#Biblical Framework for Sin and Grace

[nathan-r-dooley]

The Weight of Sin: A Biblical Framework

Sin is a weight we all bear, but God’s mercy provides a path to freedom. The Weight of Sin: A Biblical Framework explores sin’s consequences and God’s justice and grace. Begin a 7-day journey to renewal and restoration today. https://timeforprovidence.com

Purpose: To explore the eternal and temporal consequences of sin for unbelievers and believers, emphasizing God’s justice, mercy, and the path to restoration. 1. Introduction Sin is more than an act of disobedience; it is a state of being that separates humanity from a holy God. The Bible defines sin as lawlessness (1 John 3:4), and it affects every aspect of our lives: our relationship with…

[musicgoon]

Book Review: Providence in the Story of Scripture

In Providence in the Story of Scripture, Adamson Co walks through the work of God in Creation, Fall, Redemption, and New Creation. While Co describes his book as an introductory guide to providence, I found it to be a fresh and insightful study, particularly in how he uses the motif of creation to make God’s providence meaningful in the Christian life.

God Takes Care of His Creation

Co defines providence as the actions God takes in the care of His creation. He uses Genesis 22 as the locus classicus—the most well-known and authoritative passage—for the doctrine of providence. Through God‘s providence, we see three divine attributes at work: (1) God as all-loving, (2) God as all-wise, and (3) God as all-powerful. The purpose of God revealing His providence is to bring comfort and reassurance. Co goes on to give a fair representation of both Calvinism and Arminianism. He examines God’s sovereignty, human free will, and divine governance through these frameworks. Because the center of providence is not on the human side of the equation but on the divine, I was left with the conclusion that Calvin presents the more biblical position on providence.

One of Co’s greatest strengths is his use of helpful illustrations. For instance, he uses the illustration of a car accident to show that the driver is the proximate cause of the event. This helps demonstrate that while God is always the ultimate cause, there are proximate causes—human agents—who are still morally responsible for their actions.

The book really takes off when examining God‘s providence before the fall and then in the post-fall seventh day of creation. Providence is presented through the idea of partnership. In Jesus, we see the embodiment of pre-fall, seventh-day human existence. He lived freely and actively for God and in partnership with his heavenly father.

Partner Together with God

Co identifies self-determination as the sin that stems from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This act breaks the partnership that God had envisioned with humanity. Trust is broken, and the relationship is breached. The book beautifully portrays divine provision as the means of restoring this broken partnership and creation. These include divine forbearance, the continued provision of life, God’s sustaining of human conscience, the ordination of human society and governance, nature’s aesthetic draw toward God, and God’s ongoing involvement and intervention. Reading this made me deeply grateful for God’s providence as we can find a measure of rest in this world through common grace

I was particularly intrigued by the concept of “prolepsis”—drawing upon God’s completed future and bringing aspects of it into the present. Co illustrates this, although he says it is imperfect, with Disneyland’s Tomorrowland as a way to understand how we can maintain a hopeful outlook on the future and live with that same hope now. I learned that Christians can synchronize with God’s time by living under the reality of Christ’s imminent return. I was challenged to perceive God’s timing even in suffering. We can experience a foretaste of new creation and God’s providence in what Co calls the "eighth day of creation."

This book wonderfully and expertly frames the doctrine of providence through the theological lenses of the seventh and eighth days of creation. Before reading this book, I viewed myself as passive in response to God’s providence. I now see that I can actively partake in it. Unlike the frame of a painting, this book is like the frame of a window—revealing God’s work of providence as something that can be stepped into and experienced.

I received a media copy of Providence in the Story of Scripture and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.

[theactsoftheapostles]

"The Priest of Justice." From the Acts of the Apostles 20: 17-24.

The next section is of the utmost importance in the proper understanding of the strategic framework of our new Church. Paul, a Jewish prophet whisperer who can communicate with the Holy Ghost says in stalwart Jewish fashion the scriptures teach us how to work, to turn away from our sins and abide freely in the Grace of God. They cannot do more than this.

Jesus did not promise freedom from the consequences of our actions, He promised if we followed the Seder found in the Torah, life could trasnscend the rules and we could all live happily ever after together, pretty much in any way we choose. Before Jesus there was Torah, during Jesus's lifetime, as He said there was Torah, and now after His Ascent, there is Torah. Luke explains as we get ready to end the Acts of the Apostles. We will be on the ground shortly:

Paul's Farewell Speech to the Elders of Ephesus

17 From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. 18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You know how I spent the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 

19 With all humility and many tears I did my work as the Lord's servant during the hard times that came to me because of the plots of some Jews. 

20 You know that I did not hold back anything that would be of help to you as I preached and taught in public and in your homes. 

21 To Jews and Gentiles alike I gave solemn warning that they should turn from their sins to God and believe in our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, in obedience to the Holy Spirit I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 

23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit has warned me that prison and troubles wait for me. 

24 But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.

To complete the mission of Paul, the real edifice of the mission of the Church of Christ, Luke says the Values in Gematria are:

v. 17-18: Paul sent a message to Ephesus. He sent it to us, to the world of tomorrow. The Number is 13798, יגן‎ץח‎, yagen‎tzach‎, "How to win."

v. 19: With humility and tears, I did the work. The Number is 13583, יגךףג‎ ‎, yagechapgg‎, "a world that is not yet ripe needs guidance."

v. 20: I did not hold back anything. The Number is 7194, ע‎אץד‎, Aazd, "the party side."

The Torah and its grander architecture within the Magthorah are divided into two parts, before the Fourth Day and after. The Torah ends with the Third Day, crossing over, and the Revelation completes the outer bands of the Seventh.

The Party Side is the one that happens after Jesus appears and gives everyone the Good News, there is hope if one is willing to pursue Shabbat, the full realization of the Self in all.

Many Jews, like the rest, are unwilling to turn their opinionated, understimulated minds towards the Holy Ghost resist this concept because they feel more comfortable with routines. But Shabbat which is an absence of routines is of the quintessence of Judaism. Woe unto you if you do not make the attempt.

v. 21-22: To Jews and Gentiles alike, I give my solemn warning. The Number is 12606, יבם‎ו ‎, yabamba. "God's treat."

Bamba:The name "bamba" is simply the Hebrew name of the snack food, not a biblical word. It's widely recognized in Israel and is a popular treat. 

Bama (במה):.This Hebrew word, meaning "high place," is found in the Bible and other ancient texts. It refers to elevated locations, often associated with places of worship or military strategic importance. 

I have mentioned that the realization of the Self is of strategic importance to the human race:

"Selfless individuals with high levels of education are essential to the advancement of the human race, as they often drive ethical leadership, social innovation, and equitable development. Research in moral psychology shows that altruism, particularly when paired with cognitive sophistication, promotes cooperative behavior and sustainable institutions (Batson, 2011; Tomasello, 2019). Educated altruists are more likely to act on global challenges like climate change, public health, and poverty through evidence-based approaches (Nussbaum, 2010). Moreover, studies in developmental economics underscore the role of educated civic actors in fostering democratic resilience and social capital (Putnam, 2000; Sen, 1999). Together, these findings suggest that the fusion of knowledge and selflessness is foundational to long-term human flourishing."

References:

Batson, C. D. (2011). Altruism in Humans. Oxford University Press.

Tomasello, M. (2019). Becoming Human: A Theory of Ontogeny. Harvard University Press.

Nussbaum, M. C. (2010). Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities. Princeton University Press.

Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon & Schuster.

Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford University Press.

v. 23: The Holy Spirit has warned us. The Number is 7893, ע‎ח‎ץג‎, a‎ch‎tzag‎, "how to display the lightning."

v. 24: To declare the Good News...the Number is 13430, יג‎תל‎, yagtel, "To press God's Grace out of this wicked, wicked world."

