restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

The Legacy of Columbia

David Alan Black

Pearl Harbor, the assassination of JFK, the Challenger explosion, the Twin Towers, and now Columbia.

Americans are stunned. Flags are flying. Drivers are courteous. Strangers talk to each other.

Once again, Americans are united. That’s when we’re at our best.

Cruel reality has again reminded us of the dangers that the brave men and women of the space program face every time they go off into space. These modern-day pioneers will not soon be forgotten.

On Sunday, Grace Community Church in Houston mourned the loss of the seven astronauts who perished aboard Columbia. Mission commander Rick Husband, a member of the church choir, had tried four times to become an astronaut.

He never gave up on his childhood dream. His absence on Sunday was marked in the room where the choir met by a photo of the shuttle commander in uniform.

Then the choir turned from their grief to the task of comforting nearly 2,800 members and guests with song. Choir members remembered Husband as a warm and caring man with a beautiful voice. He sang a solo on the church’s recording Rise Up and Praise Him and was part of Christmas and Easter productions for years. “He was such a good man, so humble and kind and sweet,” said Kristi Frieze, who has sung with the choir for three years. Deanna Eaton brought the framed picture of Husband that she propped up on the piano at the early-morning gathering. Husband had signed it, “To Deanna the praise machine,” and as she left she held onto the image.

The apostle Paul once said, “Neither count I my life dear unto myself” (Acts 20:24). Life is dear in God’s sight. But Paul counted not his life dear unto himself. Life is God’s gift to us, and we must give account of the way we live it. When we count it as His and not ours, “we lose what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose.” The man who uttered these words, Jim Elliott, was martyred in the jungles of Ecuador. People looked upon his mangled body, but his soul had gone home through gates of splendor. He counted not his life dear unto himself. That is God’s way. That is the Christian way. That was Rick Husband’s way.

Life is like a grain of wheat. To plant it is to recognize its value; to keep it is to destroy its value. Let us be “planted” Christians who count not life dear to ourselves so that we may live for the service of God in whatever field of endeavor He has called us.

February 3, 2003

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

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Lee’s Most Enduring Quality

 David Alan Black 

“I can only say that I am a poor sinner, trusting in Christ alone, and that I need all the prayers you can offer for me.” Robert E. Lee

Somewhere Mark Twain observes that the portions of the Bible giving him the most trouble aren’t those he can’t understand, but rather the portions he can. George Bernard Shaw echoes Twain when he remarks that “Christianity would probably be a good thing if it were ever tried.” These pundits may be on to something. Charles Colton notes, “We will wrangle for religion, write for it, fight for it, die for it, anything but live for it.” That’s the nub. Christianity is so much more than a matter of doctrines, dogmas, ideas, and worldviews; it is an expression of life, a quality of living. While it certainly involves a belief system, it has a quality of joy, a tilt of the disposition anchored in eternity.

Many books have been written about Robert E. Lee. Few of them, however, focus on his most enduring quality – that of a man “anchored in eternity,” a Christian man, if you will. Yes, the soldier was great, the man greater still. But Lee the Christian was greatest of all. In his Life of General Robert E. Lee, John Cooke put this well when he wrote: “The crowning grace of this man, who was thus not only great but good, was the humility and trust in God, which lay at the foundation of his character.” Cooke added: “He had lived, as he died, with this supreme trust in an overruling and merciful Providence; and this sentiment, pervading his whole being, was the origin of that august calmness with which he greeted the most crushing disasters of his military career. His faith and humble trust sustained him after the war, when the woes of the South wellnigh broke his great spirit; and he calmly expired, as a weary child falls, asleep, knowing that its father is near.”

In his book Personal Reminiscences, Anecdotes, and Letters of Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Rev. J. William Jones, who was Lee’s chaplain at Washington College, noted: “If I ever come in contact with a sincere, devout Christian – one who, seeing himself to be a sinner, trusted alone in the merits of Christ, who humbly tried to walk the path of duty, ‘looking unto Jesus’ as the author and finisher of his faith, and whose piety constantly exhibited itself in his daily life – that man was General R. E. Lee.” Again, Cooke expressed it well: “[Lee’s] military genius will always be conceded, and his figure remains a conspicuous landmark in history; but this does not account for the fact that his very enemies love the man. His private character is the origin of this sentiment.”

As one who has long admired General Lee and who someday will attempt to portray him before the public, I have indeed grown to love this man as no other. Another Lee biographer, Gamaliel Bradford of Massachusetts, in a book written about Lee in 1912, expresses my sentiments perfectly:

It is an advantage to have a subject like Lee that one cannot help loving. I say, cannot help. The language of some of his adorers tends at first to breed a feeling contrary to love. Persist and make your way though this and you will find a human being as lovable as any that ever lived. At least I have. I have loved him, and I may say that his influence upon my own life, though I came to him late, has been as deep and inspiring as any I have ever known.

There is no doubt that Lee’s character still has much to say to the present generation of Americans.

