Edgewise

Theological Ethics: A Mustard Seed Approach

2012-01-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

"God is light, and in Him is no un-Christlikeness"--Graham Cole

Take a few of Paul's commands to the church in Rome: "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good" (12:9); "Do not repay anyone evil for evil; respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (12:17-18).

Do God and Jesus adhere to these ethical commands?* Is it odd to consider that God himself clings to good, doesn't meet evildoers with evil and seeks peace with his creation? Or that Jesus loved sincerely and did what was right in the sight of men? (I find that last bit especially interesting).

*I'm sorry I left out the Holy Spirit. I'll try to make it up to him in a later post.

Review: Luke

2012-01-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

The Zondervan Exegetical Commentary series is well underway, with the publication of James, Galatians, Matthew, Ephesians and now Luke joining the number. This volume follows the vision of the series with the focus on accessible Greek language examination/translation and theological discussion in the commentary, and with an application section that concludes each section.

David Garland works through Luke largely by means of literary criticism (akin to Osborne's work on Matthew). He observes differences between the gospels, but seldom takes time to expound or explain them (unlike Bock; however, see his discussion on the divorce logion in Lk 16:18). Depending on the section, he works verse-by-verse and comments concisely on important Greek words (sans transliteration!). He includes relevant Jewish and Greco-Roman writings to help seat Luke's account of Jesus inside its first-century world, and he isn't afraid to look to Acts when explaining Luke.

While all of this sounds like standard fare for a commentary, it is done exceptionally well by Garland. While not a Luke specialist per se, he is a commentary specialist--with commentaries on Mark, 1 Corinthians and Colossians/Philemon under his belt. As a result, his writing is clear and concise, and his prose often sparkles with clever turns of phrase. This is most evident in the application sections, where he encourages care for the needy or speaks on divorce with pastoral sensitivity.

Depending on what one needs in a commentary, this one-volume work is a great foundation for studying and preaching on Luke. Up-to-date, academically informed and pastorally sensitive--it is well worth having.

(This is verbatim my review posted on Amazon.com)

Word...

2011-11-22T07:41:00.000-08:00

Will there be sarcasm in heaven? And how does that affect our use of sarcasm now?

Lord's Supper Homily

2011-11-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a brief homily I used to introduce the Lord's Supper on Sunday:

The cross is seen as the main symbol of Christianity, and rightly so. The cross clearly symbolizes Jesus' suffering and death, which is essential for faith and the gospel. Unfortunately, the other important symbols--the bread and the cup--can be easily downplayed or totally ignored. However, we cannot overlook them because Jesus used the bread and the cup to interpret and explain his death. Jesus did not die as an inspirational martyr under a corrupt system; he died for us. "This is my body given for you." And his blood was not shed to display his guilt as a lawbreaker; it was shed to begin a new covenant--a new relationship between us and God--that manifests itself in the forgiveness of sin. "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, for the forgiveness of sins." Thus we see that Jesus' death isn't the end of a life, but the beginning of a new relationship between God and those who trust in him. So let us honor and celebrate his death by taking the bread and the cup.

What is a Systematic Theologian?

2011-06-22T05:32:00.000-07:00

“The systematic theologian: a lamentable creature, whose reach exceeds his grasp, responsibility outdistances his competence; he is dependent on the Bible as his foundation, yet he lacks the exegete’s mastery of the language, textual intricacies and historical backgrounds. He can only aspire to the analytic rigor of philosophers. Historians shake their heads in dismay at his hasty generalizations, and longsuffering social scientists wait for him to say something relevant.”

-Kevin Vanhoozer

Napoleon Won

2011-06-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

We're nearing the 7th anniversary of the release of Napoleon Dynamite, in my opinion a third-rate comedy stuck in first gear for eighty-two minutes, yet it still managed to suck in an undeserving $47 million (thanks IMDB). Since the movie challenges Star Wars and The Sandlot in the realm of pop culture ubiquity, a plot recap would be both hopelessly redundant and borderline nonsensical because there is no plot (thus also challenging Seinfeld's title of "the show about nothing").

In case my tone was not accurately conveyed in the above paragraph, let me be explicit: I did not like Napoleon Dynamite. But that's not the point of this post, so put down your stones; I am writing to admit to something else. Over the past few days I watched little bits of several different "comedy" films on Netflix Instant Watch, and I started asking the question that I often default to: What inspired this? I enjoy discovering the origins and beginnings of things, so I turned my mental gaze to the origins/inspiration behind these films I watched. And time after weary time, no matter how much I tried to shake the thought like a leech on my back, I had to honestly conclude:

Napoleon Dynamite is the most influential comedy of my generation

As much as ND draws on other comedy traditions (especially 80s romantic comedies), ND is in a class by itself. No film before it had a cast made up of entirely awkward characters. No film before it had more "awkard" scenes and dialogue than ND. And now, most films and TV shows thrive on the Dynamite approach (pardon the pun) to less jokes and more "weird."

So I witness to Napoleon Dynamite's cultural influence, as much as I want to persist. Napoleon, you win.

Book sale @ Text, Community & Mission

2011-05-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

The ever-illuminating Daniel J. Doleys is selling more books than your grandfather's garage could handle. And all of the prices are about the cost of books circa 1955, so get over there now

Discourse Grammar of the Greek New Testament

2011-05-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

I have never been this excited to read a book on Greek. It is my new book soulmate (yes, books have souls). If you know anything of Greek, do pick this book up. Maybe a review will come some day.

And....

2011-04-18T08:47:00.001-07:00

Today I'm finding out the gender of our baby. This is just nuts.

(Almost) Free (Michael F.) Bird

2011-03-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

(

There's a March sale over at cbd.com, where you can nab Michael Bird's 'Are You the One Who Is to Come?' for a sweet price of $3.99. This book is a fascinating read where its depth and scope go beyond its length (208 pages).

I'm sort of offended that you're still reading this post; you should've bought 4 copies of the book by now.

Ministry Mental-Myopia

2011-03-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

Question to self: Am I too limited mentally to do effective ministry?

Allow me to begin with a confession.

'My name is Kevin, and I am an ISTJ.'

This is me (some nuancing required).

I went to a meeting for the church elders, and to put it frankly: I didn't fit in.

I don't have the ability to think outside the box on big issues. I can't consider all the issues that goes into making good decisions for the health and needs of the church that haven't already been laid out with an appended pros and cons chart. Thinking about creative ways in reaching our local context--not a chance, 'cause I need about 15 hours to think about the different social and ethnic groups in our local context (which will take me about 3 hours to finally settle on an adequate definition of what that means!). And I haven't even gotten to money matters!

I cannot conceptualize a grand vision and three action steps to get the ball rolling. I didn't even know something had to be changed! Everyone else's ideas were machine gunning out, while my ideas were flopping out like a broken rubber band. My mind is too slow and I get hung up on irrelevant side issues. In terms of ministry production, I'm dial-up in a 4G world.

So what can I do? More specifically, what good can I do? What can I do if i can't create, or reason through possible ministry ventures?

Matthew, the Mount and Treasure

2011-03-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

Matthew 6:19-21--Storing up treasure

This passage is certainly on the go-to list for a Christian perspective of money and material goods. If the passage comes up in a Bible study or a casual Christian conversation, I'm sure the majority of those present will explain it in terms like "focus on kingdom values, not earthly" or "use your money for God things, not me things." Well and good.

