One of the most incredible things about taking seminary classes is understanding how little you fully understand about the different doctrinal beliefs you have had. Take for instance my view of Satan. Up until a week ago I knew my proof texts and could outline the ways that Satan fell. Today I have come to the realization that I do not know the exact story of Satan's fall and that I have no idea of the way that it happened. This happens a lot in Theology, we think we know something but in fact if we slowed down and really worked through the text we would find a different truth. I learned that sloppy exegesis leads to terrible Theology.
Isaiah 14
In order to understand the context of this passage you need to look around the text, so go to the start of the oracle which is found in Isaiah 13:1, The oracle of Babylon. Now we know this letter was written to Babylon and that the references will refer to Babylon. You might be screaming right now that Babylon is a type of the world and the world system so it is still valid, but I argue that it is actually written to Babylon. As we look at the rest of the book notice that Isaiah is delivering Oracles to the nations that existed historically (Is 14:24 Assyria, Is. 14:28 Philistia, Is. 15:1 Moab, Is. 17:1 Damascus, Is. 18:1 Cush, Is. 19:1 Egypt, Is. 22:1 Jerusalem, Is. 23:1 Tyre and Sidon, etc.).
If you take this portion of the passage as figurative then you destroy the literal application of this prophecy. In other words if part of this is figurative where does the literal application fall off. Also this is a future prophecy not a historical recreation.
Ezekiel 28:12-19
The first problem with this text in reference to Satan is the clear address to the King of Tyre. This is the last of 4 dirges against the King of Tyre starting in Ez 26:1.
In order for this to be about Satan you would have to take much of the text figuratively and some of it literally. It is obvious that both figurative and literal language is being used which is normal for poetry, but it becomes hard to say that the very title of address is figurative when all of the ones around it are figurative.
Many of the figurative language used is found in the surrounding oracles about the King of Tyre (full of wisdom and perfect in beauty 27:3-4, 11, 32-33, 28:3-4,7; every precious stone was your covering 27:22).
Conclusion
Does this mean I do not believe Satan fell? NO! I believe he fell we just do not have as many of the details of that fall as we thought we did. I believe Satan was created by God during the 7 days of Creation and at some point in the 7 days he fell. (The topic for a future blog).
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Lessons Learned from Taking 168 Kids Minature Golfing in 1 and 1/2 hours
Wednesday night was the second night of Legit Bible Study (our youth group meeting). In order to get to know the kids better we decided to do a fun activity and took them miniature golfing for the night. We made a deal with them that we would pay for them and their brand new friend if they brought someone. So our group of 115 kids the week before grew to 168 for the big event. Here are some simple lessons I learned from that experience.
1. If there is an incentive the kids will do it. For instance we told the kids if they bring a friend then we would pay for them and their friend. Well, lots of friends were brought and lots of kids played for free. At the same time I told the kids to dress up like old school golfers and most of the leaders did it and about 10 of the kids. If there would have been a prize then there would have been more people dressing up.
In the same way so many Christians are like that. They choose their ministries or the church they attend based solely upon what they will get out of it. Go out on a limb and do something that will strengthen others.
2. Even if the golf course has 3 courses 168 kids are a lot of putt-putters. We walked in and used all of the putters in the place and completely dominated the course. It was cool to look out and see that many people playing golf.
3. Keep good community relations with the places that you take your groups. I started talking to the Putt-Putt place about this activity a month ago. We showed up and they knew we were coming but they were not ready for us. At that point we could have become frustrated and put on edge, but instead we helped to organize the situation and ended up having a good night. As the kids were playing golf I had the opportunity to talk to the owner of the place and he wants us to bring our kids back for free. I am so glad we kept our testimony and he wanted to reward the kids for that. I mentioned to him that he should come check out our church sometime and he said he might take me up on that and gave me his cell phone.
4. Make sure you keep the ministry the main thing. Right before the activity started I was given some news that was a bit stressful at the time, but I took a couple minutes and turned my attention to the kids. I am so glad I did because it helped me keep things in perspective as we proceeded through this potentially stressful time.
