restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

The Arrogance of Scholarship

 David Alan Black 

There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.

Hippocrates, Law, Book 1

Ever since my conversion to Christ at the age of eight, I have been fascinated with the New Testament (NT). I devoured it daily and eventually decided to specialize in it, taking my doctorate in theology at the University of Basel in Switzerland, majoring in NT studies. My first published book, Paul, Apostle of Weakness, grew out of my Basel dissertation, and most of my subsequent books and journal articles have specialized in the NT. While I have immensely enjoyed my teaching and writing in the field over the last 27 years, I have noted with increasing distress a shift within the guild of NT scholarship from questions to answers, from curiosity to certainty, from modesty to pretentiousness. Now I find that I am distancing myself somewhat from my profession, occasionally preferring to use the pronoun “they” when referring to the NT guild. For me, there can be no pride associated with belonging to a group that is intent on theorizing about the NT under the guise of supposed “objective truth.”

My earliest mentors in the field of NT studies, Professors Bo Reicke and Markus Barth, taught by example the excitement of studying the NT and the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between knowledge and speculation. Despite their accomplishments, reputations, and status as full professors in a prestigious European university, they remained inquisitive, humble, and approachable. I can still remember Professor Reicke talking to me about the topic of NT source criticism, both its possibilities and its limitations. He was fond of stating that scholars should never engage in “group think,” but rather should carefully weigh and examine all issues in a cautious, scientific manner and remember that current knowledge is always partial and imperfect.

It was in 1984, while examining a widely used introductory textbook on source criticism, that I had my first glimpse of NT scholars acting as if they had access to some hidden fund of superior knowledge. The extreme confidence that the author and others like him placed in their theories disturbed me. It seemed that there was no room in their minds for doubts and no space for questions. I became wary of the accuracy of their judgments and concerned about the impact of their opinions on future generations of Bible students. When I began to examine systematically their findings regarding Markan priority (a theory that was being promulgated by them as a dogma), it became evident that personal beliefs and subjective theories, especially about the internal evidence (which by its very nature is highly subjective), influenced their conclusions more so than did any verifiable data. I later discovered that my findings were part of a growing body of scholarly literature that, at the time, was being used to challenge the almost patriarchal authority of NT source critics.

Later, as I began to do work in the area of NT textual criticism, I tended to accept the “universal findings” and “certain conclusions” of the scholarly guild. However, most of the facts used to support the currently reigning theory in this area seemed to me to be explainable just as easily on the basis of other theories. Again, as I began to publish my findings, I detected an unwillingness or inability to interpret the facts for what they were. I began to believe what others had suspected for a long time about NT studies: a great deal of what passes as attested theory is little more than speculation, varying widely in plausibility. The guild, with its exaggerated statements of fact, has lent substantial support to the words of Lincoln: “you can fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time.”

When I was studying at the University of Basel, there was at least one common factor present in the entire theological faculty, namely, the general scientific commitment not to be fooled and not to fool anybody else. That skepsis, that passion not to be fooled and not to fool others, does not seem to be as fundamental a part of the scholar’s mental equipment as it was a half century ago. One the greatest marks of a good scholar is to be critical in evaluating evidence. I have, however, read numerous books in the field in which this critical mentality appears to be largely absent.

Wrapped in the aura of science, NT “experts” now claim that there is little we can actually know about the historical Jesus, that the Gospel miracles were impossible, that letters claiming to be written by Paul are pseudonymous or allonymous, that the Bible is mostly mythology, that the first Christians cared little for history, etc. Such theories do nothing more than blend the known, the believable, and the fantastic. With its starting point being “what is,” it frequently traverses these limits into the realm of “what if.” And it matters little whether one’s pet theory begins in a submersible and travels 20,000 leagues under the sea or with a space mission and becomes a trek to some far distant star.

As a means of sustaining its own thirst for new knowledge, the Scholarly Industry all too frequently delves into the world of “what if,” creating its own science fiction. This fiction is then espoused and perpetuated by the majority of experts in the name of “scholarly objectivity.” One is reminded of the saying in tobacco country: “You know what they say about smoking; it’s one of the leading causes of—statistics.”

All of this intellectual speculation probably makes no difference to God. There is no exalted height from which we may survey the truth without first committing ourselves to the One who called Himself “the Truth” (John 14:6). You cannot find No Man’s Land in the divine geography. If we are not for Him, we are against Him. It is impossible to be Neither, Nor.

The Word of God does no good unless it is mixed with faith (Hebrews 4:2). A critical attitude, ready to find flaws and pick fights, can get no benefit from the Bible. We must believe it and receive it for what it is, letting God be true and every man a liar. This means having a docile and receptive spirit that is ready not only to hear that Word, but to heed it.        

April 15, 2003

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.

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Drawing on the Bank of Heaven

 David Alan Black  

While the anti-Iran rhetoric heats up and the impending air war with Iran looms ever closer, what are my thoughts? The issue that keeps returning to me in prayer again and again is this: Our heavenly treasure, our citizenship above, our relationship and fellowship with God and our fellow Christian – we had better make sure of all of these, no matter what our earthly circumstances might be.

The reason why most people today are not prepared for trouble is because they have invested everything down here and have no other resources. They cannot draw on the bank of heaven even though they are bankrupt on earth. In recent years I have made the conscious choice to be less concerned about the “right” and “left” and more concerned about the “above” and the “below.” Why should earthly things mean so much to me when the Lord has told me to lay up treasure in heaven?

There is a grave danger today of emphasizing all the wrongs and injustices in the world while losing sight of the fact that it is usually when people are at the end of their earthly resources, when their tangible assets fail, do they turn to God. Any individual, any home, any church that cannot find in Christ the answer to their own problems cannot very well tell everyone else that God can solve theirs. In my opinion, far too many Christians avoid “truthing in love” (Eph. 4:15) under the false guise of rallying for this or that political cause. We must get our eyes off our circumstances and start “off-looking to Jesus” (so the Greek of Heb. 12:2), believing the Gospel and trusting the Christ of the Gospel. Our Lord is not only our Savior. He is the Sovereign King of the Universe. I am convinced that in these difficult days we need to talk more about Him than about our troubles. From Him I can learn not mere resignation or submission to the inevitable but acceptance of what comes in the plan of God. Our Lord is with us “all the days” (so the Greek of Matt. 28:20), including the days when we are in the fiery furnaces of life. 

Meanwhile, we must be about our Father’s business. My devotions in 1 Corinthians have brought me to this amazing statement: “For a great and effectual door is opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (16:9). This is missions in a nutshell. Our Lord sets before us an open door, and we are not to be terrified by our opponents. We get into trouble when we look at our own inadequacy instead of at God’s all-sufficiency. When God calls us to a task we waste our time bemoaning our limitations. Fear is a growing disease of the spirit that can easily become an incurable malignancy. Our business as Christians is to make disciples of the nations. All the nations. Even “dangerous” ones. This is what we are here for. In sickness or in health, in body and in spirit, by life or by death, whether we eat or drink, our business is to glorify God by walking through the doors He opens. Whatever it takes, whatever it means, whatever happens to us, we must say, “Thy will be done.”

Along with abundance always come adversaries. Along with blessings always come dangers. In Canaan there are foes as well as milk and honey. But all of that makes no difference to God. He is able to make all grace abound to us. Well did Spurgeon say that a fish might fret about enough water in the sea before a Christian need be bothered over the sufficiency of God’s grace.

Are you drawing on the bank of heaven?

October 4, 2007

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.

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A Great Commission Marriage

 David Alan Black  

I have already sketched in numerous places the implications of missions as the strategy by which a married couple relates most faithfully to God’s world. The essence of a good marriage, I am gradually discovering, is not companionship, although that is an essential ingredient. Nor is it love, if by love we mean an emotional attachment. If you have companionship and love in your marriage, that is wonderful. But neither comprises the essence of a good marriage. It seems to me that there is no greater value to a marriage than an interrelationship that is living for something greater than itself. I said as much in my essay Partners in the Gospel. I believe it bears repeating today.

Our society tells us that marriage is an end in itself, that marital happiness is a goal to be pursued at all costs. I am not against happiness in marriage, but that cannot be your goal if you are a married person. Our Creator is a serendipitous God, and we are often “surprised by joy” in our marriages. But I have discovered that joy is always the by-product of having Christ in our lives and in our marriages. As He becomes more and more the center of our relationship, His “fruit” becomes more and more of our daily experience: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The marriage I am trying to describe is one that says, with Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The beauty of a married couple – hand in hand, living together for Christ insofar as that is possible in this fallen world – is marvelous. I call this a Great Commission marriage. It involves the “new horizons” and “new doors” that C. S. Lewis described in his essay “Christian Marriage”:

This is, I think, one little part of what Christ meant by saying that a thing will not really live unless it first dies. It is simply no good trying to keep any thrill: that is the very worst thing you can do. Let the thrill go – let it die away – go on through that period of death into the quieter interest and happiness that follow – and you will find you are living in a world of new thrills all the time. But if you decide to make thrills your regular diet and try to prolong them artificially, they will all get weaker and weaker, and fewer and fewer, and you will be a bored, disillusioned old man for the rest of your life. It is because so few people understand this that you find many middle-aged men and women maundering about their lost youth, at the very age when new horizons ought to be appearing and new doors opening all around them.

Let me say at once that this view of marriage seems to be on firm biblical grounds. In a Christian marriage a husband and wife are called by their Creator to live together in a harmonious unity. But this is not unity for unity’s sake. Note, for example, how the ancient church father Tertullian describes a Christian husband and wife: “Together they pray, they work, they fast, teaching, exhorting, supporting one another…. Willingly the sick person is visited, the poor person is helped – alms without afterthought, sacrifices without hesitancy, daily zeal without obstacle” (Ad Uxorum 2.9). Tertullian did not mean that gender differences disappear in a Christian marriage. That would be an absurdity. His description merely emphasizes that both genders can and must be involved in spiritual activities together, with each person contributing his or her own unique talents and abilities. Each enriches the other in a complementarian way. The result is true teamwork, a unity that puts God’s needs and desires first rather than our own. Thus, not only do Christian couples seek to please each other, they willingly and actively seek to be faithful to the ultimate goal of reflecting God’s glory and grace in the world all around them.

I freely admit that this emphasis on serving Christ in our marriages sounds strange in our narcissistic society. One of the things that surprised me when I began to study the New Testament teaching on this subject was that it talked so much about the way women participated in the ministry of the early church. We know that the wives of the apostles accompanied their husbands in their evangelistic ministries (1 Cor. 9:5). Commenting on this verse, Clement of Alexandria concluded that the apostles’ wives were “fellow ministers,” that is, co-laborers with their husbands as they ministered to other women. We also know that women in the early church opened their homes for church meetings. (It is interesting that Scripture gives us the names of the women in whose homes these churches met more than the names of the men: see Acts 12:12; 16:40; Rom. 16:3-5; Col. 4:15). Moreover, we know that Priscilla (Rom. 16:3) as well as Euodia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:2-3) were Paul’s “co-workers.” The latter duo went so far as to share Paul’s “struggle in the cause of the Gospel,” possibly meaning that they were exposed to the same suffering and opposition that the apostle Paul faced.

Then comes the real shocker. Paul describes Phoebe as “a helper of many, myself included” (Rom. 16:2). The Greek term for “helper” (prostatis) is defined by Douglas Moo as “one who came to the aid of others, especially foreigners, by providing housing and financial aid and by representing their interests before the local authorities.” Moo thinks Phoebe was “a woman of high social standing and some wealth, who put her status, resources, and time at the service of traveling Christians, like Paul, who needed help and support” (Romans, p. 916). When I first read that description I thought to myself, “He’s describing my wife!” Becky’s income from her employment as a registered nurse goes almost exclusively to help finance our work in Ethiopia, much as Jesus and the apostles had certain women who “were contributing to their support out of their private means” (Luke 8:3).