Yet, I am curious as to whether this understanding best fits the context in which Jesus says this. As is well-known, Jesus speaks this Sermon on the Mount (whether he advertised it as such, we do not know) to those who joined themselves to his movement (the 12 disciples), as well as the people sitting around overhearing it. So I wonder: How would they have understood his summons to abandon storing up "treasures on earth" (that is, money and nice possessions) and instead relocate them to heaven? I wonder about this because although the text does not comment on the income levels of the people present, I'm going to assume it is not much because Jesus didn't seem to interact too often with the cultural elite. And we do hear the disciples say elsewhere that they have given up all they have to follow him, and they're the ones Jesus is primarily speaking to. So what "treasure" do they have to store up?

So I wonder if taking into account the financial situation of the people present may lead us to a more suitable understanding of Jesus' teaching here. I don't know what that will look like; it may be more like a facelift than total reconstructive surgery, who knows.

Abuse of Scrutiny

2011-03-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

I am a critic, firm and critical. But I am not the good kind. I am a prideful critic.

When it comes to Bible-y things, I assume I know lots. And not only lots of facts, but lots of answers. So when other people try to speak about things within my realm of knowledge, I don't consider their ideas valid, but see them as guilty until proven innocent, intellectually intenable until conceptually possible. It's a hostile defense mechanism established under my self-aggrandizing regime. The thoughts are of others are immediately held suspect, tortured, interrogated and released with cold indifference, if realeased at all. It seems as though grace has not penetrated my sphere of intellectual property, since I worked hard to acquire this monopoly on biblical and theological truth [roll eyes now]. While on occasion a refreshing spirit of humility and charity may descend from on high, too often I labor as a temple without The Presence, a person that loves self with heart-soul-mind, but doesn't reciprocate that love to others because I am not loving the LORD first.

Good quote

2011-01-15T12:53:00.000-08:00

JETS June 1, 1984, page 245, Daniel Schibler's review of Carl Armerding's The Old Testament and Criticism: 'May this book contribute to end the sad phenomenon of many evangelicals--viz., using scripture like a drunk would a lamppost: for support rather than for illumination.'

How does this quote hit you?

'Jesus the Temple' Review

2011-01-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Perrin's 'Jesus the Temple' is a helpful and thought-provoking book that investigates how Jesus and the early Christian movement related to the Jerusalem temple. The book sets up the discussion by taking passages from Paul and other early Christian writers where language of the temple is used (1 Cor 3:9-11; 6:16, 19-20), of which Perrin asks where the source of this 'Temple identity' came from. His answer is Jesus, which he seeks to demonstrate by spending the next 185 pages arguing that Jesus' actions and teachings constituted an alternative temple movement.

For its small size (190 pages +32 pages of references and indices), this book covers a lot of ground. Perrin sets this book in the midst of debates about the historical Jesus and his relation to Paul and the other New Testament writers (what did Paul know of Jesus? What continuity is there between Jesus' teachings and the rest of the NT?). However, the bulk of the book (three of the five chapters) is devoted to Jesus' words and deeds that (in Perrin's mind) ought to be seen as 'Temple acts' (my words, not his). Let me allow Perrin to speak for himself: "Jesus of Nazareth's most distinctive activities, healings/exorcisms, and meals were public signs that he had reconstituted time, space, and a people around himself, the new convergence of heaven and earth, the new temple" (p 179).

To this reviewer, the most illuminating discussion was on the topic of Jesus and the poor (chapter 4). Here, Perrin treats the thorny issues of Jesus' teachings on money (the rich young ruler incident, etc.) and how they relate to his temple program. While trying not to gush too much, I urge scholars and pastors (if I must dichotomize the two) to wrestle with Perrin's understanding of Jesus' poverty ethics. He seeks to go beyond the social justice vs. spiritualizing antithesis, which helps provide a more nuanced understanding of Jesus' view of riches and poverty.

Lastly, historical Jesus scholarship is blessed with not only gifted scholars, but gifted writers as well. Perrin joins this enviable group, with his consistently clever turns of phrase and penchant for illustrations. Occasionally his style would impede the clarity of the discussion, but on the whole his style made this book a delight to read and engage with.

Perrin has provided New Testament readers with a fresh perspective on the mission of Jesus that does justice to material in the four gospels. Those interested in the historical Jesus, New Testament theology, and Jesus' ethics will find plenty of thought-provoking insights here. I hope this book would be widely received, and I cannot wait for the follow up volumes from Perrin.

(NOTE: This was a copy of the review I posted on Amazon. I'm looking to interact with this book more in later posts)

Thomas Schreiner's Galatians

2010-11-13T08:56:00.000-08:00

So it's finally here, Schreiner's commentary on Galatians in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series (ZECNT). With a sermon on Gal 4:21-31 coming up, I immediately put this to work. Here are some of my scattered thoughts about the commentary:

1) Very stylish cover and page layout (I'm not bothered by the small margins). There are on average five footnotes per page (often more), where he interacts with specific authors on grammatical/historical points. There are a few excurses on the obvious Galatians flashpoints (justification, works of law, faith in/of Christ, Lev 18:5, law of Christ, Israel of God).

2) For the introduction, three sentences are given to authorship, six pages to the letter recipients (prefers a South Galatia readership), five pages to the situation Paul is addressing, three pages on the issue of empire in Galatians, and sixteen pages on the opponents' background and beliefs (Jewish? Pagan? Etc.). Other issues are addressed as well, but these were the most interesting to me.

3)I'm not a 'Paul guy,' but the bibliography and author index seem pretty well-rounded to me, although Campbell's The Deliverance of God is a surprising omission.

4)The frequent text boxes, shaded areas, and clear divisions help the reader track the discussion. The graphical layout and structural outline of the text do a great job at tracking the argument, which is essential for a letter like Galatians.

5) The concluding "Theology in Application" sections were often helpful, while not overly stimulating.

6) When talking about Greek, very little jargon is used (I couldn't find any "epexegetical, resumptive, protasis-apodosis, etc."), and any jargon used is explained, ex. "adversative conjunction 'but'" (p. 348).

8) The closing 'Themes in Galatians' contains great summaries on....themes...in Galatians. You see, there's that emphasis on clarity this series holds to.

7) I'd compare this with the BECNT series. While ZECNT may not be as detailed as BECNT, it matches it with clarity and a holistic approach. And the theology/application emphasis in ZECNT isn't found in BECNT or even Pillar.

My impression: The focus on the flow of the argument (which the series obviously strives for) is commendable and Schreiner does it well. While some will surely miss in-depth, scholarly discussion on every individual word, Schreiner gives you Galatians as a whole. Pastors would do well to pick this up, and scholars would do badly to pass it by.

2 Maccabees reflection--almost

2010-10-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

So what does one do when they fail to complete an academic writing assignment? Throw it up on a blog! And so I follow this rule that I just made up.

This was supposed to be a reflection on 2 Maccabees, but the deadline was a little to quick for my writing habits. Yet, instead of locking this up in a mausoleum, I set it free on the net. So here it is.

