Couldn't have said it better myself

"The man who is ostentatious of his modesty is twin to the statue that wears a fig leaf."

- Mark Twain

Fundamentals

Fundamentalism as defined by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter:

"A fundamentalist believes...that I am close to God. Everything that I believe is absolutely right. Anyone who disagrees with me, in any case, is inherently wrong and therefore, inferior. And it violates my basic principles if I negotiate with anyone else or listen to their point of view or modify my own positions at all."

Solas Part 2: Sola Gratia

By Grace Alone.

Term referring to the Scriptural doctrine that man is saved by grace alone without the deeds of the Law. - Christian Cyclopedia

sola gratia—“without any merit or worthiness in us.” Out of his mercy and
grace, God looks with favor on our lives and forgives our transgressions through Christ.
God’s gift of love in Christ, totally undeserved... - LCMS.org

Ephesians 1:3-10 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Solas Part 1: Solus Christus

Also know as solo Christo = by Christ Alone.

"Solus Christus is the teaching that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that there is salvation through no other....absolution reconciles the penitent with God directly through faith in Christ's forgiveness rather than with the priest and the church as mediating entities between the penitent and God." - Wikipedia

Colossians 1:13-20 - He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 - For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

John 3 & Baptism

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

There are a variety of opinions as to what Jesus means by "water" in verse 5 of John chapter three. Some say water means amniotic fluid, but if Jesus meant natural birth why didn't he say "of the womb"? Some say water means baptism, but if He meant baptism why didn't He say baptism? Some say it means living water, but again, why didn't He say living water?

Enigmatically, at least to us, Jesus simply says water. Perhaps we need to look at the verse in context.

John just finished telling us that Jesus is omniscient - He knows what is in a man without the man's testimony. Along comes Nicodemus, a high ranking Pharisee, and Jesus answers Nicodemus' question before he asks it. Compare this to the interaction with the rich young man found in Matthew 19 (also in Luke 18 and Mark 10). In Matthew the RYM asks (v 16), "What good deed must I do to have eternal life?" and Jesus answers (v 17), "If you would enter life, keep the commandments."

Not the same answer He gave Nicodemus.

Next the RYM asks Jesus which commandments he should keep. Jesus lists a few and the rich young man claims to have kept all of them. He asks Jesus (v 20), "What do I still lack?" Jesus knows the RYM has not kept all the commandments (covetness, idolatry) and tells him, "“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Ouch...the RYM went away sad.

But notice the answer to "what do I lack?". It is (v 21) "If you would be perfect...come, follow me." See it again in Mark 10:21: "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” And Luke 18: "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The interaction with the RYM illustrates the Law (you must be perfect [but you are not] to enter heaven) and the gospel (follow Jesus and you will have treasure in heaven). The young man needed to get rid of the possessions, not because it was a good work that earned his salvation, he needed to give it all away because it was a stumbling block keeping him from following Jesus. Read the rest of the story and note what He says in Matthew 18:29, Mark 10:29-30, Luke 18:29-30.

Back to John 3 and Nicodemus. Nicodemus is wondering much the same thing as the RYM, how to enter the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus tells him he must be "born of water and the Spirit."

Not the same answer he gave the RYM.

Remember Jesus is omniscient. Just as He knew in what areas the RYM was lacking/not lacking, He too knows what Nicodemus is lacking/not lacking.

Nicodemus is not lacking water. Two important terms (today's vocab lesson) from Judism 101: <u>Mikvah - a ritual pool of water, used for the purpose of attaining ritual purity. Immersion in a Mikvah is performed for the following main purposes: It is used in connection with Repentance, to remove the impurity of sin. It is also used in connection with Conversion, because the convert has taken upon himself or herself to adopt the lifestyle of the Jew, that is based on the recognition of G-d as King of the Universe and on the obligation to perform the commandments of the Torah.

Tevilah- full body immersion in a mikvah. (See Wikipedia for more on ritual washing.)

The Pharisees were all about keeping the law (see Matthew chapter 23). Especially note verses 25-26: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean."

Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be "born of the Spirit" which we know as regeneration, new life, to be born again, or born from above -- the light and the life we are blessed with when by God's grace the Holy Spirit dwells within us and draws into a faith relationship with Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Getting the inside of the cup clean--so to speak.

We cannot will ourselves to be reborn - it is the work of God/the Spirit as Jesus says in John 1:12-13 and again in John 3:8. By the power of that Spirit we are able to believe in Jesus, and those that believe will have eternal life (John 3:15-18).

So that brings us back to the issue of water. Given the amount of ritual washing involved in Jewish life, there is little doubt that Nicodemus would have understood water to be mikvah. Does this mean we must keep the laws for ritual washing in order to be saved? Remember the RYM? We see law & gospel presented side by side. In this case, the law is the water, or rather the ritual washing that it represents. But the "water" wasn't enough - the "cups" are still dirty on the inside. That is where we need Christ, where the Word of gospel found in John 3:16 saves us.

Additionally, from the definition of mikvah we learn it is used in connection with conversion. It is also used in cases of adoption. This is what is involved in converting adopted gentile infants and children to Judiasm (from convert.org):

• Jewish parents in all movements need to convert adopted Gentile minors for the minors to be considered Jewish. The adoption itself, or even the raising of the children as Jewish, does not make the child Jewish.
• The conversion of an infant or child has Jewish legal sanction. According to the Talmud (Ketubot 11a), it is permissible for a religious court (a bet din) to convert a gentile infant. The basis in Jewish law is that it is a privilege to be Jewish (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, 268:7). Therefore, a minor can be converted even though not mature enough to understand the act because making the minor Jewish is performing a favor for that infant or child.
• Jewish law also allows those people converted as an infant or child to renounce the conversion when they reach maturity. After girls reach 12 or boys 13, converted infants and children can legally reject the conversion and go back to their previous religion. If they accept Judaism or are silent, they are deemed to be considered adult converts.
• The conversion of a female infant or child according to Conservative and Orthodox practices only requires tevilah (immersion in a ritual bath called a mikveh). A male child also requires immersion in the mikveh. Prior to the immersion, the male must have a brit milah (a legal circumcision ceremony performed by a mohel). If possible, this should be done on the 8th day after the birth of the boy. If a circumcision has already been performed, a drop of blood needs to be drawn in a ceremony called hatafat dam brit. A Hebrew name can then be given to the child, though some wait to give the name until after the tevilah ceremony. There is usually a wait of a couple of weeks between the circumcision and the immersion.
• A Bet Din, usually consisting of three rabbis, is convened for the immersion. Parents can enter the mikveh. If the children are old enough, they recite the needed prayers; if not a rabbi does so for them. After the tevilah ceremony is completed, and a name chosen if one has not already been selected, the child is declared by the Bet Din to be Jewish.
• The conversion of infants and children is, of course, a moment of joy for parents, but it is also such a moment for the entire Jewish community. New children add precious lives to the community and bring with them that most valuable idea of hope for the future.

And Adoption & Jewish Law from Star of David.org:

• For the child to be considered Jewish, he or she must be formally converted. Such a conversion is an absolute requirement of Jewish law, and dispensing with it can have serious consequences later in life, for the child may reach Bar Mitzvah age, want to marry or join a synagogue, only to be told by a rabbi that he or she is not really Jewish. The ceremony is simple, and should be done as early as possible.
• The conversion consists of two parts, circumcision (milah) and immersion (tevilah). If possible, a boy should be circumcised on the eighth day (but not on the Sabbath or on a Festival) with a slight change in blessings.
• Immersion is a requirement for both boys and girls. The immersion is done in a "mikvah," or Jewish ritual bath. Usually the immersion takes place as soon as the infant is old enough so that there is no physical danger. Six months is the age preferred by many rabbis. Yet it is permitted any time until "Bar" or "Bat Mitzvah."
• The immersion must take place before a "beit din" of three rabbis. The child should be naked and held in such a way that the water touches every part of the body. The child is quickly immersed, and two blessings are recited by the rabbi (or by the child, if old enough). The child is then immersed once more. (Some rabbis do it twice more.)
• The two blessings recited at the mikvah are: "Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us on the immersion." Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us and allowed us to reach this season." Following the immersion and after the child is dressed, he or she is given a Hebrew name and welcomed into the Jewish community with a special prayer.
• Bringing an adopted child to the "mikvah" for a conversion is a happy event, worthy of celebration. Many couples invite other members of the family, take pictures, and celebrate with refreshments at home or at a favorite restaurant. As the child grows up, pictures and memories can be shared of the day the child was welcomed into the Jewish community.
• An important question still remains. What gives the "Beit din" the right to convert an infant to Judaism without the child's permission or understanding? The Talmud asked the same question.
• It answered that one can act to someone's advantage without his permission, and becoming Jewish is to the child's advantage. But there is an important proviso. Upon reaching the age of majority (12 for a girl, 13 for a boy), the child can protest and annul the conversion. He or she has a right to say, "I don't wish to be a Jew, and I consider the conversion invalid." On the other hand, acts of Jewish identity at the age of majority serve to reaffirm the conversion.
• For this reason, "Bar" or "Bat Mitzvah" takes on a particular importance to an adopted and converted child. It serves as a reaffirmation of the conversion done years before. It completes the process of conversion. Circumcision and immersion can be done to infants; acceptance of the "mitzvot" can only be done upon reaching the age of majority. The validity of the entire conversion is contingent upon assuring a positive Jewish identity upon reach "Bar/Bat Mitzvah."

It all sounds so very familiar. So much like baptism & confirmation. :-)

Ephesians 1:5: In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will...

Maybe I'll continue this...when I have the brainpower to tackle it...

John 1:29 & friends

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

About this verse Candy writes: "verse 29 Jesus takes away the sins of anyone who will let Him. There is nothing else one must do to be saved. Jesus paid it all. Jesus is our perfect sacrificial Lamb, whose sacrifice pays for ALL of our sins."

And theden at VTC responds: "I think where Candy messes up is that she says that there is "nothing else one must do to be saved."It doesn't say that in the text (or in Scripture). We must participate in our salvation (through the grace of God.)"

Huh? Let me rephrase verse 29. Q: Who takes away the sin of the world? A: The Lamb of God.

It's not about what we do or don't do, it is about what HE did. He took away the sin of the world. Period.

Rewind to verses 12 & 13:
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

From the Concordia Study Bible: "1:12 Membership in God's family is by grace alone-the gift of God....It is never a human achievement, as v. 13 emphasizes."

Today's Vocabulary Lesson: (thanks to dictionary.com)
eisegesis - an interpretation, esp. of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.

I am really looking forward to chapter 6. :)

More thoughts on "getting" saved

Expanding my vocabulary:

Monergism - God alone is the one who saves and that humans have no active role in coming to faith (conversion). God creates faith and causes the unbeliever to become a believer without any merit, worthiness, or cooperation on the person's part.

Synergism - humans have some role to play in conversion and being saved, and people in some way "work together" with God to bring this about in individual lives. Synergists treat faith as something the sinner comes up with in response to and in cooperation with God's grace. Faith is ultimately being treated as a cause or condition of salvation, a part of the cooperative effort that the human being is to some degree responsible for.

Also, here is another comparison of Theology of Glory with Theology of the Cross.

The false logic of the all-knowing

circular reasoning (noun):
a use of reason in which the premises depends on or is equivalent to the conclusion, a method of false logic by which "this is used to prove that, and that is used to prove this".

Example: "The NIV disagrees with the KJV; therefore the NIV is wrong and the KJV is right."

No.

If the NIV disagrees with the KJV it proves that the NIV disagrees with the KJV. Nothing more.

Now, if the NIV were a translation of the KJV and it disagreed, you could make the former argument. But the NIV is NOT a translation of the KJV. To prove the NIV (or any other) translation invalid you must establish a difference between what was said in the original Greek text and how it was translated.