This not done with Pro-Life, anti-gay, Islamophobia, hatred of the black man or black woman, fear of poverty, or praying nonsense all day long. This is a product of a commitment from the birth of one's children onward to create a way of life on this world that conforms to the Law and the laws, "do not harm your neighbor, do not endanger his life."

This is a lot of work but unlike other kinds of work, this work has dividends and none of us are partaking of them at this time because the governments we have put in place are populated with fuckups. They are a cross-section of the rest, so this is our fault from the ground up, but they are clearly ineffective bunglers at their jobs and must be made to perform. If they cannot or will not be instruments of God's Grace for the sake of the wellbeing of man they need to leave their jobs and let the next candidate give it a try.

The final Gemara is יגן‎ץחיגךףג‎ ע‎אץד יבם‎וע‎ח‎ץגיג‎תל, yagen‎tzachigechapgg‎ a‎atchad yevam‎vea‎ch‎tzagig‎tal, yagen‎tza chigech apgg‎ a‎atchad yevam‎ vea‎ch‎tz agig‎tal, "Anchor, then exit. Your holiday will expire and you will grow numb. Life beside the Priest of Justice is the dew of the angels."

Once again we see how the Church is little more than an exitatory energy that provides us with the desire to observe and know how life attains to its holy purposes. The State is supposed to provide and safe and sacred channel for these. An unjust state and an apostate Church are a recipe for utter ruin as we are seeing.

The thought of a hypersurreal religious world that is constantly tilting towards destruction becomes less appealing every day. So as Luke warned, we must turn to the Priest of Justice, our consciences fix what is ailing on this world and we must not wait. Time is never on a man's side, as all enlightened men will attest.

[mstulipsage]

RE: Construction of a Human Being

Every child is more than a student—they are a living soul, created in the image of God and entrusted to their care by divine providence. The work of formation, then, goes far beyond academic achievement. It is a sacred task of shepherding the mind, body, and heart of a young person under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Though Maria Montessori did not write from a theological framework, many of her insights into the child’s development resonate deeply with the biblical worldview.

This student sees in Montessori's method a reflection of God’s design: the intentionality of a prepared environment, the grace of giving a child time, space, and freedom within structure, and the value of quiet observation—all these align with the truth that children flourish when they are nurtured within a framework of order, purpose, and covenantal love. They believe that education must begin with the understanding that the child is both glorious and fallen—an image-bearer marred by sin, in need of redemption and grace.

Montessori speaks of the child’s natural development and the transformation that comes when obstacles are removed from their path. The Christian guide echoes this, but with deeper hope: they know the ultimate transformation is not simply behavioral or intellectual. It is spiritual. The child, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, taught the truth of the gospel, and shown what it means to live as a disciple of Christ. Montessori’s “normalization” becomes, in this view, a longing for sanctification—not merely calm and focus, but Christlike character formed through the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2).

They also view the classroom as more than a workspace. It is a covenantal space—one prepared with care, but ultimately dependent on the Spirit’s work. Every shelf, every tool, every quiet moment of concentration becomes an offering. The guide sees their role not as a controller, but as a guide, mirroring the humility of Christ. In line with Montessori’s vision, they believe the adult must prepare themselves more than the environment. And from a Christian lens, this means coming daily to the Lord in prayer, confessing pride, and asking for the grace to serve selflessly, joyfully, and faithfully.

What Montessori described as the “prepared environment” is seen by this guide as a tangible expression of nurturing. The child is given a space where they can safely explore, belong, and engage with the world in meaningful ways, not only to fulfill their own autonomy, but to live out their calling as a steward in God’s kingdom. In this environment, the child is invited to take ownership of their work, not only as an act of independence, but of worship. Every act of care, every lesson in practical life, every choice made in freedom is guided by the deeper purpose of training hearts for Christ.

This approach to Montessori is grounded in the belief that all truth is God’s truth. Even insights discovered through observation, like the child’s need for order, repetition, and beauty, are received with gratitude as glimpses of God’s wisdom woven into human development. Yet the guide remains discerning. They do not idealize the child, knowing that the heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). They guide gently, but also correct lovingly and faithfully. They respect the child’s voice, but they anchor that voice in Scripture. They follow the child’s interest, but always toward truth.

They believe deeply in the role of the adult, not as the hero of the classroom, but as a servant leader who models what it means to live under authority, to delight in learning, and to walk humbly with God. They resist bringing personal baggage into the space, laying down pride and control, remembering that education is not about performance but transformation. Their ultimate goal is not for children to function well in the classroom, but to flourish in Christ, for their lives to be rooted in faith, their character formed in virtue, and their minds sharpened to love what is true and good.

In observing the children, the guides does not merely assess readiness or track progress. They are watching for glimpses of God’s work: for the moment a child shows compassion, or takes responsibility, or begins to love learning, not for praise, but for its own sake. They see these as moments of grace, and they give thanks. Even a child’s smallest act of diligence or joy in their work is seen not as self-expression, but as the fruit of grace—and, where regeneration is present, the work of the Spirit.

Ultimately, their commitment to education is shaped by a vision much larger than the classroom. They believe that every child is being prepared not merely for life on earth, but for life in the kingdom of God. Education is a means of discipleship. The child is not only learning how to read and write, but how to live “coram Deo.” Os Guiness said, “To follow the call of God is therefore to live before the heart of God. It is to live life before the heart of God and thus to shift our awareness of audiences to the point where only the last and highest, God, counts.” . Whether practicing chores in Erdkinder, exploring ideas in Elementary, or refining skills in Casa, the child is being formed for a life of worship, wisdom, and service.

And so, this student presses on, not because they are idealistic, but because they are hopeful. Not because the method is perfect, but because we have a God who is faithful. They prepare, observe, guide, and wait, trusting that God will take the seeds planted in the classroom and bear fruit in His time. Their work is quiet, often unseen, but it echoes with eternity. For in every child guided toward truth, in every habit formed in love, and in every moment where dignity is upheld, the gospel is preached—not always in words, but in the faithful shaping of a life.

[processandproductionemmamarie]

Thematic Research

The Virgin Mary

Madonna del Granduca, Raphael, 1505

The Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ. In Christian belief, she conceived Jesus miraculously through the Holy Spirit. This is known as the Virgin Birth and is documented in the bible, Luke 1:26-38

In the Bible, Mary is portrayed as a devoted mother and is present at the key moments in Jesus' life, such as the crucifixion. In art, Mary is typically portrayed in soft flowing garments, with the colours white and blue used to emphasise her purity and divinity.

Mary is often associated with purity, obedience, humility and divine grace. In 1854, the Catholic Church declared the Immaculate Conception as a doctrine, stating that Mary was conceived without 'original sin', meaning the inherited sin that all humans are said to bear from Adam and Eve. This addition reinforced the idea that Mary was not just 'pure' because of her virginity, but that she was fundamentally different from other humans - a vessel specifically prepared to bear God's son.

The church has elevated Mary into a symbol of ideal womanhood, maternal devotion and sinlessness. Mary is known as a connector between humans and god, especially in Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity.

In a religious framework that views women's bodies especially as a site of temptation and sin, Mary represented a woman who was untouched by the 'corruption' of sexual desire. Her purity makes her an ideal of holiness, traits that Christianity has historically wanted to idealise in women of their faith.

Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene, Domenico Tintoretto, 1958

Mary Magdalene is one of Jesus' closest followers, and is mentioned in several of the gospels, including Mark, Luke and John. In the gospel of Luke, it is noted that Jesus had healed her of 'seven demons', which suggested that she had suffered deeply, or had a sinful past, but was redeemed through faith (Luke 8:2)

Mary is often called the first witness of the resurrection, a title gained as she was the first to discover Christ's empty tomb and was the first to speak to him after his resurrection. However, during the 6th century, Pope Gregory I combined Mary's narrative with other biblical women, particularly an unnamed 'sinful woman' who anointed Jesus' feet in the gospel of Luke. This association led to her identification as a sex worker. This reputation would persist for centuries.

