2019 looks at the history of Old Testament Israel showing that the failures and successes of the Israelites led to the coming of Jesus, the Savior who redeems us from sin and empowers us by His Spirit to bear spiritual fruit in obedience to Him.
January 2019 (October 25, 2024 - January 23, 2025) - Joshua 1-14 - How the Lord brought Israelites into Canaan
Five New Points of Old Heresy - To explain what I believe about Christ is a creed. Our creed should be carefully formulated and biblical and consistent to our forefathers. I want to be true to what the Word of God teaches – so I can glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Help me to know about the historic creeds and confessions of the church and consider what happened in the Netherlands 400 years ago and how the Reformed church responded. Doctrines of the Reformed church were protested around 1609 and in Dordrecht in 1618-1619 it resulted in the Canons of Dort to form the Three Forms of Unity.
The Reason of Dort - Lord, I need to know my faith. Give me understanding so that I know it and can defend it well. Arminius (1559-1609) was educated at university in Leiden through the generosity of the Reformed Churches. He was bright and clever and when studying at Geneva was with Theodore Beza, a successor to John Calvin. Arminius served as pastor in Amsterdam from 1588 to 1603 and then taught theology at Leiden. Arminius wrote, but his papers were published after his death. In 1608 he wrote Declaration of Sentiments rejecting Calvin's doctrine of election. Recently people, in studying his work have concluded he isn't trying to say we cooperate with God for salvation, as he defends the goodness of God, but he's against any idea that God authored sin. It is those that followed him after his death which now state that sin does not affect a person's abilities to of large degree as Calvin states, but that man is able to cooperate and even resist saving grace. These views known as the Remonstrance of 1610 (after Arminius death in 1609) having 5 points: conditional election, universal atonement, complete depravity, resistible grace, and uncertainty about the perseverance of the saints (Calvin: unconditional election, limited atonement, total depravity, irresistible grace, perseverance of the saints). Thus, leading up the Synod of Dort (meeting in the port city of Dondrecht) was marked by controversy and division in the church. This would be a gathering of reformed church of Europe meeting from November 1618 to May 1619. The Canons of Dort respond to the 5 points of Arminianism. These synods were written with everyday people in mind instead of for university professors. Also shows the catholicity (universal) rather than sectarian (narrow-minded or belonging to a sect). The Synod also resulted in a new bible version with same status and influence of KJV. It approved the Belgic Confession. It also adopted point of church order and how ministers, elders, and deacons are to work and ministry and worship of congregations; also about the Sabbath and the importance of two services on the Sabbath. It kept, taught and defended our faith.
Five Main Points of Doctrine - Canons of Dort convened in 1618/1619 as a response to the five points of the followers of Arminians. First, in unconditional election God softens hearts of His chosen ones and by His sovereign will and grace, granting people faith. For those not part of His elect, He withholds His grace and those people are condemned for their sin and unbelief. In election, people do not choose faith, but faith is given as a gift from God. Second, God sends His gospel to His chosen ones, granting them faith, and through Christ's substitutionary work of atoning for people's sin, through the blood of the cross redeems people He chose. Third, man was created in the image of God, given the mind of His creator and things spiritual, but by rebelling against God by the devil's prodding and His own free will choice, he forfeit God's gift bringing upon himself blindness, darkness, futility, and distortion of judgment. Fourth, the fault of a person's unbelief and impenitence falls entirely on themselves. God calls everyone to believe the Gospel. The work of the Spirit gives to the sinners will, otherwise captive to sin, the readiness to do good. Fifth, God preserves His people within the fellowship of His Called one's. The Holy Spirit stays with people called. Packer states, "God saves sinners."
The Dutch Reformed in North America - Dutch Reformed church began in America in 1614. First regular minister in 1628 at Collegiate Church of New York (still a church). Became part of Reformed Church in America, established 1792. Then the Christian Reformed Church came about in 1890. But over time, especially in the 1960s, the church has been plagued by theological controversy leading to the United Reformed Churches in North America in 1995.
1. Theocentricity - God is the friend of sinners not the enemy. Election is gracious and undeserved. Reprobation is just and well deserved. Christ redeems some and leaves others in the misery they want.
2. Assurance of Faith - Election leads to faith in God's promises, the Spirit's testimony and gracious fruits in believer's lives.
Strongholds and Supremacy - Lord, this Christian life that we live is often a war. In life, we resist wars. War is necessary as we battle against our enemies that are present and engage in spiritual conflict. God will be thwarted. His ways will face opposition. People have worldviews that are in opposition to God but we must also respect them for their natures are intellectual and they have resources and power to oppose. Spiritual weapons are necessary because there are strongholds against Christ. Teach me when to be aggressive. I need to take every thought captive to obey Christ. Christ, you won the battle at Calvary, help me to love my neighbors and be relentless against everything that hinders the way of Salvation in Christ alone.