Such facts, it seems to me, begin to point to the function of marriage as a ministry to others. Becky and I are glad to be a team (though a frail and imperfect one) in the work to which the Lord has appointed us. Together we seek to serve both in the practical ministry of meeting the physical and material needs of people as well as in the ministry of the Word. Together we are involved in church planting. Together we host visitors in our home on a fairly regular basis. The key word is together. We are “co-workers” for Christ – and that without any diminution of our masculinity or femininity.

What, then, is my role as the head of our marriage? Jesus Himself answers our question. By humbling Himself to the point of death in His service for those over whom He was Lord, a husband is to place himself under the one he leads in service to her needs. Now let me make it quite clear that I am not an egalitarian. I believe an order exists between man and woman that is based on the creation account. This is clearly what Jesus taught. But let us go a step further. While a divine order exists in marriage, marriage is also a union of “fellow heirs of the grace of life” (1 Pet. 3:7). To put it another way, subordination does not in any way exclude mutuality. As head I am responsible to provide for Becky’s protection and her physical and emotional needs. But in addition, I am to help her identify her giftedness, facilitate the development of those gifts, and provide an opportunity for her to serve others. I claim, then, that each of us in our marriages can be faithful to our gender roles and still journey together as man and woman in full unity of service to others. It is in that sense that I ask the question, “Has your marriage died yet?” For it is only by dying to the self-life (and even marriages have a self-life) that we learn what it means to reflect a deeper ontology of living together for the good of others.

Let me repeat: I do not for one moment suggest that there is no enjoyment or pleasure in marriage or that being in love is inappropriate or sinful. All that I have been seeking to show is that love is more than a mere feeling and that marriage is more than a means of self-fulfillment. A marriage with “broader horizons” exists to serve Jesus. This means a willingness to open ourselves to God’s Spirit and the desire to render service in both public and private life.

I note, in closing, that I once read about a church in London that had a banner across the door that read, “JESUS ONLY.” After a windstorm the damaged banner read, “US ONLY.”

Which message is your marriage sending to the world?

August 9, 2007

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.

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The Bush Twins, Psychoheresy, and Government Education

Matthew R. Gamel    

The RNC has come and gone, and several weeks later I am still perplexed by some of the things that were said. I am not sure if anyone heard what was said by the Bush twins at the Republican National Convention, but when I heard what was said I became outraged.

The following is a partial transcript:

It’s great to be here. We love Arnold. Isn’t he awesome? Thanks to him, if one of us ever decides to marry a Democrat, nobody can complain.

Except maybe our Grandmother, Barbara. And, if she didn’t like it, we would definitely hear about it. We already know she doesn’t like some of our clothes, or music, or most of the TV shows we watch. Ganny, we love you dearly, but you’re just not very hip. She thinks “Sex in the City” is something married people do, but never talk about.

Jenna then proceeded to say:

But, contrary to what you might read in the papers… our parents are actually pretty cool.

They do know the difference between mono… and Bono.

When we tell them we’re going to see Outkast, they know it’s a band… and not a bunch of misfits. And, if we really beg them, they will even “Shake it Like a Polaroid Picture.”

That’s right my friends. I’m not sure about you, but I would rather have a president that knows the difference between mono and Bono (whatever that is) and one that can “shake it like a Polaroid picture” than one who knows the difference between deficit and surplus or has a thorough understanding of constitutional law. Thankfully, Michael Peroutka commented on the situation saying:

Is it just me or does anybody else believe that the remarks of the Bush twins at the Republican Convention were foolish, embarrassing, dishonorable to their parents and grandparents, and not funny. Did anybody else cringe and feel sorry for our President and country when Jenna Bush said that Grandma Barbara Bush is “not very hip” because she thinks the TV show “Sex And The City” is “something married people do, but never talk about?”

Jenna Bush’s assertion that “Outkast” is a band and “not a bunch of misfits” is – well, just Google this motley, foul-mouthed, toilet-tongued crew. Check out their photos and lyrics. And I think you’ll agree that the word “misfit” doesn’t even begin to accurately describe these raunchy rappers.

Mr. Peroutka concluded his remarks with a statement that has much truth to it.

Finally, “Outkast” was not at the GOP Convention. But there were those who were cast out and not allowed to speak there in primetime – any identifiable outspoken conservative who is: Pro-life; anti-illegal immigration; pro-Second Amendment; anti-Big Government; against Federally-funded education; and anti the war in Iraq.

Thank you, sir; I am glad that someone has the guts to stand up and say something because I guarantee you that the majority of the religious “right” will completely ignore this situation as if it doesn’t matter. I find this type of behavior not only insulting but also outrageous and profane, especially if one knows anything about these filthy mouthed perverts that call themselves Outkast.

The Ignorance of the Religious Right

With all this said and done, it’s good to know that our “Christian” president is doing all he can to raise good godly “Christian” children. After searching the web for more information concerning the twins, I quickly found that these two women have frequently been in trouble with the law, most notably for underage drinking, and are practically a carbon copy of your average hormone ridden, rebellious, college sorority girl that only speaks two languages: beer and sex. What further proceeded to irritate me more than this is the fact that your average Bush-supporting Christian will groan about the immorality that Clinton brought into the White House but will practically overlook the President’s children just like his policy and his worthless double-statements. Let me tell you something: this type of behavior is correlated directly with the parents and the way the child was raised. Because the church has so readily accepted the pseudo-science of psychology, many would now attempt to transfer responsibility from the source of the problem (i.e., the parents) to some humanistic abstraction (i.e., adolescence or age). To be frank, I don’t particularly care what modern psychology tells us. For what saith the Scriptures? “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

I’m sure that, when confronted about this, your average Bush-supporting Christian will make excuses for this just as they will when one attempts to point out the countless infringements of the Constitution and, more importantly, Biblical law that have been consistently made by our “conservative” President. Should we honestly expect the majority of these Bush-supporting Christians to seriously consider this? No, I certainly wouldn’t bet on it. Frankly, they have been content with harboring the erroneous notion that our current president is the personification of conservatism, to paraphrase Jerry Falwell and, more recently, James Dobson. With all due respect to these gentlemen, I can’t help but wonder if Mr. Falwell and Mr. Dobson know what conservatism actually is. Dubya only briefly pays lip service to social conservatism and that’s about it; he certainly is no kind of social conservative! He is simply aware of the fact that if he mentions something about marriage and something shallow about Jesus every now and then he will manage to gain political influence within the apostate worldly church. He doesn’t even pretend to be a fiscal, economic, political, or gubernatorial (for lack of a better term) conservative and it is, in my view, shallow thought to contend that social conservatism is not somehow interdependent with economic, epistemological, and Jeffersonian political foundations. No, my friends, our wicked, God-hating Empire and our dishonest economic and monetary systems more readily facilitate the moral chaos of our day then all of the talking heads at CNN and Fox News combined. They merely exist to pacify and keep individuals busy so that they don’t see the real underlying problems. It is quite apparent that they have been successful, since the “conservative” leaders of the religious right don’t seem to get this.

Our Morally Depraved Young People

What is frightening is the fact that these young individuals, who have been thoroughly brainwashed by our government schools and have had any ounce of decency and morality that may have existed expunged from them by this Yankee narcissistic pop-garbage culture, will one day be our leaders. Being a graduate student at a secular university consistently verifies such a proposition. I am so frequently surrounded by this Yankee pop-culture that I am sometimes tempted to quit (and believe me, I would if I didn’t enjoy math). I can’t even go into any major social area without having to listen to MTV or some pop-radio station or see diversity propaganda plastered all over the place. For a demonstration of the type of garbage our young people are filling their minds with, I would at least urge you to tune in to such a local station and just listen for thirty minutes. Our young people are so open minded that their brains have literally slipped out of their heads.

Question: Why is it that our kids and our young people act like animals? Could it be what it is we are teaching them and bombarding them with? We ought to realize that the public schools are no place for any child, but once this realization becomes plain we must also realize that the public (and many private) universities are also no place for anyone either, at least if you have any virtue and self-control and a traditional worldview. To put it mildly, I once heard someone I trust give an interesting statistic concerning folks that move off to college. He said that most individuals who go off to college who claim to be a follower of Christ either end up with their faith completely destroyed or severely shipwrecked by the time they leave. Basically what this means is that the schools are fulfilling their established goal. If one studies the history of educational philosophy, one ought to discover that government schools have always existed to engender one belief system while at the same time extinguishing another. I would submit that this problem is deeply rooted in the doctrinal errors that the church has embraced and the fact that we are not firmly grounding our children in the Scriptures and even in basic logic. Some of the arguments I have heard professors throw around are either logical fallacies or based on entirely different axiomatic epistemological foundations. This essentially means that an axiom from worldview A usually cannot be used to deduce something about worldview B merely because the philosophical foundations of most worldviews are diametrically opposed.

Allow me to illustrate this chaos by giving some concrete examples from the university I attend. Last spring, I recall seeing a poster at the recreation center on campus offering a course in “Sexual Health for the Sexes,” and somehow I doubt that this is geared towards married students. This type of behavior is portrayed as normal, and the godless psychology embraced by the church would confirm such an assessment. A brief look at some of the courses at my university and some of the propaganda that is disseminated by the “diversity” office would probably cause one to become incredibly angry. For those of you that are interested in seeing a very small portion of what I am speaking of please visit the Gender Issues Education Services publications page (this page contains some material that is not suitable for children). Also, I should note that some of the things that have been attempted by these perverts aren’t even worthy of mention due to the graphic nature of them. I am willing to bet that there exists a non-trivial amount of readers who would be surprised if I were to mention some of the stunts pulled in the name of diversity. Speaking of which, my favorite “fact” sheet is the one entitled “Transgender 101”– I’m so glad these folks are here to “educate” misguided traditionalists such as myself. And look at the title of the hypertext document; these folks are “punny” and pithy at the same time! I would then contend that, according to this foreign tongue that our young people speak, the folks at GIES are incredibly “hip.” I mean, they are so hip that the acronym is even pithy and “punny.” Indeed, the most surreal item concerning my school is the fact that I go to what many would consider to be a “conservative” university. Perhaps this is the type of “conservatism” to which Mr. Dobson and Mr. Falwell have made reference; it certainly appears to be the brand of social “conservatism” of our current president.

The point I am simply trying to make is that these young individuals are sent off to government propaganda mills by their parents. Then they are sent off to a secular college and university where they are bombarded with this filthy culture and are forced to daily submerge themselves in the dung of revisionist history, godless pseudo-science, values clarification, diversity propaganda, and materialism that is nothing more than the daily excrement flowing from the mouths of our university officials and the almighty hand extended from the Yankee Empire. It is clear that the state sanctions such things because if it didn’t the funding would disappear. It’s almost not worth sending one’s child to college anymore.

Trading Scripture for Psychology

Now, I beg the reader’s pardon for my use of such harsh language up to this point but folks, its about time we start calling this culture what it is – excrement that ultimately flows from the gates of Hell itself. The problem is compounded when we have religious leaders that continually urge the church to compromise and who suggest solutions to the moral issues of our day that will have absolutely no impact on the current state of affairs! Why? First, I submit that there is little to no understanding of the major issues that confront us as well as their interdependence, both socially and economically. Second, when one has an amalgamation of misinformation concerning the issues combined with false doctrine and worldly philosophies (e.g., psychology, CGM), should we be surprised when our religious leaders have absolutely no clue what the relationship between the Christian and civil government is? Should we be surprised when these leaders tell us to stand up for that which is not righteous but turns out to be a little more righteous than the alternative (which is really no alternative at all but the opposite side of the same establishment coin)? Should we be surprised when they continue to passively suggest that we ought to send our children to the very institutions that are re-engineering our society and causing much of the problem?

