Grace! ’tis a charming sound

Grace! ’tis a charming sound,
Harmonious to the ear;
Heav’n with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear.

The Source and Fullness of Grace
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

The Sovereignty of Grace
Romans 11:5-6 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Ephesians 1:5-6 5 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Romans 9:15-16 For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Salvation by Grace
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Grace is Sufficient
Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Grace taught my wandering feet
To tread the pilgrim road;
And new supplies each hour I meet
While pressing on to God.

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Grace all the work shall crown
Through everlasting days;
It lays in love the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise.
(Philip Doddridge)

Ninety-Third Psalm tune

3 arrested in death, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 3 arrested in death of pregnant Chicago woman -- "A pregnant woman who had gone to a Chicago home in response to a Facebook offer of free baby clothes was strangled and her baby cut from her womb, police and family members said. The newborn was in grave condition and not expected to survive."
• A Question Of Contempt: Why The Barr Vote Could Prove Costly For Congress -- "Update: The Democrats are now arguing that they are not demanding the redacted Grand Jury information despite weeks of calling for the full and unredacted report — and a subpoena that demands the entire unredacted report."
• Converted clog-dancers: Spurgeon on drawing a crowd -- "Cheapjack advertising is altogether out of harmony with the grand truths and the glorious spirit of the gospel."
• Does intent matter anymore? -- "...here you have one of the most popular and powerful sports organizations in the world labeling one of its own fans a racist without knowing if he’s actually racist."
• Explaining Progressive Gender Theory To Right Wing Bigots -- "And womanhood certainly has nothing at all to do with your body parts. But if you don't have a uterus then you shouldn't be giving your opinion on women's rights. No uterus, no opinion."
• How to Defeat the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact -- "A key difference between conservatives and liberals is the way in which they handle a presidential election loss...when liberals lose under the existing rules, they seek to change the rules..."
• Hugh Miller – The Christian Radical -- "In looking at Miller’s politics we need to be careful of both a 21st century subjectivism and chronological snobbery."
• Louisiana College Professor Resigns in Protest After School Leaders Conceal Lewd, Sexist Comments by Prominent Dean -- "After Joshua Joy Dara, a local Baptist minister and LC’s Dean of Human Behavior, made offensive comments that objectified women’s bodies during a mandatory chapel service, the school’s leaders attempted to diminish criticism of a man its president called “one of the top five most powerful people in Central Louisiana”."
• Religious liberty and a good chicken sandwich -- "At least one San Antonio City Council member has publicly apologized for his harsh criticism of Chick-fil-A and his vote to remove the restaurant from the city airport concessionaire contract."
• Texas Baptist group ousts church led by registered sex offender -- "Leaders of a Texas branch of the Southern Baptist Convention recently voted to withdraw fellowship from a San Antonio church pastored by a registered sex offender."
• The Fall of All the Mall Walls: Definitions in the Age of Social Media -- "How words are defined, and who defines them, proved to be a little more thought intensive than one might imagine."
• The Latest: 3 arrested in death of pregnant woman -- "Chicago Police say the woman who was strangled before her unborn son was cut from her womb had bought baby clothes from her alleged killer before the day she died."
• What Does it Mean to be Pro-Life? -- "As Christians, we are called to demonstrate our faith and love to others by ensuring their physical, emotional, and safety needs are met."
• What Does It Mean to Be ‘Pro-Life’? -- "We stand alone in our calling to save children. We need to fulfill it."
• What Does It Really Mean to Be Pro-Life? -- "...the term encapsulates so much more than simply an opposition to abortion."
• Where Circus and Church Meet: A Plea for the Recovery of Sola Scriptura in Worship -- "What is your view of clown ministry in the local church?"
• Woman allegedly shoves and kills 74-year-old man after he told her to be nice to bus passengers -- "On April 23, a hospice care worker discovered Fournier dead. A coroner later determined that he died from complications of blunt force torso injuries..."
• 5 Reasons Pastors Ought to Pray for Slow Growth -- "...sometimes, the line between godly and ungodly ambition is dangerously thin."

Quoting and Misquoting Scripture

There are some distinctions that need to be made to help us better understand the phenomenon.

