David Anthony's Blog

Atheist campaign: There is probably no God

2011-03-15T10:51:00.002Z

A thought came to me about the Humanist society's bus slogan campaign "There is probably no God so stop worrying and enjoy your life".
This just shows how pitiful the ethics of atheism and humanism are. How well would this bus campaign go down in India or Africa where millions are starving? "Just enjoy life!" How patronising! How insensitive!
I know why I prefer to follow the God-man who said "love your neighbour as yourself".

Reading Rev 20v1-6 in the light of the rest of the NT

2010-03-20T15:58:00.005Z

Problems with pre-millenialism and a case for reading Rev 20 in the light of how these terms appear elsewhere in the New Testament.
By David Anthony, March 2010

The key passage in question is Rev 20v1-6. Wayne Grudem rightly states in his Systematic Theology that “it is unwise to base such a major doctrine on one passage of uncertain and widely disputed interpretation.”
It is much healthier to try to build a picture of the end times from the non-Apocalyptic / non-symbolic books of the NT and then read the symbolism of Revelation in light of that.
Some key questions to ask Pre-Mills:-
1) Who says Jesus is “reigning on Earth”? The passage doesn’t.
2) Why do you take the Millenium as literally a thousand years when you don’t take the 144,000 literally?
3) Why do you not take literally the fact that it says only those who “have been beheaded for the testimony of Christ” will reign with him? Why does this first subtly get changed to “all Christian martyrs” and then this again subtly slips into “all believers”? The passage clearly says “those beheaded”. There are absolutely no rules to your hermeneutics at this point. Some things are literal, some are not, all to back up your case.
4) Why does “meeting him in the air” when he returns from (1 Thess 4v17) get lifted out of the context of the rest of 1 Thess that makes clear Jesus returns once to bring final judgement and usher in the new creation?
The real danger is that if you are expecting Christ to reign on Earth for a thousand years, you are encouraging Christians to trust and worship someone on Earth claiming to be the Christ. In 2 Thess 2 Paul warns of the deception of people claiming to be the Christ (following Jesus’ warning in Mark 13v21-22). The AntiChrist himself in 2 Thess 2 will claim to be the Christ and rule from the new temple. Who is most likely to worship him? Is it not Christians who believe in Pre-millenialism – they are expecting a Christ to rule on the Earth prior to the final judgement!
Postmills and Amills expect Jesus’ return to be in utter glory and to wrap up this fallen world. No one will mistake him as he returns in glory and brings wrath on all unbelievers there and then (1 Thess 1v10). Postmills and Amills can avoid falling for the deception of the AntiChrist by obeying the simple rule – “anyone on earth claiming to be the Christ isn’t”!!!
So how are we to understand Rev 20?
The millenium
Well the first issue is “what does the millennium refer to?” The first millennium in the Bible was the length of time King Solomon’s temple lasted.
It was completed in around 970BC. Malachi 3v1-3 predicted that the Lord himself would turn up to examine his temple – but who will be able to stand that day? It predicted a messenger who will prepare the way. Malachi 4v5 says this forerunner will be Elijah.
Mark 1 begins with John the Baptist turning up and wearing the same clothes as Elijah – see 2 Kings 1v8. He does indeed prepare the way for Jesus.
Jesus is the Lord and by Mark 11 we see him approaching the temple. Malachi has given us the expectation that he will examine it. What is his verdict? The Jews have turned it into a den of robbers. This incident is sandwiched between the cursing of the fig tree incident. Just as Jesus looked for fruit on that and found nothing so he cursed it and it withered – Jesus looks for spiritual fruit in the temple and finds none – so we expect him to curse it and it to wither. Following even more opposition to him from the Jews in Ch12, Jesus does curse the temple as we expect in Ch13v2. The discussion in 13v1 is all about the temple stones and Jesus warns that not one stone will be left upon another. This is a reference back to Levit 14v39-40. There the priest was to inspect a house with mildew on the walls. If the mildew is still there after 7 days the stones of the house are to be torn down and cast outside the city. Jesus is the great high priest who examines the house of the temple and has found it with spiritual mildew. He is now promising that it’s stones will be cast down. What date was Jesus saying this? Circa 30AD. = 1000 years after it was completed. When will the stones be torn down? In Mark 13v30 (remember the context of the discussion is about the temple) he says this will happen within “a generation”. Biblically a “generation” as with the generation who died out in the wilderness was 40 years.
So we see the temple lasts approx 1000 years. Which suggests the Millenium is to do with the temple. What 1000 year millennium could Revelation 20 be referring to? The NT temple = the church.
What repeating storyline do we expect?
With the first temple Malachi told us the Lord himself would come to visit. This he did in Jesus’ first coming, 1000 years after it was built and he found the temple wanting – hence it was destroyed.
