Lewis states that the Holiness of God is more than and something other than moral perfection and that his call to us is something more than moral duty. That however, is not an excuse for us to not act in a moral way. He notes that the Law is insufficient and meant to be transcended. However, he states that the Law can only be transcended by those who have tried to live up to it and realized how utterly inept one is to living out its precepts. Basically, in order to transcend morals, one has to truly try to live morally and fail, reach out to God and through God one will transcend the thou shall and thou shall not legalism of moral duty. Of course, Lewis puts it ever so elegantly stating, "The road to the promised land runs past Sinai" (Lewis, 65).
Showing posts with label Holiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiness. Show all posts
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
The Promises of God
I think I found the "godly" word I was looking for in 2 Corinthians 7. But, in the NIV it is translated as holiness. It's connected to some promises Paul is reiterating in 2 Corinthians 6.
"I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:16-18).
Paul then states since we have these incredible promises from God lets purify ourselves and live godly lives perfecting the holiness that we strive for. This is my prayer Lord, that I can purify myself before you and strive for the perfection of holiness.
"I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:16-18).
Paul then states since we have these incredible promises from God lets purify ourselves and live godly lives perfecting the holiness that we strive for. This is my prayer Lord, that I can purify myself before you and strive for the perfection of holiness.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Conditional Consecration, Essential Holiness
The third day of Draw the Circle made me think about the the idea of consecration and holiness. I wondered to myself after I had posted the last blurb if I was really right in equating consecrating and holy so easily. Are they the same word basically? I remember in college learning the technical definition of the word holy was "set apart". THen when Batterson mentions that consecration means "set apart" the word holy just instantly popped into my head. It's just one of those lectures I happened to have a vivid memory of. I grew up in the church so the word holy is commonplace. We sang Holy, Holy, Holy more than any other song in our Baptist church, save the Doxology. But, I hadn't really heard a good definition of what it meant until college. It was just one of those concepts that I new related to God, in a positive way and was a command for us to be and a positive thing for us to strive for and something that the angels were and something that Moses and Abraham were and something that Jesus was and the first name of a part of the Godhead and, and, and... But that lecture in college sort of put it in concrete terms and it's stuck with me.
Forgive me now as I indulge in a little armchair linguistics with the help of Strong's online. Holy in the Old Testament comes from the Hebrew word "Qadosh", meaning "set apart for a special purpose". The New Testament word that gets translated as "Holy" is the Greek "hagios". This has a good meaning too. It connotes "different" or "otherness". But the technical definition that Strong's gives is great: "different from the world because like God". So consecration is similar. It comes from the Greek "Hagiazó". Biggest different is hagios is a adjective; hagiazó is a verb. Joshua 3:5 sees the Lord commanding them to consecrate themselves. I Timothy 4:5 has Paul telling Timothy that everything that is received with thanksgiving is good because its consecrated.
Now, maybe I'm splitting hairs and reading too much into this but as I'm looking at it I see a minute difference that may be a big deal. Holiness I think is a set apart thing of God. The otherness of "hagios" comes from God. The "qadosh" is God setting something aside for a special purpose. It was God that set Israel apart from the world. It was God that set Levi apart among Israel's tribes. Holiness comes from God alone.
But consecration seems to be a combined act of both man and God. I Timothy states that "because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer" referring to all things received with thanksgiving. Holiness doesn't require man's reception with thanksgiving though. God is Holy because God is Holy. The Holiness doesn't have a conditional existence, it is an essential thing to God. But for something to be consecrated it has two conditions. A) It requires the word of God. B) It requires an obedience to that word of God by man. Joshua couldn't have consecrated himself for God without hearing from God to get consecrated. Nothing could be consecrated or set apart to become the otherness if that Otherness wasn't first calling for that thing to become something else.
Now, I'm sure that those who actually speak Greek or Hebrew could shoot through my arguments with a tenacity that would cause my whole house of cards here to come a tumbling down. But, while spending an hour or so on Strong's Concordance via Safari doesn't make me an expert I think my initial reaction to Batterson's calling consecration "set apart" in equating it with holy was wrong. And again, maybe I'm making too much of this, but I find philosophy of language to be extremely important. Contemplating the minutia of word choices and synonyms may seem like a bit of sophistry on my part but I feel that the concepts entailed in certain words carry their weight differently, even if they weigh the same. Using the most correct language possible is essential in communicating with three groups.
A) Those who aren't actually there to ask you clarifying questions or to pick up on your nonverbal communication.
