As I Rise Up!

As I rise up to worship

In the assembly of your saints

You fill me with your presence

As I cry out to you

With one voice our hearts beat

In unity we extol your glory

Pouring out our love to you

We answer your prayer

That we may be one as you are one

Why would God put despicable stories in the Bible?

We do despicable things. For instance Judah the son of Israel failed to provide a husband for Tamar. She was widowed and custom was that a brother-in-law was obligated to “raise up an offspring” for his deceased brother so his widow would not be destitute. Tamar waited for Judah to make good on this obligation but it never came so she took things into her own hands. She dressed like a prostitute and waited where she knew Judah would pass by. Judah was trapped, thinking she was a prostitute he slept with his own daughter-in-law. Tamar tricked Judah and took some of his personal belongings as a pledge for payment and then went home. When she was discovered pregnant Judah was outraged and decreed that she should be burned as a harlot. But when she showed him the personal belongings she took from him he quickly changed his mind. You can read the Biblical version of this story in Genesis chapter 38.

Next we have a lady who was a prostitute, and she was a traitor to her king. Her name was Rahab and she lived in Jericho. Her city had come under attack by Israel and they had sent spies into the city to gather intelligence. The spies almost got caught if it wasn't for the prostitute traitor Rahab. She hid the spies from the kings men searching for them, she misdirected them lying about when they left and where they were going. She also helped the spies escape, but not before making a deal with them to allow her and her family to be spared in the coming destruction of her city. You can read the Biblical version of this story in Joshua chapter 2.

A third story I will tell. There was a beautiful lady named Bathsheba. She was married to one of the king's generals. One day the king happened to catch a glimpse of her taking a bath. He wanted to sleep with her. So he did what any king would do and invited her over and seduced her with his kingly charm. Trouble occurred when the king discovered that she was pregnant. His general was away at war so the king had to think quick. He ordered the general back home for a report, and then tried to get him to go sleep with his wife. But the general wouldn't do it. He told the king it wouldn't be fair for him to enjoy his wife while his comrade in arms were waging war in the battle field. What was a king to do? It became evident to the king that he would have to put his general down. He ordered his other general to place this one in the heat of the battle and then withdraw. He even sent that order by the had of the general who was to die. You can read the Biblical version of this story in 2 Samuel chapter 11.

Why would God put these despicable stories in the Bible?

Each one of these women are listed in the genealogy of Jesus. God could not remove the consequences of their actions and decisions. But He could still use them for His own purpose. The birth of Jesus was unique. He was born of a virgin. Never happened before and has never happened since. But there were stories, despicable stories. One goes like this. Mary his mother was raped by a Roman solder and was afraid to speak up (since it was most likely consensual) so that is why she made up the visit from the angel and virgin birth. When people would look at the child Jesus they would think “poor bastard”. These kind of rumors persisted and grew especially as Jesus became popular. Although the rumors were despicable and lies, they weren't any worse than the truth from his genealogy. Each one was considered noble and worthy of honor by the Jews. Each one in spite of their actions had the honor of being the progenitor of Jesus the Messiah.

Couldn't God have used better stock? Why did He have to use such dysfunctional people? As it turns out no not really. There isn't any better stock. We are all dysfunctional people.

Who art in heaven

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven.

hollowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power,

and the glory, forever and ever.

Amen.

Jesus in response to the disciples asking “teach us to pray” gave us this prayer. It is short and concise but it is pregnant with power, awe, and wonder. It has been broken down into 6 or 7 petitions depending on which tradition you study. I want to just simply comment on each phrase.

“Who art in heaven”

What does it mean to be in heaven? What does it mean to address someone who is in heaven? Why would Jesus make a point to teach us to pray this way?

Our Father in heaven transcends our earthly fathers. We all have earthly fathers. We don't all have a heavenly father. How does one obtain a Father in heaven? How does one become able to call God “Father”? Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again. Born of the spirit. Christians use the phrase “born again” to describe an experience with God. It is a profound paradigm shift. Christians who have had this experience are never the same and can appear really foolish. Values get turned upside down. Morals become more important than personal gain. From this new paradigm we pray “Who art in heaven”. We find a spiritual connection to the Creator that we didn't have before. We are filled with awe that the Creator would hear our prayers. He is in heaven, we are on earth. We lift our prayer to Him expecting to see His answers come from heaven to earth because we are now His children. We are now children of heaven.

