"Nakedness" of the Soul

Right after Adam and Eve sinned against God in the garden, Genesis 3:7 reports, “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” My professor gives the following quote from John Dick (Lectures on Theology, Vol. 1, p. 453) that I thought was really interesting:

First, "their eyes were opened and they knew that they were naked." The fact
that their bodies were without covering they knew before; and the opening of their eyes, and their knowing that they were naked, must mean something different. The result of eating the forbidden fruit was not the acquisition of supernatural wisdom, as they fondly hoped; but a discovery that they had reduced themselves to a wretched and unprotected condition, being divested of original righteousness and exposed to the wrath of their Maker. Hence they covered themselves with fig leaves, and hid themselves among the trees of the garden, that he might not find them out. That Moses does not mean bodily nakedness, may be inferred from the words of Adam, who says not, "I was ashamed," but "I was afraid, because I was naked." The nakedness which gave rise to fear, must have been the nakedness of the soul. Our first parents were conscious of guilt, and wished to avoid a meeting with their Judge.

"Biblical Sparring"

In a previous post, we saw how Satan quoted Psalm 91:11-12 in order to tempt Jesus to “jump off a tall building” since God would command his angels to save him. Then, we saw how Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 to counter Satan by saying that “man is not to put God to the test.” Now this “biblical sparring” between Jesus and Satan is fascinating because it tells us something very important about how to (or at least how not to) interpret this passage from Psalm 91. Specifically, Christ’s response implies that Psalm 91:11-12 should not be viewed as a “blanket promise” that Christians should apply at whim to any circumstance without qualification. And Satan’s attempt to use God’s promises of faithfulness and protection to tempt Christ to test God was obviously not an appropriate application of this Psalm.

So what hermeneutical (i.e. interpretive) principle can we gather from this understanding? Since Jesus used Deuteronomy to correct a wrong application of the Psalm, the assumption is that the Bible needs to be interpreted “as a whole.” Proper interpretation of a single verse needs to incorporate the greater context of the entire Bible. That’s a daunting task (but an important one if we want to avoid errors and heresies).

For example, let’s consider prayer...

In Matthew 21:22, Jesus gives this amazing promise: “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive...” Now, are we to believe that this promise is a “blanket promise” without any qualifications? Would Jesus, for example, grant the request of a drug dealer to sell more drugs on the street? Would Jesus grant the request for protection of a thief as he was stealing a car? Obviously not! Christ’s promise is unquestionably qualified! And to discover these qualifications, we need to look at the “greater biblical context.” From other books of the Bible, we recognize that prayers need to be made in faith (Hebrews 11:6, James 1:6-8, and Matthew 17:20), with a life lived in righteousness (1 John 3:22, Psalms 66:18, and 1 Peter 3:12), with motives that are not selfish or self-seeking (James 4:3), with earnestness and perseverance (Luke 18:1-18), and be within the will of God (1 John 5:14-15). I have heard of some Christians blaming other Christians for unanswered prayers simply because of lack of faith. Although that may be the case, the reality can also be that unanswered prayers may occur simply because they are not within the will of God. And attributing all unanswered prayers to lack of faith seems to me a rather simplistic (and possibly uncompassionate and ungracious) assessment.

Anyway, this study has been a good reminder for me to always consider the broader biblical context when narrowly focused on a particular Bible passage.

LINK: "The Bible Is Better Than Being There"

Tyler Kenney from Desiring God wrote an interesting article about why having the Bible is better than being a firsthand witness to the historical biblical events. Just like the incarnation of Christ, it’s amazing to be reminded that the Bible is the message of God “made flesh.”

Using the Bible for Evil

When Jesus was being tempted by Satan, we see something quite interesting. As you read this passage from Matthew 4:5-7, notice the approach Satan used to tempt Christ.

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
        Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Several points about this passage strike me. First, did you notice that Satan used the Bible as the “authority” for his temptation? He was quoting Psalm 91:11-12! In other words, in his attempt to incite evil, Satan was appealing to God’s Word! Now, as Christians, there are several implications from this appeal that can help us to understand some of Satan’s methods (and therefore help us to “do battle”).