B) The Divine because even though He knows what you are praying, by wrestling with the synonyms a deeper understanding can be fleshed out and give us a better grasp of God though our pursuit of Him.
C) Your own mind. By combining and cataloging and distinguishing on levels that would bring a smile to the face of a Byzantine you may very well confuse yourself for the vast part of your day, but when those moments of sweet lucidity come, brief as they may be - ah such moments of clarity are unrivaled!
Draw The Circle - Amazing Things
In Day three of Mark Batterson's book Draw the Circle he titles the prayer challenge as "Amazing Things". On day two he talked about trusting God because He is great, not just great at the big things, but great because He cares about the little things. But He cares about Amazing Things as well. The Amazing Things though are the things that God has in store for us. Batterson points out the part in Joshua where the Lord commands Joshua to consecrate himself, "for the Lord will do amazing things among you" (Joshua 3:5).
The word consecrate means to set apart or to make holy. Usually today we think of it when something is made sacred like a church or a cemetery. The idea of consecrating oneself is hard and ties into the difficulty I have with this particular prayer, the difficulty being that its hard to do and not that I disagree with it. The issue at hand is my pride, my ego. It's hard to give up things to consecrate myself, to dedicate myself wholly to God. I think it's gotten harder now as I've gotten older. I think ten years ago I could've just thrown myself at the feet of God when I felt Him calling me to do something. I might not have had the discipline or dedication to stick with the project He had called me to, but I feel I was more willing. As I've gotten older and become relatively more accomplished (not that I'm a superstar extraordinaire) I've become more prideful and full of myself. It's hard, when I'm even in tune enough to hear His calls, to abandon myself, my ambitions, my plans and follow His.
Batterson talks about this time he was in a Cleveland airport early in the morning and that this particular flight had made him miss his normal prayer time with his church. Then he felt God calling him to kneel down and pray right then and there. He talked about how the prayer with his church on every morning at 7:14 had become such an integral part of his life that when he missed it, on days like the day he was in the Cleveland airport that he felt pangs to pray like you feel hunger. I desire that prayer routine to be so embedded in my life that when I miss it I feel literal hunger. But, I don't know if I'm humble enough to hear God tell me to drop to my knees and pray in public and follow through. Batterson also stated that a little of his ego died that day. That scared me. I want the hunger to pray, but do I really want to make the sacrifice of myself to get it?
Throughout today's devotion he basically reiterated what I intellectually know and understand, that being the more I give myself to God the more He gives His self to me. I know it. I want that. But, my pride seems to cling on to bits of who I am - even the bits I don't particularly like about me. I don't think I cling to the parts of my personality that I'm not really fond of or that are blatantly sinful because I'm in a mood to rebel against the commandments of God. I think I cling to them because they are mine. It's a pride thing, but also a selfishness. It's also a fear of the future, a fear of the process. It's complacency.
So in praying with Erin tonight she prayed for me what I had asked (to get God's help with my pride, and for me to get to the point where I hunger to pray to God). Prayer has never been my strong suit in my Christian walk. I can read the Word, read commentaries on the Word, listen to sermons and lectures and do charitable things with relative ease. But, when it comes to praying I just don't do it as regularly as I'd like or as I should. So I genuinely want to hunger to pray. Erin's prayer on this was fine. But, when she answered my request on stripping away my pride and ego she prayed to God that He would take out his long sword and slash my ego away. It made me shudder a bit. It is the prayer that I want. I want to humble myself before God and let go of who I am so that He can mold me into who I am supposed to be. I even imagine that much of who I am will be who I will be and the parts I don't particularly like about the current state of me will be stripped away in God's molding, but I'd rather him mold with a spoon than a long sword. Even so, Lord you heard my wife's prayer and it is with a strong trepidation that I pray you answer her petition.
In the end Batterson made a good point about exchanging who we are with God to who He wants us to be. If we give to God of ourselves, He gives of Himself. We will exchange our sins for the righteousness of Christ. That isn't a bad trade, but it's still a hard one. I ask you now Lord to make me willing and soften my heart. Break my pride and help me relinquish my demanding of being in charge of who I am. Make me into who you want me to be.