And when our children come home from school with attitude problems or confusion concerning what many would call “sexual identity” we are then fed hearty doses of psychology from the mouths of our religious leaders suggesting that they are going through a phase of life that is absolutely normal. And when our boys don’t act like little girls they are labeled as “abnormal” or deficient. And when our girls don’t act like men or would rather learn how to be a homemaker than learn how to some independent feminist, they are drugged up and also labeled “abnormal.” Our kids have been so drugged up on psychiatric drugs and fed hearty doses of psychobabble from our modern day Mengeles and “polytruks” in our government schools that it is no wonder our kids act the way they do! And the church seems to accept this, without any problem – in fact, the church seems to be part of the problem because no one seems to be saying anything about these issues in our mainstream churches.

We have replaced Scripture with psychology, and this is why we are losing our children. “Oh no, but wait” some might say; “we only focus on the practical application of psychology and combine that with Scripture.” I have never heard such folly and nonsense come from the mouth of a supposed man of God! Scripture and psychology are two things that are contrary and cannot be reconciled. Psychology is a pseudo-science held up by the pillars of humanism and godless theories by godless men, and the church has gobbled it up as if it were the greatest thing to ever come around the bend! As John MacArthur puts it, most have rejected Darwin and Huxley but have accepted Freud. Evolution and psychology are based on the same philosophies, but I suppose your average Christian is either too drugged up on Ritalin or too undiscerning to see this.

I don’t know about you, my friends, but if the Lord ever graciously grants me a wife and children, the first and only thing I shall consult when problems arise will be the infallible, unchanging, Holy Word of God. I will never trust the welfare of my wife and children to the godless humanism of modern psychology, and I am not sure why so many individuals are willing to do so! Even if some of these things appear to work pragmatically, they are still based on the same philosophy that the remainder of the techniques and theory that the church supposedly rejects are based upon. Look at what the remainder of these theories has done! Why, then, should we place divine trust in a pseudo-science whose foundation is built upon a flawed epistemological system and tenets that are diametrically opposed to divine Scripture? As far as I am concerned, it should be damned back to Hell from whence it came.

The Conclusion of the Matter

And yet, when all is said and done, we continue to wonder why our society continues to “slouch towards Gomorrah,” as Bork put it. We hopelessly drift about our day-to-day lives so manipulated by the establishment that we cannot even perceive that the very system and doctrine we continue to legitimize is the cause of the problem. My dear friends, we must understand that action stems from belief – if one believes right, then one will act right. And then, to top this off, we have Christians that don’t understand why doctrine matters!

The reason nobody is willing to do what is righteous in the church is because the mainstream church has watered down the soul transforming Gospel of Christ with some social gospel and has equated Biblical love with this pussy, self-righteous, shallow, humanistic love that is always self-serving and never self-sacrificing. And boy oh boy, look at what it has done to the church and our lives; I mean, our marriages end in divorce nearly as often as the unbelieving world and our churches bow down to the whims of unbelievers to the point that the world is unable to distinguish itself from the church half of the time. We have accepted worldly philosophies and have conformed the Scriptures to them rather than allowing the Scriptures to transform our minds and our hearts. We accept psychology and then turn around and wonder why our kids act the way they do and why our nation is going to hell asymptotically, so to speak.

And then our religious leaders beg our government to fix all the problems when our government has been the cause of the majority of our problems! To me, this is absolutely unbelievable!

There will never be a restoration of morality in our society unless we first remedy the root(s) of the problem. And the remedy should always begin at square one: the infallible, unchanging, Holy Word of God. Until our mainstream religious leaders decide to expunge and remove the humanist garbage that the church has willfully embraced, we shall continue to see the chaos degrade to the point that it will ultimately prove to be fatal for our nation and the evangelical church in America.

So, am I really surprised at the cocky, disrespectful remark that was made by the Bush twins at the RNC? No, not really. I’m sure that many an education bureaucrat looked upon such a statement with glee, seeing the fruits of their labor manifest itself not only at the RNC but also on television and radio outlets daily. John Dewey would be proud. Am I surprised at the sheer lack of attention that our mainstream religious “leaders” have given this comment? No, not particularly. After all, Jenna is “at that age,” you know. Yes sir, Mr. Peroutka, there are those who feel just as outraged as you do, but let’s not expect any dissent to come from the mouths of the mainstream “conservative” right. It won’t be long before our children start confusing the faux conservatism of the mainstream religious right with the liberalism of the moderate left.

May we all humbly repent, and may God henceforth have mercy upon His people.

September 22, 2004

Matt Gamel is a graduate student at Texas A&M and eventually desires to go to seminary to study to be a biblical scholar. He may be reached for comment here.

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Christians in Politics Must Stop Ignoring the Constitution!

 David Alan Black 

Yesterday I experienced a rare juxtaposing of ideas. I read the president’s speech at a large Dallas church, and I watched two videos on the life and martyrdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It was a clear reminder to me that anyone who confesses Jesus Christ as the one Word of God has set a clear, unmistakable, and unambiguous limit to the divine aspirations of the state, its supporters, and its ideas.

In his essay, “The Modern Threats to Religious Freedom: They Are Greater than One May Think,” William Anderson exposes the dangers awaiting America:

On the surface, it would seem that Christianity has never been stronger or more influential in this country. Not only are the president, attorney general, and other cabinet members and advisors open about their Christianity, but Christian books are on the best-seller lists and Christian popular music dominates the radio airwaves. However, for a long time, I have been intensely looking at the current scene and have concluded that (1) the political authorities have squarely targeted Christians and Christianity for harassment and are freely carrying out their agendas at the present time, (2) the historical legal protections in this country for Christianity have been eroded past the point of no return, (3) most Christians are clueless in understanding this situation, and (4) when Christians do happen to recognize dangers to practicing their faith, they tend to endorse legislative and political actions that in the long run will make things even worse for themselves and those Christians who will follow after them.

I couldn’t agree more. What we are witnessing in society today is nothing less than this sobering fact: other lords than Jesus Christ, other commands than His commands, are gaining power over us, offering themselves to us as redeemers, but they are proving to be the torturers of an unredeemed world.

According to the New Testament, the state is under the constant temptation to make itself absolute. When, therefore, the state takes on theonomous pretensions (as so clearly evident in the president’s speech), it does so only through its presumption of autonomy, which itself it based on its renunciation of its true dignity and authority given and confirmed through submission to God. Thus the greatest service the church can render the state is to ensure that it never perverts its authority. The “true” church always has a responsibility to ensure that there is a “true” state.

By reminding the state of God’s Kingdom, God’s commandments, and God’s righteousness, the church reminds it of its limits and at the same time tells the state what it simply cannot tell itself. It reminds the state that there are certain criteria for its actions that it cannot set for itself but are set by God’s Word. To these criteria, both rulers and ruled are subjected, and to these they are responsible—whether they are prepared to acknowledge this or not. This understanding of church-state relationships is one that gives to the church enormous responsibilities with regard to the state. As Bonhoeffer would say, it demands an uncompromising No to the Promethean efforts of a state that has lost its true dignity by presumptuously feigning autonomous authority. If the church is to be true to its calling, it must resist man’s trust in its own resources—yes, adamantly oppose it— for when linked to the self-aggrandizement of Kulturchristentum, such hubris can only lead to one thing, and that is disaster.

In 1795, Justice Patterson wrote:

What is a Constitution? It is the form of government, delineated by the mighty hand of the people, in which certain first principles of fundamental laws are established. The Constitution is certain and fixed; it contains the permanent will of the people, and is the supreme law of the land; it is paramount to the power of the Legislature, and can be revoked or altered only by the authority that made it. The life-giving principle and the death-doing stroke must proceed from the same hand. What are Legislatures? Creatures of the Constitution; they owe their existence to the Constitution: they derive their powers from the Constitution: It is their commission; and, therefore, all their acts must be conformable to it, or else they will be void. The Constitution is the work or will of the People themselves, in their original, sovereign, and unlimited capacity. Law is the work or will of the Legislature in their derivative and subordinate capacity. The one is the work of the Creator, and the other of the Creature. The Constitution fixes limits to the exercise of legislative authority, and prescribes the orbit within which it must move. In short, gentlemen, the Constitution is the sun of the political system, around which all Legislative, Executive and Judicial bodies must revolve. 

The problem is that our federal Constitution is a dead letter to most politicians. Both liberals and conservatives ask, “Who’s going to control Big Brother?” instead of asking (as they should), “How can we get rid of Big Brother?” The only real difference between liberals and conservatives is that they tend to devise different plans on what to do with the power of the federal government. That’s why Republicans have failed to prevent the growth of the federal budget in recent years. They aren’t even faintly interested in controlling the expansion of the federal government, as the president’s speech shows. Neither liberal nor neoconservative politicians are willing to get to the heart of the issue—the question of the legitimate use of government power. Thus our politicians produce their plans and programs without ever being challenged on the immoral and unethical means they use.

In truth, the problem of the size of government is not really a political problem. It is a spiritual, moral, and ethical one. Christians have a Scriptural obligation to help the needy, but the solution to the problem of human need is not the intervention and compulsive agency of the state to improve the outward economic circumstances of the poor. There is nothing “compassionate” about “compassionate conservatism” when hard-working people are literally robbed of their incomes to help others. To advocate such an approach is to deny the clear teaching of God’s Word because it abandons the gracious character of Christian charity.

When the state oversteps its authority, we must call for a return to the law of God as the supreme and sole standard for determining the legitimate function of government. This means (among other things) that political conservatives and evangelical Christians must acknowledge that they have promoted ethically commendable goals by unethical means in calling upon the state to exercise its power of compulsion where there is no biblical warrant for it. In the name of “ethics,” we have unethically disregarded the proper separation of church and state by transferring to the state the obligations that God has laid upon His church. We have overlooked the fact that the Founding Fathers designed our system of government in the form of a constitutionally limited republic with minimum government control or interference into our personal lives and business affairs. We forget that government at all levels—federal, state and local—was originally intended to be controlled by the people, that the Constitution explicitly restricts the power of the federal government, and that the Bill of Rights guarantees that the government may not infringe on our God-given unalienable rights.

As long as Americans remain intent on ignoring the bedrock document of American political history, Chuck Baldwin’s words will ring true: “Patriotism is more than waving a flag and beating war drums. Patriotism involves reverence and submission to the laws and principles contained in our Constitution and in our heritage. It does not mean blindly following a politician—any politician! Patriotism also demands that the American people hold their elected leaders accountable to the Constitution.”

October 31, 2003

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. He is currently finishing his latest book, Why I Stopped Listening to Rush: Confessions of a Recovering Neocon.

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Behold Lady Liberty!

 David Alan Black 

The hideous shock is over. The simple populace was taught by its simple press to comfort themselves with the reflection: “After all, the law was being followed.” How little can we foresee the consequences either of wise or unwise action!

Officials in Washington and Florida adhered to their policy of moderation and half-measures. They appeared unable to move without the permission of the judiciary. This is an explanation, but no excuse. Virtuous motives, trammeled by inertia and timidity, are no match for resolute wickedness. Pronouncements of outrage only provided comfort for everyone who wished to be humbugged. Inert and paralyzed, the government lost its last chance of arresting murderous ambitions.

The whole world had turned its eyes toward America. Brave words were uttered, but actions would have spoken louder. Weakness is not treason, though it may be equally disastrous. The issue was vital to America’s existence as a moral society, and any government worthy of the name should have made up its own mind and acted independently.

