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Archives for 2009

by on 7.7.09

sinaiticus

Sinaiticus is available to view online.

This might be of interest to only a select few, but the various libraries that own sheets of Sinaiticus have cooperated to make the entire codex available.

You can see photographs of each page (or fragments of pages), jump from page to page by Bible reference, see a transcription of each page as well as a translation.

Regardless of your views of the textual issues, it is tremendous that this most important manuscript of the Bible is now available for anyone to see.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,
by on 7.5.09

7.5.09 gbcvic sermons

The Blessed Man [Romans]

Rm 4.6-8

The theme of our passage is blessedness. Justification by faith puts a man in the most blessed of conditions. David is called as a witness to the fact that righteousness is imputed to a man without works. The passage quoted, Ps 32.1-2, proclaims the blessing of a man to whom God does not impute sin. This is the opposite side of imputed righteousness, not imputed sin. Here is the great blessing of the saved man: the without-law righteousness from God imputed to him on the basis of faith AND the guilt and penalty of his sins imputed to Christ, ‘nailed to the cross’ with him, setting the believer free forever from death and hell.

The Facets of Man (2) [Basic Theology]

We continue to discuss the makeup of human nature, especially the spiritual aspect, by now considering in turn various terms that describe ‘facets’ of our nature. Today we consider the terms ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ and attempt to distinguish between them while noting there is an over-lap and something of an integration of terms here.

After the doings of the lands… [Communion, Leviticus]

Lev 18

We begin the Holiness Code section of Leviticus with a look at laws focused on preserving morality in and out of marriage. The bulk of the chapter consists of prohibitions against various forms of incest, but it also includes prohibitions of child sacrifice and perverse immorality. The redemptive message of these prohibitions is found in 1 Cor 6.9-11: ‘and such were some of you.’ No sin, no matter how distasteful and perverse, can bar the door to the washing, the sanctifying, or the justifying available by the death of Christ and the ministration of the Spirit.

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Filed Under: Sermon Summaries
by on 7.1.09

Canada Day

Today we had an inter-church picnic. Besides our church, there are two other independent Baptist churches in our city. They are both small mission works like us. Another church from an hour and a bit north of us also joined us. I didn’t count, but we had well over 50 people, maybe into the 60s.

To my state-side friends that might not seem like much. To us it seems a great blessing to be able to gather together, to fellowship, to hear the Word, to play games, to sing our anthem, to know that the gospel message that calls men OUT from the world and all the taints of worldliness is not something we hold to quiet and alone in our little, struggling churches, wondering if we are the only ones. No, it is the great God and Saviour of our souls that unites us, our Lord Jesus Christ. It is his church and we are grateful to be a part of it.

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Filed Under: Canada, Christian Living, Church, Victoria
by on 6.30.09

fundamentalism defined

Among the many false charges raised against fundamentalism by the neo-experts is the notion that fundamentalism is undefined. Some argue that it is hard or impossible to define [how post-modern is that?]. Others say, ‘Which fundamentalism?’ as if there is more than one. Some say that the definitions have never been really offered, or, if offered, they have been inadequate.

I am undertaking a little project to examine the resolutions of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International over the last 30 years. I have simply copied all of the resolutions from the FBFI website into a database for ease of reference and sorting. My plan is to write articles based on these statements highlighting the view of a significant fundamentalist body. Perhaps there are fundamentalist groups who might quibble over some of the FBFI resolutions at points. That isn’t really relevant. This project is intended to show that the charges laid against fundamentalism by its most recent and most vocal critics are really baseless.

We start with the definition of fundamentalism. I find in my survey of thirty years of resolutions that statements intended to define fundamentalism have been offered at least ((If you consult the FBFI website, you will note that resolutions for some years are not posted. I don’t know the reason for this, or if they are available elsewhere.)) ten times in the last thirty years.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Fundamentalism, Issues
by on 6.28.09

more on the FBF symposium

In my earlier assessment of the FBF National Conference, I posted the following in summary on the symposium session held on the last day of the conference:

Symposium – a good start. Maybe too long in defining terms, or too short a session. We need to have more on this line next year, to flesh out the FBF position more clearly. I thought most panel members acquitted themselves well. I’ll want to listen to this again and give some detailed analysis.

I’ve now listened twice. If any venue at the meeting had the potential for fireworks, this one did. I thought Dr. Vaughn did a good job conducting the session and several important subjects were addressed.

