the disintegration of the kingdom and the longing for the day when God will act to save his people” (197). In Chapter 15, Goldsworthy outlines how to preach from the apocalyptic texts. In Chapters 16-17, Goldsworthy helps the preacher in preaching through the Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles. In Chapter 18, he concludes this book by helping the preacher preach biblical theology as a whole from all of Scripture.
Critical Analysis
Goldsworthy desired to bring a Christ-centered approach to the preaching of the entirety of Scripture and succeeded admirably. His strong convictions of the authority and primacy of Scripture stem from his position, which “is one of reformed and evangelical theology” (xv). He continues, “On this basis I seek to establish my biblical theology as a primary hermeneutic tool for understanding the significance of the biblical text and as a vital expository tool for preaching” (xv). His conviction of the Scriptures being the Word of God, of Jesus being central to every theme in Scripture, and of history reflecting the saving purposes of God are expounded through this work.
Goldsworthy rightly promotes understanding the Scriptures as the one true Word of God.
I am simply saying that the way the Bible presents its message, a message that reaches the climax in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, provides us with the principles we need. Biblical theology is nothing more nor less than allowing the Bible to speak as a whole: as the one word of the one God about the way of salvation (7).
Goldsworthy diligently presents the case to the expositor and interpreter to let the Bible speak on its own terms. This mindset is especially needful in a Western culture heavily influenced by the Enlightenment that questions the authority of biblical texts and its meaning therein, as well as postmodern thought that questions the nature of absolute truth. Goldsworthy advocates a confidence found in God’s Word and its historical perspective. “Secular history presupposes human observers of events and evidences; biblical history presupposes the revelation of the divine ordering of events” (27).
In dealing with the role of history, Goldsworthy continually outlines how history reflects the saving purposes of God.
Once the historical framework is recognized, the task is to try to understand how the biblical writers present the account as one that reveals God’s purposes and acts. The unity of the biblical history lies in the selective way in which the story is pursued in certain directions and not by other possible routes (69).
Later in this work, he makes a statement which would startle most secular (and even evangelical) thinkers:
History happens because of God and his purposes. … Salvation history refers to that aspect of universal history in which God is specifically active both to reveal and to effect the salvation of his people. . . . God is working to redeem a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language group” (88).
These quotes serve as a powerful reminder for both expositor and layperson alike. Every event that happens in our world happens with an end goal in God’s eye. Goldsworthy reminds the expositor of the Bible’s unity and how God revealed his word and work progressively through history. Thus effectively demolishing the notion that the Bible is simply a collection of random writings and that history is a progression of random events.
Goldsworthy also displays a pastoral heart. In Chapter 1, Goldsworthy notes that evangelical preachers stand in the tradition of the apostles, yet preachers often relegate the gospel to simply the events surrounding the initial decision. As a result, these preachers display a “failure to think through how the link between the people and events of the Old Testament are to be made with … New Testament people” (3). He notes in Chapter 9 how the preacher should install a Christian Education program to help the congregation understand the unity of the Scriptures. He notes this again in Chapter 11 in helping Sunday School teachers avoid teaching the historical narratives in isolated segments. He notes, “A comprehensive Christian education program … will be designed with an eye to the need for every Christian to be nurtured in the four areas of Bible knowledge, theology or Christian doctrine, practical issues of Christian living, and skills for particular ministries” (130). He also advises drawing up a preaching program “that includes one or more series based on historical narrative texts” (151), providing a wider look at the theological thrust of the entire Scriptures. This mindset gives the expositor a much needed glimpse into the necessity of having his congregants in mind not only as their preacher but as their shepherd. Preachers are tempted to simply believe that their work is done when they preach their sermons, but they must also take their parishioner
The only weakness in this volume was the Bible version Goldsworthy used to bolster his case. As mentioned earlier, he comes from a reformed and evangelical background through which he sought to “establish my biblical theology as my primary hermeneutic tool for understanding the significance of the biblical text and as a vital tool for expository preaching” (xv). Why then would Goldsworthy use the New Revised Standard Version of the Scriptures in a book with this particular aim? When discussing Jesus’ title of Son of Man, he noted how the NRSV translates the phrase in Daniel 7:14 as “one like a human being” and acknowledges that “it obscures the link with Jesus’ technical use of it.” First of all, the verse to which he refers is Daniel 7:13, not 7:14. Secondly, the phrase in the Hebrew literally reads vn”ßa/ rb:ï (bar enesh) which translates “Son of man.” He uses a faulty mistranslation as a basis for his argument.
Conclusion
This book serves as one of the finest works dealing with preaching from the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. Though this work may be too technical for many novices to this area, Preaching The Whole Bible as Christian Scripture is a work well worth undertaking.
—
Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000. 272 pp. $25.00.
You Take the Scriptures as a Whole Rather Than as Fodder for Prooftexts
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood (Acts 20:26-28, ESV).
Pastor Topica sits in his office on Monday morning contemplating about the following Sunday. He is a Southern Baptist pastor, which means that he will likely have a special emphasis Sunday. New Year’s, Racial Reconciliation Sunday, Sanctity of Life Sunday, Missions Emphases, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Labor Day, Seminary Appreciation Sunday, and the list goes on. This Sunday happens to be Sanctity of Life Sunday.
Being a faithful follower of Christ, he also holds strongly to the sanctity of life. He believes we should defend the unborn, that embryonic stem cell research should not be an option, that we should take care of the elderly — and its something he feels passionately about. He has a tremendous message.
Now all he needs are the Scriptures to support the message.
Granted, this is an exaggerated case — or is it? It reminds me of the one-box cartoon where the preacher is in his study who prays, “Lord, please give me a message to go with this great illustration!” How often do ministers all over the world sit in their study with a passion for a particular topic — and use the Scriptures simply to mine out Scriptures as fodder for prooftexts to give ’support’ to their message.
Is there anything inherently wrong with this method? Am I saying that anyone who does this on a regular basis is immoral and unfit for the pulpit ministry?
Uh … no.
What I am asking is that the Scriptures be the springboard of our sermons rather than our pet topic being the springboard, relegating the Scriptures as simply the fodder to propel our agenda.
Soon, we will look at ways to spot whether you are guilty of this, and provide some helpful tools to turn the ship around in the right direction.
You Take the Scriptures as a Whole Rather Than as Fodder for Prooftexts
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood (Acts 20:26-28, ESV).