September 28, 2005

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

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Lee’s Traveler – and Mine

 David Alan Black 

With a bit of leisure (though not a great deal) on my hands, and a chronic mania to use words to express opinions, I have been writing articles on horses since the inception of my website. The alternative, I decided, would be to ignore a massive part of my life as an equestrian, though sometimes my fanaticism might alienate a good part of my readership that has never thought that being a hippophile is a desideratum.

At any rate, it has been one week since I buried Cody, my first horse, and it only seemed appropriate to write something about my other long-time companion, who shares his name with General Robert E. Lee’s favorite steed.

Lee’s horse was named Traveler, of course. He was purchased by the General from Major Thomas Broun, who bought him from Captain James Johnston, the son of the man who reared him. Lee first saw the horse in Western Virginia and afterward when stationed in South Carolina. Major Broun offered the horse to Lee as a gift, but when the General declined the offer Broun sold it to him. He was only four years old at the beginning of the War and greatly admired for his muscular strength and high spirits. The charger had been known as Jeff Davis, but Lee changed his name to Traveler. After the War, Lee often rode him in Lexington and once commented that an hour on horseback was never wasted.

I purchased my “Traveler” after he had retired from racing in California. He was no “loser,” but he also showed little promise of being a great racer. As a Thoroughbred, he too is high-spirited and muscular. I like him for his stamina, jumping ability, soundness, and courage. He has plenty of room between the eyes to denote character and intelligence. His hind legs stand well under him, and his forehand is light and free.

Traveler has always been more difficult to handle than Cody, due largely, I think, to the fact that for so many years he was asked to move about at one speed – all out. My policy in training him has been very simple, and I have tried to follow it consistently: kind treatment and incremental improvement. This attitude toward a horse is perhaps best described by the Greek statesman and general, Xenophon, who wrote: “Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful.”

I use the mildest snaffle bit I can on Traveler, for the object of my training is not only to train my horses in their movements but also to train them to be quiet, supple, and obedient – and thus to be a true riding pleasure. I still have a long way to go with Traveler, but it would be neither wise nor productive to build up on any other foundation. Above all, I have learned that equestrian art is closely related to the wisdom of life. My horses have taught me a great deal about self-control, constancy, and the ability to understand what goes on inside in the mind and emotions of another creature.

A strong personality is required to ride a high-spirited horse like Traveler, and only a handful of very experienced riders have ever mounted him. My aim is to have a horse that is an absolute delight to ride, and so I cannot have him spoiled (or ruined) by another. I do not want an automaton but a confident, happy horse with which I can communicate and merge into a perfect partnership.

Traveler and I will miss Cody as long as we live, but we both have much to look forward to as we train in the months and years ahead. I am the humble and grateful owner of a splendid Thoroughbred who has a racer’s heart and in whom I have complete confidence. There is not a day that goes by that I do not thank God for my equestrian friend.

March 30, 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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Launching Your Own Website

David Alan Black

I am certainly no “expert” on this topic—after all, my site has been up on the World Wide Web for a grand total of seven months! Nevertheless, for what it’s worth I thought I might discuss what it takes to get going in this business. This essay is written especially for those who have asked me, “What does it take, Dave, to launch and maintain a website?” Well, here goes nothing.

The first thing you’ll need to do is decide on your domain name, which you will have to register for a nominal fee. As this is a purely personal choice, I’ll go on to selecting a web hosting service. There are a zillion out there, but some are cheaper than others. (By “cheaper” I mean “less expensive.”) I use Inexpensivedomains.com because it is, well, inexpensive—only $3.95 a month (after paying a low start up cost). You can check your site statistics every day, where you will find all kinds of helpful data—number of hits, most-frequently hit pages, a bar graph showing the hits you received for each hour of the day, etc. I have had zero problems with this web host and am able to upload any time I like without any difficulty. Quick, easy, and cheap!

The layout of your site is, of course, essential to its success. You are after an overall professional look—not fancy, necessarily, but your site must look clean, your colors should complement each other, your graphics must be crisp, and you must make the visitor feel comfortable. Don’t make the mistake of having too many choices on your menu page—it only confuses people. (This is one of my greatest weaknesses, by the way.) And be careful about advertising, as most people are coming to your site for information, not to buy anything (unless you are running a commercial site, of course). I personally do not plan to use any advertising, though I am not against the idea in principle.

“Content is king” is the maxim you should remember in designing your site’s subject matter. Also, please, please, please make sure that your site is easy to load! Alexa.com (see below) rates your site on how quickly a person can access it, and you should pay close attention to this detail. If people have to wait too long to view your site, they will go elsewhere (the “five second rule” applies).

With so many websites vying for your interest, you need to have a way of checking a site’s traffic and whether or not its traffic is on the rise or declining. Probably the best service available for doing this is provided by Alexa.com. Loading Alexa is a simple process. Simply visit their site, answer a few questions, and Alexa is loaded onto your browser. It’s totally free but only works with Internet Explorer. You can place the Alexa add-on anywhere on your menu. A great feature of the latest edition of Alexa is the ad blocking feature. Rather than simply blocking pop-ups, Alexa asks you if you wish to view an ad—to which I almost invariably answer no.