Of course, the announced subject was only all too briefly addressed, much to the disappointment of many. The subject, as I understood it, was Conservative Evangelicalism and Fundamentalist relationship with the same. Several observations come to mind:

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Filed Under: Evangelicalism, Fundamentalism, Issues
by on 6.28.09

6.28.09 gbcvic sermons

Justifying the Ungodly [Romans]

Rm 4.5

A tremendous phrase is found in this text: ‘him who justifies the ungodly’. Justification by faith alone is the subject of Romans 4, but this phrase highlights the miracle of God’s grace in a magnificent way. It gives all the glory for justification to the one who justifies, because of who is justified (the ungodly!), because of how they are justified, and because of who is doing the justification. And the marvelous thing is that the one being justified cannot work because the work has been done. He just must believe in him who justifies the ungodly.

The Facets of Man (1) [Basic Theology]

In this lesson we discuss the spiritual nature of man. We discuss the basic difference between dichotomy and trichotomy and come out solidly in favour of the former. Man is both material and spiritual, but there is no real division in the spiritual realm between soul and spirit (or any other designations of the inner man).

Beloved Be Not Ignorant [Growth]

2 Pt 3.8-9

The word of God reveals the God of the word. He is unlike any god of men’s imagination. He is eternal. He is the creator. He is sovereign and supreme. He is the last judge. He is the one you must answer to. As such, your spiritual growth must begin in the word and must be toward the God of the word.

Filed Under: Sermon Summaries
by on 6.27.09

exhibit A

Interesting.

See this follow up and this one as well. See a response to the original article at 9Marks and one at another blog. Finally, see here Dave’s excellent response (and he says, hopefully, his last word) on the subject. Hear, Hear! Exactly right, Dave.

A little kerfuffle between Fundamentalists and Conservative Evangelicals erupting over Dave’s quite reasonable questions illustrates perfectly why we have two groups of men, Fundamentalists on the one hand and Conservative Evangelicals on the other. Fundamentalists don’t get why CEs are willing to be collegial and congratulatory of those who betray the faith. CEs don’t get why Fundies question their respect for their ‘moderates’.

Hence the divide.

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Filed Under: Evangelicalism, Fundamentalism, Issues, New Evangelicalism, Separation
by on 6.26.09

cornbread and caviar

I am reading Cornbread and Caviar: Reminiscences and Reflections by Bob Jones, Jr. I think this is the first time I have read it, though it was published during my last year working at the BJU Print Shop where I would have seen it as I ran the folders… maybe it came out after I left that year.

Reading it is like listening to Dr. Bob talk. Witty, erudite, bold, cultured, and ready to stand for the Lord.

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Filed Under: Fundamentalism, Issues
by on 6.24.09

suppose they gave a war and nobody came

This sixties anti-war slogan (a dim memory of my childhood) seems to fit the mood of the horde wanting to storm the gates of the FBFI at the recent national conference.

They were out for war and are doing their best to find one, somewhere, in the supposed continuing indiscretions of their chief whipping boys. In spite of that, my assessment is that the men leading the conference and speaking at the main sessions came with a different agenda in mind, that of peace, not war. No one took up the challenges of the last month to any great degree, the previously stated position of the FBFI was upheld, several Biblical messages in keeping with the theme were presented, and it seems, at last, that a careful conversation has commenced, something I have desired for a long period of time.

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Filed Under: Fundamentalism, Issues
by on 6.21.09

a good post on holiness

I’d like to call your attention to a blog by Marty Colborn, ‘What About Holiness?’ Marty writes very thoughtful pieces on the Christian life, but this one is particularly timely. I think he gets it exactly right. You don’t produce holiness by works, but you holiness will produce works in keeping with itself.

Many who accuse fundamentalists of an over-emphasis on externals assume that fundamentalists believe that conformity to outward standards will produce holiness. I haven’t found that to be the case in my experience in numerous fundamentalist churches. What I have heard taught is essentially what Marty highlights in his post.

Here’s a sample:

In thinking about my own life, I can say that I need to be more holy, and that there are many things that distract me from that pursuit of holiness. I am sure that some of these things show up externally, in behaviours, and not simply in my innermost being where no one else can see.

I encourage you to read the whole thing.

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Filed Under: Christian Living, Legalism
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