1. When Satan said for it is written he was basically saying this, “You believe in the Bible don’t you? You want to be a good Christian who follows the Bible don’t you? Then, you better do what I say, since what I am saying comes directly from the Bible which comes directly from God himself!” Now obviously, Satan does not “believe in” or hold Scripture as his personal authority. However, he will at least pretend to align himself with the Bible in order to make himself look good and his message credible.
   
2. Satan knows the Bible! And he knows it really well. We had better know it too.
   
3. The fact that Satan uses the Bible to attack Jesus and that Jesus uses the Bible to repel Satan tells us something astronomically important about interpreting the Bible!—there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Or to state it a little differently, accurate interpretation of the Bible is not a “relative” practice guided by personal preferences. This often heard argument—“Well, that’s your interpretation of the Bible! But that's not my interpretation!”—will simply not hold water. There most definitely exists a firm standard for good interpretation of the Bible (and that standard does not proceed from our personal whims and creative exegetical efforts).
   
4. Good and accurate interpretation of the Bible is not something reserved for the ivory towers of academia—it is vital for everyday living. Since Satan can twist and manipulate Scripture in his attempt to incite evil, we must know how to “accurately handle” the Bible in order to live in a way that brings glory to God.

Anyway, these are just some random thoughts about this passage. There are likely other (and better) points that can be made from this short passage...

"Oh Wow!"

"Has this world been so kind to you

that you should leave with regret?

There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

- C.S. Lewis

       Joe was one of my favorite patients. I speak about Joe in the past tense because he has gone home to be with Jesus. During the six years that I had known him, he was always a perfect example of warmth, kindness, honesty, and hope despite the fact that he was painfully and slowly dying from cancer. Whenever Joe made an appointment to see me, he rarely talked about his pain or cancer. He was more interested about me and how my family was doing. I can honestly say that Joe gave me more than I ever gave him during those appointments. Even when he was at the hospital getting his chemotherapy, his eyes revealed his compassion for others who seemed to “have it worse” than him. And towards his final days when his health was rapidly deteriorating, he was more concerned about Dorothy, his wife, than about his own suffering. That’s the way Joe was—he cared more about others than himself. The only time he put himself first was when a Cincinnati Bengals football game was playing. Nobody dared to interrupt him then!

       After Joe’s funeral, Dorothy shared with me this story. Whenever something especially amazing or spectacular happened in Joe’s life, he often said, “Oh wow!” That was one of his trademark phrases. When somebody received particularly good new, whenever he witnessed a spectacular fireworks show, or when the Cincinnati Bengals made an eighty yard touchdown run, everybody around Joe expected him to say his hallmark “Oh, wow!” He didn’t say it everyday, but when he did, everyone agreed that the sight or news was impressive.

       During the last few hours of Joe’s life, his family surrounded him in love. His wife lay in the bed with him stroking his forehead and letting him know that it was “ok” to go home to Jesus. His breathing became more labored and difficult. But before he died, a peaceful expression came over his face, and he said one last, “Oh wow!” Then, he was in paradise.

       Even in his death, Joe was still giving something to others. This time his gift to us was a window into what paradise will be like. Personally, if someone asked me to describe what I think heaven will be like, I can’t think of a better description than “Oh wow!”

If God cannot sin, is he all-powerful?

Another lecture question...

Since God is holy, he cannot sin. Does the fact that God cannot sin make him less than all-powerful? Elaborate.

The fact that God cannot sin is not a weakness—it is a strength! And the fact that all men have the natural inclination to sin and therefore must struggle with temptation and desire for evil is not an asset to humanity—it is a weakness! Only the strange, twisted, and depraved thinking of man could deem God’s inability to sin as evidence of His failing. Consider this: would a father’s inability to physically abuse his children be considered an asset or a deficiency?

NEW SERMON: "Real Food"

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In the John 4:34, Jesus said to his disciples, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” In other words, Jesus describes evangelizing and doing the work of God as delicious, mouth-watering, and satisfying food! If that is the case, why is it that doing these things often does not feel like “food” to us? Why does “serving” God feel more like hard and tiring work?

