Candy at KTH and the ladies at VTC like to publish the testimonies of converts to their brand of Christianity. Most people who convert do so because of marriage or friendships. A few do it for spiritual reasons.
Critically thinking for a moment...should we trust the testimony of a convert when it pertains to the faith they left behind? On the one hand, they do have the experience of at least being in the pew at the other church. They may have varying degrees of other experience with the corporate church. So they do have some credibility. On the other hand, they are not likely to defend the church they left -- why would they?--and their testimony is therefore biased and subjective. With little exception they will defend they new faith they have chosen.
We, of course having our own personal bias, agree with whoever converts to our way of thinking and disagree (and often try to discredit) those who convert to that with which we disagree.
Let's look at the convert issue from a different angle.
Many Christians (both RC & non-RC) convert to Judaism. To Islam. To Buddhism. To Hinduism. To Mormonism. They become atheists. Pagans. Wiccans. Jehovah Witnesses. The list goes on....
Is the testimony those converts give about Christianity wholly accurate? Totally objective? Or would you say it biased against Christians and they don't have a clue what they are talking about?!
Conclusion: The testimonies of converts should be taken with a BIG grain of salt. While they may have some experience (possibly exaggerated) they are by no way, shape or form an reliable, objective source.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Oops, Sola Fide is not enough!
It has to be paired with Solus Christus.
In Christ alone.
Sola Fide means nothing if one doesn't have faith in Christ alone.
Today's Sola Fide example:
Luke 23:39-43
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
In Christ alone.
Sola Fide means nothing if one doesn't have faith in Christ alone.
Today's Sola Fide example:
Luke 23:39-43
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
The Word War Rages On
A ton of activity at Keeping the Home and Visits to Candyland. Busy me (mom/worker bee) can't keep up.
Candy's post about pictures being worth a thousand words was a good clean hit. My only complaint is the guy who published the pictures insisted on using Philippians 2:10 (KJV) over and over. He's a little out of context, though in a broad sense I suppose it could mean "bow only to Jesus." Here's Philippians 2:9-11 in modern English:
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
I'd rather see this scripture included with the photos:
Isaiah 44:6-11
This is what the LORD says— Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.
Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let him foretell what will come.
Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.
Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing?
He and his kind will be put to shame; craftsmen are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy.
Over at Visits to Candyland someone countered with a bunch of pictures of national monuments. Since when to people bow & pray to national monuments? Lame retort.
Candy's post about pictures being worth a thousand words was a good clean hit. My only complaint is the guy who published the pictures insisted on using Philippians 2:10 (KJV) over and over. He's a little out of context, though in a broad sense I suppose it could mean "bow only to Jesus." Here's Philippians 2:9-11 in modern English:
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
I'd rather see this scripture included with the photos:
Isaiah 44:6-11
This is what the LORD says— Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.
Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let him foretell what will come.
Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.
Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing?
He and his kind will be put to shame; craftsmen are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy.
Over at Visits to Candyland someone countered with a bunch of pictures of national monuments. Since when to people bow & pray to national monuments? Lame retort.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Crackers?
True Presence = in Holy Communion Christ's actual body given for us and His real blood shed for us on his cross are received by the communicant along with the bread and wine. His true body and blood are present not because I receive the cracker and wine with a sincere heart, but because Christ has promised that we will receive his body and blood whenever we partake of Holy Communion.
Matthew 26:26-28
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mark 14:22-24
And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
Luke 22:19-20
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
1 Cor. 11:23-26
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Martin Luther writes in the small catechism:
Christ’s words in the Sacrament must be taken at face value especially because:
A. These words are the words of a testament, and even an ordinary person’s last will and testament may not be changed once that person has died;
1 Cor. 11:25
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
Gal 3:15
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
B. God’s Word clearly teaches that in the Sacrament the bread and wine are a communion or participation in the body and blood of Christ;
1 Cor. 10:16
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
C. God’s Word clearly teaches that those who misuse the Sacrament sin not against bread and wine but against Christ’s body and blood.
1 Cor. 11:27-29
"Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."
If I commune with faith in Christ's promise (that the bread and wine are also His body and blood), or lack thereof, will determine whether I receive those gifts to my blessing or to my judgment.
This is not RCC's transubstantiation which goes beyond Scripture to try to come up with a "magical" explanation of "how" the body and blood of Christ are present together with the bread and wine.
True Presence simply echos what Scripture says: according to Jesus' promise we receive four things whenever we commune (bread and wine, Christ's body and blood).
Matthew 26:26-28
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mark 14:22-24
And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
Luke 22:19-20
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
1 Cor. 11:23-26
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Martin Luther writes in the small catechism:
Christ’s words in the Sacrament must be taken at face value especially because:
A. These words are the words of a testament, and even an ordinary person’s last will and testament may not be changed once that person has died;
1 Cor. 11:25
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
Gal 3:15
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
B. God’s Word clearly teaches that in the Sacrament the bread and wine are a communion or participation in the body and blood of Christ;
1 Cor. 10:16
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
C. God’s Word clearly teaches that those who misuse the Sacrament sin not against bread and wine but against Christ’s body and blood.
1 Cor. 11:27-29
"Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."
If I commune with faith in Christ's promise (that the bread and wine are also His body and blood), or lack thereof, will determine whether I receive those gifts to my blessing or to my judgment.
This is not RCC's transubstantiation which goes beyond Scripture to try to come up with a "magical" explanation of "how" the body and blood of Christ are present together with the bread and wine.
True Presence simply echos what Scripture says: according to Jesus' promise we receive four things whenever we commune (bread and wine, Christ's body and blood).
Narrow gate?
The narrow gate = Jesus.
Where do we find the narrow gate in scripture:
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Luke 13:22-30
He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.
John 10:1-10
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
The one and only way to Salvation is through Christ Jesus. He lets in those who recognize His voice, those He knows (i.e. the faithful).
He says nothing in any of those passages about the gate being opened for on us based on our works.
Where do we find the narrow gate in scripture:
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Luke 13:22-30
He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.
John 10:1-10
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
The one and only way to Salvation is through Christ Jesus. He lets in those who recognize His voice, those He knows (i.e. the faithful).
He says nothing in any of those passages about the gate being opened for on us based on our works.
Friday, October 5, 2007
The Solas
Sola Fide, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia. Faith alone, in Christ alone, by God's grace alone.
Perhaps it is too simplistic.
Perhaps the simple answer is just that....The Answer.
Why do some wish to complicate things? To whose advantage would that be? Satan's, perhaps?
Perhaps it is too simplistic.
Perhaps the simple answer is just that....The Answer.
Why do some wish to complicate things? To whose advantage would that be? Satan's, perhaps?
Monday, October 1, 2007
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)
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)
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