February 26, 2005 by iMonk
Some thoughts on legalism, spurred by a rather amazing Bible Study on why earrings are wrong….and more. It’s especially amazing since Jesus so directly addressed these matters so clearly in Mark 7.
[Continue reading]
February 25, 2005 by iMonk
I doubt that many Internet Monk readers watched or listened to Dr. Gene Scott. His passing this week made me sad, but it also made me reflect on how bland evangelicalism has become, and what a shot of hard whiskey Gene Scott was for the thirty years he broadcast his strange and wonderful program around the world on television and shortwave.
If Joel Osteen is the smiling face of evangelical success, Gene Scott was the scowling, ranting voice of a segment of American religion that refuses to be domesticated by the spinners and hype men. He may have been a great teacher, and he may have been a crook. But Jesus would have liked the guy, I’m certain, and I think he was an amazing man who heard his own drummer louder than most. Denounce me if you will, but here’s my tribute to an American Religious Icon, the infamous cigar-chomping, profanity-using, communion-loving, money-demanding star of the University Network, Dr. Gene Scott.
[Continue reading]
February 21, 2005 by iMonk
I was viewing the web site of a church a friend was visiting, when I saw the current sermon series was entitled “Finding the Sweet Spot in Your Spiritual Life.” Compulsory video clip of the pastor with a golf pro, borrowing the language of golf to try and communicate the message of the Christian life.
Does it matter? The words we use about the faith….do they matter?
It reminded me of one of my favorite IM essays: Fighting Words. Another in the “iMonk 101″ series of critiques of evangelicalism.
Continue Reading:“Fighting Words: What happens when we abandon the vocabulary of faith.”
February 20, 2005 by iMonk
If you are concerned about my views on the Bible, please read this:
Setting aside general revelation (creation, nature) and experience, everything we know about the Good News of God in Jesus Christ, we know from the Bible.
In fact, it is entirely right to say that the Bible’s theme- its message- is the message of Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
When I speak of the inspiration of the Bible, I am not usually talking about some general idea of the Bible’s truthfulness, but I am speaking about its truthfulness in presenting all things necessary for salvation and life in Christ. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches:
Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach? A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.
Now there are a number of theories of inspiration, but Christian confessions have not required that a specific theory of inspiration be endorsed beyond the result of that inspiration. The Second London Confession, for example, says
Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church…to commit the same (i.e. himself and his will) wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary…The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.
Even the New Hampshire Confession- which uses the word “perfect” to describe the Bible- CLEARLY teaches that Salvation and the principles or eternal judgement are the message of scripture.
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
Therefore, I believe that confessional Christianity wisely focuses on the ultimate, final purpose of the Bible, and not on the mechanism used to achieve that result.
This is wise, because there will always be vast disagreement over the nature of the Biblical material, and what kind of books they are. This diversity of views has always been true, and will continue as the Bible is studied.
What must be noted, however, is that those who see, for example, the Gospels as exact reports of conversations and events, and those who see the Gospels as literary creations drawing portraits of Jesus for theological purposes, will both sit under the teaching of the Word, with open Bible and open hearts, listening for the Spirit to illuminate the Word so that Christ may be known, worshiped, obeyed and loved.
We may disagree on whether the Bible meant to tell us the age of the earth in scientific terms. We may disagree about dinosaurs on the ark. We may disagree over why there are two temple cleansings by Jesus at two different times in his ministry. We may disagree over whether there are multiple authors to Biblical books. We may disagree over whether all of Jesus’ exorcisms were demon possession rather than physical/mental conditions unknown at the time. We may disagree on these things and still say:
All we know about Salvation by grace through faith by Christ comes from the Bible. That is what I believe. I have a view on Genesis, and a view on Job and a view on the Gospels. My views are, as best I can understand it, in line with what I believe these books are, and what they were written to be. I want to understand these texts so I can clearly hear their message. But at the end of the process, I read the Bible as God’s Word to me about the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. I come to scripture to know Jesus, and to hear the Word of my salvation.
February 18, 2005 by iMonk
I’m bringing over some BHT posts for this edition of the weekend file. First, some honest thoughts about how the “inerrancy” debate intersects with my own experience as a Christian. Then, a story from the Spencer Family Hall of Fame. Let’s just say that our Valentine’s day was….uh….memorable.
