PPBC Spring Lineup


Ok, time for a shameless plug. I have organized a sneak preview for the planned Spring season of the Peculiar Pilgrim Broadcasting Company (PPBC). No writer’s strike halting progress here. Writer’s block on the other hand…

I realize my readers have been waiting with breathless anticipation for my prime-time lineup, so without further ado I present the Spring, 2008 schedule.

  • A few Minutes with Brandon Lucas. Inspired by my friend SMOK’s fine works, I too am laboring over a commentary. It will be my first. I decided to start with the brief, (yet theology packed) book of Jude. Expect for my first entry to begin sometime in March.
  • PBS (Pilgrim Bible Studies) Educational Programming. My upcoming series on Big Bad Bible Words will attempt to define intimidating theological words and phrases in layman’s terms
  • Home and Garden. I will also resume my series on Tiptoeing through the TULIP. I will be focusing in on the doctrine of Unconditional Election next.
  • Documentaries. I also have yet to finish my series on My Conversion to the Doctrines of Grace. I have two entries remaining that have been sitting on the shelf for far too long.
  • Drama. There are a couple of fiction stories swimming around in my head, too. Eventually I will pour those imaginings onto paper.
  • Critic’s Corner. I plan to write book reviews over everything I read.
  • Reality programming. I will publish various topical posts based on life experiences and theological perplexities.
  • TBN. When the need arises, you will get cutting PP commentary on the sad state of modern Christianity.
  • Reruns. I will have my usual assortment of great quotes from church history’s great preachers and teachers. I will also publish thought-provoking posts from my fellow bloggers and friends.
  • CNN. Finally, if I am discerning the will of God correctly, I should have breaking news in the next 2 or 3 months.

    Whew! I may have bitten off more than I can chew! These are my PLANS, not my PROMISES. All program lineups are subject to change without notice.

    Speaking of Theologians…


    My gold-plated friend over at the Spice Mines of Kessel – the one fluent in over 6 million forms of communication – has posted an excellent article explaining why he is a theologian. It is a brief yet profound read. Here is an excerpt:

    As a disciple of Christ, I feel it my duty to increase in the knowledge of God’s Word, written in the Holy Bible. Basically, a disciple is someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another. More specifically, a disciple is one who follows the teachings of Jesus. Personally, my discipleship comes through theology. Theology is simply the study, or knowledge, of God. I find it in my purpose to be a disciple and to make disciples through theology–or the study and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Why am I a theologian?

    It starts with the beginning. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The key is that last part. “…and the Word was God.” So, if the Word was, or is God, then to know God, you must know the Word. Likewise, in order to know the Word, you must know God.

    Here are three more reasons why God has called me to be a theologian… Read the rest of the article HERE.

    In addition to SMOK’s duties as a full-time protocol droid (Read: computer technician), he conducts bible studies, soaks in the scriptures like a sponge absorbs water, and writes commentaries on various books of the bible. His latest offering is on the book of Philemon. True to droidic form, it is short, concise and insightful. Read and be blessed.

    Philemon Commentary

     

    The Dirty Word of Modern Evangelicalism


    I spent ten years in a church which would easily be classified as a ‘Modern Evangelical Church’. The pastor founded his ministry primarily on the principles of ‘felt needs’ preaching and subjective emotional experiences. In the midst of this environment I realized very quickly that several ‘high brow’ Christian terms were taboo. Among them were words such as tradition, liturgy, hymns, creeds, catechisms, doctrine and theology. The disdain of the last two terms I found especially disturbing.