Join us as we probe the answers to this difficult question, and see if God uses this message to revitalize your “service” to him...

Alternatives to God's Sovereignty

In The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, Loraine Boettner writes, “Who would not prefer to have his affairs in the hands of a God of infinite power, wisdom, holiness, and love, rather than to have them left to fate, or chance, or irrevocable natural law, or to shortsighted and perverted self? Those who reject God’s sovereignty should consider what alternatives they have left.”

       Although the notion that God sovereignly ”foreordained whatsoever comes to pass” seems repulsive to man’s innate sense of independence and self-sufficiency, the alternative is significantly less “attractive.” If God is not sovereign, then man is left at the senseless whim, as Boettner mentions, of fate and chance or the sinful whims of man’s innate nature. There is no hope for the suffering that their suffering is anything more than a random and purposeless events. There is no comfort that God has the power or inclination to lift man out of his pain and misery. Obvious, this argument does not serve as a "proof" of God's sovereignty. It is simply an emotional appeal (since most objections to God's sovereignty are emotional appeals).

"Yada"

I have recently learned that the Hebrew word yada means “to know.” We see this word used in Genesis 4:25 (“Adam knew his wife”), Psalm 1:6 (“the Lord knows the way of the righteous”), and Amos 3:2 (“You only have I known of all the families of the earth”). In these example, the “knowledge” that is professed is much more than simple facts—it is a knowledge that also embodies passion, affection, and intimacy. In fact, when the Bible states that “Adam knew Eve and she bore a son named Seth,” it is not talking about Adam reading Eve’s blog!

So what’s the point of all this? Simply this—when the Bible states that God knows us, we can be sure that he really knows us. Those who are called to be the children of God are the “apple of his eye.” And his greatest gift to his beloved is that his beloved knows him in his infinite glory, holiness, beauty, and joy. In Psalm 16:11 we read, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

(RANDOM THOUGHT: I was also wondering if the phrase “Yada, Yada, Yada” comes from Hebrew, and therefore might be translated “I know, I know, I know” Just wondering... random neurons in my brain are firing off again.)

LINK: Archaeology and the Bible

Albert Mohler writes a good article about the role of archaeology in the life of a Christian. In it he reminds us that archaeology—like all of man's attempt to reconstruct history—depends heavily on a scholar's presuppositions (i.e. the beliefs that guides interpretation). Therefore, accurate interpretation of historical events based on archaeological evidences are often murky at best. And although there are many findings from archaeology that support Christianity, the Bible always remains our final authority. Al Mohler writes:

Authentic Christianity is based upon the inscripturated revelation of God -- the Bible -- as our authority. In the end, archaeology cannot prove or disprove the biblical text. Nothing can be found, or not found, that should shake our faith in the total truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Word of God. Archaeology can expand our knowledge and understanding, but cannot establish the authority for our faith.

Getting "Into" Heaven

As a doctor, I get to speak with a lot of people about the afterlife (since my job deals frequently with death and dying). And the general consensus is that heaven is a place. Now, this obviously is true. But I think that this “geographical” view of heaven somehow misses something crucial. That is, if we primarily think of heaven as simply a “destination” or an “eternal vacation spot”, we will ironically make something bad out of heaven—it will become like an idol to us. And we will forget that the most beautiful and glorious part of heaven will not be the “palm trees and beaches” but rather something eternally more wonderful—God himself! He will be our bright morning star (Rev. 22:16). He will be our eternal light (John 1:4). He will be our consummate joy and satisfaction (Psalm 16:11). He will be the one who wipes away every tear from our eyes (Rev 21:4). And he will be the very object of our every affections, thoughts, creativity, and passion. Heaven, I believe, really centers around a Person rather than a place.

Do you want to go to heaven? Then make sure that the treasure of your life is the Person and not the place. If you treasure only the place, you will get neither. If you treasure the Person, you will get both.