Pastor Topica sits in his office on Monday morning contemplating about the following Sunday. He is a Southern Baptist pastor, which means that he will likely have a special emphasis Sunday. New Year’s, Racial Reconciliation Sunday, Sanctity of Life Sunday, Missions Emphases, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Labor Day, Seminary Appreciation Sunday, and the list goes on. This Sunday happens to be Sanctity of Life Sunday.
Being a faithful follower of Christ, he also holds strongly to the sanctity of life. He believes we should defend the unborn, that embryonic stem cell research should not be an option, that we should take care of the elderly — and its something he feels passionately about. He has a tremendous message.
Now all he needs are the Scriptures to support the message.
Granted, this is an exaggerated case — or is it? It reminds me of the one-box cartoon where the preacher is in his study who prays, “Lord, please give me a message to go with this great illustration!” How often do ministers all over the world sit in their study with a passion for a particular topic — and use the Scriptures simply to mine out Scriptures as fodder for prooftexts to give ’support’ to their message.
Is there anything inherently wrong with this method? Am I saying that anyone who does this on a regular basis is immoral and unfit for the pulpit ministry?
Uh … no.
What I am asking is that the Scriptures be the springboard of our sermons rather than our pet topic being the springboard, relegating the Scriptures as simply the fodder to propel our agenda.
Soon, we will look at ways to spot whether you are guilty of this, and provide some helpful tools to turn the ship around in the right direction.
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Anonymous, The Letter to the Hebrews from The Holy Bible, Hebrews 10:19-25, ESV).
This is a typical Wednesday night Bible study. Tonight is on Psalm 118 as we are going through each of the Psalms on Wednesday night. We started with the Psalms in September of 2003. We only have 32 left (but Psalm 119 is next!).
May God bless you with His Word as He does me!
====
This is the Lord’s Doing
Psalm 118
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
How blessed it is to see a Psalm that declares God’s goodness in the midst of the world’s wickedness.
1. His steadfast love is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:1-4);
Psalm 118:1-4
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
[2] Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
[3] Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
[4] Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Do you get the idea that God is trying to reinforce the notion of “his steadfast love” enduring forever? Good. He tells the ethnic children of Abraham (Israel), the priesthood who represent and intercede for us to God to know this, and for all those truly faithful who fear him to know this. In a world where the only thing that stays the same is change, it is good to know that the one who made the world and is over the world never changes.
William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breathing the child’s breath. Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Rasping and struggling for her life, the child said, “Momma, kiss me!” Without thinking of herself the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphtheria and some days thereafter she went to be forever with the Lord. Real love forgets self. Real love knows no danger. Real love doesn’t count the cost. The Bible says, “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.”
This is the type of love we need to understand from the lord — many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.
2. Our deliverance is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:5-13);
Verses five through seven say:
Psalm 118:5-7
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
[6] The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
[7] The Lord is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
When God is on your side, there is the knowledge that God hears you in your distress. Not only does God hear, he answers. And not only does God answer, he gives us liberty. He gives us strength because we know that we have an advocate who stands with us. 1 John 2:1-3 tells us:
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
He stands with us as our aid and comfort against the enemy. We look to the Lord in triumph when we trust.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:4-5, ESV)?
This is the victory that is ours — and that victory is the Lord’s doing.
3. Our salvation is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:14-18).
a. He puts a song in our heart (14-16)
Again, this Psalmist notes how God is his help in saying God is his strength. The inner strength given puts for an outward song — but it is not a song that everyone can sing. This is a song found only “in the tents of the righteous.” I cannot help of thinking of that old Larry Norman song:
When you know a pretty story, you don’t let it go un-said.
Look around you, as you sing it, there are people everywhere,
You tell it to your children as you tuck them into bed.
And to those who stop to listen, this sweet song becomes a prayer.And when you know a wonderful secret, you tell it to your friends.
Cause when you know a wonderful secret, you tell it to your friends.
Because a lifetime filled with happiness, is like a street that never ends.
Tell them that a life time filled with jesus, is like a street that never
ends.
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvation. let your laughter fill the air
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvtion, tell the people everywhere.
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvation, to every man every na – tion
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvation, and let the people know that Jesus cares.
b. He puts to mind all his wondrous deeds (17)
c. He punishes and disciplines for our good (Hebrews 12:5b-12).
4. The opened gate of righteousness is the Lord’s doing (Psalms 118:19-25).
If ever a case could be made that this is a Christian psalm, it is because of this section. After recognizing that only God can “open to me the gates of righteousness” (118:19), verse 22 is oh so familiar: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (118:22). This ‘stone’ in the original context applies to Israel, since its land and population were so small and seemingly insignificant. Yet Deut. 7:7-8 tells us:
It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, [8] but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
God chose to use what the world deemed small and insignificant to do his work in his world. He does the same in the church, yes?
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [26] For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. [30] He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. [31] Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:25-31, ESV)
Jesus used this verse in the Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:42), Peter used it to defend their work before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:7 and used it to speak of the church in 1 Peter 2:4-10. The rejection of the “stone” for Jesus and the apostles were the Pharisees. Yet it was the Lord’s doing to lift up what the world rejected for his glory. The world rejected Jesus by crucifying him and leaving him in that tomb. Yet, God made him the cornerstone by lifting him up to build his church. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad it in” (Psalm 118:24). No wonder the early church fathers used this text for numerous Easter sermons!
5. The light that shines on his people is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:26-29).
Recognize verse 26? They shouted this to Jesus in his triumphal entry (Mark 11:9). Hosanna means “save us” which connects with verse 25. When God shines his light, he is shining his favor upon us. This results in salvation and results in a determined worship before him.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar (Psalm 118:27, ESV).
When God shines his favor, worship ensues!! Think of how a holy God could ever look upon his people with any pleasure at all — but he does. But now we no longer need to offer sacrifices of bulls and goats in worship. Christ has already made that sacrifice for us once and for all (Hebrews 9:23-28). So now we sacrifice a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17), and we bring forth the sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15), and most of all a sacrifice of our lives (Romans 12:1).
Conclusion
In verse 23, we read, “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Do we look at the works and the Word of the Lord and say, “This is marvelous!”? “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). We delight in God’s nature, God’s work, and God’s work. He has done marvelous things (Psalm 98:1).
This is a typical Wednesday night Bible study. Tonight is on Psalm 118 as we are going through each of the Psalms on Wednesday night. We started with the Psalms in September of 2003. We only have 32 left (but Psalm 119 is next!).
May God bless you with His Word as He does me!
====
This is the Lord’s Doing
Psalm 118
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
How blessed it is to see a Psalm that declares God’s goodness in the midst of the world’s wickedness.