God builds a new temple – the spiritual temple of the church – this time Jesus will return but instead of finding it wanting Rev 21 tells us he will find it as his spotless redeemed bride who he marries / a city fit for him to dwell in. Again we would expect this to be after a millenium, but numbers in Revelation are symbolic - here for "a long time".
So the millennium in Rev 20 is the period of the NT church temple being built. That began at Pentecost and will carry on until all the elect are gathered. (Mark 13v27)
So the devil being bound for this thousand years is referring to the church age where the church grows throughout the world, less hindered by the devil.
So where do the beheaded martyrs coming to life and reigning fit in then along with first resurrections and second deaths?
Well this is a perfect example of not reading Rev 20 in isolation from the rest of the NT. What else do we find about “heads” and “reigning” and “resurrections”? John didn’t just pluck this out of the air and create a brand new theology. No this dovetails perfectly with everything Paul teaches in his letters.
1st Resurrection
In Colossians 2v12 Paul tells us that all Christians have been “buried with (Christ) in baptism, in which you were also raised with him”. There it is crystal clear – all Christians have already gone through a death and resurrection- we have “come to life” (Rev 20v4) i.e. the blessed first resurrection of Rev 20v6. Death in the Bible is primarily spiritual – not being in right relationship with God. So coming to life = being in relationship with God. i.e. All Christians have been spiritually resurrected from the dead.
Non-Christians have not gone through this spiritual death and resurrection in Christ – so they will have to suffer death as a punishment for their own sins rather than be united to Christ’s death and so be forgiven.
Beheading
Look on to Colossians 2v19 where Paul warns the false teachers “are not holding fast to the Head”. All the way through Paul’s letters e.g. 1 Cor, Ephesians, he refers to Christ as the Head and the church as the Body.
Was Christ always our head? No. Adam was our first head. But now as Christians we are united by faith to our new head – Christ. What do you call someone who loses their first head? “Beheaded”.
Hence John is not creating some Elite Business class section of heaven where there is a special privilege for martyred Christians or beheaded Christians. No he is using symbology (as he does all the way through Revelation!!!!) to talk of simple spiritual truths. All Christians have been beheaded from Adam. John is talking about all Christians being beheaded (when they got converted). We now have a new head and reign with Christ in the church age – the millennium.
Reigning
So where does reigning come in? (Nowhere in Rev 20 does John say Christ is reigning on Earth, yet this gets slipped in neatly by Premills.) Rather John’s emphasis is on us reigning with Christ. Where does Christ reign from? Heaven. John is not saying anything new here. Paul in Col 3v3 says we are hidden with Christ in God. In Ephesians 2v6 we are “seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. And in Romans 5v17 it says all Christians “reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ”. This last one is critical. It is not saying Christ reigns. The wonder of the gospel is that we reign through him too. When is this? Now according to Romans 5. Paul’s whole argument is that we are no longer slaves to sin, but reigning in life now, free to live to please God.
So again when John talks about reigning in Rev 20 he is not talking about the future. He is talking of the church age, where all Christians reign with Christ in the spiritual realms (hence why we have authority in prayer etc.).
Rest of the dead
So Rev 20v5 where it says “the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended” is simply talking about non-Christians. They are dead from God’s perspective. Again this is nothing new. Eph 2v1 says “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” These non-Christians whether they are the walking dead or the dead dead, will be raised to new life at Jesus’ return in judgement – in order to serve their eternal prison sentence in hell in their new bodies.
Holy
Rev 20v 6 ”Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”
John is just declaring the gospel here in v6. You are blessed and HOLY if you have shared in the first resurrection – i.e. been united to Jesus in his death and resurrection by faith – that is how you become holy. The simple gospel.
Second death
Over such the second death has no power. This is the wrath to come. Death has lost its sting for Christians – for us physical death just ushers us into being with Christ forever!
Priests
“They will be priests of God” = exactly how Peter describes all Christians in 1 Peter 2v9. Again John is not talking of some elite class of Christian.
Do you see how time and again John is not saying anything new but just repeating the same gospel preached by Jesus and all the other apostles in the NT?
Do you see how we safeguard ourselves from all kinds of strange confusion by reading the non-symbolic NT letters and getting our systematics and doctrine clear from them, before we try to delve into how John talks of the same things using symbolism?