The Lord's Prayer, Our Father...

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven.

hollowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power,

and the glory, forever and ever.

Amen.

Jesus in response to the disciples asking “teach us to pray” gave us this prayer. It is short and concise but it is pregnant with power, awe, and wonder. It has been broken down into 6 or 7 petitions depending on which tradition you study. I want to just simply comment on each phrase.

“Our Father”

When you pray Jesus instructs us to address God as Father. I get that. He created me, He redeemed me, He filled me with His Spirit. Explaining the blessedness of each one of these could fill volumes. But when I pray this phrase I hear in my imagination Jesus praying it along with me. We pray together “Our Father”. I can call God “Father” because Jesus told me to, yes, but also because Jesus as the perfect man is showing me that I can. Why? I think it is because Jesus is restoring to His followers the image of God. God from all eternity has been in a loving Father Son relationship within the trinity. As His image bearers we are in fellowship with Him in the same way as Jesus is. When I pray this prayer I pray it with Jesus. “Our Father”.

Tom Wright adds another idea pregnant within this prayer; Israel as God's son. "The first occurrence in the Hebrew Bible of the idea of God as the Father comes when Moses marches in boldly to stand before Pharaoh, and says: Thus says YHWH: Israel is my son, my firstborn; let my people go, that they may serve me (Exodus 4:22–3). For Israel to call God ‘Father’, then, was to hold on to the hope of liberty. The slaves were called to be sons."

Tom Wright, The Lord and His Prayer (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1996), 14–15.

Review of Invitation to Biblical Interpretation

This is a book that I wish had been available when I went to Bible college. This text is crafted in such a way as to tie together, most helpfully, the history of interpretation and the practical application of it. The Hermenutical Triad that Kostenberger and Patterson have developed is a very helpful guide to follow. This is a serious study for those who are serious about study, weighing in at over 800 pages.

Each chapter is outlined, and contains study questions, exercises and a bibliography. One of my favorite chapters is chapter 6 where guidelines for interpretation of poetry is discussed. Much discussion and explanation is given for the various forms of parallelism and imagery. One of my other favorite chapters is chapter 9 where parables are discussed. I found the discussion on the Modern Period and it's approach to allegory most helpful.

The Triad of history, literature, and theology may sound simplistic. Assuredly it is not. Chapter 16 “Using the Tools” Will help the student begin to build a library and how to approach the different genres of scripture. Step by step guidelines for exegesis are provided with examples. The Appendex is 21 pages of recommendations for building a biblical studies library.

This work will be useful to the student and scholar alike. Anyone who desires to communicate the message of scripture to others will find this a helpful guide. I am grateful to Kregel Academic for providing me a pdf copy at no charge for an unbiased review.

Giving and Taking Offence

Giving an offense and taking an offense are two different things. Some people are quick to take offense, some are quick to give. Others are quick to do neither.

Sometimes when we take offense we fail to see that the one from whom we took it is unaware that they gave it.

Sometimes we see clearly that they are trying to give offense and we take offense with pleasure, relishing the fight.

If we were smart, when we see that an offense is being offered we would ignore the offer and by doing so live happy peaceful lives.

A real danger lies in giving offense unawares while someone takes it up and keeps it to themselves, for then the offender is unaware that they have made an enemy. 

a journey of the heart in scripture

 

Spiritual transformation what is it? How do we accomplish it? Much of what is called “discipleship” is nothing more than coaching to “do better” and “try harder” leaving one feeling spiritually exhausted and discouraged. This is not the approach taken by Robert Saucy in Minding the Heart The Way of Spiritual Transformation. 

