A Boomer in the Pew

An Evangelical Manifesto

"An Evangelical Manifesto - A Declaration of Evangelical Identity and Public Commitment"  has just been released. 

The authors and/or signers want to make sure that everyone understands that this isn't THE evangelical manifesto.  It doesn't purport to be the definitive statement to identify all evangelicals.

Here is their introduction: 

"An Evangelical Manifesto is an open declaration   of who Evangelicals are and what they   stand for. It has been drafted and published by   a representative group of Evangelical leaders   who do not claim to speak for all Evangelicals,   but who invite all other Evangelicals to stand   with them and help clarify what Evangelical means   in light of “confusions within and the consternation   without” the movement. As the Manifesto states,   the signers are not out to attack or exclude anyone,   but to rally and to call for reform.

As an open   declaration, An Evangelical Manifesto   addresses not only Evangelicals and other Christians   but other American citizens and people of all   other faiths in America, including those who say   they have no faith. It therefore stands as an   example of how different faith communities may   address each other in public life, without any   compromise of their own faith but with a clear   commitment to the common good of the societies   in which we all live together.

For those who are Evangelicals, the deepest   purpose of the Manifesto is a serious   call to reform—an urgent challenge to   reaffirm Evangelical identity, to reform Evangelical   behavior, to reposition Evangelicals in public   life, and so rededicate ourselves to the high   calling of being Evangelical followers of Jesus   Christ."

I have not read the entire document yet.  Therefore, I really don't have any comment on the manifesto.  I understand its desires and look forward to a dialog on the subject.

Here is a link to the website.  Let me know what you think.

Does God Bless the Unbeliever?

This post is going to serve as my launching pad into part 5 of Dr. Wayne Grudem's book Systematic Theology entitled, "The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption".

This is a photograph that I shot in Washington D.C. this spring.  My wife and I were there running up and down the halls of the congress and the senate working to instill some critically necessary changes in the mortgage industry.  As we all know, that industry has gotten way out of control and needs some necessary legal restraints put in place to protect our country from ever bearing the tremendous financial burden of the sub-prime fiasco again.

When ever I am in Washington D.C. I can't help but consider the many blessings that God has provided for our nation.  This town is full of reminders of people and events that helped shape this incredibly blessed and rich nation.

The Bible tells us, in Romans 6:23, "...for the wages of sin is death".  It further tells us in Romans 3:23 that, "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

This then begs the question, if we all fall short of the glory of God (we all sin) and the wages of sin is death, then why is it that God doesn't nuke us when we sin?  In particular, why aren't those opposed to God, and even more simply the unbelievers sent immediately packing on their way to hell when they sin?  Does God preserve blessings for the unbeliever and believer alike?   

Please read on for my notes on this topic from Dr. Wayne Grudem...

Systematic Theology and Scottsdale Bible Church

I mentioned last week that I was going to join a Sunday school class, taught by Dr. Wayne Grudem, on Systematic Theology.

Last Sunday was our first visit and we enjoyed the class immensely.  There seemed to be several hundred people in the class and they seem to be very much a family.  This class has frequent social gatherings and even has its own website.

Wayne (he doesn't like to be called Dr. Grudem outside of Phoenix Seminary) just finished the two part session on Perseverance of the Saints.  However, as I mentioned, I am going to go back and start at the beginning of this particular section called, "The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption" and hopefully catch up to the class somewhere down the road in this blog. 

I can already see that this is going to be a monumental task, on my part, to keep the ideas and doctrines in bite size pieces.  Hopefully I can resist the temptation to write books in these posts. 

Although this blog is new and doesn't have a large audience I hope that my notes and learning will be a blessing to you all out there in the world.  I am amazed to see people from all over the world finding their way to my endeavor.

Most of all, I pray that God will teach me His ways and that my family and friends will find their way to a deeper relationship with God as I begin my journey to a deeper and richer relationship with Abba.

Shall we continue to sin or can we change?

"Baptism of Christ", c 1568, by Juan Fernandez de Navarrete.

