THIS IS A PLACEHOLDER

To be written today: either a musing on Romans 7:15-18 which I've been planning to do for the last few days, OR finish that analysis of YEC I've been working on OR something else that I deem to be of value.

Eh, basically if I don't post something by the end of today (Sunday January 4th) then you have permission to hunt me down and poke me with sharp sticks until I do so.

[update]

I've somehow deleted half the fonts on my laptop. This is obviously causing problems...

A random musing

I'm home from uni for the next few weeks, and thus Blogger is actually accesible.

Today's random bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9, because I found a note to self on my phone reminding me of it.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

As promised: something controversial

I shouldn't be saying this, however I'm very very tired and my ability to reason as to why it's a bad idea isn't working, so here goes.

So I was chatting to some folk on Sunday morning, and as a result of expalining what presbyterianism is I end up explaining why I believe in child baptism, which meant explaining covenant theology, which led to why I disagree with dispensationalism, involving my opinion of the rapture and tribulation and millenial rule as unbiblical, and then I ended up having to give a brief explanation of how the whole dispensational interpretation of Revalation works. I always find it fascinating how I can suddenly lose the fatigue that comes from only a couple hours sleep when I'm discussing theology that I'm really passionate about...


Aaaaanywho, someone made a ncie point to me as to why she disagreed with my summary, namely: "next time why not read revelation to explain it?"

My answer tot his was quite simple: Revelation is heavily symbolic. Trying to put a literal reading onto it, in my opinion based on a reasonable amount of study, is incorrect.

If I really wanted to attempt to summarise my views with labels, I guess I'd say historicist amillenialist, possibly tending towards idealist. But does that really explain much?

As I've said many times before, what concerns me is the present, not the future. Getting too bogged down in prophecy isn't going to make it any easier to fulfill the rgeat commision.

Incidently, if a pre-trib rapture does occur, I'm not going. The idea horrifies me. If there's going to be a tribulation, darnit I'm staying and I'm going to try and guide as many away from damnation as I can in the short space of time left. I mean, taking away everybody that can offer guidance and direction in the end times? That's sadism! SADISM I SAY!

Flame away.

Quick post

This proves I do still exist....

Just a randomaside, I'm working on a big essay on YEC that my dad asked me for. Might post it here when I'm done, might or might not surprise some folk with the conclusions drawn...


Not really easy tho, even if it is mainly a collation of other people's arguments! :p

In other news, I'm thinking of doing an access to heology distance-learning course at HTC. Should be pretty useful, methinks. Expect a sudden surge in posts here as I work my way through it and examine whatever oddness I've been looking at. :p

A sense of urgency

I'm told that I should have a sense of urgency in reaching the lost. I agree. Certain folk tell me that said urgency should come from the fact Christ's return is imminent. Let's talk statistics.

Which is more statistically likely? Christ returns tommorow, or I die tommorow?

Now which is more likely? My premature death, or the death of someone who spends a lot of their time drinking alcohol, taking drugs, generally leading a hedonistic lifestyle?

I know quite a number of folk who fit into that category. And many who are not. I'd class both amongst my friends. I have a sense of urgency in reaching out to my lost friends, because I know there's every chance that they could end up causing serious damage to themselves. I have a sense of urgency because I know that I might not be here tommorow. I have a sense of urgency, because when Christ returns I don't want anyone to be unprepared, but more urgently I don't want them to die unprepared. Because as long as they still live, I have hope...

I wonder what would happen...

...if I said something really controversial here. Not sure what exactly, mebbe some theological point which is bound to mark me down as a heretic to one group or another. One of the issues I tend to avoid but which I have so much to say on...

Maybe I'll try it sometime, but not today. In the middle of getting a new domain sorted, so mebbe once I get to that...

And the greatest of these is love

1 Corinthians 13, taken from the TNIV translation.

1Co 13:1-13 If I speak in human or angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Amen and may God open unto us these readings from his holy word.

Vincent tells me that the gift of tongues is mentioned first in this passage because of the importance the church in Corinth was placing on said gift. Verse 3’s the one that I think’s really very relevant in many ways in today’s church. However, today I do not want to look at either of those verses, but instead concentrate on verses 4 to 8. Now I’m sure most folk are familiar with those verses, in fact wiki tells me it’s one of the most well known passages in the bible. It’s common on Christian websites, I’ve heard it more than a few times at various conferences and youth events, it’s a traditional wedding cliché. But what does it actually say?

A quick lessons in ancient Greek: there are three words for love. Eros, Philos and Agape. Roughly speaking, erotic love, brotherly love and unconditional love. Agape is a love without limits or constraints, a non-erotic love, it can be said to encompass everything from love to mankind to the love between spouses, and naturally it’s the word used in the new testament to refer to God’s love for his creation. I like the word agape, but I do not like the use of “love” to translate it. Somehow it just seems not to accurately bring forward the message. The KJV translates it as “charity”. I’m reliably informed that the Hebrew cognate is “Cheseda”, generally translated as “lovingkindness”. I still don’t think we quite grasp the full extent of what we’re looking at here. How do you define unconditional?

Try putting your on name in place of love. If you’re being honest, you’ll admit that it’s very difficult to do and say it with any conviction. I’ve often said that it only really works if you put “Jesus” in its place, but then I realise, what Paul was saying here is that we should have that same complete, unconditional, often unrequited love. Christ’s words where clear enough, “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples”. We’re supposed to carry that exact same unconditional love for each other that God extends to us! And it’s not just reserved for believers. We should be extending it to all mankind. We need to be giving this full agape to everyone! Patience. Long-sufferingness. And kindness. Be good to others. Give everything you own to the poor and suffer for your deeds but heaven forbid you do it without lovingkindness! There’s no envy, no hard feelings towards others, we don’t take pride in our achievements or make a big thing about them. Is that really such a hard concept to grasp? No self-seeking, always putting others first and treating them with respect! We shouldn’t be quickly angered when people do us wrong, and we don’t hold grudges. Forgive us our trespasses JUST AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US.

Agape always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Always. How could it be otherwise? With the blessed assurance that Christ will never let us down, that we will be saved from the fate far worse than death which we so assuredly deserve, how can we possibly fail to persevere in extending that assurance to all? How can we lose hope that our loved ones who as of yet are misguided by the god of this world may one day have their blindfolds lifted? How can we be so presumptuous as to fail to trust that it will be as was promised? Love delights in what is good. Love wants to spread that goodness throughout the world.

And finally, Love never ends. All “gifts” will come to an end when completeness arrives –that is when Christ returns-. All things of this life will one day cease. But love is eternal and without ceasing. Agape is unlimited. Cheseda is the central point of our walk with Christ. And that’s something that is all too easy to forget.