Saucy’s singular focus is in the title to this delightfully refreshing book; Minding the Heart. The author takes you on a journey through scripture to uncover the meaning of “Heart” in all of it’s uses. The ideas shown in the book from scripture may feel a little strange to the modern mind set, but with the helpful explanation of the author the spiritual significance comes to light. There are thirteen pages of a triple column scripture index at the back of the book that may well be worth the price of the book. I know I will be referring to it often. 

Robert Saucy takes you on a journey of the heart in scripture. You will learn what the heart is, what is it’s nature, what is a heart that God desires, and what all this means for you. This journey is not pop psychology but scripture. It is well worth the effort and will have a profound affect on your life. This work is a great gift from the author to the church at large. 

The book I believe should be read by the widest possible audience. Church leaders and lay-persons alike will find it well worth the time. I would say that the only drawback is that the author is so well organized that I found I needed to slow down my reading pace. There are about 280 pages of actual text but each one is concentrated and deserves some reflection. The author builds on his ideas so I would recommend reading it straight through the first time. 

Many thanks to Kregel Academic & Ministry for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. 

Bound Together: How We Are Tied to Others in Good and Bad Choices

Bound Together: How We Are Tied to Others in Good and Bad Choices by Chris Brauns

"principle of the rope" -- the simple truth that our lives, choices and actions are linked to the lives, choices, and actions of other people."

This book is not only timely in offering hope and practical action for today's questions about original sin but also timeless in that Chris Brauns digs deep into scripture and the reformed tradition, giving us much to meditate on and ultimately enlarging our vision of Christ, the gospel and the church.



This is an amazing book! The main idea is what the author calls “the principle of the rope” in that we are all bound together. He starts with an explanation of the doctrine of original sin and shows how that principle, “the principle of the rope” is not just bad news; We all get dragged down by Adam's mistake, but it is also great news; We all get lifted up by Christ's obedience if we are “bound together” with Him. Chris Brauns shows how this is true in scripture and offers very practical applications for those who have suffered from the poor decisions of family members.

“Our union with Christ is more than a legal matter, it is also a vital organic connection.”

I was also surprised and delighted by chapter 7 which applies these ideas to Christian marriage. Husbands and wives will have a lot to think about what union really means.



The fear of death is treated in a marvelous way from Hebrews 2:10-18.

“The author of Hebrews understood that if Christians were to be confident in the face of death, they must first be confident they are truly bound to Christ. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one origin.”

Finally the author offers a cure to our cultures radical individualism. The Gospel and the Church are shown to be the means of change. And by not understanding the solidarity that the Gospel creates in the community of the Church we have not had an answer for radical individualism.




Thank you to Zondervan for providing me an ePub copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rather Than Enlightening He Obscures

A review of God Desire and a Theology of Human Sexuality by David H. Jensen

I was very excited while reading through the introduction to this book. The author is attempting to offer a three pronged approach to understanding the Bible's teachings about human sexuality. Briefly stated they are:

• A rule based approach that understands the guidelines for sexual behavior in the bible to be self evident.
• A hermeneutic of suspicion that claims sexual rules no longer apply.
• An approach that situates our understanding of sexuality along a long arc of divine desire.

However my excitement turned to disappointment as the arguments offered fell off my fork before reaching my mouth.

My first disappointment is with the author's use of scripture and some of the language used in relation to it.

On page 3 Jensen seems frustrated by Paul's use of porneia, in 1 Cor 5:1, but neglects to compare or contrast Matthew or John's use in the gospels.

Instead he appeals to a reference from The Ethics of Sex by Mark D. Jordan. Jordan claims that Paul's "lists give us very little evidence about the exact meanings of the terms in them... So, too, the Pauline texts may be using porneia metaphorically or symbolically, not intending to refer to specific sexual acts at all."

So if I use the term "child abuse" without giving the exact type and genre of abuse I must be speaking metaphorically?

Porneia is used in the New Testament in 25 verses. Jensen picks out two places and rather than enlightening he obscures.

One more example should suffice. On page 13 Jensen writes, “Controversy over sex has been a part of Christian traditions since the calling of the disciples. Amid this controversy, the church has turned routinely to Scripture for guidance. The New Testament records some of these controversies: Paul's letters for example, document arguments over sexual behaviors that were subjects of Christian disagreement. Though the particulars of these New Testament controversies have receded from light, the rhetoric that Paul employed to address them abides.”