Jamie Rasmussen, senior pastor of Scottsdale Bible Church, is beginning a new series on Romans 6-8 entitled "Old made New".

The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul around A.D. 57 to the Christians in Rome.  Scholars are unsure exactly how Christianity got to Rome.  Tradition holds that Peter was the first to preach in Rome, however, there is no biblical evidence to such. 

Some suggest that new Christians Jews from Pentecost took the new church to Rome.  The church was certainly present in A.D. 49 when Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from the city.  This was done because the Christians refused to worship the Emperor and because the Christians participated in Communion, where they "ate the body and drank the blood" and were thought to be cannibals.

Romans is called by many as "The Mount Everest of Christian Theology".  Its doctrines were those behind Martin Luther and the Reformation and have forever changed the landscape of those devoted as disciples of Christ.

I learned from Darryl DelHousaye, that the book or Romans is divided into 7 different sections:

1. Introduction - Chapter 1
2. Condemnation - Chapter 2 - 3:20
3. Justification - Chapter 3:21-5
4. Sanctification - Chapters 6 & 7
5. Preservation - Chapter 8
6. Vindication - Chapters 9 - 11
7. Exhortation - Chapters 12 - 16

Jamie Rasmussen is going to concentrate on the sections regarding Sanctification and Preservation.  Please read on to learn about how the "Old can be made New"!

The First Words of Christ on the Cross: "Father, Forgive Them"

Sculpture - "Father, Forgive Them..." by Mike Scovel.

This post is the second in a series on "The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross" by Arthur W. Pink.  In this series, I am also participating in a Christian Classics reading project with other Christian bloggers.

Arthur W. Pink is a master of the English language.  Inasmuch, I would like you to read Pink's masterful first two paragraphs:

"Man had done his worst.  The One by whom the world was made had come into it, but the world knew Him not.  The Lord of Glory had tabernacled among men, but He was not wanted.  The eyes that sin had blinded saw in Him no beauty that He should be desired.  At His birth there was no room in the inn, which foreshadowed the treatment He was to receive at the hands of men.  Shortly after His birth, Herod sought to slay Him, and this intimated the hostility His person evoked and forecast the Cross as the climax of man's enmity.  Again and again His enemies attempted His destruction.  And now their vile desires are granted them.  The Son of God had yielded Himself up into their hands.  A mock trial had been gone through, and though His judges found no fault in Him, nevertheless, they had yielded to the insistent clamoring of those who hate Him as the cried again and again, "Crucify him."

The fell deed had been done.  No ordinary death would suffice His implacable foes.  A death of intense suffering and shame was decided upon.  A cross had been secured; the Saviour had been nailed to it.  And there He hangs--silent.  But presently His pallid lips are seen to move--Is He crying for pity?  No.  What then?  Is He pronouncing malediction upon His crucifiers?   No.  He is praying, praying for His enemies--"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' "

Pinks words:  "The first of the seven cross sayings of our Lord presents Him in the attitude of prayer.  How significant!  How instructive!  His public ministry had opened with prayer (Luke 3:21), and here we see it closing in prayer.  Surely He has left us an example!  No longer might those hands minister to the sick, for they are nailed to the Cross; no longer may those feet carry Him on errands of mercy, for they are fastened to the cruel tree; no longer may He engage in instruction the apostles, for they have forsaken Him and fled--how then does He occupy Himself?  In the Ministry of Prayer!  What a lesson for us."

Please read on... 

Jaw Dropping Awe from God's Creation

We are now back home from a one week journey into Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

The photograph to the left is from a hike that we did in Bryce Canyon.  This specific shot is from a trail called the Navajo Loop.

I am a person whose senses are very acute and when we stepped into this panorama, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with the drama of the landscape.  I have never seen such a place.

God has revealed Himself through His creation and I certainly got a glimpse of His artistry during this visit.

I will be posting a LOT more photographs to my Flickr site over the next few days/weeks.

Just click the "My Flickr Photographs" link in the far right column to see more of my captures of God's creation.