In recent theology and feminist readings, Magdalene is reclaimed as a powerful and faithful disciple instead of a 'fallen woman'

Mary is representative of love, devotion, redemption, and misunderstood or repressed femininity.

Virgin and Child with Saint Mary Magdalene and Another Female Saint, Vincenzo Catena, 1500-1505

The two Marys represent duality. Together, Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene create a symbolic divide between 'sacred' (virgin, mother) and 'profane' (sexual, emotional). They set up a Madonna-Whore complex, a term coined by Sigmund Freud, that lingers in how women are perceived as either pure and idealised or sexual and devalued.

I used the following videos for additional research:

[versegpt]

Theosis: A Transformative Journey into Communion with God

The doctrine of theosis, rooted in Scripture and the teachings of the early Church Fathers, presents a transformative and holistic framework for Christian living. Derived from the Greek word θέωσις, meaning "divinization" or "deification," theosis refers to the process by which believers partake in the divine nature and grow into the likeness of Christ. This concept does not suggest that humans become God in essence, but through divine grace, they are transformed to reflect His glory. Anchored in Scripture, enriched by patristic wisdom, and applicable to contemporary life, theosis serves as a profound call to Christian discipleship—a journey of restoration, sanctification, and union with God.

Biblical Foundations of Theosis

The doctrine of theosis finds its biblical grounding in passages that call believers to holiness, Christlikeness, and divine participation. Key Scriptures provide both the invitation and the pathway for transformation:

2 Peter 1:4 – "So that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." This verse explicitly describes participation in God’s nature as the believer’s calling, made possible through His promises and grace.

Genesis 1:26-27 – Humanity’s creation in the image and likeness of God reflects the original design for communion and holiness.

Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16 – God’s command, “Be holy, for I am holy,” emphasizes the call for believers to reflect His holiness.

Romans 8:29 – “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.” God’s redemptive plan centers on shaping believers into Christ’s likeness.

These passages affirm that theosis begins with salvation and continues through sanctification, culminating in eternal glorification. Believers are invited to a dynamic, grace-filled process of becoming like Christ, enabled by the Holy Spirit’s transformative power.

The Early Church Fathers and Theosis

The early Church Fathers were instrumental in developing and articulating the doctrine of theosis. Their writings provide clarity on how believers grow into union with God while preserving the Creator-creature distinction:

St. Athanasius famously stated, “God became man so that man might become god,” emphasizing Christ’s incarnation as the means of restoring humanity to its divine purpose.

St. Gregory of Nyssa described the process of transformation as continual growth: “This is true perfection: never to stop growing toward what is better.”

St. Maximus the Confessor explained that believers participate in God’s energies (grace and presence), not His essence—ensuring that humans partake in divine life without erasing the distinction between Creator and creation.

Through their insights, the Church Fathers established theosis as a synergy between divine grace and human response. God initiates and sustains the process, yet believers actively cooperate through faith, repentance, and spiritual disciplines.

Stages of Theosis: A Transformative Framework

The journey of theosis progresses through three interconnected stages:

Purification (Katharsis) – This stage involves repentance and cleansing from sin. Believers surrender their hearts to God, seeking forgiveness and transformation through spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, and confession.

Illumination (Photisis) – As believers grow closer to God, their understanding is enlightened, and they are progressively conformed to Christ’s image. The Holy Spirit renews their minds and hearts, producing virtues like love, humility, and patience.

Union with God (Theosis) – This final stage represents perfect communion with God, where believers experience the fullness of His presence and are completely transformed. Though the fullness of theosis is realized in eternity, believers begin to partake in it even now.

Each stage reflects a dynamic, lifelong journey of deepening intimacy with God, culminating in eternal glorification.

The Role of the Trinity in Theosis

The process of theosis is inherently Trinitarian. Each Person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—plays a distinct yet unified role in the believer’s transformation:

God the Father is the Source of life and holiness, inviting believers into communion with Him through His grace.

Jesus Christ, the Son, is both the Mediator and Model of theosis. Through His incarnation, death, and resurrection, He unites divinity with humanity and enables believers to share in divine life.

The Holy Spirit empowers believers, sanctifying them and enabling them to reflect Christ’s likeness. The Spirit’s indwelling presence guarantees ongoing transformation.

This Trinitarian work underscores that theosis is relational at its core, grounded in the love and unity of the Godhead.

Practical Implications for Christian Living

The doctrine of theosis offers profound implications for contemporary believers, addressing personal growth, communal faith, and societal engagement:

Personal Transformation – Believers are called to pursue holiness and Christlikeness in all aspects of life. By relying on God’s grace and practicing spiritual disciplines, they experience renewal and freedom from sin.

Communal Faith – The Church serves as the context for theosis, where believers encourage one another through worship, fellowship, and the sacraments—particularly baptism and the Eucharist. Unity within the Church reflects the relational nature of theosis.

Engagement with Society – Theosis equips believers to address modern challenges such as secularism, materialism, and relational fragmentation. By embodying Christ’s love and character, they become agents of reconciliation and transformation in the world.

In an age marked by distractions and spiritual apathy, theosis offers a countercultural vision of abundant life, rooted in communion with God and lived out through holiness, love, and service.

Conclusion: Theosis as the Christian Calling

The doctrine of theosis provides a transformative framework for understanding the Christian life. Grounded in Scripture and enriched by the wisdom of the Church Fathers, it invites believers into a dynamic journey of communion with God, where they are conformed to Christ’s image and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This process of purification, illumination, and union reflects humanity’s ultimate purpose: to glorify God and partake in His divine life.

In a fragmented and complex world, theosis offers hope, purpose, and direction. By embracing this calling, believers embody God’s glory, grow in Christlikeness, and fulfill their divine purpose—both now and for eternity. As we respond to God’s grace and cooperate with His transforming work, we echo the prayer of St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.”

[thelordwhohealsyou]

Unfortunately, healing is not even in the forefront of the minds of most Christians. The subject has been relegated to medical doctors and considered to be the false work of religious charlatans posing as TV evangelists. It seems like most people have given up the hope or expectation of God’s healing, and apart from a quick and simple prayer pertaining to “if it’s Gods will,” nothing much is expected of God as Healer.

Often mainstream theologies claim that God makes us sick for His purpose to be fulfilled in our lives, and we are to be thankful and pray, “If it’s Your will, then heal me.” No one stops to think. No one even examines the biblical veracity of this belief in healing. It seems that the second most popular way to pray for the sick is to pray for wisdom for the doctors. Is there anyone in the Bible that prayed this way? It sounds good, but is it biblical; is it the most effective prayer that can be prayed? It is so thoroughly ingrained in many that it is unthinkable to question this line of thought. The second most popular approach is the opposing view—that it is God’s will for all to be healed and that all one needs is more faith and speaking the Word of God over and over until it is realized.

The problem with both of these views is that they have just enough truth to be dangerous. Now is not the time to expound upon this, but let me initiate a challenge to anyone who wants to debate the subject of divine healing. First of all, read every passage in Scripture regarding healing, disease, sickness, doctors, or any other related topic. Some of this valuable material is included in the Appendix. The material I have provided for you is, no doubt, missing some passages, though I have sought to be extensive in my research. The reason I say it is missing some passages is that the more I poured into the study of the subject, the more I found. Even after writing most of the book, I was made aware that the Hebrew word shalom holds in its definition divine health, welfare, and prosperity. The word saved¹ in the New Testament is sozo in the Greek, and it means “wholeness,” “healing,” and so much more than we tend to mean when we use the word. In order to be absolutely thorough, I would have to examine every use of every one of these words and many more, which I have not done here.

I trust as you read the pages of this book you will be as amazed as I was at how much God has revealed Himself to be Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. Writing this book has helped me to know my Father better. I have a deeper grasp of the depth of His love and care for me. May you, too, gain a deeper grasp of His love for you as you read.