With the Alexa toolbar installed, you can automatically see traffic rankings as you surf the web. The lower the number, the higher the traffic ranking. Thus you’ll see Yahoo, Google, and eBay in the top 20. If your website is in the top 500,000, it means that it receives a good number of visitors every day. If you’re in the top 100,000, you are doing great! Considering that there are more than 17,000,000 sites on the web, a ranking in the top 1,000,000 is commendable, while the first 100,000 is an exclusive club in the top 5-!

As an example, you can go here and type in your favorite website, or, if you like, you can look at daveblackonline.com’s Alexa ranking by clicking here. Notice that in addition to traffic rank Alexa also indicates how “fast” your website takes to download. As I said earlier, this feature is neglected by many webmasters—to their own detriment, in my humble opinion. When you click on “See Traffic Details,” a daily traffic graph will show you the traffic the site has had over 3 months, 6 months, or a year. (If a site is not in the top 100,000 in that period, the graph is blank.)  You’ll also see “Reach per million users,” which shows the number of Alexa users per million that visited the site. Finally, the number of “page views” is indicated. Because Alexa gathers its information only from those have their “Alexa toolbar” installed, their rankings are not entirely accurate for all websites. But because Alexa has millions of users, their stats are probably a fairly accurate estimate of your site’s traffic.

The million dollar question, of course, is, “How much time does it take to maintain a website?” Well, I can only speak for myself. Seeing that I have a full-time teaching job, am heavily involved in speaking, writing, and publishing, and am currently building a new house, I am limited time-wise. I manage to update my site four or five times a week and, in addition, I try to post two or three original columns each week. I guess I spend a good hour or so a day on maintaining my site, but to tell you the truth, it’s so much fun that I don’t really notice. I imagine that a person could easily update his or her site on a weekly or semi-weekly basis and spend no more than two hours a week—certainly a manageable operation!

So thinking of setting up a website? It’s not as hard as you might think. The place to start is to “know thyself”—as Aristotle put it. The following questions will help you get started. Best wishes and bon voyage!

• Why do you want a website?

• Why do you want it now?

• How will it help you or your organization achieve its mission?

• Have you written out your reasons for doing so?

• Is this the best use of your time and resources?

• How will the website relate to other services and products?

• Have you thought about the pros and cons of either having your own address or piggy-backing on someone else’s site?

• How will you market your new website?

• What is your target audience and what is your target number of “hits”?

• How will you ensure that your site is linked to other relevant sites?

• How will you record who visits the site?

• What kind of content do you want to have on the site?

• How will the information be navigated?

• Will you have all your information available to any enquirer or will you want to segment the audiences and direct them to different areas of the site?

• How will you adapt your information for the Internet, taking into account the unique expectations and attention spans of web-page readers?

• What level of interactivity do you envisage for the site?

July 10, 2003

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

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Lasting Lessons from Philippians 4

 David Alan Black  

This brief series on Philippians arose from a Bible Study at my home church on Wednesday evenings. For four weeks we studied this short epistle, and each week I have tried to summarize a few of my takeaways. Why bother? Because Paul was gripped with the Gospel! He was consumed with a passion to spread the Good News. That message so gripped him that he gave up everything he had to live for the sake of others. And it cost him his life. This is, of course, the way I am to live, and the way you are to live if you are a follower of Jesus.

What, then, are some lasting lessons from the closing chapter of Philippians? There are at least five.

1) Women are invaluable in the kingdom (4:2-3). There are two themes in 4:2-3. The first is that the church must never allow itself to be polarized around personalities. Nothing must trump the Gospel — a truth so important that Paul actually names names. The second theme is more subtle but no less important. Paul has a great deal to say about the value of women in Christian ministry. Euodia and Syntyche had “worked very hard with me to spread the Gospel.” What an amazing compliment! I have written about this elsewhere (seePartners in the Gospel). In a day of overzealous patriarchy it is good to remember that Christian women no less than men can set the world on fire for Christ.

2) Stop worrying (4:6)! 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. Our Father knows our every need. And if we approach Him with a thankful heart we will never need to grovel in despair over our needs.

3) Our true strength comes from Christ alone (4:13). Nothing under the sun can be as pitiful as “church work” without the Spirit. No wonder we grow weary in well doing. Without the power of the indwelling Christ we are nothing but shorn Samsons in a treadmill. Do not seek to do His will in your own strength but move on to the blessedness of His all-sufficient grace.

4) It is truly a blessing to give to others (4:18). Our generosity is “like a sweet-smelling offering to God, a sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to Him.” There is no place in the will of God for a stingy heart. We are to be generous if we are Christians. In Christ, God is always giving, and since we have freely received we freely give of self and time and possessions. This is no day for a church to be centered on itself.

5) God loves up-and-outers too (4:22)! Those who belonged to the Emperor’s household had come to faith in Christ as a result of Paul’s preaching in prison. Jesus preached to the throngs but He also spoke to Nicodemus. Paul witnessed to kings and magistrates. The truth is, all men and women need the Gospel, regardless of their station in life. You are passing by VIPs every day. You meet principals and physicians. It ought to make a difference when you pass by. The only Christ that most professionals will ever see is the Christ who lives in you. Before you start out for the day, pray that everyone you contact may perceive that you are a man or woman of God.