The word consecrate means to set apart or to make holy. Usually today we think of it when something is made sacred like a church or a cemetery. The idea of consecrating oneself is hard and ties into the difficulty I have with this particular prayer, the difficulty being that its hard to do and not that I disagree with it. The issue at hand is my pride, my ego. It's hard to give up things to consecrate myself, to dedicate myself wholly to God. I think it's gotten harder now as I've gotten older. I think ten years ago I could've just thrown myself at the feet of God when I felt Him calling me to do something. I might not have had the discipline or dedication to stick with the project He had called me to, but I feel I was more willing. As I've gotten older and become relatively more accomplished (not that I'm a superstar extraordinaire) I've become more prideful and full of myself. It's hard, when I'm even in tune enough to hear His calls, to abandon myself, my ambitions, my plans and follow His.
Batterson talks about this time he was in a Cleveland airport early in the morning and that this particular flight had made him miss his normal prayer time with his church. Then he felt God calling him to kneel down and pray right then and there. He talked about how the prayer with his church on every morning at 7:14 had become such an integral part of his life that when he missed it, on days like the day he was in the Cleveland airport that he felt pangs to pray like you feel hunger. I desire that prayer routine to be so embedded in my life that when I miss it I feel literal hunger. But, I don't know if I'm humble enough to hear God tell me to drop to my knees and pray in public and follow through. Batterson also stated that a little of his ego died that day. That scared me. I want the hunger to pray, but do I really want to make the sacrifice of myself to get it?
Throughout today's devotion he basically reiterated what I intellectually know and understand, that being the more I give myself to God the more He gives His self to me. I know it. I want that. But, my pride seems to cling on to bits of who I am - even the bits I don't particularly like about me. I don't think I cling to the parts of my personality that I'm not really fond of or that are blatantly sinful because I'm in a mood to rebel against the commandments of God. I think I cling to them because they are mine. It's a pride thing, but also a selfishness. It's also a fear of the future, a fear of the process. It's complacency.
So in praying with Erin tonight she prayed for me what I had asked (to get God's help with my pride, and for me to get to the point where I hunger to pray to God). Prayer has never been my strong suit in my Christian walk. I can read the Word, read commentaries on the Word, listen to sermons and lectures and do charitable things with relative ease. But, when it comes to praying I just don't do it as regularly as I'd like or as I should. So I genuinely want to hunger to pray. Erin's prayer on this was fine. But, when she answered my request on stripping away my pride and ego she prayed to God that He would take out his long sword and slash my ego away. It made me shudder a bit. It is the prayer that I want. I want to humble myself before God and let go of who I am so that He can mold me into who I am supposed to be. I even imagine that much of who I am will be who I will be and the parts I don't particularly like about the current state of me will be stripped away in God's molding, but I'd rather him mold with a spoon than a long sword. Even so, Lord you heard my wife's prayer and it is with a strong trepidation that I pray you answer her petition.
In the end Batterson made a good point about exchanging who we are with God to who He wants us to be. If we give to God of ourselves, He gives of Himself. We will exchange our sins for the righteousness of Christ. That isn't a bad trade, but it's still a hard one. I ask you now Lord to make me willing and soften my heart. Break my pride and help me relinquish my demanding of being in charge of who I am. Make me into who you want me to be.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Brief Notes on The Epistle of Barnabas
(Originally Written June 3, 2008 in the Journal)
The Epistle of Barnabas seems to have been written between 70 - 200 A.D. It is not believed that this Barnabas is the same Barnabas as Paul's companion.
The Epistle of Barnabas
"For on the way of righteousness I have had the companionship of the Lord" (Early Christian Writings, 159).
There are three principles of the Lord:
1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Love
The Lord has made known to us that He has no need of oblations and sacrifices. The Lord seeks us to give to the needy and give the Lord a contrite heart as sacrifice.
We as Christians are not to withdraw within ourselves and live in solitude. We must make ourselves into the temple of the Living God.
The Lord sanctified us by the remission of our sins in His death.
Ruin justly awaits those who know the way of Holiness but choose the way of Darkness.
The prophets of Israel can only be understood through their fulfillment in Christ Jesus.
Though Jesus Christ was fully God, He came into this world as a man and suffered so that His affliction would win life for us.
Moses spoke of the dietary laws for which the Israelites understood carnally, but we, as Christians, understand them spiritually.
There are two ways of teaching, two wielders of power: the light and the darkness.
To follow the Way of Light is to give glory to Him who redeemed you from death. The Way of Light is never marred by hypocrisy. The Way of Light loves its neighbor more than itself.
"Never do away with an unborn child, or destroy it after its birth" (Early Christian Writings, 180).
"Whatever experience comes your way, accept it as a blessing, in the certainty that nothing can happen without God" (Early Christian Writings, 180).
Be as pure as you can. Detest evil. Be generous. Do not come to prayer with a bad conscious.