I have a totally new perspective on sin and God’s loving grace. God hates sin because sin destroys us. He wants us to obey Him because He loves us and hates to watch us experience the consequences that sin brings with it.

My heart is deeply grieved by the conversations I have with students and professors of supposedly mainline theology. Somehow the entire subject of healing for many Christians is relegated to Charismatic theology. The first two points they want to address are almost invariably tongues and/or apostolic succession. If these terms are unfamiliar and their relevance to the subject makes you wonder, don’t worry; these issues won’t be discussed here. (I would consider myself a student of theology, and I end up scratching my head at the relevance of these topics to healing as well.) What amazes me is how easily we can be sidetracked from walking in and experiencing the abundant Christian life as Jesus intended and taught. I’m

reminded of the various religious groups from Jesus’ day who were tripping over truths while Truth Himself walked in their very midst undetected because He didn’t fit within their nice little theological framework. I urge you, please, to set aside any preconceived ideas you have about this subject and take some time to prayerfully study this subject in light of God’s Word. See if there might be something of value through this examination.

Richard Mull, Lord Heal Me.

[blessedarethebinarybreakers]

What if I don't feel called to celibacy as a queer person? I can't seem to get it out of my head that that's not ok. Part of my problem is that so many high profile "affirming" straight Christians or gay Christians seem to think it's the only way to go, or else don't let on that not every gay Christian is called to celibacy. I'm not like, obsessed with the idea of sex, but I'd like to share physical passion with a loving partner some day. I've heard that celibacy is a kind of costly gift to give Jesus, but what if it's not one I'm prepared to give?

Hey there, anon. I know that the pressure to remain sexually abstinent if you're LGBT/queer is widespread; but there are other messages out there if you know where to look! I, for one, firmly believe that LGBT/queer folk can and often do have sex that is not sinful, and indeed may even bear good fruit.

CELIBACY:

Celibacy is a vocation for many people, and it can be a holy and nourishing one — but the call to celibacy is not based on sexual orientation. Being LGBTQA+/queer does not automatically mean you're called to celibacy.

Check out my #celibacy tag for various posts and quotes on this topic, including distinctions between celibacy & abstinence and how to discern whether or not celibacy is the path for you.

SEX:

For many people, sexual activity can absolutely be part of a faithful life lived in thanks to God — this likewise is not based on sexual orientation!

Look, I'm queer, I'm Christian, I've had sex, and I've found it can indeed be a powerful element of a relationship in which partners help each other live into the abundant life to which God calls us.

Below are some places you can go for more about sex.

Marriage basics – history, connection to God, etc.

Check out this post for lots of info + links to more info on the history of marriage within the Bible and throughout Christian history, answering questions like,

Is “marriage” even a concept in the cultures of the Hebrew Bible?

What examples of marriage / marriage-like partnerships are there in the Bible? (includes links to stuff about Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz; David and Jonathan, and more)

What about Adam & Eve and ideas of complementarianism?

What does God “consider” marriage to be?

If a certain kind of relationship isn’t shown in the Bible, does that mean God doesn’t condone it? (And conversely, just because something is shown in the Bible, does that make it good?)

There’s also Queer Grace’s article on same-sex marriage.

What about premarital sex in particular?

Check out the posts in my #premarital sex tag!

Not only does the Bible include examples of pre-marital sex (especially since, as the previous link post explores, “marriage” as we understand it wasn’t part of many biblical cultures); but in our own time…

a lot of people are systemically kept from “legitimizing” their relationships with marriage. This includes many disabled persons and/or their partners; LGBTQA+ persons in many times / places; interracial couples in certain times / places; polyamorous persons; and more.

If marriage isn’t fully available for all who wish to get married, is it fair to claim that sex outside of marriage is always wrong?

More stuff on sexual (im)morality & purity culture

The concept of sexual morality is so, so poisoned by purity culture as well as assumptions that what is normative = just / God’s will…

Here are some posts that explore sexual morality:

“A case for a new look at sexual morality”

I list out Sister Margarette Farley’s sexual ethics framework in this text post; her book Just Love is great

Here’s someone else’s thoughts on things like chastity and premarital sex

Another person’s thoughts particularly about casual sex

Explaining purity culture, with advice for those leaving it (also links to my purity culture tag that has lots more stuff

Finally, the folks over at Queer Theology dig into sex pretty frequently. Here are a couple of their resources that might also help you:

Tips for creating a sexual ethic for yourself

What the Bible says about sex

Podcast ep: "Does queer sex make you unclean?"

"What promiscuity taught me about God's love"

___

I wish you well as you explore, anon! Please know: Your sexuality is a gift from the God who loves you and intends your flourishing — it is not sinful to enjoy it!

Sex can be a powerful way of connecting with other human beings made in God's image; part of how humans can bond with each other and learn how to respect and care for each other; of discovering how to enjoy and give thanks for the body God fashioned just for you; and more. It's not inherently incorrect or sinful for anyone, including queer folk, to have sex. <3

[gone-series-orchid]

i think the vibe some people might get from my astrid & religion posts is that i’m fundamentally against the idea of astrid losing her faith. it’s funny, but i think it’s that i feel like her atheism is primarily a coping mechanism for the trauma of committing murder, and i don’t think that’s interrogated by the narrative enough.

to contrast it with orc finding christianity, it’s very obvious that he views it first and foremost as a conduit for his own redemption. he believes so fiercely in what he reads in the bible because it provides a solution to his troubles in a respectable, philosophical way he finds impressive—he gels with the christian worldview and its views on grace and sin and absolution. presumably because of this influence, he’s able to kick his alcoholism. but despite his zeal, other characters (like howard) seem to sense there’s something sorta off about his new spirituality. they’re put off by his rambles, his incessant bible-reading, the fervor for which he talks about it. howard feels he just needs a drink to get him back to normal and dekka is somewhat wry and dismissive about his beliefs. to me, this indicates he’s using christianity like a band-aid for the troubles of his life without necessarily following its tenets—he refuses to believe in hell, constructing his own belief that god wouldn’t do something so awful as to create a place for bad people and sinners and he simply made hell up to scare them. it’s easy to extrapolate that, having experienced the genuine hell of living in the fayz, orc feels like any actual biblical hell would be too immoral for his god to create. not only that, but this belief would conveniently smooth over any lingering deep-seated fear of being sent there. orc also is set on killing his father, a clear violation of the ten commandments. and he still has a thing for astrid, still seeking her love in vain despite her being with sam, so he’s coveting thy neighbor’s wife too! for shame!

obviously christianity isn’t a cut-and-dry system of beliefs for many many people, hence why there’s so many different flavors of christianity. but orc’s trauma won’t let him consider that he’s a bad christian by wanting to murder his dad—that would bring back all the self-loathing and depression he’s been fighting back. his christianity isn’t real christianity, where sinning has consequences and hell is very real; it’s a soothing balm for his own mistakes, a way to redemption, a way to transcend the fayz’s awfulness through spirituality, a way to (physically and morally) get clean.

i feel the same way about astrid’s atheism, but i don’t think mg does—or, at least, i don’t think he’s interested enough in her spiritual journey to find out. but think about it—astrid’s atheism comes from her being repeatedly broken down by an unfair and cruel society. she clings to her faith until she commits the ultimate sin, the murder of an innocent, so she rejects christianity before christianity rejects her—not because she doesn’t want to repent, but because she feels no amount of repentance or prayer or faith would redeem her. and mg essentially proves her right! the closest thing to a god in the fayz, little pete, rejects her because her murder of him was too bad to forgive, validating her nihilistic worldview.

i don’t think astrid is working off the framework of “god isn’t real.” instead, i think she privately believes god has abandoned her. it’s an extension of her self-loathing. i mean, astrid’s justification for her loss of belief is that people decide what’s good or wrong, not some god—if god tells you to kill, you still don’t do it. she’s reckoning with what she views as her former blind faith, comparing it to britney’s zealotry for the gaiphage, but i think that’s a bit of an unfair comparison. astrid’s always been characterized as a moderate and logical believer.