1. His steadfast love is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:1-4);
Psalm 118:1-4
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
[2] Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
[3] Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
[4] Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Do you get the idea that God is trying to reinforce the notion of “his steadfast love” enduring forever? Good. He tells the ethnic children of Abraham (Israel), the priesthood who represent and intercede for us to God to know this, and for all those truly faithful who fear him to know this. In a world where the only thing that stays the same is change, it is good to know that the one who made the world and is over the world never changes.
William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breathing the child’s breath. Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Rasping and struggling for her life, the child said, “Momma, kiss me!” Without thinking of herself the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphtheria and some days thereafter she went to be forever with the Lord. Real love forgets self. Real love knows no danger. Real love doesn’t count the cost. The Bible says, “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.”
This is the type of love we need to understand from the lord — many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.
2. Our deliverance is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:5-13);
Verses five through seven say:
Psalm 118:5-7
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
[6] The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
[7] The Lord is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
When God is on your side, there is the knowledge that God hears you in your distress. Not only does God hear, he answers. And not only does God answer, he gives us liberty. He gives us strength because we know that we have an advocate who stands with us. 1 John 2:1-3 tells us:
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
He stands with us as our aid and comfort against the enemy. We look to the Lord in triumph when we trust.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:4-5, ESV)?
This is the victory that is ours — and that victory is the Lord’s doing.
3. Our salvation is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:14-18).
a. He puts a song in our heart (14-16)
Again, this Psalmist notes how God is his help in saying God is his strength. The inner strength given puts for an outward song — but it is not a song that everyone can sing. This is a song found only “in the tents of the righteous.” I cannot help of thinking of that old Larry Norman song:
When you know a pretty story, you don’t let it go un-said.
Look around you, as you sing it, there are people everywhere,
You tell it to your children as you tuck them into bed.
And to those who stop to listen, this sweet song becomes a prayer.And when you know a wonderful secret, you tell it to your friends.
Cause when you know a wonderful secret, you tell it to your friends.
Because a lifetime filled with happiness, is like a street that never ends.
Tell them that a life time filled with jesus, is like a street that never
ends.
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvation. let your laughter fill the air
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvtion, tell the people everywhere.
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvation, to every man every na – tion
Sing that sweet sweet song of salvation, and let the people know that Jesus cares.
b. He puts to mind all his wondrous deeds (17)
c. He punishes and disciplines for our good (Hebrews 12:5b-12).
4. The opened gate of righteousness is the Lord’s doing (Psalms 118:19-25).
If ever a case could be made that this is a Christian psalm, it is because of this section. After recognizing that only God can “open to me the gates of righteousness” (118:19), verse 22 is oh so familiar: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (118:22). This ‘stone’ in the original context applies to Israel, since its land and population were so small and seemingly insignificant. Yet Deut. 7:7-8 tells us:
It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, [8] but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
God chose to use what the world deemed small and insignificant to do his work in his world. He does the same in the church, yes?
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [26] For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. [30] He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. [31] Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:25-31, ESV)
Jesus used this verse in the Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:42), Peter used it to defend their work before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:7 and used it to speak of the church in 1 Peter 2:4-10. The rejection of the “stone” for Jesus and the apostles were the Pharisees. Yet it was the Lord’s doing to lift up what the world rejected for his glory. The world rejected Jesus by crucifying him and leaving him in that tomb. Yet, God made him the cornerstone by lifting him up to build his church. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad it in” (Psalm 118:24). No wonder the early church fathers used this text for numerous Easter sermons!
5. The light that shines on his people is the Lord’s doing (Psalm 118:26-29).
Recognize verse 26? They shouted this to Jesus in his triumphal entry (Mark 11:9). Hosanna means “save us” which connects with verse 25. When God shines his light, he is shining his favor upon us. This results in salvation and results in a determined worship before him.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar (Psalm 118:27, ESV).
When God shines his favor, worship ensues!! Think of how a holy God could ever look upon his people with any pleasure at all — but he does. But now we no longer need to offer sacrifices of bulls and goats in worship. Christ has already made that sacrifice for us once and for all (Hebrews 9:23-28). So now we sacrifice a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17), and we bring forth the sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15), and most of all a sacrifice of our lives (Romans 12:1).
Conclusion
In verse 23, we read, “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Do we look at the works and the Word of the Lord and say, “This is marvelous!”? “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). We delight in God’s nature, God’s work, and God’s work. He has done marvelous things (Psalm 98:1).
Whatever you may think of the Indianapolis Colts, you cannot help but think highly of their coach, Tony Dungy. After taking over the reigns of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1993, he turned them into winners in a rather strange way by NFL standards. He did so without screaming and cursing and berating.
During the Super Bowl, Jim Nantz and Phil Simms of CBS noted that at the beginning of training camp, Dungy told his players in a very calm voice, “I hope all of you are listening, because this is as loudly as I will talk all season.” They went on to note that while players in the NFL play for their coaches out of fear, the Colts (and the Bucs from before) played for Dungy out of respect — afraid to let him down.
ChristianityToday.com has an excellent article entitled “Dungy Makes Super Bowl History ‘The Lord’s Way’.” Here is how it begins:
Indianapolis Colts’ Tony Dungy made history as the first black coach ever to win the Super Bowl. And taking advantage of the trophy stage, Dungy was more proud to have won the big game “the Lord’s way.”
“I’m proud to be the first African-American coach to win this,” said Dungy during the trophy ceremony Sunday night, according to the Associated Press. “But again, more than anything, Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord’s way. We’re more proud of that.”
The Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 on a soggy field in Miami, Fla., Sunday. They did it for their coach, whom the players say deserved the win. And Dungy did it without yelling or cursing from the sidelines – a trait that his players have trained with and that opposing coach and close friend Lovie Smith picked up when he assisted Dungy on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ coaching staff.
A day ahead of the game, Dungy headlined the annual faith-based Super Bowl Breakfast, hosted by Athletes in Action. A record crowd of 2,500 people witnessed Dungy speak as the first-ever Super Bowl Coach to appear in person at the breakfast a day before NFL’s marquee game.
Dungy truly lives what he believes and it translates fully into his work environment. Just ask his past players. So I may not be a big Colts fan — I am a big Tony Dungy fan. He puts Christ before all else.
Whatever you may think of the Indianapolis Colts, you cannot help but think highly of their coach, Tony Dungy. After taking over the reigns of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1993, he turned them into winners in a rather strange way by NFL standards. He did so without screaming and cursing and berating.
During the Super Bowl, Jim Nantz and Phil Simms of CBS noted that at the beginning of training camp, Dungy told his players in a very calm voice, “I hope all of you are listening, because this is as loudly as I will talk all season.” They went on to note that while players in the NFL play for their coaches out of fear, the Colts (and the Bucs from before) played for Dungy out of respect — afraid to let him down.