Over the past 50 years our nation has departed from a Christian consensus and the result has been a devastating effect upon culture, bringing with it a sweeping breakdown in morality. State-sponsored euthanasia is today a more imminent danger than ever before. A modern resurgence of liberty fighters is needed – a great drawing-together of men and women of all parties in America who see the perils of the future and are resolute upon practical measures to secure the cause of life and liberty, equally menaced by judicial tyranny and government complacency.

Meanwhile, the mute voice of Terri will soon cease to echo, and her cause cease to count, along with that of 46,000,000 murdered preborn.

Behold Lady Liberty! – alone, impotent, a shallow mockery amid the lip-serving platitudes of her irresolute and cynical citizens.

Doom marches on.

April 4, 2005

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. If you would like to know more about becoming a follower of King Jesus, please feel free to write Dave.

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Beginning at the Beginning

 David Alan Black 

At the start of a New Year, it would be foolish not to be prepared in advance. Another year past means another year due tomorrow – with all of its privileges and responsibilities. As retrospect gives way to prospect, I greet the New Year with two renewed commitments:

First, I desire to begin everything with God. If the Bible begins with God, shouldn’t I? The blunders I made this past year might well have been avoided had I prayed as much before I acted as I pined after the damage was done. It would be the height of folly to think I can do anything apart from God. So I desire to begin with God.

My second goal is to continue the work of our nation’s Founders. I realize that Americans have long since lost the civic aptitude of our early leaders. People and Parade and a cacophony of other voices have squeezed out our national charter. The basic principle behind the U.S. Constitution was to maintain the freedom and power of the people in such a way that would neither enable tyranny nor empower egalitarianism. Since then, America has veered from the path so carefully forged by the Founders – the unconstitutional war in Iraq being just one example of our promiscuous violation of the Washingtonian ideal.

James Carroll, in his essay “The politics of the Christmas story” (Boston Globe, December 21, 2004), addresses this issue head-on:

The single most important fact about the birth of Jesus, as recounted in the Gospels, is one that receives almost no emphasis in the American festival of Christmas. The child who was born in Bethlehem represented a drastic political challenge to the imperial power of Rome. The nativity story is told to make the point that Rome is the enemy of God, and in Jesus, Rome’s day is over.

America, he says, has turned the birth of Jesus on its head. Carroll reminds us that the Founders had to fight to liberate themselves from tyranny. The legitimate grievances they had with the establishment led them to establish clear goals to address those grievances. They realized that tyranny would always be in vogue, and that the war on it would continue well into the future.

One of my spiritual forbears was a Baptist in England named Thomas Helwys, who believed that God, and not the King, was the only Lord of conscience. In 1612 Helwys the Baptist came to the defense of the Roman Catholics who were the beleaguered target of the Crown. He said:

Our Lord the King has no more power over their [Catholic] consciences than ours, and that is none at all. [F]or men’s religion is betwixt God and themselves; the King shall not answer it; neither may the King be judge betwixt God and man. Let them be heretics, Turks, Jews, or whatever. It appertains not to the earthly power to punish them in the least measure.

Of course, King James did not appreciate challenges to his authority, and he had Thomas Helwys thrown into prison, where he died. Helwys was just one of many dissenters who paid the supreme price for conscience.

This is also true in America, where the Founders’ work is far from complete. Another King George has returned to trouble the heirs of Washington and Jefferson, claiming Caesar-like powers. What will be the price for standing up to this latest impediment to freedom? This is no rhetorical question. Dissenting voices are rarely appreciated by those in authority. That’s the shame of politics today. The intellectual heritage of the Founders is no more.

So in this New Year let’s put Jesus back where He belongs. Let’s start our day – each and every one of them – by acknowledging His lordship. A “little talk with Jesus” will ready the body and mind for whatever might come our way. And let us boldly proclaim, just as our Founders did, for all to hear, “No King But King Jesus!” Let us make up our mind on “this one thing” and bring all other things into their proper place in relation to that.

Both as saints and citizens let us begin the year at the beginning.

January 1, 2005

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. He is the author of Why I Stopped Listening to Rush and numerous other books.

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Thursday, January 30

10:58 AM The dogs and I just fed the goats, cattle, and donkeys. Otherwise the dogs have been staying indoors with me.

The weather is warming up to a high of 34 today. This week saw record-breaking lows in the Piedmont. It was only 7 degrees at 5:00 am this morning in Raleigh, tying a record set in 1977. Dog owners, it is just plain cruel to leave your pets outdoors in this weather. The cold can threaten their lives, even long-haired breeds. Be sure they are warm and dry during the winter, and never leave them in a locked car during the summer heat.

10:26 AM This came in the mail while I was gone. The author even inscribed it for me. (Thank you, Thomas!)

Will make the perfect read on a cold day.

10:18 AM In every area of feuding-style disagreements among biblical scholars, “my” side is usually assumed to be wiser than my opponents’ side. That’s why balanced essays like this one by Henry Neufeld are needed today:On Prettying-Up the Bible. Henry raises some good questions about the use of inclusive language in translation. It seems to me that “brothers and sisters” for adelphoi is just fine as long as that is the meaning intended by the original author (and in many cases, it is). As for the books I write, I have begun using inclusive language pretty regularly — not because my publishers require me to do so, but because I feel it’s the right thing to do in view of my audience. But this can and must be an author’s decision. In fact, one publisher I used in the past has begun requiring its authors to use inclusive language. That’s just wrong, and I have not published anything with that publisher since. At any rate, read Henry’s fine essay if you can.

Be a unifier,

Dave

8:06 AM Good morning, peeps. As I said yesterday, my time in Hawaii was wonderful. It felt great to be back with ohana (family). What makes Hawaii so unique? Why do I love it so much?

1) Hawaii is the most ethnically-diverse state in the Union. It has no ethnic majority. A quarter of the population is multi-ethnic. Felix (whom I mentioned yesterday) is Filipino-Chinese, while Charles is half Hawaiian. Throw in other Pacific Islanders (Tahitians, Samoans) and it makes for quite a delightful mix. 39 percent of the population is Asian, so it is not uncommon to find at least some mixture of Japanese and Chinese. Growing up on Kaha Place in Kailua I was a Caucasian in a sea of Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese. Quite a mixture, eh? Wonderful. And the best part about it is the diversity you see in the churches.

2) Hawaii has the best surf in the world. Sure, I surfed in California too. But it’s all contrast, not comparison. Did you know that the first recorded account of surfing was penned in 1779 by a crew member aboard one of Captain James Cook’s ships? His diary included a description of local people climbing onto boards in the water to wait for “the greatest Swell that sets on shore, & altogether push forward with their Arms to keep on its top.” In Hawaii, you literally grow up on a surfboard. My first board was actually made out of koa wood. It took two of us to carry it to the beach. Then foam came along and life got a lot easier. This past week I loved watching the tourists taking surfing lessons on Waikiki Beach. The thrill of standing up on a wave for the first time is indescribable.

3) Hawaii is the most isolated population center in the world. It is situated 2,390 miles from the U.S. mainland and 4,000 miles from Japan. Some hate this fact. They feel trapped and get “island fever.” To be honest, I can feel this way sometimes. That’s why a lot of us kids who were raised in Hawaii ended up living on the mainland. I guess I would put it this way: The only way you can survive in the islands is if you really love the ocean. Which I do.

4) Hawaiian “time” is great. It simply doesn’t exist. I can go for that. The famous “shaka” hand sign basically means “Hang loose!”

5) The Hawaiian language is absolutely beautiful. It has only 12 letters. Google even has a Hawaiian version. You haven’t lived until you’ve heard live Hawaiian music on Waikiki Beach.

6) You can drive on an interstate highway (like H-3) even when it’s not interstate.

7) Hawaii has the best coffee in the world (Kona) as as well as my favorite nut (the Macadamia).

8) Finally, Hawaii is known for producing such famous people as these two tricycle riders:

P.S. If you ever do vacation in Waikiki, the price of a meal can be outrageous. My first breakfast at the Royal Hawaiian was delicious but it cost me $40.00. Then I got smart. A short walk to Kuhio Avenue lets you eat breakfast starting at only $3.99 (bacon, scrambled eggs, two pancakes). So save some money. That way you’ll have some leftover cash for shave ice — and a surfing lesson.

Wednesday, January 29

5:20 PM This gorgeous picture of the campus was just posted on Twitter.

Sorry students, you’re not getting a snow day today, even though you probably feel like you deserve one!

4:53 PM Nigusse is now a proud member of the seminary grounds crew. He works 20 hours a week. He especially loves working outdoors in the snow and frozen tundra (*wink*).

3:35 PM Yesterday and today were so strange, so full of contrasts. Yesterday I was enjoying Hawaiian food on Oahu and 78 degree temps. Today I drove back to the farm on frozen roads. There is something so incredibly wonderful about watching God’s creation in all of its glory and contrast. I think I see a parallel of sorts in my own life. There I was, in Hawaii celebrating love. But not just that. I was also griefing the loss of love. Will it surprise you to hear that I still flit from emotion to emotion? There is so much I could say about this trip, and words feel so inadequate. Maybe I should just quote to you the email I sent out yesterday. It pretty much tells it all.

Aloha, friends and family! Maikai kakahiaka? Sorry, couldn’t help it. I have quickly fallen into the old ways. I had forgotten just how much salt water I have pouring through my veins. Will miss the ocean and the trade winds. Yep. My last day in paradise. I didn’t accomplish everything I set out to do, but God more than compensated with several unexpected blessings. Today I’m going to have Hawaiian lau laus for lunch with a couple of friends as we plan my next visit. Of course, I may never get off the island. Thanks to the weather y’all are having, two of my flights have been canceled. I do hope to fly out tonight, but the destination is Atlanta, which gets slammed today.

How am I doing?

The embers of Becky’s death are slowly dying out, one by one. As I remember her, think about our life together, I feel myself slowly filling with strength again, as the lungs fill with clean air. This morning as I sat in the shadow of Diamond Head, I let the memories wash over me, listening to them, reminiscing, all the adventure and romance and sparkles of youth, and then the growing older and perhaps a bit wiser. I felt a spasm of pain like the blast of a sudden snow storm, saw her face as she confronted death, a moment that will live on in the brain forever. I was reminded of a girl in a cafeteria line accepting a macadamia nut from me, a blur in the past, an innocent gesture. Who would have guessed where that would have led? I have bought all of my daughters a box of those same chocolate covered nuts. Maybe that will help them to move past the hurts, to sense that God has a good purpose in even the smallest things in life, that His taking Becky home when and how He did was no mistake or act of carelessness on His part.

The islands have been exactly the balm my sometimes tortured soul has needed. I will miss this place. It will always be the first true home I have ever known. It has been like the landing on a stairway, the transition between the past and the future. For that I am truly grateful.

Much love and aloha!

Dave

My heart sings, because God accomplished on this trip more than I ever could have imagined. I feel like a kid who just woke up to find a birthday card in the mail with some spending money. And I plan to spend it wisely!

Did I surf? Nope. The beaches on the North Shore were all closed because of the huge waves, and the beaches on the South Shore (Ala Moana, Waikiki, Queens, Diamond Head) were turned into useless mush by the freak presence of rare Kona winds. Surfing’s for next time. Except next time, Hawaii won’t feel so strange. It may even feel like home again.

I think I’m at the beginning of a long road, and somehow, in the background, I can see God smiling.

Pix, naturally:

1) The Pink Lady herself. The Royal Hawaiian is nothing if not royal.

2) The view from my room.

3) My hosts: Felix and Karen Tan. Felix is one of 6 pastors at Calvary Chapel West Oahu.

4) Sharing about missions at the Tans’ lovely home in Ewa Beach on Friday night.