5. My wife is hot as an old school golfer.
1. If there is an incentive the kids will do it. For instance we told the kids if they bring a friend then we would pay for them and their friend. Well, lots of friends were brought and lots of kids played for free. At the same time I told the kids to dress up like old school golfers and most of the leaders did it and about 10 of the kids. If there would have been a prize then there would have been more people dressing up.
In the same way so many Christians are like that. They choose their ministries or the church they attend based solely upon what they will get out of it. Go out on a limb and do something that will strengthen others.
2. Even if the golf course has 3 courses 168 kids are a lot of putt-putters. We walked in and used all of the putters in the place and completely dominated the course. It was cool to look out and see that many people playing golf.
3. Keep good community relations with the places that you take your groups. I started talking to the Putt-Putt place about this activity a month ago. We showed up and they knew we were coming but they were not ready for us. At that point we could have become frustrated and put on edge, but instead we helped to organize the situation and ended up having a good night. As the kids were playing golf I had the opportunity to talk to the owner of the place and he wants us to bring our kids back for free. I am so glad we kept our testimony and he wanted to reward the kids for that. I mentioned to him that he should come check out our church sometime and he said he might take me up on that and gave me his cell phone.
4. Make sure you keep the ministry the main thing. Right before the activity started I was given some news that was a bit stressful at the time, but I took a couple minutes and turned my attention to the kids. I am so glad I did because it helped me keep things in perspective as we proceeded through this potentially stressful time.
5. My wife is hot as an old school golfer.
Monday, August 23, 2010
What is your view of the Bible?
In my first day of Systematic Theology I was presented with an interesting question, What is your view of the Bible? The truth is that your view of the truth in Scripture is critical in your Theological Development. Let me explain the two different views and then try to tie it all together at the end.
Axiopistic
Pisitc refers to the believability of something. Axio means we look outside of the text to prove its merit. So a person who is axiopistic would believe that they need to prove the truth of Scripture with outside sources. The area this is seen in the most is in Creation Science. We have organizations that spend so much time trying to prove that the Bible is right in its Scientific credibility. This is backwards, we should be proving Science is true by Biblical research. If you are axiopistic you approach the truth of Scripture as a skeptic seeking to prove the validity of the truth that is there, You end up doing things like espousing the Gap Theory to explain how the 6 days could fit the evolutionary model when this is just against the text of Scripture.
Autopistic
Autopistic means that the text is the truth. You accept the teaching of God as truth and go from there. So when the Scriptures say, "and the evening and the morning were the first day" you take it to be literal. This is the view that I would hold to. I believe like John 17:17 says, "Sanctify them through your truth, Your Word is truth," God's Word is the key to life. This means when the Bible says something is a sin we do not try to read into whether God really meant that. This does not mean that all of Scripture is literal and never figurative, but my confidence lies in the fact that the truths taught from Scripture are the truth and determine the truth (Read Song of Solomon for an example of figurative language {her neck is not really and ivory tower is it}).
Theological Implications
This is so important in your view of Theology. If you seek to prove the truth of Scripture and convince yourself that part of the Scripture is a lie you cannot trust the validity of the rest of the Word. Here are some specific areas that your view will affect your Theology.
Critics
When you begin to open your mind you possible error in the Word of God you become critical of the truths found in the Bible. The Word of God clearly tells us to avoid such thoughts. II Corinthians 10:5 says, "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." When the doubt arises you need to search in the Scripture for the truth. You need to go the source of the truth.
Truth from Other Sources than The Bible
A popular view in modern Christianity is that you can find truth in other places than the Word of God. There is truth outside of the Bible but only if it is consistent with the truth of the Bible. For instance the Bible says in Ps 19 that the Heavens declare the glory of God. A person may look at the heavens and realize that there is something greater than them so they settle for worshipping the sun. The problem is that on cloudy days there is a stronger force than the sunshine so then they worship the rain god. They have not found truth until the realization of the presence of a greater God is found in the Creator of the Sun.