[Continue reading]
February 17, 2005 by iMonk
I am getting beaten up pretty badly in the blogosphere right now, so let’s try to think about the subject of conformity. I would like to invite you to explore with me the following thesis:
Christians in America are increasingly falling into the stereotypical categories being created by the engines of the culture war, making it difficult for thoughtful people who resist categorization and do not fully identify with the polarizations of the culture war to be tolerated within evangelicalism or identified as “real Christians.” In fact, the very categories themselves fail to accommodate the rich diversities and depths of the Biblical/Christian worldview.
Take a look at the choices, read the post, and while I am not asking you to comment on all the choices, I would invite you to comment on those items that you feel most strongly support or deny my premise.
[Continue reading]
February 15, 2005 by iMonk
Dear Sir: What a total disappointment.
I do like your wisdom and passion. However, you have become too smart.
May God have mercy on you regarding your responsibility to adhere to the inerrancy of scripture
The discussion on inerrancy at the BHT and here at IM always fills my mailbox with mail that I can’t answer. All I can do is make an attempt to say what I believe is a reasonable approach to Christian scripture. That approach doesn’t do well with those who need perfection in their hands before they can say they have truth in their minds. I am not an inerrantist. It’s costing me friends, and it makes me uncomfortable. Here’s some of my thoughts. I know they will make a lot of you unhappy, but I’m nailing it to the door anyway. We need to articulate what we believe about scripture in a way that comports with the real nature of the Biblical texts, not inerrant, perfect autographs no one will ever have.
[Continue reading]
February 12, 2005 by iMonk
A Pentecostal evangelist visited our chapel this week, and as I listened to his uh….sermon, I reviewed in my mind some of the things that I have come to believe about the Bible and how those things now influence my faith. So I don’t know if this will impress you, but I am going to start with a critique of how we read the Bible (which I have already suggested in another essay,) then I am going to compare that to my own approach to the Gospel of Mark, and then I will draw some conclusions about how the Bible presents its message to us. It sounds confusing, but I think it will be helpful.
What will I have when this essay is all done? Hopefully, a way for you to see how the Bible and the Christian life flow together, and what exactly we take away from the Bible for our lives now. Listening to the way the Bible is used to present the truth about God, you will discover a lot about the presuppositions of anyone who calls himself a Christian. So let’s go exploring, and I hope you are open to thinking and reconsidering how you read, teach, preach and use the Bible.
[Continue reading]
February 9, 2005 by iMonk
I haven’t done the official totals, but it is obvious to me that “Wretched Urgency” is the IM essay that seems to describe the experiences and feelings of most of the people who say they like what I write. I even think the title may qualify as a “brand!” Time for the “Wretched Urgency” store!
Seriously, this is an essay about the pressure to “be a witness,” and it has reached a lot of people in a positive way. If you haven’t read it, I invite you to give it a try.
Continue to “Wretched Urgency: The Grace of God or Hamsters on a Wheel?”
February 8, 2005 by iMonk
Step into the office, readers. The doctor is in. Today’s problem: Getting over a common malady among serious, reformed Christians. Yes, I mean that nagging split personality between believing what is true, and experiencing what is real. Is a high view of doctrine, Word and Sacrament the enemy of genuine piety and experience? Is it the Calvinistic lecture hall versus the Charismatic “really big shoo?”
To begin with, we need a basic question. Which matters more to you? What is real, or what you feel? Those two questions simplify a more complex sounding dilemma: Should we seek objectivity or subjectivity? In matters of Christian faith, the question is just as important: Is the Christian life an objective acceptance of what is real, feeling not withstanding, or is it a subjective experience of what we genuinely, even intensely feel is real for our lives now?
[Continue reading]
February 6, 2005 by iMonk
The Internet Monk asks for a favor from long-time readers.
[Continue reading]
February 5, 2005 by iMonk
Should I say I have been O-verblogged with O-pinion about O-steen? Has my blog become the “Story of O?” ‘Tis true. The many deeds of Prosper-O hath made my island a regular traffic jam this week. But I press on, even if J-O can’t be distracted, and the O-Dogg still be rappin’, yappin’ and clappin’ ’bout dem postive confessions.
Join me inside for this week’s Internet Monk Weekend file, first weekend of February edition.
[Continue reading]
February 3, 2005 by iMonk
“This is my Bible. I am what it says I am, I have what it says I have, I can do what it says I can do. Today I’ll be taught the Word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive, I’ll never be the same, in Jesus name.”- Congregational Confession led by Joel Osteen at the beginning of each sermon.Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Acts 20:29-30 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