I would really have loved more information on the controversy over sex that Jensen is referring to. But alas since the particulars have receded from light, I suppose I will forever be in the dark. It is a shame all I have left is Paul's rhetoric!

The rhetoric that Jensen adds to the conversation does not enlighten in my opinion.

Thanks to Westminster John Knox Press for providing an electronic version for review purposes.  

Holy, Holy, Holy: Proclaiming the Perfections of God

Anyone who wishes that the church in America today would have a clearer focus on Holiness needs to read this book. But a word of caution, be careful what you wish for. A quote from the preface gives a foretaste of the ten marvelous chapters;

“By raising our gaze, we come to understand the universal testimony of holy men in the pages of sacred Scripture, who, having had a momentary glimpse of the character of God, were reduced to trembling in dust and in ashes. I believe the church desperately needs this perspective like never before.” -R.C. Sproul

Each of the chapters of this little book is rich for devotion, meditation, and study. I have benefited greatly by my reading of it and I plan to keep it close for further reflection. These words are powerful with scripture and worthy of second and third helpings.

Ligonier Ministries has in these pages assembled some of the finest pastors and scholars in in America (and the Cayman Islands)

Contributors include: Thabiti Anyabwile, Alistair Begg, D.A. Carson, Sinclair B. Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey, Steven J. Lawson, R.C. Sproul, R.C. Sproul Jr., Derek W.H. Thomas

In chapter 1 titled “I Am the Lord”: The Only God, R.C. Sproul gives an excellent background on the nature of God and His uniqueness contrasting scripture with popular thought.

The chapters that follow are also excellent. I was especially moved by Sinclair Ferguson's comments in chapter 2 about unfolding the mystery. “God has made us not only to have communion with Him, but in such a way that we can grasp and appreciate what that communion is like. . . . No man else may lock eyes with my wife and gaze at her the way I am privileged to do and say, “I love you with all of my being.” (pg 21.)

Thabiti Anyabwile in chapter 5 speaking about sin as treason says, “Beware the evidence of treason that resists correction. Resolve now, while you are in your right mind, while you are sober, that if at any

point a brother or sister should speak to correct you, you will receive that correction with God’s help. You cannot develop holiness of character in a pinch.” (pg. 69.)

Lastly I'd like to mention that D.A. Carson gives much to chew on when he writes, “there is no biblical passage that says “be omnipotent, for I am omnipotent.” Let’s face it, omnipotence is an incommunicable attribute of God. On the other hand, there are many passages that enjoin us to love. God is love, and love is a communicable attribute of God.” and “holy means “separate” and they point out that God is utterly separate. But did the voices around the throne in Isaiah 6:3 really cry, “Separate, separate, separate is the Lord Almighty”? and “Moral, moral, moral is the Lord Almighty”? No. At its core, in the tightest concentric circle, holy is almost an adjective for God.” (pg 80.)

As you can see this book offers much to think about no matter what your tradition. If you value the scriptures you will be built up by reading this work. I commend it to all.

Reformation Trust Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes for which I am eternally grateful. 

Summer Reading Queue

I am blogging my reading list this summer. Reviews will be available here and at my review site at tumblr. So far in the queue is:

Holy, Holy, Holy: Proclaiming the Perfections of God

FROM	Reformation Trust
PRODUCT TYPE	Book
ISBN	9781567692051
PAGES	145
PUBLISH DATE	May 31st, 2010
TOPICS	Theology, God, Holiness

So far this one is a very inspiring read. Well worth each of it's 145 pages. I'll post my review hopefully soon. 