We ain't a widow!

2010-03-20T14:30:00.002Z

Just reflecting on the theme of prayer. In Luke 18 in the parable of the persistent widow we are often rightly encouraged to remember that God is not like the unrighteous judge. Quite right. But we also need to remember we ain't a widow either! Not only is God our heavenly Father but Jesus is the bridegroom of the church his bride. He is the executive power God the Father has placed on the throne of heaven. As his bride, no wonder Jesus promises time and time again that if we ask we will receive. A good Old Testament illustration of this is Esther. In Esther 1v5-6 we get a vivid description of King Ahasuerus' palace garden court and it has many similarities to God's temple furnishings. The King in Ch4v11 has a strict rule that no one may enter his presence uncalled without dying much like the Holy of Holies. In 5v2 who does the King allow in? His beautiful bride Esther. She wins favour in his sight and he promises "What is your request? It shall be given you?" Remind you of any similar promises the King of Kings Jesus makes to his bride - us - the church?
Because of Jesus' death for us, our sin has been dealt with, the curtain barrier has been torn down and we now have access to God at any time. He does not look at us like a nagging wife but rather his beautiful bride who he delights to fulfill the requests of. If he has given his life for his bride, do you think he will withhold any good gift we need?

Paul - the beast becomes beast-catcher

2008-02-03T14:14:00.000Z

At the end of Acts 7 and beginning of Acts 8 Paul, then called Saul, is the beast who opposes the church. He spends his time "ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison." 8v3.
In Chapter 9 Christ knocks him off his horse and he stumbles around blind. This encounter converts him and notice in 9v18 "something like scales fell from his eyes". The beast loses his scales. He then becomes the primary focus of Acts in the second half of the book as the gospel goes to the gentiles. This Jewish beast becomes the key evangelist of the gentile world. Who is the head of the gentile world? Who is the most ferocious beast of all who will so terribly persecute the church? Caesar in Rome. Acts ends with Paul travelling to Rome to tame the beast. Whilst he may have ended up dying there, his ministry and the church he supported there becomes the seed for the conversion of Constantine years later and the formal Christianisation of the Roman world. God in his sovereignty can use the greatest opponents of the gospel and by converting them use them to win over the world.

The significance of Golgotha

2008-01-31T16:50:00.001Z

Nothing in the Bible is incidental. So what is the significance of Jesus being crucified "at Golgotha (the place of the Skull) " according to Mark 15v22?
Rev 12 tells us that the serpent in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3 is that great dragon Satan.
God's promise to Eve in Gen 3v15 that her seed will strike this beast's head and he will only bruise his heel sounds far from impressive if we think of it only as a tiny snake. Eve could have crushed it's head herself. But if it is a mighty beast then bruising its unreachable head sounds far more impressive. How will mankind ever conquer Satan, sin and death?
When David, God's great king, encounters the mighty beast of a man Goliath in 1 Sam 17 we learn some important things. Goliath is about 10 feet tall and he is from Gath. A beast of a man.
How does David kill him? By bruising his unreachable head with a stone and then chopping off his head and bringing it back to Jerusalem 1 Sam 17v54. Because Jerusalem was the holy city this would have been hung outside the city, not inside. Where?
Gol-Gath-a. A contraction of Goliath of Gath. The place of his giant skull.
So Jesus, the Son of David, comes along and dies at Golgotha, there defeating and disarming the mighty Leviathan Satan Col 2v13-15 and putting him to shame. How? By his feet being BRUISED and pierced on the tree as he dies for our sins winning forgiveness and redemption and new life for sinful mankind.
Joshua 10v24 says that defeated kings were humiliated by the victors placing their feet on the losing Kings' necks. Jesus, the victorious King's feet at the cross rest on The Place of the Skull. Death has been defeated by Jesus!
Hallelujah!