Direct quotes vs. Reference, Paraphrase, or Allusion

Consider the context of the quoting – whether direct quotes of Scripture are intended, or whether the person is making a reference or allusion to Scripture. If a person claims to be quoting Scripture, then that settles it, as far as intent is concerned. However, we often refer to Scripture without intending or claiming to be directly quoting it. This is acceptable, as long as we have not changed the meaning, and do not assert it to be a direct quote. The New Testament writers often reference Old Testament Scripture without quoting it. Sometimes we make “stabs” at quoting Scripture! I most often do that when preaching and my memory fails me. I usually back up and say “let’s read that so we can get it right.”

Misquotes

Then there are misquotes, which seem to fall into at least three categories: (1) misquotes that change the meaning of the text, (2) misquotes that retain the meaning of the text, and (3) misquotes that may either change or retain the meaning of the text based on the context in which it is quoted. The first is a quote like “Money is the root of all evil” versus “The love of money is the root is the root of all evil” – which mean two different things. “Pride goes before a fall” is a truncated quote of Proverbs 16:18 (“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”) but retains the basic truth of the text. “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” is not a universally applicable statement. To quote it as a universal truth is incorrect (it is not applicable to the unbeliever), but if stated that way in the context of truth for Christians, it does not introduce an unscriptural teaching.

Chimney quotes or Phantom passages

Chimney quotes, “Chimney Corner Scripture,” or phantom passages are misquotes only in the sense that the person believes the statement he or she is making is found in Scripture – when in fact it isn’t Scripture at all. If you state “God helps those that help themselves,” you may be correctly quoting Benjamin Franklin, but you are “misquoting” the Bible (if you claim it is in the Bible). The same goes for “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” (John Wesley), “Spare the rod and spoil the child” (Samuel Butler), and “God moves in a mysterious way” (William Cowper). Chimney quotes may or may not distil some biblical concepts. Even if they do, the authority of Scripture should not be assigned to them.

Misdirects or misapplication

Misdirects label verses that are quoted correctly (as far as the wording is concerned), but quoted in a context that misapplies the meaning. “Judge not, that ye be not judged” is possibly the most often correctly-quoted incorrectly-applied Scripture in existence! Saints and sinners seem to stand abreast with the “judge not” sword sheathed and ready for action.

Summary

Not all misquotations of Scripture fall into the same category. They are of different kinds and degrees. Some are more damaging while others may just be annoying. Some misquotes retain the meaning and message of Scripture while not rising to the level of an accurate quote. Others misapply and misdirect Scripture and have negative results. When we intend to quote Scripture we should do it to the best of our abilities. We should be straightforward when we are only referencing Scripture and/or know we are not giving a quote word-for-word. If we are making a statement that “sums up” what we believe Scripture teaches, say so – without leaving the impression our summary is Scripture.

Threeabouts

The following list of posts from the past share in common the number 3 in their titles.

• The Number Three
• These Three Men
• Three
• Three Amigos
• Three Marks
• Three Names, One Office
• Three Whats
• 3 Purveyors of Persecution

Have a Blessed Memorial Day

Yon marble minstrel’s voiceless stone

In deathless song shall tell,

When many a vanquished ago has flown,

The story how ye fell;

Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter’s blight,

Nor Time’s remorseless doom,

Shall dim one ray of glory’s light

That gilds your deathless tomb.

From Bivouac of the Dead, by Theodore O’Hara

“On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Army, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.”

God is faithful

God is faithful to all His promises, nor can He fail, or deceive; He is all wise and foreknowing of everything that comes to pass; He never changes His mind, nor forgets His word; and He is able to perform, and is the God of truth, and cannot lie; nor has He ever failed in any one of His promises, nor will He suffer His faithfulness to fail; and this is a strong argument to hold fast a profession of faith.

John Gill (Commentary on Hebrews 10:23)

The Church (hymn)

1. The church was bought with Jesus’ blood,
A habitation for our God;
It is a city built four square,
And all the saints of God dwell there.

2. The church has Jesus for its head;
Its members by His Word are led.
They follow Him in righteousness,
For all His ways are paths of peace.

3. The church was built upon the Rock;
It can’t be moved by tempest shock.
The gates of hell cannot remove
This sacred object of His love.

Chorus:
There is no other king or head
By whom the church is ruled or led.
Christ Jesus is its only Lord;
His church is guided by His Word.