Laziness in Study (Philosophy over Exegesis)
If your view of studying the Bible is to read other writings on a text you are actually learning from a person's philosophy about what that text is saying. It is comical to watch a Christian who studies God's Word and depending on the author they are reading they change their view of the Theological truth. The key is to use God's Word to explain God's Word. I am not saying there is no value to reading Commentaries, but do not just adapt their philosophy. Too many Christians are lazy in their approach to their study and just take someone elses thoughts as truth. If you went to the doctor and he opened you up for surgery and said, "So and so told me if I cut right here and snip this, but I have never done it before but he seems to know," you would leave and not come back. The same is true when you present the Word of God as truth you need to present it as truth and be able to explain how it is truth based on the Word of God.
Today take a hard text and study it. Learn to love learning about the one who loved you so much he came and died for you.
Axiopistic
Pisitc refers to the believability of something. Axio means we look outside of the text to prove its merit. So a person who is axiopistic would believe that they need to prove the truth of Scripture with outside sources. The area this is seen in the most is in Creation Science. We have organizations that spend so much time trying to prove that the Bible is right in its Scientific credibility. This is backwards, we should be proving Science is true by Biblical research. If you are axiopistic you approach the truth of Scripture as a skeptic seeking to prove the validity of the truth that is there, You end up doing things like espousing the Gap Theory to explain how the 6 days could fit the evolutionary model when this is just against the text of Scripture.
Autopistic
Autopistic means that the text is the truth. You accept the teaching of God as truth and go from there. So when the Scriptures say, "and the evening and the morning were the first day" you take it to be literal. This is the view that I would hold to. I believe like John 17:17 says, "Sanctify them through your truth, Your Word is truth," God's Word is the key to life. This means when the Bible says something is a sin we do not try to read into whether God really meant that. This does not mean that all of Scripture is literal and never figurative, but my confidence lies in the fact that the truths taught from Scripture are the truth and determine the truth (Read Song of Solomon for an example of figurative language {her neck is not really and ivory tower is it}).
Theological Implications
This is so important in your view of Theology. If you seek to prove the truth of Scripture and convince yourself that part of the Scripture is a lie you cannot trust the validity of the rest of the Word. Here are some specific areas that your view will affect your Theology.
Critics
When you begin to open your mind you possible error in the Word of God you become critical of the truths found in the Bible. The Word of God clearly tells us to avoid such thoughts. II Corinthians 10:5 says, "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." When the doubt arises you need to search in the Scripture for the truth. You need to go the source of the truth.
Truth from Other Sources than The Bible
A popular view in modern Christianity is that you can find truth in other places than the Word of God. There is truth outside of the Bible but only if it is consistent with the truth of the Bible. For instance the Bible says in Ps 19 that the Heavens declare the glory of God. A person may look at the heavens and realize that there is something greater than them so they settle for worshipping the sun. The problem is that on cloudy days there is a stronger force than the sunshine so then they worship the rain god. They have not found truth until the realization of the presence of a greater God is found in the Creator of the Sun.
Laziness in Study (Philosophy over Exegesis)
If your view of studying the Bible is to read other writings on a text you are actually learning from a person's philosophy about what that text is saying. It is comical to watch a Christian who studies God's Word and depending on the author they are reading they change their view of the Theological truth. The key is to use God's Word to explain God's Word. I am not saying there is no value to reading Commentaries, but do not just adapt their philosophy. Too many Christians are lazy in their approach to their study and just take someone elses thoughts as truth. If you went to the doctor and he opened you up for surgery and said, "So and so told me if I cut right here and snip this, but I have never done it before but he seems to know," you would leave and not come back. The same is true when you present the Word of God as truth you need to present it as truth and be able to explain how it is truth based on the Word of God.
Today take a hard text and study it. Learn to love learning about the one who loved you so much he came and died for you.
The Goal of This Blog
My goal in starting this blog is to give an outlet to discuss the lessons I am learning through my seminary education as well as the practical lessons I am learning through my Pastoral internship.
Mondays
On Mondays my goal will be to share a truth that I have learned from my seminary lessons. I will write in the next couple of weeks I plan to talk about things like how my view of the fall of Satan has been changed due to proper exegesis of Scripture. I plan to talk about how poor translation of the Greek has led to the entire Pentecostal Spirit Baptism model. And attempt to explain the importance of properly studying God's Word..
