Doug Wilson, on the Westminister Confession's statement that our interest (i.e. stake) in Christ, along with the benefits thereby implied, is confirmed in the sacraments:
Some might say that if you have the faith, then that is sufficient–you can go off by yourself, you and your faith, and do all your confirming of interest away from God's people. The bread and wine are entirely optional if faith is sufficient, right? But if God said to meet Him here in the bread and wine, how is it faith to try to meet Him somewhere else? Detaching faith from the instruments God has appointed is neither right nor safe.
Of course we know from Scripture that evangelical faith is the catalyst. When Namaan was told to wash in the Jordan, it would not have been appropriate for him to conclude that another river, or no river at all, would do just as well–even if he recognized that the Jordan was nothing in itself. In the same way, we insist on the potency of faith alone, which means that the faith must do something other than what unbelief would do.
Come, the bread and wine are here. Confirm your interest in Christ by partaking now, together with your brothers and sisters.
Yes, the efficacy of the ritual is wholly tied to the presence and application of faith. Without faith, the ritual becomes something else entirely different than the covenant confirming, spiritually edifying interaction that the Believer experiences. Even still, that is not to say that the ritual should be done away with or its importance lessened. Remember, Moses was saved by faith, AND by an ark.
Read the rest of Wilson's piece here.
1. What exactly are they trying to communicate here?
2. Can you imagine a helpless, frustrated Jesus standing on the sidelines like this?
3. Why is "Christian drama" usually this bad, or worse?
4. Why does Jesus look like Justin Timberlake in a purple and white bathrobe?
HT: Fide-O
Be sure to call your senator or representative to urge them to resist costly and nonsensical climate change legislation based on biased science and a former vice-president's lust for the limelight. I guarantee that the enviro-gestapo will be calling today. Hopefully their voice won't be the only one that's heard.
The Hagel Hound puts a new spin on the term "War on Poverty."
From the article:
California’s gasoline prices are 10-15% higher than the rest of the country. Why? It costs more to produce the highly regulated gasoline in California, and there is less flexibility to obtaining supply. In Nebraska today, the ordinary person fills up their tank for $3.45 a gallon. Next time you do that consider that a poor mom trying to get across Los Angeles every day to clean a motel to put food on her table, is paying $4.25 a gallon for her gas that day. And on her way home, by the way, she will pay about 20% more for each bite of food she buys for those kids, because the truckers that haul the food to market pay that 20% premium on fuel costs as well.
Plain and simple: press the environmentalist agenda, and poor kids eat less.
…
In the end, the environmentalist movement implies a class war. Environmentalism at once resists job development and simultaneously encourages increase in the prices of basic human needs: food, heat, transportation. And the poorest among us are hit the hardest. Environmentalists claim to protect the most vulnerable species in nature. When are they going to account for their own attacks on the most vulnerable among us?
Go read the rest of the article, and then come back and tell me where he's wrong. (And please give me something better than "it's the evil corporations, especially Big Oil, that are keeping the poor down.")
John over at Reformation Theology had some interesting thoughts on the "reformation" going on up at Willow Creek.
From an Out of Ur article:
Hawkins (Executive Pastor of Willow Creek) says, "We used to think you can’t upset a seeker. But while focusing on that we’ve really upset the Christ-centered people." He spoke about the high levels of dissatisfaction mature believer have with churches. Drawing from the 200 churches and the 57,000 people that have taken the survey, he said that most people are leaving the church because they’re not being challenged enough.
Because it’s the mature Christians who drive evangelism in the church Hawkins says, "Our strategy to reach seekers is now about focusing on the mature believers. This is a huge shift for Willow."
Before you start doing cartwheels about the death of the Seeker Sensitive movement, read John's thoughts:
Our first response to this might be "great!" but upon closer inspection it is evident that no real changes have been made whatsoever - which shows they have learned nothing. Why? Because this decision was derived from a poll and not the word of God. It is obvious that the consumer is still sovereign in Willow churches. And as long as they are sovereign whatever new doctrinal teaching that they plan to implement is already deeply flawed at the outset. Until the Word of God drives the content of church, including the reason and pattern of doing church, then you have dethroned God and set man in his place. This philosophy of worship assumes the Pelagian view of man that believes Christianity is just a product like any other product and that sold in the markets. Biblical preaching, in this model, is not what God uses to raise up the dead, but rather, Christianity is decided by a democratic vote. This is disastrous to the faith and, if evangelicalism has any hope of surviving, must be confronted lovingly but firmly so that we recapture the truth of the gospel. (emphasis mine)
Effectively, what Willow Creek is doing is what any savvy corporation would do. Identify your target market, and adjust your product to meet their needs. If what you're selling isn't marketable anymore, set up a focus group and find out what you should be selling. If they change their minds later, you change your business model so you can keep up. Brilliant.
If they really do end up engaging their people in more Bible study and place a higher emphasis on doctrine, I'll be curious to see what happens next. When people start consuming the meat of Scripture they soon grow tired of watered down pop-culture substitutes.
From what I'm told, this is an actual letter from an Iowa resident to Senator Harkin. Hopefully he sent a copy to Juan McCain as well.
The Honorable Tom Harkin
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Phone (202) 224 3254
Washington DC , 20510
Dear Senator Harkin,
As a native Iowan and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.
My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill 's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out.
Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.
Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000 a year.
Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications, as well as 'in-state' tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.
Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those burdensome car insurance premiums. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative.
Thank you for your assistance.
Your Loyal Constituent,
Donald Ruppert
Burlington , IA
Get your Forms (NOW)!! Call your Internal Revenue Service 1-800-289-1040.
Please pass this onto your friends so they can save on this great offer!!!!
This video may change your life. Make sure you watch it to the very end.
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