Memorial Day With Jacob

Once again we celebrate Memorial Day by going to the cemetery and attending the service. It has become a new Tradition to actually take part in the service itself.





This year it was neat to have our new 10 month old participating with us. Jacob got his first graveside teaching on the wonder of the resurrection. I take the kids to Aunt Ella's grave since they Steven and Rachel knew her and attended her funeral. I attempt to paint a picture of the Coming of Christ and His raising the Dead.

Memorial Day truly is a great time to equip our children with their heritage, to secure them in their identity and give them a solid future.

Infallible List Please

Dr. White found this quote through the internet:

If you read a little more on the blog, you’ll see that at one time I had a sola scriptura philosophy. Then I realized such a philosophy is unbiblical. I couldn’t find anywhere in the Bible where the Bible says that the Bible is the sole authority for all matters related to faith. Rather I saw the Bible pointing back to the Church as an authority. History shows that the Bible is authoritative because the Church says it is (by virtue of the fact that the Canon was determined by the Church) and not the other way around. But, you’ve heard that argument before and have closed your eyes to it.

I don't know how many times this has been said to me by RCs over the years. Even on Crossed the Tiber's Blog I was told that this argument is not circular. Yet how do they know the church has authority? Well, the Bible says so. How do they know the Bible is able to tell us who has authority? Well, the church says so? If this doesn't pit Scripture as an ultimate authority against the church's ultimate authority, I do not know what does?

In other words, how can there be two ultimate authorities? Either God speaks and that is ultimate, or the church speaks and that is ultimate. For those who wish to trump God's Word with their Traditions, the choice is obvious. Sola Ecclesia!

So those of you who are RC and are always asking the question "How do you Protestants know what is in the Canon without the church?", I ask is there an infallible list of infallible Traditions please. If it is demanded of me, then turn-about is fair play. I have only been waiting for close to 13 years or more.

Answers In Genesis Is Open

I just love it when atheists and secularists and naturalists and evolutionists are put on the defensive by a good Christian apologetic. Answers In Genesis is doing just that. Yahoo News has linked to an ABC News video story that the Answers In Genesis Museum is finally finished.

What is great in this video clip is how the Evolutionists hate being challenged. Their dogma may not be questioned even though their own Poll shows that 60% of Americans believe God created the world in a literal 6 days.

One museum person states that evolutionists have no logical or rational basis for morality. This truly must anger the Evolutionary community. Yet they need to be called on the fact they they are doing exactly what Creationists claim. They are leading the world into an immoral swamp. They question the very foundational book of the Bible, without which there is no reason for Christ or sin or salvation. They know this only too well.

What the museum will do for the Christian is equip him to be able to trust that God is able to consistently explain to us His world. God's Word is reliable and trustworthy. It will also challenge the presuppositions of a world view that is irrational and inconsistent.

Also a recent Scott City graduate, Adam Taylor, wrote an excellent paper on this very subject. It is such a good paper I thought I'd put it up on my site. You can read it here. Keep in mind it was written in Word format, and I had to attempt to edit it slightly to make it work. Enjoy!

Australia On Immigration

Rush Limbaugh points out an interesting story on immigration in Australia and comments:

"The Australians have a citizenship test for immigrants. "The controversial citizenship test being introduced by the Federal Government has been branded 'biased' and 'unAustralian' by the nation's key Muslim body. Australian Federation of Islamic Councils today released a statement strongly questioning the proposed test, saying members 'share the serious concerns' it has raised in 'the wider Australian community.'

