RSS feed for MARK A. RATHEL @ Florida Baptist Witness (FBW) Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Critics of the church abound in the twenty-first century. While much of the criticism is unfounded, Christians unfortunately give unbelievers a rationale or basis of criticism. Perhaps the number one accusation against Christians today is our failure to live out the message we proclaim. The constant theme of Titus is the correlation between correct doctrine and lifestyle. As Paul concludes his letter to his ministerial associate Titus, he challenged Christians to a lifestyle of devotion that would be profitable to everyone. Sun, 12 May 2013 00:00:00 -0900 A grace lifestyle that matches the Gospel message serves as the keynote of this chapter. The apostle dared diverse members of the church to live in such a manner that unbelievers cannot attack the Gospel. First, he encouraged believers to be godly in the home so that unbelievers cannot blaspheme God’s Word (v. 5). Blaspheme means “to slander, defame, revile, speak disrespectfully” and thereby ruin the reputation of God’s message. Sound, healthy teaching shames opponents of the Gospel when undergirded by Gospel living (v. 8). Second, Paul instructed Titus to preach healthy doctrine to prevent opponents from having anything evil to say (v. 8). Third, Paul uplifted the necessity of Christian workers to live out the Gospel in their work in order to adorn or uphold the beauty of the Gospel by faithfulness at work (v. 10). Sun, 05 May 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Titus served as one of Paul’s most trusted ministry associates. Paul called Titus “my true child”—a term designating Titus as his convert (Titus 1:4). Titus was Greek and became a test case for the issue of requiring circumcision (Gal. 2:1-5). Paul entrusted to Titus his most difficult ministry assignments. Titus delivered a “severe letter” Paul wrote to the church at Corinth defending his apostleship (2 Cor. 2:3-4; 7:5-12). The apostle sent Titus to encourage the church at Corinth to contribute to the offering for Jerusalem Christians (2 Cor. 8:1-7). Perhaps the most difficult assignment Titus received from Paul was the charge to “set right” and provide leadership to the new church start at Crete—a church birth in a culture famed for moral degeneracy (Titus 1:5). Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0900 The last words of an individual prior to death may be significant. In the last letter Paul wrote prior to his death, Paul expressed his last words to his faithful assistant Timothy. Paul’s last words expressed challenge, life reflection, reaching out for companionship, and deep faith. Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0900 The Bible possesses a two-fold nature. First, the Bible is God-breathed. Second, men wrote the Bible. The Bible, then, is a divine-human book—God’s truth through human personality. Since God is the source of the message, the Bible is truthful. Since divinely inspired men wrote the Bible, the Bible deals with the real stuff of life. While Baptists affirm the nature of the Bible as divinely inspired and completely truthful, many Baptists have problems affirming the sufficiency of the Bible. Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0900 At the conclusion of chapter one, Paul expressed grief at the lack of loyalty to the Gospel demonstrated by many of the Christians in the Roman province of Asia. Indeed, many turned away from the message of Paul’s Gospel (1 Tim. 1:15). Baptist church membership rolls are filled with individuals who have turned away from faithfulness to the Gospel. Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0900 “Semper Fidelis”—meaning “always faithful” or “always loyal”—serves as the motto of the U.S. Marine Corps. Christians affirm a threefold motto of faith, hope, and love. The biblical concept of faith encompasses the three pillars of commitment, trustworthiness and loyalty. May Christians be “always loyal.” Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Growth in the Christian faith is a journey. In an era of instant everything from grits to potatoes, some Christians desire instant sanctification. God’s normal pattern of growth is through the process of holy habits. Paul concluded his letter to his younger ministerial associate by describing some of the holy habits necessary for Christian growth. While Paul addressed Timothy in his role as pastor, the principles outlined by Paul apply to all Christians. Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0900 The centerpiece of the Christian faith is the affirmation of the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Without the resurrection of Jesus, Christianity could not and cannot exist. God’s action in raising Jesus validated, certified, and authenticated Jesus’ claims regarding His identity and the purpose for which He came—to save people from their sins. Sun, 17 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0900 The first century culture differed greatly from our modern culture. Rather than emphasizing the individual, first century culture highlighted the group. An individual’s identity derived from the group to which the individual belonged—the family, community (birthplace), and networks (trade guild) to which one belonged. The definition of success became honor—the highest good. Yet, only the worthy received honor. An individual’s role was to promote the honor of the group. Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Paul wrote the letter we call 1 Timothy to his young ministry associate dealing with difficult problems within the church at Ephesus. “I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God” (1 Tim. 3:15). In our focal passages thus far in this book, Paul highlighted the importance of proper doctrine, proper worship, and now proper service. Sun, 03 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Proper behavior in church likely is not an important topic in church. The topic became personal to me recently as an individual behaved badly in the worship services of the church I serve. Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to address the issue. What does the Bible teach about proper worship, specifically proper behavior in worship? Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0900 The apostle Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy near the end of his life after his brief release from the Roman imprisonment described in Acts. Timothy served as pastor of the church in Ephesus. 1 Timothy 3:15 expresses the purpose of Paul writing: “I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God’s household” (HCSB). The contents of the letter reveal that the proper way to behave in God’s household include the following themes: the Gospel of God the Savior, the holiness produced by the Gospel, proper behavior in the church, the holiness of church leaders, the importance of honor in church relationships, and the importance of opposing false doctrine. Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Jonah 1 depicts the Jonah as a rebellious, reluctant prophet. Jonah 3-4 depict the prophet as obedient yet rebellious in heart. As my former colleague Dr. Jerry Windsor said, “Jonah graduated from Whale Belly University, but he was still the same man.” After his experience in the belly of the huge fish, Jonah preached in Nineveh. The prophet, however, did not want any converts. The recipient of God’s mercy did not want God to be merciful to the Ninevehites; rather, he wanted the wrath of God’s judgment to fall upon the wicked populace. Jonah obeyed his commission but he remained rebellious in heart. Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0900 The story of the whale/fish is the detail from this prophetic book most memorable to people. Yet, in the words of my former colleague Dr. Jerry Windsor, “Jonah is neither a tale of a whale nor a whale of a tale.” The text of Jonah only mentions the large fish once (1:17). In my opinion, the most memorable detail of Jonah is the miracle of an entire city repenting before God (3:5). Jesus regarded both miracles as historical fact (Lk. 11:30-32). Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Amos began his prophecy with an announcement of judgment. God roared like a lion ready to attack (1:2). Amos 8 describes the most severe judgment of God. Amos 9 depicts the future of the people of God in terms of salvation rather than destruction, bounty rather than famine, restoration rather than destruction. Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0900 As I drive through neighborhoods, I am amazed at the number of houses with “For Sale” signs placed in front of the houses. The signs testify to our nation’s financial crisis. A different kind of “For Sale” sign testifies to another a more crisis in our nation—the phenomenon of preachers “For Sale” willing to sell a popular message to the mass of people. The focal passage describes Amos as a prophet from God who was not for sale. Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0900 In November 2012 an Oklahoma judge sentenced a teen convicted of first-degree manslaughter to attend mandatory worship services at a church for ten years. In contrast to the American judge who thought church attendance would benefit the teen, the prophet Amos standing on the front step of the temple (7:13) condemned the worship practices of the nation of Israel as unbeneficial because the lifestyle of the people did not correlate with the profession of their worship. Attending church may be harmful. Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0900 Sunday, January 20, marks the fortieth anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion in the United States. In the ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a fetus is “potential life” rather than a human being. The Court ruled, therefore, the embryo did not have any constitutional rights. Over 53 million humans died since the ruling of the court. Sun, 06 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0900 The book of Amos likely was the first written of the prophets. The name Amos means “burden” or “burden-bearer.” In terms of his prophetic ministry, the meaning of his name may describe either his subjective prophetic experience or the reception of his message. No doubt, Amos’ contemporaries regarded Amos as burden. Amos preached an unpopular message because he bore a burden from God—a message of judgment. The cause of the coming judgment centered in the people’s rejection of God’s Word. May we heed the principle from this vital biblical book. Sun, 30 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Have you ever wanted a fresh start—an opportunity to forget the problems of life and embark on a fresh start in life? Nicodemus asked Jesus about the possibility of a new start in life. “Can an individual enter a mother’s womb a second time and be born” (John 3:4)? The Northern Kingdom died, yet God offered the promise of a new beginning. God’s promise of a new beginning—a fresh start—applies to individuals as well. Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The prophecy of Hosea is the clearest Old Testament revelation of the love of God. Hosea described the love of God through four powerful pictures. God is like a husband and His people like an unfaithful bride (Hosea 1-3). Sun, 16 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Socrates was called the wisest man in Athens. After diligently examining the wise men of his famed city, Socrates concluded that he was the wisest man in Athens because at least he knew he did not have the answers. Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Discipline is not a popular word. I remember times during my developmental years when I received discipline from authorities that at the time I thought was undeserved. From the perspective of passing years, I now realize I needed the discipline. The Bible teaches that God disciplines His people; in fact, discipline evidences God’s love and is a sign we are children of God (Prov. 3:11-2; Heb. 12:5-11). God’s disciplining love is redemptive rather than vindictive. Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0900 From the time frame of the 1970’s to early 1990’s, Southern Baptist engaged in a “Battle for the Bible.” The debate centered on the inspiration and sufficiency of God’s Word. The resurgence of conservative theology within the SBC coincided with a resurgence of Calvinism. From the late 1990’s to the present, Southern Baptists appear to be engaged in a “Battle for the Doctrine of Salvation.” Throughout the calendar year 2012, I attempted to offer irenic discussions of this battle without advocating either position, except for perseverance of the saints. In this concluding article, I hope to offer suggestions for going beyond the impasse. Sun, 02 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0900 In the early 1970’s famed psychiatrist Karl Menninger wrote the famous book, Whatever Became Sin? He argued that modern humanity’s failure to acknowledge sin produced great mental and emotional trauma in people. Certainly the denial of sin and resulting mental trauma has increased since Menninger wrote his famous book. Sun, 25 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Hosea’s name means “salvation.” He proclaimed a message of saving grace in the midst of a culture dominated by sexuality. Hosea proclaimed two primary themes: God as the husband of Israel and the adulterous character of idolatry. The NT contains over thirty quotes from this so-called minor prophet. Sun, 18 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0900 I have never forgotten a statement from Dr. Dan Holcomb, my Christian history professor at New Orleans Baptist Seminary. “When the church possessed a strong expectancy of the second coming of Jesus, the church has been strong. When the church downplayed the doctrine of the second coming, the church has been weak.” The truth of the second coming motivates believers to godly lifestyles. Peter, therefore, sought to awaken believers to assist them to remember “what sort of people you should be” in light of the second advent (3:1, 2, 11). Mon, 12 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Calvinists and Arminians agree on many points of theology. Both groups affirm the necessity of God’s grace for the salvation of humans. Regrettably, Arminians and Calvinists depart company in understanding grace beyond the common agreement of the necessity of God’s underserved grace. Arminians affirm God extends grace to every individual, a grace that enables the believer to respond to the Gospel invitation, while humans may resist God’s gracious call to salvation. Calvinists, on the other hand, distinguish between two kinds of grace: a general call to salvation that humans resist and an irresistible grace, or efficacious grace, that actually brings an individual to salvation. Sun, 11 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Satan is not an original thinker. God is a Trinity of Father, Son (crucified yet risen), and Holy Spirit (who exalts the Son). Satan mimics God through an unholy trio: the dragon, the beast from the sea (fatally wounded but healed), and the beast from the earth (who exalts the first beast). God sends prophets and teachers to His people. Satan mimics God by sending false prophets and false teachers. The Bible frequently warns about the reality and nature of false prophets/teachers (Deut. 13:1-5; Matt. 7:15-16; Mark 13:21-13; Acts 20:29-31; the Pastoral Epistles and Jude). Yet, many local churches refuse to deal with false teachers in a biblical manner. Peter provides one of the most extensive biblical discussions of false teachers. With strong language, Peter highlighted the nature, judgment, characterization, and method of false teachers in a local church Sun, 04 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The Apostle Peter wrote his second letter near the end of his life to awaken Christians by reminding them of essential truth (1:13; 3:1). Peter intertwined three themes in his wake up call for Christians: the importance of Christian growth in discipleship, the danger of false teachers, and the certainty of the return of Jesus Christ. The false teachers expressed skepticism regarding the second coming and advocated a lifestyle incongruent with the Gospel. A partial list of the lifestyle of the false teachers contrasts with the godly virtues of discipleship Peter taught in 2 Peter 1:3-11: a life lacking restraint (2:2), greed (2:2), given over to the pollution of fleshly desire (2:10), despisers of authority (2:10), arrogant (2:10), blasphemers (2:12), carousers (2:13), deceivers (2:13), and seducers (2:14). In contrast, the precious truth of the second coming calls Christians to a life of holiness (3:11-12). By denying the second coming, the false teachers undercut a prime motivation for godly living. Sun, 28 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The church faces numerous crises at the dawn of the 21st century, both from without the church and within the church. One of the greatest crises relates to leadership. Because some pastors only view themselves as preachers, some congregations must ask, “Who is the leader?” Other congregations experience leadership from a pastor that adopts an unbiblical leadership model. Numerous pastors and individual church members have never experienced positive, healthy relationships within the body of Christ. Leadership is crucial to the church; the local congregation will never reach its divine potential without proper leadership. Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0900 James Arminius and his followers the Remonstrants did not directly affirm a Christian could lose salvation. Rather, they expressed a desire for additional study of Scripture on this issue. The confession of faith set forth by Arminius’ early followers stated, “But for the question whether they are not able through sloth or negligence to forsake the beginning of their life in Christ, to embrace this present world, to depart from the holy doctrine once delivered to them … this must be the subject of more exact inquiry in the Holy Scriptures, before we can teach it with full confidence of our mind.” Calvin and his followers adamantly condemned the possibility of a Christian losing salvation and quite often being reborn again. Southern Baptists, almost uniformly, affirm the security of the believer or perseverance of the saints. Non-Calvinist Southern Baptists strongly affirm the security of the believer. A famous Baptist aphorism stated, “The faith that fizzles before the finish was faulty from the first.” Sun, 21 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Peter addressed first century Christians facing the threat of persecution. The theme of suffering occurs in every chapter of the letter. Most likely, Peter wrote his letter before the official outbreak of persecution by the crazed emperor Nero in 64 A.D. The believers did, however, experience unofficial local harassment (5:9). Believers experienced ostracism because they no longer participated in the debauched behaviors of a pagan lifestyle (4:4). Non-believers ridiculed the Christians because of the name of Christ (4:14). Peter warned about an approaching “fiery ordeal” or “painful trial” (4:12). Sun, 14 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Christians today often think of themselves as a unique generation. We incorrectly imagine that we face trails foreign to previous generations of Christians. A careful reading of the New Testament corrects this contemporary pity-party. Paul proclaimed the uniqueness of Christ at the Athens Areopagus (Acts 17:22-34). Only three possible worldviews exists. Representatives of all three worldviews were present at Mars Hill. The Epicurean philosophers were the materialistic naturalists, a philosophy that dominates our educational and legal systems today. The Stoic philosophers were the pantheistic mystics, a philosophy that shares many features with Eastern religions and New Age thought. Paul was a supra-naturalist; he affirmed a personal being beyond materialism. Sun, 07 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0900 First Peter 3:19-22 is one of the most difficult passages in the New Testament. As we begin, let me encourage all of us, myself included, to approach this passage with humility. Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0900 One of the distinguishing features of contemporary Arminianism is the doctrine of conditional security. Conditional security denies that salvation is an unconditional gift from God and affirms that salvation is conditioned on the continuing willingness of a believer to remain in a relationship with God. Furthermore, contemporary Arminianism affirms that a believer may commit “apostasy” and forfeit the gift of salvation. Rather than affirming conditional security, James Arminius expressed humbleness regarding this issue. “Though I here openly and ingenuously affirm, I never taught that a true believer can either totally or finally fall away from the faith, and perish; yet I will not conceal, that there are passages of Scripture which seem to me to wear this aspect….” Sun, 30 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Family life in our anti-family culture is difficult. Several factors coalesced and contribute to the contemporary family dilemma. For the first time in Western civilization, social forces, specifically the shapers of culture, attack the necessity of the nuclear family unit. Despite the invention of time-saving devices, most families I know experience pressures related to the hectic schedules of parents and children. The emphasis upon individualism, a cultural phenomenon that developed in the nineteenth century, creates difficulties in the area of personal relationships. The breakup of Christian families demonstrates that Christians are not immune from these pressures. Unfortunately, recent studies reveal that the divorce rate among Baptists is higher than society in general. Sun, 23 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0900 In 1897, Charles Sheldon’s classic Christian novel titled In His Steps was released. The novel describes a church family that committed together for one year to ask a single question before any action, “What Would Jesus Do?” Yes, the movement WWJD derives from the theme of Sheldon’s book. Sheldon derived the title of his book from 1 Peter 2:21, “Christ … leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps” (HCSB). Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0900 God created humans as social beings. The creator ordained at least three sociological institutions to guide humanity in social relationships. First, God created the family as the foundational societal unit (Gen. 2:23-25). Second, rather than humans forming governments through social contracts, God created the institution of government to protect basic human rights (Rom. 13: 1-7). Third, God created the church to serve as the example of divine community. Some Christians, such as German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, add labor as a fourth divine social institution. In the name of self-autonomy, numerous contemporary cultural forces viciously attack and seek to destroy all three of these divine social institutions. Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Several years ago, I attended a church growth conference with some close pastor friends. The conference leader examined biblical principles related to church growth. He identified 1 Peter 2:1-10 as a key passage detailing the growth of the church. One of my friends, because of a focus on only numerical growth, said, “I don’t see it.” In contrast, this passage opened my eyes. Peter set forth two vital images of growth. First, Peter draws from the analogy of human development from infancy to maturity (2:2). Second, Peter draws from the analogy of building construction (2:5). Church growth entails growing spiritually into salvation as well as growing numerically as the Master Builder adds new stones to the edifice of God’s spiritual people. Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Both Arminianism and Calvinism are frequently misunderstood today. For example, James Arminius and classical followers of his system of theology affirm as robust a doctrine of total depravity as Calvinists. Arminians affirm two corollaries of total depravity: total corruption and total inability. Further, both Calvinists and Arminians affirm that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. What then separates the Calvinistic and Arminian understandings of salvation? A major demarcation between the two groups is how each group understands the nature of God’s grace. Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Many believers view holiness in negative terms. Holiness defined as a list of negative prohibitions neither appeals to believers nor attracts unbelievers to the truth of the Gospel. Biblical teachings bring together in close proximity the qualities of beauty and holiness. The Psalmist said, “Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness.” Sun, 26 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Near the end of his life, the Apostle Peter wrote from Rome (Babylon) to a group of Christians enduring localized opposition living in the northern provinces of present-day Turkey. Peter wrote to encourage these believers (1 Pet. 5:12). Specifically, he wrote to encourage them to persevere (stand fast) in God’s grace available to believers in the midst of trials. Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0900 I believe that faith is reasonable, that is, a Christian has good reasons to believe in the existence of God, the reliability of the Bible, and the resurrection of Jesus, for example. Yet, faith is radical in that faith involves a total commitment of life and future to God. Radical faith revolutionizes life and results in the abandonment of our comfort zone. Hebrews 11 details a “hall of faith” comprised of faithful people characterized by risk taking. Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The book of Ruth is one of the best-loved short stories in literature. More than mere literature, this literary masterpiece sets forth several key theological themes. First, Ruth highlights the sovereignty of God. God overruled irresponsible decisions by His people to accomplish His purposes. Ruth “happened” to glean in the fields of Boaz (2:3). God enabled Ruth to conceive (4:3). Ruth portrays the Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The doctrinal systems of Calvinism and Arminianism are a historic divide within the evangelical world and Baptist life in particular. Yet, the doctrinal perspectives are closer at some points than many people realize. Sun, 05 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Judges 17:6 functions as the key verse in this unit of study: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted” (HCSB). The statement sets forth the theological problem of the people of God. The statement recognized the problem the kings caused for the people of God. Solomon established a general pattern in which the kings of Israel and Judah led the people into idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-9). The idolatrous practices described in Judges, however, cannot be blamed on the leadership. Each person lived as if he or she was king. In reality, the people rejected the kingship of God in favor of self-rule. Rejecting the kingship of God in favor of self-rule inevitably manifests itself through the creation of man-made religion. Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0900 For forty years the people of God languished under the oppressive dominance of the Philistines. A major theme throughout Judges is the failure of God’s people to learn from their mistakes. Judges communicates a depressing message of repetitive cycles of the evil committed by God’s people, enslavement of God’s people, the desperate cry of God’s people, and deliverance by God’s judge. The story of Samson breaks the repetitive cycle. Even after forty years of enslavement to the Philistines the people of God did not cry out in desperation for God’s deliverance. God proactively raised up Samson as a deliverer. Samson, however, lacked the character to deliver the people from the enemy. He lacked the spiritual qualities to influence godliness among his people. The biblical story of Samson narrates the downfall of a promising young man from “sun” light to the darkness of a lady of the night and the darkness of loss of physical and spiritual sight. Sun, 22 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Judges 9 describes some of the people of God completely adopting a Canaanite lifestyle. The covenant name for God—“Yahweh” or “Jehovah”—does not occur in this chapter. The people of God at Shechem worship at the Canaanite temple of Baal-berith—“the lord of the covenant.” The people pay for assassins to kill Gideon’s descendants from money from the temple in which they worship Baal—“the lord of the covenant.” When God’s people fail to worship the one true God, the people inevitably adopt the worldview and lifestyle of unbelievers. The cost of failing to follow God is high. The chapter narrative is a sad message of the high cost of unfaithfulness driven by the exaltation of self: tyranny, murder, divisiveness, and judgment from a holy God. Sun, 15 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0900 During my adolescent, I suffered from a lack of self-confidence. This lack of self-confidence came to the forefront of my life as I sensed God calling me into ministry during my freshmen year of college. How could God use me? Surely, God knew others were more qualified. Despite my protests, God continued to lead me into ministry. Throughout the years of my ministry, God continually provided confirmation and assurance. Sun, 08 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0900 In times of crisis, God raises up leaders for His people. The pattern of the book of Judges is that when the people cried out to God, the Lord raised up a leader called a judge. In this book, judges functioned in three ways. First, the judges functioned as military leaders to deliver the people from the enemy. Second, they served as religious leaders (Judges 4:4). Third, they served as legal decision makers in the settling of disputes (Judges 4:5). Deborah exemplified the second and third roles. Deborah rallied the militia but she did not serve as the military leader. Her name means “bee.” With the varied roles she exercised, no doubt she was as busy as a bee. Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0900 A generational change holds forth the possibility of change either good or bad. When Moses died, Joshua was ready to step up and provide leadership for the people of God. When Joshua died, the people of God lacked a leader. While Joshua was alive, Israel faithfully worshiped God (Judges. 2:7). After Joshua died, a generation arose that did not know personally of God’s grace and power demonstrated in His actions on behalf of the former generation (Judges 2:10). The new generation quickly turned from the exemplary path set by the earlier generation (Judges 2:17). The book of Judges communicates the spiritual truth from the famous words of the Pogo comic strip, “We have meet the enemy and he is us.” The Canaanite inhabitants of the land could not defeat Israel; however, Israel was its own worst enemy. Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Recently, a group of Baptist leaders released a document, “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation.” Perhaps opponents have criticized no statement in the document as much as the statement on “The Sinfulness of Man.” Some of the authors of the document claim that Baptists are neither Calvinists nor Arminian. In the sense that the document’s statement on “The Sinfulness of Man” fails to set forth either a Calvinist or classical Arminian view of human sinfulness, then the adherents of the statement are correct that the view expressed in the document neither affirms Calvinism, Arminianism, nor semi-Pelagianism. The statement denies two aspects of the classical Arminian understanding of human sinfulness. “We deny that Adam’s sin resulted in the incapacitation of any person’s free will or rendered any person guilty before he has personally sinned.” First, contrary to classical Arminianism, the statement denies that Adam’s sin resulted in the destruction of human free will. Second, contrary to classical Arminianism, the statement denies the guilt of all humans because of the natural connection of the human race with Adam. Sun, 24 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0900 At one time Bob Dylan professed to be a born-again Christian. He wrote a song with the title, “You Gotta Serve Somebody.” The lyrics stated, “You’re gonna have to serve somebody. Well, it might be the devil or might be the Lord but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The goal to live life with no regrets is a worthwhile goal. Caleb is one man who achieved the goal. The reason Caleb lived a long life with no regrets was because of his consistent loyalty to God. In this passage, Caleb twice professed his lifetime loyalty, “I remained loyal to the LORD my God” (Josh. 14:8, 9) and the author of Joshua supported his claim (14:14). Since biblical names often suggested a person’s character, Caleb’s name may portray his character. The name Caleb means “dog.” The term frequently occurred in ancient near eastern culture to express faithfulness like a loyal dog. Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Even the best leaders make mistakes, even Joshua. God instructed Joshua to consult the Lord before battle (Num. 27:21). God directly communicated the battle plan for the conquest of Jericho (Josh. 6:2-5). The people of God received a miraculous victory from God in the “battle” for Jericho. In contrast, the Bible does not record Joshua consulting God prior to the battle for Ai. The people of God experienced a humbling defeat. Joshua and the people accepted responsibility for the failure, repented, and continued to enjoy victory. Notice Joshua’s mistake did not mean he forfeited the privilege of leadership. Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0900 God promised Joshua and the Hebrews success based on His presence, His promises, and His Word. When the Hebrews crossed the Jordan River, they encountered a major difficulty—the walled city of Jericho. Jericho was the lowest inhabitable city on the earth and even perhaps the oldest city in human history. The city guarded the valley from the Jordan River into the land of promise. When God’s people commit to obedience, a formidable challenge often presents itself in opposition. The people of God faced a greater battle than a military one. They faced the battle between fear and faith, between the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, between God’s best and God’s judgment. Sun, 27 May 2012 00:00:00 -0900 With the death of Moses, the Hebrews encountered a potential leadership crisis. During my lifetime, I have witnessed a great shift in the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention. Legendary heroes of a previous generation, Herschel Hobbs, W. A. Criswell, and Adrian Rogers have entered the presence of the Lord. A new generation has picked up the mantle of leadership. Many individual churches face a potential leadership crisis due to the increasing “graying” of the congregation. Leadership is vital. A church will rise no higher than the leadership. Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0900 In the nineteenth century, Calvinists developed the acrostic T.U.L.I.P. as a tool to summarize their theological convictions. The “L” in the tulip acrostic stood for “limited atonement.” The phrase “limited atonement” is problematic for two reasons. First, Arminians also affirm the atonement of Christ is limited in that Arminians deny universalism. Second, according to Baptist Calvinist Timothy George, “limited atonement” may imply some lack or deficiency in Christ’s atoning work. A more appropriate tem to describe the Calvinistic view is “particular atonement,” the belief that Christ died only for the elect. Timothy George proposed the alternate phrase “singular redemption” and defined the term as follows: “singular in the sense of having to do with particular individuals, not just with a general class or group of people.” Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 -0900 As Christians gather to study this passage, they do so on a day preceding Memorial Day, a national holiday. Memorial Day is a time of remembrance of those who died fighting for our freedoms. Christ Jesus died to set us free; however, He lives! The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after His substitutionary death is the center of our Christian faith. During His appearances to His disciples after His resurrection, Jesus commissioned all His followers to carry on His ministry. Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Jesus referred to the moment of His death as “the hour.” Yet, the term “the hour” described the most meaningful moment in human history as a “hour of darkness” and a “hour of glory” (the biblical term “glory” literally means “brightness”). At the moment of His arrest, Jesus said, “This is your hour—and the dominion of darkness” (Lk. 22:53). In the Gospel of John, Jesus referred to His approaching death, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 12:23). The crucifixion was at the same time “the hour of darkness” and “the hour of glory”—the world’s greatest darkness and the world’s greatest light. Sun, 06 May 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The passage selected for this lesson highlights one simple act, namely a meal. The act of Jesus, however, possesses significance beyond the historic event narrated in Luke. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0900 When I first became a Christian, I confess that beginning the journey of prayer was difficult. I learned to pray by listening to the prayers of godly people and seeking to emulate them. Soon I became more comfortable with praying. Yet, I do not know any believer who feels that he or she has reached the level of “expert” in the matter of prayer. The Gospel of Luke constantly highlights the prayer life of Jesus. The Third Gospel contains seven prayers of Jesus as well as numerous teachings of prayer by our Lord. The Scripture passage today highlights two parables of Jesus on prayer. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The followers of John Calvin and James Arminius disagreed on the nature of election. The two sides further disagree on the extent of the atonement. The central question in the disagreement on this issue is how representatives of each viewpoint answer the question, “For whom did Christ die?” Did Jesus in his death bear the sins of the elect alone (particular atonement) or did He bear the sins of all humanity (general atonement)? Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Jesus talked more about money than He did about hell. As Baptists, we unequivocally affirm His teachings about hell. Why do we have such a difficult time obeying His teachings about money? Money is a spiritual matter and an important spiritual barometer of our relationship with the Lord. In Luke 16, Jesus brought together the two matters of eternal destiny and money. Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The major theme in this section of the third gospel is the identity of Jesus. Luke 10:21-23 describes Jesus as the unique revelation of God (Lk.10:22). In three short units of thought, Luke highlighted proper discipleship in response to the person of Jesus. Discipleship includes an attitude of love (Lk. 10:25-37), a student-teacher relationship with Jesus (Lk. 10:38-42), and a prayer relationship with God (Lk. 11:1-13). Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0900 When I was a pastor, one of my elderly lady teachers creatively reminded her class about the importance of meeting needs in the name of Christ. The lesson application focused on how Christians have responsibility to serve the less fortunate. She had a friend dress up (or I should say down) as a homeless lady that showed up at church. The “homeless” lady received mixed reactions from the class. Some did not want to sit beside her. Many did not speak to her. One lady even asked why she came, as if she did not belong. Another member of the class invited her to attend a class in which she would feel welcome. After teaching the class on meeting needs, she introduced her friend, a professional leader. Members of the class became ashamed at the manner in which they treated the “homeless” person. Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The disciples of Jesus proclaimed the resurrection in an age skeptical of such claims. <br><br> The Jews regarded resurrection as an event of the end times. Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Christ calls his followers to live a life of sacrificial service for the benefit of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God, as evidenced by the separate statements in the Baptist Faith and Message, is not the church. While Christians faithfully express their discipleship through the church, our sacrificial service to the Kingdom of God leads us outside the walls of the church. Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0900 One of the major themes of the Gospel of Luke is the ministry of Jesus to the lowly and outcasts. In His sermon in the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus set forth His ministry vision, namely, a ministry to the poor, captives, blind, and oppressed. In the focal passages for this study, Luke revealed how Jesus implemented His Kingdom ministry vision. The demon possessed man and leper serves as examples of poor, captive, blind, and oppressed people to whom Jesus ministered. Let us remember that prior to Christ our testimony is “I was spiritually poor, spiritually enslaved, spiritually blind, and spiritually oppressed. Jesus enriched me, liberated me, gave me sight, and released me.” Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Dr. David Platt wrote an engaging book called Radical. The thesis of the book is that American Christians have substituted the American Dream for the radical Gospel message. First century Jews also culturally bound the message of God rather than radically living out the implications of their faith. In a synagogue sermon in his hometown Jesus made radical claims about his identity and purpose. What he preached so upset the worshipers that they attempted to execute him on the Sabbath! Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0900 As John Calvin himself recognized, election is a divisive issue. Calvin wrote, “The human mind, when it hears this doctrine , cannot restrain its petulance, but boils and rages as if aroused by the sound of a trumpet.” The followers of James Arminus disagreed with the doctrine of election as set forth by the Dutch Reformed Church. In response to the Arminians, the Estates-General convened in 1618 a council at the city of Dort charged with the task of determining the orthodox adherence of the Arminians to the Calvinist confessions of faith. The council condemned the Arminians, resulting in the removal of 200 Arminian pastors, and issued the Canons of Dort. The Canons responded to the five point doctrinal summary of the Arminians. Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0900 I confess that at first I found it strange to write about the birth of Christ weeks after Christmas. Yet, I teach that Christians mistakenly limit an emphasis to the Resurrection of Jesus to one Sunday a year. We should celebrate the Resurrection more than annually; likewise, we should celebrate the incarnation of the Son of God more than an annual day on the calendar. Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0900 With this lesson, we begin a study of the third Gospel. Luke, more so than the other Evangelists, highlighted the “good news” of Jesus. First, he anchored the “good news” in the Old Testament promises to show that Jesus inaugurated a new age of salvation. Second, Luke’s two volumes emphasized the role of the Spirit in the “good news” ministry of Jesus and the early church. Third, the third Gospel emphasizes the “good news” of God’s love for individuals society often neglects like outcasts, sinners, and the poor. Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0900 The act of blessing is a powerful act. We all desire to receive blessings from others. In the Bible, the act of blessing is a theological concept. To bless someone meant to call on God to bless them. Shortly before he died, Moses, the man of God, invoked God to bless the Hebrew people. The blessing of Jacob functioned as a prophetic blessing of his sons (Gen. 49); in contrast, Moses’ blessing functioned as prayerful intercession. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Unfortunately, I do not remember many sermons; however, I vividly remember one particular sermon and the influence the sermon has on my life. A church I pastored participated in a Missions Conference. A North American Mission Board missionary preached, “The Bible can be summarized in one word—Repent!” His statement is much more profound that it appears on the surface. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0900 “I do not believe in election,” the man said with anger. <br><br>The doctrine of election is a dividing point in the sometimes-heated discussion between Calvinists and Arminians. Calvinists affirm that God chose to save some individuals based on unconditional election. Arminians affirm that God chose to save individuals based on His foreknowledge of a faith response to Christ’s redemptive action. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Loving God is the supreme commandment. Loving others flows out of a proper love for God. Each of the great commandments is necessary for the fulfillment of the other commandment. One cannot properly love God without loving other people. One cannot love other people without loving God. Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0900 As a child of God, you are special! Your special status is not explained because of achievement, talent, or privileged status. Like the Hebrews, God has chosen His children to be holy and special (Deut. 14:2; 1 Pet. 2:9). You are special because God has called you to a special role as one of God’s treasured “possessions” or “special people.” The phrase occurs earlier as a description of God’s covenant people (Ex. 19:4-6). God called you to witness to a special, distinctive Lord by living a distinctive lifestyle. The idea of a “special people” was a common idea in the religions of the Ancient Near East. A group of people liberated from a king would be placed under direct subjection to a deity. God liberated the Hebrews from bondage; now Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Passion may be good or bad depending upon the object of our passion. Passions may ruin an individual or help an individual achieve greatness. What is your passion? What energizes you in your life? What is your priority in life? Of all the possible passions, a godly passion is the most beneficial. A godly passion energizes our service to God, establishes our priority, and assists us in achieving greatness. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0900 A financial institution advertising slogan states, “Membership has its privileges!” In a spiritual sense, the slogan is true. Membership in the people of God has manifold privileges including individual salvation, incorporation among God’s people, and indwelling of the Spirit. Let us not forget the other side of the spiritual truth, “Membership has its responsibilities!” Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0900 Baptists are a unique community of faith. Baptists are the only denominational group with a heritage in both the Calvinist and Arminian camps. Arminian Baptists, known as General Baptists, arose in 1609. Calvinists Baptists, known as Particular Baptists, arose during the 1640’s. Baptist Calvinists, however, rejected Calvin’s doctrine of the church (ecclesiology). Baptist historian Jesse Fletcher identified the issue of divine sovereignty and human responsibility as the oldest fault line in Baptist life. Fletcher defined a fault line as “persistent historical differences that are either present in Southern Baptist life and that have been tolerated or papered-over in the past.” Fletcher warned that fault lines create the possibility of tension, potential division, and realignment. In the context of a divisive theological issue, the majority of Southern Baptists affirm a hybrid theology neither fully Arminian nor fully Calvinist. Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0900 In a landmark ruling, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that a woman has a right to an unlimited abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. After the first trimester, the state may regulate abortion to protect the woman’s health. The U.S. Supreme Court issued the ruling on January 22, 1973. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation in which he designated the third Sunday in January as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. Since President Reagan’s proclamation, some presidents have followed his example by issuing an annual declaration the observance of this day while other presidents have not issued a declaration of observance. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0900 For centuries the people of God focused on one goal—the promise of an inheritance of land. Now God’s people shortly would realize the fulfillment of God’s promise of land first given to Abraham. The potential existed, however, to lose sight of the goal and forfeit the blessings of God. How do the people of God, collectively or individually, stay focused on the goal? The issue is important for the contemporary church. Does your church have a goal? Have the leaders communicated the goal? Has your church lost sight of the goal? Sun, 25 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Today marks the beginning of a new calendar year. Some people will look forward to the New Year and the challenges, opportunities, and blessings the New Year provides. Other people look to the New Year with a sense of foreboding fear about the economy, health, family, or other difficult situation. Christians can face the future knowing that God cares and He is in control. A Methodist theologian expressed the practical import of a strong view of God’s sovereignty: “No part of Christian teaching is more pertinent to pastoral care than the classical view of the providence of God.” Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0900 As I explained the Gospel to a Japanese exchange student, I knew that the Gospel story intrigued him. When I concluded he said, “I find much I like about Christianity; however, I cannot accept the virgin birth of Jesus.” I responded, “If one believes that God created life in the beginning, then the biblical teachings regarding the virgin birth are not difficult to accept.” Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The Christmas season conveys a message. Unfortunately, the message of Christmas often becomes lost during the holiday busyness and historic traditions. For some, Christmas is about vacations, family get-togethers, celebrative parties, gifts, and religious pageantry. The biblical message of Christmas, however, focuses on God’s gift to the world through the promised Jewish Messiah. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0900 C. S. Lewis wrote a masterpiece entitled The Screwtape Letters. The author described the methodology of the enemy as a superior demon (Screwtape) advised his nephew (Wormwood) regarding handling his client (a man). One method Screwtape advised Wormwood to use was thoughts about the future to control his client. Screwtape advised, “Hence nearly all vices are rooted in the future. Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust and ambition look ahead to the future? Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Every Christian desires to discover and obey God’s will. At times, Christians become confused about the proper procedure by which we may discern God’s will. Peter described the details about how God led him to preach the Gospel to the Gentile Cornelius. God guided Peter to an understanding of His will through four steps. First, Peter prayed (Acts 11:5). To know God’s will for your life or church, you must continually converse with the Father. Second, Peter received a special revelation from God through a vision (Acts 11:5). God guides through the special revelation available in His written Word. Unfortunately, at times I have sought God’s will apart from regular, systematic study of the Bible. God has clearly revealed His will through the commands of Scripture. Yet, many Christians focus on Bible promises to the neglect of Bible commands. Often we seek God’s guidance for special issues and neglect obedience to the unambiguous revelation through His biblical commands. Third, Peter understood God’s will through God’s timing. “At that very moment” the servants of Cornelius arrived at Peter’s location (Acts 11:11). Fourth, Peter sensed an inner compulsion from the Spirit to return with the servants (Acts 11:12). God guides through prayer, the Bible, circumstances, and inner compulsion. The guidance provided through the Word of God is the primary means of discerning the will of God. God never guides through circumstances or inner compulsion in a direction that is contrary to the Bible. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The Christian church hinders the development of science. The Church opposed the voyage of Columbus claiming that the Bible taught the world was flat because of language about the four corners of the earth. The Catholic Church opposed the science of Galileo and condemned the scientist as a heretic because his “science” contradicted the Bible. The historical reality is that educated people, including the religious leaders, knew the world was a sphere in Columbus’ day. Galileo suffered the wrath of the Catholic Church because he broke promises to his good friend the pope and debunked Aristotle’s philosophy that undergirded much of Catholic theology. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0900 With this lesson, we begin a brief study of selected passages from Numbers. Our English title “Numbers” comes from the Latin translation. This arithmetic name reflects the opening and concluding chapters in which leaders conducted a census of God’s people The Jews had two titles for this book. First, at times the Jews titled this book from the fifth Hebrew word—“in the desert”—a title that reflects the content of this book that narrates the events that occurred during the desert wanderings after the exodus miracle. Second, the Jews titled this book from the first Hebrews words—“and he spoke”—this title highlights God’s Word and Israel’s unfaithfulness to God’s Word as described in the book. Some early Christian leaders favored this title; certainly, this title reminds Christians of the necessity of faithfulness to God’s Word. The twin themes of the book are the holiness and faithfulness of God. The book calls believes to a lifestyle of godliness, namely, a life characterized by holiness and faithfulness. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Paul addressed his letter to a divided church at Rome. Two particular issues created division within this body. First, the ethnic division between Jews and Gentiles hindered unity with the church. The church at Rome began as a Jewish dominated church. In A.D. 49, the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from the city of Rome (Acts 18:1-2). During the period in which the Jews experienced this expulsion, the church became a predominately Gentile church. When the Jews returned after their expulsion, relationship problems developed between Jews and Gentiles. Second, the Roman church experienced division between “the strong” and “the weak.” The issue of eating meat from an animal previously offered as a sacrifice to an idol divided the church into “strong” and “weak.” The “strong” recognized that idols did not exist and did not view the issue as a moral dilemma. The “weak,” however, thought of eating such meat as a violation of conscience. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The Bible proclaims that Christ is a stone. He is the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). Yet, he is also a stumbling stone (Isa. 8:14; 28:16; 1 Pet. 2:8). The Bible compares Christ to a stumbling stone because Christ is offensive. He wounds and condemns human pride, self-sufficiency, and human efforts to gain salvation. Many people, therefore, trip over the person of Christ and experience doom. To remove the offense of Christ, however, would be to remove the very message of salvation. The one who believes in Christ discovers Jesus not as a stumbling stone but a precious stone that never disappoints (1 Pet. 2:6). Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0900 In Romans 1-11, Paul provided a summary of the Gospel. Romans 12-15 details how Christians should live in light of the Gospel. The Gospel impacts how we relate to other people. On the one hand, some Christians know more Gospel than they live out in the context of their relationships. On the other hand, living the Gospel in the context of a loving relationship demonstrates and proclaims the Gospel. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Jesus Christ is the great liberator. The Lord liberates believers from bondage to sin. Christian liberty, however, does not mean we are set free to live a life of our choosing. A Christian experiences the greatest liberty as he or she submits to the Lordship of Christ. In truth, the Christian life is an exchange from one type to slavery (sin) to another type of slavery (Lord). Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Some Christians fail to see the application of doctrinal truth to life. The apostle Paul affirmed that doctrine promotes health in an individual Christian and the church. In the Pastoral Epistles, he repeatedly referred to doctrine as healthy. After providing a detailed explanation of the gospel, Paul shifts to the application of the Gospel to life. In other words, beginning in Romans 12 the apostle describes a Gospel lifestyle. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0900 According to the 2008 Religious Landscape Report by the Pew Forum, 70 percent of Americans affirm the position that “many religions can lead to eternal life.” Shockingly, according to this survey of the religious beliefs of Americans, 57 percent of conservative evangelical Christians affirmed salvation outside of Christ. Although the Baptist Faith and Message states, “There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord,” in my experience an increasing number of Baptists deny that Jesus is the only way of salvation. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Years ago, a television network aired a game called “I’ve Got a Secret.” The format of the show involved a panel attempted to guess a contestant’s secret. Do you have a secret? Are you keeping secret your identity as a Christian? God’s plan for the life of every Christian involves Christians not being secretive about the Christ. God calls all Christians to actively tell the Good News. Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The famed evangelist D. L. Moody reportedly said, “I would rather live in Romans 8 than the Garden of Eden.” This is a powerful statement. In what ways might living in Romans 8 be better than living in the Garden of Eden? I think Moody referred to the teachings of Romans 8 concerning joyful intimacy a believer experiences through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0900 I confess I have a favorite season of the year—football season. During football season, I access my favorite team’s website to read a journalist’s “Keys to Victory.” Often the journalist will highlight important game match-ups of personnel as well as offensive and defensive strategies. Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Freedom is precious. Jesus is the greatest liberator in all history. He set forth His ministry aim in a synagogue sermon. His goal was and is “to proclaim freedom to the captives (Lk. 4:16-20). Further, the one who claimed to be The Truth claimed, “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0900 A few years ago, I experienced an “aha” movement—one of the moments when the light of understanding came. As my family and I toured Washington, D.C., we visited two museums. The Museum of Art contained great masterpieces from artists that believed in objective beauty. The Museum of Modern Art contained works by artist that emphasized subjectivity. In such an understanding the viewer of the piece of art, rather than the artist, determines the meaning of the art. The meaning I gave to a piece of art is not the same meaning someone else gave to a piece of art. A thousand interpretations of the artwork could exist and all the interpretations are correct. I confess that I literally asked the question about some of the “art” work, “What is this?” Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0900 What is in it for me? The knowledge of the benefits or consequences of an action serves as a motivation for many people. Peter asked a form of this question, “Look we have left everything and followed You. So what will there be fore us?” (Matt. 19:27 HCSB). In Romans 5, Paul highlighted the consequences or the benefits of a grace relationship with God. Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0900 As I attempt to share the Good News with unbelievers, I often encounter a misunderstanding of the grace of God. Some people assume upon the grace of God and think that God’s business is to forgive humans period. Other people assume they must earn God’s favor by good works or by being a good person. The liberating message of God’s unmerited grace destroys both false, yet popular, understandings. Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0900 In Romans 1:18-31 Paul condemned gentile society based on their guilt for sin. The gentiles knowingly rejected God, and consequently, the gentiles experienced God’s wrath as seen in pervasive moral corruption. Wrath is a key message in the background of the cross. Paul mentioned two particular sins as the objects of God’s wrath, ungodliness and unrighteousness. Ungodliness is impiety or lack of reverence for God. The term describes people who live life with no thought of God. Unrighteousness refers to actions that violate God’s standard (toward people). One of Paul’s emphases in the Romans 1 is that moral corruption is rooted in a false relationship to God. Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The problem of the existence, intensity of evil, and suffering serves as one of the most difficult barriers to trust in God on the intellectual level. Many people affirm that an inconsistency exists in the following three affirmations of the Christian faith. First, God possesses all-power and He has the capability to do something about evil. Second, perfect good characterizes God’s nature and He would want to do something about evil. Third, great evil exists. Yet, the all-powerful and all-good God seemingly does nothing about the evil. Because of the difficulty of reconciling these three claims, critics of Christianity label this problem the logical problem of evil. Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The Epistle of Paul to the Romans is one of the most influential and powerful documents ever written. Augustine, Luther (the leader of the Protestant Reformation), and John Wesley (the founder of Methodism), became Christians through a confrontation with Romans. Throughout church history whenever the church has come to a renewed understanding of Romans, genuine revival has occurred. I pray that God will revive His church through this study of Romans. Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The Hebrew name for the book of Lamentations is “How?” “How” is the first Hebrew word of chapters 1,2, and 4. The book recalls the horrendous human suffering associated with the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. How could this suffering occur? How do the people of God build for the future? Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Two young boys wondered, “Why do doctors wear surgical masks?” One of the boys came up with an answer. He said, “Doctors wear a mask so that when they mess up no one will know who to blame.” We live in a generation that dislikes the concept of accountability. The Bible, however, emphasizes both personal responsibility and national responsibility. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0900 For twenty-eight years the people of Judah experienced constant warfare. During this time, Jeremiah preached an unpopular, seemingly unpatriotic message, “Submit to the Babylonians.” The Babylonians destroyed the city of Judah. The Babylonians deported a large number of the Jews to Babylon. They allowed some Jews to remain in the land. Sun, 31 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Shortly before the events described in Jeremiah 35, the Babylonians suffered a temporary military setback from the armies of Egypt. King Jehoiakim viewed the Babylonian setback as an opportunity to stop payment of tribute money. As Nebuchadnezzar marched towards Jerusalem, the events of Jeremiah 35 occurred. Judah faced a decision, “Will we as the people of God trust international diplomacy or will we trust God?” To phrase the question in another form, “Will be trust the wisdom of humans or the wisdom of God?” Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0900 A man unknown to me came to talk to me at the church I pastor. He asked an important question. “If God exists, then His existence is the most important factor in life. Can you prove to me that God exists?” How would you answer the question? Do Christians have good reason for belief in God? In essence, here is my response to his question. Sun, 24 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Pastor David Platt wrote an incredible book titled Radical. The author challenges the reader to radical kingdom living. Believers can possess radical commitment because God is a radical God. Jeremiah desperately wanted to preach a positive message. For most of his ministry, however, God command­ed him to preach judgment. The prophet’s message changed as God fulfilled the judgment prophecies regarding the destruction of the nation. Now, God called Jeremiah to preach a positive message. Some scholars call Jeremiah 30-33 the “Book of Comfort.” The radical God communicated a strong message of hope. Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0900 During my Christian experience, I remember hearing numerous excellent sermons. I can often recall the preacher and the location but not the text of these memorable sermons. There is one preacher, sermon, and text I will never forget, perhaps because I desperately needed the message. At the chapel at New Orleans Baptist Seminary, Old Testament professor Dr. Billy K. Smith preached a sermon on Jeremiah 29:1-14. Most of the seminary students, like myself, experienced culture shock in the city. Based on Jeremiah 29, Dr. Smith encouraged students to make New Orleans home during our studies and even to pray for the welfare of the city. I followed Dr. Smith’s admonition. While I’m thankful that my sojourn in New Orleans did not last seventy years, my wife and I enjoyed our time in the city. Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0900 One of the pervasive leadership metaphors in the Scripture is the image of a shepherd. Shepherds had the responsibility to provide, guide, nourish, and protect their flock. Moses expressed the desire that God’s people “would not be like sheep without a shepherd” (Num. 27:17). God appointed David the shepherd-king over Israel: “You will shepherd My people Israel” (2 Sam. 5:2). Ezekiel condemned the shepherd-rulers for feeding themselves rather than tenderly caring for the flock. “You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost” (Ezek. 34:2-4). In Jeremiah 22, the prophet denounced the kings of Judah for failing in their task: “Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of the oppressor. Don’t exploit or brutalize the alien, the fatherless, or the widow” (Jer. 22:3). Then he pronounced a woe upon the ungodly shepherds-kings who refused to shepherd the flock. “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture” (Jer. 23:1). Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0900 To illustrate the message, God commanded Jeremiah to purchase three things: linen loincloth (Jer. 13), a pot, (Jer. 19) and a field (Jer. 32). Since the priest wore linen undergarments, the linen loincloth represented the people of God as a “kingdom of priests.” Jeremiah buried the linen loincloth in the region of the Euphrates and the loincloth became ruined. The action symbolized the corruptive influence of the region of the Euphrates on God’s people. Jeremiah purchased a pitcher and broke it to communicate that God would break His people. During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, Jeremiah purchased a field to communicate the message of the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile. Three symbolic acts depicting the nations’ corruption, inevitability of God’s judgment, and message of hope. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Jeremiah received a revelation from God in the temple, but rather in the marketplace. God commanded Jeremiah to go to an unknown potter. As Jeremiah observed the work of the potter, God illustrated His nature and purpose. This passage along with the Psalms came alive for me as I watched a potter at the Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, “preach” a message through his art. Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0900 God commissioned Jeremiah to proclaim a message of judgment and hope in a period of national crisis. The prophet faithfully obeyed God’s calling. Jeremiah experienced a twofold burden: a burden for personal intimacy with God and a burden for his people whom he loved. The burden became unbearable for Jeremiah. The people failed to respond to his ministry. He felt alone because he was out-of-step with his countrymen. Jeremiah felt sorry for himself. Jeremiah had the one of the greatest pity parties recorded in the Bible. Jeremiah was also out-of-step with God. He accused God of deceiving him. God replied to Jeremiah’s complaint with rebuke and reassurance. Sun, 12 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0900 As Jeremiah began his ministry, he witnessed a religious revival. During the reign of the godly Josiah, a priest discovered a copy of the law of God in the temple. Josiah attempted to follow the commands of the law by restoring the temple and proper worship of God. For many of the inhabitants of Judah, however, the religious revival focused on the external matters of the temple and religious rituals. During the revival under Josiah, attendance and offerings swelled. After the death of Josiah by the Egyptian pharaoh, Jehoiakim led a religious reversal as leaders reinstituted idolatrous practices. Jeremiah preached this famous temple sermon shortly after the new king took office (Jer. 26:1). As a result of his faithful preaching, the leaders prevented Jeremiah from entering the temple (Jer. 36:5). Sun, 05 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Jeremiah 2:13 summarizes the message of the sixth century prophet, “For my people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that cannot hold water” (HCSB). In actuality, the words of Jeremiah summarize the message of the Bible. Sun, 29 May 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Charles Dickens began his classic A Tale of Two Cities with these memorable words, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness...” Dickens words describe the period in which Jeremiah the prophet received his prophetic call. To understand the book of Jeremiah, a reader needs to understand the milieu, the man, and the mandate of Jeremiah. Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 -0900 When some people think of the subject of biblical archaeology, images of Indiana Jones and the Ark of the Covenant fill their minds. While archaeology lacks the drama of a Hollywood movie, biblical archaeology serves as an important corroborating external witness to the reliability of the Bible. In this brief article, I examine the limitations of archaeology, two types of external witness archeology provides for the reliability of the Bible, and two examples of significant archaeological discovers related to the Old and New Testament. ] Sun, 22 May 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Believers often overlook Philemon for three reasons. First, believers often overlook Philemon because of its brevity. Second, since Philemon is a personal letter of Paul to a friend, the letter does not contain the same level of doctrinal content as his other letters. Third, the issue of the book deals with a runaway slave, an issue that seems foreign to contemporary readers. Several years ago, O. S. Hawkins, former pastor of the First Baptist churches of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Dallas, Texas, corrected my neglect of this brief book through his exposition of Philemon at the Ridgecrest Baptist Conference Center. Dr. Hawkins identified Philemon as a “manual of human relations.” In this lesson, I will build upon the foundation of Dr. Hawkins. Sun, 15 May 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Colossians 3:18-4:1 flow out of the comprehensive exhortation of Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (HCSB). In Colossians 3:1-16, Paul provided the general theological and relational implications of the admonition “do everything in the name of the Lord.” In Colossians 3:18-4:6, Paul started “meddling.” He applied the comprehensive exhortation to the specific areas of the family and work. Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0900 May 5, 2011 marked the 400th anniversary of the publication of the English translation of the Bible known as the King James Version. All English language readers of the Bible should celebrate the remarkable achievement. <BR><BR> War of the Bibles. When King James I became the king of England in 1603 various religious factions within England were involved in a war of the Bibles, and consequently, a theological war. The religious establishment endorsed the Bishop’s Bible (1568), initiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. English Catholic religious exiles in France had started the Douai-Rheims Bible (1609-10). The most popular translation was the Geneva Bible (1560), translated with marginal notes by Calvinist refugees in Geneva. The Geneva Bible was the first study Bible and the king and religious establishment found the content of the notes offensive. Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0900 I became a Christian during the fall of my senior year of high school. In the spring semester, a psychology teacher challenged each class member to develop a personal coat of arms. The project required each student to express his/her goals, aspirations, and a summary of his/her life purpose. I choose as my motto and life verse Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (HCSB). Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Many Christians regard theology as a divisive issue. The charter of a Christian school in Virginia exhibits this attitude through a prohibition of the teaching of theology in the curriculum. From a biblical perspective, true doctrine provides unity (Eph. 4:4-5); false doctrine produces division. Paul repeatedly affirmed that doctrine produced godliness (1 Tim. 1:10; 6:3) and soundness, or literally, health in a congregation (Titus 1:9; 2:1). On the other hand, Paul compared false teaching to gangrene (2 Tim. 2:17). The Bible, then, affirms that doctrine produces health in the body or functions like gangrene and kills the body. The apostle commanded pastor Timothy to “fight the good fight for the faith (1 Tim. 6:12). The phrase “the faith” refers to the doctrinal teachings of the church. Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Relationships are important. The most important relationship certainly is an individual’s relationship to God. In a hymn of Christ, Paul highlighted that the Lord of revelation, Lord of creation, also was the Lord of salvation, “and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20). Reconciliation means a change of state from enmity to harmony. The blood of Jesus is the means of reconciliation between sinful humanity and a holy God. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The resurrection of Jesus from the dead serves as the central affirmation of the Christian faith. The Apostle Paul recognized that the Christian faith stands or falls on the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:12-19). A denial of the resurrection undercuts the uniqueness of Jesus and the power of the Gospel message of salvation alone through the person and work of Jesus. Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The resurrection of Jesus is central to Christianity. John wrote the Fourth Gospel in the context of fist century religious pluralism. He highlighted seven signs performed by Jesus that signified his identity—the Word became flesh. John highlighted these signs to convince people to receive Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, the Son of God, and the only one in whom people experience eternal life (John 21:30-31). In Jewish thought, the eight in a series indicated the climax, conclusion, and the dawn of God’s new action. For example, God created in seven days; the eight day, therefore, emphasized a new beginning. The resurrection of Jesus serves as the eight and final sign (signpost) to the status of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. This climatic eighth sign means that newness characterizes the life people receive through Jesus because of His resurrection. Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Paul wrote Colossians from his Roman imprisonment during the early 60’s of the first century. From a human perspective, the church at Colossae was an insignificant church. Colossae was located approximately 100 miles east of Ephesus. Although famed for wealth, the Roman road bypassed the fabled town and the town lost its prosperity. Epaphras, rather than Paul, founded the church during Paul’s ministry at Ephesus. Most importantly, the Colossian church was a troubled church. False teachers troubled the church. The false teachers deemphasized creation, Christ, and the Christian life. Paul wrote to the church to exalt Christ as supreme and to encourage Christians to walk worthy of the Savior. Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0900 In A.D. 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted covering the Roman city of Pompeii with up to eighteen feet of volcanic ash. Perhaps because of fear, Roman soldiers were famed for their diligence. At Pompeii, archaeologists discovered a Roman sentry standing at attention covered with volcanic ash. Even as the volcano erupted, the soldier stayed at his post. Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi during his later years. At the time that Paul wrote this letter, he had served Christ for almost thirty years. After thirty years of faithful service, Paul realized he had areas of his life in which he needed to grow. If Paul had not yet arrived, how much more so do I need to continue to grow in my devotion to Christ? Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Many critics of Christianity, including atheists, agnostics, Muslims, and New Agers, affirm that the text of the Bible has been changed through the long historical process of copying the biblical manuscripts. Through the process of copying the documents by hand, some parts of the Bible became lost and other parts were added. This accusation against the reliability of the biblical text, especially the New Testament text, resonates with our popular culture. Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Hebrews affirms that Jesus serves as our faithful and merciful high priest. The priestly service and sacrifice of Christ rendered animal sacrifices unnecessary. The Old Testament restricted the priesthood to a special tribe. The New Testament affirms that all believers serve as priests offering spiritual sacrifices to God. The precious doctrine of the priesthood of the believer emphasizes the responsibilities of believer. Paul set forth two responses to God: loving, sacrificial priestly service or unbelief. The image of discipleship as priestly service dominates this passage. Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Sometimes believers separate practical Christian living from proper doctrine. This artificial division produces confusion. Apparently Paul’s favorite church was the church at Philippi. The church, however, was not a perfect church. The church faced issues related to internal fellowship (Phil. 4:2). Paul’s challenge to the church to have the same mind and same love seems to imply problem areas related to the unity of the church. While local churches rarely fight over doctrinal issues, doctrine is the cure for church divisions. When division threatened the church, Paul encouraged the Philippians to focus on the person and sacrifice of Christ. Sun, 06 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The city of Philippi enjoyed the privileged status of Roman colony, a very rare privilege. After his defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra near Philippi, Octavian, the future emperor Augustus, granted the city the status of Roman colony. Legally, the residents were citizens of Rome. Although a great distance separated Philippi and Rome, the residents of Philippi attempted to act like Roman citizens in dress, behavior, speech, and attitude. Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Every pastor has some churches with which he uniquely bonded. Philippi was Paul’s favorite church. Acts 16 describes three dramatic testimonies associated with the founding of the church: the wealthy businesswoman Lydia, the poor slave girl possessed by the spirit of Python, and the middle class jailer. The three testimonies demonstrated the power of the Gospel to break down human barriers. Paul supported himself in his mission endeavors by laboring at his trade; he accepted financial support only from the church at Philippi. Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Are there books missing from the Bible? The issue of whether the Bible contains the right books produces strange bedfellows. Agnostics, liberal Christians, Muslims, and fictional novels such as The Da Vinci Code jointly argue that the fourth-century Roman Emperor Constantine used the power of his office to force the church to exclude certain books from the approved reading list. The power of the Roman church, then, oppressed equally diverse yet viable “alternative Christianities.” This popular viewpoint resonates with aspects of postmodern culture that grants privileged status to oppressed groups. Sun, 20 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0900 As my wife and I drive to work, we often listen to a radio station that has a program, “Dumb Crook News.” The stupidity of some of the criminals highlighted in this short radio program is shocking and hilarious. At times, however, I could serve as a news item on a program called “Dumb Believer News.” When believers, such as the people of God in Judah, exhibit spiritual dullness, the stupidity of believers is neither shocking nor hilarious. Tragic serves as an appropriate term to describe believers featured on “Dumb Believers News.” Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0900 The Bible teaches believers that we are engaged in spiritual warfare with a powerful enemy. A granddaughter of an elderly saint known for speaking well of everyone, challenged her grandmother to say something good about the devil. This dear saint said, “Well, he is always on the job.” A Christian never experiences a lull in the battle; our enemy constantly attacks. The strategy of our enemy, however, remains constant. Sun, 06 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0900 I remember as a child pledging to be different than my parents. Despite my protests, I remain like them in so many ways. My son presently is writing a thesis for a master’s degree. He posted a picture of his messy desktop on Facebook. Some of my former students commented that my son’s messy desktop reminded them of the top of my desk. Like father, like son. (Perhaps even the sins of the father visiting upon the children.) Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Legendary Southern Baptist preacher Dr. Robert G. Lee, pastor of First Baptist Church of New Orleans and Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, preached a sermon over 1,000 times on this text of Scripture. He titled his sermon “Payday Someday.” The great pulpiteer’s title highlights the major theme of this unit of Scripture. While God’s justice appears slow to humans, God’s justice is certain. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Ecclesiastes 3:7 states, “There is a time to be silent and a time to speak.” In terms of the Good News from God, some Christians practice the silence but never share the Good News. Famed British preacher John Stott authored a book with the title Our Guilty Silence. He identified four reasons Christians remain silent about the Good News: a lack of motive, a lack of knowledge about what to say, a lack of personal responsibility, and a lack of belief in the power of the Gospel. No doubt, a Bible study class could expand Stott’s list. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Beginning in the fourth century, many Christians identified greed as one of the seven deadly sins, that is, sins that sow seeds of destruction. The Russian author Tolstoy illustrated the danger of greed in his short story “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” A Russian peasant receives a devil-inspired invitation for as much land as he can walk around in one day on the condition he return to the starting point by sunset. The peasant began his walk cautiously—with a self-promise of contentment with the land he could adequately work. As the day progressed, however, the peasant began to encompass more and more land in his walk. Finally, he ran to return to the starting point by sunset. He arrived at the point of his beginning and died. How much land does a man need? Tolstoy answered, “Only six feet.” Six feet is the length of his coffin. The deadly sin of greed destroyed the Russian peasant and destroys people today. Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Christians affirm that the Creator God revealed Himself to humanity through an inspired, written communication. Furthermore, Baptists, and many other evangelicals, affirm that the written revelation from God functions as “the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried” (Baptist Faith & Message, Article 1). In our pluralistic culture with numerous religious books from varied faith traditions, is it reasonable to believe that the Bible is uniquely the Word of God? While accepting the Bible as the Word of God is a faith commitment, an individual possesses valid reasons to affirm the nature of the Bible as the Word of God. In this article, I propose to undergird the divine nature of the Bible with two major arguments and two subsidiary arguments. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0900 I write this lesson two weeks before Christmas. One of my favorite new songs about Christmas is Casting Crowns’ “While You Were Sleeping.” The song asks Bethlehem and Jerusalem what the towns missed while they slept. During their sleep, God became a man. The song shifts to the sleeping stupor of America. “United States of America looks like another silent night as we’re sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children.” In America, we live in a culture of death. The organization National Right to Life estimates that since the legalization of abortion in 1973 over 50 million abortions have been performed. Shockingly, messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention 1971 annual meeting expressed approval for abortion: “That we call upon Southern Baptists to work for legislation that will allow the possibility of abortion under such conditions as rape, incest, clear evidence of severe fetal deformity, and carefully ascertained evidence of the likelihood of damage to the emotional, mental, and physical health of the mother.” The language of the resolution approved broad criteria for abortion, namely, deformity and the emotional-mental health of the mother. Southern Baptists passed resolutions in the early 1980’s rejecting the language of the 1971 resolution. Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0900 Religious syncretism, the attempt to unite, combine, or reconcile religious beliefs, powerfully influences our politically correct culture. For example, the popular New Age religious movement attempts to combine aspects of Eastern religions with Christianity. Unfortunately, some Christians fall prey to this dangerous spiritual trend. These unwise Christians attempt to follow Christ as well as other “truths” from religious systems that contradict the Word of God through participation in activies such as astrology and affirmation of pagan doctrines such as reincarnation. Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Because of past failures in leadership, the topic of leadership enjoys a privileged status in contemporary Christianity. Christian publishers flood the religious book market with treatises on the principles of leadership. Denominational executives frequently offer popular conferences on leadership. Seminaries and colleges, including The Baptist College of Florida, offer degrees in leadership. The best manual of leadership, however, is the Word of God. The Bible contains both positive and negative examples of leadership. Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0900 God blessed Solomon. His father David was a spiritual leader, albeit not a perfect father. God granted Solomon wisdom, wealth, fame, and extra-ordinary spiritual experiences. Twice, God revealed Himself to Solomon. Solomon knew God, received the Word of God (for example, many of the Proverbs), yet Solomon destroyed himself and his kingdom by neglecting his own wisdom. “A man’s own foolishness leads him astray” (Prov. 19:3a HCSB). Solomon admonished the people, “Let your heart be completely devoted to the LORD our God…” (1 Kgs. 8:61). “Guard your hearts above all else…” (Prov. 4:23). Solomon’s foolish actions affected him. Sadly, Solomon’s folly affected the Hebrews for centuries. Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Do you remember your first Christmas celebration as a new believer? If you became a Christian as a young child, then you may not remember. I became a Christian during the fall of my senior year of high school. I remember clearly my first celebration of Christmas as a new believer. For the first time, I understood the real meaning of Christmas. In the intervening years, I replaced my wonder and amazement at the message of Christmas with an emphasis upon the material aspects of the Christmas celebration. Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0900 1 Kings 8 describes the dedication of the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The Babylonians destroyed the Temple built by Solomon in 587 B.C. The Jews rebuilt the temple after the Babylonian exile, although the second temple paled in comparison with the temple of Solomon. Herod the Great began a process of remodeling and expanding the temple; a project Herod began in 19 B.C. and the Jews completed this project in 64 A.D. The Romans destroyed this second temple in 70 A.D. The Jews thought of the temple as a house of redemption, a house of worship, and a house of prayer. Jesus fulfilled the purpose of the temple (John. 2:19-22). Jesus’ sacrifice made atonement. Jesus provided a means of relationship and access to God, the heart of worship. He instructed His followers to pray in His name. Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0900 In this lesson, we begin a study of the Book of Kings. In the Hebrew Bible, 1 and 2 Kings existed as one book. Further, the Jews regarded the Book of Kings as a prophetic book rather than a historical book. Although the book is anonymous, ancient Jewish tradition ascribed authorship to Jeremiah. Few biblical scholars today affirm this ancient view. The purpose of the book extends beyond a mere recounting of history; the Book of Kings provides a theological interpretation of the history of the Hebrew monarchy. The author evaluates kings on the basis on their spirituality rather than the political influence of the kings. The primary theme of the Book of Kings is the importance of exclusive loyalty to God. Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0900 During the early stages of our nation’s war with Iraq, some of our service personnel lacked essential equipment. Paul asked, “Whoever goes to war at his own expense” (1 Cor. 9:7 HCSB)? Sadly, because of the lack of essential equipment, some families felt obligated to purchase Kevlar vests for protection of family members serving in the war. As Paul concluded Ephesians, he warned believers that the Christian life involves dangerous warfare. Thankfully, we do not provide our own equipment. God Himself provides the necessary equipment to provide victory. Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0900 What are the distinguishing marks of a Spirit-filled Christian? After the command, “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18), Paul described the results of Spirit-filling in terms of the everyday life of a believer. The marks of a Spirit-filled Christian include worship, thanksgiving, and mutual submission. Paul detailed specific areas in which a Spirit-filled individual practices submission, namely, the areas of relationship. Specifically, Ephesians described the Spirit-filled life in terms of marital relationship, child-parent relationships, and work. Both the submission of the wife and the sacrificial love of the husband necessitate Spirit-filling. Likewise, the honor a child gives to a parent as well as a parent’s spiritual training of a child requires Spirit-filling. Finally, Spirit-filling affects the Christian on the job. Please understand that Paul addressed the family relationships, husband-wife and parent-child, in the context of Christian families. The apostle, at this point, did not discuss issues relating to non-Christian families or where either only one parent or a child is a believer. Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0900 First century cultural forces impacted family life. Most men thought of a wife as a bearer of children. Rather than relating to their wife as a companion, most men sought companionship in a consort. Many men used a third woman for sexual purposes. In the twenty-first century, cultural forces in America today exert extreme pressures on the family. The hectic pace of contemporary life, exaltation of individualism, and the redefinition of the family by cultural shapers create a tenuous situation for many families, including Christian families. Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Paul admonished Christians about how to walk. We are to walk in love (5:2), walk in purity (5:3-7), and walk in light. Paul continued the theme of walking by means of a challenge to walk wisely (Eph. 5:15). Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0900 As a parent, I remember the excitement I experienced as my sons learned to walk. During the learning process, they walked in an unintended direction, walked unstably, and even fell down at times. As my sons grew, I watched the manner, direction, and the people with whom they walked. Our heavenly Father intently examines the walk of His children. Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0900 What is distinctive about Christianity? Most Christians realize that being a Christian means separation from worldliness. How do Christians manifest separation from the world and communicate our distinctiveness? The message of Christian music is distinctive, albeit the genres of Christian music mirror the musical genre styles of non-Christian music. Yet, an American comedian recent­ly performed a parody on the absence of atheistic hymns. Some Christians adopt unique “Christian” attire. The Amish, for example, refuse to adopt “worldly” dress style. Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Some Christians opine that doctrine is dull. In Ephesians 1-3, Paul accentuated doctrine. I ask, “How can anyone think doctrine is dull?” In these three chapters, Paul proclaimed that God acted in history through His Son to redeem sinful human beings and create a community of believers. I testify, “In Jesus Christ, God made me a new man and brought me into a new community, a new Temple in which the Spirit of God dwells.” Sun, 03 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Paul’s prison letters (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon) share two major themes: Christ and prayer. The prison epistles emphasis Christ, as reflected in two great hymns about Christ in Philippians 2:5-11 and Colossians 1:13-20. In Ephesians, Paul declared God’s glorious intention to “bring everything together in the Messiah” (Eph. 1:10). As well, in addition to emphasizing the pre-eminence of Christ, intercessory prayer for fellow believers are pre-eminent in the prison letters (Phil. 1:3-11; Col. 1:9-14). The book of Ephesians contains two prayers of Paul (Eph. 1:15-19; 3:14-21). Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0900 I have never experienced riches. I personally rejoice in my lack of wealth. My Father knows I could not handle wealth. Yet, I am wealthy. God blessed me with spiritual riches in Christ and like Paul commissioned me to proclaim “the incalculable riches of the Messiah (Eph. 3:8). All believers share in my testimony – Made Rich in Christ. God purposes, however, that believers share spiritual riches with the paupers of this world. Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0900 In Western culture, we place high emphasis on the individual. Western Christians, therefore, focus on individual salvation to the neglect of other biblical themes such as the building of community. Paul celebrated individual salvation in Ephesians 2:1-10. God’s plan encompasses more than mere individual salvation. God is creating a new community through whom He could reveal His glory. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0900 The famous Methodist missionary E. Stanley Jones wrote about an African believer that changed his name to After. This believer felt that everything important in his life happened after he encountered Jesus Christ. Paul affirmed this sentiment in Ephesians 2:1-10. The apostle described our life apart from Christ in Ephesians 2:1-3, a life marked by deadness, disobedience, and desires. Paul shifted his thought in Ephesians 2:4-10 to a description of life in Christ, a life characterized by being made alive, raised with Christ, and being seated with Him.. “But God” in Ephesians 2:4 marks the great transition to “After.” Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0900 In Ephesians 1:1-14, Paul blessed God for the spiritual blessings the Triune God lavished on believers. In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul shifted from praise to prayer. The heart of the apostle’s prayer is that these Asian believers might comprehend God’s blessings. Dr. David Dockery, president of Union University, illustrated this passage. Wealthy newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst collected famous pieces of art. He discovered a description of an art collection he felt compelled to acquire. He sent his agent on an international search for the items. The agent discovered that Hearst himself owned and stored the collection in one of his warehouses. Like Hearst, Christians often experience blindness to the spiritual blessings God has given already. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0900 One New Testament scholar called the book of Ephesians “the crown of Paul’s writings.” Ephesians possesses several noteworthy characteristics. First, Ephesians, along with Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon, belongs to the prison epistles of Paul (Eph. 3:1; 4:1; 6:20). While the Roman authorities imprisoned Paul, the apostle never regarded himself as a prisoner of Rome. Paul affirmed that he was a prisoner of the Lord Jesus (3:1; 4:1). He served in the place, manner, and will of the Lord Jesus. Second, like the other prison epistles, praise and prayer are prominent themes of the book. Ephesians begins with praise (1:3-14), shifts to intercessory prayer (1:15-23), and returns to prayer (3:14-21). Third, like the other prison epistles, the central focus of the book is Jesus. Ephesians details God’s purpose “to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in Heaven and things on the earth in Him (1:10). All creation and every aspect of history find its meaning and significance in Christ. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0900 The Apostle Paul frequently invited Christians to imitate him as he sought to imitate Christ (1 Cor. 4:6; 1 Thess. 1:6). Some people, however, did not want to imitate Paul. In fact, Paul experienced strong opposition from within the church he founded at Corinth as well as interlopers from outside. The Corinthian opponents accused Paul of a lack of integrity (2 Cor. 10:1). Paul mockingly called the interlopers over whom the Corinthians fawned—“super apostles” (2 Cor. 11:5). He identified them further as “false apostles, deceitful workers” (2 Cor. 11:13). Paul defended his ministry against opponents from inside the Corinthians church and trouble-makers that infiltrated the church. By means of his defense, Paul detailed criteria for a model ministry. Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Contrarian investing practices a style of stock investment that differs from conventional wisdom by not following the crowd. In 2 Corinthians, Paul described a contrarian-giving pattern in which some believers gave contrary to conventional wisdom. Rather than curtailing giving during a difficult economic situation, these believers gave abundantly despite their economic circumstances. Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Paul never gave up on being reconciled with the Corinthians that joined with the apostle’s opponents and critiqued him so harshly. Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0900 One elderly lady known for finding a positive about every person received a challenge from friends to say something good about the devil. She stated, “Well, he is always on the job!” The Bible describes the work of the devil through various titles: Deceiver, Devil (slanderer), and Satan (adversary). A descriptive name that does not occur in the Bible for Satan’s activity is Discourager. I believe our enemy works steadily to discourage God’s people. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0900 I learned a difficult lesson early in ministry. Despite my desire to serve the Lord, at times, the response of God’s people to my ministry was less than enthusiastic. I received comfort in the fact that Paul himself experienced challenges to his integrity and ministry. The major theme of 2 Corinthians is Paul’s defense of his ministry against charges of a lack of integrity, vacillation, allowing others to intimidate him. Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Paul wrote our first Corinthians to respond to problems within the local church, namely, church divisions, immorality, food offered to idols, and spiritual gifts. In my opinion, the last major issue was the most serious. Paul asked, “how can some of you say, ‘There is no resurrection from the dead’” (1Cor. 15:12). The first century Greco-Roman culture held the idea of the resurrection with utter disdain and contemptibleness. Why? Paul’s encounter with the philosophers of Acts 17 helps us to understand the issues behind the disdain first century culture held resurrection. The Epicureans were the naturalists of the ancient world. They believed that matter alone existed, belief in God was irrational, and death was the cessation of life. In contrast, the Stoics expressed beliefs similar to some Eastern philosophies. A spark of divinity existed in each person that eventually becomes reunited with divinity after a series of reincarnations. Although not expressed in Paul’s encounter in Acts 17, the predominate philosophy of the day affirmed immortality of the soul, that is, at death, the soul escaped the prison of the body. These three movements denying the resurrection, naturalism, reincarnation, and immortality of the soul, receive affirmation in some churches that deny the authority of the Word of God. Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0900 1 Corinthians 13 is one of the best known, best loved, yet misunderstood passages in the entire Word of God. As I minister, I often quote the passage in a marriage ceremony, although I realize the passage is not specifically about the married love of husband and wife. The context of this beautiful passage is the exercise of spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church prided itself on the exercise of spiritual gifts within the membership. 1 Corinthians 12 concludes with a mention of “a more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31), now Paul describes and depicts love as the more excellent way. Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Donald Williams, a professor at Toccoa Falls College, analyzed some difficulties regarding spiritual gifts, “It is one of the great ironies of ecclesiology, one of the great tragedies of church history, and one of the great triumphs of Satan that a doctrine so conducive to the health and unity of the body of Christ as that of spiritual gifts should have become the occasion for an outpouring of divisiveness, fear, and polarization.” Unfortunately, Williams’ words are true. Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0900 As Americans celebrate our freedom as a nation, how appropriate that the Bible lesson focuses on our spiritual freedom in Christ. Yet, freedom is never absolute. The Christian life exhibits a paradox in relation to freedom. A Christian is most free in submission to Christ. Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, summarized the theme of our lesson today. “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all.” Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0900 I write this lesson on a text dealing with marriage and singleness in the context of a college class I am teach teaching on America sectarian groups. Today, a leader from the Latter Day Saints addressed the class then students asked questions about Mormon beliefs and practices. Latter Day Saints teach three levels of heaven. One of my college students asked the Mormon leader how singleness affects a person’s entrance into the highest heaven. In short, the Mormon leader denied that a single person can reach the highest level of the highest heaven. According to this teaching, singles, at best, are secondary citizens of the kingdom of God. Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0900 In addition to the problems of divisions, the Corinthian church encountered moral problems within the membership. Rather than functioning as salt and light in a pagan culture, the behavior of some members of the Corinthian church shocked even the pagans. Like the church at Corinth, the contemporary church lacks a reputation for holiness. The lack of holiness and purity in the Bride of Christ functions as one reason for reason for the apparent ineffectiveness of the contemporary church. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Pastors often joke amongst themselves that they would not want to serve as the pastor of the Corinthian church. The proper way to respond to ministerial leadership forms one of the key issues in this problem plagued church. In 1 Corinthians 1-4, the apostle Paul dealt with the issue of divisions within the Corinthian church. The divisions related to ministerial personalities and style (1 Cor.1:10-17). Paul was the founding pastor of the church; naturally, some church members preferred Paul. Paul, however, confessed that his preaching ministry in Corinth lacked “brilliance of speech” (1 Cor. 2:1). Ephesian believers wrote a letter of recommendation for Apollos to the believers in Corinth (Acts 18:24-28). Fellow believers appreciated Apollos’ ministry because of his eloquence, knowledge of the Old Testament, and fervent speaker. Some Corinthian believers preferred the dynamic eloquence of Apollos. Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 -0900 The first century city of Corinth was a cosmopolitan seaport of international trade. The church mirrored the problems of the city. First, the great wealth of the city resulted in rigid social stratifications comprised of an unlanded aristocracy and a poor class that barely eked out a minimal existence. The city had no middle class. Erastus, the wealthy city treasurer (Rom. 16:23), was a member of the church. Most of the church membership reflected Paul’s comments that “not many noble (1 Cor. 1:26). Second, syncretism, the combining of features of various religions, was the religion of Corinth. Most of the religions prevalent in the first century Roman world found representation at Corinth. The proliferation of numerous religions contributed to a climate of immorality. Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Have you heard someone refer to money as “filthy lucre?” An individual can gain money in an ungodly manner. A wealthy person, for example, may receive financial gain from an extremely poor individual by immoral means thereby pushing the poor individual into deeper poverty. Amos expressed the greed of the wealthy for more land acquisition as the rich coveting the small piece of dirt on a poor man’s head. Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Leviticus contains two dominant themes. Leviticus 1-16 highlights the theme of atonement. Biblical scholars refer to Leviticus 17-26 as “The Holiness Code.” The ordering of the themes is important—atonement precedes holiness. An individual must receive atonement for sins, then after atonement live a life of holiness. Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Okay, I admit it. Some people think I am odd. Rather than dreading the reading of Leviticus, I enjoy the book. The dominant concept of Leviticus is holiness; Leviticus 11:44-45 functions as the theme summary. This thematic statement mightily expresses three truths. First, God is a God of Holiness—“I am holy.” Second, God is a God of Redemption—“I brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Third, God expects holiness in His people—“Be holy because I am holy.” Mon, 03 May 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Many Christians become bogged down in Exodus reading the construction details about the Tabernacle. An amazing truth arises from the description of the materials from which the Hebrews constructed the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was a place of beauty. In the midst of a dry, barren wilderness, the God of beauty testified to His nature with a brightly colored, beautiful tabernacle. The tabernacle, then, testified to a God in beauty in the midst of a drab, colorless wilderness. Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Exodus details the formation of the people of God. God delivered the people from bondage in Egypt. God’s loyal love provided the foundation of Israel’s freedom (Ex. 15:13). God expressed His desire for the people. God created Israel to be his treasured possession, a Kingdom of priests, and a holy nation (Ex. 19:5-6). As God’s possession, Israel’s value depended not on her accomplishments but on God’s love and affection. God sovereignly reigns over all nations, but Israel enjoyed the status of most precious possession. The entire nation was comprised of a “royal priesthood,” or “priests belonging to a king.” God promised Abraham that his descendents would be a blessing to the world (Gen. 12:1-3); now God intended Israel to represent Him before the world. God gave Israel the task of being a witness to the nations. As priests, God called Israel to intercede in prayer on behalf of the other nations. Finally, God purposed His people function as a “holy nation,” a nation set apart from other nations as a model of righteousness to other nations. Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0900 What is worship? My college professor in a worship leadership class assigned the class the assignment of gathering twenty definitions of worship. William Temple, former Archbishop of Canterbury authored my favorite definition of worship. “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness, Nourishment of mind by His truth, Purifying of imagination by His beauty, Opening of the heart to His love, and submission of will to his purpose. And all this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human expressions of which we are capable.” As defined by Temple, worship is an action of humans, namely, submission, opening our heart, and adoration. Yet, worship is also a responsive act of God, namely, quickening, nourishing, and purifying. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0900 EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the final article in a series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith. Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Paul affirmed that the law was “our guardian until Christ” (Gal. 3:24). A guardian was a slave that accompanied a child to school for reasons of protection. The law of God imprisoned its subjects by restricting activity as a guardian corrected the children subject to him. The law of God restricts us. Yet, the Bible contains a much richer understanding than a negative purpose. According to Walter Kaiser, the law served three positive purposes. First, the law revealed out sinfulness. The Protestant Reformers believed that law comes grace. Second, the law demonstrated humanity’s need for a Savior. Third, the law cultivated the abundant life. Exodus 20:20 provide an excellent purpose statement for the Ten Commandments, “…so that you will fear Him and will not sin.” Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Years ago, Warren Wiersbe wrote a book, Bumps Are What You Climb On. The author’s thesis is that times of crisis are inevitable, yet the crisis may be an opportunity for growth. The Hebrews faced four crises as they came out of Egypt: the bitter water at Marah (15:22ff); the need for sufficient food (16); lacking of drinking water (17:1-1-7), and the attack of the Amalakites (17:8-11). These four crises provided big bumps on which to climb. The key verb associated with these bumps is the term “test.” God tested the Hebrews in relation to obedience in relation to Marah (15:25) and the provision of manna (16:4). In Exodus 17, the Hebrews tested God (17:2,7). God tested the Hebrews at the point of obedience to His word. The people tested God at the point of manipulating and using God. Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0900 The Southern Baptist Convention presently is involved in a family discussion about the best manner to carry out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). The conversation is healthy, regardless of an individual’s opinion about the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. The resurrection of Jesus provides the foundation for the Great Commission. In every resurrection appearance, Jesus commissioned His followers to proclaim the resurrection in all nations (Matt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15; Lk. 24:47). Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Exodus 13-15 serves as the background passage for this lesson. Within this broader unit of Scripture, Exodus 13:17-14:31 is the focal passage. As a supplement to help teachers with this lesson, I chose to highlight Exodus 15 for several reasons. First, Exodus 15 is a musical celebration of God’s mighty act of redemption. Israel’s song reminds us that worship is the proper response to the person and deeds of God. Second, the people of God likely learn as much theology from the great songs of the faith as from the Scriptures. This Scripture song accentuates the theology of the Exodus. Third, Revelation provides a complimentary hymn for New Testament believers. Revelation 15:2-4 describes conquerors beside a sea singing a twofold song, the song of Moses and the son of the Lamb. The song of the victory of Moses at the sea provides a model for the song of martyr’s victory song of the Lamb. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Outside of the moment that I called upon Christ to deliver me, August 6 is the most important day in my life. On August 6, I received as my wife in marriage a precious gift from God to me. My wife and I celebrate this important day annually. The day marks the beginning of our family. We remember. We praise. We celebrate together. We celebrate with close family. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0900 EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0900 God created humans for a divine purpose. God created in His image for a relationship with Him. One of the major themes in this section of Scripture is "the knowledge of God." In the context of countless difficulties, Moses and the Hebrews leaned about the character and nature of God through God's mighty deeds. Despite a hard heart, Pharaoh and the Egyptians also learned about God’s character and nature, albeit the Egyptians learned about the judgment of God. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0900 The book of Exodus recounts the departure of the Hebrews from bondage in Egypt. The message of the book expresses theological truths beyond the historical miracle. Exodus celebrates God as Sovereign Redeemer. The book highlights divine attributes. First, God is a promising–keeping God. Exodus highlights the "faithful love" of Yahweh; the Holman Christian Standard Bible wording "faithful love" translates the Hebrew term "hesed," one of the key theological concepts in the Old Testament. God remembered the covenant with Abraham and acted redemptively on behalf of His people. Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0900 All world religions express the core teaching through a key symbol. A spoked- wheel, for example, functions as one of the symbols of Buddhism. Many possible symbols could express a key teaching of Christianity. A manger, an animal feed-trough, could represent the incarnation, the Good News of God entering human experience in lowly circumstances. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Is the historical Baptist advocacy of religious liberty a consequence of early Baptists experiencing religious persecution? Or, did early Baptists find biblical and theological reasons for affirming religious liberty for all people, including people of Christian faith, people of other faiths, or people without faith? I personally believe that Baptist advocacy of religious liberty originated in the manner in which the early Baptists read the Scriptures. Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0900 I found that the quickest and best way to learn about another person is through listening to the individual pray. I learned to pray as a new believer in high school as I listened to senior adults pray at mid-week prayer meeting. Not only did I learn to pray, I also learned a great deal about the prayers. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Priorities are a key to life. Without priorities, an individual drifts aimlessly. Not only do priorities allow us to follow and reach a God-given vision, priorities produce a balanced life. In one of his letters, C. S. Lewis wrote: “Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: Put second things first and we lose both first and second things.” In addition, priorities reveal character, or perhaps, I should say living by priorities reveals character. When an individual faces tough decisions, established priorities prevents panic, despair, and anxiety. As situations arise, base your decisions on pre-chosen priorities. Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0900 What is religious freedom? In his book, More Than Just a Name: Preserving our Baptist Identity, Baptist theologian Stan Norman defined religious freedom as "the right of each person to be free and uncoerced in his or her pursuit, or lack of pursuit, of a personal relationship with God." Baptists affirm that religious liberty is an inalienable right granted by God to all people. J. B. Jeter, legendary nineteenth century Baptist leader, described Baptist support for religious liberty for all people. "They have not only claimed it for themselves, but have accorded it to others-Jews and pagans, as well as Christians." Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Priorities are a key to life. Without priorities, an individual drifts aimlessly. Not only do priorities allow us to follow and reach a God-given vision, priorities produce a balanced life. In one of his letters, C. S. Lewis wrote: “Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: Put second things first and we lose both first and second things.” In addition, priorities reveal character, or perhaps, I should say living by priorities reveals character. When an individual faces tough decisions, established priorities prevents panic, despair, and anxiety. As situations arise, base your decisions on pre-chosen priorities. Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0900 How does an individual measure success? Does one measure success by the size of the paycheck? Does success equal a series of initials behind one’s name, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, or J.D.? Jesus lived in a counter-cultural manner. For example, His definition of success differed from the definition of success a parent might wish for a child. Our Savior received fame and gained a large number of followers during his lifetime. Jesus did not equate success with popular acclaim. Jesus exemplified true success by a commitment to obedience to the Father’s will, even though the commitment entailed suffering. Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0900 Sometimes I express the common sentiment, “Would it not be wonderful to have been one of the disciples?” Then, as I read the Gospel of Mark, I realize that even for the Twelve following Jesus was not easy. Yet, Jesus forthrightly explained the nature of discipleship. A disciple followed the pattern set by Jesus. Three times the Gospel of Mark records Jesus’ predictions of his passion—approaching death. Each passion prediction became a teachable moment as he immediately connected his death with a description of discipleship. For example, after the first passion prediction of Jesus, the Savior defined discipleship as self-denial, cross-bearing, and followship (Mk. 8:31-35). Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Unfortunately, Southern Baptists do not have a lengthy heritage in the pro-life movement. In fact, in 1971 messengers to the annual Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution that allowed for abortion in language similar to the infamous Roe v. Wade court case. At the time of the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the SBC passed a resolution repudiating the 1971 resolution: “WHEREAS, Resolutions passed by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1971 and 1974 accepted unbiblical premises of the abortion rights movement, forfeiting the opportunity to advocate the protection of defenseless women and children; and WHEREAS, During the early years of the post-Roe era, some of those then in leadership positions within the denomination endorsed and furthered the “pro-choice” abortion rights agenda outlined in Roe v. Wade….” The 2003 SBC resolution continued, “RESOLVED, That we lament and renounce statements and actions by previous Conventions and previous denominational leadership that offered support to the abortion culture .....” Thankfully, Southern Baptists returned to a biblical, pro-life understanding. Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Many people evaluate themselves as spiritually astute. The Bible, however, plainly teaches that deception, including self-deception, functions as one of the great dangers of religion. Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The Gospel of Mark portrays Jesus as the Son of God. <br><br> By means of the miracles of the feeding of the 5,000 and the walking on the water, the Second Gospel reveals the personage of Jesus. In Mark’s descriptive narration of the miraculous feeding and walking on water, his language recalls numerous Old Testament passages related to the coming Messiah. Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0900 I learned a simple definition of a parable years ago. A parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Jesus certainly used human realities such as farming or family to illustrate spiritual truth. The parables, however, are not simple. Jesus told most of the parables in the context of controversy. According to New Testament scholar Craig Blomberg, “Jesus’ stories are no mere illustrations but ‘weapons of warfare.’” With parables, Jesus invited the listeners to make a judgment regarding the storyline of the parable. In making such a judgment, the listener pronounced judgment on himself. As German pastor Helmut Thielicke said, “The Word of God is not a feast for the ears. It is a hammer.” Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0900 <i>EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith.</i> Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The lesson title asks an important question—“what does Jesus’ call mean to me?” The Gospel of Mark provides an answer through the book’s extensive teachings about discipleship. James Brooks summarized the theme of discipleship in Mark. “The idea is that of responding to a summons, attachment to a person, acceptance of authority, and imitation of example.” The richest description of the meaning of discipleship in the Second Gospel follows Jesus’ passion predictions. Three times Jesus defined the nature of his Messiahship by predictions of his death. He followed each prophecy with a defining description of the nature of discipleship. In other words, Jesus taught a corollary exists between the nature of Christ’s mission and the nature of discipleship. Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Christmas is a unique, special holiday. As we approach the celebration, we bring out special house decorations, musical CD’s, and traditional family recipes. As well, we begin using our special Christmas vocabulary: joy, peace, and good-will. Certainly, these special vocabulary words find expression in the biblical narrative of the birth of Jesus. Yet, we often forget another kind of special vocabulary terms expressed in Jesus’ birth narratives: fall, opposition, and sword (Lk. 2:34-35). Mary herself sang of people scattered, put down, and sent away empty (Lk. 1:51-53). Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Five historic models provide guidance into the issue of “The Christian and the Social Order” before addressing the biblical themes and biblical principles. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The Book of Psalms is comprised of five books or collections of psalms. The fifth collection contains Psalms 107-150. Numerous smaller collections exist within this large group. For example, Jewish tradition called Psalms 113-118 “the Egyptian Hallel,” songs sung in celebration of Passover. Scripture itself calls Psalms 120-134 “Songs of Ascent,” that is, songs sung by pilgrim worshipers as they ascended upward to the Temple worship complex in Jerusalem. Psalm 119, the longest psalm, is located between these two collections. Perhaps the Jewish people associated this psalm with the next Jewish festival, Tabernacles, a festival that commemorated the giving of the law through Moses at Mount Sinai. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0900 John Mark wrote the second gospel as followers of Christ encountered difficult days. He wrote to Christians in Rome facing imperial pressure sometime around 60 A.D. Mark likely wrote with several goals, foremost among the goals, was the purpose to fortify suffering believers. Mark wrote an apologetic gospel to demonstrate that Jesus was the Son of God (1:1, 11; 9:7; 12:6; 14:61: 15:39). As the Son of God, His death was not defeat but a victory. Further, Mark wrote a discipleship manual. To follow Christ, means to follow Christ in suffering. At several points in the second gospel, Jesus correlated a Suffering Christ and cross-bearing discipleship. Finally, Mark wrote to motivate and train Christians for missions involvement. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0900 All people worship, even unbelievers. Through worship, we ascribe worth to a person or object. The object of human worship shapes and molds our life. We become like that which we worship. The twin Psalms of 111 and 112 illustrate this truth from a biblical perspective. Psalm 111 celebrates God. Psalm 112 celebrates the one who follows God. God’s righteousness endures forever (Ps. 111:3,9); likewise, the righteousness of a believer endures forever (Ps. 112:3, 9). God is gracious and compassionate (Ps. 111:4; likewise a believer exhibits gracious and compassionate qualities (Ps. 112:4). Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Elizabeth Barrett Browning (d. 1861) wrote one of my favorite poems. The opening line reads, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, perhaps we should ask another question. “How do I thank thee? Let me count the ways.” Sing “Count Your Blessings,” but ask, “How do I thank thee?” Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0900 While Baptists began cooperating with other like-minded Baptist churches for Kingdom causes in the seventeenth century, “cooperation” became the defining watchword for Southern Baptists in the twentieth century. Cooperation provides the fundamental reason for the unique organizational life of Southern Baptists. As far as I know, Southern Baptists alone have an article of cooperation in their doctrinal statement. Jim Richards, executive-director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, wrote a word of warning: “I believe one of the greatest threats to the mission of today’s church among Southern Baptists is a departure from cooperation.” Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Jewish rabbis taught that Psalm 102 was an appropriate psalm for days of fasting. The early church viewed Psalm 102 as one of seven penitential Psalms (Pss. 6, 32, 38, 51,102, 130, 147), although the Psalmist never confessed sin. The Psalmist experienced unexplained personal suffering. The condition of Zion, the people of God, however, compounds the agony he felt. Old Testament scholar H. C. Leupold commented, “For surely, the writer would not be the first man who had his private affliction made heavier by the lowly estate of the church at a given time.” Individual despair and community abasement form the context of this psalm, yet the psalmist arose to a celebration of the eternal nature of the Messiah. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The third Indiana Jones movie involves the hero in a search for the Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper. When an evil villain picked out an ornate cup, the Knight Templar responded with the immortal words, “You chose—poorly.” Life is about choices. Indeed, a key to life is choosing wisely rather than choosing poorly. In the midst of a lifetime of choices, the Bible affirms that life centers on one choice. In an ultimate sense, we choose wisely or choose poorly in terms of the choice to follow God or not. In the HCSB, “happy” and “ruin” describe the consequent polarities of one choice. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Stewardship is not a popular topic among the people of God, yet biblical stewardship is central in Christian discipleship. Surprisingly, most theology books ignore the doctrine of stewardship. Likely, this neglect arises from our understanding of stewardship as a practical ecclesiological matter. Stewardship provides the means by which the church finances ministries. Biblical stewardship focuses on the individual rather than church budgets or the amount given (mite). Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Feigned insanity provides the background of this psalm. David fled for his life from King Saul. He traveled to Gath, the hometown of the giant Goliath. The future king of Israel feigned insanity to protect himself (1 Sam. 21:11-15). The townspeople would like nothing better than killing the man who killed their local hero. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Is our labor for the Lord in vain? Asaph, a Levite musician and sanctuary choir leader, asked this question in Psalm 73. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Years ago my sons participated in 4-H. One year their project involved raising sheep, then showing the sheep in contests across the I-10 corridor in Northwest Florida. The whole family became involved in the project. This son of a career military man learned a great deal about sheep and gained even more knowledge about the biblical imagery of shepherd/sheep. For example, I learned that shepherding is hard work. Shepherding is not for the lazy. The imagery of the Lord as a shepherd depicts his faithfulness even to the so-called small needs of the sheep. Further, I learned that sheep are dumb and stinky. I confess that this sheep has exhibited extreme dumbness and stinkiness over the years. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The influential psychiatrist, Karl Menninger operated a famous mental health hospital in Kansas City. He bemoaned the loss of the concept of sin and personal responsibility in his book Whatever Became of Sin? Menninger contended that modern denial of sin, as evidenced by the use of alternative better-sounding terms, produced psychological trauma. According to Menninger, humans readily acknowledge sin as weakness, mistake, or a problem in the social environment. Man needs to recover a definition of sin as moral guilt and assume responsibility. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0900 EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0900 A preacher whose name I do not recall said, “The subject of God’s faithfulness is a more certain subject than our faithfulness to God.” Perhaps without realizing what he accomplished, the preacher succinctly summarized Psalms 105-106. Psalm 105 and 106 are twin psalms contrasting God and His people Israel. Both psalms recall the history of Israel. Psalm 105 celebrates God’s faithfulness to His promises to bring His people into the Promised Land. Psalm 106 bemoans the unfaithfulness of Israel and the consequent judgment of God through the Babylonian Exile. Psalm 105 recounts the grace of God; Psalm 106 tells of the disgrace of the people of God. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The Psalms aid the believer in worship. The Psalms instruct believers in the method, purpose, reason, and consequences of ascribing worth to the one true God. Many Bible scholars opine that the Jews utilized this psalm in conjunction with the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles commemorated God’s miraculous deliverance and protection during the wilderness wanderings of the Jews. Joy dominates the celebration of this festival. Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0900 One of the distinctives of the Christian faith is the doctrine of revelation. Humanity does not discover God as the conclusion of a deductive syllogism (reason) nor the result of a scientific experiment. Revelation is God’s amazing grace in operation. Everything we know about God, we know because God chose to reveal that truth about Himself. Psalm 19 celebrates the two avenues by which God reveals—nature and Scripture. Personal relationship (12-14) rather than mere factual knowledge is now the goal of God’s revelation. Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0900 I confess that my life has been easy up to this point. As a pastor, I encounter many people, including followers of Christ, for whom life is hard. I read about believers in other nations abused, persecuted, and tortured because of their commitment to Christ. Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0900 German theologian Martin Kahler once said, “Missions is the mother of theology.” In my experience, missions assisted me in clarifying the theological message communicated rather than giving birth to theology. I, therefore, prefer the opposite expression: “Theology is the mother of missions.” Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Hedonism is a pagan philosophy of life in which “pleasure” or “self” is the chief goal. Christianity is the acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the source of abundant and eternal life. Jesus taught that death to self is a prerequisite for discipleship. Hedonism and Christianity, therefore, represent opposing spectrums of life. Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0900 James is the most practical book in the New Testament. James does not deal extensively with doctrinal issues in his short letter. Rather, James focuses on the relation of faith and life. He concludes his epistle with a challenge for believers to deepen their prayer experience. In doing so, James reminds churches that nothing is more practical than a ministry of prayer. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0900 James provides an analysis of the type of faith that saves. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Ask yourself, “During this past month, if someone paid me $10 for every kind word I spoke about other people, and also collected $10 from me for every unkind work I spoke, would I be richer or poorer?” Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0900 As I reread the Baptist Faith and Message statement regarding Last Things, I noticed the end-time issues not addressed by the Baptist Faith and Message, yet issues evangelicals commonly identify as events of the end times. The BFM does not mention the rapture, the tribulation, the Antichrist, or the millennium. Further, the BFM does not discuss the number of comings of Christ, the number of resurrections, nor the number of judgments—all areas of disagreement. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0900 God inspired, or breathed out, the Scriptures. James 1 describes the Word and details fourfold purpose for the Word. First, the Word of God gives life. The Word is a spiritual instrument used by the Spirit to effect new birth. The Word of God possesses regenerative power to make us “the firstfruits” belonging to God (purpose 1). Second, the Word of God sustains life as the “implanted Word” grows into our future salvation, “saves our souls” (purpose 2). Third, the Word examines us as a mirror to examine our lives. As a mirror, the Word keeps a believer from self-deception (purpose 3). Fourth, the Word is a perfect law that guides us in our lives (purpose 4). Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0900 James is a practical book. The practical nature of the message of James, however, hurts at times. Particularly by his use of illustrations, James starts “meddling.” As James discussed faith, Jesus, the local assembly, the law, and judgment, he meddled into my life and most churches of which I am familiar. James dealt with a focused issue—showing partiality or favoritism at church. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0900 No one can separate Christian life and doctrine. The doctrines of the Christian faith radically affect the manner in which a believer lives life. A failure in doctrine inevitably shows up in lifestyle. A failure in lifestyle inevitable goes back to incorrect doctrine. Perhaps nowhere in the New Testament does God more show the inseparableness of doctrinal belief and lifestyle than the book of Galatians. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0900 As a college professor, I design evaluative instruments (daily quizzes and periodic exams) to gauge student progress. I dislike designing tests and find test design difficult. My students even accuse me of duplicity by attempting to trick them. Can you believe their charge? In contrast to my imperfect tests, our Father is a perfect Test Designer. He suitably, perfectly designs tests for our good. Yet, if we do not handle those tests correctly, we may blame the test designer of evil. Our tests may become a temptation. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0900 EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0900 On the day Sunday School teachers focus on this lesson this passage, my wife and I, God willing, will be in New York City for vacation. One of the sights we hope to visit is the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of political freedom. Our visit to this symbol of liberty, nearly coinciding with the celebration of our nation’s birth, reminds us that our political freedom came at a high cost of the lives of freedom fighters. As a son of a career military father, my father taught me that the maintenance of freedom depended on eternal vigilance. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Paul in Galatians 5 highlighted the freedom of a Christian. In Christ, believers are freed from a life of slavery, curse under the law. At the same time, believers are freed to lowly service to Christ and fellow believers. Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Several New Testament scholars refer to Galatians as “The Charter of Christian Liberty.” Indeed, the Greek noun, adjective, and verb for freedom occur ten times in this short letter. The message of Galatians focuses on liberty in Christ—liberty from sin, liberty from legalism, and the liberty of life in the Spirit. The fight for liberty is the eternal vigilance of free men. God miraculously freed Paul, now this freed man fights vigilantly for the one truth that provided his liberty. The fight for the Gospel is a worthy fight. Mighty forces exist today attacking the Gospel of Christian liberty. Are you willing to stand up and fight? Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Augustine, the great leader of the church, identified the exaltation of self as the chief characteristic of the City of Man, in contrast to the humility characteristic of the City of God. Self-exaltation is the oldest alternative religion. The religion of self manifests itself in various ways, including humanity’s attempt to claim a right standing before God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly becomes good news to an individual who understands two truths. First, God is right(eous). Second, humans are not right(eous). Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Can you imagine not having a family? Denilson roamed the streets of one of the largest cities of Brazil without a family. His status changed as former IMB missionaries Rich and Cheryl Elligson adopted Denilson into their family. In his new adopted family, Denilson experienced a new identity, a new name, a new life, new opportunities, safety, security, and lack of want in the necessities of life. My Christian testimony parallels Denilson’s in some ways. Before Christ, I was separated from the family of God, belonging to a spiritual father that treated his offspring like slaves. An unloving spiritual parent, broken promises, uncaring brothers/sisters, and the absence of an inheritance characterized the family to which I belonged. Indeed, elemental spiritual forces ruled my life (4:3, 9). Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 -0900 EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith. Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The title I gave to this lesson comes from Micah 7:4. Micah proclaimed the day approached when the watchmen (prophets) would panic. Micah alternates between messages describing God’s approaching judgment and messages proclaiming hope. In this final chapter, the prophet portrayed the pervasive sickness of Hebrew society that ultimately resulted in the panic of the watchmen. Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 -0900 In our previous lessons, we noticed that Micah proclaimed the coming judgment of God on the corrupt culture of Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah (southern kingdom). The putrid rottenness at the core denied justice in the city gates and marketplace. Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The memorable words of Charles Dickens apply to the life situation of Micah, “It was the best of times and the worst of times.” During the eighth century B.C, the powerful elite enjoyed the best of times militarily and economically. Outwardly, religion abounded. Yet, the poor experienced the eighth-century as the worst of times due to the oppressive economic power of the rich. God sent four prophets to proclaim God’s Word in light of the inward corruption of the people of God: Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, and Amos. Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0900 God places a premium on good leaders. Each major section of Micah foretells of a coming ruler (2:12-13; 5:2-3; 7:14).I remember a vital lesson an elderly minister taught me as I began my ministry, “Your people will go no further in the ways of God than you.” A pastor of godly people will be a godly person. Sadly, spiritual leaders of God’s people are not always spiritual people. The leaders of God’s people in Micah’s day failed to shepherd properly the people. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0900 EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Isaiah is a prophet of song. In Isaiah 5, the prophet sang a song of the vineyard owner (God) and His tender care for the vineyard (Israel). In Isaiah 54, the prophet commands the people of God to sing because God mightily acts on behalf of His people. Isaiah 54:5 functions as the key verse of this chapter; God is Husband, Creator, Lord of power, Holy, Redeemer, and God over all the earth. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Years ago my family and I attended the World’s Fair in New Orleans. The city set up the World’s Fair alongside the Mississippi River. The theme for the World’s Fair was, “Water is Life.” Without water, no life is possible. The need for water produces battles. For years, Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been engaged in a dispute over water rights. Water is costly. I never dreamed I would see the day when I would pay more for water than a gallon of gasoline. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus is a problem for Christians. Most Christians readily name favorite Christmas hymns, yet these same hymn-lovers are hard-pressed to name favorite Resurrection songs. The Resurrection of Jesus functions as the core affirmation of the Christian faith, yet most preachers only preach on the resurrection once a year. Let us confess before God that we need to focus on the Resurrection more adequately. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0900 What would you say if God delivered a message through a prophet that He would liberate and preserve His people through an unbelieving Iranian king? Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0900 After a spiritual victory, a believer often faces great danger. The danger often does not come because the enemy becomes enraged. The danger arises because self-confidence causes us to fail to be alert. Hezekiah received a mighty touch from the Great Physician. He properly worshiped. Then the godly king committed great folly. Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Kyle Yates, former Southern Baptist educator, called Isaiah 53, “the Mt. Everest of the Old Testament.” The legendary Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon called Isaiah 53, “The Bible in miniature.” New Testament authors or preachers quoted almost every verse of this fourth Servant’s Song. The Ethiopian eunuch asked the penetrating question, “Who is the prophet saying this about–himself or another person?” (Acts 8:34). The unanimous witness of the New Testament’s divine commentary on the passage affirms that the Messiah Jesus fulfilled the prophecy. Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0900 <P class=bodycopy><i>EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith.</i></P> Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Isaiah 7 highlights the importance of acting immediately in response to the revealed will of God. Ahaz refused to act, and his lack of faith led to Judah’s downfall. The highlight of the passage is Isaiah’s first prophetic promise of a coming Messiah. Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The great leaders of God’s people in Scripture like Moses (Num 27:18-22) and David (1 Sam. 30:7-8) obeyed God’s will. The last rulers of Judah failed to follow God’s will because they preferred the wisdom of men above the wisdom of God. As a result, God pronounced a series of “woes” upon the Holy City. Failure to follow God’s will brought the nation Judah, particularly the capital city, to the brink of ruin. Isaiah’s prophecy reveals the foolishness of a failure to seek God’s will. Isaiah 29-30 reveals the incorrect ways to discern God’s purposes. Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0900 <P class=bodycopy><i>EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith.</i></P> Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Faithful Christian living means holding firmly to the truth and orderly practicing the truth. Paul consistently illustrated faithfulness by two metaphors: a soldier faithfully obeying a commander (2 Tim. 2:3-4) and an athlete faithfully training to win (2 Tim. 2:5-6). Imagine the inefficiency of an army that does not follow the commands of a superior officer. Like disobedient soldiers, some Thessalonian believers lived irresponsibly (3:6, 7, 11). Their lifestyles hurt the reputation of the Gospel. Like a faithful officer, Paul issued four commands to bring the troops to responsibility (3:4, 6, 10, 12). Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Isaiah was a powerful singer-preacher. The name of the prophet Isaiah encapsulated the theme of his prophetic book, “Yahweh (Jehovah) is salvation.” Isaiah proclaimed the holiness of God; his favorite title for God was “the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah’s God was holy; Isaiah’s people were unholy and sinful. This eighth century B.C. prophet prophesied about God’s coming salvation of a portion of His people from invasion of northern enemies (36-37), captivity (40), sinners from the wrath of God (53), and creation from the bondage of sin (60,66). God’s people faced dangerous international political events, yet the greatest threat God’s people encountered was the moral corruption within the nation. Jewish tradition records that the evil King Manasseh sawed Isaiah in two, a testimony to the faithfulness of this preacher. Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Isaiah 6 describes the call of the man Isaiah into the prophetic ministry. Throughout the Old Testament, God called men from various posts in life; Moses from fugitive status, David from the sheepfold, Amos from the field. God called Isaiah from the aristocratic, royal court. According to Jewish tradition, Isaiah’s father Amoz was the brother of King Amaziah. Although the Bible does not confirm this relationship, all we know about Isaiah lines up with this tradition. Isaiah was the first cousin to the king, called by God to preach a message of sin, judgment, and hope to the royal courts of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0900 Years ago a popular children’s book titled Alexander and His Terrible, Horrible, No - Good, Very Bad Day. Most people can identify with the title of the book. In the midst of those terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad days, we often question the goodness activity of God. Paul wrote to Christians in Thessalonica experiencing severe persecution, although not to the point of martyrdom. The emphasis in this passage on the righteousness or justice of God likely indicates some Thessalonians questioned the divine fairness of the persecution. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians by reminding them of God’s graceful activity in their lives. As well, the apostle pointed them to resources to assist them during the difficult days. Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0900 In 1955, the singing group The Platters released a song titled “The Great Pretender.” A portion of the lyrics state, “I seem to be what I’m not, you see.” I find the title and this portion of the lyrics an apt description of the end-time opponent of God. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0900 One of my favorite theological topics I enjoy teaching is the doctrine of the end times. Some Christians find the topic confusing and avoid the topic of end-times like the plague. Other Christians focus on the topic to the neglect of basic Christian responsibilities. The New Testament emphasis in relation to the precious truth of the Second Coming is upon Christian holiness and steadfastness. The Return of Christ provides comfort (1 Thess. 4:18) as well as challenge (5:11). Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0900 The biblical teachings about the end-times promote and encourage a lifestyle of holiness and responsibility. From biblical times to the present, Christian history reveals when an unbalanced emphasis on end-times led believers to irresponsible behavior. For example, in his letters to the Thessalonian believers, Paul warned against idleness—the refusal to work (1 Thess. 1:11; 2 Thess. 3:6-12). Evidently, some Thessalonian believers quit work because they erroneously thought the end was near. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Many believers disparage the Bible by attempting to predict when Jesus Christ will return. Yes, the statement is shocking. Jesus did not know the time of His coming (Matt. 24:36). Jesus commented to his disciples, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority” (Acts 1:7). The emphasis in God’s Word in relation to the Second Coming of Christ is not information by which a believer can predict the time of His coming; rather the emphasis in God’s Word on this topic relates to how a believer should live in light of His coming. In 1 Thessalonians 3:13, Paul connected the return of Christ with holiness. Christ is coming again; therefore, believers should exhibit holiness. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Every worldview must answer the question, “What happens to a human after death?” Naturalists affirm that only physical entities exist. Since humans lack an immaterial aspect, a naturalist views death as extinction—the cessation of personhood. Paul encountered a group of naturalistic philosophers called Epicureans in Athens (Acts 17:18). Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, teach reincarnation. Reincarnation denies the continued existence of personality after death. Paul encountered a similar viewpoint in the teaching of the Stoic philosophers he encountered in Athens. The so-called Christian Science sect teaches the denial of death. According to Christian Science, all reality is mental; therefore, a physical event such as death does not exist. In contrast to these pessimistic worldviews, Christian truth proclaims the resurrection, the reunion of the immaterial aspect of humanity with a physical body. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Apologetics, the defense of the Christian faith, is an important ministry in our culture. Normally, Christians consider the existence of God, the reliability of Scripture, the deity of Christ, and the resurrection as issues at the forefront of the defense of the Christian faith. In recent years, the nature of humanity has become one of the key issues necessary for Christians to defend. James Leo Garrett, former professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, wrote, “The concept of human nature and destiny, is, according to some, the crucial apologetic issue for Christians today.” In our culture, Christians must defend the very concept that humans are more than mere physical matter. Humans have a soul or immaterial aspect. Further, Christians defend the idea that human life is valuable. Finally, Christians today must defend a definition of humanity that does not define human existence in terms of functioning at a certain level. Christians believe that human life is valuable because human beings possess intrinsic worth. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0900 I shared the Gospel with a Japanese exchange student years ago. In response to my message, he commented, “I cannot become a Christian. I cannot believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.” Unfortunately, many share his viewpoint. I shared with him that a God powerful enough to create also possessed power to create human life without a human father. Our God is Magnificent! Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0900 God used Paul and his missionary team as the church starters that birthed the church at Thessalonica. Paul’s actual ministry in the city of Thessalonica was short due to Jewish persecution. Paul realized these infant Christians needed to grow. He did not simply “dip them and forget them.” He wanted them to grow into mature disciples. In this section of Scripture, Paul modeled leadership in the area of discipleship. One of the great failures in discipleship is the lack of leaders discipling others Christians. If you are a Christian leader—a pastor, a Bible teacher, a committee chairperson—then Paul’s example ministers to you. Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Do you remember when you came to the Lord? Paul expressed thanksgiving for the Gospel in the lives of the Thessalonians. First, Paul focused on God. The first chapter contains seven references to God in 10 short verses (1:1,2,3,4,8,9, 10). Second, the apostle celebrated the Gospel, the message, particularly in the first two chapters. In the first chapter, Paul highlighted the Gospel preached (1:5), the Gospel received (1:6), and the Gospel shared (1:8). Third, Paul anticipated the Second Coming. Each chapter of 1 Thessalonians concludes with a reference to the Second Coming (1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:23). Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Leadership is a buzzword in today’s business world and church. Some secular leadership gurus are discovering great leadership principles from God’s Word. Christian leadership is essential to the health of the church. In fact, the church will never outgrow the quality of its leadership. Paul frequently experienced attacks on his apostleship and leadership. In 1 Thessalonians 2, Paul defended his style of leadership as one that matched well with the Gospel. Any leader in the church, from pastor to Bible teacher to committee chairperson, functions for the advance of the Gospel. Evaluate your leadership in light of the following biblical leadership principles. Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0900 David enjoyed success in almost every area of his life. He slew the giant Goliath; he faithfully served in the court of King Saul, unified the Jewish tribes, and established a capital city at Jerusalem. The king expanded the borders of Israel into Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan gaining control of the land promised to Abraham. The Bible highlights David as a musician, diplomat, city builder, warrior, and king. David miserably failed in one area of life—the most important area of life—family. David was an unfaithful husband and a poor father. Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0900 The Bible describes David as a man “after God’s own heart.” David experienced great success in his life as a diplomat, warrior, king, and administrator. In addition to the “thrill of victory,” David experienced the “agony of defeat.” David failed in his home life. His repentance for his grievous sins was genuine. I believe the phrase “man after God’s own heart” describes the repentant heart of David. More important than governmental success was the heart of David for the worship of God. Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0900 God never changes. This Scriptural affirmation provides solace and comfort in difficult days. Since God never changes, this truth implies that change characterizes humans. In light of changeless God, each individual must answer the question, “Am I changing positively or negatively?” How can we evaluate change? By what standard can we evaluate our change? Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0900 I enjoy the biblical parables. Jesus was the master parablist. He powerfully and effectively communicated truth by means of stories developed from human life (Luke 15) or agriculture (Mark 4). We misunderstand the parables if we define a parable as “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Parables invited the listeners to make a decision—a judgment. Invariably, the listener’s judgment condemned the listener. Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Character is important in the life of a political leader as well as a spiritual leader. 1 Samuel 24 reveals the contrasting characters of Saul and David. Saul actively planned the death of David; David received an unplanned, “chance” opportunity to kill Saul and refused. Saul personally attempted to kill David, promoted David to general likely in the hopes of the general’s death by the hands of the enemy, engineered marriages designed to bring about David’s death, and enlisted his son to kill his best friend. Saul coveted the opportunity to violate the sixth commandment! So incessant did Saul pursue David’s death that the Bible does not report the result of his battlefield engagement with the Philistines (1 Sam. 23:26-29). Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0900 The death of Saul, the first king, created questions about the future of Israel. Israel encountered similar situations in the past, a point the biblical text highlights in 2 Samuel 1:1: “After the death of Saul…” Similar wording occurs at Joshua 1:1, “After the death of Moses…” The book of Judges opens, “After the death of Joshua…” God’s faithfulness in the past provides assurance for the present. God demonstrated his faithfulness when past leaders died. Israel had a future after the death of the liberator Moses, after the conqueror Joshua, and the book of 2 Samuel highlights a future after the monarch Saul. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0900 The people of God faced a leadership transition. The people rejected God by demanding a king like other nations (1 Sam. 8:7). Samuel appointed a king “for them” (1 Sam. 8:22). God rejected the king (1 Sam. 15:26). God, then, selected a king for Himself from the sons of Jesse (1 Sam. 16:1 literal translation). God selected a man “after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Although Old Testament scholars are unsure of the meaning of the name “David,” the name popularly is understood as meaning “beloved.” Old Testament scholar Victor Hamilton points the frequency with which the Scriptures describe someone as loving David: Saul (1 Sam. 16:21), Jonathan (18:1; 20:17), all Israel and Judah (18:16), Michel (18:20, 28), and the servants of Saul (18:22). David is the object of love, never the lover in Scripture. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Years ago, O.S. Hawkins wrote a book with the title After Revival, Then What? The people of God experienced a mighty revival under the leadership of the godly Samuel (1 Sam. 7). What would the people of God experience next? Unfortunately, the people of God settled for less than God’s best rather than continuing the revival emphasis. What steps led to this condition of experiencing less than God’s best? What were the consequences? Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0900 The Israelite tribes requested a king like other nations. Humanly speaking, Saul possessed all the attributes one expected in a king. First, he came from the right family; Saul’s father was an influential, wealthy, “man of valor” (1 Sam. 9:1 NASB). Second, Saul possessed traits that today we call “media appeal.” He was young, handsome, and tall (1 Sam. 9:2). Saul, however, lacked the most important credential for serving as king; he failed at the issue of integrity. Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0900 The people of God will rise no higher than the level of spirituality of the leaders. This truth challenges every leader in the church from Sunday School teachers to the pastor. Let us be honest. One reason for the low level of spirituality in the church today is the low level of spirituality among pastors. At the Baptist College of Florida, every student completes a required course in spiritual formation and growth. Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0900 The enemy of the people of God dominated the Israelites. The very persistence of the problem of the Philistines pilfered, paralyzed, and perplexed the people. The Israelites could do nothing more than remember a humiliation of the enemy that occurred 20 years previously (1 Sam. 7:2). Unfortunately, many of the children of God possess only a distant memory of a great victory over the enemy forces. Yet, I remain convinced that God wants His people to experience a measure of victory here. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <P class=bodycopy><i>EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith.</i></P> Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0900 The Book of Acts traces the geographical expansion of the Gospel message from Jerusalem to Rome, that is from the Jewish capital to the power center of the mighty Roman Empire. In addition to geographical freedom, Acts demonstrates the spiritual power of the Gospel. According to former seminary professor Frank Stagg, the last word of Acts “without hindrance” functioned as the key to understanding this book. Acts details the Gospel overcoming all human attempts to limit the freedom of the Gospel, such as, the limitation of prejudice. The Ethiopian eunuch asked, “what hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36). Neither the man’s skin color nor possible physical deformity hindered him from identifying with Christ through baptism. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Leadership is a key to the success of God’s people. As the book of Samuel opens, the people of God experienced difficult times. The Philistines oppressed them militarily (1 Sam. 4-5). The priestly leaders victimized the people of God religiously (2:12-17, 22-25). The people of God experienced the silence of the word of God prophetically (3:1). Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0900 Occasionally, I hear someone make a comment debunking the doctrine of election. “I do not believe in election.” I understand what the person intends to say; I do not believe the person means what he or she says. W. A. Criswell, legendary pastor of the First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, addressed the importance of the doctrine of election in the Bible: “We have a tendency to back away from the word ‘predestination,’ to hesitate before the word ‘election,’ but no so with God, and not so with the Word of God. They are words much used. It is a revelation employed and it is a truth of God, functional, on which this earth stands and by which the Kingdom of God abides forever.” The Word of God must form and shape our understanding of election, not human reason or sensibilities. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=bodycopy><i>EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention’s confession of faith.</i></P> Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <P class=“bodycopy”><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></P> Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=Bodycopy><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></p> Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=1stparagraph><i>EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></p> Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=1stparagraph><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></p> Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=1stparagraph><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></p> Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=1stparagraph><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></p> Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=bodycopy>EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</p> Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <i>EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an occasional series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></p> Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0900 <p class=1stparagraph><i>Editor's note: This is the first in a series of commentaries examining and explaining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith.</i></p>