Amazing Bible teaching - Jim Jordan & Biblical Horizons

2008-01-29T21:16:00.000Z

I have just been introduced to an American Bible teacher called James Jordan and whilst I’ve only listened to a dozen talks or so I must say it is the most electrifying Bible teaching I have ever heard in my life. Despite going to Bible college for several years listening to Jordan makes me realise how narrow my understanding of the Bible has been previously and how much more seriously I must take every word – especially Old Testament imagery and themes. It feels like the blinkers have fallen off my eyes and I’ve seen the vistas of how rich God’s word truly is. Get hold of this stuff – there’s nuggets every 5 seconds!
The website is www.wordmp3.com and his section is under “Biblical Horizons”. Start with his teaching on Biblical worldview – the Garden of God. There is a free sample of talk 1 of this set at
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=bh
I truly believe God’s word has the power to transform this world and so we must get this rich teaching into as many hands/ears as possible.
His website is http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/

Job's basic point

2007-06-25T13:15:00.000Z

The contrast between the discussion in the heavenly realms in Job 1 and what is discussed by Job and his 'comforters' in the following chapters is the key to understanding the book and the best way into finding strength in the midst of suffering.
The discussion in heaven in the opening of the book is "If Job suffers will he sin?" i.e. will suffering lead to sin. See 1v10-11 "You have blessed the work of his hands...But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face."
But the whole discussion between Job and his friends is over whether sin has led to his suffering. Do you see the opposite? Not does suffering lead to sin, but does sin lead to suffering.
Job's 'comforters' are firmly entrenched in the doctrinal position that suffering is always caused by sin, therefore Job must have sinned because he is suffering. But Job again and again affirms his innocence and is baffled by his suffering.
Jesus says in Luke 13 when asked about some people that had suffered,
"Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Suffering is not necessarily because of any sin in our lives but simply part of a cursed world and affects everyone. (notice Jesus describes everyone as sinful, rather than some good or bad)
What should concern us is what was discussed in heaven in Job 1 and what Jesus reaffirms here - when we suffer, will we sin and curse God? How we respond to suffering is what matters. Knowing that it was not necessarily our sin that caused it is a comfort. Job and Jesus point us to what our concern should be - how we respond - are we bitter about it or concerned to still honour God? And Jesus points us to the correct perspective - the eternal one. We may be suffering now, but there is the hope of a a place where there will be no suffering or pain - the bodily resurrection to be with Jesus in glory on the final day. The key question then is whether we are ready for that, to which Jesus says make sure we repent and so don't perish instead on the final day.

Cessationism's hermeneutic

2007-06-25T12:52:00.001Z

Just dawned on me the bizarre hermeneutic that cessationism uses:
"Now that the Bible canon is complete we can't trust what the Bible says e.g. 'eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophecy', 'don't despise prophecy' etc."
So because the New Testament is now complete we can't trust what it says???? Isn't this just liberalism by the back door by the very evangelicals that claim the Bible is their primary authority?
The Briefing (March, p11) recently quoted Mark Driscoll's comment "I had been basically a theological cessationist and a fan of fundamentalist straw-man attacks on charismatic Christians. It wasn't until some years later, however, that I came to see the cessationists' interpretation of 1 Corinthians 12-14 as the second worst exegesis I have ever read, next to that of a Canadian nudist arsonist cult I once did some research on."
Nice one Mark, and nice one The Briefing on being willing to quote this.
Mark's point is something I've thought for a while since being encouraged by a conservative to read O.Palmer Robertson's 'The Final Word' on cessationism which is the worst exegesis I have ever seen in my life.

An attack on the fabric of the Godhead

2007-02-26T16:49:00.000Z

Doing a recent talk on the Trinity led me to consider this idea.
What is the devil trying to achieve thru tempting Jesus in Luke 4?

Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness is not so much an attack on him alone but on the very fabric of the Godhead. If Jesus had not 100% obeyed the Father, then the will of the Trinity would not have perfectly overlapped and potentially the relation between Father and Son would have been torn apart. (impossible of course!)
Even at the cross the Godhead is not torn apart, whilst the Father’s wrath is born by the Son, the Father is still perfectly delighting in the Son’s obedience and the Son is still perfectly submitting to and delighting in God’s will to redeem mankind.
So the devil tries to separate the Trinity through the Son disobeying. But at the cross, the Son is willingly separated from the love of the Father in obedience to the Father.

Our servant God

2006-12-15T19:22:00.000Z

Just been reading John 13 in my quiet time. One of the things that struck me most was that all the way through the passage Judas' imminant betrayal of Jesus is mentioned and then it struck me... it's one thing for Jesus to demonstrate servanthood by washing his disciples' feet... but he must have also washed Judas' feet! That's something else. Such grace to wash in service the smelly feet of the man who he knew was to betray him. But that is the Christian God - he sends rain on the good and the wicked. That is our gracious God, truly worthy of worship. He continues to give when we don't deserve it one bit.