i mean, astrid is trying to bury herself in her morals. but her morals are intrinsically entwined with her christian upbringing, so it comes across as a bit of intentional avoidance. not to mention that her characterization of herself as a bad person in need of redemption is suspiciously in line with her former beliefs about sin. only instead of praying to a false god, astrid’s praying to a real one—her little brother. it’s odd that the parallel goes unremarked.

to internally paint herself as comparative to a girl broken and brainwashed by a malevolent higher power seems harsh to me, again more indicative of her trauma and self-loathing than any logical, heartfelt conclusion she makes. i mean, if astrid believes in self-determination so much, how does she rationalize the savagery of kids in the fayz? how does that reinforce her worldview? is believing that people are inherently able to discern right from wrong, able to make the right choices, any more logical than believing in christianity when living in a hellish world where kids are forced to make horrible decisions just to survive, where trauma dogs their every waking moment? i understand her from a logical perspective, but i just don’t know if that particular belief holds up to much scrutiny. that’s not even getting into how, though astrid’s moralism came from her christian roots, she’s never had a problem with speaking her mind and making unpopular choices that she nevertheless feel are right, so it feels like a redundant epiphany.

if orc’s religiousness is born of the fayz and is thus, in the morally corrupt environment he lives in, inherently skewed, then so is astrid’s fayz-born atheism.

[hobbitsetal]

A Theology of Suffering

"All things work together for good for those who love God" is a beautiful and well quoted verse. And frequently, a misquoted verse. Too many people tie it into the prosperity gospel teachings of "your best life now!" and the deadly heresy of "if you just have faith, God will bless you!"

What about suffering? What about pain? What about loss? If something bad happens to you, do you not have enough faith? If you live with chronic illness or mental illness or trauma, does God not love you?

Is He not strong enough to guard us from the ills of life, or does He not exist? Without a theology of suffering, these questions have no good answer. But with a theology of suffering, we have the Biblical framework to understand that God is on His throne and to trust Him with the hardships of life.

What do I mean by "a theology of suffering"? I mean a Biblically root understanding of how pain, suffering, and hardship may fit into the Christian walk and into God's sovereign plans for our lives.

Let me begin by quoting Romans 8:28-29 in full and by offering my father's wisdom on what those verses truly speak to: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers."

My father puts it this way: "What is the highest good for any Christian? According to these verses, it is to be conformed to the image of Christ."

What does it mean to be conformed to the image of Christ? It means to become more and more like the most perfect Man who ever lived, to trust God completely, to be Love embodied.

What is love? 1 Corinthians 13 offers the most succinct picture of love: patient, gentle, long-suffering, kind, not envious or boastful. God is all of that in perfection.

But how can Love allow suffering? If He truly loves us, if He wants our best, how does pain enter into this? Many Christians go through long periods of suffering. Why? What are His purposes?

Let me lay out five reasons God may allow suffering, and then expand upon and support them with Scripture: 1. Correction of sin 2. A deeper understanding of Christ's love and the suffering He endured for our sake 3. Greater dependence on God 4. Deeper ministry to others who are suffering 5. Conforming us to the image of Christ

Correction of sin is perhaps the one I hear pointed to most frequently as an explanation for suffering, and it may indeed be God's purpose to use pain to turn us away from disobedience and back to Himself. Throughout the Old Testament, God allowed tribulation to hit Israel whenever His people turned away from Him. 1 Corinthians 11:30-32 speaks of this also: "That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world." In context, Paul is condemning the Corinthians for treating the Lord's Supper with disrespect, but the larger point still stands: the Lord may use suffering to correct us and He may use our weaknesses to cause us to see our inadequacy before Him apart from His own sovereign grace. Hebrews 12:3-13 also speaks of God's discipline as an expression of love, as a Father correcting His beloved children. He loves us too much to leave us in the filth and ugliness of our sin, so He corrects it, and suffering may be His tool of discipline. But suffering may also be His tool to give us the ability to understand His grace better. Hebrews 4:14-16 famously says, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." What weaknesses? Well, in the garden of Gethsemane, Christ pleaded with the Father not to have to endure the cross. He expressed fear and anxiety freely, along with His submission to God's will. Further, the gospels mention Christ hungering, thirsting, growing weary, being rejected by those He loved. When we suffer, we have two things: a greater understanding of what Christ went through for our sakes, and the assurance that He understands our suffering. This is not a comparison game. We're not given these words in Hebrews so we'll say, "Oh, Christ suffered worse, so I can shut up and deal with this. After all, it's not as bad as His sufferings." What a depressing take! What a graceless, unloving, burdensome thought! Our God is not any of those things. Our God doesn't say, "I went through worse; you can deal with this." He says, "I understand you. I know firsthand how hard this is. And I will give you grace to endure." And because we know our God empathizes with us, we can depend on Him wholly and with confidence. 1 Peter 5:6-7 puts it with charming gentleness: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you." I personally like the version that translates it, "casting your cares on Him, because He cares for you." Matthew 6:25-34 speaks to God's caring provision, with Jesus's famous words on the sparrow: if even a tiny bird does not escape the Father's notice, how much greater an interest does He take in His children? Some of the greatest suffering offers us the greatest opportunities to see how God cares for us. When we struggle financially, sometimes He sends money from unexpected quarters. Sometimes when we need encouragement, the last person we'd expect to hear from reaches out to us, or a friend says the exact words we need to hear. Sometimes we catch glimpses of how He uses our suffering for good, like Corrie ten Boom realizing the fleas that afflicted her in a Nazi concentration camp also meant the guards stayed out of their barracks and she and her sister could read their contraband Bibles without fear of discovery. Sometimes we can see clearly the grace and kindness He pours out on us, the ways He sustains us past what we thought we could endure. And sometimes, having endured or in the midst of enduring, He uses our suffering to minister to those around us and uses us to say, "God cares for me, so I know He cares for you." 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 puts it powerfully, particularly coming from the Apostle Paul, who documented his suffering for God for our encouragement and instruction: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort." What else is there to say of this? We suffer so that we can encourage others. We suffer so we can attest to the comfort of God. And in so enduring, so encouraging, so attesting, we become more like Jesus Christ the Risen Lamb, Who suffered the very wrath of God. We suffer so that our faith in Christ becomes deeper and greater. As part of His comfort, the Lord tells us how to react to suffering--with joy--and why we should rejoice. James 1:2-4, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Romans 5:3-5, "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us." No suffering is wasted in the hands of God. No suffering is pointless. And in Christ, for those redeemed by His blood and His sacrifice, no suffering is endless. The Lord is sovereign and merciful and He does not allow things to happen without good reason. All things work together for His greatest glory and for our greatest good: to be like Christ and to spend eternity with the God of life and joy. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

[eli-kittim]

The Fullness of Time Theology: A Critique of Covenant And Dispensational Theology

By Author Eli Kittim

My Agreements and Disagreements with both Camps

One has to be au courant with Biblical Hermeneutics to evaluate various facets of Christian theology. I would like to stress at the outset that I’m not a proponent of either covenant or dispensational theology. I do accept certain aspects of both theologies while rejecting others.

I’m not a reformed theologian but I do agree that the Old Testament (OT) is essentially Christocentric (not Jewishcentric) and that the New Testament (NT) is not talking about two peoples (the church and the Jews) but rather one: the elect (cf. Eph. 2.19-20), which is to say the Biblical metanarrative of the OT is not about a race but about a person: the Messiah! Some pastors, like John Hagee, have gone so far as to say that the Jews don’t need Jesus; they can be saved by their own covenants. The dispensational view is therefore unbiblical because it creates 2 people of God: the Jews and the church. Part of the problem is their reliance on denotative meanings and a literal interpretation of Scripture. In my view, the church doesn’t replace Israel. The church is Israel (cf. Rom. 9.8; Gal. 3.29; 6.16). It’s always been about the elect in Christ. If in fact there are 2 peoples with 2 sets of standards (law & grace) by which they’re saved, then that would invalidate Christ’s atonement, as would the rebuilding of the third temple, which would necessitate the reinstituting of animal sacrifices.