Words by Roland Rudolph “Rue” Porter (1890-1967)
“The Church” was copyrighted in 1950 by Porter and James L. Neal

24 Hours—Plain as Day, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 24 Hours—Plain as Day -- "The top Hebrew scholars all agree that the writer of Genesis 1 intended the word day to mean 24 hours. If they all agree . . . then why can’t we?"
• An Exegetical Look at John 3:16 - by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon -- "...John 3:16 recalls the promise of the prologue seen in 1:12-13 and prepares the reader of the Gospel to encounter God’s expanded realm of salvation, not only for the Jews, but also for the Samaritans and Gentiles in John 4:1-54."
• A Response to James Anderson on John 3:16 -- "The truth is, there is no discernible difference between the English in question and the Greek with regard to indefiniteness."
• Does John 3:16 Say “Whoever”? -- "...the indefinite relative pronoun ὅστις does not occur in John 3:16, but language is not so monolithic that there is only one way to say something."
• For God so loved the world: A Calvinist Response to Richard Brian Davis -- "James White has responded that the participial phrase, πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων, is best rendered “everyone believing”."
• Genesis is Literal History -- "It is popular today even in “evangelical” circles to deny the historicity of Genesis 1-11."
• How Church Membership is Misunderstood, Misapplied, and Abused -- "...pastors...may be tempted to an unrighteous zeal—a zeal to establish membership processes and practices that move beyond what Scripture requires."
• Is the Meaning of Genesis Lost in the Ancient Near East? -- "Dr. Walton’s Lost World series is a good example of what happens when, however unintentionally, the ANE texts are given magisterial authority over the text of Scripture."
• Metaphors and Membership: How Biblical Metaphors for the Church Require Church Membership -- "If we unpack all of what Scripture teaches about the local church, we’ll find that church membership is in fact in every nook and cranny of the New Testament."
• Mueller’s Preposterous Rationale for Tainting the President with ‘Obstruction’ Allegations -- "Who is running this show, Mueller — or some of his notoriously aggressive staffers, recruited from the Obama Justice Department and private practice stints representing the Clintons?"
• The FBI’s Trump-Russia Investigation Was Formally Opened on False Pretenses -- "The investigative theory on which the FBI formally opened the foreign-counterintelligence probe code-named “Crossfire Hurricane” on July 31, 2016, held that the Trump campaign knew about, and was potentially complicit in, Russia’s possession of hacked emails that would compromise Hillary Clinton..."
• Twelve Reasons Why Membership Matters -- "It’s biblical. Jesus established the local church and all the apostles did their ministry through it."
• What I Learned from Two Failed Church Mergers -- "As we were walking, it suddenly struck us that there was a big, almost-empty Baptist church nearby. So we walked over and knocked on the door."
• Who is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53? -- "With the Suffering Servqant, Isaiah paints a picture of a coming time when God will pour out the punishment for our sin on one individual..."

The B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. Acrostic

“It has to be that way,” he said, arguing for a specific phrase as necessary and scriptural because it is that way “in every listing of the eight (8) Baptist Distinctives.”[i] Not only did this insistence violate the first of the distinctives, which teaches that the Bible is the authority in all matters of faith and practice – it also did not consider that “every listing” has it because they are copied one from the other, and also that this particular way of listing the distinctives likely cannot be found before 60 years ago. Because of this insistence, I searched for the origin of the “8 Baptist Distinctives” as most commonly presented. The common list is below; there are some with slight variations.

B          Biblical Authority

A         Autonomy of the Local Church

P          Priesthood of the Believer

T          Two Ordinances

I           Individual Soul Liberty

S          Saved Church Membership

T          Two Officers

S          Separation of Church and State

L. Duane Brown constructed the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. Acrostic” in the early 1960s,[ii] while he was the pastor of Pine Valley Baptist Church in Pine Valley (Millport), New York.[iii] He describes its origin this way:

“While pastoring at Pine Valley Baptist Church, I prepared a systematic lesson plan about the Baptist distinctives designed for thirteen lessons (a Sunday School quarterly). One of the dear ladies in the church, Esther Munson, suggested I set up these Baptist distinctives in an acrostic of the word BAPTISTS. It was mimeographed for Sunday School. I eventually set the acrostic on the plural BAPTISTS as I settled on eight distinctives (doctrine) that historically all Baptists held. A teacher at Baptist Bible Seminary requested copies for his class. Soon requests came from all over.”[iv]

