Time out

I’m taking time out from the blog for a while to finish a book project…and a few other projects that never seem to get done.

We’ve put an end to the church hunting saga and settled on a hundred-year-old multi-generational church that is proudly Baptist. So it’s a relief to finally stop looking.

Now we’re on a mission to simplify our lives for a while and catch our breath. Hence the whole time out from the blog thing. If the book ever gets made, I’ll post about it on here this fall. And if something strikes me as urgent or important I may put up a post. But for now, gotta focus on some other things. So in the meantime, enjoy some random pics of the family from this summer (and a few Fensterpickles thrown in).

Verse of the month

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

John 8: 34-36

The "last days" catchphrase

A Jehovah’s Witness gave us this “Awake!” magazine not long ago. The eschatology in it isn’t too much different from what you get in Left Behind, or Chick tracks, or even a lot of Sunday school curricula.

Are we living in the last days? The implied answer is “Yes!” It’s so obvious, isn’t it? There are “wars and rumors of wars,” there are “perilous times.” These must be the last days.

The implied application is, “Straighten up, the teacher’s coming back, look to the skies…and whatever you do, don’t make any long-range plans.”

But is this Biblical doctrine, or a clever trick of Satan to paralyze our outlook?

Certainly Paul warned Timothy, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3: 1). But when are the “last days”? If he was talking about 2,000 years in the future, how would that pertain to Timothy? Did perilous times ever come in Timothy’s lifetime?

If we dig a little deeper it appears that “the last days” mainly refers to the last years of Old Israel.

When many in the church were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter told the bystanders “…these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…” (Acts 2: 15-17). So the prophecy about the “last days” was being fulfilled at that time—2,000 years ago.

In the opening passages of Hebrews we read, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” (1: 1, 2).

John writes, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2: 18). Surely his readers didn’t think he meant the last moments of history. Even if they did, we know that it wasn’t the “last time” of history. It was the “last time” of Israel.

Peter writes of Christ, “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (I Peter 1: 20). So Christ and Peter lived in the “the last times”—the last days of Israel. (The nation of Israel, established by God, was permanently destroyed by God via the Roman army in A.D. 70—just a few years after most of the New Testament books were written).

So the meaning of phrases like “the last days” or “the last times” changes dramatically when they’re read in context. But that doesn’t keep many Christian “experts” from sensationalizing them—or even claiming that they refer exclusively to our own generation. How else can they scare people into buying books and turn their attention away from things that matter?

Encouraging News

Some random headlines you might have missed. Pass them along.

1) Sarah Palin a strong pro-life advocate

"As many as 80 percent of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome become victims of abortion, but Alaska Gov, Sarah Palin didn’t let her child become a statistic…'We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives,' she said. 'We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed.'"

2) Palin in favor of teaching creation science

"Republican Sarah Palin said she thinks creationism should be taught alongside evolution in the state's public classrooms....'Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so important, and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both.'"

3) Jindal signs "intelligent design" bill

"Lousiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed into law the Louisiana Science Education Act, ensuring the state’s teachers their right to teach the scientific evidence both for and against Darwinian evolution. The bill enjoyed surprisingly overwhelming support from lawmakers. It was passed unanimously by the Louisiana state senate, and pased the state House by a vote of 93-4."

4) Ex-Muslim named president of Baptist college

"Caner, 37, is the son of a devout Islamic leader and most of his family, including his father, has disowned him. He converted to Christianity in 1982 with the help of a Christian friend who invited him to a prayer meeting at a Southern Baptist church."

Baptist Church vs. Bible Church

The church we’ve been attending has changed its name from Baptist Church to Bible Church. It has also changed its denomination: it now takes out an ad under “Nondenom-inational” in the local paper.

But we’re kind of hesitant to jump on board and toss aside the Baptist distinction without a good reason. Read “Trail of Blood” or any other Baptist history book to find out why. They’re called Baptists for a reason and they’re distinguished from every other denomination for a reason.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t good New Testament churches with nondescript designations: community church, chapel, bible church, etc. It’s one thing if you’ve always been a Bible Church and are still baptistic in principle. But I’m a little leery of a Baptist church that wants to stop being Baptist in order to intentionally become something more vague and innocuous.