True Rest - Lord, in life it is the weekend that is portrayed as the only reason to keep going. I think there is a lot to this. It seems we want to know weekly that there is something at the end of the week we can look forward to, in which we will find rest. I hear of this often in relation to retirement, that goal we have to stop working. And yet every week there is the feeling that the weekend is not long enough. I even hear my children trying to figure out how they can work less, even less than 40 hours a week. What does it mean to rest? God, you set apart a day of rest (Genesis 2:2) because you knew in my life I would need this. In Adam and Eve, they traded rest that you promised for getting their own way. And since then we have been cursed with work and toil and yet the hope of rest remains. Everyone wants life to go on without toil, without trial. In America, we are rich and we safeguard ourselves continually to feel safe and secure, to have this rest. Lord, often during my week I sprinkle rest, often at the end of each day and then further resting for longer periods on the weekend. But there is a danger in this as rest becomes a part of each day, and the yearning for time's of rest remains strong. Matthew 11 records John in prison hearing of the work of Jesus and sending disciples or messengers to find out about him. He wonders if he is the Coming One, the Expected One, the Messiah, the One who comes. Jesus answers by quoting Isaiah, the prophecy of the coming Messiah who will usher in the favorable year of the Lord (Jubilee). This Jubilee was the 5th year sabbath for people and the land. And Jesus ends that discussion with the idea and notion that in Christ, living with Him, being with Him is rest for my soul. The rest we long for is found in Christ. O Jesus, you are rest incarnate and that rest is offered to me.
How Should We Confess Our Sins - I John 1:9 and we are to continue to confess our sins to God after we become Christians. Confess is to say the same thing so when we confess we agree with God's diagnosis of us as sinners. We are to confess to God and at times to other people. We definitely need to confess to God, but we may need to confess before other people and even a large group of people. God promises to forgive us and restore fellowship with Him.
Are you Open to Correction? - Lord, help me to be a person that receives correction, reproof. Give me understanding of myself so that I am responding to people correctly. I pray that my harmful, mean, and unwarranted words towards my children when they were in the household would not have long-term results on them. Proverbs 15:31 says, "The ear that listens in life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise." This tells me God that wise correction is helpful, loving and good. Proverbs 12:1 - "he who hates reproof is stupid" and "will die" (15:10). I am to the path of life in heeding instruction, but goes astray when forsaking reproof (10:17). I will be honored by accepting reproof (13:18). Reproof gives wisdom (29:15). Listen to reproof and dwell with the wise (15:31) and grow in understanding (15:32). Lord, make me this type of person. For me, help me to now turn and badmouth someone that has given me correction. In this way a know I have that tendency to fight fire with fire. Jesus, you faced so much and didn't fight back. You willingly went to face pain and punishment, experiencing God's full wrath. You can do it so I can do it as well, though my doing is in much smaller degrees.
Cultivating Self-Control - Weeds often look alluring with green leaves and sometimes flowers, but they are undesirable and reek havoc in our gardens and yards. Food, drink, and sex are all good things for us, within the boundaries God sets up for us. But in each, problems can occur when we over-indulge in food, drink more, and take lustful looks. Good gifts from God can become unruly thorns in our lives. Proverbs 25:28, "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." I must be careful about the weeds in my life that can spring up: impulsive thoughts, words, or actions. This self-control is animated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23). In 2 Peter 1:5-6 we are taught to cultivate self-control in our lives. Lack of self-control can be damaging to me but also my family or those around me - making me ineffective and not fruitful. Our tabloids extol promiscuous behavior not self-control. Self-expression and no lack of restraint ("Just do it") is our moniker of life very often. But as Christians we need to strive to put to death our flesh and its demands. We are deceived by Satan to think self-control denies what we deserve. Our goal needs to be righteousness (Romans 8:13 "die to the flesh...put to death deeds of body", Philippians 1:11 "filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ"). Even with a zeal to glorify God in all we do, it is easy to see other goals the world offers. We can look forward to a day of no more weeds (Revelation 22:1-3 "crystal clear...no longer any curse") - O God help me please God listen to You and Your Spirit in speaking to me so that I do not indulge the desires of my flesh but instead anchor myself on your truths, to be focused on your best for me.
Joining and Being a Member of a Church - God saves a people not necessarily persons because Christian identify is communal (I Peter 2:9). We are branches (John 15:1-7), living stones built a temple (Eph. 2:20; I Peter 2:5), members of His Body (Eph 4:1-16; I Cor 12:1-27). We can't live alone in our faith. Become members of a church. Commit to weekly attendance. Be in fellowship with other Christians beyond the church walls. Maintain our membership even in transition such as leaving the church or being away for a bit.
Walking in Wisdom toward Outsiders - Christians should be the most agreeable people on earth, not stepping on toes, getting along with everyone. Yet, we should expect to be despised by those outside, keeping them at arm's length. More important for our speech to be wise. Have grace and salt, speaking to people in appropriate manners. So we pray for openings and for compassion and clarity. Savor Christ in our hearts and answer everyone with gentleness and respect. Welcome wanderers home.
Can We Trust the New Testament? - We need to remember the original transmission of the New Testament was by hand. Copying at times produced mistakes. It happens and is normal. Textual criticism looks at what was written by the original author and what may have been a later mistake by a copying scribe. We believe the writers wrote down the words inspired by God. We have 5,700 different manuscripts. We have tenacity of the text which means the high number of manuscripts gives us assurance the text has not been lost. We have too much material. In manuscripts we look for duplicity not singular mentions. There are bracketed texts in our Bible such as Mark 16:9-20 and John 7:53-8:11. Most copies lacked longer ending of Mark. Also John text suggest a later addition. No unresolved textual variant though places a significant doctrine in jeopardy. Thus, our text has not overall changed.
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