The Way of Darkness is defiance of God. Those in the Way of Darkness are sunk in sin.
The Epistle of Barnabas seems to have been written between 70 - 200 A.D. It is not believed that this Barnabas is the same Barnabas as Paul's companion.
The Epistle of Barnabas
"For on the way of righteousness I have had the companionship of the Lord" (Early Christian Writings, 159).
There are three principles of the Lord:
1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Love
The Lord has made known to us that He has no need of oblations and sacrifices. The Lord seeks us to give to the needy and give the Lord a contrite heart as sacrifice.
We as Christians are not to withdraw within ourselves and live in solitude. We must make ourselves into the temple of the Living God.
The Lord sanctified us by the remission of our sins in His death.
Ruin justly awaits those who know the way of Holiness but choose the way of Darkness.
The prophets of Israel can only be understood through their fulfillment in Christ Jesus.
Though Jesus Christ was fully God, He came into this world as a man and suffered so that His affliction would win life for us.
Moses spoke of the dietary laws for which the Israelites understood carnally, but we, as Christians, understand them spiritually.
There are two ways of teaching, two wielders of power: the light and the darkness.
To follow the Way of Light is to give glory to Him who redeemed you from death. The Way of Light is never marred by hypocrisy. The Way of Light loves its neighbor more than itself.
"Never do away with an unborn child, or destroy it after its birth" (Early Christian Writings, 180).
"Whatever experience comes your way, accept it as a blessing, in the certainty that nothing can happen without God" (Early Christian Writings, 180).
Be as pure as you can. Detest evil. Be generous. Do not come to prayer with a bad conscious.
The Way of Darkness is defiance of God. Those in the Way of Darkness are sunk in sin.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Brief Notes on Leviticus 14-25
(Originally Written April 25, 2008 in the Journal)
Why do you continue to test me Lord? Why must I go through this daily? Is it not enough to have her be unsure of her commitment to me that you allow her to continue to test the boundaries of marriage time and time again? A man must not divorce his wife. I will obey, but marriage should be joyful, is it not ordained by you? Why do I have to suffer so much? Hear me Lord? Reach out your hand and rescue me! May your will be done and may you keep me in your favor. Protect her tonight from the enemy and cast this doubt out of my heart. May you be praised forever and ever.
Notes on Leviticus
Chapter 14 - Ritual purification of individuals and houses with leprosy
Chapter 15 - Personal uncleanness
A person who is unclean cannot enter the Dwelling of the Lord for if they do they will die.
Who is Azazel?
Chapter 16 - Ritual atonement for Israel's sins
Chapter 17 - No more shall Israel sacrifice to satyrs.
No one can offer sacrifices anywhere but the Dwelling
No one can partake of blood
Chapter 18
Men will find life through keeping the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
There shall be no sex with any relative, blood or by marriage, because that is disgraceful.
You shall not have sex with a man because that is an abomination.
No bestiality. It is abhorrent.
Doing sexually immoral things defiles the land where it happens.
Chapter 19 - Moral decrees
Why are they moral, not legal decrees? Because they defile?
Chapter 20 - Penalties for sin
"Sanctify yourselves, then, and be holy; for I, the Lord, your God, am holy" (Leviticus 20:7, New American Bible).
Sins that demand death demand so because the committers forfeit their lives in the act. Those put to death have no one to blame but themselves.
Chapter 21
Priests must follow special rules because they offer up food for God.
The sons of Aaron who are deformed may not serve as priests, but may partake of the sacred food.
Chapter 22 - Ritual regulations pertaining to sacrifice
Chapter 23 - Holy Days
The Sabbath belongs to the Lord.
Passover/Feast of the unleavened bread
Pentecost
New Year's day
The Day of Atonement
The Feast of Booths
Chapter 24
The laws are for natives and aliens alike.
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life.
Chapter 25
The Sabbatical Year (7th)
The Year of Jubilee (50th)
The land belongs to the Lord, the Israelites are merely tennants.
Why do you continue to test me Lord? Why must I go through this daily? Is it not enough to have her be unsure of her commitment to me that you allow her to continue to test the boundaries of marriage time and time again? A man must not divorce his wife. I will obey, but marriage should be joyful, is it not ordained by you? Why do I have to suffer so much? Hear me Lord? Reach out your hand and rescue me! May your will be done and may you keep me in your favor. Protect her tonight from the enemy and cast this doubt out of my heart. May you be praised forever and ever.