The editor of Baptist Bulletin suggests Brown’s acrostic “has roots in Paul Jackson’s summary of the Baptist distinctives, published in Doctrine of the Church (1956) and his later full length book, The Doctrine and Administration of the Church (1968). Jackson’s outline is quite similar to what became Brown’s acrostic, but interestingly, Jackson never used the BAPTISTS acrostic in print.” It is certainly not unusual that Brown’s idea finds antecedents in his mentors, and quite obviously the distinctives of Baptists are of as long standing as Baptists themselves! After providing numerous mimeographs of the study, Brown put it in book format in 1969 – Biblical Basis for Baptists: A Bible Study Course on Baptist Distinctives. Later, Regular Baptist Press published the book, and recently Brown and his son revised and enlarged it in 2009.

The “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. Acrostic” is a nice mnemonic device. When thinking of the distinctives one can remember that they “spell” Baptists. However, we also have to consider whether it is helping us memorize information accurately and its most logical form. The acrostic will generally not be too objectionable to most Baptists. Most Baptists now living have probably seen it at one time or another. They likely consider it representative of Baptist beliefs. Nevertheless, some things in the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. acrostic” are not true of Baptists across the board. Were it conceived by a Free Will Baptist, Old Regular Baptist, or Primitive Baptist, the first “T” might be “three ordinances” rather than two.[v] The popular Philadelphia Baptist Confession of 1742 called “singing of Psalms” and “laying on of hands” ordinances.[vi] The old Separate Baptists often referred to nine rites as ordinances – baptism, Lord’s Supper, love feast, laying on of hands, feet washing, anointing the sick, right hand of fellowship, kiss of charity, and child dedication.[vii]

Were the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. acrostic” compiled in more recent times, the last “S” might be revised into something other than “Separation of Church and State.” I grew up with this terminology, and most Baptists know what they mean by it. On the other hand, its use has fallen in to some disfavor because of its recent use as a club to beat Christian thought out of the public square. We have separation of church and state, they say, you cannot erect a cross in a public place. Strike “In God We Trust” from our money. Purge “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. Public schools must expel Christmas programs. All this in the name of “Separation of Church and State.”

Others have seen the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. acrostic” as weak. Some have tweaked it, as follows:

B          Bible is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice
A         Autonomy of the local church
P          Priority of Regenerative Church Membership
T          Two Ordinances: Lord’s Supper & Baptism
I           Individual Separation
S          Soul Liberty
T          Two Offices: Pastor and Deacon
S          Separation of Church and State

Richard Weeks of Maranatha Baptist Bible College (now Maranatha Baptist University) dispensed with the acrostic altogether for the acronym BRAPSIS₂, recognizing the need for a logical order – since some distinctives logically flow from other distinctives.[viii]

B          Bible, the sole authority of faith and practice
R          Regenerated and immersed church membership
A         Autonomy of the local church
P          Priesthood of the believer
S          Soul liberty
I           Immersion and the Lord’s Supper, the only two ordinances
S          Separation 1, Separation of Church and State; 2 Separation: ethically and ecclesiastically

In “Where’s the “C” in the Baptist Distinctives?” Colin Smith stresses the need of a “C” for congregational church government – a very distinct Baptist doctrine and practice that is absent from the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. acrostic.” Smith writes, “There is no way of looking at these alliterated points as formal theology. Instead, the usual outline is simply a group of things that are kind of true about the church…” and even calls the acrostic “dangerous because people who use it don’t have to think logically.” He outlines six main points: Biblical authority; Regenerate church membership; Priesthood of the believer; Congregational church government; Two ordinances; Individual soul liberty.

I am not as critical of the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. acrostic” as Colin Smith and some others. I recognize it as an attempt to put together some things that Baptists believe in a form that may be easily remembered. Obviously, the acrostic is not exhaustive in detailing Baptist faith and practice. At best, it is a beginning, not an end. My experience with a dogmatic assertion that a Baptist doctrine (distinctive) must be stated as found in “the eight (8) Baptist Distinctives”[ix] revealed another weakness – the tendency of the wording of a human document – a recent one at that – to become entrenched in the mind in contradiction of the primacy of biblical authority!

May we wisely use tools such as the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. acrostic” as well as the corrections that have been suggested for it – always bringing every thought into subjection to the word of God.

