How much influence does Satan have on your life? Does he, for example, have the power to know your thoughts? We read in the gospels about Jesus' knowing people's thoughts, can Satan do this too? Why does your mind "wander and go astray" when you pray? How is it that you can maintain your concentration when reading the newspaper or a secular book but grow drowsy as soon as you start reading your Bible? At the heart of these various questions are two concerns about the human thought process, the first of which is...
Friday, May 17, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
The Angel of the Lord
Of the various topics in any survey of theology, the study of angels is one of the most popular. People are fascinated by the prospect of other beings who exist outside the physical realm yet who occasionally enter our world and even interact with us.2 The Bible records several examples of such interaction and only rarely identifies the angel involved. In most cases, he remains unnamed.3 This session we will look at a few Old Testament passages in which the biblical writers call an angelic visitor "the angel of the LORD." Is he, as some think, a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ (i.e., Christophany; so Baron 1918:23; Feinberg 1979:23; Leupold 1942 1:500-501; Morris 1976:330,370; Wood 1975:231,n.12)?4
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Theology Series #6: Angels
Having considered the three persons of the godhead in A Reader's Digest Approach to Theology, we proceed down the cosmic hierarchy to study angels.
Quiz: What Do You Know About Angels?
Quiz: What Do You Know About Angels?
- What is the theological term for the study of angels? Angelology.
- What does the word "angel" mean? Both Hebrew (mal'ak) and Greek (anggelos) terms mean "messenger."
- T/F: Angels have wings. False (in the narrow sense of the term): Seraphs and cherubs have wings; angels, proper, do not, although they do fly.1
- T/F: When people die, they become angels. False: They become "like the angels" (Matt 22:30) but do not become angels.2
- T/F: Israel was the only Ancient Near East (ANE) people with a belief in angels. False: A stele depicts angels flying over the Sumerian king Ur-Nammus while he prays (c. 2250).
- T/F: Angels always appear in the Bible as adult males, never as females or children. True.3
- T/F: Daniel is the only Old Testament (OT) book that names angels. True (See answer to the next question).
- Who are the angels Protestant scriptures name? Gabriel and Michael.4
- T/F: "The angel of the LORD" is Christ. False (See Excursus 1: The Angel of the LORD).
- What is the main goal of evil angels? To thwart God's purpose by opposing God's people.5
- Who controls the activities of evil angels? Satan partially (immediately) but God ultimately (mediately).6
- T/F: Angels play harps. False: This notion seems to have arisen from a misunderstanding of passages in Revelation where elders have harps and where some believers have harps (Mounce 1977:146).7
- T/F: Angels are musical. True: They sing and play instruments.8
- What extra-biblical book has the most information about angels? 1 Enoch, where the author attributes sin to angelic intercourse with human women and identifies six good angels by name.9
A father's instruction
For many young men, the prospect of fatherhood can be daunting, even overwhelming.
The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings from the sages, and chapters 1-7 take the form of instruction from a father to his son.2 Much of it is in praise of wisdom and represents an attempt to impart the experiences and values of one generation to the next. Please turn to Prov 3, which indicates what fathers should value for themselves, by adopting several defining principles in their own lives, and what they should then convey to their children.
Three expectant fathers were in the waiting room of the maternity ward. The delivery nurse came in and spoke to the first man, "Congratulations, your wife just gave birth to twins!" "Amazing," he replied, "I work for 'The Twin Pines Motel!" A little later the same nurse returned and spoke to the second man, "Congratulations, your wife just had triplets!" "What a coincidence," he replied, "I work for AAA!" At this, the third man was on his feet. "I'm out of here," he said.... "I work for Seven Up!"The prospect of fatherhood can be daunting, even overwhelming. Solomon, who also had a very large family,1 offers some help, though, in his recounting of A Father's Instruction.
The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings from the sages, and chapters 1-7 take the form of instruction from a father to his son.2 Much of it is in praise of wisdom and represents an attempt to impart the experiences and values of one generation to the next. Please turn to Prov 3, which indicates what fathers should value for themselves, by adopting several defining principles in their own lives, and what they should then convey to their children.