"I've studied different Bible versions, and read many of them over the past 12 or so years. I have found the King James Version to be the best, non-contradictive, and the inerrant word of God." -Candy

I do wish I had that kind of discernment (or omniscience?!) too.

Interesting websites here & here & here.

The real issue with the crucifix

It's not that crucifixes are somehow "anti-resurrection", it's how they are used, or rather, misused.

Helpful definition for today: (from The American Heritage Dictionary)
Superstition - noun
1. An irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.
2. (a) A belief, practice, or rite irrationally maintained by ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic or chance.
(b) A fearful or abject state of mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality.
(c) Idolatry.

Examples of superstition:
Heaven’s Home Protection Packet...Our Lord stated we must have crucifixes upon the outside of all of our outside doors. In the "Heaven’s Home Protection Packet" there are instructions, four crucifixes, a tube of special cement for wooden or metal crucifixes. Wooden crucifixes adhere better to the doors when the aluminum strap is removed from the back. Put a light coat of cement on the back of the crucifix and then press it to the outside of the door.

Crucifix on front and back door... The only real protection against terrorists...
Jesus - "Pray and wear your sacramentals. And, also, My children, I ask you again to place a crucifix upon your door. Both front and back doors must have a crucifix. I say this to you because there will be carnage within your areas, and this will pass you by if you keep your crucifix upon your doors."

Our Lady of the Roses, Mary Help of Mothers promises to help protect our children. On September 13, 1977, She said, "He has an army of ogres wandering now throughout your country and all of the countries of the world. They are in possession of great power; so wear your sacramentals, and protect your children and your households. Learn the use every day of holy water throughout your household. Insist even with obstructions, insist that your children always wear a sacramental. One day they will understand that they will repel the demons."

On February 1, 1974, Our Lady said, "My children, know the value of these sacramentals. Guard your children well. You must awaken to the knowledge that you will not be protected without the sacramentals. Guard your children's souls. They must be surrounded with an aura of purity. Remove them if necessary from the sources of contamination, be it your schools or even false pastors."

Our Lady tells us to be protected from all evil, we must wear the following sacramentals around our necks: a Rosary, a crucifix, the St. Benedict medal, Our Lady of the Roses medal, the Miraculous Medal, and the scapular.

This is from Virgin Mary's End-Times Prophecies. Very much along the lines of Jesus-is-Lord, this one is the National Enquirer for Roman Catholics. Interesting.

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)...

First, some helpful definitions:

intellectual - Of or relating to the intellect. (n) a person of superior intellect. Intellectual implies not only having a high degree of understanding, but also a capacity and taste for the higher forms of knowledge

intellect - The ability to learn and reason; the capacity for knowledge and understanding.

anti-intellectual - Opposed or hostile to intellectuals or intellectual views. (In other words, opposed to the ability to learn and reason, and against those with the capacity to grow in knowledge and understanding.)

Now here's a great example of anti-intellectualism from Jesus-is-Lord.com (thanks to Kelly for pointed it out): THE BASIC SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS FOR GEOCENTRICITY

Everyday Paganism

etymology - the study of the origin and history of words.

English: Monday = Day of the Moon. Also see, Lunes (Spanish), Lundi (French), Lunedi (Italian), Montag (German)

Compare with...

Hebrew - Yom She-Nee (Second Day)

Church Latin (RCC) - Feria Secunda (Second weekday)

Adiaphora

Adiaphora - matters not regarded as essential to faith, but nevertheless permissible for Christians or allowed in church.

in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas - Peter Meiderlin, German Lutheran theologian

Translation: In necessary things unity; in uncertain things freedom; in everything compassion.

My take on things: Adiaphora is not worth arguing about.

Source: Wikipedia

True Evangelism

The definition of evangelism is "to share the gospel." For example, if you tell me what you believe (or vice versa) it is evangelism.

But, if you tell me what you think I believe (or vice versa) it is not. Most often this is self-righteousness.

Only God knows what is in a man's heart...