'While AFIC does not oppose regulated immigration, it believes that a test with biased questions targeting particular cultural or ethnic groups goes against the very values of democracy and a fair go that the government is trying to inculcate,' said President Ikebal Adam Patel. ... But he said he it is 'unfair and un-Australian to expect them to study about Anglo-celtic and Judaeo-Christian values, especially when those migrants are coming from a different religious and cultural background.'" And the Australians are saying, no, it's not; this is who we are. We are an Anglo-Celtic and a Judeo-Christian country and these are the values. If we're going to have immigrants, we're going to have a citizenship test. Now, the Islamofascist immigrants need to be taught, why do they want to come here? Why do they want to go to Australia? What's the point? Our culture's not like theirs at all, especially the radical Islamists. They need to be reminded that the comfortable lifestyle, the ample freedom in choices, the high standard of living, freedom of speech, and all the other freedoms, particularly freedoms for women in secular Western society are directly related to the Judeo-Christian tradition."

He then asks the relevant questions that seem obvious to the average conservative.

"What the Islamic world has given us is theocracies, convert-or-die choices, and laws about stoning women and honor killings and so forth, stoning rape victims. They treat women as genuine second-class citizens. They are truly anti-Semitic and the same thing is happening in our country here, although we don't have a citizenship test. So the question arises, why do they want to come here?"

Exactly! Why do they want to come here? I admit that many probably enjoy the freedom. If our immigration policies do not bring the best immigrants have to offer and at the same time teaching them to leave behind the reason that made them want to come here, we will only be converting to the worst Islamic countries have to offer.

Islam has nothing to offer the American way of life. A simple test to promote the best may be politically incorrect, but it sure seems wise. Yet I agree that an assimilation policy where average Americans force the average immigrant to learn the language and common culture just seems like common sense. If one wishes to be elected to a public office then they must take an oath on the Bible, not the Koran. If this is against their conscience, then why come here if it is not to overthrow the American way of life?

Kirk's New Moral World

This past week's Local New York Times/Scott County Record printed an article of a former Scott City resident, Andrew Kirk, receiving a scholarship from the Point Foundation. There is no source cited as to the article's origin. I say this since I am not at liberty to reprint the article, nor am I even able to give an internet link.

The article states, "'The Points Foundation provides financial support, mentoring and hope to meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity,' according to the Foundations website."

So here is a former Scott City student receiving a scholarship from an organization that flaunts God's Law in the most radical of ways. They go after our youth, and we simply hand our children over to them.

Kirk is quoted at one point in the article saying, "I grew up in a community where fear and ignorance dominated perceptions of homosexuality, and consequently, I didn't have any openly gay role models."

Kirk seems to have found a home with this group. One of the purposes the Point Foundation is "to identify students who are physically, intellectually and morally capable of leadership to play an influential part in the betterment of society."

Here is one place I must take issue. I have often wondered why those who take theologically liberal positions are allowed to make assertions while conservative Christian's are not. If I made a similar statement to this last quote in reverse, would I not be challenged at every point? No conservative Christian that I know says homosexuals may not be physical or intellectual. In fact, are they saying that one must be physically capable for the ability to be a leader, but that is a double standard we must review at another time.

The question is one of morality. In James White's and Jeff Neill's book The Same Sex Controversy, by citing liberal theologians and the many positions they have on key Biblical texts, they demonstrate that Liberals seek to make clear passages difficult and impossible to interpret. This is done purposely by those on the Left in order to cloud straightforward biblical texts. It is simply to make the Bible unclear where it is clear. In doing so, the Bible becomes a book that is not able to speak to our modern situations. God becomes a mute and His people become deaf and ignorant.

The problem with this kind of hermeneutic is that it requires the Christian to be on the defensive. Trying to justify a belief system while assuming the Liberal's worldview. This simply can not be done. To reject that God is able to clearly speak to His creatures in the bible is to embrace an irrational worldview. This is where homosexuality takes us...to irrationality. It is to be forced to believe in the impossibility of the contrary.

God's Law is clear no matter how difficult it might be for man to accept His revelation. In fact, Romans 1 tells us that Andrew Kirk's sin is sin. Since Kirk refuses to repent of his sin, since society intuitively recognizes homosexuality as sin (man is made in the image of God and therefore knows...), since the church must proclaim the Law/Gospel message, then those like Kirk must fulfill the passage's description. They must surppress the truth of God. They simply hate being reminded of their sin and seek to rid society of every reminder that demonstrates this to them.