ChristianityToday.com has an excellent article entitled “Dungy Makes Super Bowl History ‘The Lord’s Way’.” Here is how it begins:
Indianapolis Colts’ Tony Dungy made history as the first black coach ever to win the Super Bowl. And taking advantage of the trophy stage, Dungy was more proud to have won the big game “the Lord’s way.”
“I’m proud to be the first African-American coach to win this,” said Dungy during the trophy ceremony Sunday night, according to the Associated Press. “But again, more than anything, Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord’s way. We’re more proud of that.”
The Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 on a soggy field in Miami, Fla., Sunday. They did it for their coach, whom the players say deserved the win. And Dungy did it without yelling or cursing from the sidelines – a trait that his players have trained with and that opposing coach and close friend Lovie Smith picked up when he assisted Dungy on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ coaching staff.
A day ahead of the game, Dungy headlined the annual faith-based Super Bowl Breakfast, hosted by Athletes in Action. A record crowd of 2,500 people witnessed Dungy speak as the first-ever Super Bowl Coach to appear in person at the breakfast a day before NFL’s marquee game.
Dungy truly lives what he believes and it translates fully into his work environment. Just ask his past players. So I may not be a big Colts fan — I am a big Tony Dungy fan. He puts Christ before all else.
An AgapePress story by Mark Creech details a new challenge for churches: members who win lotteries and then want to donate a portion of their winnings, despite the church’s outspoken opposition to gambling. Creech relates: “Pastor Scott Thomas understands this principle well. According to Family News In Focus, he faced a very difficult situation several years ago when a deacon in his church offered a portion of lottery winnings for a building fund. Thomas refused the gift and stood on the principle of Christian separation. ‘I’ve just always believed that God doesn’t need to use chance to build his Church,’ said Thomas. Furthermore, he added that impoverished people largely play lotteries and the church shouldn’t profit on the backs of the poor.
“Despite Thomas’ opposition, however, the church wanted the money and fired him. They accepted the gift and built the building. As a result, attendance has dropped from 165 to fewer than 50 people a week. Thomas says: ‘Several of the members have called me and said, ‘The albatross around our necks is that we are now known as the lottery church.’”
Pastor John Piper wrote, “Don’t play the lottery for me. We are followers of Jesus. He had no place to lay His head and did not accept the demonic temptation to jump off the temple for the jackpot of instant recognition. The Calvary road is not paved with Powerball tickets, but with blood. Don’t play the lottery for Bethlehem Baptist Church. We will not, I pray, salve your conscience by taking one dime of your plunder, or supporting even the thought of your spiritual suicide. Let the widow give her penny and the laborer his wage. And keep your life free from the love of money.” (Click here to read the full story.)
An AgapePress story by Mark Creech details a new challenge for churches: members who win lotteries and then want to donate a portion of their winnings, despite the church’s outspoken opposition to gambling. Creech relates: “Pastor Scott Thomas understands this principle well. According to Family News In Focus, he faced a very difficult situation several years ago when a deacon in his church offered a portion of lottery winnings for a building fund. Thomas refused the gift and stood on the principle of Christian separation. ‘I’ve just always believed that God doesn’t need to use chance to build his Church,’ said Thomas. Furthermore, he added that impoverished people largely play lotteries and the church shouldn’t profit on the backs of the poor.
“Despite Thomas’ opposition, however, the church wanted the money and fired him. They accepted the gift and built the building. As a result, attendance has dropped from 165 to fewer than 50 people a week. Thomas says: ‘Several of the members have called me and said, ‘The albatross around our necks is that we are now known as the lottery church.’”
Pastor John Piper wrote, “Don’t play the lottery for me. We are followers of Jesus. He had no place to lay His head and did not accept the demonic temptation to jump off the temple for the jackpot of instant recognition. The Calvary road is not paved with Powerball tickets, but with blood. Don’t play the lottery for Bethlehem Baptist Church. We will not, I pray, salve your conscience by taking one dime of your plunder, or supporting even the thought of your spiritual suicide. Let the widow give her penny and the laborer his wage. And keep your life free from the love of money.” (Click here to read the full story.)
A one-time Mormon says anyone thinking about supporting presidential hopeful Mitt Romney — a Mormon — in his White House campaign needs to be aware of what distinguishes that religious group’s beliefs from Christianity.
A woman whose father was a bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and who is a former Mormon herself says Christians considering Mormon candidate Mitt Romney’s bid for the U.S. presidency need to be reminded about the differences between Mormonism and biblical Christianity.
(To read the rest of Chad Groenig’s article from 2.5.2007, click here.)
What do you think? Does a man’s spiritual beliefs play any role in how you vote? Do you think they will play a major role in how they govern? Does Romney’s Mormonism concern you or comfort you in his bid?
A one-time Mormon says anyone thinking about supporting presidential hopeful Mitt Romney — a Mormon — in his White House campaign needs to be aware of what distinguishes that religious group’s beliefs from Christianity.
A woman whose father was a bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and who is a former Mormon herself says Christians considering Mormon candidate Mitt Romney’s bid for the U.S. presidency need to be reminded about the differences between Mormonism and biblical Christianity.
(To read the rest of Chad Groenig’s article from 2.5.2007, click here.)
What do you think? Does a man’s spiritual beliefs play any role in how you vote? Do you think they will play a major role in how they govern? Does Romney’s Mormonism concern you or comfort you in his bid?
Tremper Longman, III, serves as the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies and the chair of the religious studies department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of numerous books and commentaries, including Introduction to the Old Testament.
This volume is part of the 3 Crucial Questions series edited by Grant R. Osbourne and Richard J. Jones. Longman states, “It is vitally important for us to work at our appreciation and understanding to the Old Testament” (11). His hope is that this work will “help revive in the reader a sense of the importance of the Old Testament for Christian faith and practice” (12). Longman desires to help the interpreter of the Old Testament confront the obstacles before him.