The worthy wife
In a family, mothers are often the embodiment of practical wisdom, more than their children, even their adult children, always recognize.
There are two ways we could approach this passage. One is to comment on how much work this poor woman has to do: She sews, she cooks, she labors in the field, she gets up early in the morning and stays up late at night, all this while her husband is out having a good time with the guys. That is not, of course, how we should understand the passage. The biblical writer is not giving a grocery list of all this woman has to do but is telling all this woman is able to do. She is both capable and responsible. Moreover, if we look carefully at the text, we will see not merely this woman's numerous duties but her broad authority. In many ways, this is not only a description of the ideal mate, it is a picture of the ideal marriage. The author begins his description of this woman by speaking about...
Jim had been trying to get his mother to fly out for a visit. "No way am I getting on an airplane," she would reply. "Look, Mom," Jim said, trying to calm her fears, "When it's your time to go, it doesn't matter if you're on the ground or in the air." "I know," she said. "I just don't want to be that far off the ground...when it's the pilot's time to go."Mothers are the embodiment of practical wisdom, more than their children, even their adult children, always recognize. The message this morning is from the wisdom literature of the Bible, specifically Prov 31, which is not just about mothers but about wives in general and, indeed, has relevance for all women as it describes the experience of The Worthy Wife.
There are two ways we could approach this passage. One is to comment on how much work this poor woman has to do: She sews, she cooks, she labors in the field, she gets up early in the morning and stays up late at night, all this while her husband is out having a good time with the guys. That is not, of course, how we should understand the passage. The biblical writer is not giving a grocery list of all this woman has to do but is telling all this woman is able to do. She is both capable and responsible. Moreover, if we look carefully at the text, we will see not merely this woman's numerous duties but her broad authority. In many ways, this is not only a description of the ideal mate, it is a picture of the ideal marriage. The author begins his description of this woman by speaking about...
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Church Ordinances: Communion
The typical Baptist church observes communion with small cups of juice and pieces of bread. It is a practice that can be confusing to those present for the first time, especially children.
A little boy was visiting his grandparents one weekend and went to church with them. The congregation was observing communion, something the boy had never seen, so he asked his grandfather about it afterwards. "That was Jesus' Last Supper," his grandfather explained. "Wow," the boy replied... "they didn't feed him much!" (Adapted from Rowell 1996:42)We may not realize how this practice impacts young minds, even beyond the event itself.
A minister responded to a Red Cross appeal for blood donations. When he didn't come home by the time his young son expected him, the boy asked his mother, "Is Dad visiting sick people?" "No," his mother replied, "he's giving blood." Somewhat alarmed, the boy said..."But we know it's really grape juice." (Adapted from Rowell 1996:41)Despite what passes for communion today, the initial context for that event involved much more than small cups of juice and pieces of bread. As Jesus observed it on the night he was betrayed, there was a full meal. It was, indeed, The Savior's Banquet.
Church Ordinances: Baptism
One of the minister's goals in preparing for Sabbath morning is to coordinate the various elements of the service so they direct the congregation's attention where it belongs.
A preacher was winding up his temperance sermon with great fervor. "If I had all the beer in the world," he cried, "I'd take it and throw it in the river." The congregation responded with a resounding, "Amen!" "And if I had all the wine in the world," the preacher continued, "I'd take it and throw it in the river." Again, the congregation cried, "Amen!" "And if I had all the whiskey and demon rum in the world, I'd take it all and throw it in the river." Yet again, the congregation cried, "Amen!" When the preacher sat down, a deacon stood up and said. "For our closing hymn, turn to page 126 and sing together... We Shall Gather at the River."Although, it is usually best to coordinate the various elements of the service, I will not be suggesting this morning that we throw anything into the river. I do want us to consider another use for water, one that Jesus advocated, and that is The Disciple's Baptism.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
More on the blessing of children
Dr. Paul Manuel—2001
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| "The Rabbi's Blessing" Moritz Oppenheim (1800-1882) |
I. The common practice today is infant dedication, derived from Luke 2:22-24.
The biblical justification for the latter is often Jesus' first visit to the temple, when his parents "present him to the Lord" (v. 22).