Rowan Williams a disgrace

2006-11-07T18:51:00.000Z

I listened with increasing horror to Rowan William's discussion with John Humphreys on Radio 4's programme - "my search for God" last week.
Mr Humphreys explained how he used to have a simple faith as a child but 40 years of reporting on the horrific things that go on in this world has destroyed that faith. He can no longer believe in a good all-powerful God.
Mr Humphreys asked basic questions like "how can we know if God is there?". What horrified me was that Rowan Williams didn't mention Jesus once in the whole 30 minute interview. (It was Mr Humphreys who mentioned him at one point!). It become abundantly clear that Dr Williams is a theist and his answers certainly weren't Christian. Rather than pointing Mr Humphreys to God's self-revelation in the God-man Jesus Christ Dr Williams subjectively talked of a sense of knowing God. He also denied the Bible's teaching on the afterlife suggesting we have an eternity to come back to God whereas the Bible clearly teaches that our choice is in this life (e.g. the Rich man and Lazarus - Luke 16v26. The rich man wants to leave hell but is told "between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.")
Why does Rowan Williams think he knows better than Jesus and so cause John Humphreys in his honest searching to stumble? What a disgrace!

Cessationism and Apostles

2006-10-29T20:24:00.000Z

Just been preaching on Acts 4v23-37
Don’t let anyone mislead you that miracles and signs and wonders were just for the 12 Apostles and for just back then in NT days. Stephen in Acts 6v8 was doing signs and preaching with authority, and he was just a waiter at church. Philip was just a deacon too and in Acts 8v6 he is doing signs and preaching powerfully. It wasn’t just the Apostles. It is not just the regenerating and transforming work of the Spirit making our characters like Christ that continues up to today, but the power and gifts to do healings, prophesy, deliverance and to do signs and wonders – they’re all the Spirit’s work for today too. All to glorify Jesus' name.
Some people claim 2 Cor 12v12 means signs and wonders were only done by the 12 Apostles.
Paul is speaking and he says "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works." I did logic as part of my course at Uni and just because signs and wonders are a necessary sign of being an Apostle doesn't prove no one else can do them anymore! All its saying is you can't have been an Apostle without having done them. If I say "all dinosaurs must have scales, all dinosaurs are extinct, therefore no animals have scales anymore", that is not logically proven is it?
I was recently at a CU meeting where 8 people got healed when the CU members started praying for each other. There certainly weren't any apostles there!

Now we must be careful. Whilst 8 people did get healed a couple of weeks ago, others that were prayed for didn’t. Healing is not always the answer God gives. The obvious thing to say is everyone dies – so clearly God doesn’t always heal. We must be sensitive. My sister was in a car crash 5 years ago and was in a coma. We got hundreds of people around the world praying for her whilst we went and prayed earnestly by her bedside. But she died. God doesn’t always heal. We must let God be God and trust in his infinite wisdom and love as to why he doesn’t. We must never dictate to him. But just because he doesn’t always heal, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater – don’t not pray for the sick at all. Acts 4v30 actively encourages us to be praying for such things.

God's awesome sovereignty!

2006-10-29T20:15:00.000Z

Acts 4v25-28
"'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'
27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place."

What does the conspiring of mankind and plotting in crucifying Jesus in v25-27 achieve?
V28 it ends up doing whatever God’s hand and plan had predestined to take place.
It fulfils God’s eternal plan.
God is sovereign. He is totally in control. We can’t catch him out.
God is so in control of this universe that the whole world coming together against him and executing his Son, far from defeating his plans, fulfils his very salvation plan from the beginning of time!
We wave our puny fists in God’s face and try to overthrow Jesus’ kingship and all along we just end up fulfilling God’s plan.
That is why it is utter folly to oppose God. That is why the peoples plot in vain. That is why the Lord laughs at the Kings that unite together in opposing him.

If the sovereign Lord of the universe is on your side and all his opponents efforts just fulfil his plans – what is there to fear?
Think of a few chapters on in Acts. Stephen gets martyred for his faith in chapter 7. This leads to the church scattering to Samaria and people getting converted there… fulfilling 1v8. Jesus’ commission to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea and then Samaria. Opposition leads to God’s plans being fulfilled. So don’t fear it, but be bold.
Stephen’s angelic-like behaviour at his stoning is also a factor in Saul’s conversion who then gets converted and ends up writing half the New Testament whilst taking the gospel to the ends of the earth – again fulfilling 1v8 - Jesus’ commission to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea and then Samaria and then the ends of the earth.
Opposition, in God’s sovereignty, ends up fulfilling his purposes. So don’t fear it, but be bold, trusting that in ALL THINGS, positive and negative God is working for the good of those who love him and achieving his grand salvation purposes! Wow - what a God! Let's never diminish his sovereignty - it is to his glory!