Next up is a controversial subject veiled a little bit by the title: 

God, Desire, and a Theology of Human Sexuality

Author: David H. Jensen 

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Pages: 170

Format: 6 x 9

Product Type: Paper

Publication Date: 4/19/2013

Ok, so who doesn't like sex right? Well this is a can of worms that I will be diving head first into. So far my preview of this text is, well, not favorable. Watch for my review here and at my tumblr site Mu.stEr.ion.

living by more than just bread

living by more than just bread

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6 that “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. ¹

The desire to be rich, the love of money, living by bread alone; where is the sin in that temptation? When we look at the temptation of Jesus to turn stones into bread we wonder don't we? Where is the sin in that? What could possibly be wrong with satisfying a God given hunger? Is that a question or an excuse? Can't you hear just a smidgen of an excuse in that question? What if we applied the same question to a different God given hunger, sex for example? Ah! That's different we have laws for that! We say.

I maintain that Jesus wasn't concerned about dietary laws, would the bread be clean or unclean etc. He was concerned with His relationship with His Father and the work that the Father had given Him to accomplish. Jesus was all about His Father's business. Jesus had a meta-directive, His relationship with the Father. I would like to suggest that our definitions of sin, those that only define which behavior is acceptable or not, are not adequate. They miss a whole other sphere of human experience, relationships. Sin to me is anything that does damage to my relationships, starting with my relationship to God.

Jesus couldn't turn the stones into bread because His Father had not directed that. Jesus said He only did what He saw His Father do and that He did nothing on His own! John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” What a picture of total dependence upon God! 

Paul warns us that it is through God given cravings that some have wandered away. We need to be loved and it is like a hunger. When we attempt to satisfy this need with anything apart from the will of God we fall into a snare. Like Israel who took the God given spoils from Egypt and melted them down at Sinai into a golden calf. We exchange our God given image for whatever we have substituted for Him. We become like whatever we set our affections upon.

Psalm 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. 20 They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

What are we to do? I can never have total dependence upon God like Jesus did! I forget Him daily! The answer is ancient and simple, repent, believe the gospel, for the kingdom of God is at hand! We don't have to live a perfect totally dependent life. Jesus has already done that for us! We only need to trust in His sufficiency as our atonement. The same meta-directive that prevented Him from acting on His own and turning rocks into bread is the same meta-directive that kept Him upon the cross. 

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. When you realize you were the joy set before Him you will swell up with awe and worship!

1 All scripture taken from, The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001)

Center Church by Tim Keller

Center Church: doing balanced, gospel-centered ministry in your church by Timothy J. Keller, Zondervan, Grand Rapid Michigan, ISBN 978-0-310-49418-8

I love this book! Dr. Keller has given a wonderful resource to the church. Any leader or pastor who wants to become clearer and more relevant to the people they are trying to reach would be helped by this book. It is not a book to speed read or skim through. It is a book that requires reflexion and thought, hard thought especially to apply to your specific situation. Dr. Keller argues for a theological vision and then builds a matrix one can pick up and apply with effort to ones own place and time. Dr. Keller starts out asking a few essential questions;

• What is the gospel and how do we bring it to bear on the hearts of people today?
• What is this culture like and how can we both connect to it and challenge it in our communication?
• Where are we located, and how does this affect our ministry?
• To what degree and how should Christian lay-people be involved in civic life and cultural production?
• How do the various ministries in a church, word and deed, community and instruction, relate to one another?
• How innovative will our church be and how traditional?
• How will our church relate to other churches in our city and region?
• How will we make our case to the culture about the truth of Christianity?

Next Dr. Keller fleshes out the answers in a clear and concise manner, making it simple for leaders to develop their own answers for their own situations. This is building what Dr. Keller calls a “theological vision” which he defines as “a faithful restatement of the gospel with rich implications for life, ministry, and mission in a type of culture at a moment in history.”

The one minor objection I had for this book (I now see it as an advantage) was that there are many large sidebars throughout the text. At first I found these distracting but only because I wanted to plodge through as quickly as possible. This is a book meant to be digested, ruminated upon, and reflected. The sidebars are actually rich fields of supporting material by way of story or illustration. And the well footnoted references are worth the price of the book all by themselves.

My favorite sections were: What is the Gospel? The need for Gospel Renewal, and The Gospel and Contextualization. I especially enjoyed Dr. Keller's piece on Biblical Contextualization, he states, Romans 1 & 2 provide the basis for contextualization, the bible takes a mixed view of culture. 1 Cor. 9 speaks to our motive for contextualization, flexibility, ready to adapt. 1 Cor. 1 gives a basic formula for contextualization and shows how to keep a balance between affirming and confronting culture.