The Dispensation of the Fullness of Time

As a framework for biblical interpretation, dispensationalism is often described as a series of ages or different periods in history. This interpretative framework defines each distinctive time period as a dispensation or an administration of an age. But the only temporal dispensation I find in the NT is that of the fullness of time. Ephesians 1.9-10 reads:

γνωρίσας ἡμῖν τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θελήματος

αὐτοῦ, κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν αὐτοῦ ἣν

προέθετο ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς οἰκονομίαν τοῦ

πληρώματος τῶν καιρῶν,

ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰ πάντα ἐν

τῷ Χριστῷ, τὰ ἐπὶ τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ

τῆς γῆς · ἐν αὐτῷ.

Translation (NRSV):

“he has made known to us the mystery of his

will, according to his good pleasure that he

set forth in Christ, as a plan [οἰκονομίαν] for

the fullness of time, to gather up all things

in him, things in heaven and things on

earth.”

In short; the designation “the fullness of time” (τοῦ πληρώματος τῶν καιρῶν) refers to the period of time (οἰκονομίαν; dispensation) when all things, both in in the heavens and upon the earth, will conclude in Christ. The Greek word ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι means to “sum up” (see G.W.H. Lampe [ed.], A Patristic Greek Lexicon [Oxford: Oxford University, 1961], pp. 1094-95).

So, according to Eph. 1.10, it’s “a plan [dispensation] for the fullness of time,” which will culminate “at the end of the age” (cf. Gal. 4.4; Dan. 12.4 LXX; Mt. 13.39-40, 49; 24.3; 28.20; Heb. 9.26b)! Surprisingly, neither covenant theology nor dispensational theology refer to this Biblical dispensation. Similarly, in Acts 3.19-21, Peter is addressing a crowd and astoundingly refers to Christ’s coming in the context of futurist eschatology. He refers to “the Messiah appointed for you” as the προκεχειρισμένον (i.e. appointed beforehand) Christ “Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets.” Peter says:

“Repent therefore, and turn to God so that

your sins may be wiped out, so that times of

refreshing may come from the presence of

the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah

appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must

remain in heaven until the time of universal

restoration that God announced long ago

through his holy prophets.”

Thus, the key Biblical dispensation or plan of God is the one pertaining to the fullness of time (i.e. at the end of the age) when all his plans will be fulfilled.

Grace Has Always Existed

Ephesians 3.1-9 explains that God’s plan was always to turn the entire world into Israel (i.e. a holy people, not a race):

“This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner

for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

—for surely you have already heard of the

commission [οἰκονομίαν; dispensation] of

God’s grace that was given me for you, and

how the mystery was made known to me by

revelation [ἀποκάλυψιν], as I wrote above in

a few words, a reading of which will enable

you to perceive my understanding of the

mystery of Christ. In former generations this

mystery was not made known to

humankind, as it has now been revealed to

his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:

that is, the Gentiles have become fellow

heirs, members of the same body, and

sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus

through the gospel. Of this gospel I have

become a servant according to the gift of

God’s grace that was given me by the

working of his power. Although I am the very

least of all the saints, this grace was given

to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of

the boundless riches of Christ, and to make

everyone see what is the plan [οἰκονομία;

dispensation] of the mystery hidden for

ages in God who created all things.”

In other words, it was part of God’s plan from the outset to call the entire world Israel! The dispensation or plan of God was to reveal the mystery that the Gentiles also form part of the chosen people of God. However, before we can demonstrate this point, we first need to show how grace was always available, even from the time of the Pentateuch (the Torah).

I should note, parenthetically, that there’s a theological confusion pertaining to God’s dispensation of grace with regard to soteriology. Many Biblical thinkers mistakenly assume that God’s grace is not offered to humanity until the *timing* of the atonement, or the cross, if you will. The age prior to that is often viewed as a time that precedes the age of grace. But that is an incorrect position which presumes that our salvation cannot precede the timing of Christ’s sacrifice (see my article: Theology Versus Chronology https://eli-kittim.tumblr.com/post/611676639545393152/theology-versus-chronology-a-soteriological-view).

One could reasonably argue that grace was always available “by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2.23) and was even explicitly mentioned in the writings of the law and the prophets. Deut. 30.6 is a case in point. The undermentioned verse from the Torah doesn’t appeal to works but to grace:

“circumcise your heart and the heart of your

descendants, so that you will love the Lord

your God with all your heart and with all

your soul, in order that you may live.”

Ezekiel 36:26 is very similar. Here, once again, the OT is not referring to Works but to Grace. The text reads:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new

spirit in you; I will remove from you your

heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Jeremiah 31.33 (cf. 24.7; 32.39-40) is along similar lines:

“I will put my law within them, and I will write

it on their hearts.”

In a comparable manner, Ezekiel 18.31 (cf. 11.19) says:

“Cast away from you all the transgressions

that you have committed against me, and

get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!

Why will you die, O house of Israel?”

But if this covenant with Israel is a covenant of Grace (cf. Jer. 31.33; Heb. 8.10), then who is Israel? Answer: the elect; the chosen people; those who are in Christ. If that was always God’s plan or οἰκονομίαν, to which all things in the OT pointed, then Grace was always available and did not suddenly come into play during NT times.

Therefore, there are not two people of God but only one: those who are in Christ. At the end of the age, Christ will not judge the world like a shepherd separating three types of people: the elect, the reprobates, and the Jews. Rather, he will separate “the sheep from the goats” (Mt. 25.32). In other words, there are only two categories: you are either in Christ or out of Christ!

What is more, Pastors do Christianity a disservice when erroneously stating that the Jews will be saved after the rapture. No they will not! The gates will be shut after the church leaves the earth. Matthew 25.10-12:

“and the door was shut. Later the other

bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord,

open to us.' But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I

do not know you.' “

That’s what the Parable of the Ten Virgins signifies. The 10 virgins represent the church that is waiting for the Bridegroom, who is Jesus (Mt. 9.15), to take her away in the rapture——“for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready” (Rev. 19.7).

That is what the parable of the 10 virgins means. To teach that Jews will be saved after the rapture is a false and dangerous teaching that is jeopardizing people’s lives.

Just because the Jews misinterpreted their Scriptures doesn’t mean that grace wasn’t available or that God didn’t refer to their regeneration-through-the-spirit in the OT. Therefore, to arbitrarily superimpose different dispensational ages and read them back into the text is as dangerous as it is reprehensible.

So, Grace was always present from the very beginning. But it was not fully understood until the NT era. But that doesn’t mean that it was not alluded to or explicitly referenced in the OT. It certainly was, as I have demonstrated.

What Does the term Israel Mean?

The term Israel can refer to many things. It can mean the promise land (Palestine); it can signify the former northern kingdom; it can refer to the purported historical person known as Jacob; it can be a reference to the 12 tribes; it can refer to God’s chosen people (of which a subset would be God’s people of the OT & NT); Israel can refer to Jews; it could mean the modern nation that’s located in the Middle East; it can also refer to anyone who is of the Abrahamic covenant; that is, the descendants of Abraham (both figuratively and literally) can be called Israel; the religion itself can be called Israel (i.e. those who worship Yahweh); the people of God in today’s generation (aka the church) can also be called Israel; and so on and so forth. Thus, to interpret this term exclusively as “the Jews” is to ignore all the nuances of meaning that the text provides. Using the analogy of Scripture, we allow Paul to give us an exact definition of what it means to be a "Jew" within the NT context. Apparently, the biblical term Jew does not denote a race but rather an inner essence or, more precisely, an indwelling spirit pertaining to God. In Romans 2.28-29, Paul writes:

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly,

nor is circumcision that which is outward in

the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one

inwardly; and circumcision is that which is

of the heart.”