John doesn't pull any punches

2006-10-29T20:10:00.000Z

1 John 2v22 is very striking:
"Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son".
Islam denies the Trinity. It denies the Son - that Jesus is God's Son. Who is behind such teaching according to this verse?

Why being evangelical is essential

2006-10-29T19:55:00.000Z

1 John 4 is very striking
"1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.... 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
The "they" of v5 in the context is the "false prophets" of v1. The test of being a true Christian who "knows God" according to v6 is "listening" to the "us" and "we" of v6. Who is the us/we? Well again the context of the letter in Ch1v1-4 is the Apostles who spent 3 years with Jesus and "heard", "saw" and "touched" him. So as 1v3 suggests and ch4 clarifies, if we are not in fellowship with their teaching then we are not in fellowship with God! We must hold fast to what all of the Apostles taught - which is what the New Testament is. We mustn't pick and choose which bits of the NT to follow!

Father's love letter

2006-10-29T19:52:00.000Z

If you've never read "The Father's love letter" - I'd highly recommend it. Here's the link.
http://fathersloveletter.com/flltextenglish.html

Not very movable

2006-04-08T17:11:00.001Z

Just had a quick thought today about how ridiculous Clark Pinnock's "most moved mover" idea about God is. For those who don't know about Open Theism, Mr Pinnock et al claim that God is not sovereign over time, but is a player in time alongside us, who does not know the future or determine it. He is just a bigger ball on the snooker table of space time than we are. So why does God call himself our "rock" repeatedly through the Bible? The whole point of a rock or mountain is that it is immovable! It is because of this very reason we can fly to God in times of trouble as we know he is ever constant and trustworthy. Does Mr Pinnock not see how dangerous his doctrine is in undermining our assurance?
My Dad is in hospital at the moment, so knowing God's trustworthiness is very important. Do pray for him.

More on Roman Catholicism setting tradition over Scripture

2006-04-02T16:37:00.000Z

Seems I've kicked up quite a storm with my post: http://davidanthonys.blogspot.com/2006/03/root-of-catholicisms-error.html
(If anyone can tell me how you quote a link without all the full length of it I'd appreciate it. I'm new to this blogging stuff!).

There's a very long discussion about it on
http://catholica.pontifications.net/?p=1550
and on Adrian Warnock's blog http://www.adrian.warnock.info/2006/03/root-of-catholicisms-error-and-lesson.htm#comments

For a more lengthy reply from me see my last comment in reply on the original post.
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=24602683&postID=114363385353025934

Jesus' bluntest teaching

2006-03-31T11:44:00.000Z

Got to Luke 13 this morning and Jesus certainly doesn't mince his words. 13v1-5 are Jesus' response to a question about various incidents of suffering going on: some Galileans that Pilate had tortured and 18 people who had died when a tower in Siloam collapsed. Did they suffer because they were more sinful than other people? Hindu teaching would certainly say this is the case. Jesus on the other hand points out that their suffering is not because they are any more sinful than any one else. Notice the way he phrases things - v2 "do you think these Galileans were worse sinners that all the other Galileans?" and v4 "Do you think (those crushed by the tower) were worse offenders than those who lived in Jerusalem? "
Jesus just assumes all are sinners. So Jesus clearly teaches the universal sinfulness of all mankind. (So this is not some doctrine Paul made up.)
Hence suffering is common to all. It is a sign of a world under judgement. Generally talks on suffering are apologetics - defences of Christianity - but here Jesus uses the subject evangelistically. Twice in v3 & v5 he says "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish". Because we have all rebelled against God and gone our own way we all will perish unless we accept the rescue that Jesus came to bring at the cross. That rescue opens the door to an eternity where there will no suffering in glory forever. Jesus uses the everyday occurence of suffering to point to the choice we all face - repent and follow him as King to be rescued from suffering now for life in the next world, or perish now and in the life ever after. Sobering words.
When people ask us about suffering, will we use it as an evangelistic opportunity as our master does? Only Christians have a sure hope to present to people who face extreme suffering in this world. Because of Jesus' resurrection, we know that there is life after death and as Rev 21 so wonderfully declares :
Rev 21:3 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.""