Perhaps the most emotionally gripping passage in 2 Maccabees is chapter seven with the persecution of the mother and her seven sons. Yet, in the midst of the vivid descriptions of the barbarous torture of the family, the theological theme of atoning martyrdom is brought up. While the references to atoning martyrdom in this passage are brief, I will argue that the concept arose out of the Jewish experience of persecution and the defilement of the temple. In this brief reflection the first part will examine the material in 2 Maccabees (especially chs. 5-7), and then conclude with a discussion of the role of atoning martyrdom with Jesus in the New Testament gospels.
The context for the development of atoning martyrdom begins in 2 Maccabees 5 with the invasion of wrathful Antiochus from Egypt to Jerusalem in 5:11. After his great slaughter, he, led by Menelaus, entered the temple and seized the temple vessels and votive offerings (5:16). While the text does not explicitly say, it can be reasonably inferred that this action caused the temple to be defiled. Following this, the narrative aside (5:17-20) makes it clear that the nation was under God’s judgment, which also implies that they were defiled because of sin.
Turning to 2 Maccabees 6, the Hellenistic culture is violently forced upon the Jewish nation. This includes the debauchery of the people in the temple, and the forbidden elements offered on the altar. If there was any question of the defilement of the temple from the previous chapter, it is obvious that the nation is defiled, thus rendering it unable to offer means of atonement for sin and purification.

End of text

Maybe someday I'll finish it, but I'm not holding out hope.

Prefatory shots across the proverbial bow

2010-06-27T05:54:00.000-07:00

1) The term "community" has been that itch in my upper-middle back that I can't reach. It annoys me. I don't know why it's there. Now, it probably is my Henry Roberts-esque inclination towards order and understanding, but I just want to know what the blessed word means. For all the times I've heard "we're a community of x" or "we're building more community through y and z," one part of me gives a vocal cheer while another gives a subconscious query. What is a community? How many communities can one be a part of? I'm not issuing a public moratorium of the term, but expressing my personal ignorance as to the term's significance and extension.

2) How do you meaningfully show appreciation for friends?

3) And now for the topic we've all been waiting for: Church. Question: Why do churches insist on creating new program after program, when other churches/ministries in the area may already have a similar program in place? Why not simply join forces in a particular ministry area. I see many advantages to this (and a few cons, naturally); so why isn't it done more?

A Blogging Cornucopia

2010-05-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

Don't call this a comeback.

How come every semester feels like the busiest semestre you've ever had? (I know I spelled "semester" wrong, but I like it that way better). I only had 12 units, but it felt like the greatest amount of work in my academic career. It wasn't brute work heavy (my Spring 2007 semester gets the award for that one, when I had both OT Theology and Minor Prophets with Dr. Talley) or reading heavy (that was my Spring 2008 semester with Dr. Lunde's NT's use of OT). My Advanced Greek Grammar course with Dr. Carson was the most demanding all-around, but it ended up being one of the most fulfilling classes I've done since OT in NT (and it doesn't hurt that Carson truly liked my final paper). For my Gospel Criticism class I had to prepare an hour-long lecture on the theology of John, which required a lot of organization and preparation on my part, which are definately my personal weaknesses. So that proved to be a good challenge that I learned a lot from. So much good was done on the academic front over the past few months.

This was also the most heartbreaking semester I've had. In my first year at Trinity (2008-9), I had a faculty advisor. It was his first year teaching there, and we became fairly close because of our weekly meetings. Even when I had the Fall '09 semester off I'd still meet with him monthly to keep in touch and update him on my new marriage. He was a careful listener and was never short of direct questions and careful advice. However, in October his wife was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. He took leave the rest of the semester, so I was unable to visit with him.

When I returned (and he resumed his teaching duties) to Trinity in Spring '10 I took a course with him, and I was able to meet with him a couple times each month. He was noticably more tired, but he still showed great interest in my relationship with my wife, my schooling, and the youth ministry we were involved in. But there was always a stretch of about 2-5 minutes where he would stop asking questions and become quiet. I'd finishing answering his questions and become quiet. Then one of us would start sniffling and tearing up, then the other would do the same. And for those 2-5 mins. we'd just cry. He'd then start telling me about his 5 year old daughter, how she cries at night. Or how thin and weak his wife was getting, how the coughing wouldn't stop, or how she was showing signs of improvement--but the following weekend she'd be in the ICU. Two weeks before she died, he asked me how I spend my time with my wife, if I actively make time to hang out with her, and how important it is that I do so. At the time neither of us knew what was going to happen in two weeks, but what I did know was that I was hearing the heart of a man speaking from the most far-off place imaginable. So when she died two weeks later, everything he said to me took on much more substance.

The memorial ceremony was amazing. The Trinity chapel was packed full, so I felt like an imposter, never having met or even seen her. The ceremony consisted of a bold prayer (by Dr. Osborne), a recitation of 1 Cor 15 (Dr. Schnabel), a moving reflection on death and Jesus' victory over it (Dr. Yarbrough), and a final recitation of the Lord's prayer (Dr. Pao). A close relative (her sister, I recall) gave a wonderful recollection of the life of a mother, wife, missionary, and daughter of God.

That's all for now.

10 Years, 6 Strings

2010-03-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

Yes, the title gives it all away. I have now been playing the guitar for 10 years. So much has gone into it, and so much has come from it. And so, in order to celebrate in the spirit of rock 'n' roll roll self-indulgence, I will fulfill one of my dreams: give an interview. I don't know how many hours I've spent with guitar magazines over the years, but my favorite parts were the interviews with the musicians about their music. Sure, this is pretty lame; but when you do something for 10 years, you can celebrate however you want. Deal? So stay tuned.

Thoughts from Mark

2010-02-01T21:38:00.000-08:00

So we had our first lecture on the actual text of Mark. Here are some issues I want to pursue further (not necessarily limited to Markan studies):

-The 'fresh perspective of Jesus,' which deals with Jesus' anti-empire stance and mission. How much of the New Testament is a critique of Rome and empires in general?

-The role of literary criticism as opposed to historical-critical biblical study. Does literary criticism of the gospels undermine or unnecessary ignore the historical references/issues?

-And my personal favorite: the New Testament's use of the Old Testament.

A reason to pray: School

2010-01-13T06:41:00.000-08:00

I start back at school today! So much joy mingled with uncertainty! Here's what's on my plate for the next four months:

Greek Exegesis I with Grant Osborne
~~New Testament Theology with Grant Osborne~~
Advanced Greek Grammar with D.A. CArson
Criticism of the Gospels with Grant Osborne
Current Issues: Mark with Te-Li Lau

~~So I'm pretty set on changing to the MA in NT, unless my talks with Dr. Yarbrough and Dr. Pao change my mind.~~
I probably won't change my degree. Woopee!

2009-12-26T23:57:00.000-08:00

Do I stick with the M.Div, or do I change to the M.A. in NT? What do I dooooo???!?!??!

Hot Readings, part 1

2009-12-15T04:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a smattering of things that I've read recently that kicked my butt (in the most delightful way).

In the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, David Instone-Brewer wrote an article on the apostolic letter in Acts 15. He contends that of the four commands in 15:29, the third command (a reference to 'strangling') has to do with the killing of babies and infants, not with animals and dietary customs. He builds his case by culling evidence from intertestamental and rabbinic writings (his area of specialty). A very convincing article on what at first (to me) sounded like a bland topic.

This book has become the most important biblical studies book I have ever read. But I'm getting ahead of myself. This book deals with the questions of why and for whom the Gospel of John written. I'll devote a longer post to it soon, so that I can explain it better and to make my joy complete. All that to say: if you are a deeply-thinking Christian and have a background in biblical studies, read it.