Notes on Leviticus
Chapter 14 - Ritual purification of individuals and houses with leprosy
Chapter 15 - Personal uncleanness
A person who is unclean cannot enter the Dwelling of the Lord for if they do they will die.
Who is Azazel?
Chapter 16 - Ritual atonement for Israel's sins
Chapter 17 - No more shall Israel sacrifice to satyrs.
No one can offer sacrifices anywhere but the Dwelling
No one can partake of blood
Chapter 18
Men will find life through keeping the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
There shall be no sex with any relative, blood or by marriage, because that is disgraceful.
You shall not have sex with a man because that is an abomination.
No bestiality. It is abhorrent.
Doing sexually immoral things defiles the land where it happens.
Chapter 19 - Moral decrees
Why are they moral, not legal decrees? Because they defile?
Chapter 20 - Penalties for sin
"Sanctify yourselves, then, and be holy; for I, the Lord, your God, am holy" (Leviticus 20:7, New American Bible).
Sins that demand death demand so because the committers forfeit their lives in the act. Those put to death have no one to blame but themselves.
Chapter 21
Priests must follow special rules because they offer up food for God.
The sons of Aaron who are deformed may not serve as priests, but may partake of the sacred food.
Chapter 22 - Ritual regulations pertaining to sacrifice
Chapter 23 - Holy Days
The Sabbath belongs to the Lord.
Passover/Feast of the unleavened bread
Pentecost
New Year's day
The Day of Atonement
The Feast of Booths
Chapter 24
The laws are for natives and aliens alike.
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life.
Chapter 25
The Sabbatical Year (7th)
The Year of Jubilee (50th)
The land belongs to the Lord, the Israelites are merely tennants.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Brief Notes on Leviticus 1 - 13
(Originally Written April 23, 2008 in the Journal)
Lord, I feel drained and lonely. I have no joy, no hope and am struggling to maintain faith. Why would you join me to a woman who would do nothing but rip me apart? Are you not the all-good God? Are you not the merciful one?
Why do you allow me to suffer so? You know my struggles Lord. This prayer does not fall on deaf ears. You are the living God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob and of Moses. Am I not part of the Chosen now? Have I not been redeemed by the blood of Christ? Why then do I still suffer? Why are my cries not answered? How many tears must I shed? How much hurt must I feel?
But, you are the all-good God. You are my shepherd. You are my solace. In you alone I trust. You alone do I bow to worship. You alone I praise. I praise you in the good and the bad. I thank you for my struggle and my trials. I relish these as chances to grow closer to you. Lord take this pain away. Restore my marriage. Restore her to me and to you. But if I must suffer this I will do so gladly. Give me a little comfort and a little strength to make it through today. Hear my prayers.
Exodus 39
The book of exodus sets out the rules and regulations for the Israelites to remain ritually pure. God set these up to make the Israelites holy, to set them apart from all humanity. The holiness of the Israelites is a witness to the Glory and Holiness of God.
Leviticus
Chapter 1 - Holocaust offering instructions
Chapter 2 - Cereal offering instructions
Chapter 3 - Peace offering instructions
Chapter 4 - Sin offering instructions for the priests, the community, the princes and private persons
It is interesting that sin offerings are made for those who inadvertently sin.
Chapter 5 - Sin or unclean offerings are made for those who cannot afford animals.
In order to be forgiven, one must first confess.
Even if one sins inadvertently he is guilty and must make a sacrifice
Chapter 6 - Daily offerings explained
Holiness is an all encompassing, overarching commitment. The fire must be kept burning on the altar.
Chapter 7 - Guilt and sin offerings are similar
The priest who makes the sacrifice may keep the hide for himself and eat it in a sacred place.
The Israelites cannot eat any fat or blood. The blood and fat are sacrifices to the Lord.
Chapter 8 - Aaron and his sons are anointed.
"This is what the Lord orders you to do that the glory of the Lord may be revealed to you" (Leviticus 9:6, New American Bible).
Lord, what must I sacrifice to have your glory revealed to me? No question will be refused. No request is too great. Life and limb I offer you. Even her, whom I love more deeply than anything else in this world, I offer you to see your glory.
Chapter 10 - Aaron's son Nadab and Abihu are killed by the Lord for offering an unsacred offering.
Priests are responsible for themselves, but also for the people. They must be able to distinguish between clean and unclean, between sacred and profane. They must teach the people the Laws of the Lord. The priests eat the portion of the offering allotted to them to bear the guilt of the people and make atonement.
Chapter 11 - Clean and unclean foods
The people must be holy because the Lord is holy.