We were told, “Baptist doesn’t mean anything anymore.” But does “Nondenominational Bible Church” clarify anything? Wouldn’t every denomination say they believe the Bible?

The problem with “nondenominational” is that it doesn’t mean a single thing…or it can mean everything. It’s a Rorschach ink blot. It’s like saying your college major is “Undeclared.” But I guess that’s appealing to a lot of people.

Are we wrong to think this whole change is somewhat odd?

Who controls this world?

I heard a pastor recently say that Satan is in charge of this world. This is a topic I’m continuing to study, but at this point I’d have to say I disagree with him. Of course, if you disagree with me feel free to say so.

Believing Satan is king of earth is a key com-ponent of dispen-sational theology, and it’s a good example of how dispensationalism can infect your entire worldview. In dispen-sational theology Satan is destined to gradually overtake the entire world and God’s kingdom can’t be inaugurated until after that happens.

Those who claim this is Satan’s world rely on verses like Ephesians 2: 2 which refers to him as “the prince of the power of the air”; or 1 Peter 5: 8 which says, “the devil, like a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” But they miss the bigger narrative.

Satan did have relatively unchecked power over the nations of this world…up until Christ came. In the ancient world, only a small enclave called Israel was even exposed to the redemptive promise of the Messiah. The rest of the nations had no choice but to follow Satan because that’s all they knew. At that time Satan was effectively the prince of this world.

But when Christ came everything changed. The kingdom was inaugurated and Satan’s power was significantly diminished. John the Baptist announced, “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1: 15), and Jesus proclaimed, “now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12: 31).

Remember when the Pharisees accused Christ of using the power of Satan to cast out demons? “And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils,” He said, “by whom do your children cast them out?...But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house” (Matt. 12: 27-29). So Christ’s first advent signaled not just the inauguration of the kingdom, but the binding of the “strong men” (Satan and his demons).

How could this be? We know that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalms 24: 1). Prior to Christ coming, Satan was a temporary usurper. But God gave His Son the authority to reclaim His creation: “All power is given unto me in heaven and earth” (Matt 28: 18). “He that cometh from above is above all…The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand” (John 3: 31, 35).

By dying for the sins of all, Christ “…blott[ed] out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us…nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2: 14, 15). The principalities and powers he spoiled were Satan’s.

It is an ongoing conquest. The kingdom grows gradually (Matthew 13: 31-33), consuming all earthly kingdoms (Daniel 2: 34-44); it does not appear suddenly and full-blown on day one. Satan still has power, but he is not in control. He no longer owns entire nations. He is reduced to prowling at night, picking off individuals. With each passing century his dominion is decreased, even as his tactics become more desperate and blatant.

Since Christ’s resurrection, God has set Him “at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet” (Eph 1: 20-22). God the Father has told Christ “sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110: 1).

In the “fullness of times” God will “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Ephesian 1: 10).

First Corinthians 15 tells us that when Christ returns to resurrect the dead, “then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”

When Christ comes back He is not going to start His kingdom; it’s already started. He’s going to deliver His kingdom up to His Father and the kingdom will continue for eternity in Heaven. Until that time, I believe, He has given His followers authority to reclaim the earth—not by force, but by spreading "the gospel of the kingdom" and the promise of spiritual regeneration. The meek "shall inherit the earth”—not be raptured out of it while Satan expands his empire.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace,” Christ said. “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Verses to encourage home educators

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up (Deut. 6: 5-7).

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding (Proverbs 9: 11).

Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD (Psalms 34: 11).

Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24: 15).

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed (Proverbs 13:20).

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck (Proverbs 1: 7-9).

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22: 6).

And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children (Isaiah 54: 13).

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen (Jer. 10: 2).

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6: 4).

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate (Psalms 127: 3-5).

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth (I John 1: 4).

Verse of the month

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7: 14