More to come!

Seminarians: how then shall we church?

2009-12-13T16:12:00.000-08:00

'Church'--verb; the act of attending and being involved in a local ecclesiastical establishment.

Now that I'm in seminary (or have been for the past year), what should I expect or look for in a church? Now that I'm well on my way to being authorized (at least on paper)to teach and hold positions of authority in a church, and I'm looking for a church to regularly attend, what should I look for. I am being trained to preach and think deeply and theologically about the world, which puts me on par with most local pastors. So what do I need?

I realize my tone is borderline boastful/prideful, but do know that I have a very humble heart behind this post.

Finished!

2009-12-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

Almost one year later, I finally finished Larry Hurtado's "Lord Jesus Christ," the definitive book on the worship of Jesus in early Christianity. It's an immensely thorough and thought-provoking book (746 pages should do that for you), so I happily join the ranks of those who commend it to others.

My friend's wife is dying

2009-12-10T20:44:00.000-08:00

Over the past year I was blessed to get to know Dr. Te-Li Lau at TEDS? A few months ago, his wife was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. And tonight I heard from a friend that she maybe has a few months left. I can't really process this, so I'm going to end the post here.

Blog penance: Part 2 of ?

2009-10-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

Now that the important part of my summer has been covered, I can now get into the less significant but still noteworthy occurrences.

MOVIES

This summer I saw a few movies that were crummy. "Bride Wars," "District 9," and "Lakeview Terrace" were three of them. Then I saw a few that I thought were quite good, and I was surprised at how much I liked them. "Changeling," "Inglorious Basterds," and "Nothing but the Truth" were three of those. I also saw some that are some of my new favorites. "The Devil's Backbone" and "The Seventh Seal" are the two that impressed themselves on me. "Devil's Backbone" (El espinazo del diablo, if you please) is a ghost/suspense story set in a Spanish orphanage during the Spanish Civil War. However, it is has a story with various themes and symbols running all through and throughout, and it never sacrifices story for scares (it isn't scary in the traditional, 'ghost story' sense). This movie is just too good for that.

"The Seventh Seal" is by prolific director Ingmar Bergman. The story takes place during the Crusades, and it centers around the question of God's presence/absence in the time of great suffering. Bergman was a former Lutheran, and in his movies (especially this one) he makes his questions and doubts about God painfully obvious. The movie was filmed in Swedish (Bergman's native tongue) in 1957, so some of the concepts and dialogue may be a bit alien and strange. Please don't let that deter you; go rent it now.

And that's part two! Only ??? more to go!

Blog penance: Part 1 of ?

2009-10-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

These things don't write themselves anymore. Shame. I guess two months of catch up isn't as painful as it could be.

So, where to begin?

I GOT MARRIED!

Yes sir/madam, it is all true; she liked it/put a ring on it/et al. The months leading up to it quickly trickled into weeks, then into days, and soon enough I'm standing in Biola's Calvary Chapel with one gorgeous woman. Not to mention about 360 eyes watching our every move. Everything and everyone was so overwhelmingly happy and wonderful. Some highlights were:

-seeing my awesome Biola friends
-the harpist, Elise Berg, who rocked the house
-everyone standing to see the bride enter, and the door opens and no one is there
-having my former youth pastor, Andrew Garland, perform the ceremony
-taking pictures in the Biola library and meeting random people there (John Dunne, for one)
-dancing with my bride and friends
-meeting Carissa's family
-going to In-n-Out after the reception

Time for work, so this party train will have to start again later (but hopefully sooner).

Never complain about: Bugs and flies while outdoors

2009-08-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

You go into your next door neighbor's house. You rummage through their fridge, use their toilet and don't flush it, and move their furniture to fit your liking. Then your neighbor walks into the room, and you go "What the heck! Why is Mr. Johnson here!?"

They live there, you know.

My #1: Love song

2009-07-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

Dire Straits' Romeo and Juliet.

Listen to why this is my favorite. (Note: this is not my favorite music video; in fact, the video is horrid. Please do not judge the song by the video)

Why do I love this song so much? While I could go on and on about the musicianship (in case you weren't sure, Dire Straits is a musically proficient band), what seals the deal for me is the song's narrative. Everyone knows Romeo and Juliet takes place "way back then" when people wore funny hats and dresses and talked in King James ebonics ("Who me?" "Yes, thou"). The story is cute and deals with love, but it is hard to connect with because of the cultural/historical distance (unless you were in Honors English in high school). So, from the outset it seems that any song about Romeo and Juliet is doomed to be lifeless and irrelevant.

Not so, with Mark Knopfler's (songwriter, singer, lead guitarist) lyrical precision and storytelling finesse. While adhering to the natural flow of the story, Knopfler (that name is a pain to type) strips the story of its olde tyme cultural trappings in order to frame it as a simple contemporary love story. The bulk of the song is dialogue between R&J, which helps to loosen the story from the world in which it takes place. Also, no explicit mention is made of the characters' untimely deaths (more on this below), which does the song a double service. One, it anchors the song in the real "heat" of the relationship. R&J are madly in love, and nothing is going to mess with that. Two, it makes the song all the more gripping because you know how it ends. All the lyrics about "forever" and "love you 'til I die" have more punch. Side note: there is one recurring line that does allude to their deaths, but it is so indirect that I don't classify it as a "death reference." Anyway, back to the train of thought.

All of that to say: I love this song. My favorite line in the song? I thought you'd never ask. Towards the end of the second verse, Romeo begins to plead with Juliet to see that he's the real deal, that he really loves her. And he closes it with this bomb:

You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah. Now you just say "Oh, Romeo? Yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him."

Wonderful. Enough of my blabbing (and blogging), how about you?

2009-05-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

In another feeble attempt to feign responsibility and punctuality, I will give a brief update as well as a few semi-hollow promises of blog posts to come.

1) School is over! It's summer! And just when you thought all of the fun and challenge took place in the first year of grad school, I'm going to up the ante and get married! I love competing with myself.

2) Summer reading! Here's a quick list:

Markus Bockmuehl Revelation and Mystery in Ancient Judaism and Pauline Christianity This was his doctrinal dissertation that was published (now out of print, unfortunately). I really liked his recent book, Seeing the Word, so I figured I'd start from the beginning.

Edward "Mickey" Klink The Sheep of the Fold: The Audience and Origin of the Gospel of John Another doctrinal dissertation; Klink was one of my favorite Biola professors. So when I saw his dissertation on half.com, I had to pick 'er up. I'm most excited about this here book.

Finally, some N.T. Wright to round out the bunch. I plowed through 20ish pages of this beast. It's okay that this book is 500+ pages because the man couldn't write a boring sentence if he tried (which is good for a book on historical methodology and other big words).

3) Coming soon: my first official blog book review. I will be reviewing James White's "The King James Only Controversy" (2nd ed.). Yay!

Worship and such truck

2009-04-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

A friend asked me to comment on the (new) classic battle of hymns vs. contemporary worship songs. So here are my thoughts in bullet-point format and in no logical order. And now, with little ado and much over-generalization, here it goes.

(From the outset I must confess that this post works as a sort of apologetic for contemporary worship songs. While I personally prefer hymns to contemporary music, I cannot get rid of the latter. Perhaps this post will show you why).