Luke 2:22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY [firstborn] MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD"), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS."The Old Testament passages Luke quotes indicate that this event is something quite different from what many Christians assume.
Church Ordinances: Blessing the children
I do not know if this was your experience, but growing up with a brother and a sister, it became clear to me that unlike boys, girls rarely do anything wrong and, so, rarely get into trouble. Linda and her sisters rarely did anything wrong—so I have been told; not so her brothers, who got into considerable trouble. I have heard stories about some of Elder Eddie's youthful antics. Yet, the next generation brings his daughter, Katrina, the perfect angel.
The Roman Catholic Church has a series of seven practices it terms sacraments, so-called because the Church believes that through them God actively conveys a measure of grace to the participant, grace necessary to a person's relationship with God.2 Protestant churches, in particular Baptist churches, observe two of those practices, although not as sacraments but simply as ordinances, so-called not because they convey a measure of grace but because Jesus commanded his followers to keep them. The two ordinances are The Disciple's Baptism and The Savior's Banquet or communion. German Seventh Day Baptists recognize a third ordinance, The Children's Blessing, a practice Jesus commended to his followers. Unlike sacraments, the three Church Ordinances, while they accord with Jesus' instruction and example, are not necessary for a relationship with God. Those who had no part in them can still go to heaven, because God makes that determination on other grounds. Again, the primary difference between a sacrament and an ordinance is that with a sacrament, the Lord is supposedly active, dispensing His grace; with an ordinance, the participant is active, displaying his obedience.
The Children's Blessing was a ceremony common among rabbis during the first century, one Jesus also practiced. In the late Second Temple Period, it was customary for parents to bring their children to a respected teacher that he might beseech God's favor upon them. As Jesus' reputation grew, parents came to him with their children that he might petition God on their behalf.3
Two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. They were always getting into trouble, and their parents knew that, if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons were probably involved. The boys' mother heard that a local clergyman had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The minister agreed, but asked to see them individually. So the mother sent her 8-yearold first, in the morning, with the older boy to follow that afternoon. The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?" The boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there stunned and wide-eyed. So the minister repeated the question in an even sterner and louder tone, "Where is God!?" Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more, shaking his finger in the boy's face and bellowing, "WHERE IS GOD!?" The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him, he asked, "What happened?" The younger boy, gasping for breath, replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time. God is missing...and they think WE did it!"Unlike girls, boys are almost destined for trouble. Whether or not any of the boys that parents brought to Jesus were like the two in this story, they were not coming for any disciplinary reasons but to receive from him The Children's Blessing.1
The Roman Catholic Church has a series of seven practices it terms sacraments, so-called because the Church believes that through them God actively conveys a measure of grace to the participant, grace necessary to a person's relationship with God.2 Protestant churches, in particular Baptist churches, observe two of those practices, although not as sacraments but simply as ordinances, so-called not because they convey a measure of grace but because Jesus commanded his followers to keep them. The two ordinances are The Disciple's Baptism and The Savior's Banquet or communion. German Seventh Day Baptists recognize a third ordinance, The Children's Blessing, a practice Jesus commended to his followers. Unlike sacraments, the three Church Ordinances, while they accord with Jesus' instruction and example, are not necessary for a relationship with God. Those who had no part in them can still go to heaven, because God makes that determination on other grounds. Again, the primary difference between a sacrament and an ordinance is that with a sacrament, the Lord is supposedly active, dispensing His grace; with an ordinance, the participant is active, displaying his obedience.
The Children's Blessing was a ceremony common among rabbis during the first century, one Jesus also practiced. In the late Second Temple Period, it was customary for parents to bring their children to a respected teacher that he might beseech God's favor upon them. As Jesus' reputation grew, parents came to him with their children that he might petition God on their behalf.3
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Theology Series #5: The Holy Spirit
Dr. Paul Manuel—2013
In A Reader's Digest Approach to Theology, we come to pneumatology, a study of the Holy Spirit. We will approach this topic as we have the previous two, surveying the nature and work of the Spirit. After that, we will examine in more detail a particular aspect of his work that theologians often neglect. We will begin by considering three common opinions.
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