---

[i] Specifically, the assertion was that Baptists believe “the priesthood of the believer” rather than “the priesthood of believers” or “the priesthood of all believers.”

[ii] acrostic, noun. “a series of lines or verses in which the first, last, or other particular letters when taken in order spell out a word, phrase, etc.”

[iii] L. Duane Brown graduated from the Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, New York “where he studied theology with Paul R. Jackson.” Other churches pastored by Brown include Southwest Calvary Baptist Church in Houston, Texas and Parsippany Baptist Church in Parsippany, New Jersey. He also served as president of Denver Baptist Bible College (which merged with Faith Baptist Bible College in 1986). I determined he was still living in Ankeny, Iowa in September 2016, and have found no death notice since that time.

[iv] “Who Invented the B.A.P.T.I.S.T. Distinctives?,” Baptist Bulletin, October 28, 2010

[v] Footwashing is or has been considered an ordinance by many Baptists.

[vi] See chapter 23 and chapter 31 of The Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith.

[vii] In Customs of Primitive Churches (1768) Morgan Edwards, long-time clerk of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, advocated several more ordinances than listed in his association’s confession of faith – so that his list greatly resembled the Separate Baptists view.

[viii] “Richard Weeks and the BRAPSIS Distinctives.” See also “The Logic Of BRAPSIS.”

[ix] By which he meant the “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S. acrostic.”

87-Year-Old Pianist, and other music links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• A Parable About Pop Music in Church -- "Look, I’m not sure we’re talking about the same thing here. I’m talking about feeding my family. Lollipops are tasty, and fun, but they are not food."
• A Sketch of the Life of James Martin Hamrick -- "...if a man were to pass my house with a sacred harp under his arm, he can return, eat my ham and sweetened coffee, and slumber on my best bed."
• Byrd’s reasons to sing -- "Since singing is so good a thing, I wish all men would learn to sing."
• “Echo In the Canyon”: Laurel Canyon in the 60s -- "Ask fans to name some of music’s most legendary locations, and you’ll likely get answers such as Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis, Seattle, New York, and New Jersey."
• GMA Honors and Hall of Fame ceremony part of landmark year for Gospel Music Association -- "The annual GMA Honors ceremony also celebrates charitable organizations and the artists and individuals that spearhead them."
• God almighty, this church ‘can be so loud!’ Some neighbors say it’s an ultra nuisance -- "When we became aware of a noise concern, our first response was to downsize our speakers in order to help remedy the situation."
• Hymns Ancient and Modern for a New Generation -- "I truly believe Hymns to the Living God is an heir to Hymns Ancient and Modern in each of the key areas mentioned above."
• Hymns for Alzheimer’s: Free Downloads -- "They are specifically arranged as sing-alongs for elders with Alzheimer’s and dementia; that is, very simple, slower, shorter, and in a lower key than usual. (But of course anyone may enjoy them.)"
• Indian Melodies -- "Cummock and his community of Brothertown, New York, were forced to move to Calumet County, Wisconsin, taking with them their particular style of shape-note singing."
• Morrissey and the Magic of Music -- "For Morrissey, it hasn't been an easy ride: the media haven't always accepted him kindly. Unused to figures that don't fit into their box, he has often been met with scorn by mainstream journalists."
• Regulative Principle of Worship: A Position Paper Concerning the Regulative Principle of Worship -- "Is there a difference between the typical evangelical worship service, even those of a conservative nature, and the worship service of a scripturally ordered Reformed Baptist church?"
• Should the worship wars end? -- "If it matters what styles we use in worship (which is the heart of the debate), then this is something we should fight over."
• The country music star -- "Oh, that’s just Evelyn. She’s a country music star."
• World’s Largest Ever Male Choir sing Gwahoddiad -- "The World Choir of over 8,000 strong sing “Gwahoddiad” in Welsh at the old Cardiff Park Arms Stadium in Wales (1993)."
• 3 Wills Found At Aretha Franklin's Home -- "When the Queen of Soul died last August, family and lawyers said publicly that they believed that Aretha Franklin did not have a will."
• 75th Anniversary Timeline: Music -- "Highlighting events and milestones in history that coincide with Texas Co-op Power’s 75 years of publication."
• 87-Year-Old Pianist Achieves Dream of Publishing Song -- "LifeWay Christian Resources recently published Thomas’ hymn, “Praise to Thee, Blessed Trinity” on its digital hymnbook resource."