-Hymns are not inherently better than contemporary worship songs (CWS). There are bad hymns as there are bad CWS ('bad' in terms of solid, orthodox content).

-Worship music (both hymns and CWS) can have different functions. Some songs can be more didactic in their purpose (seeking to teach specific truths/doctrines); some are simply scripture passages put to music. Others work to build unity among believers and therefore do not focus solely on God. A mix of worship songs are needed; one 'song type' cannot be used alone.

-Both hymns and CWS are attempts to express biblical truth and/or responses to biblical truth in a particular time in a particular culture. They both use language and imagery of their times to make Christian realities relevant and understandable to their own particular time. Now, on this point I must dwell for a bit. The reason I enjoy hymns more is that hymns (for the most part) employ language and imagery that is drawn directly from the Bible ('thee' and 'thou' notwithstanding). I love 'Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah' because of the OT wilderness imagery; I get how the imagery is being used in the song to describe the Christian life. And yet, if I go to the middle of downtown Chicago and tell people about how my wandering in the desert is not a problem because I am being guided by a pillar of fire, and I call them to follow that pillar as well, what is the most obvious reaction. Whatever the colorful language and awkward stares I get, it all points to the fact that the language I used makes no sense! And I'm sure the reaction in most churches today wouldn't be much different (I hate the phrase 'most churches today,' but I used it anyway). That language of wilderness wandering had more significance and resonance with believers from an earlier generation, but now it is lost (this isn't the time and place to explain why, unfortunately). So now we have CWS that uses (*gasp*) contemporary language and imagery to convey similar truths, and that is a good thing. For good or for ill, at least songwriters are striving to worship God using language that our culture understands and resonates with. Christians seeking to understand the times and address it properly is always praiseworthy, although the results may not always be perfect.

As I always end my posts, there is much more that must be said. But my time is short and my attention span is shorter, so good night.

Not by might, nor by power, nor by books, but by my Spirit

2009-03-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, I must confess. I am a negligent blogger. It's a sad fact, but that's how it is.

Feels good to get that off my chest. Now onto the post!

Trinity's bookstore had a store-wide 40% off sale. Needless to say, the phrase "book sale" is my bat signal. So I swooped into action, and here are my little treasures:

These two are simple overviews of the past few decades of study on the OT and NT respectfully. They both average around 500 pages, each chapter written by a specialist on their own specialty. Topics covered (to name a few): textual criticism (OT and NT), linguistics (Stanley Porter writes this for the NT edition), historical issues, and each genre/body of writings (Pentateuch, Gospels, etc.). Each chapter is basically a "here's what people are saying about (insert subject), so nothing new is going to be said in these books. Unless anyone wants to do further biblical study or is extremely curious, I can't really recommend this series. But for my purposes I find them quite useful, maybe even invaluable.

This little number comes from a theology conference a few years ago. I'm not sure why I bought it. I have really enjoyed other things I have read by Markus Bockmuehl, and the opportunity to read an essay of his along with essays by Kevin Vanhoozer and N.T. Wright (and many others) pulled me in. From what I gather so far, the book is based on the popular movement (not sure if that is the right word) of 'theological interpretation of scripture.' And this book uses that foundation to investigate how the NT influences and prescribes theology. So I'm curious. Pray that I'll remain orthodox :]

This book comes highly recommended by a fellow blogger and patristics/trinity buff. This is a wonderful textbook that gives brief overviews of the life and writings of a great many church fathers. Since my familiarity with the fathers/early church history is painfully little to none, this is great for me to be able to taste a little bit of information about a lot of people. And if I find something that interests me, the book's massive bibliographies on each entry provide more than enough direction for future study. If you are like me and need a gentle intro to early church history, go here first.

Lastly, I had to pick up another book in Carson's New Studies in Biblical Theology series. And what better volume to buy than 'Thanksgiving' by Dr. David Pao (who is also known as 'my academic adviser'). This volume looks at the uses of thanksgiving language throughout the Bible--especially in Paul (as well as extra-biblical/intertestamental literature), and shows the seriousness of thanksgiving (yes, it is serious thanks!). This book is an easy skim-read (unlike other volumes in this series), and Pao's pastoral sensitivity shines through. If you have ever read anything by Paul, read this. I'm not sure Dr. Pao would like me to say that.

2009-02-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

I'd like to get back to that wonderful topic of evangelism. However, I'm going to approach evangelism from a different angle. And the angle might be such that I may not even tangentially touch on evangelism. But it's okay; God is good. Let's get at it.

In a conversation between two professing Christians, one fields the question: "I repented and asked Jesus to save me, so why bother reading your Bible all the time and stuff like that? What else do you need?"

Whoa

After hearing about that conversation (and especially that question), I almost collapsed on the floor, Jenga-style. On the one hand, I felt like I had never heard such blasphemy in my life (I've calmed down since then and have retracted the accusations of blasphemy). Come on! Who doesn't want to read their Bible!? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

Then I stopped. The scales came off, and I realized that that question is simply one of the best questions I have ever heard. One half of me screams "Burn the heretic!" (as previously demonstrated). But the other half marvels at and sympathizes with the question and the question-er. Here's why:

The question itself "Why bother to read the Bible and (insert other Christian practices) when being saved is all that we need?" is so foundational and significant that it deserves its own individual treatment. Then, have that question be asked by a well-churched, well-seasoned, professing Christian and you have a whole new knot in a tangled piece of string. If that question was posed in a vacuum, or even by a non-Christian, then the answer is seemingly simple. But a senior Christian asking that question shows some major holes in their foundational beliefs.

So I've labored the point long enough. And since I've labored over making that point long enough, I'm going to post this little diddy. But, friendly reader, what do you think about this person's question? What does this question reveal? How would you respond? We can't really address the individual in question (pun, unintentional), but we can look at the question and work from there.

Quickie Book Roundup

2009-02-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

Here are some books that have been throwing words at my eyes this semester.

David Clark's To Know and Love God has been one of the most enjoyable reads in recent memory. The book is essentially a book on how to do theology, but it isn't as boring as it sounds. With a theological-philosophical focus, Clark gently takes you through competing ideas about theology, the method, and the difficulties surrounding the study of theology. Clark puts a lot into the 300+ pages. His treatment of doing theology in a globalized context shouldn't be missed. It is focused, broadly-evangelical, gospel and God-centered, understandable, and many other words. Books like these make me like theology again. Please don't miss this one.

It's hard for me to review (if you call what I'm doing a book review) Daniel Migliore's Faith Seeking Understanding. From the get-go, this book is a success. It succeeds at being an up-to-date introduction to the major doctrines of Christian theology. Christology, salvation, God, humanity, it's all there in 439 pages (complete with index, biblical citation list, and a glossary of theological terms!). There's plenty of quotations and interaction with feminists, Roman Catholics, liberationists, and Karl Barth. And them some more Karl Barth. 73 Barth citations is what the index tells me. However, for all this outside (read "non-evangelical") interaction, the book succeeds in being a more liberally-minded text, full of statements and conclusions that one can only agree with in part. Take, for example, this quote from his only paragraph on Hell:

Hell is simply wanting to be oneself apart from God's grace and in isolation from others. Hell is that self-chosen condition in which, in opposition to God's agapic love and the call to a life of mutual friendship and service, individuals barricade themselves from others. It is the hellish weariness and boredom of a life focused entirely on itself. hell is not an arbitrary divine punishment at the end of history. It is not the final retaliation of a vindictive deity. Hell is self-destructive resistance to the eternal love of God. it symbolizes the truth that the meaning and intention of life can be missed.