5) Sharing the Word on Sunday morning at CCWO …

6) … where Charles Couch is lead pastor.

7) Enjoying authentic Hawaiian food at the famous Highway Inn in Waipahu.

8) One night, while listening to live Hawaiian music on Waikiki Beach and watching a hula dancer interpreting the songs, requests were invited. I asked for “I’ll Remember You.” You can Google this Hawaiian song if you’re unfamiliar with it. I watched it through tears of joy as I remembered the 40 years Becky and I were privileged to share together.

It would seem that God was not joking when He said He would bring peace and purpose out of loss. All I know is that His compassion never runs dry.

Now if you’ll excuse me, this local boy needs to brave sub-freezing temps to feed the animals 🙂

Thursday, January 23

4:16 AM Good morning, thoughtful blogging buds.

I’ll start by saying I’m delighted to be flying to Honolulu via Los Angeles today. Moving on. Closing up. Or something like that. It’s all very complex and ambiguous, this post-death process. I read somewhere that it normally takes two years to recover from a natural death in a family. Quite a factlet, eh? Knowing this doesn’t make it any easier, of course. I’m a complete novice at this business. Walking through the valley of grief is a journey that was imposed on me. But grief is a great teacher. I think I’ve grown in my faith more in the past 6 months than in the past 10 years put together. Grief, I’m discovering, is God’s gift to mankind to help us work through the pain of loss. Going to Hawaii is, I suppose, just another step in this process for me. I still cry from time to time. The pain seems unrelenting at times. Yet at the same time there has been healing. I’m finally getting some sleep again. I’ve jump-started activities that I had been putting on hold. The fatigue has begun to lift a bit. I’m beginning to experience life again. The pain is slowly subsiding. I have found a new depth in my relationship with the Lord. The task before me, as I currently see it, is to begin to construct a new life for myself while building memories of my past life with Becky. Hence this little jaunt to the Islands. I suppose it’s my way of saying “goodbye” to her for the millionth time. Of imagining Becky in the presence of the Savior. Of experiencing the joy of knowing that she is pain free. Of inviting Becky back into my life through the magic eyes of memory. Easy? No. Necessary? Yes. I’m ready to go there again in my mind — to the places where Becky and I enjoyed so many happy moments together. I’m ready for Jesus to create small vignettes in my mind and then weave them together into a more complete story. Faith means clinging to God in the midst of the stormy waves. It’s clinging to the One who in the Garden of Gethsemane said, “My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow.” Then He used his grief creatively, turning it into something good.

I look forward to the day when Becky and I will embrace again as we celebrate the goodness of the God who conquers sin and death and heals all wounds. Somehow I sense she is with me on this zany 6-day adventure of mine. Thank you, dear readers, for putting up with me and my confused ponderings. Yall are the best. I think the greatest proof that God exists is the ability He gives grieving mothers and fathers and husbands and wives and sons and daughters to cope with the loss of a loved one. Whatever evil the enemy may inflict on us, the greater evil is allowing ourselves to wallow in self-pity, ignoring the Man of Sorrows who is eager to walk with us through the valley of death. This, after all, is what Jesus Himself refused to do.

Blessings on all of you. Remember that life is short. Remember, too, to let your family know how much you love them while you still can.

Mahalo and aloha,

Dave

Wednesday, January 22

9:17 AM Okay, so here are a few of the places I’m planning on (re)visiting on Oahu. Being the mature, God-loving, and non-whining individual that I am, I will only post three pix. Remembering is a vital part of life. So is moving on. Can one do both at the same time? We’ll soon find out!

P.S. Ain’t my Becky a beaut?

8:06 AM I quite agree:All authors should have a blog. 

• Blogs help authors practice the art of writing.

• Regular blog posting helps authors develop the discipline of writing.

• Blogs helps authors build an audience and connect with readers.

• Blogs give readers a chance to ask questions and interact with authors.

• Blogs are a great way for authors to give their ideas a “test run” with readers.

7:33 AM There’s a problem when social media keeps you from actually being social.

6:46 AM Hi bloggers and bloggerettes,

Well, we’ve gotten our first snowfall of the year and it sure looks pretty, though I’m not looking forward to driving in it to campus today. Nigusse begins his final semester and I am meeting up with two of my doctoral students. I also plan on writing another few pages of my book Godworld. Right now I am wrestling with the issue of the depiction of God as violent in the Old Testament. I’ll let you know how it goes. Meanwhile, this morning a good friend sent me a link tothis report about the huge waves in Hawaii, along with the following (snide) remark, “Don’t try to hang ten on those.” Aren’t my friends terribly mean to me? Of course, everyone knows that I leave tomorrow for Oahu to celebrate my marriage. Becky’s love for me was a constant source of encouragement and strength. I can’t believe how many years God gave us together, the ministry we enjoyed together, and the process of aging we were privileged to experience together in her last years. It is awesome to realize that this unbelievably difficult and even “impossible” thing we call marriage is actually a symbol of the beautiful marriage between God and us. Only when seen from God’s perspective does marriage make any sense.

At any rate, it’s meetings on campus today, then lunch with a brother in Wake Forest, coffee with one of my daughters, and dinner in Roxboro with a friend. Hope I have time to pack my bags! I leave on this trip feeling a bit rundown, so I certainly wouldn’t mind any “hope-he-feels-better-soon” prayers you’d shoot up on my behalf.

Finally, I am really grateful for the news that my colleague Joshua Waggener has finished his Ph.D. at the University of Durham in the U.K. That’s really quite an accomplishment, especially when you’re teaching fulltime and raising a family.

Live in love,

Dave

Tuesday, January 21

5:04 PM Jay Thomas offers a post called A Biblical Understanding of Depression and Anxiety. An excerpt:

Everyone will struggle with DA at some point. Everyone is going to feel the pangs of loss, disappointment, relational hurt, etc. Most DA is short term and a result of a painful experience. DA in such cases is a natural response to living in a fallen world with fallen circumstances.

I still need to read it slowly and digest its contents, but it looks like there’s plenty of practical wisdom here.

4:15 PM Ever feel like driving off the freeway of life and pulling into a rest stop? What should you do when you’re on the edge of exhaustion — physically, emotionally, and spiritually? Here are four suggestions:

BE HONEST: With yourself, with others, and with God. He knows your body. He knows you’re worn out. He knows your spirit. He knows you’re discouraged. He also knows your future. He knows it is still good.

BE REALISTIC: If you’re anything like me, you’re very passionate about what you do. You have high goals and standards. You feel you need to make a contribution to your worlds — family, church, school, missionary calling. You feel a need to pour your life into others. This makes you vulnerable. Vulnerable to exhaustion, weariness, loss of passion, fatigue.

BE PROACTIVE: You need to stop ignoring the Rest Principle. You need to recover your scattered energies. You need to give yourself — and others — grace. You need to let your soul catch up with your body. You need to allow the Word to renew your inner force.

BE TRANSPARENT: Never be ashamed to ask your friends for their prayers. Bonhoeffer once wrote, “A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another.” Prayer makes a difference.

Today, I urge all of us to be honest, realistic, proactive, and transparent.

12:28 PM In honor of all our new and returning SEBTS students, I offer the following aphorisms on education:

• A burden to reach the lost can be developed in seminary but never created by it.

• The best education for ministry takes place within the ongoing life of the local church.

• The best professors teach by example. They serve Christ wholeheartedly, live for the kingdom of God, and model costly service and faithful involvement in missions.

• Worship is not what we do in chapel but what we do when we are driving our car or doing the dishes or mowing the lawn.

• True education is intended to lead us into a practical love and sacrificial service in the world.

• The most blatant sin of education is knowledge without humility.

• The call to serve is the call to downward mobility. Forget the top position. Fight for the bottom of the pile.

• Be careful of becoming a producer of spirituality and not a consumer.

• You cannot serve two masters: God and power. Resist the temptation to use your position to manipulate others.

• Avoid relational promiscuity — chattering your life away in shallow friendships while dodging exhausting relationships.

• “Superficiality is the curse of our age” (Richard Foster). Strive to be simple without being simplistic.

• Beware of self-absorbed hedonism. Deliberately put yourself in risky situations for God.

• Remember: to reach the world for Christ will take all of us. The most expedient thing we can do today to reach our generation is to have fewer supported workers and more self-supporting ones.

• The very worst thing that can happen to you can turn out to be God’s appointed means of preparing you for kingdom work.

• Finally, always allow for a fresh leading of the Spirit. Let God surprise you!

Blessings on you, men and women! My prayers are with you.

10:20 AM This morning I’m working on my book Godworld: Enter at Your Own Risk. It’s slow going. The idea is that there is only one holy nation, and it is not America but rather “Godworld” (the kingdom of heaven). Right now I am in the book of Acts. I am struck by the eagerness of the church in Antioch to help the believers in Judea (Acts 11:27-30). Think about it. From the outset, the early church recognized that salvation was more than positional. It has a moral aspect. Luther’s doctrine of justification by faith has been rightly criticized because of its overemphasis on the forensic aspect of salvation. He was primarily interested in forgiveness, and not in renewal. Hence his trouble with James. But early Christianity was not aloof from society. It penetrated it with love and good deeds. And it was love of Christ, not of country, that impelled them to be involved in the affairs of society. Note the words of the second-century document The Epistle to Diognetus (5:1-5):

Christians are not distinct from the rest of men in country or language or customs. For neither do they dwell anywhere in special cities nor do they use a different language…. They inhabit their own fatherland, but as sojourners…. Every foreign country is to them a fatherland and every fatherland a foreign country…. They live on the earth but their citizenship is in heaven.

True Christianity never pits “Christian culture” against non-Christian culture. Instead, it infuses new leaven into the existing culture. The church is a people within a people, but it is never part of the sacral society that idolizes man or nation. When Luther put the trumpet of reform to his lips he was prepared to make a break with the state, though not a complete one. As soon as he joined himself to the secular rule, the Reformation came to a crashing halt as far as I am concerned. I am greatly indebted to God for allowing me to live in these United States. But, like God’s people of old, I “desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:16). The kingdom of God transcends national borders, so why should cultural values craft the church’s institutional forms? If we were to view our national holidays as human creations, we would be less likely to sacralize them. And then the kingdom would advance. And even Caesar might become interested in learning a thing or two from the church.

Think about it.

10:06 AM Is your church unified? Jesus commands us to go to the world, but not in the context of dissension within our ranks. His overriding command is that we be committed to one another in love, affirming and strengthening each other as fellow workers in His kingdom. It’s no exaggeration to say that, without a deeply spiritually united team, our hearts can never be synchronized with God’s.

9:47 AM FromWill You Join the Cause of Global Missions?

For several years now I’ve been studying the missionary movement in North America. I believe we are on the cusp of an era when insourcing missions will become the strategy for achieving global evangelization. A strategy that depends on outsourcing the work to paid professionals is not going to get the job done. Outsourcing will be around for a while longer because it is what everyone is used to. But insourcing will require a wholly different mindset. It’s not just about producing more missionaries. It’s about creating a completely different kind of environment — a collaborative environment in which everyday people like you and me are constantly thinking about how to generate towel and basin ministries both at home and around the globe.

7:48 AM Today is convocation. Wishing all of my colleagues at SEBTS a great semester.

7:37 AM In the beginning was the Word, and the Word became flesh, not pixels. Computers can never be a substitute for relationships.

Monday, January 20

2:08 PM Monster waves arrive in Hawaii on Wednesday. I arrive on Thursday. Is there a message here for me?

12:34 PM Pray forBilly Graham.

10:43 AM When you share the love of Jesus with someone, don’t forget to bring up repentance. The Gospel is not the Gospel if we strip it of the whole package. It’s like saying the NFC Championship Game score was “Seahawks 23.”