Chesterton on original sin

“Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved. Some followers of the Reverend R. J. Campbell, in their almost too fastidious spirituality, admit divine sinlessness, which they cannot see even in their dreams. But they essentially deny human sin, which they can see in the street. The strongest saints and the strongest skeptics alike took positive evil as the starting-point of their argument. If it be true (as it certainly is) that a man can feel exquisite happiness in skinning a cat, then the religious philosopher can only draw one of two deductions. He must either deny the existence of God, as all atheists do; or must deny the present union between God and man, as all Christians do. The new theologians seem to think it a highly rationalistic solution to deny the cat.”

G. K. Chesterton

If your God never tells you, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify when possible.)

"If your God never tells you to do anything you don’t want to do, your god is probably you." -- John Stonestreet

"Truly tolerant people are hard to offend. They do not seek occasion to bring others into ill repute. They do not put the worst construction on someone else’s words or deeds." -- Anthony Esolen

"All that matters is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everything else is tactics." -- Tom Bandy

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed -- and hence clamorous to be led to safety -- by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." -- Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956)

"Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience." -- attributed to Mark Twain, but some sources indicate the following is actually correct: "Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference." (Twain) "Never argue with idiots. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." (George Carlin)

"Suffering is not for nothing." -- Elisabeth Elliot

"Change is the end result of all true learning." -- Leo Buscaglia

"God sometimes takes us into troubled waters – not to drown us, but to cleanse us." -- Unknown

"Correct doctrinal root leads to correct spiritual fruit." -- Unknown

Three marks

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” John 10:1

Here are three marks whereby you may know whether you have entered by faith into the sheepfold. First, have you any evidence of being saved in the Lord Jesus Christ with an everlasting salvation? Secondly, have you felt any blessed and holy freedom and liberty of going in and coming out of the heavenly sheepfold? Thirdly, have you found pasture? Sometimes finding pasture in the ordinances of God’s house; sometimes in the sacred truths of the gospel, as you read or hear the word of truth; and especially in partaking by faith of the flesh and blood of the Lamb.

J. C. Philpot (1802 – 1869)

Jesus Paid It All (Beazley)

Jesus Paid It All, sometimes titled as Jesus Paid It All (Beazley)[i] or Gone Is All My Debt of Sin, was written by M. S. Shaffer and Samuel William Beazley (1873–1944.) Beazley, who wrote the music, is well known, but Shaffer, who wrote the words, remains unidentified. The song appeared as No. 66 in Revival Gems and No. 70 in Favorite Songs and Hymns. According to Revival Gems and New Songs of the Old Faith the song was copyrighted in 1917 in Hosannas by Samuel W. Beazley (Chicago, IL: 1917) – though “Hymn Time” suggests the words first appeared in The Highway Hymnal by Charlie D. Tillman (Atlanta, GA: Charlie Tillman Song Book Company, 1915).

The Scripture text of Isaiah 53:12 appears with it in some song books.

The time signature is 4/4 and the meter is somewhat irregular, particularly the chorus. The stanzas, of which there are three, are 7.7.7.5.D. meter.

1. Gone is all my debt of sin,

A great change is wrought within,

And to live I now begin,

Risen from the fall;

Yet the debt I did not pay,

Someone died for me one day,

Sweeping all the debt away,

Jesus paid it all.

2. Oh, I hope to please Him now,

Light of joy is on my brow,

As at His dear feet I bow,

Safe within His love,

Making His the debt I owed,

Freedom true He has bestowed;

So I’m singing on the road

To my home above.

3. Sinner, not for me alone

Did the Son of God atone;

Your debt, too, He made His own,

On the cruel tree.

Come to Him with all your sin;

Be as white as snow within;

Full salvation you may win

And rejoice with me.

Chorus – sung after each stanza:

Jesus died and paid it all (yes)

On the cross of Calvary (oh),

And my stony heart was melted

At His dying (dying) call,

O His heart in shame was broken

On the tree for you and me (yes),

And the debt (the debt) is canceled,

Jesus paid it (paid it) all.

---

[i] Because it shares a title with an older and better-known song of the same name, Jesus Paid It All by Elvina Mable Hall and John T. Grape.