Chapter 12 - The uncleanness of child birth
Chapter 13 - The uncleanness of leprosy
Lord, I feel drained and lonely. I have no joy, no hope and am struggling to maintain faith. Why would you join me to a woman who would do nothing but rip me apart? Are you not the all-good God? Are you not the merciful one?
Why do you allow me to suffer so? You know my struggles Lord. This prayer does not fall on deaf ears. You are the living God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob and of Moses. Am I not part of the Chosen now? Have I not been redeemed by the blood of Christ? Why then do I still suffer? Why are my cries not answered? How many tears must I shed? How much hurt must I feel?
But, you are the all-good God. You are my shepherd. You are my solace. In you alone I trust. You alone do I bow to worship. You alone I praise. I praise you in the good and the bad. I thank you for my struggle and my trials. I relish these as chances to grow closer to you. Lord take this pain away. Restore my marriage. Restore her to me and to you. But if I must suffer this I will do so gladly. Give me a little comfort and a little strength to make it through today. Hear my prayers.
Exodus 39
The book of exodus sets out the rules and regulations for the Israelites to remain ritually pure. God set these up to make the Israelites holy, to set them apart from all humanity. The holiness of the Israelites is a witness to the Glory and Holiness of God.
Leviticus
Chapter 1 - Holocaust offering instructions
Chapter 2 - Cereal offering instructions
Chapter 3 - Peace offering instructions
Chapter 4 - Sin offering instructions for the priests, the community, the princes and private persons
It is interesting that sin offerings are made for those who inadvertently sin.
Chapter 5 - Sin or unclean offerings are made for those who cannot afford animals.
In order to be forgiven, one must first confess.
Even if one sins inadvertently he is guilty and must make a sacrifice
Chapter 6 - Daily offerings explained
Holiness is an all encompassing, overarching commitment. The fire must be kept burning on the altar.
Chapter 7 - Guilt and sin offerings are similar
The priest who makes the sacrifice may keep the hide for himself and eat it in a sacred place.
The Israelites cannot eat any fat or blood. The blood and fat are sacrifices to the Lord.
Chapter 8 - Aaron and his sons are anointed.
"This is what the Lord orders you to do that the glory of the Lord may be revealed to you" (Leviticus 9:6, New American Bible).
Lord, what must I sacrifice to have your glory revealed to me? No question will be refused. No request is too great. Life and limb I offer you. Even her, whom I love more deeply than anything else in this world, I offer you to see your glory.
Chapter 10 - Aaron's son Nadab and Abihu are killed by the Lord for offering an unsacred offering.
Priests are responsible for themselves, but also for the people. They must be able to distinguish between clean and unclean, between sacred and profane. They must teach the people the Laws of the Lord. The priests eat the portion of the offering allotted to them to bear the guilt of the people and make atonement.
Chapter 11 - Clean and unclean foods
The people must be holy because the Lord is holy.
Chapter 12 - The uncleanness of child birth
Chapter 13 - The uncleanness of leprosy
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Philosophy of Religion: Hick - Ch. 1 (C)
(Originally written January 6, 2007 in Book 7)
Philosophy of Religion
John Hick
Holy
God is Holy
The Judaic-Christian concept of God:
-infinite
-eternal
-uncreated
-personal reality
-created all that exists
-revealed to man as holy and loving
Too Tired.
Philosophy of Religion
John Hick
Holy
God is Holy
The Judaic-Christian concept of God:
-infinite
-eternal
-uncreated
-personal reality
-created all that exists
-revealed to man as holy and loving
Too Tired.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Notes on John Piper
(Originally Written March 17, 2006 in 3 Subject)
Let The Nations Be Glad
John Piper
Chapter 2: The supremacy of God in Missions through prayer
Life is war. God supplies the needs to be in the war and to win it. The supplier gets the glory.
Life is war because the devil attacks faith. Paul uses the Greek word to fight to tell the Christians how to live for God. Paul repeatedly uses warfare imagery in his writings. The folly of most Christians is that they do not have a wartime mentality. They are at ease and have let their guard down. They are susceptible to the enemy's attacks.
Until Christians adopt a wartime mentality they cannot pray effectively. Prayer is using the sword against the enemy. If we do not feel that we need a sword, then we cannot pray correctly. God answers prayer to equip His soldiers.
Prayer is ineffective because Christians have no urgency. God has sent us on a mission and promised to back us up with prayers. All we have to do is adopt a wartime mentality. The end of the war is known: God will win.