Word Study of “Perfect” in Matt 5:48

Word Study of “Perfect” in Matt 5:48

Various Bible versions translate this word “perfect”

New International Version (©1984) Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. New Living Translation (©2007) But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. English Standard Version (©2001) You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. New American Standard Bible (©1995) "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. International Standard Version (©2008) So be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010) Be therefore perfect, just as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect. GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995) That is why you must be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. Don't Do Good Works to Be Praised by People King James 2000 Bible (©2003) Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. American King James Version Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. American Standard Version Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Bible in Basic English Be then complete in righteousness, even as your Father in heaven is complete. Douay-Rheims Bible Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. Darby Bible Translation Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. English Revised Version Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Webster's Bible Translation Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Weymouth New Testament You however are to be complete in goodness, as your Heavenly Father is complete. World English Bible Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Young's Literal Translation ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who is in the heavens is perfect.

Occurrences of this word.

This word in this exact form occurs 19 times in 17 verses. In the ESV this word is translated 11 times as “perfect”, 7 times as “mature”, and once as “full”.

Mat 5:48 (twice in this verse: perfect, perfect), Mat 19:21 (perfect)
Rom 12:2 (perfect)
1Cor 2:6 (mature), 1Cor 13:10 (perfect), 1Cor 14:20 (mature)
Eph 4:13 (mature)
Phil 3:15 (mature)
Col 1:28 (mature), Col 4:12 (mature)Heb 5:14 (mature), Heb 9:11 (perfect)
Jam 1:4 (and twice in this verse “full” effect, perfect), Jam 1:17 (perfect), Jam 1:25 (perfect), Jam 3:2 (perfect)
1Jo 4:18 (perfect)

So about 40% of the time it is translated something other than “perfect”.

The books where this word is used the most are James (24%) and 1 Cor (18%).

Various Dictionary and Reference Works

The word translated “perfect” in Matt 5:48 is “teleios” (τέλειος ) in the Greek.

Strong's Number 5046 in the New Testament dictionary. The entry in Strong's dictionary reads: 5046 teleios tel'-i-os from telos, 5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with 3588) completeness:--of full age, man, perfect. see GREEK for 5056 see GREEK for 3588

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words:

"complete, perfect," from telos, "an end," is translated "of full age" in Hbr 5:14, AV (RV, "full-grown man").

Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament:

Perfect (τελειο). The word comes from τελος, end, goal, limit. Here it is the goal set before us, the absolute standard of our Heavenly Father. The word is used also for relative perfection as of adults compared with children.

Thayer's Greek Definitions:

- Original: τέλειος

- Transliteration: Teleios

- Phonetic: tel'-i-os

- Definition:

1. brought to its end, finished

2. wanting nothing necessary to completeness

3. perfect

4. that which is perfect

a. consummate human integrity and virtue

b. of men

1. full grown, adult, of full age, mature

Barnes' New Testament Notes:

Matthew 5:48:

Verse 48. Be ye therefore perfect, he concludes this part of the discourse by commanding his disciples to be perfect. This word commonly means finished, complete, pure, holy. Originally it is applied to a piece of mechanism, as a machine that is complete in its parts. Applied to men, it refers to completeness of parts, or perfection, when no part is defective or wanting. Thus Job (Job 1:1) is said to be perfect; that is, not holy as God, or sinless--for fault is afterwards found with him, (Job 9:20, 42:6) but his piety was proportionate--had a completeness of parts--was consistent and regular, he exhibited his religion as a prince, a father, an individual, a benefactor of the poor. He was not merely a pious man in one place, but uniformly. He was consistent everywhere. This was the meaning in Matthew. Be not religious merely in loving your friends and neighbors, but let your piety be shown in loving your enemies; be perfect; imitate God; let the piety be complete, and proportionate, and regular. This every Christian may be; this every Christian must be.
(m) "Be ye therefore perfect" Gen 17:1, De 18:13, Lk 6:36,40, Co 1:28

Scofield Reference Notes:

perfect

The word implies full development, growth into maturity of godliness, not sinless perfection. Eph 4:12,13. In this passage the Father's kindness, not His sinlessness, is the point in question. Lk 6:35,36

Personal Comments

I found Barnes' Notes as well as Scofield's notes to helpful with this verse. Pointing out that it is not God's sinless perfection that is in view but rather His Fatherhood. We are then not being asked to be “perfect” in exact duplication of God but rather to be “grown up” “mature” children displaying attributes consistent with our family heritage as children of God, we should naturally have more love than just for our friends.