On Abortion, by Scott Klusendorf

Premise 1: It is wrong to intentionally kill an innocent human being.
Premise 2: Abortion intentionally kills an innocent human being.
Conclusion: Abortion is wrong.

Pro-life advocates should stop buying the premise that because we oppose the intentional killing of innocent human beings, we must take on other tragic societal ills under the banner of being “pro-life.” The criticisms are not only unfair; they are narrowly targeted. Is the American Cancer Society neglectful because it fights one type of disease rather than many?

What Does It Mean to Be ‘Pro-Life’?

Regulative Principle Quotes

Quotes regarding the Regulative Principle

“The Rule of this Knowledge, Faith, and Obedience, concerning the worship and service of God, and all other Christian duties, is not man’s inventions, opinions, devices, laws, constitutions, or traditions, unwritten whatsoever but only the word of God contained in the Canonical Scriptures.” – The 1644 London Baptist Confession of Faith, VII

“...But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.” – The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, 22:1

“The instituting of any, though the smallest part of worship, in and by our own authority, without scripture-warrant, makes it idolatrous, as well as if we worshipped an idol (Ex: 20:5).” – The Works of John Flavel, Vol, 4, p. 527

“The ‘church calendar’ was never appointed by God.” – David Silversides 

“The scriptural teaching is that whatever Scripture does not warrant is to be excluded.” – David Silversides

“Churches are not free to do whatever they want to do; they must do what Scripture instructs and requires them to do.” – Terry Johnson

“I will punish them that serve me otherwise than I have commanded, not sparing the chief that the people may fear and praise my judgements.” – Geneva Bible, on Leviticus 10:3

“It is our duty to maintain the ordinances of Christ, and the church order which he has instituted, in strict and scrupulous conformity to Holy Scriptures. When the finger of God points out the way, no place is left to us for human preferences.” – John Leadley Dagg

An Uncommon Guide, and other reviews

The posting of book or film reviews does not constitute endorsement of the books or book reviews that are linked.

• An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding God’s Purpose for the Next Season of Life -- "Jeff Haanen looks biblically and practically at the need for rest and purpose in retirement."
• Book Review: A Scottish Christian Heritage, by Iain Murray -- "This book is a wonderful devotional tool for the pastor tempted to feel discouraged at the small size of his flock or the seeming lack of fruit in his preaching."
• Book Review: Confronting Christianity -- "McLaughlin uses stories from her own life and others to illustrate key points...Her grasp of the culture wars that contend with Christianity are second to none."
• Book Review: Mere Calvinism, by Jim Orrick -- "This book would would make an excellent “go-to” resource for new members wanting to explore Calvinism."
• Book Review: Side by Side, by Ed Welch -- "Just because you are a pastor does not mean you are good at recognizing your own neediness or being there for others when they are needy."
• Book Review: The Blue Parakeet -- "But my biggest hesitation regarding The Blue Parakeet is the way that ”authority” is described as an inferior “framing principle” for the way we look at the Bible."
• Progressives and Their Imaginary Constitution -- "What the Constitution Means to Me does not offer any particularly damning evidence against the Constitution but the reaction of its audience is pretty damning against liberals."
• Review: My Father Left Me Ireland -- "Dougherty shows that the Irish nationalists of yesteryear...had something real we lack, something that ought to quicken the heart."
• Review of the Book Signature in the Cell by Stephen C. Meyer -- "Meyer not only shows that chance and natural law can’t supply the information content in DNA but that a designing intelligence can."
• Secular Music in Shape Notes, by David Warren Steel -- "It’s still a mystery to me why shape notes didn’t catch on, in the whole wide world, but especially in America where they were invented."

One day at a time

One (24 hour) day at a time: random excerpts on the early history of Genesis

Below you will find excerpts and observations on the first seven days of creation, which may pique your interest in studying the topic further.

The days of Creation: A semantic approach

“The meaning of words is important for clear communication. It is by their use and contrast that we can accurately arrive at correct biblical interpretation.”

How could Adam have named all the animals in a single day?

“Note that Scripture explicitly states that Adam named all the ‘livestock’ (Heb. behemah), the ‘birds of the air’ (Heb. oph hassamayim) and all the ‘beasts of the field’ (Heb. chayyah hassadeh). There is no indication that Adam named the fish in the sea, or any other marine organisms, nor any of the insects, beetles or arachnids.”