September 2, 2011

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

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Lasting Lessons from Philippians 3

 David Alan Black  

Chapter 3 of the book of Philippians contains numerous takeaways. Here are but six.

1) Beware legalism (3:2-3)! Paul is insistent that “we do not put our trust in external things.” God is on the lookout for those through whom He can demonstrative the Spirit’s power. They are not showing off what they can do. Some people make the tithe the mark of genuine Christianity. In Paul’s day that mark was circumcision. There will never be a shortage of legalistic markers, of ways we can flex our muscles and announce what we are doing for God. In an age of legalism, we need men and women who refuse to trust in external ceremonies.

2) “Mere garbage” (3:8). This is the most famous euphemism in the New Testament. Paul uses an expression that carries a highly offensive connotation. Perhaps the best we can do in English is “unspeakable filth.” Many people who call themselves Christians have never arrived at the point at calling their assets “debits,” or their accomplishments “manure.” Our Lord invites us to gain Him and reckon everything else as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable. Paul exclaims, “All I want is to know Him!” God intended that we be more than believers. He wants us to be knowers. What is in view here in an intimate knowledge, like that of a married couple. It is of first importance that Christians learn to relate to their Lord in love and intimacy.

3) We are to “forget what is behind” (3:13). When Cortez and his men landed in the New World, they burned their ships and so eliminated the means of returning to their homeland. Christians must let go of the past. We must burn our boats and our bridges. There is to be no retreating, no wallowing in regret, no glorying in past victories. “Let the dead bury the dead,” said Jesus. “I run straight toward the goal to win the prize,” says Paul. Both might have agreed with the hymnist: “I have decided to follow Jesus; / No turning back, no turning back.”

4) Imitation is the key to education (3:17). “Keep on imitating me,” writes Paul. Christian education is likeness education. So taught Jesus (Luke 6:40). Like father like son. Like pulpit like pew. This is a day when education has been reduced to mere information. But our Lord is not content with information; He seeks transformation. We cannot truly grow as Christians without godly examples. True believers always seek role models. Do not be content with facts. Find a mentor — and then watch them and grow!

5) “We are citizens of heaven” (3:20). There is a lot of misunderstanding today about politics among Christians. A Christian is a citizen of a heavenly commonwealth because he or she belongs to the holy nation of the people of God. America may contain many Christians, but it can never be a “Christian nation.” There will never be a Christian nation except the one composed of men and women redeemed by the blood of Christ. It is time for our true patriotism to show. Republicans and Democrats live to show forth the praises of their candidates, but God’s people live to show forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

6) A change is coming (3:21)! One day “He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like His own glorious body.” One day Christ will gather up all the loose ends and ragged corners and perfect the garment. Cancer? Gone! Pain? No more! This is a great hope. But it should not make us complacent. Let’s not postpone to the resurrection what can be achieved in the present body — even if that means dying for the sake of the Gospel.

August 26, 2011

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

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Lasting Lessons from Philippians 2

 David Alan Black  

Our study of the book of Philippians continues with a few takeaways from the second chapter.

1) The greatest problem in the church is me (2:3). I allow things in my life that dull my spiritual sensitivity and produce carnality and division in the church. Paul calls this “selfish ambition and conceit.” It is hard work to maintain an attitude void of offense toward God and others. It takes a good dose of humility. The middle letter of “sin” is “I,” and it is this Big I that causes most of the trouble in our churches.

2) The ultimate solution to the greatest problem in the church is Christ (2:5). We must have the same mind that was also in Christ Jesus. The secret of the early church is simply that it was Christ-directed and Spirit-filled. We need to return to the absolute sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches. Are we ready to trash our plans if He decrees otherwise? To know Christ, to have His mind, to experience the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering — that alone will keep us from wallowing in sin and selfishness.

3) The way up is down (2:6-11). Contrary to popular notions, our Father is pleased when His children cease striving after status, recognition, and honors. Our supreme business as Christians is not success but submission. What matters is that we have the mind of Christ, which means, first and foremost, taking a towel and water and washing the disciples’ feet. From status to service! From majesty to meniality! From standing tall to bending low! We must live as He lived who took the form of a servant. True followers of Jesus not only sing, they serve.

4) Obedience is required (2:12). It is not enough to make a good start in the Christian life. Demas started well but ended poorly. John Mark started poorly but ended well (2 Tim. 4:10-11). Let us remain faithful and grow in our obedience to Christ. It is not enough to hate worldly things. We must love what God loves, go where He sends us, and spend time on what matters most to Him.

5) Obedience is enabled (2:13). It is God who is producing in us both the desire and the ability to do what pleases Him. What would you do for Christ if you could? Or if you dared? God delights in using weak but yielded vessels. Together, verses 12 and 13 take care of a lot of questions about which the saints have differed. At the end of the day, our obedience to Christ is both required and enabled. It is bothour responsibility and God’s responsibility. All He asks is that we stay in tune with His Spirit. The power of God is not some exclusive enablement for pastors and missionaries. You and I can do all things through Christ. God is able to make all grace abound to us, no matter who we are. We are, every one of us, promised strength for the day.