There is so much I'd like to agree with in this quote, but there's so much that is skewed or unsaid that in the end I have to leave it. This still is a very interesting book, for no other reason than to see what others are saying.

Frank Lambert's Inventing the 'Great Awakening has awakened the sleeping historian within me. This book is written against those who in the past few years have argued that the Great Awakening of the 18th century didn't really happen. They say reports about the awakening were blown out of proportion and used by 19th century revivalists to justify their claims to a revival. So Lambert goes through the historical context of the 18th century colonies and the data to see if the Great Awakening was in fact Great. I'm still in the beginning of this one, and so far I have been blown away by Lambert's clarity and slow treatment of the material. I was intimidated by this book, not being a historian of any stripe, but I am loving it now.

2009-01-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

"Many of the restaurants in Valdosta (Georgia) will take a dollar off the price of your Sunday dinner if you can produce a bulletin as proof that you attended church that morning."

-Randall Balmer Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory

This is the best quote I've read all year.

Making Christians, Making Christians, La La La

2008-12-30T15:45:00.000-08:00

The title of this posted is warmly adapted from the song "Making Christmas" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas." This change has been made without permission from the original creators. I apologize if this gets anyone mad.

After watching the movie "Nightmare Before Christmas" back in October, I was struck with the desire to write a well thought-out and edifying blog post about it with some reflections. However, the study of the Hebrew language laid seige to my schedule and made several demands upon me so that I was unable to put out the post as I originally intended. (Note: And I got engaged over Christmas break, so don't hate) But here at last is the blog post, but I can't guarantee that it will be well thought-out or edifying.

I intend to use the film "The Nightmare Before Christmas" as an original illustration to make an un-original point. To summarize the movie quickly: There is Halloweentown, where monsters, vampires, goblins, and skeletons live and move and have their being. All they know and live for is Halloween. However, Jack the Pumpkin King is tired of Halloween, and he wants something else/new/more. He goes on a strange journey where he ends up in Christmas Town, where he sees and experiences the joys of Christmas. He returns to Halloweentown, intent on bringing Christmas to everyone in Halloweentown.

Then this is where I started to think and smile. To continue summarizing: Jack returns from his 'conversion experience' to Christmas, determined to celebrate Christmas in Halloweentown. He begins his process of 'Christmasization' by explaining to the Halloweentown folk what Christmas looks like (decorations, lights), what is done during Christmas (singing carols, giving presents), and other generic bits of Christmas faith and practice. And the town goes out to orchestrate their first Christmas.

But, as you can remember, Jack's Christmas fails miserably. In fact, their version of Christmas is really just Halloween but wrapped up in boxes with bows. All the presents are monsters that frighten and attack the children; same with the decorations. There are bats, spiders and skeletons in the decorations. This isn't Christmas!

Enough summary, time for my reflections. This movie made me think about the nature and content of contemporary Christian evangelism.* As Christians, we try to explain God and the gospel to others, much like Jack tried to explain Christmas to Halloweentowners. Yet, people have such a limited/skewed/nonexistent understanding of God and the Bible that they take our message and interpret it through their cultured preunderstanding (the $2 phrase of the day). The Halloweentown folk heard Jack's message of Christmas and by it simply reproduced Halloween because Halloween is all that they knew.

What the movie encouraged me to do is to work harder at giving a wider Christian worldview when sharing the gospel. Having come out of the "Grace-Man-God-Christ-Faith" style of evangelism, I want a full view of the Bible to drive my evangelism. That way I hope I would not only be able to share the gospel, but to re-orient the hearer's understanding of biblical truths and concepts.

Okay, I've said too much for one post, but not for just one post. I'll try to start a series of posts of my reflections. Pray for me.

*Confession: Whenever I see the phrase 'contemporary Christian _______' (or other similar forms) on a blog, I cringe. I do that because oftentimes the blog writer will follow that phrase with a series of unqualified and uncalled-for attacks/critiques that do more harm than good. I don't want to be like that. I don't want this post/possible series to be me taking my guns to my home team. Just because I'm in seminary to get a bigger debt doesn't mean I get a bigger mouth.

Notice from the Management

2008-12-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

I promise at least 2 new posts after finals are over and before the next semester begins.

So relax already!

2008-11-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

"Indeed the kingdom of heaven is not servants' wages but sons' inheritance [Eph. 1:18], which only those who have been adopted as sons by the Lord will obtain; and for no other reason than this adoption."

Calvin Institutes, 1536 ed., pg 40

Precautionary Measures When Critiquing or Criticizing; Or, Hunting Lessons

2008-10-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

When hunting down a sacred cow or two, know the gun that you will be using. A shotgun kills the cow faster, but you may unnecessarily/unintentionally wound some other cows. Precise aim is essential for hitting the target you want without bothering the other cows. Some targets require more and bigger ammo and that's fine, but the more bullets you start zipping around may either 1) result in innocent casualities or 2) make you look like a bloodthirsty sadist. Of course, if the cows keep on multiplying and you don't take stock and see which ones may need to be taken out, you'll be left with a field full of cow poop.

Bible War

2008-10-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

So the ESVSB has landed, and what a ruckus it has caused. On one hand it is quite exciting, on another hand it can cause rebellious types like me to roll their eyes a little bit. Do we need an extra 700 pages of Bible? Do we need glossy reconstructions of the Jerusalem temple? So, with stone-faced determination I went and employed my "less is more" ethic. I went and bought a Bible.

That's what I'm talking about.

I am a voice crying out in the suburbs

2008-09-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

Since I can no longer stand being "that blog" that just takes up space on your blogroll, I will post!

I am still here at Trinity. Alive: yes; sane: barely. [Takes a break to wipe the dust off my desk]. I don't know how to properly express my happiness with being here without sounding like I'm recruiting or fundraising for Trinity, so I'll try to be more reflective.

First of all, I love being here. Okay, now that I got that out of the way:

It's impossible not to compare this place with Biola. They both have Bible departments, outstanding faculty, chapel services, financial aid offices (oy vay!), and on-campus housing. Oh, and students. So the similarities go on and on. So is Trinity just a colder version of Biola?

After thinking about the differences between Biola and Trinity, undergraduate and graduate schooling, one big difference came to mind. Now, understand first of all that this distinction I will make is a highly subjective, gross generalization and may be very false. Okay? Here goes: After thinking over undergraduate education, I started to see it as a one-way transaction. It goes like this: teacher-->knowledge-->student. The student is a bucket, and he/she is to catch as much knowledge as they can (or as much as they want). Full stop. End of transaction. Now hear me on this: I don't think schools set out to deal with this one-way transaction of knowledge to students. This education model I just gave is grotesque, and I doubt any reasonable educator would affirm that college academics seek to fulfill this plan. So why did I give this model in the first place? Because I think the students are the ones who see undergraduate education this way, and that makes all the difference. Students see college as: "I go to college, I learn, and I leave." End of transaction. Again, I am not saying that every college student ever was like this, but it sometimes seemed to be the general air being carried around the undergraduate world.

