The beauty of the Gospel

Be blessed.

This is a quote from Aaron Burr, who was a student at Yale university in 1740's.

"I had spent my life in a dream...but then I was brought to the footstool of sovereign grace...before this I was strongly attached to the Arminian scheme"

Ian Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography

Just Some Food for Thought

When I read this I could not help but to think in terms of much of our modern ecclesiastical "situations". Read this text and see if you too hear much of it being played out in the here and now or atleast it should be said in the here and now. Fortunately, some of us see this and are trying to curb some of the older edges and actually engage the issues of today effectively. That is not to suggest that history is irrelavent, rather I am just suggesting that there is a present and that present and it needs to be relavently engaged.

The Briggs Commission document from 1978.

"All to easily, the living experience of one generation can become hollow and second-hand form for the next. Warning that there is a danger in our denominational life (English Baptist) of holding to out-dated structures and practices. We have to accept that some of our churches are open to the criticism that they have become closed in outlook, backward-looking, concerned to maintain a legacy from the past in terms of church plant and former glories, uncertain how to throw off the shackles of yesterday in giving themselves in totality to the mission of today".

McBeth, Baptist Heritage, 508.

The Perfect Israel

I am beginning to see a pattern in each of the prolegomena's (introductions) of the Gospel records. Perhaps, I am really just behind the curve in my Biblical-theological analysis, and if so point in the way to more rich "nuggets" from reading the Bible 'biblical-theologically' or perhaps I should say "redemptive historically".
The pattern that I am beginning to see is just how significant the prolegomena's are to understanding the Author's purpose behind his entire record. I am still wrestling with the idea of Jesus being the "true Israel" and what that really means for the rest of my scriptural understanding (Kingdom, eschatological motifs etc.). John's Gospel seems to overwhelm me at this time with the notion of Jesus being the "true and complete Israel". This wrestling is only within the first few chapters of John's Gospel too! (Note: Matthew's agenda seems to be like minded with John only in a different manner)

Take a look at how I see the prolegomena and tell me if I am justified in this thought process (atleast perhaps somewhat?) or not.

(1:14-18) The particulars within the paragraph, in light of the whole context of the prolegomena, are (1) John's return to the use of "Word" as the desriptive of Jesus from 1:1 demonstrating redemptive historical continuity with the previous "word" from God to Israel, namely the Mosaic law; (2) the emphasis on God dwelling with the disciples in the flesh, which enabled them to actually see the glory of God unlike Moses who at Sinai was not allowed to see God (Ex. 33:20 cf. Jn1:18) and (3) the superiority of the grace of God made known in Jesus Christ as juxtaposed to the grace of God disclosed through the 'incomplete' mosaic legislation (Deut. 18:18-19 cf. Deut. 30:5-10).
The heart of the pericope seems to be that John wants his readers to know that Jesus exceeds and transcends all redemptive historical expectations of the Messiah. Jesus is not just an Israelite who can figuratively be adopted by God and called a Son, rather he is the true Israelite, the Son of God from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14).

Jesus the True Israel and implications thereof?

Grace is indeed Irresistible

I hope you enjoy the beauty of SOVEREIGN GRACE and if you do not perhaps after this historic testimony you will.

"In January 1688, Elias Keach formed the Pennepek church with twelve members; this was the first surviving Baptist church in the Middle Colonies. It is still active in Lower Dublin, a suburb of Philadelphia. Keach was a son of the London Baptist pastor, Benjamin Keach. Young Keach arrived in America in 1687, not yet a professing Christian. He was described [us Calvinists' will love this!!] as an exceedingly wild spark and a 'stranger to divine grace'. For whatever motive, he dressed like a clergyman, waring a 'band', and was invited to preach at a Baptist gathering near Philadelphia. He had heard his father often enough that giving a sermon was no great problem. However, [and the Calvinists' sing, "And oh the glories of the cross..."] in the midst of his sermon Keach was seized by the enormity of his sin. He stopped speaking and began to tremble [irresistible Grace baby! Jn. 10:14-16; 17:12; 6:39]. Keach's hearers thought some illness has come upon him. He confessed [Jn. 17:6-10] his deception and begged their forgiveness. He also was soundly converted [Acts 16:14]-under his own preaching! He later received baptism from Elder Dungan as Cold Spring".

Blessed be Your name O God!

[Text: H. Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage, (Broadman Heritage: Nashville), 145.

[Painting: The Conversion of Saint Paul by Parmingianino (1503-1540)]