6) Stop complaining (2:14)! Even when nothing works out according to our plans. Even when things don’t make sense. Even when demons dance in glee. We can rejoice and praise God anyhow.

7) Am I “holding forth the word of life” (2:16)? Living as we do in a church culture of constant activity, it would be good policy to stop once in a while and find out why we are here. Our business as Christians is not to hoard our blessings but to share them with others. The early church had a deep sense of mission. They were not looking for comfort or honor or rewards. They were ready for dungeon, fire, and sword. They realized there was only one way of salvation, one life-giving word. God born as a baby in a feeding trough and dying between two thieves on a blood-spattered cross — there is no other way to God! There are no simpler words to state the responsibility of the church than Paul’s words: “holding forth the word of life.”

8) Make room in your life for trouble (2:17). We cannot preach the cross and not share in it. Suffering is inherent in the very nature of the Christian experience. Jesus grappled with the ugly, the sordid, the hideous, and if we are to follow Him we too must grapple with a bruised and suffering society. Our proving ground is the world, not the church. Great soldiers are developed in battle, not on parade. Paul poured himself out for others, and so must we. It is a decadent generation that cannot endure sound doctrine and heaps to itself teachers who promise nothing but health and wealth. Our Lord, when He lived among us, worked tirelessly and died on a cross. He never meant to leave us smug and self-satisfied. A comfortable Christian is an oxymoron.

August 18, 2011

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

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Lasting Lessons from Philippians 1

 David Alan Black  

The book of Philippians contains many wonderful truths. Here is a sampling from chapter 1.

1) Nothing ought to make us more thankful than when believers in Christ help each other in the work of the Gospel (1:5).

2) Not only the help we give, but the desire, the willingness, the propensity to give, is the work of God in and among us (1:6).

3) The basis of Christian community is love — not our love but the “deep compassion that comes from Jesus Christ Himself” (1:8).

4) Our love for each other should “abound yet more and more” (1:9). I suspect that God has a very low estimation of those who feel no need to grow in love. Each of our relationships — as spouses, as parents, as children, as brothers and sisters in Christ — demands constant care and growth.

5) We are deceived if we think that we can live for anything but the Gospel and still be joyful (1:27). When Paul says, “The only thing that matters,” he means it. Is the Gospel the one passion of our lives?

6) Be not afraid (1:28)! The Lord’s people have no business wandering in the alleys of fear and intimidation. Let us register no excitement over the passing trials that stir this poor jittery world into a frenzy. The times may be perilous but they are in His hands.

7) The Christian life is a battle (1:30). If you haven’t learned this lesson yet, cheer up: you soon will. Truly, to live for Christ (1:21) will cost us dearly. Individually we run into our share of storms, and collectively the true church is battered on every side. Tribulation is a reality but we can rejoice because He has overcome the world and all it can throw at us.

8) Are you willing to work with others? Paul says we must “struggle together,” having “one common purpose” (1:27). The tragedy of our times is that we are not willing to cooperate with other believers because they are not like us. We spend millions promoting “our” denominations and programs and care little for helping others to accomplish the same goals. There will be no global evangelization until we repent of our self-centeredness.

9) I need not suspect the motives of others. If they are preaching the true Gospel, even in ways I think are unacceptable, I can still rejoice (1:15-18). A man once said to a famous evangelist, “I don’t like your method of evangelism.” The evangelist asked him, “Well, what’s your method?” The man answered, “I don’t have one.” “I like mine better” was the evangelist’s wise reply. How the old nature wants to take off after every distraction that crosses our path! Paul says, “The Gospel is being preached, and in this I rejoice.” Who are we to say that people will not come to Christ when they see a truck like this one?

10) Please let’s honor and esteem our leaders but never exalt them above others in the church. Overseers and deacons are extensions of the Body, not over it (1:1). One of the great tragedies in the story of Christianity has been the shift in understanding that has taken place concerning our view of church leadership. “Overseers and deacons” are not proud titles but descriptions or activities: “those who oversee and serve [the congregation in some special capacity].” Our Lord anticipated our trouble when He set the record straight (Mark 10:44-45): “If one of you wants to be first, he must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served; He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

11) Righteousness comes only through Christ (1:9). Only He can make us right with God and with others. Churches and homes are rent with strife and sin because members do not get right with God through confession and by claiming the cleansing blood of Christ (1 John 1:9).

12) What are the “chains” in your life? God can use them for His glory and for the expansion of His kingdom. He did that with Paul’s chains (1:12). God often grants His servants their greatest success in their weakest moments. The early church was powerless yet it met everything as it arose and evil gave way before it. The problem of a broken home, for example, can be transformed into a mighty visitation of God. The best rule for Christian and church is this: “My grace is all you need, because my power is greatest when you are weak” (2 Cor. 12:9).

There you have it — a few “lasting lessons” from Philippians chapter 1.

Can you think of any others?