To further explore the significance of this passage, read William Barclay, a world-renowned NT scholar, and his commentaries in the book, The Letter to the Romans. The Daily Study Bible Series. Rev. ed. (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1975, p. 47). What is more, 1 Pet 2.9 uses OT language, related to Israel, to describe the elect in Christ:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal

priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his

own possession, that you may proclaim the

excellencies of him who called you out of

darkness into his marvelous light.”

Who Are the Heirs of the OT Promises of God?

In the Book of Romans, Paul does not explicitly deny the notion that the concept of grace existed in OT writings. Since this was foreshadowed but not fully explained in the OT——with the exception of some soteriological allusions in certain passages, such as Isaiah 53.3-8 and Zechariah 12.9-10, for instance——Paul takes it upon himself to expound the merits of Grace vis-à-vis the messianic atonement in his letter to the Romans.

Even Covenant theologians find this so-called new manifestation of grace rather disturbing. According to them, there is only one covenant of grace that has been operating uniformly in each and every age. Thus, when Paul discusses “the commission of God's grace that was given” to him (Eph. 3.2), he’s referring to a “revelation” (ἀποκάλυψιν) in Eph. 3.3-7:

“the mystery was made known to me by

revelation, as I wrote above in a few words,

a reading of which will enable you to

perceive my understanding of the mystery

of Christ. In former generations this mystery

was not made known to humankind, as it

has now been revealed to his holy apostles

and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the

Gentiles have become fellow heirs,

members of the same body, and sharers in

the promise in Christ Jesus through the

gospel. Of this gospel I have become a

servant according to the gift of God's grace

that was given me by the working of his

power.”

What is this secret that “in former generations” was unknown? Ephesians 3.6 asserts that “the Gentiles have become fellow heirs”:

συνκληρονόμα [joint-heirs] καὶ [and]

σύσσωμα [a joint-body] καὶ [and]

συμμέτοχα [joint-partakers] τῆς [of

the] ἐπαγγελίας [promises] ἐν [in] Χριστῷ

[Christ] Ἰησοῦ [Jesus].

This means that the Israelites are not the sole inheritors of the OT promises of God. The Gentiles are co-inheritors. That is, they are identical with or equivalent to the people of Israel. In other words, they are like Israel in every conceivable way with regard to their divine relationship and position. In short, they share equal rights and status with Israel as the chosen people of God, the elect, so that they and Israel have become one and the same! This means that the OT passages regarding Israel, or the chosen people of God, necessarily allude to them, given that they figure prominently in the economy of God’s plan. However, in the end, it is those that are in Christ that are truly chosen (whether Jew or Gentile), not simply the literal Israelites. As descendants, Jews cannot appeal to their tradition for salvation, as if to say “We have Abraham as our father” (Mt. 3.9), because race alone will not save them (cf. Rom. 2.28-29).

The Fallacies of Dispensationalism

What is more, the arbitrary dispensations that refer to the age of innocence or the age of conscience have always been uniformly present in the development of human beings. They are not ages of time but rather stages of human development. A child is innocent until he/she reaches the age of reason or conscience after which they can make moral choices and decisions. The story of Adam and Eve is the story of humankind. It is the tale of temptation during the age of innocence in the life of every human being. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a connotative representation of those dual proclivities latent within the unconscious mind. There is no literal Cherubim wielding a flaming sword, or a literal garden, nor is there a tree of life planted somewhere on the earth which can make one live forever (i.e. the so-called fountain of youth). This is metaphorical language. To turn allegory into biography and call it the age of innocence or the age of conscience is a literal misrepresentation of Scripture.

Moreover, dispensationalists hypothesize the coming of a Millennial Kingdom, which seems to be a representation of the *timing* pertaining to the end of the age rather than a literal thousand year reign on earth (See my article, The Fallacies of Millennialism: https://eli-kittim.tumblr.com/post/634098142546198528/the-fallacies-of-millennialism).

Conclusion

The only Biblical dispensation that can be rigorously defended is that of *the fullness of time,* which refers to *the end of the age,* when “all things” will conclude in Christ (Eph. 1.9-10)! Moreover, as I have shown from the law and the prophets, grace has always been operative since the dawn of recorded history (cf. e.g. Gen. 3.15, 21). What is more, based on a *revelation* that was disclosed by Paul——the Christocentric content of which has always been part of God’s plan——the elect in Christ are the true heirs of the OT promises of God and, therefore, the true Israel. Finally, both covenant and dispensational theology have failed to grasp the Biblical metanarrative, whose central dispensation unfolds at the end of days (Dan. 12.13; Mt. 24.3; 1 Cor. 10.11), when all the inhabitants of the earth will witness “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1.7; 1 Pet. 1.13; Rev. 1.1), the tribulation, the rapture, and the final consummation!

[musicgoon]

Book Review: War of Words

In War of Words, Paul David Tripp tackles the heart of our communication struggles by grounding them in a biblical framework.

The book begins by reminding us that before we ever speak, God speaks. I found myself longing for my words—especially toward my children—to be saturated with the gospel and shaped by the Word of God.

One of the most compelling insights from the book is how our words reveal the "ruling desires" or idols of our hearts. Tripp argues that speech driven by sinful agendas can be transformed when we submit to the sovereignty of our Savior.

Ambassadors

Tripp frames our role as Christians as ambassadors of the King, tasked with using the tools of self-sacrifice, forgiveness, and reconciliation to reshape how we speak. A particularly challenging chapter explores a biblical model for confrontation—calling us to confront with truth and love, while staying faithfully on mission.

The book concludes with an encouraging reminder: the battle for our words is a journey. Yet each day, we can choose to use our words as tools for healing, not harm—bringing life rather than destruction.

This second edition of War of Words, originally published in 2000, features updated Scripture quotations (now from the ESV), revised discussion questions at the end of each chapter, and various editorial refinements throughout.

Speaking Grace and Truth

Practical and deeply wise, War of Words was one of the first books I read by Paul Tripp, and its message continues to resonate. Over the years, I've grown not only in personal relationships (as a husband and father) but also in ministry roles (as a preacher, teacher, and online creator). The war on words is ongoing, but by the grace of God, we are equipped to fight and to win.

I received a media copy of War of Words and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.

[ambassador1981]

elcome! Most of my groups are task or topic-specific. A while back I made this video, that now needs to be updated, but it will help you all get a glimpse at my vision for Mewe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq5InjOesMQ

To focus on inductive bible study methods join here. https://mewe.com/join/inductive_bible_study_methodology_group_

If you want to study the old testament survey join here. https://mewe.com/join/old_testament_survey_group__

If you want to study the New testament survey join here. https://mewe.com/join/new_testament_survey_study_group_

If you want to study Christian sociology join here. https://mewe.com/join/christian_sociology_of_gender_group

If you want to study about rewards join here. https://mewe.com/join/thedoctrineofrewardsthejudgmentseatbema

If you want to study the Holy Spirit join here. https://mewe.com/join/the_holy_spirit_pneumatology_study_group

If you want to study the church join here. https://mewe.com/join/thestudyofthechurch-ecclesiology

If you want to discuss views on predestination join here. https://mewe.com/join/is_predestination_true__

If you want to learn Bible interpretation etc join here. https://mewe.com/join/exegesis_hermeneutics_and_homiletics_study_group

If you want to study different views of creation join here. https://mewe.com/join/christian_views_on_creation_

If you want to learn theology proper the doctrine of God join here. https://mewe.com/join/christiantheologyproper-thestudyofgod

If you want to learn about demonology join here. https://mewe.com/join/demonology_biblical_discussion_and_study_group