Fridays
On Fridays I plan to discuss the blessings and lessons I have learned throughout the week of working as an intern in the youth group. I get to teach the kids but in reality they are teaching me so much about practical ministry.
Practice
This becomes a great opportunity for me to share the lessons I have learned. In the modern culture blogging and technical aspects of ministry are becoming more and more important. So by writing this blog it will help me log my thoughts to help me remember and drive home the lessons I have learned as well as hopefully encourage you to dig deeper into God's Word.
Mondays
On Mondays my goal will be to share a truth that I have learned from my seminary lessons. I will write in the next couple of weeks I plan to talk about things like how my view of the fall of Satan has been changed due to proper exegesis of Scripture. I plan to talk about how poor translation of the Greek has led to the entire Pentecostal Spirit Baptism model. And attempt to explain the importance of properly studying God's Word..
Fridays
On Fridays I plan to discuss the blessings and lessons I have learned throughout the week of working as an intern in the youth group. I get to teach the kids but in reality they are teaching me so much about practical ministry.
Practice
This becomes a great opportunity for me to share the lessons I have learned. In the modern culture blogging and technical aspects of ministry are becoming more and more important. So by writing this blog it will help me log my thoughts to help me remember and drive home the lessons I have learned as well as hopefully encourage you to dig deeper into God's Word.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Put Off/Put On
I graduated from Bible College in the spring of 2003. After a summer of working at a camp I began my dream job as a Youth Pastor at a small church in Wisconsin. I was finally doing what I always wanted to do. I got paid to study the Bible and preach it to a bunch of teens. I loved my new job and started into it with the discipline needed to be successful, but soon that all changed. This entire post is kind of the story of my struggle with an enslaving sin that began to control me, and how through God's grace I am overcoming it.
Gluttony and Laziness
As I mentioned I was now a youth pastor and with my new job came new pressures. There were deadlines, counseling issues and the need to appease parents. Did I mention I was still single at this time? Many of the stresses in my life I could not talk about because of the private nature of the discussions. So I began to shrink into my own little world. I was going to work then going straight home to watch sports for the rest of the night. I began to make excuses why I could not do the activities I wanted to do (play sports, bike ride or rollerblade). I am too tired, today was too hard of a day or I just do not feel too good. With my laziness in my recreational life came a laziness in my personal life. I stopped cooking and started just grabbing anything to eat. Soon my days where made up of McDonalds for breakfast, a buffet for lunch, some sit down high fat food for dinner and of course I needed a huge bowl of ice cream to eat while I watched the news. Nightly my living room would look like I had a huge party because I had piles of chip bags, candy wrappers and cans of pop that I had consumed. I was stuck in a rut and had every excuse to explain how I could not stop.
You Need to Lose Weight
Lots of people who were my friends or associates would tell me all the time that I needed to lose weight. I had people trying to help me but instead of accepting their input as good advice I would get offended and just go eat more food. They tried everything to help me. I got diet books, told in a loving way to lose weight, yelled at and even pushed to go workout, but I was so sure I could handle it on my own. I tried every diet imaginable. I went to Weight Watchers. I would lose 40 pounds and then I would quit. I was in love with being a lazy glutton. I wanted to be happy and I hated the pain of denying myself.
I Will Love You No Matter What
One day I met the eventual love of my life. Tori told me everytime that I would talk to her about my weight that she would love me no matter what size I was. I could not figure this out. I had thought that people loved me based on my size. When I was losing weight people seemed to get really excited, but when I was out of hand they seemed to judge me. I know now that this is not true, but at that time my perception was all that mattered. Tori soon told me that if I believed that I was pleasing God then my size was irrelevant. I am so glad I married her. She made it less about mass and more about motive.
Ephesians 4
Tori and I decided to move to Lafayette to get training in Biblical Counseling. As classes started I began to be convicted about my own sin. I came across these verses and began to apply them to my life, Ephesians 4:22-24, " 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."
I was living my life to please my deceitful lusts. The lies I was living for were that food made me happy and discipline is too hard. As I realized this I began to pursue pleasing God because of my love for him. I started to desire to live a holy and righteous life. I realized that if I was living for anything other than my devotion to Christ I was not striving to be holy and making that object my God.