1 Jn 2:5 gives some practical insight. “but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:”

Keeping His word = perfected love = assurance that we are His.

Earthen Vessels

Earthen Vessels: Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith

Earthen Vessels; Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith, by Mathew Lee Anderson

Matt Anderson has done an excellent job of introducing a less thought about aspect of anthropology, the human body. Although this is only a 231 page work, his notes on each chapter has been a fertile ground for me to add to my reading list. This subject is rich and full in its applications for the Christian and the Church. I will predict that this work will not be his last on this subject and that this little book may just cause some paradigm shifts. I know it has challenged me on many levels. If you are a Christian leader you need to read this book.

Chapter Outline:

1. Earthen Vessels
2. Evangelical Inattention an the Secular Body
3. What is the Body
4. The Body Toward Others
5. The Body as Shaped by the World
6. Tattoos and the Meaning of Our Bodies
7. The Body and It's Pleasure
8. Homosexuality an the Christian Body
9. The Mortal Body
10. Spiritual Disciplines: The Body Shaped by Grace and Gratitude
11. The Body and the Church

Quotes that I particularly liked:

pg 31 This is the paradox of the body: The body is a temple, but the temple is in ruins. The incarnation of Jesus affirms the body's original goodness. The death of Jesus reminds us of the need for redemption. And the resurrection of Jesus gives us hope for it's restoration.

pg 66 In other words, when our original parents sinned, they did not simply destroy our relationship with God, with each other, and with the creation around us. They also destroyed our integrity as human persons so that our internal and external no longer work in harmony.

pg 69 An embodied theology is a theology that acknowledges the radical uniqueness of Christmas, the cross, and Easter. Only there did the on who transcends creation enter it, die for us, and rise again. But in taking the form of a human, Jesus opened the possibility of redemption for everyone and established the pattern for human flourishing. He is not only the revelation of God to us, but the revelation of man to us.

pg 74 Tyler Wigg Stevenson sums up consumerism: "We buy to be; we are what we buy; we are what we consume." (see also Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age by Tyler Wigg Stevenson)

pg 80 For our creation care to be authentically creation care, we must respect the biblical order of keeping humanity at the center. Because of the incarnation, our ecology flows from our theological anthropology--and not the other way around.

pg 82 The body is the seat of our personal presence, which means it has an inherent dignity from the moment of conception by virtue of being a human body.

pg 131 The new testament's basic contention is that our human flourishing is not found in marriages or the natural families that they inaugurate, but in bearing each others burdens in love within the church. (Matt 10:34-39 & ch 19) The only alternative is to minimize the humanity of Jesus by treating his celibacy as an aberration rather than a possibility for our lives.

pg 149 The basic irrelevance to the biological dimension to the question of our formation should also be noted. In fact, the push to find a "gay gene" represents the moral schizophrenia of the scientific establishment. On the one hand, the slim evidence for a genetic basis for same-sex attraction is put forward as evidence that it is normal. On the other hand, the slim evidence for a genetic basis for alcoholism is put forward to find therapy to change it.

pg 192 The body is a social reality, Which means there is no such thing as a spiritual discipline that does not transform our relationships. When we present our bodies to God we begin to discern the ways in which we have trained them to damage others.

pg 203 Many of our prayers --extemporaneous or otherwise-- are grounded in an anxiety that we are not being heard, which manifests itself through repeating the same thing over and over.

pg 227 I've dubbed the phenomenon "Anderson's Law": the volume of the worship band is inversely proportional to the volume and vitality of the congregational worship.

pg 227 The body of the Christian belongs in the body of Christ. The reality of the hiddenness of our life in Christ is a social reality, for it knits our lives together with those who have been called out of the darkness into the kingdom of Christ's glorious light. The invisible working of the Spirit in us takes a visible form in the life of the Church.