Prayer was the reason the Early Church grew so rapidly. The Early Church had a wartime mentality and a sense of urgency.
Jesus tells us to pray in His name. He has all the authority in Heaven and on Earth. God's goal will come through prayer.
Prayer is important to missions, but it is not the work of missions. The Word of God is, and the Word of God cannot fail. The work of missions is to preach the Word of God. Prayer supplies the preachers with the necessary tools to preach.
Chapter 3: The supremacy of God in missions through suffering
Since life is war, suffering is inevitable. The Bible constantly talks about how suffering brings joy. Christ suffered on the cross for us as the ultimate substitution for eternal damnation, not as a substitution for suffering in life. Christ is our pattern for existence, therefore, our suffering is normal and to be expected.
God does not simply allow suffering, He appoints it. "Why does God allow this? No, that is not quite the right question. We have to ask, why does God appoint this?" (Piper, 84). He appoints it for six reasons:
1) Suffering deepens faith and holiness
2) Suffering makes your cup increase
3) Suffering is the price of making others bold
4) Suffering fills up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions
5) Suffering enforces the missionary to go
6) The supremacy of Christ is manifest in suffering
Chapter 4: The Supremacy of Christ as the conscious focus of all saving faith
Is Jesus Christ the only hope for man? This question asks three things:
1) Will anyone experience eternal conscious torment under God's wrath?
2) Is the work of Christ necessary for eternal salvation?
3) Is it necessary for one to hear Christ's message to be saved?
Urgency is lost if any of these three questions is answered with a 'no'.
1) Hell is real. It is everlasting, unquenchable and an eternal fire. It is punitive.
2) Christ's work is universal. The resurrection is the only answer for human misery.
3) Now that Christ has been revealed, He is the only way. Those who fear God without believing in the name of Christ cannot receive forgiveness for their sins, which is crucial to being saved. People who have not audibly heard the gospel have heard it according to Psalms 19:4. "Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun".
Let The Nations Be Glad
John Piper
Chapter 2: The supremacy of God in Missions through prayer
Life is war. God supplies the needs to be in the war and to win it. The supplier gets the glory.
Life is war because the devil attacks faith. Paul uses the Greek word to fight to tell the Christians how to live for God. Paul repeatedly uses warfare imagery in his writings. The folly of most Christians is that they do not have a wartime mentality. They are at ease and have let their guard down. They are susceptible to the enemy's attacks.
Until Christians adopt a wartime mentality they cannot pray effectively. Prayer is using the sword against the enemy. If we do not feel that we need a sword, then we cannot pray correctly. God answers prayer to equip His soldiers.
Prayer is ineffective because Christians have no urgency. God has sent us on a mission and promised to back us up with prayers. All we have to do is adopt a wartime mentality. The end of the war is known: God will win.
Prayer was the reason the Early Church grew so rapidly. The Early Church had a wartime mentality and a sense of urgency.
Jesus tells us to pray in His name. He has all the authority in Heaven and on Earth. God's goal will come through prayer.
Prayer is important to missions, but it is not the work of missions. The Word of God is, and the Word of God cannot fail. The work of missions is to preach the Word of God. Prayer supplies the preachers with the necessary tools to preach.
Chapter 3: The supremacy of God in missions through suffering
Since life is war, suffering is inevitable. The Bible constantly talks about how suffering brings joy. Christ suffered on the cross for us as the ultimate substitution for eternal damnation, not as a substitution for suffering in life. Christ is our pattern for existence, therefore, our suffering is normal and to be expected.
God does not simply allow suffering, He appoints it. "Why does God allow this? No, that is not quite the right question. We have to ask, why does God appoint this?" (Piper, 84). He appoints it for six reasons:
1) Suffering deepens faith and holiness
2) Suffering makes your cup increase
3) Suffering is the price of making others bold
4) Suffering fills up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions
5) Suffering enforces the missionary to go
6) The supremacy of Christ is manifest in suffering
Chapter 4: The Supremacy of Christ as the conscious focus of all saving faith
Is Jesus Christ the only hope for man? This question asks three things:
1) Will anyone experience eternal conscious torment under God's wrath?
2) Is the work of Christ necessary for eternal salvation?
3) Is it necessary for one to hear Christ's message to be saved?
Urgency is lost if any of these three questions is answered with a 'no'.
1) Hell is real. It is everlasting, unquenchable and an eternal fire. It is punitive.
2) Christ's work is universal. The resurrection is the only answer for human misery.