Deism Ain't Dead

In seminary, we learn a lot about “isms” (such as deism, dualism, existentialism, and Platonism). To many people, study of these “isms” may seem esoteric and terribly unpractical. But the truth is that studying these centuries-old philosophical systems is pressingly relevant and critically important. Why? Simply because these belief systems never really “die out.” They always find their way into the our collective consciousness and affect how we understand and live our lives. Even the Christian, who claims to have a Bible-permeated and Christ-centered worldview, cannot help but to be effected by the prevailing philosophical assumptions of our day.
       For example, consider deism. This is the (wrong) belief that God is like a cosmic “watchmaker.” He “winds up” the universe at the beginning of time and then lets it run on its own accord without his necessary or willing involvement. In fact, deists view God’s involvement with humankind as impossible or intrusive. Does this belief exist today? Absolutely! It is alive and well and expresses itself both subtly and overtly. Does this belief even affect true Christianity? Without a doubt! Let me list some ways this worldview has had an unquestionable negative impact on the Church:

1. Deism denies the efficacy of prayer. If God does not really involve himself with human affairs as the deist believe, then the Biblical understanding that God is attentive and even sympathetic to the supplications of his children is irrational. Prayer depends on interaction of a loving and personal God.
   
2. Deism reject the sovereignty of God. With deism, God is “hands-off” with the unfolding of world history. And the idea that God wills and determines all that occurs according to the wisdom of his own divine counsel would strike the deist as too controlling. The modern error of “Open Theism” is an example of how deistic ideas find their way into the Church's thinking about God’s sovereignty.
   
3. Deism rejects the incarnation. The Bible clearly teaches that God himself invaded human history in the form of a humble baby named Jesus Christ. If true (which it is), then there is no more powerful proof that deism is wrong.
   
4. Deism rejects Scriptural inerrancy. Like the incarnation, Scripture is the “making into flesh” of something divine. In this case, we have the very “message of God” which has come to us. Biblical inerrancy, therefore, depends on the fact that God lovingly desires and then proceeds to make himself known.

As I look at my own life, I definitely see and feel the pervasive effect of deism on my life. My entire education in the medical sciences has been permeated with deistic assumptions that said, “God does not care!” or “God does not get involved!” or “God is distant!” Those are lies! Lies from hell! And as I look at the cross and the blood Christ sacrificed for me, I am reminded again of the love of an involved and expressive and intimate God.

Creation Revisited (Part 4)

Several days ago, we were discussing why God took six days to create the universe instead of creating it instantly. And one reason we brought up was because God’s work of “sculpting” the cosmos demonstrated something of his infinite creativity, power, and glory.
       But there is another reason...
       The pattern of six days of work and one day of rest provides mankind with a spiritual and practical pattern for weekly living. We are designed to work for six days, and rest on one. We are designed to be productive for six days, and to be meditative on one. We are designed to “sweat” for God for six days, and to “swoon” on him on one. That is the nature of our being which from the very beginning of time has been imprinted even on the very order of creation. That’s how important it is!
       In his book Creation and Change, Dr. Kelly writes,

Further confirmation of Genesis ‘days’ as plain, solar days is provided by the reason annexed to the fourth commandment (‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy’) in Exodus 20:11: ‘For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.’ The crucial point here is that God’s creative work, followed by rest, forms the pattern of wholesome life for His image bearer, mankind. Apparently, mankind is so important to the infinite God that He arranged His creative activity specifically to set the structure for human life. That must be a major reason why God created over six days rather than in a split-second (or a hundred billion years).

LINK: "How to Build a Commentary Library"

Tim Challies wrote a fantastic article about how to start a good collection of Bible commentaries... This is awesome! For me, the most difficult part of building a commentary library is knowing where even to begin. I'm soooooo excited! Also, the comments that folks left on the blog seem quite helpful!

NEW SERMON: Living Water (The Samaritan Woman)

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In the John 4:13-14, Jesus said to a Samaritan woman who was drawing water from a well, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Join us as we discover how this offer of “living water” changed this unsuspecting woman caught in a life of adultery, and caused her to ask this profound question: “Can this be the Christ?”