Christian Focus BookNotes March Book Giveaway

The kind folks over at christianfocus.com  are hosting a book giveaway on the Christian Focus BookNotes blog. The first place prizes are 3 books:

Systematic Theology Volume One by Douglas F. Kelly

The Priesthood of Christ by John Owen

Ezra & Nehemiah: A Mentor Commentary by Tiberius Rata

And second place gets 2 books:
The Gospel of God: Romans by R.C. Sproul

From the Finger of God by Philip S. Ross

John 3:16 and the Super Bowl

I've read a little bit of discussion about the super bowl ad that got rejected. Here are my 2 cents that I posted over at scientia et sapientia

As much as I would love to see scripture openly promoted in advertising. I can’t help but feel a small bit of relief that this super bowl ad didn’t make it. In my paranoid imagination, if the ad would have run, I can see Bubba turn to Skeeter and ask, “Hey whatever happened to that clown wig guy?” To which Skeeter replies, “Yeah, Rainbow Man, I remember him. Wonder where he is now?”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollen_Stewart

Not exactly the best effect, IMHO. I salute the creativeness of the ad but I would suggest that the message of the text is what should be displayed not merely a pointer or reference to it. I believe our culture has lost the ability to put the two together.

Strength Speaks to a Broken Mind

Let Eagles bid the Tortoise sunward soar --
As vainly Strength speaks to a broken mind.
                            Samuel Taylor Coleridge

This fragment of Coleridge is perhaps an allusion to Aesop's fable of the Tortoise and the Eagle.

A TORTOISE, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. An Eagle, hovering near, heard her lamentation and demanded what reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float her in the air. "I will give you," she said, "all the riches of the Red Sea." "I will teach you to fly then," said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of death: "I have deserved my present fate; for what had I to do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the earth?'

Moral: If men had all they wished, they would be often ruined.

I have spent many a day wishing I was something or someone else. Dissatisfied with my lot and discouraged with myself I longed to be something more or at least something else.  To be sure Coleridge did as well. He suffered from divorce, depression and drug addiction.

His epitaph reads:

"Beneath this sod
A Poet lies; or that which once was he.
O lift one thought in prayer for S.T.C.
That he, who many a year with toil of breath,
Found Death in Life, may here find Life in Death."

Let Eagles bid the Tortoise sunward soar... Have you ever heard them bidding? Calling you up? Wooing you to a place you wish you could go. I believe this is a common human experience. No matter who or what we are we all have at times wished we were someone or something else.

As vainly... Coleridge seems to believe that it is an impossible thing for people to change. Not an uncommon belief when trapped in drug addiction or some form of mental affliction.

Strength speaks to a broken mind. If the mind is broken how then can Strength supply any help or remedy?

There is a part of every human that is broken. The Bible calls it the "inner man" or "inner being". It is that part of us that resonates with justice, love, truth, and beauty. Eternal qualities that we admire but are just out of our grasp. And like Coleridge we despair of ever soaring higher. But the truth and strength of the Bible doesn't just speak to the mind. The mind is where we think we should start. The apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians that we need to start deeper. No one can understand with the mind the love of Jesus unless God has strengthened their inner being by the Holy Spirit. Pray this prayer with Paul.

Eph 3:16-21; that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

The truth of the gospel is not a creed or doctrine to be only apprehended with the mind. It is a person with whom we will become utterly captivated; Jesus Christ, God's son. The strength of our relationship is not and never will be dependent on my ability to understand, reason, think, or comprehend. My transformational life in Christ takes place because of what Jesus did and does. It's as if I am looking at snap shots of my life, baby pictures, toddler-hood, school days, teenager, adult. What did I do to get from one stage to the next? Nothing much, just eat, sleep and live. So it is in Christ, I simply follow Him. No incantations, no magic formula. Just a love that bids me to love Him in return.