    A couple of years ago I recall speaking with a long-standing member one evening before service and she asked me what kind of books I enjoy reading. I simply replied, “Theology, mostly.” Her immediate reaction jolted me. Her nose crinkled as if she had just gotten a whiff of a frightened skunk. “That dry and musty stuff? That would put me to sleep” She said with undisguised contempt. She preferred a riveting fiction book (Christian fiction, of course) to mining the depths of the great doctrines of the bible. I have no problem with a good work of fiction, but it struck me as odd that a Christian would much prefer to read a work of fantasy over fact, falsehood over truth. This attitude is prevalent among members of the Evangelical church today. I must admit, I find this paradigm utterly perplexing. I have been in pursuit of a fundamental understanding of theology since the day God saved me from my sins. Admittedly, in the beginning I looked in all the wrong places, but over time the Lord has blessed me richly in attaining at least a rudimentary understanding of biblical and systematic theology. Continue reading →

    A Truly Super Sunday Part 2: The Providence of God


    Note: I realize this post is WAAAAY overdue. The Super Bowl is yesterday’s news, however this post really has nothing to do with the game, so feel free to read on!

    So how I did I celebrate the greatest Super Bowl upset of all-time? I’m glad you asked. The unvarnished truth is, I spent over 3 hours late that night vacationing on a far distant island, reclining in a chair on the roof of a towering Anglican cathedral, reacquainting myself with a long-lost childhood friend…. Continue reading →

    Super Bowl XLII: A Truly Super Sunday


    super-bowl-42-tickets-2008.gifI like football. The pageantry of college football is unparalleled, yet my favorite time of the year is the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl. The tension and the drama of a single-loss elimination, winner-take-all tournament has no peer. This past Sunday I did the small gathering thing with friends, replete with abundant snacks, drinks and the obligatory pizza and wings. We gathered around the tube for the anticipated snooze-worthy blowout by the heavily favored New England Patriots. The New York Giants were almost two touchdown underdogs. I gave them a less than zero chance at the upset. I truly wanted them to win, mostly because I can’t stand the Patriots, but I knew they wouldn’t. So how did I know? Because of a little-known (read: fabricated) universal law. I call it the Law of Inevitability of the NFL Dynasty. This law is built upon the precedence of past dynasties, such as the Packers of the 60’s, the Steelers of the 70’s, the 49ers of the 80’s, the Cowboys of the 90’s and of course the Patriots of the 00’s. The LENFLD states that a team that is considered the dynasty of its era will not under any circumstance lose in a Super Bowl. It has never happened in NFL history and I had no reason to believe the 18-0 record-breaking New England Patriots would be denied their place in history. Continue reading →

    Tim Challies on Bible Translations


    bible-languages-600.jpgTim Challies has written a nice article on the ‘Beauty of a Good Bible Translation’. He articulated his reasons for preferring the English Standard Version (ESV) over several other modern translations. I have to say he has hit the nail on the head with his observations. I completely agree with his sentiments. The ESV is a wonderful literal translation of the scriptures that many believe captures the poetic flow of the original languages. Here is an excerpt:

    Whenever I take the time to read the Bible slowly and meditatively, and this is particularly true of reading the Old Testament, I am struck by the beauty of the language as it is translated in the English Standard Version, my translation of choice. While I do not know how to read Hebrew, I often hear people speak of the poetic nature of the language which leads even the prose to have poetic qualities. It seems to me that the ESV does an admirable job of capturing that. The same cannot be said of all Bible translations. I have come to love the little literary devices, the metaphors and phrases used by the ancient writers and find that they add so much to the reading of the text. Without a translation that accurately rendered these sayings we would lose so much of the flow and meaning of the text.

    There is so much beauty in the prose of the Old Testament and I am thankful to have access to a translation (and to several translations, really) that accurately renders the metaphors and phrases used by the original authors. Let me provide you with a few examples. I am going to use the ESV as my standard essentially-literal translation. I do this not necessary to indicate that it is superior to the others within the category, but simply because it is the translation I use for my devotional and study work.

    Read the entire article HERE.

    A Commentary on Ephesians Chapter 2


    extra-c3po1.jpgThe wise sage C3PO once stated, “Sometimes I just don’t understand human behavior.”

    Fortunately for us, the inspired Apostle Paul did, and he passed the knowledge and wisdom he received from God down to us in his various epistles. In the book of Ephesians chapter 2, Paul reveals the depths of human depravity, then lifts the readers to the throne of God’s glory in explaining the gospel of grace. It is one of the finest chapters in all of God’s word.

