As a Christian, I try to treat the Scriptures as the utmost authority with the utmost respect. One of the ways I show this is that I don't mark, write, underline or highlight in the Bible. I like to keep the Bible pristine. Another reason is that I don't want a mark or comment for last year affect how I read or interact with the text this year. I want to approach the text with a clean slate.
Well, one of my closest friends told me that my quirks towards the Bible were idolatry! Pretty strong words to say the least. He encouraged me that I would get more out of my quiet time if I marked in it. I should write down comments that arose as I wrestled with the text and underline words or phrases that spoke to me.
To be honest, I was willing to try it, but not with my main Bible. I thought about buying a low-cost Bible, but I remembered that this same guy gave me a Bible last semester that I had not opened yet.
Guess what I did? I opened it up this morning and started to mark it up. I felt weird at first, but I noticed that I was interacting with the text more and thus, getting more out of my time in the Word. Not too bad for an idolater. I encourage you, if you are not in the Word, to get in it... every day. If you are, then to not just read it, but to interact with it...even if it means marking it up.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Spiritually Dead
In Ephesians 2:1, (in the NIV) it starts with: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins..." The word "dead" could not only mean "dead" as it is most commonly used, but also useless. The Greek word used in this verse for dead is "vekpos" which literally means "dead" when used as an adjective or a "dead body, corpse" when used as a noun (side note: it is one of the vocabulary words I need to know for tonight's Greek quiz).
Knowing that people without a saving and transforming work of Christ in their lives are spiritually dead...
1) What does that have to do with the use of apologetics evangelistically?
A few years ago, I would have said that it is very useful because it brings the heavenly truths in a form that is logical, so that people may understand more fully. Now, I would say that apologetics are only as useful as trying to convince a spiritually dead man about the things of God. The Lord can use apologetics to bring to light these heavenly truths, but the evangelist is misguided if he thinks that sharing "air-tight arguments" are going to bring extra power to the power of the Gospel.
2) What does that have to do with salvation?
Salvation does not happen because you convince a spiritually dead man of anything. The person is DEAD (spiritually). He or she IS a walking dead person. A person is saved not because of clever speech or rhetoric, but through the power of God that can bring a person from darkness into light. In other words, people are so dead spiritually, that when a person is "born again" that person has been risen from the dead! It is a powerful act of God, in the eyes of humans, that such a thing happens. What a kind God, we serve, that he would save a wretch like me.
3) What does this have to do with God
Everything. Only He can do this type of work. As His vessels, we must completely rely and depend on Him for anything that is going to happen, especially when it comes to changing a person's heart, soul and mind. This should leave the believer to prayer on behalf of people that are dead in their sins and without Christ that will make them ALIVE (Ephesians 2:5-6).
Knowing that people without a saving and transforming work of Christ in their lives are spiritually dead...
1) What does that have to do with the use of apologetics evangelistically?
A few years ago, I would have said that it is very useful because it brings the heavenly truths in a form that is logical, so that people may understand more fully. Now, I would say that apologetics are only as useful as trying to convince a spiritually dead man about the things of God. The Lord can use apologetics to bring to light these heavenly truths, but the evangelist is misguided if he thinks that sharing "air-tight arguments" are going to bring extra power to the power of the Gospel.
2) What does that have to do with salvation?
Salvation does not happen because you convince a spiritually dead man of anything. The person is DEAD (spiritually). He or she IS a walking dead person. A person is saved not because of clever speech or rhetoric, but through the power of God that can bring a person from darkness into light. In other words, people are so dead spiritually, that when a person is "born again" that person has been risen from the dead! It is a powerful act of God, in the eyes of humans, that such a thing happens. What a kind God, we serve, that he would save a wretch like me.
3) What does this have to do with God
Everything. Only He can do this type of work. As His vessels, we must completely rely and depend on Him for anything that is going to happen, especially when it comes to changing a person's heart, soul and mind. This should leave the believer to prayer on behalf of people that are dead in their sins and without Christ that will make them ALIVE (Ephesians 2:5-6).
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Quote of the Day
“What’s the will of God for my life? You don’t need to know the will of God in your life, you need to know the God of your life!” --- Paul Washer
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