August 12, 2011

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

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The Last Twelve Verses of Mark: A Bibliography

 David Alan Black 

With Joshua Covert and Noah Kelley

1. Aland, Kurt. “Bemerkungen zum Schluss des Markusevangliums.” Pages 157–180 inNeotestamentica et Semitica: Studies in Honour of Matthew Black. Edited by E. Earle Ellis and Max Wilcox. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1969.

2. __________. “Der wiedergefundene Markusschluss?” Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche 67, no. 1 (1970): 3–13.

3. __________, and Barbara Aland, eds. Die synoptischen Evangelien. Vol. 4:1 of Text und Textwert der griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testaments. Berlin; New York: de Gruyter, 1987. (pp. 406–417).

4. Anderson, Hugh.The Gospel of Mark. NCB. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996 (pp. 351–362).

5. Anderson, Janice Capel and Stephen D. Moore, eds. Mark and Method: New Approaches in Biblical Studies. 2nd edition. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2008.

6. Baarda, Tjitze. “An Unexpected Reading in the West-Saxon Gospel Text of Mark 16.11.”New Testament Studies 41, no 3 (July 1995): 458–465.

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187. ________. “Matter of Tenses: Fingerprints of an Annotator in Mark.” The Expository Times 88, no 6 (July 1977): 168–171.

188. Tabor, James D. “The ‘Strange’ Ending of the Gospel of Mark and Why It Makes All the Difference.” Tabor Blog, August 25, 2012, accessed July 25, 2015. http://jamestabor.com/2012/08/25/the-strange-ending-of-the-gospel-of-mark-and-why-it-makes-all-the-difference/.

189. Taylor, Charles. “Some Early Evidence for the Twelve Verses Mark XVI. 9–20.” Pages 71–80 in The Expositor, Vol. 8. Edited by Robertson Nicholl. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1893.

190. Taylor, Vincent.The Gospel according to St. Mark: The Greek Text with Introduction, Notes and Indexes. New York: Macmillan, 1966 (pp. 610-615).

191. Telford, William R., ed. The Interpretation of Mark. London: T&T Clark, 1995.

192. Terry, Bruce. “The Style of the Long Ending of Mark.” Appendix in A Student’s Guide to New Testament Textual Variants. [No Publisher] 1998. http://bible.ovu.edu/terry//tc/index.htm. Accessed August 8, 2015. Originally published in abbreviated form as: “Another Look at the Ending of Mark.” Firm Foundation 93 (September 14, 1976).

193. Thomas, John C. “A Reconsideration of the Ending of Mark.” JETS 26 (1983): 407–419.

194. Thomas, John Christopher and Kimberly Ervin Alexander. “‘And the Signs Are Following’: Mark 16:9–20—A Journey into Pentecostal Hermeneutics.”Journal of Pentecostal Theology 11 (2003): 147–170.

195. Tobin, Paul. “The Spurious Endings of Mark.” The Rejection of Pascal’s Wager, accessed July 25, 2015. http://www.rejectionofpascalswager.net/nomark.html.

196. Tolbert, Mary Ann. Sowing in the Gospel: Mark’s World in Literary–Historical Perspective. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1989.

197. Trompf, G.W. “The First Resurrection Appearance and the Ending of Mark’s Gospel.” NTS 18 (1972): 308–330.

198. ________. “The Markusschluss in Recent Research.” Australian Biblical Review 21 (October 1973): 15–26.

199. Turner, C.H. “Did Codex Vercellensis (a) Contain the Last Twelve Verses of St Mark?” JTS 29 (1927–1928): 16–18.

200. Upton, Bridget Gilfillan. Hearing Mark’s Endings: Listening to Ancient Popular Texts through Speech Act Theory. Leiden: Brill, 2005.

201. Van der Horst, P.W. “Can a Book End with a ΓΑΡ? A Note on Mark XVI.8.” Journal of Theological Studies 23 (1972) 121–124.

202. Van Iersel, Bas.Reading Mark. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1989.

203. Van Linden, Philip. The Gospel According to Mark. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1991.

204. Vignolo, R. “Una finale reticente: interpretazione narrativa di Mc 16,8.” RivB 3 (1990): 129–89.

205. Voelz, James W. “Textual Criticism of the Gospel of Mark: Trying to Make Progress.”Concordia 31, no 1 (January 2005): 2–11

206. Waetjen, H.C. A Reordering of Power: A Socio-political Reading of Mark’s Gospel. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1989.

207. _________. “The Ending of Mark and the Gospels’ Shift in Eschatology.” ASTI 4 (1965): 114–131.

208. Wallace, Daniel B. “Irony in the End: A Textual and Literary Analysis of Mark 16:8.”Bible.org, accessed July 25, 2015. https://bible.org/article/irony-end-textual-and-literary-analysis-mark-168.

209. _________. “Mark 16:8 as the Conclusion to the Second Gospel.” Pages 1–39 in Perspectives on the Ending of Mark. Edited by David Alan Black. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2008.

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219. Williams, Travis B. “Bringing Method to Madness: Examining the Style of the Longer Ending of Mark.” BBR 20.3 (2010): 397–418.