Summary
Longman’s volume contains three chapters. Chapter One gives various keys to understanding the Old Testament. He provides an overview of the study of the Old Testament and outlines the attractions and obstacles found therein. Longman outlines how God communicates his revelation to us: God — human author — biblical text — first readers — present-day readers. With this paradigm in place, Longman recommends some principles for successful interpretation. The first principle is to discover the author’s intended meaning. The second principle is to “read Scripture in its context” (32) — which he calls the “most basic of all principles in reading literature” (32). Longman notes, “God chose to communicate his revelation to us in literary forms that we recognize from other written works” (32). The third principle is to “identify the genre of the book and passage” (39). Principle four is to “consider the historical and cultural background of the Bible” (47) while principle five urges the interpreter to “consider the grammar and structure within the passage” (48). Principle six tells the interpreter to “interpret experience in the light of Scripture, not Scripture in the light of experience” (50). Longman’s seventh interpretive principle is to “always seek the full counsel of Scripture” (51). He notes here that “the most important ideas in the Bible are stated hundreds of times,” and that we must “determine the meaning of the unclear verse by examining the clear teaching of Scripture” (51). Principle eight states, “Discover how the Scripture passage presents Jesus Christ” (51) and principle nine concludes this section by advising the interpreter to “be open-minded and tolerant of other interpretations” (53).
Longman’s aim in chapter 2 (“Is the God of the Old Testament also the God of the New Testament?”) is to answer the false Old Testament stereotypes plaguing Christians by showing the intricate unity of the Testaments. These stereotypes consist of how they perceive the different portrayals of God in each of the Testaments. Longman shows how God is the center of both the Old and New Testaments, the “obvious answer” (59) to what the Bible is about. Longman notes that “God is presented in the concreteness of vivid similes and metaphors [that] arise out of everyday experience” (59) and occur in “distinct phases” (86). The relationships that God possesses with his people as their covenant king of the Old Testament with Jesus Christ fulfilling that covenant. He also serves as our divine warrior, which shows “strong continuity as we move from the holy wars of Yahweh to the spiritual warfare of Jesus and then finally to the climactic battles associated with the second coming of Christ and the fuller judgment” (71).
Chapter Three deals with the practical issues of the Old Testament on the Christian life. He cites two different realms of thinking on this matter: that of dispensationalism and theonomy. Dispensationalism is defined as when God worked in the Old Testament through the law and the New Testament through grace. Theonomy argues that “the Old Testament laws and penalties are still in effect today” (105). Longman spends a considerable amount of time discussing the law in the Old Testament. The reasons are twofold. First, “the law provides the most obvious answers to the question under consideration” (123). Secondly, he notes that “it is not immediately clear … exactly how the Christian relates to the law today” (123). Longman systematically addresses each genre of the Old Testament and takes the interpreter step-by-step through extracting principles to apply to the Christian life.
Critical Analysis
Longman expertly exposes the commonalities of the Old Testament and New Testament while dealing honestly and directly with the main obstacles and issues arising from critics who see no connection. His prayer was that his words “will give help to those who struggle with the proper interpretation of the oldest portions of God’s written revelation to his human creatures” (12). Even though Longman gives a lot of ground in his dialogue with these various critics, he does succeed in presenting some good principles for solid interpretation.
The reader will appreciate how Longman addresses not only ways to overcome the obstacles, but he presents the various obstacles in an objective and forthright manner. This type of understanding from a scholar with Longman’s credentials will connect with any reader regardless of their biblical or theological training. For instance, in Chapter 1 he mentions four different obstacles Christians must overcome when interpreting Old Testament literature: “(1) its length, (2) its antiquity, (3) its foreignness, and (4) its place in the history of God’s redemption (18).” In Chapter 2, he deals with “false stereotypes” projected on God’s character on how God exacts justice and the immediacy of his judgments on Gentiles and Jews. “The judgment, exclusion, and harshness of the Old Testament are contrasted with the salvation, inclusion, and compassion of the New” (56). Since Longman presents these critical and skeptical views with such candor, directness, and honesty, he certainly invites those same critics and skeptics to understand his case as he seems to understand theirs.
Longman also provides a rather chapter that is pastoral in nature in Chapter 3 on “How is the Christian to Apply the Old Testament to Life?” Longman is not content merely to stay within the realms of history, exegesis, and hermeneutics. He now deals with the average layperson in the average church who sits under weekly preaching waiting to hear a word from God. He deals squarely with whether the Old Testament is relevant, identifying two extreme schools of thought that plague our churches (theonomy and dispensationalism). While the layperson may not be able to define, he certainly understands the concept. He makes a valiant attempt to forego trite answers in order to honestly and directly deal with their questions.
Longman rightly notes that an obstacle for Christians in reading the Old Testament is the translation they read. His conclusions however present problems for the expository preacher. He laments:
The literal, stilted, and sometimes archaic language which is used in the majority of English translations does not reflect the literary power of the original Hebrew stories and poems. The false notion that literal is more accurate, or that religious language must sound like Shakespearean English, has led to the production of English Bibles that are tedious to read (19).
He seems to assess blame toward literal translations for hindering “sustained reading of large portions of Scripture” (19). What is puzzling is when he notes the first principle for successful interpretation is to “discover the author’s intended meaning” (23), how does he expect a layman to discover this when he disparages literal translations’? He falsely (and possibly unintentionally) equates accuracy with language that is Shakespearean and ‘high’ in nature — an unnecessary connection. If Longman truly desires for the preacher and interpreter to know the intended meaning of the author, then he should remain consistent in this mindset by advocating, not disparaging, literal translations.
How Longman concludes Chapter 1 presents another weakness. In his ninth principle of interpretation, he exhorts the interpreter to “be open-minded and tolerant of other interpretations” (53). While in this postmodern age where truth and meaning are deemed relative to the individual, he then asks a bevy of rhetorical questions which, within the context of this section, he seems to categorize as teachings with “fuzzy edges [on] what the Bible leaves unclear” (54). These rhetorical questions address the creation account, the historicity of Jonah, the conditions of divorce, glossolalia, ordination of women into the ministry — among others. He notes that while we must study them and adopt positions, “we must acknowledge that God in his wisdom has not made the answers clear in his Word [as well as] embrace those with whom we disagree and carry on our discussions with them in the rich love of Christian fellowship” (54). Longman draws a rather disturbing line, for some who question the historicity of Jonah, given that Christ testified of his historical presence would have trouble fellowshipping with someone who denied the clear Word of God in general and Jesus’ account specifically. The same could be said of ordination of women into the ministry. Longman would have made his case quite well had he not included those rhetorical questions. Expositional preachers would and should take issue with anyone who questions the veracity of Scripture.
Conclusion
While this book brings a helpful contribution to the study of literary forms and excels in confronting faulty notions concerning biblical interpretation, as a pastor I would hesitate giving this book to a novice studying Old Testament literary forms. Longman gives too much ground and validity to his critics. This would result many beginning students in our churches to stumble in their understanding and trust of Old Testament Scripture. While the pastor and seminarian would be discerning enough to spot these problems, Longman misses the mark with his aim to the average Christian.