Double standards on sexual ethics

2006-03-31T10:25:00.000Z

I saw this article on the BBC news website. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4863770.stm
Interesting that so few women think the sexual mores presented by the media are acceptable. I did think that there was a classic double standard in the midst of it:
"The team from the University of Sheffield found that although participants thought one-night stands were immoral, they did not condemn women for having them as many of them had indulged themselves. "
Either it is immoral and they condemn themselves because they've 'indulged' in it or it isn't. They can't say it's immoral when everyone else does it but it's not when they do it!
This is classic hypocrisy.
Jesus warns that: "For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." - Matthew 7v2
So by saying it is immoral, they have measured and judged their own immoral behaviour.
This is a trap we are all in danger of falling into. Criticising others for behaviour that we do ourselves.

Huge promises and bigger challenges

2006-03-30T15:37:00.000Z

Been reading Luke 12v35-48 today. What an incredible passage! Jesus makes some incredible promises to those who are ready for his return - v37 Jesus, the Master of the Universe "will dress himself for service and have them (his servants) recline at table, and he will come and serve them". What an awesome thought! What an incredible master we have! v44 is equally astounding - for the servant who is ready "he will set him over all his possessions". Now Jesus owns quite a few possessions. Which galaxy do you fancy being in charge of?
So what's the catch? Well who are the servants who are ready? Well according to v42 it is the servant who is still doing what the master assigned him when the master returns. But there is a serious warning to those who aren't v47. "That servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating" Who will have the most severe punishment in hell? People who professed to be Christians - they knew the master's will - but didn't serve him. What a sober warning for people like me who have been Christians a long time and know a lot of the Bible. We know the master's will well, so it is vital we do it. Hypocrisy comes in for the greatest criticism of anything by Jesus.
Final note of interest is v48 - people often say "what of those who've never heard?" - look at what Jesus says "The one who did not know (the master's will), and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating." Ignorance is not an excuse in Jesus' eyes. The key is did you do things that deserve a beating? According to Romans 2, those that don't have God's law / will, will be judge by their own consciences. Tragically, therefore, no one will escape judgement because everyone, everywhere is responsible for their behaviour. The problem is that all of us have done things wrong even by our own standards. We all need to flee to Jesus for forgiveness knowing that only at the cross can we find the mercy we desperately need. Once forgiven we stand to receive the wonderful promises Jesus makes in this passage. Serving him therefore is done out of gratitude and in eager expectation of the hope of the coming fulfilment of these huge promises.

The greatest irony?

2006-03-29T12:07:00.000Z

The parable of the rich fool, Luke 11v13-21, must be one of the most ironic encounters ever in Jesus' ministry. It's hilarious when you have a close look at it. Notice what prompts Jesus to tell the parable.
A man comes up to Jesus and says "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But Jesus's replies "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you?" Jesus nearly always answers a question with a question and this is an absolute killer question to retort with. Who is Jesus? He's not some human judge that can divide up this man's inheritance with his brother, he is God's divine judge who will judge every man and woman on the last day! Jesus then promptly warns of the danger of being covetous and weighing life by the abundance of one's possessions. Jesus tells the parable of a man totally obsessed with me, myself and my money who has left God and death out of his thinking. God calls him a fool because he may be wealthy in worldly terms but he is not rich towards God.
Tie this in with the guy Jesus is talking to - think what has happened. This guy has got one opportunity to ask Jesus a question and he asks him about earthly riches and inheritance. He's got one question to ask the judge of the universe and he asks that! What a muppet! He's clearly obsessed with worldly wealth when he should be asking about how he can get to have eternal wealth - going to glory to be with God forever.
So Jesus' initial reply "who made me a judge or arbitrator between you?" is laced with irony. God has made him judge over him, which makes the man's question seem that much more foolish!
What would be your one question to Jesus?

The root of Catholicism's error

2006-03-29T11:49:00.000Z

Just been reading Luke 11v27-28. This along with 8v21 are Jesus prophetically speaking into where Catholicism will go wrong centuries later. A woman declares "blessed be the mother who gave birth to you" and look at Jesus' reaction. Rather than agree that Mary ought to be revered he says "blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!". This strikes right at the heart of where Roman Catholicism has gone wrong.
There are four centres of authority that different parts of Christianity base their views on. Bible, reason, institution and experience. Jesus clearly says here that is being Biblical that matters : hearing the word of God and keeping it.
Catholicism finds its doctrine from what the institution, the church, says. And where the Pope has differed from the word of God they have gone with what the Pope says. This has led them down the proverbial garden path into wrong doctrines such as salvation by works, praying to Mary and papal infallibility.
Equally liberals who base their views on reason and rationality rather than the Bible head off in the wrong direction and end up disbelieving what the Bible clearly says and creating their own doctrines. Charismatics are in danger of basing their views on experience rather than the Bible. Jesus is clearly given us a warning here to get our doctrines of from the Bible and nowhere else.

