Having a Biblical Theology

When you read the bible, do you consider the larger story that is woven throughout the whole of sacred scripture? Do you need help and tools on how to connect the Old Testament symbols and feasts with the New Testament? If so, James Hamilton has written a new book that Crossway Publishers has released called, "What is Biblical Theology: A Guide to the Bible's story, symbolism, and patterns." This book is brief, about 115 pages, but in this short volume quite a bit of helpful topics are addressed and packed in. You can probably read this book very easily in a weekend, at a leisurely pace.

Early on, Hamilton develops the point that we need to get into the authors mind and understand how they see their world, called in Chapter 2 'interpretive perspective'. The authors defines the term interpretive perspective as the framework of assumptions and presuppositions, associations and identifications, truths and symbols that are taken for granted as an author or speaker describes the world and the events that take place in it. This is an interesting thought that I hadn't considered very often previously. When I read the scriptures I instinctively read from my vantage point in from a 21 century American worldview.

Overall this book is divided up into three sections: the first covers the Bible's overall big-picture story, the second looks at the way the biblical authors use symbols to summarize and interpret that story, and the third considers the role the church plays in that story (page 22). The author cleverly opens the first section looking at the narrative of the story then proceeds to provide the setting, characters, plot, conflict, episodes, and themes, of that narrative. This approach helped me understand the inter-relationships involved. Chapter 6 begins the second concept of the book, dealing with symbolism, or what the biblical authors intended to communicate, on how they interpreted earlier Scripture and communicated its meaning through the symbols they employed (page 62). In the proceeding chapters Hamilton uses imagery, typology, patterns and types to make his point that understanding symbolism is at the heart of understanding the author's message. We, the church, step onto the set and take our part in the third section. I appreciated the following helpful identifications that Hamilton lists out as metaphors for the church: Sheep of the Shepherd, Bride of Christ, Body of Christ, Adopted Family of God, Temple of the Holy Spirit.

 I am thankful for Crossway providing an advanced copy of this book for my review.

Overview of Romans 1- 7

The glory of God is not honored.
The holiness of God is not reverenced.
The greatness of God is not admired.
The power of God is not praised.
The truth of God is not sought.
The wisdom of God is not esteemed.
The beauty of God is not treasured.
The goodness of God is not savored.
The faithfulness of God is not trusted.
The promises of God are not relied upon.
The commandments of God are not obeyed.
The justice of God is not respected.
The wrath of God is not feared.
The grace of God is not cherished.
The presence of God is not prized.
The person of God is not loved.

http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-an-overview-of-romans-1-7

Spurgeon's standards for conversion and membership - Reformation21 Blog

Spurgeon's standards for conversion and membership - Reformation21 Blog

The briefing

Here is a link to a blogger giving seven reasons to listen to the daily Al Mohler podcast called The Briefing. I have benefited from listening to this program for some time.

http://gropingforthoughts.com/2013/12/12/7-reasons-why-i-regularly-listen-to-the-briefing-by-albert-mohler/

Keeping things in perspective

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings:with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

 the whole earth is full of his glory!”

 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said:“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said:“Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

http://olivetree.com/b1/Isa.6.1-7.ESV

The life of Charles Spurgeon

A friend of mine recently sent me a link to a rather good biography on the life of Charles Spurgeon. I especially enjoyed the scene where Spurgeon eyes were opened to the drawing of God. The text that was used by this simple country preacher was Isaiah 45:22

“Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other. 

olivetree.com/b1/Isa.45.22.ESV

Here is the link to the movie - http://youtu.be/MBL8yz7AKN0

It's fall in North Carolina but love is in the air

Here is a recent blog post from my friends the Nate and Tara Ariel. This post along with the wedding pictures I have seen bring back sweet memories of  my wedding day. I can still remember how the room hushed as the doors swung open and my bride walked down the aisle.  So glad that God in his Providence led me to meet and fall in love with my bride of 12 years.

Ariels on a Mission: To the young in love....it gets better!: This month there are 2 young couples from our church in North Carolina who are getting married. I also just heard that a young man from ou...

Murray's book on Humility...next on list

I have recently been subscribing to an e-newsletter from http://www.realgoodbooks.com. Today I received a free eBook of Andrew Murray's classic book Humility: The Beauty of Holiness. I am looking forward to reading this after I finish an autobiography by George Muller called "A Narrative of some of the Lord's dealings with George Muller.