———————
Longman, III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. 154 pp. $16.99.
Tremper Longman, III, serves as the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies and the chair of the religious studies department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of numerous books and commentaries, including Introduction to the Old Testament.
This volume is part of the 3 Crucial Questions series edited by Grant R. Osbourne and Richard J. Jones. Longman states, “It is vitally important for us to work at our appreciation and understanding to the Old Testament” (11). His hope is that this work will “help revive in the reader a sense of the importance of the Old Testament for Christian faith and practice” (12). Longman desires to help the interpreter of the Old Testament confront the obstacles before him.
Summary
Longman’s volume contains three chapters. Chapter One gives various keys to understanding the Old Testament. He provides an overview of the study of the Old Testament and outlines the attractions and obstacles found therein. Longman outlines how God communicates his revelation to us: God — human author — biblical text — first readers — present-day readers. With this paradigm in place, Longman recommends some principles for successful interpretation. The first principle is to discover the author’s intended meaning. The second principle is to “read Scripture in its context” (32) — which he calls the “most basic of all principles in reading literature” (32). Longman notes, “God chose to communicate his revelation to us in literary forms that we recognize from other written works” (32). The third principle is to “identify the genre of the book and passage” (39). Principle four is to “consider the historical and cultural background of the Bible” (47) while principle five urges the interpreter to “consider the grammar and structure within the passage” (48). Principle six tells the interpreter to “interpret experience in the light of Scripture, not Scripture in the light of experience” (50). Longman’s seventh interpretive principle is to “always seek the full counsel of Scripture” (51). He notes here that “the most important ideas in the Bible are stated hundreds of times,” and that we must “determine the meaning of the unclear verse by examining the clear teaching of Scripture” (51). Principle eight states, “Discover how the Scripture passage presents Jesus Christ” (51) and principle nine concludes this section by advising the interpreter to “be open-minded and tolerant of other interpretations” (53).
Longman’s aim in chapter 2 (“Is the God of the Old Testament also the God of the New Testament?”) is to answer the false Old Testament stereotypes plaguing Christians by showing the intricate unity of the Testaments. These stereotypes consist of how they perceive the different portrayals of God in each of the Testaments. Longman shows how God is the center of both the Old and New Testaments, the “obvious answer” (59) to what the Bible is about. Longman notes that “God is presented in the concreteness of vivid similes and metaphors [that] arise out of everyday experience” (59) and occur in “distinct phases” (86). The relationships that God possesses with his people as their covenant king of the Old Testament with Jesus Christ fulfilling that covenant. He also serves as our divine warrior, which shows “strong continuity as we move from the holy wars of Yahweh to the spiritual warfare of Jesus and then finally to the climactic battles associated with the second coming of Christ and the fuller judgment” (71).
Chapter Three deals with the practical issues of the Old Testament on the Christian life. He cites two different realms of thinking on this matter: that of dispensationalism and theonomy. Dispensationalism is defined as when God worked in the Old Testament through the law and the New Testament through grace. Theonomy argues that “the Old Testament laws and penalties are still in effect today” (105). Longman spends a considerable amount of time discussing the law in the Old Testament. The reasons are twofold. First, “the law provides the most obvious answers to the question under consideration” (123). Secondly, he notes that “it is not immediately clear … exactly how the Christian relates to the law today” (123). Longman systematically addresses each genre of the Old Testament and takes the interpreter step-by-step through extracting principles to apply to the Christian life.
Critical Analysis
Longman expertly exposes the commonalities of the Old Testament and New Testament while dealing honestly and directly with the main obstacles and issues arising from critics who see no connection. His prayer was that his words “will give help to those who struggle with the proper interpretation of the oldest portions of God’s written revelation to his human creatures” (12). Even though Longman gives a lot of ground in his dialogue with these various critics, he does succeed in presenting some good principles for solid interpretation.
The reader will appreciate how Longman addresses not only ways to overcome the obstacles, but he presents the various obstacles in an objective and forthright manner. This type of understanding from a scholar with Longman’s credentials will connect with any reader regardless of their biblical or theological training. For instance, in Chapter 1 he mentions four different obstacles Christians must overcome when interpreting Old Testament literature: “(1) its length, (2) its antiquity, (3) its foreignness, and (4) its place in the history of God’s redemption (18).” In Chapter 2, he deals with “false stereotypes” projected on God’s character on how God exacts justice and the immediacy of his judgments on Gentiles and Jews. “The judgment, exclusion, and harshness of the Old Testament are contrasted with the salvation, inclusion, and compassion of the New” (56). Since Longman presents these critical and skeptical views with such candor, directness, and honesty, he certainly invites those same critics and skeptics to understand his case as he seems to understand theirs.
Longman also provides a rather chapter that is pastoral in nature in Chapter 3 on “How is the Christian to Apply the Old Testament to Life?” Longman is not content merely to stay within the realms of history, exegesis, and hermeneutics. He now deals with the average layperson in the average church who sits under weekly preaching waiting to hear a word from God. He deals squarely with whether the Old Testament is relevant, identifying two extreme schools of thought that plague our churches (theonomy and dispensationalism). While the layperson may not be able to define, he certainly understands the concept. He makes a valiant attempt to forego trite answers in order to honestly and directly deal with their questions.
Longman rightly notes that an obstacle for Christians in reading the Old Testament is the translation they read. His conclusions however present problems for the expository preacher. He laments:
The literal, stilted, and sometimes archaic language which is used in the majority of English translations does not reflect the literary power of the original Hebrew stories and poems. The false notion that literal is more accurate, or that religious language must sound like Shakespearean English, has led to the production of English Bibles that are tedious to read (19).
He seems to assess blame toward literal translations for hindering “sustained reading of large portions of Scripture” (19). What is puzzling is when he notes the first principle for successful interpretation is to “discover the author’s intended meaning” (23), how does he expect a layman to discover this when he disparages literal translations’? He falsely (and possibly unintentionally) equates accuracy with language that is Shakespearean and ‘high’ in nature — an unnecessary connection. If Longman truly desires for the preacher and interpreter to know the intended meaning of the author, then he should remain consistent in this mindset by advocating, not disparaging, literal translations.