10:40 AM The Reader’s Digest once published an article entitled “13 Things Used Car Salesmen Won’t Tell You.” Well here are “13 Things Your Greek Teachers Won’t Tell You”:

1. Greek is not the only tool you need to interpret your New Testament. In fact, it’s only one component in a panoply of tools. Get Greek, but don’t stop there.

2. Greek is not the Open Sesame of biblical interpretation. All it does is limit your options. It tells you what’s possible, then the context and other factors kick in to disambiguate the text.

3. Greek is not superior to other languages in the world. Don’t believe it when you are told that Greek is more logical than, say, Hebrew. Not true.

4. Greek did not have to be the language in which God inscripturated New Testament truth because of its complicated syntax. Truth be told, there’s only one reason why the New Testament was written in Greek and not in another language (say, Latin), and that is a man named Alexander the Great, whose vision was to conquer the inhabited world and then unite it through a process known as Hellenization. To a large degree he succeeded, and therefore the use of Greek as the common lingua franca throughout the Mediterranean world in the first century AD should come as no surprise to us today.

5. Greek words do not have one meaning. Yet how many times do we hear in a sermon, “The word in the Greek means…”? Most Greek words are polysemous, that is, they have many possible meanings, only one of which is its semantic contribution to any passage in which it occurs.

6. Greek is not difficult to learn. I’ll say it again: Greek is not difficult to learn. I like to tell my students, “Greek is an easy language; it’s us Greek teachers who get in the way.” The point is that anyone can learn Greek, even a poorly-educated surfer from Hawaii. If I can master Greek, anyone can!

7. Greek can be acquired through any number of means, including most beginning textbooks. Yes, I prefer to use my ownLearn to Read New Testament Greek in my classes, but mine is not the only good textbook out there.

8. Greek students think they can get away with falling behind in their studies. Folks, you can’t. I tell my students that it’s almost impossible to catch up if you get behind even one chapter in our textbook. Language study requires discipline and time management skills perhaps more than any other course of study in school.

9. Greek is fun! At least when it’s taught in a fun way.

10. Greek is good for more than word studies. In fact, in the past few years I’ve embarked on a crusade to get my students to move away from word-bound exegesis. Greek enables us to see how a text is structured, how it includes rhetorical devices, how syntactical constructions are often hermeneutical keys, etc.

11. Greek can cause you to lose your faith. When the text of Scripture becomes nothing more than “another analyzable datum of linguistic interpretation,” it loses its power as the Word of God.

12. Greek can be learned in an informal setting. The truth is that you do not need to take a formal class in this subject or in any subject for that matter. I know gobs of homeschoolers who are using my grammar in self-study, many of whom are also using myGreek DVDs in the process.

13. Greek is not Greek. In other words, Modern Greek and Koine Greek are two quite different languages. So don’t expect to be able to order a burrito in Athens just because you’ve had me for first year Greek. On the other hand, once you have mastered Koine Greek it is fairly easy to work backwards (and learn Classical Greek) and forwards (and learn Modern Greek).

Okay, I’m done. And yes, I’m exaggerating. Many Greek teachers do in fact tell their students these things!

10:18 AM Some of my favorite bloggers are leaving the blogosphere. Don’t exactly know why, but they haven’t posted in months. I write online because I love writing, not because I don’t have other things to do, and certainly not because I can’t (or don’t) write anywhere else. I simply have things in my head that have to come out. I try to tell the truth as I see it, but I don’t assume that anyone will agree with what I have to say. After 10 years of blogging I still feel like I’m trying to find my voice, and I have a constant conversation within me about how to blog and when. For better or for worse, I opt not to remain silent. I also try to post interesting links on my site – within minutes of an important news story you can get the word out and even have a comment or two to make about it.

Of course, I need to be careful about what I write or link to, as there’s always a slim chance someone out there might read it. 🙂

10:08 AM Though a bitdated, here are some interesting stats. Out of 4,120,000 bloggers, there are:

• 55,500 are aged 10-12

• 2,120,000 are aged 13-19

• 1,630,000 are aged 20-29

• 241,000 are aged 30-39

• 41,700 are aged 40-49

• 18,500 are aged 50-59

• 13,900 are aged 60-69

Two takeaways:

1) Teens and twenty-somethings are living up to their name “Generation Text.”

2) Note the final category. I still think blogging is underused by us aging evangelicals (aka, fossils) to get the Word out.

10:02 AM It’s not my cup of tea, but it might be yours. TheOne Year Bible Blog, that is. Here’s acompanion site.

9:45 AM Just had a huge answer to prayer. I am amazed at how often God reveals His goodness to us in times when there is chaos and confusion, in the opportune moments when an act of servanthood presents itself. It reminds me of one of the unusual traits of my wife, who always had the habit of listening carefully to the wishes of her husband and children, and then doing whatever was needful in response. Prayer is a serious matter. It is also a great privilege. If only I would avail myself of it more often.

9:12 AM Hey, when was the last time you said “Thank you” to your pastors/elders? I am constantly amazed at the relatively small group of people in our churches that hold things together so that the rest of us can enjoy the fruits of their labor. They often pay a high price to serve the Body. And remember: they are human beings, just like the rest of us. They grow weary and restless and grapple (usually silently) with the prospects of just calling it quits. We do them a disservice if we fail to acknowledge their work and servanthood.

Today I sent my elders this note. I hope to do it more often this year. I love my leaders! How I praise God for them!

Gentlemen, forgive me for not doing this more often, but I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your lives, your vibrant discipleship, your fervency for the Gospel, and your hard work on behalf of our congregation. I have no doubt that you experience honest exhaustion because of your labors for Christ. Leadership is tiring; it can easily and quickly overcome spiritual passion. Thank you for hanging in there. Thank you for pursuing ever-increasing levels of maturity and effectiveness for Christ. Thank you for your humility and selflessness. Thank you for your example.

You are greatly loved, appreciated, and esteemed.

In the Lamb,

Dave

8:42 AM I see that Thomas Hudginshas been speaking about “A Great Commission Marriage.” Since he cited two of my essays, perhaps I could elaborate here a little bit on the way Becky and I did missions together when she was still with us.We saw ourselves, quite simply, as stewards, not owners, of all that we had. We had gotten out of the ownership business a long time ago. Jesus had become Lord not only of our individual lives but also of our marriage, our home, and our loyalties, affections, and obedience. We had come to realize that the call to follow Jesus involves a submission not only to serve Him but to serve other people as well (2 Cor. 4:5). We viewed not only our possessions as His but also the gifts, special abilities, and talents with which He had endowed us.

At the same time, the Lord gave us a new motivation for living – to develop all of our resources and skills to the full in service to Him and to people. In describing what is involved in Christian stewardship, our Lord said that the foremost quality He expected from His disciples was faithfulness (Luke 12:42-48). A faithful steward is simply one who has given up his self-interests and is absorbed with his master’s purpose, goal, and concerns. He is trustworthy with his master’s goods, and he uses all of his master’s resources in the most effective way he knows how in order to achieve his master’s objectives.

From the point of view of his involvement with his fellow man, the Christian steward’s lifestyle is one of sacrificial living and sacrificial giving in order to contribute to both evangelism and social relief. He views his faith not just as a private bank account but as public property that has to be shared through proclamation and service. The Lord Jesus claims the first place in his life, and he submits to Him and to His authoritative teaching in a life of obedience. Did Becky and I still lay up for the future in view of our anticipated needs? Yes. But we also sought to function as channels through which the love and provision of God could flow to others. We found this love to be needed not only in our culture but supra-culturally beyond our own borders. We believed that it was the nature of the Christian’s call to participate in the work of the Spirit in the world, always having an eye to the needs of others.

Becky and I considered ourselves as a part, not only of our local congregation, but of the universal church as well. Moreover, though we identified most closely with the Western church, we recognized that no church is self-sufficient. Thus all true churches – East and West, American and African – should develop with each other relationships of prayer, fellowship, ministry, and cooperation. We should freely share our spiritual gifts, our knowledge, our experience, and our financial resources. Together, Becky and I tried to do what we could with whatever resources we had in order to share the love of Jesus with others, for love is a language that is understood in every nook and cranny of the world.

It blesses me beyond words to see that my former students are seeking to establish in their marriages a Gospel commitment. Look inside their lives for secrets, and you will find a handful of things that defy system and definition. They are just faithful Jesus-followers. Praise be to God.

8:20 AM Quote of the day (J. Gresham Machen):

The gospel of Christ is a blessed relief from that sinful state of affairs commonly known as hundred per-cent Americanism.

8:12 AM Bothered by textual variants in the New Testament? Robert Dabney had this to say about the text of the New Testament (Discussions by Robert L. Dabney: Volume I: Theological and Evangelical, pp. 351, 389):

This received text contains undoubtedly all the essential facts and doctrines intended to be set down by the inspired writers; for if it were corrected with the severest hand, by the light of the most divergent various readings found in any ancient MS. or version, not a single doctrine of Christianity, nor a single cardinal fact would be thereby expunged. . . .

If all the debated readings were surrendered by us, no fact or doctrine of Christianity would thereby be invalidated, and least of all would the doctrine of Christ’s proper divinity be deprived of adequate scriptural support. Hence the interests of orthodoxy are entirely secure from and above the reach of all movements of modern criticism of the text whether made in a correct or incorrect method, and all such discussions in future are to the church of subordinate importance.

Sunday, January 19

9:20 AM Yesterday I received this letter in the mail from SEBTS:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please accept this $200.00 offering in loving memory of Becky Black.

I was fortunate to study under Dr. David Alan Black while a Master of Divinity student at SEBTS from 2002 to 2006.

During that time [we] were blessed to experience the warm and gracious hospitality of Dr. and Mrs. Black, not only on the campus at SEBTS, but also at their farm in Virginia.

Their love for our Lord, one another, the Bible, their family, and their students were always at the forefront of their ministry as they opened their beautiful farm to students on a regular basis.

We remember with great fondness Mrs. Black’s beautiful smile, Christ-like character, easy going manner, and eternal strength.

Thank you for offering Dr. and Mrs. Black the opportunity to impact so many for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Oh, that touched my heart! I am one blessed man.

9:02 AM Sometimesshort blog posts are the best!

8:41 AM Energion publisher Henry Neufeld called my attention to this wonderful piece by David Watson calledWhat is a Liberal Christian? David is the dean at United Theological Seminary in Dayton. I would like to express my gratitude to David, a New Testament colleague in another seminary, for his insightful essay. Friend, if you do not like liberal theology, that is fine by me. Neither do I. But don’t waste your time denouncing it. Go and share the Good News. There is no higher priority for a church that has lost her way in ecumenism on the one hand and endless squabbling about theology on the other. If we are Christians at all, then we are not only in the theology business, we are in the Gospel business. When I was in Basel, I was often invited to coffee by theologically liberal ex-pat students, mostly Germans or South Koreans, to discuss theology in one of the local Stuben. As perhaps the only inerrantist among the Doktoranden I was assaulted mercilessly, but I managed to stand my ground, and no friendships were broken over our disagreements. (I never did become a Barthian.) Inevitably the conversation turned to Jesus and the Gospel, as it had to. Both liberals and conservatives need Christ, to learn to obey Him and follow Him radically. And we all need to think for ourselves and not just adopt the party line. As David notes:

Part of the reason for the difficulty is that “liberal” has at least two meanings that are really quite different from one another. On the one hand, “liberal” could mean a commitment to intellectual virtue. In this sense, a liberal is someone who wishes to get all the ideas out on the table and argue them out using the tools of reason and logic. Opposing ideas are given fair consideration and are accurately represented. Conceivably, one’s mind could be changed on even very deeply held convictions. This is the idea behind a “liberal” education. Students are taught to think, not simply what to think. Yes, there are certain facts and ideas that one should simply have in hand, but all ideas, at least in theory, are subject to critical examination. Theology, then, is as Anselm put it, faith seeking understanding. While it is entirely permissible, even expected, that one will hold certain faith claims, all ideas are subject to intellectual, reasonable, and critical examination.