Genesis 3:15 - The First Gospel

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

During my daily bible reading plan one of the chapters I was reading is Genesis 3. I found this webpage from ICR that contained some thoughts I handled considered before, I hope you find it helpful.

enmity between thee. This verse is famous as the Protevangel (“first gospel”). The Curse was directed immediately towards the Serpent, but its real thrust was against the evil spirit possessing its body, “that old serpent, called the Devil” (Revelation 12:9). Satan may have assumed he had now won the allegiance of the woman and all her descendants, but God told him there would be enmity between him and the woman.

her seed. The “seed of the woman” can only be an allusion to a future descendant of Eve who would have no human father. Biologically, a woman produces no seed, and except in this case Biblical usage always speaks only of the seed of men. This promised Seed would, therefore, have to be miraculously implanted in the womb. In this way, He would not inherit the sin nature which would disqualify every son of Adam from becoming a Savior from sin. This prophecy thus clearly anticipates the future virgin birth of Christ.

bruise thy head. Satan will inflict a painful wound on the woman’s Seed, but Christ in turn will inflict a mortal wound on the Serpent, crushing his head. This prophecy was fulfilled in the first instance at the cross, but will culminate when the triumphant Christ casts Satan into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).

bruise his heel. This primeval prophecy made such a profound impression on Adam’s descendants that it was incorporated, with varying degrees of distortion and embellishment, in all the legends, mythologies and astrologies of the ancients, filled as they are with tales of mighty heroes engaged in life-and-death struggles with dragons and other monsters. Mankind, from the earliest ages, has recorded its hope that someday a Savior would come who would destroy the devil and reconcile man to God.

source: http://www.icr.org/bible/Genesis/3/15/

Seven Things That Christ Is

1) He is the Way; men without him are Cains, wanderers, vagabonds.

2) He is the Truth; men without him are liars, like the devil, who was so of old.

3) He is the Life; without him men are dead, dead in trespasses and sins.

4) He is the Light; without him men are in darkness, and go they know not whither.

5) He is the Vine; those that are not grafted in him are withered branches, prepared for the fire.

6) He is the Rock; men not built on him are carried away with a flood.

7) He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the author and the ender, the founder and the finisher of our salvation.

~John Owen

What Does It Mean to Be Dead to the World? (Episode 119) by AskPastorJohn

What Does It Mean to Be Dead to the World? (Episode 119) by AskPastorJohn

The Cost of Children

The Cost of Children: I know bargains when I see them. They make me smile.

And these two bargains can smile back.

What’s Missing from this Picture?—Fertility on the Rise, Worldview on Display

Great post by Albert Mohler. The study of demography is really fascinating to me. I don't think the west will pay much attention until 2020, but by then the numbers won't be able to be overlooked any longer as social programs spin out of control.

A Masterpiece on the doctrine of Christian Love

I have been reading an advanced copy that I received from Crossway entitled “Charity and It’s Fruits: Living in the Light of God’s Love,” which was written by Puritan Devine Jonathan Edwards over 250 years ago but recently has been edited by Kyle Strobel to help readers get a deeper grasp of Edward’s Theology on Christian Love. The numerous explanatory notes, definitions on archaic words, and relevant quotes and concepts that Strobel compiled to assist readers was tremendously helpful, as this was the first Edwards work I have ever read through. I hope many other new people will be introduced to Edwards through this book! The complexity of Edwards thinking was an initial hindrance in reading this book because I knew that the difficulty would be much, but in times where I was walking close with the Lord I was able to comprehend the teaching more closely, if that makes sense. It almost seems that since Edward’s mind was so renewed by the Spirit of God that one has to put on that same mind of Christ to fully value this book. In reading this book I found often that God used it to convict me of areas in my life that are not pleasing to the Lord and needed correction. There is a strong emphasis in the on the proper Christian conduct in our daily lives we must have as we run this race with page upon page of devotional application. One statement that Edwards makes in regards to a redeemed spirit versus a carnal-unbelieving spirit that seem so obvious but after a moment of chewing on the cud is “A Christian spirit is contrary to a selfish spirit.” In another statement worth pondering is in regards to Christians being created in Christ for good works, Edwards says, “God converts [us] and then infuses grace into [us] for that end, that [we] might exercise [ourselves] in holy practice.” – The regenerated person has the Word of God enduring in their heart thus their affections have been changed and their heart made truly gracious. Edwards goes on to say, “Christ thus redeemed the elect and purchased grace for them to that end, that they might walk in holy practice. He has reconciled them to God by his death to redeem them from wicked works, that they might be holy and unblameable in their lives.” Strobel in the end provides a very helpful conclusion in which several core aspects of Edwards’s work are highlighted in an attempt for the reader to more directly apply the topic of Christian love into their lives. The first being the theme of the Knowledge of God and Knowledge of Self; to know God personally rather than just knowing about him and then also to remember often our own sins so that we do not grow proud or pharisaical. Strobel adds the point – “Grasping the depth of who we are in our sins is the impetus to grasping who God truly is in his grace, holiness, and love.” The second major theme is Recollection and Stillness. Recollection meaning that our minds and hearts should often be re-collected around the new creation we really are in Christ and Stillness being an absolute trust in the Sovereignty of God thus one’s mind and heart rest in that fact. The third and final theme is The Concatenation of Virtues and Christian Living – The root of virtue is love; and this love is the Holy Spirit that works in the Christian and as Strobel so corrects states is the “source and goal of God’s redemptive activity."

For my Christian Fundamental Brethren