Here is the real problem. In exchanging the truth of God for a lie, they must undermine the very system that gives rise to their liberty. Society simply can not live in a world where God is not allowed to define the creation He has created. If a vccuum is created then someone will fill it. By what authority will this someone step in? Might makes right and whoever has the might will be right. If God is not right, then some man and his man-made system will be.

How will homosexuality withstand a Hitler? How will it withstand a Stalin? How will it withstand Islam? It can not. A system that denies there is any ability to say there is no wrong can not in turn tell Stalin he is wrong. Stalin shot everyone that he feared would question his authority.

Now it could be that the homosexual movement is the next stalinist movement. Are they not seeking to silence free speech by refering to Biblical passages and anyone that preaches them as "hate speech"? Canada and Western Europe have already demonstrated where this is all leading. So Kirk's new morally better world will be one without God and Christians, and it will and must remove them by force.

Andrew Kirk's sin is not the unpardonable sin. If someone knows this young man, with gentleness and reverence, he must be called to repent of his sin and believe in Christ. It is in Christ where true forgiveness is to be found. It is in Christ where Andrew may come into a fellowship beyond anything that his homosexual friends may give him.

This is not a little matter. With the life span of homosexual males being reduced significantly to the 30s and 40s, this is truly a matter of life and death, spiritual life and spiritual death.

It's Your Fault

There was never a more true saying in New England than anywhere in the country I have been yet. If you don't like the weather wait a minute. Yahoo News among many other Drive-Bys are now reporting that this season will have plenty of hurricanes to destroy us. Never mind the fact that they were wrong after attempting to capitalize on Katrina's destruction and scare people last summer. A summer without ANY hurricanes that hit the U.S. seems to have slipped their puny little minds.

The Template drives the story. It is already written. Somehow scientists know the future with some certain degree of probability. They may be right or they may be wrong. It doesn't matter. Global Warming is going to kill us all and bring the end of the earth. So hand over your freedom and liberty to an Almighty Taxing and Bureaucratic Government.

Yes, it is your fault. It is your fault that Global warming has caused the earth to be so much colder this winter. It is your fault that Polar Bears are drowning (never mind the fact that they can swim up to 60 miles). It is your fault that ice caps are melting, even though that is just sheer nonsense. In fact, it is your fault that the earth has experienced this many times throughout its history. Never mind the fact that being warmer is a good thing!

All of you Al Gorites and those who bite this bait hook line and sinker need to be aware. The earth is far grander than you can imagine. It's Creator is infinitely greater. Get a grip.

Prayer For Diligence

Last Saturday I received 2 of at least 4 books that will be used for the classes to be taught by Dr. White on the cruise prior to his debate with Shabir Ally. My wife and I read the first chapter of Martin Hengel's Crucifixion. The writing is a little more on the difficult side but worth every minute of work. I learned more about the "foolishness of the cross" as to Paul's understanding in the first century than I have ever truly understood. It was simply a blessing.

I also received my text book, work book and flash cards of Basics of Biblical Greek by Mounce. I started tonight working into just becoming acquainted with the material (it also has a CD rom). I am sitting here at my computer trying to figure out how I may be disciplined in my studies in order to gain the most out of all of this material (not including the several books I have recently purchased for study in other areas).

So I ask that you please pray for my puny little wretched soul. Working full time, being on EMS and the Fire Department often being called into work for gas leak calls & ect. may certainly cause me to neglect my studies. The real reason I ask for prayer is that I actually do love my wife and three children, and somehow I must maintain a balance.

Pastor Groover (pastor in Dighton) will also be attempting to learn Greek (I simply was not to be outdone by him! ;-) ). Perhaps together we may accomplish more than we think we are able.

I plan to Blog about things I am learning as time allows.

God Bless

Religious Persecution In Pakistan

More Evidence that Islam and Christianity may in no way mix (click here for story of religious persecution against Christians). Christians and non-Christians alike need to be aware that a world in which Islam rules is the day religious freedom and the whole concept of "separation of church and state" dies.