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

“The time when this [Genesis 1:28] took place must have been the sixth day, on which, according to Genesis 1:27, the man and woman were created: and there is no difficulty in this, since it would not have required much time to bring the animals to Adam to see what he would call them, as the animals of paradise are all we have to think of; and the deep sleep into which God caused the man to fall, till he had formed the woman from his rib, need not have continued long.”

How could so much take place on the 6th day?

There’s no reason to doubt these events could have taken place as part of a literal 24-hour day, but even if there was reason to doubt that happening the question shouldn’t be, “What do we think could or couldn’t have happened?” The question should be, “What does Scripture say happened?”

C.D. Ginsburg, cited by P. J. Wiseman, Clues To Creation In Genesis, London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1977, pp. 122-123

“The institution of the Sabbath on the seventh day, which if understood as an indefinite period would have no meaning for man, and the constant usage of this expression in Scripture to denote an ordinary day, with the few exceptions of poetical or oratorical diction, and the literal meaning which all commentators and Bible readers have assigned to it till within the last century, are additional proofs that the primitive record purports to intimate the expression ‘yom’ as a natural day.”

My own comment on two verses used to “disprove” 24-hour days in Genesis 1.

“‘Yom’ is elsewhere used of long periods of time, as in Psalm 90:4, which is cited in 2 Peter 3:8.” The references to God and time in Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 refer to normal years and normal days. If not, the instruction would make no sense. Day and year in these verses mean ordinary ones, which allows them to contrast and make the point. The Bible is not saying “a 1000 years is as a long period of time and a long period of time is as a 1000 years,” but that 1000 X 360 days and 24 hours are of no real consequence to God, since he is outside of time.

The Meaning of “Day” in Genesis

“Some writers have observed the absence of the article from the mention of each of the first five days. They have concluded that Moses must have meant to convey to his readers that at least those days were long periods of time. They have noted that the normal use of the article is to make the noun definite. Gleason Archer makes the following statement: ‘In Hebrew prose of this genre, the definite article was generally used where the noun was intended to be definite.’ There are many examples where the number and noun occur without the article, yet the meaning is definite. Thirteen occurrences, similar to Genesis 1, use the noun without the article but with a number (Numbers 11:19; I Samuel 1:1; 1 Chronicles 12:39; II Chronicles 20:25; Ezra 8:15, 32; Nehemiah 2:11; Daniel 1:12, 14-15; 12:12-13, and Jonah 3:4). In each of these other occurrences, the English translation uses the definite article. The absence of the article in Genesis 1 does not mean that the days are long periods of time.”

Lost the source of this comment, and cannot now find it

“The Old Testament has at least 26 times when evening and morning are used in the same verse. Each time they occur, the meaning is that of a normal day. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate the point: Exodus 16:8 says, ‘And Moses said, this shall be when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full.’ Also Exodus 18:13, ‘and the people stood by Moses from the morning until the evening.’”

Does Genesis chapter 1 mean literal 24-hour days?

“It is used to refer to a 24-hour period in Genesis 7:11. It is used to refer to the period of daylight between dawn and dusk in Genesis 1:16. And it is used to refer to an unspecified period of time in Genesis 2:4.”

The Hebrew Yom: Taking One Day at a Time

“...the former position—that the days are literal 24-hour days—is the historic position that the church has adopted since New Testament times... For a detailed account of what the early church fathers believed about the literal 24-hour interpretation of the Hebrew yom, see chapter 3 of Sarfati, J. (2004), Refuting Compromise, (Green Forest, AR: Master Books), pp 107–139.”

The Moody Bible Commentary

“The argument that this naming of the animals would have taken more than a single day is not valid. The primary purpose of bringing the animals before Adam was not to give them names, but rather to highlight his need for a woman, which a relatively small number of animals would suffice to establish. Indeed the Hebrew word names (shemot) is perfectly consistent with the understanding that Adam simply gave general designations to each general category or class of animal (e.g. ‘equine,’ ‘serpentine,’ ‘canine,’ etc.) rather than precise labels such as ‘Equus ferus caballus,’ ‘Crotalus horridus,’ ‘Canis lupus familiaris,’ let alone ‘Spot’ or ‘Rex.’”