Sleep and Fatherhood

There is a strong link between being a good father and getting enough sleep. When I’m sleep deprived from work (or lack of discipline), I mope around the house, have a hard time creatively playing with the kids, get irritable more quickly, neglect disciplining bad behavior, forget about actively teaching the Bible, and simply under-appreciate the vast cuteness of my three little girls.
       Sometimes I over-spiritualize my problems... Sometimes the best way to be a better father (and husband and Christian) is simply getting enough rest. Thinking that “I can do it all” and neglecting proper sleep, exercise, and nutrition are probably signs of prideful self-sufficiency... Ok... Maybe it is a spiritual problem... (sigh...) I’m going to bed...

Creation Revisited (Part 3)

My kids love to go to the amusement park (and so do I). My not-so-secret ambition is to train them to love roller-coasters (since my wife refuses to go on them). On our way to the rides, we usually pass by some artists who, for a fee, will draw an extremely unflattering likeness of a subject (woooo whooo! Sign me up!). We usually stop to watch the abuse. About two months ago, we saw something quite different. Instead of the usual silly drawings, this artist was making clay sculptures of people! And we were fascinated! Seeing the artist turn a plain lump of clay into hair, eyes, nose, ears, and lips was mesmerizing. In fact, watching the artist work was more interesting than the actual finished product (which was still pretty amazing).
       The Bible reports that God created the universe in six days. Have you ever wondered why it took so “long?” Obviously, as the omnipotent Maker who transcends time and space and even cause, God could have created everything in an instant. But the reason it took six days was likely because God wanted to demonstrate something of his creativity and power and glory. Can you imagine what it would be like to see the amorphous substance of the universe mold and organize itself at the whim of its Master Sculptor? It would be an awe-inspiring sight! In Psalm 19:1 we are reminded of the creative hand of God, “The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

LINK: "God is Not Dead Yet"

In light of the third edition of Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig, Christianity Today has posted an article titled "God is Not Dead Yet" which briefly summarizes the current state of theism in academia and reviews some classical arguments for the existence of God. By the way, I highly recommend the book Reasonable Faith and Dr. Craig's website. I have the second edition, but plan on getting this third edition soon!

(Now, if only I actually had time to read anything else outside of seminary... sigh...)

Creation Revisited (Part 2)

In Genesis 1:1 begins with the famous verse: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” But what does it mean that God created “the heavens and the earth?” What is the "scope" of God's creative efforts? I have always interpreted this phrase quite literally to mean the "sky" and the "planet Earth". In the book Creation and Change, Dr. Kelly points out the significance of this phrase by quoting Hebraist John Currid:

The Hebrews had no single word to describe the universe. When they wanted to express the concept of all reality they spoke in terms of ‘the heavens and the earth’ (hassamayim we’et ha’ares). So, when Melchizedek blessed Abram in the name of the Sovereign God of the universe, he said, “Blessed be Abram of El Elyon, possessor of heavens and earth; (Gen. 14:19). The expression ‘the heavens and earth’ is a figure of speech called a merism, in which two opposites are all-inclusive. Thus, when Melchizedek commented that God owned heaven and earth, he meant not only the places of heaven and earth, but also everything in them and on them. As well, when the Genesis writer stated that God created the heavens and the earth, he meant that God fashioned the entire universe.

I thought that was a really awesome point! In the very first sentence of the Bible, we are informed that God made everything!  BANG!

Horror and Heaven

As a family doctor, I have seen and heard some really terrible things, and nothing shocks me anymore. Or so I thought... Several week ago, a patient came to my office crying, and when she finished telling me of an unimaginable horror that occurred in her family, I was utterly speechless.... There are some days when I don’t want to be a doctor anymore. That day was one of them.

I think about heaven a lot. I can imagine my heavenly Father running to me, embracing me in his loving arms, and then saying, “Welcome home my son.” Then in the security and comfort and joy of his embrace, all the horrors and evils of this world will simply fade away...

LINK: "Knowledge Increases Mystery"

Knowing God helps us with our worship of God. But there are some people who feel that knowledge decreases God's mystery...

Pastor John Piper recently posted a blog called "Knowledge Increases Mystery." Here he gives reasons why knowledge does not reduce our wonder of God. Rather, it reveals that our "mystery" and wonder were not big enough...