Walking the wrong line

2006-03-28T16:05:00.000Z

Watched "Walk the Line" the other day which is Johnny Cash's biography. Was very disappointed to see how his affair was idealised and the devastation caused to his family that he drove away was pretty much ignored. It would be very interesting to watch a film from his first wife's perspective or one of his children by his first life. I wonder how their lives turned out?
It's also sad to note that much of his Christian faith was totally ignored by the film-makers when it is reported that Cash said himself that he hoped this film would tell some of his story of redemption.

My email to the Prime Minister

2006-03-24T16:39:00.000Z

Do email Tony Blair about Abdul Rahman's plight:
http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Email_The_PM_Form.asp

Here's what I wrote:
Dear Prime Minister,I am deeply concerned about the plight of the Afghan citizen Abdul Rahman who is being threatened with execution simply for converting to Christianity. I want to know why the British government has remained silent on this issue? Why should his human right to believe whatever he chooses be squashed? I thought we went to war to remove the Taleban dictatorship to protect such things as freedom of speech and freedom of belief. Have you removed the Taleban from government but left them in charge in the judiciary in Afghanistan?Yours sincerely,
David Anthony

A critical difference between Christianity and Islam - Freedom of conversion and the heart of love

2006-03-24T16:21:00.000Z

Just been reading the BBC website about this Afghan Christian, Abdul Rahman who is being threatened with the death sentence: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4841334.stm
One of the comments on the website by a Muslim there is: ""What is wrong with Islam that he should want to convert?" asks an agitated Abdul Zahid Payman. "The courts should punish him and he should be put to death."" Maybe that attitude is exactly what's wrong with Islam!

Check out the photo from the recent Muslim demonstration in London over the Danish cartoons that expresses the same irony:

The reason that Christianity will win the race for the conversion of the world is that Jesus wins people's hearts through love whereas Islam tries to simply force indoctrination, believing that people outwardly obeying Sharia law is victory. True conversion is conversion of the heart where people obey out of love for their master. Jesus brought the good news of God's incredible love for a rebellious world. This love wins hearts, Islam never will as it lacks love period.

Wheeler-dealering!

2006-03-23T16:19:00.000Z

Just noticed this Adsense option. No harm trying to earn a bit of cash out of a website! I got the "Arthur Daley - Nice Little Earner" award on my first school trip to the Isle of Wight aged 9. (For those of you who don't know the classic 70-80s British TV programme 'Minder', the lead character was Arthur Daley who always came up with enterprising schemes to make a bit of cash.) I got the award on this school trip because I came back home with more money than I left with. I managed to achieve this through buying penny sweets for a penny (obviously!) and then selling them to my friends for 5p a sweet. 400% profit margin aged 9, not bad if I do say so myself!

The Best News Imaginable

2006-03-23T15:33:00.000Z

Well this is my first post. I've just had an electric time reading a bit from Luke's gospel this morning and thought I'd share it. The Bible definitely has to be the best news imaginable and it's true!
I was looking at Luke 8v22 - 9v1. Here we have 4 incidents that are all beyond human control. Experienced sailors out of their depth in a storm; a demon-oppressed man who no one could control even with chains; a young girl dying; a woman who was a social outcast because of her bleeding and who was beyond medical help. In all 4 incidents the people involved are in fear or cause fear in others because of their circumstances. But in all 4 encounters Jesus shows there is nothing beyond his control, so there is no need to fear our circumstances. He displays his authority over disaster, demons, disease and even death. He points out in 8v25 and v50 that true faith believes that nothing is beyond his control and leads to a right fear - of him! He is God so nothing is beyond his authority. Do you recognise that and live your life by this liberating truth? Then astonishingly Jesus finishes in 9v1 by giving power and authority to his apostles to do the same things. Luke ends his gospel by Jesus promising the same power to ALL his followers by his Spirit so they can be his witnesses to the end of the world. Only difference is that the authority we have is from him and points to him, it doesn't point to ourselves. What do you fear? Your circumstances or do you fear your Maker? Do you have faith that Jesus is in total control and no circumstance is beyond his ability to sort it out?