This is so right. The way to engage liberals is not by denouncing them but by engaging them, using reason and Scripture. But love is crucial. Without it there can be no genuine theological discussion. Without it there can be no effective evangelism.

One final thought: If you are a conservative and wish to debate liberals, you had better have the right academic credentials. You must also be able to translate the Gospel into terms that secular people of the day can understand. The underlying understanding of liberalism in our churches today is puerile, the ignorance vast, the unthinking conformity almost complete. We theological conservatives can do better.

6:22 AM It’s 3:00 o’clock in the morning. I’m sitting in bed with my yellow note pad thinking about the week ahead. I’m trying to resign myself to the fact that I’ll never be able to really explain widowerhood to anyone who has never experienced it. I leave for Hawaii on Thursday. I couldn’t be more eager, or more anxious, to return to the land of my birth. It’s an odd sort of feeling — knowing you’re going “home” when home hasn’t been Hawaii for 43 years. Here’s the thing. I know going back to Hawaii is going to be incredibly wonderful and incredibly challenging at the same time. That’s why I’m a bit apprehensive. I feel so unworthy of God’s love, so unfit to serve Him, so inadequate even to do something as simple as take a plane ride to the paradise of the Pacific. So pray for me, that I will be able to see the Islands through God’s eyes. Oddly, I feel the dull ache of homesickness, not so much for Hawaii but for a new, future Home. The two homes are blurred together by tears of joy and tears of anguish. In Hawaii, I will do what Becky and I had planned to do — will remember one amazing woman with whom I shared a wedding chamber in Kailua and a house at Pearl Harbor and an airplane ride over Molokai and a rental car to Hana and the waters of Hanauma Bay and the freshly sliced pineapple of the Dole Cannery and the scenery of Haleakala. If I live to be a hundred I will never forget her smile as we boogie-boarded at Kailua Beach. If there’s life after widowerhood, if there is hope and healing in this world, it can only come from brokenness, from grateful remembrance, from running towards the Savior and finding sure footing. Is that Him I hear whispering in my ear? “Remember your wife, Dave, this Becky Lynn Lapsley Black whom you loved and who loved you and bore your children and brought you so much earthly joy and ripped your tender heart into tiny pieces. Take your sore-hearted self and deposit it firmly on Hawaiian soil and think about the most beautiful person you’ve ever met and laugh and cry and recall how sweet she was, this beloved of yours, loved and lovely, despite the ugly scars of cancer. And remember My love in the midst of the confusion and chaos, over and underneath it all.”

And so I prepare to leave on the trip of a lifetime, knowing full well that I will agonize over my uncertainties and insecurities, but also knowing full well that God is there to support those who trust in His certainty and security. To them He promises “a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11).

The journey to healing begins when you make the first move.

Saturday, January 18

8:23 PM Great Ethiopian food tonight, as always. Thank you, Friesh, for cooking it Habasha style!

4:14 PM Well, seems Nigusse needs a car for his new job. Maybe I can find one for him next week in da Islands at Murdie Murdock’s Used Cars ….

 

3:38 PM The Hawaiian Islands from space:

They were discovered by captain James Cookexactly 236 years ago today. Here’s one kamaaina hauoli who is awfully glad he did. Hawai’i no ka oi!

2:04 PM Some things aren’t as hard as you think they would be. Like distributing Becky’s possessions. Today Nate and Jess went through the stacks and piles, and I feel strangely ambivalent about the whole thing. There’s something so wonderful to know that her earthly goods are going to people who loved her and who will treasure what they’re getting. The other day I heard the story about a widow who waited 10 years before she went into her deceased husband’s clothes closet. I understand that, believe me. That’s why I said that I can’t really figure out my feelings today. Somehow I prefer moving ahead without dragging out the inevitable. I just wish it didn’t hit me like a sucker punch, this realization that Becky is no longer here. I’m glad I have a family who loves me, and I’m even more glad I have a Father who understands me. This world we will live in is so broken that it’s nice to know there are people who really care.

11:58 AM From chapter 3 of my forthcoming Seven Marks of a New Testament Church:

I recall once sitting on an examination committee for a Ph.D. student in New Testament. He had mastered a good deal of factual information about the New Testament – the major solutions to the synoptic problem, the importance of textual criticism, the background to the Corinthian correspondence, and so forth – but he utterly failed to provide references when I quoted to him ten well-known verses from the New Testament. When he pleaded time constraints, I gently showed him why it is not enough to know about the New Testament; graduates in New Testament may well be expected to have a mastery of the New Testament itself. It is ironic that evangelical Christians, who often are loudest in their condemnation of biblical illiteracy, are often guilty of it themselves. Learning basic Christian doctrine is a vital part of discipleship. It begins with knowing certain facts about the Bible, but it also involves obeying the truths of Scripture. What we are after is a growing knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that will change our whole lives.

10:43 AM I love well-thought-out articles like this one:Charismatic Ramifications on the “Long Ending” of Mark’s Gospel. Its peroration?

Those who consider the long ending of Mark must understand that it’s an all or nothing proposition.  If one is inclined to accept it as authentic, then, in all intellectual honesty, one is forced to conform to a radical form of continuationism – one that must accept that all five signs enumerated in verses 17 and 18, without exception, will be exhibited by those who believe.  To explicitly or implicitly reject any of these five will not do.  On the other hand, to agree with the scholarly consensus that the long ending is not original to the Gospel of Mark means that no portion of it can be referenced for doctrine or practice.

Now tell me that textual criticism is irrelevant for biblical theology or practical living!

10:12 AM Quote of the day:

Whatever the merits of President Obama’s proposed reforms to the National Security Agency, one thing is clear: the President’s core position means that he will never change the NSA’s bulk collection programs to privacy advocates’ liking. The advocates and the president simply disagree on the proper balance between government power and privacy — the heart of the debate over the NSA.

ReadWhy Obama’s NSA Reforms Won’t End The Privacy Debate. And remember: They’re watching.

8:50 AM This email put a smile on my face:

Dr. Black,

I just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you for the continued exhortation on your blog for Greek students to read their Greek NT. I started with Matt 1:1 in Jan 2013 and just finished with Revelation last night. During those times that I lost interest or wanted to stop, I would read your blog and find motivation to continue.

8:46 AM Looking ahead …

This year I’m planning on attending the regional ETS meetings in Fort Worth (March 7-8) and Baltimore (March 21-22). If you’d like to drive up to Maryland with me let me know at dblack@sebts.edu. This includes any of my current Th.M. and Ph.D. students.

8:32 AM As a frequent flyer, I scratch my head whenever I read about a plane landing at the wrong airport (think Southwest Airlines) or crashing on a perfectly clear day (think Asiana). I once read that there are three axioms to flying: Aviate, navigate, and communicate. The Southwest crew failed to navigate. The Asiana crew failed to aviate. In neither case was there a complete breakdown of these functions, just enough to cause embarrassment or (at SFO) needless death.

Life offers many analogies. Anyone who is undergoing a significant change in their life must aviate, navigate, and communicate. For me, aviating means being conscious about my daily decisions. It means being intentional about what I do, where I go, and who I associate with. In terms of navigation, I follow an instruction manual written some 2,000 years ago. For me, the Bible is quite enough. Finally, as for communicating, well, need I mention my blog? It’s my “open space,” a place to risk breaking through the high-gloss facades, to shatter the ceramic smiles, to behave like a real-life human being. I’d blog even if no one ever read what I had to say.

So, best wishes to you as you aviate, navigate, and communicate your way through life. Best wishes not only for your future successes but also for your future misfortunes — the good times and adverse times, those times when you are outrageously joyful and those times when only God can move in your weaknesses.

Bon voyage!

8:02 AM Will there be real, spontaneous sharing in your worship service tomorrow? I have a strong suspicion that the Spirit prefers to be trusted rather than controlled.

7:32 AM ReadTop homeschooling news of 2013. I used to be an apologist for home education. No longer. I’ve written about this change of perspective in my bookChristian Archy.

7:10 AM Meetthe man who surfed while Pearl Harbor was being attacked.

7:02 AM Here is agood biography of Dr. Henry Morris. I had the signal good fortune to be under his tutelage during my sophomore year at Biola College in California. Dr. Morris would drive up from San Diego every Thursday and lecture for 4 hours. He required that I submit to him a 30-page paper on a topic in the field of geology. I chose to write on “The Formation of the Hawaiian Archipelago according to the Flood Theory.” Dr. Morris knew that the best way to learn how to write is by writing, and the paper I wrote for him – replete with underwater photos I took myself – was my first serious literary production.

If I am grateful to Dr. Morris for contributing to my writing skills, I am doubly grateful to him for enriching my life through his example of humility and kindness. My favorite times during that semester came on Thursday evenings when I sat at the feet of a wise and good man. Eventually my other mentors – Harry Sturz of Biola and Bo Reicke of the University of Basel – provided me with a model, not only of scholarship at its highest level, but even more of character. Each combined the attributes of keen rationality and unashamed piety – the proverbial “clear head” and “warm heart.” Although none is alive today, I feel they are still looking over my shoulder whenever I write.

If we have any doubts whether it is possible in this day and age to be both tough-minded and tender-hearted, we need only look at the lives of men such as Henry Morris.

6:46 AM Here’s ourchapel schedule for the spring semester. Don’t miss Don Carson in chapel Feb. 11-13.

6:36 AM Several friends and loved ones have asked for special prayer recently. I want you to know that I am happy to oblige. Prayer is acknowledging the suffering and misery of the world and God’s sufficiency to deal with it. This is exactly how Christ prayed: “In his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44, JB). I want you to know that I deeply empathize with you and am interceding on your behalf. One thing is certain: Without the Christ-given gift of courage, none of us could endure life’s crushing blows. I commend each of you to God’s grace — His overflowing, infinitely wise love, never deserved and never repayable.

6:22 AM Recently I met with a student who is contemplating doctoral studies. Of course, I always encourage young people to consider a European doctorate, and one from a university. All other things being equal (which they never are), a university doctorate is more rigorous than a seminary one. I still remember going to the University of Basel and thinking, “This can’t be happening. Graduates of a non-descript seminary like Talbot don’t go to Europe for their doctor’s degree.”

Why did I choose Basel?

Two reasons. First, it was a “liberal” university (in the best sense of the word). The professors there were open-minded. There was no automatic bias against conservative evangelicals. As long as you wrote an acceptable dissertation and had it published, they granted you your degree (after you delivered 125 copies to the university library). Basel has always been known for welcoming people of various theological perspectives. The function of Basel as a city of refuge in the 1500s is well-known. Through the influence of Erasmus we find there Curione, Castellio (who was unwelcome in Geneva), Cellarius, Hans Denck (who died there), Karlstadt, and David Joris (the “Anabaptist flamingo”). Oecolampadius arrived there in 1522, and in the same year Erich Hugwald, a professor at the University of Basel, wrote a book against infant baptism. I arrived there in 1980 and have never regretted it.

The other reason I went to Basel (rather than Tübingen, where I had also been accepted) was a man named Bo Reicke, my doctor father, who to me embodied the perfect balance between humanitas and pietas. Again, I was not disappointed. Professor Reicke was the perfect mentor.

So if you are thinking about doing a doctorate, I would encourage you to put all the options on the table and then let the Lord narrow your choices. I wouldn’t put God in a box in any way, shape, or form. Dream high. And then let Jesus direct your steps.