Now I understand that many Muslims may just want to live their lives in much the same way as Christians do. They may just want to go to work, feed their families, educate their kids...basically just live a normal life. Yet the cult-like leadership of Islam based upon the religion itself will never be able to tolerate such a world.

In Defense Of The Decalogue

In Defense Of The Decalogue: A Critique of New Covenant Theology published in 2001 by Winepress Publishing is an excellent modern defense of the perpetuity of the Ten Commandments. (Yes, I just finished another book, w00t!) In dealing head on with New Covenant Theology’s attempt to walk the line between Dispensational and Covenant Theology, Richard Barcellos’ critique gives the reader an exegetically based understanding of the “law written on the heart at creation” and how that law was applied to the Nation of Israel and now to the church.

Barcellos does a fine job at defending the belief that the Ten Commandments are not just laws given at Mt. Sinai. He shows that the Laws including the Sabbath are based in the Book of Genesis. In doing so he actually avoids New Covenant theologian John Reisinger’s rebuttal:

“The Decalogue is the tablets of the covenant. Barcellos's statement, just quoted, could also be legitimately changed to read, "This critique ends up being a defense of the perpetuity of the document that formed an essential part of the terms of the old covenant that established Israel as a nation." Barcellos never admits that the Decalogue was the basic Old Covenant documentⁱⁱⁱ that initially established the nationhood of Israel. Actually he denies that the tablets of the covenant were a real part of the Old Covenant that was done away in Christ.”

Barcellos explains throughout the book the nature of the application of the moral law of God to the Old Covenant people. Barcellos also clearly shows how the New Covenant applies these Laws to the Christian. Resinger’s rebuttal, “He insists on calling the Decalogue the "moral law," with no textual evidence” rings hollow. Perhaps I am going out on a limb here, but every writer I have ever read that discusses the Ten Commandments almost always says at some point that they are a summary of God’s Moral Law. Whether or not you agree with Barcellos’ ability to argue his this point from Scripture seems moot to me.

Two differences are also given in Reisinger’s rebuttal that he considers foundational:

“Our difference is, (1) whether Moses is the greatest lawgiver that ever lived, including the Lord Jesus Christ himself, or (2) whether Jesus replaced Moses as the new prophet and lawgiver in the very same sense that he replaced Aaron as the new high priest.”

In my opinion, Barcellos dealt with these issues. Reisinger makes an attempt to differentiate between Moses and Christ where the New Testament isn’t making one. There is obviously discontinuity between the Covenants. But there is also continuity between the Covenants. We ought to allow the New Testament decide what those things are. This I think Barcellos does well.

Another book that I highly recommend that explains the nature of the New Covenant is Sam Waldron’s A Reformed Baptist Manifesto: The New Covenant Constitution of the Church.

Both of these books are fairly short and easy reading. So if you want to understand Covenant Theology from a Baptist perspective, get these works.

She Told Me So

I just seemed to know. She took me into her bedroom and asked, "Did you take anything out of my purse?" I am sure there was denial, but I eventually confessed. She did something I have never forgotten. She made me read with her Exodus 20, "Thous shalt not steal."

Although I was far too young to read, it was as if I was reading it! I remember being so certain that it said I had done what I should not. What was even more important about that event was she dared to mention God. God gave this command to not steal, and I had broken it.

Somehow I knew she was right. I knew there was a God. I knew I had broken His law. To this day I can not escape this reality.

Perhaps this form of apologetic does not satisfy the unbeliever. Perhaps it is too simplistic. Today, I may very well believe in the existence of God due to my mother.

Of course, I am not talking about any God. For no other God than the Trinitarian God may exist. No other form of Theism is consistent with reality. It is only the Christian God that is self evident and true. He is the only consistent explanation for the world around us. In reality, He is the only One that is able to explain the creation around us.

I just want to say, "Thanks Mom!"