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225. Zwemer, Samuel. “The Last Twelve Verses of Mark.” Pages 159–174 in Counterfeit or Genuine?: Mark 16? John 8? Edited by David Otis Fuller. Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids International Publications, 1990.

August 17, 2015

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

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   restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

La Gran Comisión del Matrimonio

 David Alan Black  

He hecho bosquejos en numerosos lugares de las implicaciones de las misiones como de las estrategias por la que cada matrimonio se relaciona fielmente con el mundo del Señor. La esencia de un buen matrimonio, he descubierto gradualmente, no es el compañerismo, aunque este es uno de los esenciales ingredientes. Tampoco es el amor, si al amor le damos un significado emocional. Si usted tiene compañerismo y amor en su matrimonio, eso es maravilloso, pero  ninguno comprende la esencia de un buen matrimonio. Me parece a mí que no hay nada más valioso en un matrimonio que una relación mutua que vive para algo mayor que sí. Así como lo mencione en Compañeros del Evangelio. Creo que merece ser repetido hoy.

Nuestra sociedad nos dije que el matrimonio es un final en si mismo. La felicidad del matrimonio es una meta que se trata de perseguir a toda costa. Yo no estoy en contra de la felicidad del matrimonio, pero esa no puede ser tu meta si eres una persona casada. Nuestro creador es un Dios que nos bendice, y somos a menudo “sorprendidos por el gozo” en nuestros matrimonios. Pero he descubierto que el gozo es el producto de tener a Cristo en nuestras vidas y en nuestros matrimonios. Así como El se convierte  más y más en el centro de nuestra relación. Su “fruto” se convierte más y más en nuestra diaria experiencia: amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, fe, bondad y autocontrol.

El matrimonio, trata de describir uno, como dijo Josué: Yo y mi casa, serviremos al Señor. Lo hermoso de un matrimonio es que mano a mano, viviendo juntos para Cristo en la medida en que es posible en este mundo cayéndose, es maravilloso. Yo llamo a esto La Gran Comisión del matrimonio. Esto envuelvo “los nuevos horizontes” y  “las nuevas puertas” que C.S Lewis describe en su escrito “Matrimonio Cristiano:”

Esto es, yo pienso, que una pequeña parte de lo que Cristo quiso decir, al mencionar que  una cosa realmente no vivirá a no ser que esta primero muera. Es simplemente no bueno guardar cualquier emoción: Eso es lo peor que usted puede hacer.  Deje a la emoción ir, déjela morir lejos—continúe durante aquel período de muerte en el interés más tranquilo y la felicidad es la que seguirá—y descubrirá que usted vive en un mundo de nuevas emociones todo el tiempo.  Pero si usted decide hacer de sus emociones su dieta regular e intenta prolongarlos artificialmente, ellos se convertirán débiles y más débiles, y cada vez menos y menos, y usted será un hombre viejo aburrido y desilusionado por el resto de su vida. Es porque muy pocas personas entienden esto,  que usted encuentra hombres de edad media y mujeres confundidos  acerca de juventud pérdida, a la edad de que muchos nuevos horizontes deberían de haber aparecido y nuevas puertas se deberían de haber abiertos a ellos.

Déjeme decirle que una vez que esta imagen del matrimonio está firmemente basada de manera bíblica, en un matrimonio cristiano el esposo y la esposa son llamados por nuestro Creador a vivir juntos en una unión de armonía.  Pero esto no es una unidad solamente para beneficio. Nota, por ejemplo, como  el padre de la iglesia antigua Tertulian, describe a un marido cristiano y a su esposa: “Juntos ellos oran,  trabajan, ayunan, ensenan, exhortan, se apoyan el uno al otro…Voluntariamente la persona enferma es visitada, ayudan a la persona pobre—dan limosnas sin pensarlo, sacrifican sin vacilación, el celo diario sin obstáculo (Ad Uxorum 2.9). Tertulian no pensó que diferencias de género desaparezcan en un matrimonio cristiano. Esto sería absurdo. Su descripción simplemente enfatiza que ambos géneros pueden y deben  estar involucrados en actividades espirituales juntos, con cada persona que contribuye a sus propios talentos y habilidades. Cada uno enriquece al otro de manera complementaria. El resultado es el verdadero trabajo en equipo, una unidad que pone las necesidades en Dios  y desea primero que nuestro propio deseos. Así, no solamente las parejas Cristianas buscan el favor del uno y del otro, ellos voluntariamente y activamente procuran ser fieles al objetivo último de reflejar la gloria de Dios y la gracia en todo el mundo alrededor de ellos.