How Longman concludes Chapter 1 presents another weakness. In his ninth principle of interpretation, he exhorts the interpreter to “be open-minded and tolerant of other interpretations” (53). While in this postmodern age where truth and meaning are deemed relative to the individual, he then asks a bevy of rhetorical questions which, within the context of this section, he seems to categorize as teachings with “fuzzy edges [on] what the Bible leaves unclear” (54). These rhetorical questions address the creation account, the historicity of Jonah, the conditions of divorce, glossolalia, ordination of women into the ministry — among others. He notes that while we must study them and adopt positions, “we must acknowledge that God in his wisdom has not made the answers clear in his Word [as well as] embrace those with whom we disagree and carry on our discussions with them in the rich love of Christian fellowship” (54). Longman draws a rather disturbing line, for some who question the historicity of Jonah, given that Christ testified of his historical presence would have trouble fellowshipping with someone who denied the clear Word of God in general and Jesus’ account specifically. The same could be said of ordination of women into the ministry. Longman would have made his case quite well had he not included those rhetorical questions. Expositional preachers would and should take issue with anyone who questions the veracity of Scripture.
Conclusion
While this book brings a helpful contribution to the study of literary forms and excels in confronting faulty notions concerning biblical interpretation, as a pastor I would hesitate giving this book to a novice studying Old Testament literary forms. Longman gives too much ground and validity to his critics. This would result many beginning students in our churches to stumble in their understanding and trust of Old Testament Scripture. While the pastor and seminarian would be discerning enough to spot these problems, Longman misses the mark with his aim to the average Christian.
———————
Longman, III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. 154 pp. $16.99.
Thank you so much for your prayers while we were in Trinidad. God not only did some good work through us (glory to His name) but He also did some very good things in each of us — things that will take some time for all of us to process.
I had one very interesting conversation with one of the elderly women in the church. Her name is Curlita Nickles and is one of the nicest and most direct people you’d ever meet. I first met her when we did VBS in 2004. We were trying to do some games with the youth, and they were bored. When we ran out of ideas, she would see us and pull me aside and say, “Pastor Perry, you must keep them busy! Keep them active.” But she said it in such a sweet way, you couldn’t get defensive.
Well, I had another conversation with her about something that you would not hear of much in the states. I was scraping off some of the dried cement from around the tiles. I had reached a point where the residue had accumulated so badly that I needed to get the broom and dustpan and sweep. She walked by and we began talking while I was sweeping. I was having trouble in the corners, and she politely said, “Pastor, let me do that — dis sweepin’ is a ladies’ t’ing.” I said, “Well, thank you. You know, I don’t hear that much in the states about something being a ‘ladies thing’.” She said, “Yes, I know, but some things a man should do, and some things a lady should do — and this is a ladies’ thing.”
Why did that conversation strike me so strangely? Maybe because in 21st century America, we don’t hear much about something being for a man or for a woman — the boundaries are not only being blurred, but they are actively being either redrawn or done away with altogether. In fact, the very notion that there are roles designed by God for men and women is met with not only general disagreement but outright belligerence. One of my former youth even said to me that anyone who believes in that is simply threatened by a strong woman trying to make something of her life.
This morning, we begin a series on Submissive Homes, Submissive Hearts. The very notion of submission goes against the grain of our flesh and our culture even now.
1. Before women can submit to their husbands, they must first submit to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:22 tells wives to “submit to their husbands as unto the Lord.” This is not to say that they should view their husbands in the same way as Jesus Christ. The Son of God (God the Son) is holy, sinless, and spotless. All worship and devotion are his. Husbands, as many of you ladies are well aware, have many flaws. As much as many unmarried people are looking for the perfect spouse — they do not exist because no one is perfect.
What this is saying is that in order for this command to make any sense at all, one must be submitted first to the Lord in worship. Remember from two weeks ago we looked at what it meant to be filled with the Spirit. Remember the last point? “We must be unabashed in our worship before God and men.” We are to be sober-minded as we desire to see what God’s will is as well as being ones who speak the psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, giving thanks to God for everything — and notice the last one: submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. We cannot submit to one another if we fail to revere what Christ has revealed about himself and his will in his word.
Yet the rise of the feminist agenda as with every other agenda that sets itself against the things of God in our country has truly sought to undermine this mindset by first undermining the Word. This is always the slide to liberalism — denying the authority and sufficiency of the Word of God.
Women in our culture resent submitting to anyone in the home or at work. As a result, the feminist movement arose and blamed not only the men who had these character flaws, but the institutions of marriage and family themselves! Janet Richards declares that
Feminism is in its nature radical . . . . It is the social institutions of which we complain primarily . . . . If you consider the past there is no doubt at all that the whole structure of society was designed to keep women entirely in the power of men.”
This is paranoid at best, but dangerous at worst, in my opinion. Be that as it may, feminist Roxanne Dunbar said it plainly:
“Ultimately, we want to destroy the three pillars of class and caste [i.e., sexist] society—the family, private property, and the state.”
So it is no wonder that because men have misused the Word and women have been the recipients of this disobedience for so long that divorce is now seen as a viable option to an outdated institution.
Are they right when they say that divorce is a viable option to come out of an outdated institution like marriage? Are they right when they say that the leadership in the home should be shared and that men being head of the home is “tyrannical and barbaric”? Are they right when they say that husbands and wives should share the ‘breadwinning’ duties? Are they right when they say the idea of wives/moms being as Titus 2:4-5 says, “Keepers at home” an archaic notion to suppress their possible contributions in the marketplace?
Let’s ask other questions: why is the church so silent on these matters? We want to much to help people grow spiritually, yet we do not speak on areas that God clearly outlines because we are, like the Pharisees of old, afraid of the backlash not just from the culture, but also from Christians who have gradually and slowly bought into the lie.
You see what has happened, in my opinion, that this bad ideology (anything that undermines God’s Word is ‘bad’) rose up because so many Christians were engaged in bad Christianity. Husbands began to submit to the idea that they were to be rulers and tyrants and, thus, saw their wives simply as short-order cooks, doormats, sex objects, and even as one of their own children. They submitted to a false Christianity rather than to the true Christ of Christianity. It’s no wonder that women who had been subjected to this began to revolt — if I were them, I would have too.
Yet the problem is not with the Bible or the institutions themselves, it is with the sinfulness in all of us. Men began to be selfish rather than submissive to the Lord Jesus and always will be. Now women are having more of a forum to be selfish rather than submissive to the worship, word, and will of God.
2. When women are submissive, you serve as a witness to your husband.
Here, we turn to 1 Peter 3:1-7. The totality of God’s Word gives us a clear picture of God’s design in creation as well as God’s design for the home. In 1 Peter 3:1-2 we read:
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives— when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
Notice what is happening here. God has called wives to be subject to their own husbands (again, not men in general, but their own husbands). Why? In the area of God’s design and the roles that he has given both men and women, in this case the women have been empowered by God to be humble for the purpose of being a witness in the home. We may not see it this way, but this is where we also have to submit to the Lord and trust his ways.
