Author: ShapedByTruth

I Thought I Knew My Bible

I THOUGHT I KNEW MY BIBLE

Yes, I thought I knew my Bible
Reading piecemeal, hit or miss

Now a part of John or Matthew
Then a bit of Genesis

Certain chapters of Isaiah
Certain psalms, the twenty third.

First of Proverbs, twelfth of Romans
Yes, I thought I knew the Word

But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do

And the way was unfamiliar
When I read my Bible through.

You who like to play at Bible
Dip and dabble here and there

Just before you kneel all weary
Yawning through a hurried prayer.

You who treat this crown of writings
As you treat no other book

Just a paragraph disjointed
Just a crude impatient look.

Try a worthier procedure
Try a broad and steady view;

You will kneel in awesome wonder
When you read the Bible through, and through, and through.

http://www.thebereancall.org/node/1031

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

reformation

I think it is laughable that so-called “reformed” thinkers accuse anyone who is not an hyper-five-point-calvanist of being an “un-reformed” promoter of a “man-centered” gospel.

These are folks who regularly demonstrate their ignorance of history and lack of understanding about what the reformation was about. Thier brand of theology would accuse even Calvin of not being “calvanist enough”.

One of the “last straws” that kicked off the Reformation was about trying to reform the Catholic Church and stop practices such as people buying “indulgences” from priests (paying money for forgiveness of sin).

The reformation was a reaction against the abuses of the Roman Catholic church, and the writings of the reformers reflect this.

Here’s a quick timeline to consider:

1384 – Wycliffe English Bible
1509 – John Calvin born
1517 – Martin Luther’s “Nintey-Five Theses”
1536 – Calvin’s reform work begins, publishes “Institues of the Christian Religeon”
1542-1546 – Calvin’s Reign of Terror in Geneva
1564 – John Calvin dies
1610 – Five articles of Remonstrance
1619 – Five Points of Calvinism

The Five Articles of Remonstrance were a reaction to hyper-calvanism.

The Five Points of Calvanism were a reaction to the Five Articles of Remonstrance.

As with anything that is “a reaction to something”, all to often exaggerated statements are used in order to emphasize distinction.

Typically this is not too much of a problem unless people baseline their reasoning on these exaggerated statements instead of on scripture alone.

Folks all too often veer away from one ditch only to land themselves into another ditch.

The best thing to do, is put away all pre-conceived notions and “traditions of men” and just read the Bible and follow what scripture says.

Mark 7:8-9
“For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men-—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”

Mark 7:13 “Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Colossians 2:8
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

[NOTE: Interestingly enough the Five Points of Calvanism did not come about until over 100 years after the start of the Reformation. Many modern “reformational thinkers” act as if Calvin (or at least their idealized understanding of Calvin) was the only reformer, when in fact there were many. Of course Calvin was the only one to become a theocratic dicator of his own city-state where he oversaw the execution of 58 people–many just for being critical of his “Institutes of the Christian Religeon”. So, that may have something to do with it. Interesting that while other reformers were willing to die for what they believed, Calvin was willing to kill for what he believed…]

10 Commandments

1. Do not have any other gods before Me

2. You shall not make for yourself an idol

3. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God

4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy

5. Honor your father and your mother

6. You shall not murder

7. You shall not commit adultery

8. You shall not steal

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

10. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor

Exodus 20:2-17
Deuteronomy 5:6-20

love and tolerance

The contemporary definition of tolerance is that you are expected to agree with, validate, affirm, indulge, coddle, adopt, and consider as equally true the contradictory opinions of everyone around you.

This is particularly bogus, because the tolerant crowd is conspicuosly tolerant of everything except Biblical Christianity. Try it, just say “Jesus is the ONLY way” in a crowd and see what happens…

The classical definition of tolerance is: “I don’t believe you should die or be imprisoned simply because we disagree.”

People should be able to discuss, compare, and contrast their differing views and then still be able to go out to lunch together afterwards even if they never reach an agreement.

Unfortunately, in this post-modern culture, if you don’t agree with and affirm someone’s opinion, they get all huffy and take it as a personal attack on them.

Everyone is so used to having their egos stroked and their self-esteem built up by other people.

Teacher: Johnny, what is 2+2?
Johnny: 5?
Teacher: Oh, Johnny, spoke so well in your answer. Didn’t he class? Why Johnny, you are such a smart little boy, here have a sticker.

BALONEY!

The whole self-esteem psychobabble has accomplished nothing but raise two generations of milktoast mamby pamby wimps who need constant coddling from an enabling nanny.

Instead, it would be far better–and far more beneficial to the person–to correct them when they are wrong.

People need to get their confidence from KNOWING THE TRUTH. Jesus said, “You will know the TRUTH and the TRUTH will set you free” (John 8:32).

It is the TRUTH that sets you free, anything else is BONDAGE.

The post-mods need have to have thier self-esteem artificially inflated because they are taught that everything is relative, that everyone’s opinion is equally valid and true. Having no foundation of their own, they are enslaved to the need of someone else constantly around to affirm and build them up.

When challenged, they fall apart. They take it as “you don’t like me”, and as a personal attack directly on them.

They have no concept of: “I love you and care about you enough to tell you the truth”.

There is a horrible misconception about what it means to love someone.

If you love someone, you want what is best for them. Sometimes what is best is not what that person wants, and can even be painful.

Love is NOT about:

– “whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy”
– avoiding making waves or offending people
– wanting people to like you
– supressing the truth because it might make them feel bad
– making people feel good about being wrong
– making people feel relaxed and comfortable on their roadtrip to hell

Love IS ABOUT:

– letting people know when they are heading in the wrong direction
– pulling people out of the fire

Speaking the truth in love is NOT about watering down the truth or sugar coating it.

It IS ABOUT speaking the truth motivated by love for that person.

You don’t tell people the truth because you want to impress people, demonstrate how smart and holy you are, or bring attention to yourself. It is also not about being obnoxious for the sake of being obnoxious. Apply what is necessary to get the person’s attention and make the point.

You tell people the truth because you care about them and don’t want them to burn eternally in hell.