    My good friend and fellow blogger over at The Spice Mines of Kessel has labored hard over the past couple of months to produce a commentary on Ephesians Chapter 2. It is a fine piece of work and I am recommending it to you today for your reading pleasure and edification.

    I have been privileged to sit under SMOK’s bible study centered on this commentary over the past several weeks. Every session has just gotten better and better and the class size is growing in accordance.

    If you want to be wiser than C3PO and better understand the root of human behavior – and what God’s remedy is for it, please avail yourself to SMOK’s commentary and be blessed by the Christ-centric teachings therein.

    A Commentary on Ephesians Chapter 2

    The Invincibility of Monergistic Regeneration


    I just read another fantastic article by John Hendryx over at Monergism lucidly expounding upon the teachings of Jesus found in John chapter 6. He identifies our Lord’s use of a syllogism in order to put two and two together and prove several profound truths from these scriptures:

    Truth 1. No one comes to Christ unless it is granted to him by the Father.

    PLUS

    Truth 2. Everyone who is granted permission by the Father will believe in Christ.

    EQUALS

    Truth 3. Every step of our salvation is all of God’s grace.  His grace is irresistible and invincible.  Even our coming to him in faith only happens in response to his calling.

    Here is an excerpt:

    The purpose of this short essay is to show from Scripture a discussion Jesus had in his time on earth where he unequivocally asserts that it is grace alone that makes persons to differ in our response to the gospel; whether we believe it, or reject it. And to drive this point home we will show how Jesus insists that UNLESS God grants His invincible grace no one would ever believe the gospel … yet ALL persons to whom he grants this same grace will believe unto eternal life.

    To those who have not considered Jesus discourse to the Jews in John 6, I would encourage you to take the time to reflect on it today. We find out that, when speaking to the Jews, Jesus uses a syllogism that leaves no room for human boasting. Defined simply, a syllogism is a logical formula consisting of two premises and a conclusion which follows of necessity from them. It is a combination of two judgments infallibly necessitating a third judgment as a consequence of their mutual relation. A simple example of a syllogism is: If all humans are sinners, and all Greeks are humans, then all Greeks are sinners.

    You ask, but what does this have to do with Jesus?

    In John chapter 6, in the context of Jesus’ calling the Jews to believe the gospel about Himself and their resulting unbelief in Him, He presents them with the following two simple yet profound statements, which, when applied together necessitates the conclusion that saving grace is always both invincible and indelible. He claims that those to whom, in due season, the Spirit regenerates will infallibly believe the gospel. Grace and faith, therefore, are not the same thing, and when it comes down to why some have faith and not others, Jesus emphatically comes down on the side of grace. What I call “the Jesus syllogism”, where He authoritatively communicates this truth, should end all arguments about this issue. it can be found in the midst of his discourse with the Jews in John 6:37 & John 6:65 where He says:

    “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” ( 6:37) ”… no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” ( 6:65)

    Read the entire article HERE.

    Freely Offered Answers to Free Will Questions


    A frequenter of this blog commented on my last post, Free Will: Making Distinctions and has asked several very good questions. Instead of replying in the meta I thought I would spotlight my answers in a post. I hope my friend doesn’t mind all the attention!

    Note: I would advise reading my previous post in order to grasp the full context of this discussion.

    Q: OK, if our free choice is irrevocably governed by our will, how “free” is that choice? I don’t want to play semantics here, but we really can’t have “spiritual” free choice if our choice is unbreakably bound by our will. Continue reading →

    Free Will: Making Distinctions


    Does man have free will?

    shawshank.jpgI’m sure we have all had someone ask the question in Sunday school, at a bible study or even mulled it over ourselves in the dark of night at one time or another. Honestly, this has been a hot topic in my slice of the hemisphere the last few weeks. It’s the million dollar question. The way we answer it shall determine much of our doctrine. It will also shape our conception of God, his character, his wisdom and his power. It will also determine how much room man has for boasting when it comes to his salvation, his sanctification and his perseverance. It is an important issue to resolve in our hearts by the scriptures, so I first would like to define the boundaries of what the term free will actually implies and what the bible says about how free our will truly is. Let’s dig in! Continue reading →