Being a Solar Light in these times requires us to focus on Jesus

Jesus said ““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

What an amazing statement.

Are you a being a light for Jesus in these times?

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God’s attribute: The Sovereignty of God Part 5

This is a series on the attributes of God.

Review of last lesson: In the previous lesson we explored the relationship of God’s sovereignty with man’s responsibility specifically with the two aspects of the will of God in relationship to man’s will and responsibility.

Purpose: In this lesson we will continue to explore the relationship of God’s sovereignty with man’s responsibility specifically with the relationship of God’s sovereignty that shapes what kind of will does man have?

Opening thoughts

• When we ask what kind of will does man have, we are really asking what kind of will does man have in light of God’s sovereignty. Note that one’s view of God’s sovereignty will shape your understanding of what kind of will man has, and the situation is true vice versa in that one’s view of man’s will/volition will shape one’s understanding of God’s sovereignty.
• The reason why we are going over this intensely is because if we are not careful in being precise about the relationship of man’s will and responsibility to God’s sovereignty, it will affect our walk with God and obedience.
• Often when people talk about free will we must ask the question, “What is man’s will free from when we speak of ‘free will?’”

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Bible Contradiction? Should we do what the Pharisees say to do?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Should we do what the Pharisees say to do?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Yes.

“Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.” (Matthew 23:1-3)

No.

“Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the [a]leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:12)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

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This Sunday at Church: Pray for someone’s decision of which college to attend next school year

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Pray for someone’s decision of which college to attend next school year.

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Apologetics Sermon Illustration #61: Water Connect Puzzle and Harmonization of Doctrines and Bible Contradictions

GO TO PART 60

Point: A few days ago I wrote Quick Thoughts on the Inter-relationship of Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology in which I mentioned there is a place for Systematic Theology in terms of looking at the inter-relationship of a biblical doctrine with other biblical doctrines.  How does various doctrines which are clearly taught in Scripture inter-relate with one another?  That’s the place of systematic theology.  Also when we look at the Bible and an apologist works on harmonizing alleged Bible contradictions it involves seeing how various passages “fit” with one another.  How can we illustrate the endeavor of harmonizing biblical doctrines and biblical passages?

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God’s attribute: The Sovereignty of God Part 4

This is a series on the attributes of God.

Review of last lesson: In the previous lesson we explored the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility, specifically how human responsibility does not make sense unless God is sovereign.

Purpose: In this lesson we will continue to explore the relationship of God’s sovereignty with man’s responsibility specifically with the two aspects of the will of God in relationship to man’s will and responsibility.

Method of study: We will look at two aspects of God’s will, then examine some biblical data that shows the relationship between man’s responsibility and the two aspect of God’s will.

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Review: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

Carl R. Trueman. The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.  Wheaton, IL: Crossway, November 24th 2020.  432 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster |Amazon

Does it seem that too many things that is trending in our post-2020 world seems rather crazy?  This book is an important work that explore how some of the pathologies we are currently seeing in society and culture today is the result of the modern view of the self.  Christian historian Carl Trueman authored this important and phenomenal work that have the attention of others as well in regards to its significance, with this book having received The Gospel Coalition Book Award for 2020 and as of today in April 27^th, 2021 it remains the number one Best Seller in Religion & Philosophy on Amazon, which is incredible given that this is six months after the book was published.  I felt this book is similar to Francis Schaeffer’s How Then Shall We Live? with how the book present readers a penetrating analysis of cultural development of how we got to where we are now from the past although it is with much more academic rigor and footnotes to make the case for the book’s thesis than Schaeffer’s classic.  I felt this book is probably Trueman’s best work thus far.

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Apologetics in the Workplace: 3 Lectures by Greg Bahnsen

A few months ago our blog mentioned that all of Apologist Greg Bahnsen’s MP3 Lectures now free for download!

He’s my favorite apologist and has shaped me in so many ways.  He’s one of my role models with his example of scholarship, intellect, boldness to defend the faith, his desire to be biblical and also his pastoral heart.  And everything he did was so intense.

