My sister is a hilarious person who destroys teams by cheering for them. I’m just a loser who understands how to lose, why it happens, and how to enjoy it. Feel free to check it out.

And, no, I am not interested in any theological musings about how pastors shouldn’t participate in or enjoy sports. Romans 14. Peace.

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Frank asked for a final exam to test whether you’ve graduated from my school. It’s a one question final, answered with one word. Here it is:

When it comes to verifying what the Bible says, don’t forget the _________. (The answer is not the Holy Spirit, as I assume that answer)

I am going to take a break.

It’s been eight years of think out loud theology, weighing peer review, and the daily discipline of writing, some writing more theological than others.

I’ve enjoyed the time, but I might be done with this venue. My viewership is higher now than ever, which means this is the stupidest time to do this. But being stupid has never prevented my actions in the past, why start now.

The blog format is enjoyable but also limited. I am considering other ventures and will keep you posted if any evolve. Don’t hold your breath.

Thank you.

Test the spirits. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

1) Interpret it as literally as possible
2) Spiritualize the text
3) Read it as fulfilled history, written by guys who feared the Roman government so cloak their meaning in allegory

I go with number one here. When we look through Bible prophecy concerning Christ’s first coming they are fulfilled literally. He was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. He rode in on a donkey. He was wounded, hands and feet pierced, buried with transgressors, etc.

This is a sufficient enough key for me to read other prophecies as literally as possible as well.

Scholarly types like to bash this form of interpretation. It’s too simplistic, you have to be a dolt to believe that. Fine with me (see 1 Corinthians 1-3).

Recently I heard one of these scholarly types bashing the literal interpretation of Revelation 1:7, which says in part, “⁷Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him.” The “scholar” proceeded to say something along these lines with the accompanying guffaws:

“Some morons actually think Jesus is going to drop out of the sky! He’s going to hover down on a cloud elevator.” Oh, hahahaha, that’s so funny! Stop it man, you’re killing me!

My words will not change his mind, nor your mind if you agree with his take, but allow me to quote some Scripture to aid the understanding. If you have a problem with Scripture, you can take that up with God. I didn’t write the Book, I just read it.

Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

“We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ,
the Son of the living God.”

“My LORD and my God.”

These are two of the greatest declarations of who Jesus Christ is.  These declarations were given by Peter and Thomas.

What do Peter and Thomas have in common?

Both of them have tainted testimonies of doubt. Bashing on doubters is great fun for those who are secure in their security. Weakness loves it when strong people trip.

Their ability to state who Christ is so powerfully and succinctly may just be due to their doubts. People who doubt say some dumb things, ask some stupid questions, and struggle where most others push through without pause.

But doubters often get their questions answered and once the doubt is removed, a strong, enduring faith takes its place. Granted weakness may come back, as Peter demonstrates, but Peter learns through it all.

Doubt should not be something the Church is afraid of. Doubt should be taken as opportunity to point people to God’s Word, the strong bearing the infirmities of the weak. At some point you might be the weak or the strong.

Doubters often have different experiences in life than you do, so their doubt lies in different areas. Those who cast off doubt immediately often end up in lethargic, ignorance, too afraid to know where to go.

John the Baptist doubts in Luke 7, but he has the faith to go to Christ with his doubt and Christ graciously relieves the doubts. Let us be likeminded. Have the faith to doubt, but take care of the doubt, don’t wallow in it. Ask a question. Seek the Lord. Be gracious to others who have doubts, too.

Shall we sin that grace may abound? No. Turning grace into lasciviousness is equal with denying the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.

If you like sin, being taught to not sin doesn’t seem like much of a favor!

It is not until one grows in understanding of the offense of sin that one can truly see grace abounding.

Once grace is grasped, sin loses its lustre. Sin’s slow death in our actions creates rejoicing in God’s grace.

Those who speak of sin lightly because of grace merely show their ignorance, lack of faith, and trample under foot the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have no desire to stop sinning, then you have no desire for God’s grace.

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“They say, lions are insomnes, they have little or no sleep; it is true of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he never slumbers nor sleeps, but watches over his church to defend it.”

I certainly agree about the assertions of Christ, but lions never sleep? Pastors are notorious for using false sermon illustrations, even pastors from the 17th century.