6:05 AM I once read this purpose statement in the foyer of a church:

Christ Community is a church where the lost are actively sought, won to Jesus and developed into Christ-like, church planting missionaries.

What a radical idea — every member a missionary. But maybe not so radical when we read the New Testament. I am glad to see local churches looking outwards to a degree unimaginable 30 years ago. Instead of being a ghetto church, zealously guarding its borders and fearful of the world, churches are beginning to “earth the Gospel” in a big way.

Is yours a church “for others”? Is mine?

Friday, January 17

5:12 PM So Nigusse had not one but two brand new experiences today (all part of his “seminary” education, mind you): his first “real” (i.e., hand tossed) pizza at Randy’s Pizza in Durham, and his first trip to outer space (courtesy of the Carmike theater next door). Gravity is a smart thriller with an unbelievable ending. This has got to be Sandra Bullock’s best role ever. The special effects were so realistic that you felt sure you were going to be struck by all the satellite debris being flung past you in the theater. The movie is positively brilliant, and it has a powerful (though perhaps subliminal) message to boot: when the chaos of life strikes you, you’re got to keep on going. (Sandra Bullock’s character had lost her 4-year old daughter and lived in the past.) But that’s where the message ends, because it has to. This world offers no genuine hope for us. Self-help can only get you so far. That’s what Psalm 46 is all about. When you’re down and out, when you’re facing the squeeze of hardship, the ultimate (and, really, ONLY) security is knowing He is there and always will be. Still, the underlining premise of the movie is true: we aren’t promised a fail-safe, problem-free life here on this earth (or in outer space, either). And we as believers are not offered risk-free Christianity. There are no guarantees in life period — except that one day we will need God as never before, and that He will be our God if we let Him.

At any rate, go see this movie, if for no other reason than its superb cinematography. And make sure you watch it in 3D.

Your humble movie reviewer,

Dave

10:40 AM I hear that Gravity simply must be seen in a theater. Nigusse’s first 3D movie!

10:32 AM Sink is fixed. Nigusse did all the work. Under my indispensable supervision. But of course. 

9:58 AM So how would you translate our verse of the day?

ἰσχύω πάντα ἐν τῷ

ἐνδυναμοῦντί με.

9:22 AM Not far from the farm is un unfinished house. It’s been sitting there for years. What unfinished business is there in your life?

• Maybe it’s a person. Who do you need to call today and ask for forgiveness or just pray with over the phone or invite to lunch?

• Maybe it’s God. What part of your life are you holding back from Him, what sin have you failed to abandon?

• Maybe it’s a goal. Do you feel God calling you to pursue another degree or launch your own business or to become a tentmaker in the Middle East for the sake of the Gospel?

“It is finished” are words of great satisfaction (John 19:30). Do you have any unfinished business?

8:25 AM Looking forward to teaching again in the fall after my sabbatical ends. Just agreed to teach Advanced Exegesis of Philippians for the Ph.D. program (third year level of Greek). Should be fun. In fact, I’ll also be back in the saddle this summer teaching 6 weeks of beginning Greek. If you’re interested in joining us, contact me for a syllabus in early May. The course meets three hours a day from May 19 to June 27.

8:16 AM The Bible is like an ocean in which a child can play in its shallows and an elephant drown in its depths. Our teaching, therefore, must be simple without ever becoming simplistic.

7:59 AM Was needing to have delivered a bouquet of roses the other day and found the absolute best florist in Raleigh. Check out Fallons Flowers. They even sent me a picture of the roses by email!

7:41 AM Pray for me — the world’s greatest klutz has to fix a bathroom sink today.

Then again, “I can do all ….” 

7:36 AM Do Christians misuse Phil. 4:13? Jonathan Merrittsays yes.

As Dr. Eric Bargerhuff writes in The Most Misused Verses in the Bible, “[Philippians 4:13 is] not really about who has the strength to play to the best of their abilities in a sporting contest…. This verse is about having strength to be content when we are facing those moments in life when physical resources are minimal.”

What say you?

7:28 AM “Faith is not being sure where you’re going but going anyway.” Frederick Buechner.

7:02 AM Over the past few days I’ve been trying to think of an analogy that would help you to understand where I am emotionally these days. Do you remember attending the circus as a child and watching the trapeze artists? That’s what I feel like right now. I’m “between trapezes.” Hanging in mid-air. Call it a “trapeze moment” where you’re hurtling through the air between two trapeze bars. You’ve got to let go completely of the old bar before gabbing onto the new one. Folks, it’s this transition that I find so disorienting. Palms sweat. Heart races. The safety and security and familiarity of the old are gone, gone forever. Fears keep creeping in. You keep asking yourself, Can I really do this?

The odd thing is that I understand the grieving process intellectually. I know the Bible pretty well too. What I really need is someone to go with me through that small, potentially deadly space. The Bible says that Christ was God’s mediator for me. Jesus stepped between me and death. Why? Not only because He knew that my soul needed saving from death and hell. But because He knew that one day Dave Black would lose the most precious earthly friend he had ever known. He knew that this experience would help to prepare me for the race that will last my entire life — a race that involves some big risks and perhaps a few really scary seconds hanging in mid-air. As head of the church, He calls me to come to the safe place where He dwells and release my heavy load of anxiety, strengthen my slender threads of faith, and most of all think on Him. When Christ died on Calvary, He knew the solution to my trapeze moment. He always does. What seems impossible to us is possible with God.

I can’t say that my life has changed dramatically for the better since Becky’s passing. Yet I find myself being a little more careful with small decisions, knowing that it will ultimately help me with the big decisions. It’s just a matter of letting Him carry me from one trapeze bar to the next. When it comes right down to it, He wants His followers to feel utterly incapable of doing anything. As with Moses, He delights in using self-doubting nobodies who are just willing to follow Him. It certainly is not an easy choice. Our trials might well tempt us to abandon the faith. Life is a painful, anguishing process of counting the cost. But when you are “between trapezes,” partial commitment won’t work. God demands our complete devotion, our complete trust. Not a part of it, not even the biggest part, but all of it. After all the circus training and preparation, you’ve got to let go if you want to grab the next bar. No race — not even a figurative one — can be won living in the past. Right now, my faith can change the course of events, as can my lack of faith.

I’ll tell you one thing: My hat goes off to all the widowers out there who made it to the next bar. Will I be one of them? With God’s help, I can and I will.

Thursday, January 16

8:04 PM Hi folks,

Just back from our favorite seafood restaurant with Nate and Jess and the boys.

It was simply outstanding. Makes life feel pretty wonderful. I am grateful beyond words.

Blessings on all of you, and remember to spend time with those you love.

Dave

1:20 PM A humble, grateful, and adoring spirit toward God is worth more than all one’s diplomas and degrees combined. That said, God can still use our education if we leverage it for the Gospel.

8:24 AM Have you readTithing after the Cross yet? Short and to the point!

8:16 AM Our marching orders (Matt:28:19, The Message):

Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life.

So glad to see Southern Baptist missions returning to an emphasis on discipleship training. Conversion is vital. But so is after-care.

8:02 AM Students of Koine Greek will enjoy this story about a recalcitrant donkey! (Subtitles included.)

 

7:55 AM Here’s a great verse (Rom. 12:8): “Whoever shares with others should do so generously.” Am I being generous today? As Phil. 2:5-11 teaches, it is the nature of God not to grasp but to give. Is that my nature as well?

7:40 AM The latest addition to our home page is called Enjoying Nature Without Worshiping It.

7:12 AM The problem withmisquoting the Church Fathers.

7:04 AM What’s wrong with this picture?

• “Worship Service”

• “Minister of Music and Worship”

• “Contemporary Worship Style”

• “Worship Guide” (formerly “Bulletin”)

When we think of worship we think of the Lord’s Day, of Sunday. But worship is really all that we do as believers. It is Christian living in its entirety. The essence of worship is living a life of obedience and service to God (see Rom. 12:1-2). It is a God-centered life. It embraces, yes, what we do when we meet together as a church, but it embraces what we do on our own —  at work, with the family, in our neighborhoods, at our computer terminals. When we conduct ourselves in ways pleasing to God, then we are worshipping. God becomes central to everything.

How is such a life possible? “By the Spirit of God” (Phil. 3:3). We have the Holy Spirit in our heart. The Spirit brings God into every area of our life. He does this so that God might have first place in our life as a whole.

Are you worshipping only on Sunday?

6:43 AM Yesterday was an especially difficult day for me. There are some things in life you simply don’t forget, no matter how long it’s been. I was at CVS picking up a prescription. A lady in front of me was paying for her purchase — two large packages of Depends. One look at those adult diapers sent me reeling from near whiplash as the memory of changing Becky’s diapers washed over me. I almost began to cry, right there in public. Call it grief, call it whatever you like, but there I was, fighting back the tears. It seemed like such a small thing, but it was a huge thing. There she was — a middle-aged woman making a commonplace purchase. It all seemed so normal. But I knew better. I thought to myself, Who is she buying them for — her father, her mother, perhaps her spouse? Somehow I felt an invisible bond with this complete stranger. I wanted to hug her, whisper in her ear I understand, tell her how grateful I am that someone in her family could depend on her to buy Depends.

I’m not ashamed to say that my heart aches for people who suffer from incontinence. I think God’s heart must ache also. After 10 weeks I still can’t get used to life without Becky. Truth is, I am still in denial. One thing I cling to is God’s sovereignty.  “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4). I’m so grateful I have a Father who understands suffering and loss and who delights in doing good things for His children. So don’t worry about me (too much). I’m in good hands, hands that bear nail prints of love. He is nigh unto those who wear Depends, and those who purchase them. He’s the new life that surges into our lives, enabling us to cope with memories of winters past and causing us to hope for new buds in the spring.

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   restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

 The Deity of Christ Under Attack

 David Alan Black

Belief in Jesus’ full equality with God the Father is a central truth of Christianity. It was communicated by the Apostles to the Church Fathers to whom they handed the task of leading the church. Even though these early leaders often struggled with how to describe the notion of the Trinity with theological accuracy, they knew that their faith was in a Person who was both Man and God.

But belief in the deity of Jesus Christ, who is of the same essence as God the Father, did not begin with the early church. It began with Jesus Himself. Christ’s deity is the foundation upon which the entire Christian faith rests.

Today several groups deny the deity of Christ. Four of the most common are the Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Way International, the Christadelphians, and the Unitarians. Joining this group is none other than Episcopal Bishop Charles E. Bennison. Writing in the Pennsylvania Episcopalian, the revisionist bishop said that while Jesus forgives sins, “He acknowledges his own sin. His call is to preach repentance and forgiveness.” This comes from the same bishop who has denied a number of basic doctrines of Christianity. According to David Virtue, bishop Bennison has written a Visigoth rite of marriage for both heterosexuals and homosexuals, has failed to affirm the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, has denied the authority of Scripture, and much more. Forget that his teachings go against 2,000 years of church history and historic Christian teaching. Little wonder that Canon Michael Green told delegates to the U.S. Anglican Conference that Bennison is so apostate that his See should be declared vacant.

The spirit of compromise that plagues the church today is nothing new. They had it in Pergamum and Thyatira, with the result that Balaam and Jezebel took advantage of a false tolerance. The life of the church was thereby irretrievably corrupted. How often do we mistake compromise for charity and put up with what we should put out!

God expects His people to keep unspotted from the world, with garments undefiled even as the faithful few in Sardis. The Devil sows tares resembling wheat so closely that few know the difference anymore. Let us hope the Anglican Church will expose a lie for what it is.

“Let no man deceive you,” says the Scripture. The day of apostasy is far from over. It has only assumed more religious forms.

April 7, 2003

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.

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