And so, turning attention to Trinity, I see something different in the way education is portrayed here. Now, just like Noah's ark, generalizations best come in pairs, so generalize I will. Because of Trinity being a seminary (*ah hem*, a 'divinity school'), a training ground for future ministers, there is an ethos of service and urgency. The students here (beware: generalization approaching) have a sense of calling and purpose to be here, so any talk of getting smart just to get smart is near blasphemy. And, let's be honest, who'd want to pay this much just to get smart?

I could go on, but I really need to study Hebrew. Maybe I'll post again in another month. Thanks for reading.

2008-08-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

I've been rather silent on this blog since I've arrived here at Trinity, so I plead forgiveness for my aloofness. Unfortunately, this post will do little to inform you regarding my thoughts and experiences thus far. I've been busy with Orientation as well as getting oriented in this place. All I can promise is Soon; Soon I will make a post full of fun bits of my past week. For now, all I have to say is that this Wednesday at 7:30 I will sit in my first seminary class, Biblical Theology and Interpretation, under the esteemed D.A. Carson. And, dear reader, I can hardly wait.

I spy with my little eye something that looks like...

2008-08-19T15:29:00.000-07:00

Chicago!

I'm here! It's weird! It feels and looks like L.A., except there are toll roads. More news to follow.

Bible colleges are in big trouble

2008-08-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

How's this for an OT/NT survey class?

The Wheels on Mario's Kart Go...

2008-08-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Red shells--check. Bananas--word up. Tropical islands, castles, haunted mansions, and battle modes--fo' sho'. All the joys of Mario Kart for Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and Gamecube have been faithfully transported over to the Wii. This time, however, you get to use a steering wheel.

The game (I think) comes with two plastic steering wheel cases that you connect the Wii controller to, which helps to bring this animated and imaginary racing experience to life (or..closer to life). I found that sometimes the steering could be overly sensitive or sluggish, but you'll be too engrossed in trying to blast Wario's face off with three red shells to care.

The big change that came with the Gamecube version of Mario Kart and that carries over to this edition is the amount of intensity in the racing experience. There is almost never a time when you aren't shooting someone/being shot at, making quick turns to avoid a pit or getting a chance box, or laughing (probably all three simultaneously). The game is gracious to you when you fall behind in a race (giving you the best weapons/boosts to help you catch up), and the race leader is never safe (the spiny shell is back, a favorite of those in 11th and 12th place).

The tracks themselves are always a pleasure to look at and race on. There are never too many challenging turns or pitfalls in a track--that would make it too much like a racing game and there would be no need for weapons. Yet, there are always enough track surprises (jumps, changing environments from lap to lap, Goombas in the middle of the road) that force you to race smart or face coming in last. A few tracks are brought back from the Nintendo 64 days, so those who are a little behind the times (me) can still fight on familiar ground.

I don't own a Wii. I only played this game for about 30 minutes. But I liked it, and I recommend it.

Hebrews 11:24-27

2008-07-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Right now this is the most fascinating section in the Bible to me. What does it all mean?

I Love Books...

2008-07-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

...because I am a sinner.

I love them because they impress people when they see how many I have.
I love them because they give me information I can use to impress others.
I love them because when I read them I can assert my knowledge and opinions above the author and even rebuke him for his weaknesses.
I love them because I can take the information I want and ignore the wisdom and insight that confronts my sins and shortcomings.
I love books because they can take me away from God.

*Note: This post was not written to attack or convict others who like books. This post is pure autobiographical reflection, intended to display the sins of my heart in one specific area (books). I am also not saying that books are inherently evil; it would be pure, undiluted foolishness to say that--and I don't believe that anyway.

Church and 'Authenticity'

2008-07-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

Not to be rude, but the Apostle Peter* and I are pretty similar: It takes both of us the longest time to finally 'get it.'

*For those of you who either don't know or who have forgotten who the Apostle Peter is, this quote is his crowning achievement: Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)

End tangent

What I have taken so long to understand is how people in the church ought to get along and care for one another.

A friend was sharing with me her observations concerning how open and 'authentic' people are at one church versus people at another church. Church A has people who give no second thought to sharing their struggles, failings, or prayer needs in a given conversation. Church B seems to be a dry campus where everything and everyone is Fine. How was your week? 'Fine.' How is your family? 'Fine.' How is your uncle--the one with liver cancer? 'Fine.'

Not only does this 'Fine'-ing make for painful conversation, it fosters a social and spiritual stagnation that has no place among God's people. Sure, open insurrection and strife in a church body is bad, but what about a bunch of mutes milling around, trying to keep the cards in their hand from showing. Who knows if anyone has a quasi-spiritual thought buzzing around in their head after 45 minutes of singing and reading the Word and having it explained to them? What if someone is strongly considering leaving the faith? Is anyone sick? Any marriages on the rocks? No one knows.

Grace. It is God's God-given remedy. It is God's great equalizer. It fuels the life of 'authentic' Christianity; it makes us view ourselves and others as we really are: fallen and redeemed creatures who bear God's image.

Grace breaks down our own pride. We can see the needs of others above our own.
Grace allows us to forgive. When we hear of sins people have committed (wheter against us or not), we will not demand just recompense. We also can share or sins or difficulties with others and hope they too can forgive us and show grace to us in our own time of need (which is all the time).
Grace forces us to seek God. It originated with God, and it continues with him forever.

Nice Product Placement

2008-06-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

I have figured that if I can't teach professionally, then I'd like to give advice professionally. And if I can't give advice, then I'd like to recommend things. In order to practice, I'm going to recommend something that I have enjoyed that I think others would enjoy as well. Today I recommend the IVP Reference Collection. This is a collection of the fantastic dictionaries and commentaries that IVP has put out over the years (Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, New Dictionary of Biblical Theology [my favorite] etc.), all available on a single CD-ROM. While I have only had this collection for a few days now, I have already lost a few hours of sleep by scanning the contents of these wonderful reference works. A personal bonus for me was that I could read Dr. Jonathan Lunde's article on Heaven and Hell in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels! Okay, I'm going to stop blabbing so that you can go out and order your own copy today. 17 amazing reference works for $120!!

My Deep Thought for the Day

2008-06-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

Jesus is the only one who can truly tell us to "rise and shine."

Sum_thin' Bibluh-kal

2008-06-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20 and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20

I find this portion of Deuteronomy to be worth reflecting on because it is a strong reminder of the purpose of Bible study. While I am not in a position to speak about the devotional life of contemporary Christianity (nor do I want to), I will be bold to say that this pericope could prove to be a fitting corrective for many who take the devotional life seriously (even I could learn something from it).