I’m willing to give him a pass on this one, the information available about lions in the 17th century is not what we have available today. A quick internet search tells us lions sleep up to 20 hours a day, which is about as far from insomne as you can get.

I will also give him a pass because he begins his statement with “they say.” Passes the buck to “they,” which is also a good pastor move.

Anyway, be careful out there. I’ve also discovered this guy’s verse references don’t always say what he says they say. When in doubt: check!

One of the best examples is young Joseph being chosen to save his older brothers resulting in their worship of him. Amazing turn of events that makes no human sense. David, the youngest, was chosen over his older brothers to be king. Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau wrap up the Top Four examples.

I always thought it was just God messing with people, showing that His wisdom is the opposite of man’s wisdom. Keeping people on their toes so they don’t take things for granted.

But I recently came across an idea I think has some weight to it, see if you agree.

We are all born in the flesh and then we are called to be born again, or to be spiritually reborn. Our spirit is thus the younger and the flesh will always be the older. But by the grace of God that teaches us to deny ungodliness and by the Spirit that puts to death the deeds of the flesh, the older flesh will be in submission to the younger spirit!

I like that. I’m sure this is not original with me, I sort of kind of saw it in the writings of Thomas Watson, but he did not elaborate, sort of just mentioned it in passing. That’s a cool deal though!

1) He doesn’t say there is no hell. “Hell is a refusal to trust God’s retelling of our story.” Here is what he means (I think): heaven and hell are both present in God’s party. We either choose to join in the party and have fun, or else be mad about the party and be miserable (based on the prodigal son parable).

2) He doesn’t say no one goes to hell. “Will everybody be saved, or will some perish apart from God forever because of their choices? Those are questions, or more accurately, those are tensions we are free to leave fully intact. We don’t need to resolve them or answer them because we can’t.”

3) As far as I can tell he believes God will continue to show His goodness to people indefinitely and more than likely everyone will respond to it and receive it, even if the offer is after death.

4) Bell does a good job ignoring about 9/10 of the Bible in inventing his theories.

5) His main motive seems to be to have a good story, to have a respectable gospel that doesn’t make God look angry or like a consuming fire. He is hyper-concerned with impressions and what people think of Christians and our gospel, which is fine, but his answer falls flat.

6) Seeing that some go to heaven while others burn for eternity does “not make a good story.” Whereas eventually seeing everyone saved because God is so loving is “a better story,” according to Bell. Hollywood would disagree. Most movies contain the good guy wiping out the bad guys.

7) The odd, disjointed, confused Gospel that exists today is the main reason he wrote this book. His introductory chapter is all about the various contadictory and unbiblical gospel appeals that are made. I agree with his objections, but not his answer.

In the end, I don’t like this book. He ignores any scripture that would even remotely conflict with his point. His doctrines are humanistic in nature rather than Bible driven. I think he misses the boat on many an issue and spending less time trying to impress people would do him well, as it would all of us.

1) Do, do, do! If you aren’t doing, doing, doing you aren’t a good Christian
2) Relax man, nothing really matters, it’s all grace, chill out and just be, man.
3) An awkward middle ground where you’re not sure if you’re supposed to do stuff or not, or if Jesus i,s or what do I do to let Jesus do things if I can’t do things because Jesus is mad when I do, but if I don’t do when He’s doing then I mess it up, but if I don’t do anything then is it Jesus not doing anything and on and on.

There is a fourth way.

4) Humbly acknowledge that Christ knows more than you so consent unto the Words of Christ and faithfully and humbly obey.

If you’re a believer this will be your joy, peace and liberty. If you’re an unbeliever and you try to do what Jesus says you’ll just get frustrated, give up because frankly, righteousness aint worth it.

Grace does not mean an absence of works. Grace teaches us to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. Because of grace Paul says he labored more abundantly than anyone.

In the end, Paul acknowledges it was grace working in him, but he also claimed that he was indeed the one doing the stuff and that all will give an account for what they do in the body.

Obeying Christ, to the born again believer, is no chore and is certainly not legalism. To the unbeliever it is a chore and legalism. The difference is whether Christ is in you, whether you’re a spiritual creation.

This is inadequate but it’s an effort on my part to explain the reality of Christian living. It’s a great thing. There is no greater feeling than knowing you’ve served your Lord. Being resistant to serving Him, to find a theological loophole for lethargic, sinful living, is a danger sign.