Here is a quick bio of Bahnsen:

Greg L. Bahnsen, (1948-1995), was an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a full time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Southern California, specializing in the theory of knowledge. He previously received the B.A. (magna cum laude, philosophy) from Westmont College, and then simultaneously earned the M.Div. and Th.M. degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary. Dr. Bahnsen lectured to a broad range of evangelical Christian groups at many colleges and conferences. He was an experienced apologist and debater, a clear and cogent teacher of the Christian worldview who was devoted to training believers in understanding and applying the Christian faith to every area of life. He published numerous scholarly articles, a number of well-known books, and has over 1,500 recorded lectures and sermons.

Among those 1,500 lectures Bahnsen taught a three part series titled “Apologetics in the Workplace.” These were originally taught to lay people in Grand Rapids. He emphasized in opening this series he wants to teach and equip God’s people with knowing how to defend the faith in every day life.

Here’s the MP3s:

1 – Apologetics in the Workplace, Part 1 (1 of 3)

2 – Apologetics in the Workplace, Part 2 (2 of 3)

3 – Apologetics in the Workplace, Part 3 (3 of 3)

Enjoy!

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This Sunday at Church: Pray for the Scripture Reading During Church Service

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Pray for the Scripture Reading During Church Service.

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Bible Contradiction? Did Paul visit all of the disciples when he went to Jerusalem after his conversion?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Did Paul visit all of the disciples when he went to Jerusalem after his conversion?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Yes.

“When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. ²⁸ And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.” (Acts 9:26-28)

No.

“Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 But I did not see another one of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.” (Galatians 1:18-19)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

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God’s attribute: The Sovereignty of God Part 3

This is a series on the attributes of God.

Purpose: In this lesson we will continue to explore the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility, specifically how human responsibility does not make sense unless God is sovereign.

A Dilemma?

1. Some people see a dilemma: If God is sovereign and is as in control as the Bible says, then why is man responsible?
2. However, a biblical understanding of human responsibility actually presupposes God’s sovereignty

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Free PDF Apologetics’ Thesis: The Effect of Ethnic Identity on Biblical Unity in Its Role as an Apologetic

Here’s a master’s thesis that Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity has made available titled “The Effect of Ethnic Identity on Biblical Unity in Its Role as an Apologetic.”  I haven’t read the whole thing but I scanned through the table of contents, pages here and there and the conclusion.  I appreciate seeing the writer tackling on key verses related to ethnicity, unity and reconciliation.  I imagine this would be a treat and food for thought for those into apologetics, church unity and a biblical view of ethnicities.  The thesis was written by Caroline Boozer and was completed on May 2019 as part of her completion of her degree in Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (MA).  This topic seems even more important now in our post 2020 world.  I am thankful Liberty University has made this thesis available online for free.

Here’s an abstract:

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The Improper Use of Theologian Herman Bavinck for a Political Agenda

The meme below is a defense of Timothy Keller by drawing a comparison with Keller to Dutch Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck (1854–1921).

There is so much going on in this meme. I won’t be able to speak about everything stated. Nor is this post going to be attacking Timothy Keller though I sometimes feel his tweet on Twitter is too generalized and/or cryptic and they can be understood both by Christians and non-Christians in their own ways and therefore cheered by all. Instead I want to focus on this meme saying these all these claims above can be attributed to Herman Bavinck. My post is narrowly focusing on the claim that Bavinck would see himself as a political liberal. I do have some serious reservation when people invoke someone esteemed to improperly and inaccurately support a partisan political cause. This is true of those who can make Jesus into a rifle owning, card carrying NRA member Republican or the other spectrum where Jesus is portrayed as this beta male Vegan hippy pacifist who drink latte soy milk and is a woke SJW New Age Eastern mysticism guru. While not as egregious still I think Bavinck is being misrepresented for a political agenda here. Let me explain.

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The Church during 2021: Pray for Churches Facing Legal Matters

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Pray for Churches Pray for Churches Facing Legal Matters with this Pandemic.

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Bible Contradiction? How old was Jehoiachin when he began to reign?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How old was Jehoiachin when he began to reign?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

He was 18 years old and he reigned for 3 months.

“Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.” ( 2 Kings 24:8)

He was 8 years old and he reigned for 3 months and 10 days.

“Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 36:9)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

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