3) Now that Christ has been revealed, He is the only way. Those who fear God without believing in the name of Christ cannot receive forgiveness for their sins, which is crucial to being saved. People who have not audibly heard the gospel have heard it according to Psalms 19:4. "Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun".
Thursday, February 2, 2006
The ethics of the Old and New Testaments
(Originally written February 2, 2006)
Moral Choices: Chapter 2
Christian Ethics
Judeo-Christian ethics has had a big impact on society since ints inception (despite recent departures)
Euthyphro dilemma (Plato raised this first in Euthyphro): is something good because God commanded it or did God command something because it is good?
The Old Testament is not a carefully arranged ethical system; it is a mixture of different types of moral reasoning.
Deontology (appeal to principles) is emphasized in the Old Testament. (The Law)
The Wisdom literature contains some utilitarian reasoning.
Since the Wisdom literature is based on the teaching of the law, so too is the utilitarian reasoning based on the Law's deontology. This utilitarian reasoning serves as a supplement to the Law's deontology.
Egoism and self-interest also supplement the deontology. This egoism and self-interest are found in passages that deal with Israel's obedience corresponding with God's bestowing of blessing on them.
Natural law is also found in the Old Testament. It is stated in Proverbs that right and wrong that right and wrong comes from observation of nature. It is also revealed through general revelation to nations without the Law.
The Law (Pentateuch) has three fundamental principles:
1) The Moral Law (10 Commandments)
2) The Civil Law
3) The Ceremonial Law
The Prophets use the Law to indict Israel
The ancient nation of Israel was a theocracy. There was no distinction between law and morality. All morality was legislated.
Israel made no distinction between personal and social ethics.
Today social and personal ethics are separated to allow for a morally relative and non-judgmental society.
Holiness is what unifies all ethics in the Old Testament.
Israel's treatment of the king, of women, of slaves and of the poor set Israel apart from the rest of the ancient Near East.
Obedience to the law was seen as loyalty to God.
During the sabbatical year a field was rested to follow the ethics of God.
New Testament ethics are not as emphatic on institutional morality and social ethics. The New Testament emphasis is on a morality for the Church.
New Testament ethics is dominated by a deontological system which states that actions, character and intentions are inherently right or wrong.
Jesus did not condemn the ethics of the Old Testament, only the interpretation of them by the Pharisees.
The ethics of the New Testament come shortly after the good news of Jesus Christ.
Love is the key theme of the New Testament ethic.
Moral Choices: Chapter 2
Christian Ethics
Judeo-Christian ethics has had a big impact on society since ints inception (despite recent departures)
Euthyphro dilemma (Plato raised this first in Euthyphro): is something good because God commanded it or did God command something because it is good?
The Old Testament is not a carefully arranged ethical system; it is a mixture of different types of moral reasoning.
Deontology (appeal to principles) is emphasized in the Old Testament. (The Law)
The Wisdom literature contains some utilitarian reasoning.
Since the Wisdom literature is based on the teaching of the law, so too is the utilitarian reasoning based on the Law's deontology. This utilitarian reasoning serves as a supplement to the Law's deontology.
Egoism and self-interest also supplement the deontology. This egoism and self-interest are found in passages that deal with Israel's obedience corresponding with God's bestowing of blessing on them.
Natural law is also found in the Old Testament. It is stated in Proverbs that right and wrong that right and wrong comes from observation of nature. It is also revealed through general revelation to nations without the Law.
The Law (Pentateuch) has three fundamental principles:
1) The Moral Law (10 Commandments)
2) The Civil Law
3) The Ceremonial Law
The Prophets use the Law to indict Israel
The ancient nation of Israel was a theocracy. There was no distinction between law and morality. All morality was legislated.
Israel made no distinction between personal and social ethics.
Today social and personal ethics are separated to allow for a morally relative and non-judgmental society.
Holiness is what unifies all ethics in the Old Testament.
Israel's treatment of the king, of women, of slaves and of the poor set Israel apart from the rest of the ancient Near East.
Obedience to the law was seen as loyalty to God.
During the sabbatical year a field was rested to follow the ethics of God.
New Testament ethics are not as emphatic on institutional morality and social ethics. The New Testament emphasis is on a morality for the Church.
New Testament ethics is dominated by a deontological system which states that actions, character and intentions are inherently right or wrong.
Jesus did not condemn the ethics of the Old Testament, only the interpretation of them by the Pharisees.
The ethics of the New Testament come shortly after the good news of Jesus Christ.
Love is the key theme of the New Testament ethic.
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