510 pounds to Content in Christ
At that point in my life the only scale that could still take my weight was at the doctor's office (or a semi-truck weigh station). I went to the doctor for an infection in my leg and discovered that I weighed 510 pounds. I have been working out now, making sure to do it out of discipline so I can please God better. As of this morning I am down to 340 pounds (not skinny but pleasing to God) and I can say with confidence that once I saw my sin for what it was and decided to please God in all the areas of my life I have been changed.
You Can Do It
What is it you are struggling with? Maybe you are addicted to a chemical, an emotion or a sinful activity that defines who you are, today is the day for change. Put off the old self and desires to hold onto these things. Set aside your emotional attachment to it and view it for what it is, an idol. Give your whole life to pursuing holiness and righteousness and see what God can do with you.
Discipline Yourself for the Purpose of Godliness.
Gluttony and Laziness
As I mentioned I was now a youth pastor and with my new job came new pressures. There were deadlines, counseling issues and the need to appease parents. Did I mention I was still single at this time? Many of the stresses in my life I could not talk about because of the private nature of the discussions. So I began to shrink into my own little world. I was going to work then going straight home to watch sports for the rest of the night. I began to make excuses why I could not do the activities I wanted to do (play sports, bike ride or rollerblade). I am too tired, today was too hard of a day or I just do not feel too good. With my laziness in my recreational life came a laziness in my personal life. I stopped cooking and started just grabbing anything to eat. Soon my days where made up of McDonalds for breakfast, a buffet for lunch, some sit down high fat food for dinner and of course I needed a huge bowl of ice cream to eat while I watched the news. Nightly my living room would look like I had a huge party because I had piles of chip bags, candy wrappers and cans of pop that I had consumed. I was stuck in a rut and had every excuse to explain how I could not stop.
You Need to Lose Weight
Lots of people who were my friends or associates would tell me all the time that I needed to lose weight. I had people trying to help me but instead of accepting their input as good advice I would get offended and just go eat more food. They tried everything to help me. I got diet books, told in a loving way to lose weight, yelled at and even pushed to go workout, but I was so sure I could handle it on my own. I tried every diet imaginable. I went to Weight Watchers. I would lose 40 pounds and then I would quit. I was in love with being a lazy glutton. I wanted to be happy and I hated the pain of denying myself.
I Will Love You No Matter What
One day I met the eventual love of my life. Tori told me everytime that I would talk to her about my weight that she would love me no matter what size I was. I could not figure this out. I had thought that people loved me based on my size. When I was losing weight people seemed to get really excited, but when I was out of hand they seemed to judge me. I know now that this is not true, but at that time my perception was all that mattered. Tori soon told me that if I believed that I was pleasing God then my size was irrelevant. I am so glad I married her. She made it less about mass and more about motive.
Ephesians 4
Tori and I decided to move to Lafayette to get training in Biblical Counseling. As classes started I began to be convicted about my own sin. I came across these verses and began to apply them to my life, Ephesians 4:22-24, " 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."
I was living my life to please my deceitful lusts. The lies I was living for were that food made me happy and discipline is too hard. As I realized this I began to pursue pleasing God because of my love for him. I started to desire to live a holy and righteous life. I realized that if I was living for anything other than my devotion to Christ I was not striving to be holy and making that object my God.
510 pounds to Content in Christ
At that point in my life the only scale that could still take my weight was at the doctor's office (or a semi-truck weigh station). I went to the doctor for an infection in my leg and discovered that I weighed 510 pounds. I have been working out now, making sure to do it out of discipline so I can please God better. As of this morning I am down to 340 pounds (not skinny but pleasing to God) and I can say with confidence that once I saw my sin for what it was and decided to please God in all the areas of my life I have been changed.
You Can Do It
What is it you are struggling with? Maybe you are addicted to a chemical, an emotion or a sinful activity that defines who you are, today is the day for change. Put off the old self and desires to hold onto these things. Set aside your emotional attachment to it and view it for what it is, an idol. Give your whole life to pursuing holiness and righteousness and see what God can do with you.
Discipline Yourself for the Purpose of Godliness.
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