Once brought into office, the king was to write out the law. Whether this means Deuteronomy or the whole Pentateuch, I don't know, but the point remains: the law of God defines your kingly office; The word of God is above you and has authority over you. And not only will the king note the law, but he will know the law as well (wow, this sounds like a sermon outline). Day after day, the king will burn this law into his retinas. And for what?? Simply put: revere God, be obedient, and be humble. What blows the mind is that these three effects can not be separated from one another. How can a person grow in reverance to God and not be obedient or show humility to others? James condemns that idea. Or can one accurately be humble toward others while actively slandering God by their actions? This type of Bible study was to result in obedience to the two greatest commandments: love for God and for others. The king of Israel was to act out the law perfectly by having God's transforming word continually in his view, so that he could echo the praises of God in Psalm 119--

12 Praise be to you, O LORD;teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

If I may, I would like to single out one aspect of my own experience that fits in well with this topic. I was engaged in an intense study of Numbers for a class on the Old Testament. Throughout the book of Numbers, Israel bats 1.000 when it comes to blowing it with God: rebellion, complaining, apostasy, idolatry, etc. And time after time God brings in the big stick of wrath and punishes the evildoers. Now, having grown up in the church, stories of God's wrath weren't unusual to me. Yet, reading over these stories for myself made me pause. These stories are depressing! After some time and time, I came to two conclusions about these stories: 1) God was having some major mood swings, so He frequently overreacted. So He may have judged a lot, but He apologized soon afterwards; or 2) Sin is terribly evil and offensive to God, and Israel were getting what they deserved. As much as I didn't like it, option #2 rang true. However, it wasn't until a few weeks later that the truth of God's hatred for sin came home to me. I saw myself deserving only fire from heaven and for the earth to open and swallow me. I finally saw that I was no better than the wicked, faithless people of Israel. And there I was, laying in bed, being given breath after breath, and not being utterly destroyed by God's righteous wrath. If God's boot would have come down on me at that moment, or any other moment in my Godless existence, God would have been right to do so. It is in those moments of surrender, of a damned felon who begs with a dead heart for life, that the cross creates a new being, a new goal, a new conception of the world. God is supreme, and everything of Him is worth giving one's life for. Loving one's neighbor is effortless because the greatest effort was given on my behalf. Obedience is a joy because perfect obedience was carried out with joy--even to death.

With Knowledge Comes...

2008-06-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

Before I start to complain, I need to say something first. I love(d) being a Bible major. I never really had any interest in anything before I became one. Except pogs and USC football, but their glory faded quickly. I didn't really think that God was that great until I became one, despite being a Christian since I was five years old. I didn't really think about big or important things until I was a Bible major. God used Biola to wake me up, and for that I am grateful.

Okay, on to the point of the post.

75 units of Bible have messed me up. That's a big statement, and the rest of this post will qualify it and make it more palatable.

Church is a struggle for me. I love it. I love the people. I love the word. I love God. Woot church. However, everything I hear at church, every sermon and worship song, has to pass through this dense jungle called KNOWLEDGE. This jungle grows and feeds off of the 75 units of Bible classes, the 8,000+ pages of reading, and an incalculable amount of blog posts and Bible-themed discussions that have accumulated in my head over these three years. This 'jungle' makes it difficult for biblical truths or words of praise to penetrate my inner being because the truth must fight for its life and prove its worth to me. All my other collected thoughts surround the incoming truth and pummel it until it displays some true grit and is then admitted into my Spiritual Truth Receptacle Zone (STRZ). Allow me to illustrate an instance or two of what happens every ten seconds on a Sunday morning:

The worship band is playing a nice mid-tempo rocker that was probably written around 1990-1991. Sounds innocent enough. A line in the song describes Jesus as the "Lamb of God." That line catches my eye. "Uh oh," I mutter, "here we go again." [What follows is what goes on in my head]

"Ok, 'Lamb of God.' That comes from John 1 and Revelation 5. Typical of John's style, he isn't literally saying Jesus is a lamb, but Jesus' significance is tied up in how the lamb functioned in Jewish society, especially in the religioius sphere. It probably relates to the sacrifical lamb...what's that fancy name for it. Oh, the paschal lamb. It relates to Jesus being the sacrifice for sins. Cool. [Goes back to singing the worship song] But wait, what is the background for John the Baptist calling Jesus "the lamb that takes away the sin of the world" ? Did he know Jesus was going to die on the cross? I don't think so. I know Carson lists 9 different options as the background to this title. What were they? Maybe he's a conquering lamb that will judge the wicked. That fits with John's expectation of the Messiah as seen in the Synoptics. Or...what if the Gospel of John isn't historical? What if John made this story up just to make Jesus look cooler than he is? Everyone thinks John was written late, so maybe I'm being naive in thinking John is accurate. Dang it. [Goes back to singing, although with a tinge of hesitation] Okay, wait, chill out dude. What would Carson say? How would I know??!! Maybe if I read that book on John by Richard Bauckham, then I'd know. But I must know. Well, everyone knows John couldn't have been written in the 2nd century because of that one papyrus, and no one thinks it was influenced by Gnosticism. So Bultmann and Baur are dismissed. Okay, but what if John was written in stages, and different layers were added to make Jesus more miraculous? Does that mean the Jesus Seminar was right? Am I only singing to the Christ of Faith, not the Christ of History? Then God can't exist, but he has to! The Kalam Cosmological Argument proved it! But that also depends on one's idea of causality, and in an open metaphysic I have to take more things into account. I knew I should've studied philosophy. Oh, the song is over. Time to sit down. [Takes seat, wipes brow, and prays] End.

In this example 'the jungle' was the winner. It is a miracle that I ever learn anything at church, much less pay attention to what is going on during the service. I don't have any deep reflections or conclusions on this strange phenomenon, but it is something to think over and examine more.

Thoughts on the Love of God

2008-06-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

1 John 4:8 is the religious trump card. Regardless of one's degree of religiosity, appealing to this verse elevates the card player's speaking to ex cathedra-l status, thereby promptly ending the discussion and leaving the loser physically and theologically tongue-tied.

After a few months of iterative thought regarding this verse, I felt like I should try to clarify my thinking on this topic and maybe provide some responses to illegitimate use of this verse which has led to a falsely-constructed theological system (which I shall refer to as hyperagapism for now on). This is by no means comprehensive, and sometimes it will be for my own sheer ejoyment. But I hope most of all that my comments will be edifying and that a fuller view of God and His character may be attained.

First of all, I must point away from myself before I get ahead of myself. I am in debt to A.W. Tozer's The Knowledge of the Holy and D.A. Carson's The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God for first bringing these issues to light for me. Read them and become just like me (the latter comment is false).

Looks like we're out of time. Stay tuned for more.

Fourteen More Units

2008-06-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

Introduction to the Old Testament--4 units
Elementary Hebrew I (is it really 'elementary'?)--3 units
Formation Group--0 units
Apologetics--2 units
Introduction to Counseling Ministries--2 units
Foundations of Christian Missions--2 units
Personal Assessment and Ministry--1 unit

So this is what my first semester at Trinity looks like.

It is almost embarassing to try to express to people how excited I am about doing more school. Especially when I realize that my mountain of joy and excitement is soon to be rivaled by my chasm of monetary debt.

I have this annoying character trait that needs correction. I have a God-trust issue. What I mean by that is I don't feel comfortable speaking about things/events that I want to happen. Example: I still speak of going to grad school as a possibility. When asked about me going there and if I'm excited, I usually answer with a hesitant "well, I am really excited if I get to go." And I don't know if I'm okay with that. Is that just false humility? A lack of trust?

Update--I added another class, so now I have 14 units. Sick!

Looks like I'm going to have to jump...

2008-06-03T12:34:00.001-07:00

Every first blog post needs an awkward "well-here-I-am-looks-like-I-need-to-see-what-this-blog-thing-is-all-about" introduction. So here's mine.

I do not yet have a real aim/purpose for this blog thing. Maybe some collected thoughts here and there, maybe some pictures (if you're lucky), maybe some rants on music/God/Bible/culture/movie stars. Who knows. I can't guarantee anything will be pertinent, interesting, funny, or even spelled correctly. But by God's grace and a little determination I'll see what'll happen.