Libremente admito que este énfasis sobre el servicio de Cristo en nuestros matrimonios suena extraño en nuestra sociedad narcisista. Una de las cosas que me sorprendió cuando comencé  a estudiar el Nuevo Testamento  estudiando sobre el objeto que he hablado acerca de la manera que las mujeres participan en el ministerio de la antigua iglesia. Sabemos que las esposas de los apóstoles acompañaron a sus maridos en sus ministerios evangelisteros (1 Corintios 9:5). Comentado este verso, Clemente de Alejandría concluyo que las esposas de los apóstoles eran “también ministras,” esto es colaboradoras con sus maridos como ellas ministran a otras mujeres. Sabemos también que las mujeres en la antigua iglesia abrieron sus casas para reuniones de la iglesia. (Es interesante que en las Escrituras nos da los nombres de la mujeres en cuyas casas estas iglesias se encontrarán mas que los nombres de los hombres: mirar Hechos 12:12, 16:40; Romanos 16:3-5; Colosenses 4:15). Además, conocemos de Priscilla (Romanos 16:3) así como Evodia y Sintique (Filipenses 4:2-3) eran las “compañeras de trabajo” de Pablo. El dúo llego a compartir con Pablo “la lucha de la causa del Evangelio,” posiblemente significando ellas estuvieron expuestas al mismo sufrimiento y la oposición que el apóstol Pablo  enfrento.

Entonces viene el verdadero tema que asombra. Pablo describe a Febe como: “una ayudante de muchos, incluido yo mismo” (Romanos 16:2). El termino griego para “colaborador” (prostatis) es definido por Douglas Moo como: “uno que vino a la ayuda de otros, especialmente a los extranjeros, proporcionado casa y la ayuda financiera  y representado sus intereses antes de las autoridades locales”. Moo piensa que Febe fue “una mujer de alta categoría social y con alguna fortuna, quien puso su estatus, recursos y el tiempo en el servicio, para los cristianos viajeros como Pablo, quien necesito la ayuda y el apoyo” (Romanos 9:16). Cuando leí esa descripción pensé en mi: “El está describiendo a mi esposa.” El ingreso de Becky de su empleo como una enfermera titulada va casi exclusivamente a ayudar financieramente nuestro trabajo en Etiopia, como Jesús y los apóstoles que tenían mujeres seguras quienes “contribuían ayudándolos de sus bienes” (Lucas 8:3)

Tales hechos, me parecen, comienza a indicar la función del matrimonio como un ministerio a otros. Becky y yo estamos alegres de ser un equipo (aunque frágil e imperfecto) en el trabajo al cual el Señor nos ha designado. Juntos procuramos servir tanto en la práctica del ministerio de encontrar las necesidades físicas y las materiales de las personas así como el ministerio de la Palabra. Juntos estamos involucrados en iniciando iglesias (o se llama, “Sembrando Iglesias”). Juntos somos anfitriones de visitas a nuestra casa regularmente. La palabra clave esjuntos. Nosotros somos “compañeros de trabajo” para Cristo—y que sin reducir nuestra masculinidad y feminidad.

¿Qué, entonces, mi papel es como la cabeza de nuestro matrimonio? Jesús el mismo contesta nuestra pregunta. Humillándose así mismo al punto de muerte en su servicio para aquellos quien estuvo su Señor, un esposo debe de colocarse así mismo bajo el que guía  en el servicio de sus necesidades. Ahora, déjeme hacerlo completamente claro, no soy un igualitario. Yo creo en un orden que existe entre el hombre y la mujer esto es basada en la cuenta de la creación. Esto es claramente lo que Jesús enseno. Pero dejemos ir un paso más lejos. Mientras un orden divino exista en el matrimonio, el matrimonio es también una unión “coherederos de la gracia de vida” (1 Pedro 3:7). Para ponerlo en otro lado, subordinación no hace en ningún modo excluir la mutualidad. Como cabeza, soy responsable de proveer para Becky protección y sus necesidades físicas y emocionales. Pero además debo de ayudarla a identificar sus talentos, facilitar el desarrollo de aquellos talentos  y proveer una oportunidad  para ella de servir a otros. Reclamo, entonces, que cada uno de nosotros en nuestro matrimonio podemos ser fieles a nuestros roles de género y continuar nuestro camino juntos como hombre y mujer en la unidad llena del servicio a otros. Está en aquel sentido que pregunto la interrogante, “¿Tienes tu matrimonio muerto aun?” Ya que esto es solo muriendo a la vida por sí mismo (y aun los matrimonios tienen una vida para sí mismo) esto es lo que aprendemos que el significado refleja una  profunda ontología de vivencias juntas para el bien de otros.

Déjeme repetir: Yo no hago por un momento sugerir que no hay ningún gozo o placer en el matrimonio o que estar en amor es inapropiado o pecaminoso. Todo lo que he estado mirando me muestra que este amor es más que el mero sentimiento y que el matrimonio es más que el medio de autosatisfacción. Un matrimonio con  “más amplios horizontes”  exista para servir a Jesús. Esto quiere decir que una buena voluntad de abrirnos al espíritu de Dios y el deseo de rendir servicio tanto en la vida pública como en la privada.

Yo observe, concluyendo, una vez leí sobre una iglesia en London que tenía un  estandarte al lado de la puerta que decía, “JESUS SOLAMENTE.” Después de una tormenta el estandarte dañado se leí, “SOLAMENTE NOSOTROS.”* ¿Cual mensaje está enviando su matrimonio al mundo?

*Dr. Black escribió esta por que en Ingles la traducción es diferente. Es un juego de palabras que leyó, “JESUS ONLY” y después de la tormenta leyó, “US ONLY.”

January 31, 2010

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

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