If you want to learn about the Bible framework join here. https://mewe.com/join/biblical_framework_study__and_discussion_

if you want to study systematic theology join here. https://mewe.com/join/systematic_theology_group_

If you want to study salvation, join here https://mewe.com/join/soteriology_the_study_of_salvation_group

If you want to grow and help others grow in Christian leadership join here. https://mewe.com/join/christian_leadership_biblical_discussion_group_

If you want to study sin join here. https://mewe.com/join/the_study_of_sin_-hamartiology

If you want to study Christ and His life join here. https://mewe.com/join/christology_and_the_life_of_christ_study_group_

Looking for a group that accepts the reality that Christians can backslide in the worse ways possible, but that they can also be biblically restored? Join here I want you to join my group on MeWe https://mewe.com/join/christianreversionismandrevitalizationgroup

If you believe God has a future for Israel join here. https://mewe.com/join/israelologythestudyofisrael

If you are a married Christian join here. https://mewe.com/join/marriedchristiancouplesdiscussiongroup

If you believe in eternal security join here. https://mewe.com/join/eternal_security_study_and_fellowship_

If you are premillennial and dispensational join here. https://mewe.com/join/premillennial_dispensationalism_group_

If you are free grace and dispensational join here. https://mewe.com/join/free_grace_christian_discussion_group

https://mewe.com/join/studying_different_views_of_the_rapture

https://mewe.com/join/studying_different_views_of_the_millennium_group

Here is my most general eschatology group. https://mewe.com/join/eschatology_endtimes_bible_study_group

to learn greek join here. https://mewe.com/join/beginning_biblical_greek_group_

To discuss whether or not a person can lose or give up their salvation join here. https://mewe.com/join/eternal_security_vs_conditional_security_

To learn Hebrew join here. https://mewe.com/join/christian_beginners_biblical_hebrew_group_

[yu-noji]

The Five Points of Calvinism: Understanding the Doctrines of Grace

Calvinism is a theological system that emphasizes the sovereignty of God in salvation. The five points of Calvinism, also known as the doctrines of grace, are a central component of this system. In this article, we will explore each of the five points of Calvinism and their significance.

Introduction

Calvinism is a branch of Protestant Christianity that is named after the theologian John Calvin. It emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all areas of life, including salvation. The five points of Calvinism, also known as the doctrines of grace, are a framework for understanding God's plan for saving sinners. These five points are often remembered by the acronym TULIP, which stands for Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints.

Total Depravity

The first point of Calvinism is Total Depravity. This doctrine teaches that all human beings are born in a state of sin and are incapable of doing anything to save themselves. The Bible teaches that the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) and that there is none who seeks after God (Romans 3:11). Total Depravity is the recognition that we are all spiritually dead and that we need God to save us.

Unconditional Election

The second point of Calvinism is Unconditional Election. This doctrine teaches that God chooses to save some people and not others based solely on His own sovereign will, not because of anything they have done or will do. This election is not based on any merit or foreseen faith on the part of the individual. The Bible teaches that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) and that salvation is not of works, but of Him who calls (Romans 9:11).

Limited Atonement

The third point of Calvinism is Limited Atonement. This doctrine teaches that Christ's death on the cross was intended to secure the salvation of a specific group of people, the elect. It was not intended to provide the possibility of salvation for all people, but only for those whom God has chosen to save. The Bible teaches that Christ died for His sheep (John 10:15) and that He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession (Titus 2:14).

Irresistible Grace

The fourth point of Calvinism is Irresistible Grace. This doctrine teaches that when God chooses to save someone, He will do so irresistibly and effectively. The Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of the elect to regenerate them and give them the faith to believe in Christ. This grace is not something that can be refused or resisted by the sinner. The Bible teaches that no one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him (John 6:44) and that it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Perseverance of the Saints

The final point of Calvinism is Perseverance of the Saints. This doctrine teaches that those whom God has chosen to save will persevere in their faith until the end. They cannot lose their salvation or fall away from grace. The Bible teaches that those whom God justifies, He also glorifies (Romans 8:30) and that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39).

Conclusion

The five points of Calvinism are a framework for understanding the biblical doctrine of salvation. These doctrines emphasize the sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners, and they provide a clear and coherent understanding of the gospel message.

Total Depravity reminds us that we are all sinners in need of salvation, and that we cannot save ourselves. Unconditional Election teaches us that God has chosen to save some people, not because of anything they have done, but solely because of His own sovereign will. Limited Atonement shows us that Christ's death on the cross was intended to secure the salvation of a specific group of people, the elect. Irresistible Grace teaches us that the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of the elect to regenerate them and give them the faith to believe in Christ. And Perseverance of the Saints assures us that those whom God has chosen to save will persevere in their faith until the end.

Together, these five points provide a biblical understanding of salvation that exalts the glory and sovereignty of God. They remind us that salvation is entirely the work of God, and that we contribute nothing to our own salvation. We can rest in the assurance that our salvation is secure in Christ, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

[timhatchlive]

To the Halls of Faith

The end of Samson's life looks like a terrible subscript written at the end of a movie which already seemed to end with tragedy. He is blinded bound and forced to work, grinding grain for the very people God called him to defeat. He has become physically what Israel is nationally - blind, bound and ground by their enemies. Now if you remember, the sequence of the famous Judges' cycle it is that Israel would sin, get enslaved and then cry out to God. God would respond with a judge and deliver them for a time until the cycle repeated once more. In the Samson cycle, there all the elements minus the people crying out to God for deliverance. Yet God raises up Samson and it seems clear Samson is not just a historical story but a picture of Israel's descent into the morbid slave-state vassal of Philistines. So I consider God is using this story not only to instigate the nation's deliverance but to awaken them to pray for His help EVEN when they seem to least deserve it! The stage is set as the Philistines drag Samson out for entertainment and mockery as they worship their god Dagon. Bound in chains, with no other option, Samson prays for only the second time in his life. Judges 16:28 (ESV) Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

An arm-chair theologian could pick this prayer apart. He is hardly contrite, he is only after personal vengeance, he is short, he is not seeing the big picture of Israel's major problem nationally concerning the Philistines. The best Samson can come up with is, "Remember me and avenge me for the eyes taken from me by these pagans."

And yet, God answers his very inadequate prayer.

Judges 16:29–30 (ESV) And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

That's the end of Samson's life. It's not very inspiring but it's telling us a few things about faith. 

First, the faith you have RIGHT NOW to call out to God with your problems and how you personally see the world is enough to start a very productive conversation with Him. And YES, things will begin to change. Your faith does not need an expensive seminary degree or years of training in the church or a title. God will listen as you speak with the framework you have. If He listened to Samson here, I can guarantee you He will listen to you NOW. 

Second, this moment is clearly pointing to the future in which, through the death of the chosen Son of Israel - Jesus Christ - many more would be saved than His short 33-year life. For death would not be the end of His story. In fact, His death would be the end of death's stranglehold on you. This happened without your contribution. You receive it without payment and you are in turn accepted into the beloved by faith. Yes, the faith you have right now. 

The final picture of Samson in scripture is also a picture of your end in Christ. He is regarded as a hero of faith along with some of the great names in God's Biblical "Hall of Fame" in Hebrews 11: 

Hebrews 11:32–34 (ESV) And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Does it seem fair that Samson should be named along with so many great men? Of course not. It's not fair, it's grace. And that's how it happens for you. You are in the hall of faith NOT because of your great acts but because you saw the only way out of the mess you were in (which you may have gotten yourself into like Samson) was the remembrance and mercy of the Lord. 

Consider the thief on the cross who went from cursing Christ to saying the same word as Samson, "Remember me..." all while being tortured and slowly dying. What was Christ's response?

Luke 23:43 (ESV)“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

This is the God of all grace at work. Put your faith in Him. He will NOT let you down.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2BWyj7s