How are wives able to be witnesses in the home?
First, I see a witness of encouragement to the Christian husband. Again, we’ve established that all of us have been tarnished by the fall and are subject to sin. And all of us need encouragement in our Christian walk, don’t we? For this, we usually quote from Hebrews 10:24-25 which says:
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
So in these verses, we see that the body of Christ is to stir up one another to love and good works, to meet together for worship so we may encourage one another until Christ comes. Sadly, though, we only think about church services for this, don’t we? And how often are those? One, two, maybe three hours a week.
Yet the church services end, but where may the majority of ministry be done? Between a husband and wife in the home. Wives, as the part of the church of Jesus Christ, we are to encourage one another to be obedient — and that counts for your husbands, too! Are you encouraging in your comments and in your actions? Proverbs 27:15 says, “A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike.” Do you communicate that you love him and want God’s best for him in good times and in bad?
Second, I see a witness of evangelism to the unsaved husband. Living a Christ-like live in the world outside is difficult. Living a Christ-like life in a home where your spouse does not share the same love for Christ is like living in a cauldron. This is why I always advise Christian high school and college students not to date non-Christians. No matter how much you may seem to have in common and how well you get along, if you don’t share Christ, you share nothing. Paul advises even for us not to yoke ourselves to unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). Why? I believe that one of you will have to put something on the outside in order for the marriage to remain in harmony. The unbeliever will either have to put himself outside and Christ first (unlikely to happen), or the believer will have to put Christ on the outside in order to keep the peace (which is what often happens).
Yet if you live in a Christ-like manner before your unbelieving husband, he may not like it or approve. He may mock you and make fun of you, but it will make a difference. Notice 1 Peter 3:14-16:
But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, [15] but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; [16] yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
This brings us to another type of witness: godly behavior. Let’s read 1 Peter 3:3-6:
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing— [4] but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. [5] For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands, [6] as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
Verse 5 says that holy women adorned themselves by submitting to their husbands because of their hope in God. They did not rely on the latest fashions to define who they are. They were known by their godliness, not their goldliness. And women who are out to catch the attention of a man too often do so with skin-tight, flesh-revealing attire that does not communicate godliness at all. The internal beauty of a heart given over to the things of God and to the will and worship and the Word of God speaks more than any external trimmings.
New Year’s Resolution Show
New Year’s Resolution Show
For those who may find this of interest, here are some works that might be helpful for you in your preaching through the Old Testament. Just click on the link below to read this bibliography.
Joe Needy comes to Capital City Church with a life full of issues he dealt with on a daily basis. After exploring a number of other therapeutic options and remedies, he decides to come and try Capital City. He comes in wanting help with a number of issues, such as:
Joe Needy has listed off a number of ‘felt needs’ he has. He feels the pinch of his finances. He feels the need to have a good marriage so their home can be a home of peace. He feels that his life may be going down a dead end street. Yet we are all fallen creatures, tainted by sin and self. What Joe may feel are his needs (and he may feel he will know what the solution is when he sees and hears it) may not be exactly what his true needs are.
Expository preaching aims to make the theme of the passage presented and make it the theme of the sermon. Impository preaching is preaching which seeks to take a theme for the sermon and impose it on the text. Here is where many preachers and congregations get in trouble.
Say I knew that the majority of my people would appreciate a sermon on how to handle your finances. They would come saying, “OK, this guy is going to help me blossom my portfolio, get out of debt, and make me financially stable.” Yet, as he is going through the Scriptures verse-by-verse, a principle arises addressing one’s greed. While Joe Needy may have his list of needs, God is speaking to the fact that greed and idolatry may be the problem with his finances. God may be speaking to the issue of how Joe may be “robbing” God with his neglect of the giving of “tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:6-10).
Same with the marriage: you may wonder why your marriage may not be as you desire. Yet, the pastor preaches on Ephesians 5:3 about running away from sexual immorality in all its forms in word, thought, and action. You may not have connected the fact that watching Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives or Friends may be subtly warping your view of relationships with their brazen activity. Thus, your marriage would improve if you began preaching the Gospel to yourself in every area of life and remove yourself from certain situations that plant disobedient and lustful seeds in your mind and heart.
Again, this is taking us from what we deem ‘felt needs’ to ‘real needs’ which expository preaching can expose. Preachers are not simply there to expose the meaning of the text, but through the Spirit and his use of preaching the Word expose the sin that resides in the heart of man.
—————-
Previous posts from this series:
Joe Needy comes to Capital City Church with a life full of issues he dealt with on a daily basis. After exploring a number of other therapeutic options and remedies, he decides to come and try Capital City. He comes in wanting help with a number of issues, such as:
Joe Needy has listed off a number of ‘felt needs’ he has. He feels the pinch of his finances. He feels the need to have a good marriage so their home can be a home of peace. He feels that his life may be going down a dead end street. Yet we are all fallen creatures, tainted by sin and self. What Joe may feel are his needs (and he may feel he will know what the solution is when he sees and hears it) may not be exactly what his true needs are.
Expository preaching aims to make the theme of the passage presented and make it the theme of the sermon. Impository preaching is preaching which seeks to take a theme for the sermon and impose it on the text. Here is where many preachers and congregations get in trouble.
Say I knew that the majority of my people would appreciate a sermon on how to handle your finances. They would come saying, “OK, this guy is going to help me blossom my portfolio, get out of debt, and make me financially stable.” Yet, as he is going through the Scriptures verse-by-verse, a principle arises addressing one’s greed. While Joe Needy may have his list of needs, God is speaking to the fact that greed and idolatry may be the problem with his finances. God may be speaking to the issue of how Joe may be “robbing” God with his neglect of the giving of “tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:6-10).
Same with the marriage: you may wonder why your marriage may not be as you desire. Yet, the pastor preaches on Ephesians 5:3 about running away from sexual immorality in all its forms in word, thought, and action. You may not have connected the fact that watching Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives or Friends may be subtly warping your view of relationships with their brazen activity. Thus, your marriage would improve if you began preaching the Gospel to yourself in every area of life and remove yourself from certain situations that plant disobedient and lustful seeds in your mind and heart.
Again, this is taking us from what we deem ‘felt needs’ to ‘real needs’ which expository preaching can expose. Preachers are not simply there to expose the meaning of the text, but through the Spirit and his use of preaching the Word expose the sin that resides in the heart of man.
—————-
Previous posts from this series:
Bro. Matt’s Blog RSS
