The Riddleblog

We live in an age of rage.

We see or experience it in the near-constant sniping, tribalism, outrage, and character assassination which dominates much of social media. Much of our rage stems from the past year’s Covid lock-downs—the pent up frustration with health “experts” changing their minds on a daily basis, in governmental malfeasance and power-grabs, in being cooped-up at home with screaming kids, trying to simultaneously teach them while attempting to work from home and communicate with our fellow cooped-up and frustrated co-workers via Zoom.

Then there is the ease at which you can scream at someone from the safety of your keyboard and smart phone without ever knowing or speaking face-to-face with the person about whom you assume the worst. Keyboard cowardism pre-dates Covid, as does the phenomena of the “internet expert” who, because they can write creatively, encourage their readers to join their foil-hat conspiracy theory and then vent their fury at those who are not taken in by contrived “evidence.”

Our culture of rage has only gotten worse. The news is filled with people who attack (sometimes physically and violently) retailers, food servers, and others who we do see face to face—those we encounter who want us masked, or unmasked, vaccinated or unvaccinated, who think the worst of us if we mask, or go about our business unmasked. What previous generations of Americans saw as being a good citizen (comply with government edicts about public health) is now a way to express one’s tribal and political identity, with little or no regard for fellow citizens.

To read the rest of this essay, follow the link below

The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Five: "Abraham Believed God" (Galatians 3:1-9)

Paul calls all who believe his gospel “sons of Abraham,” which includes both believing Jews and Gentiles. But Paul does not include those who seek to be right before God and the basis of works of the law, which Paul has just declared in Galatians 2:16, do not justify.

The Judaizers were spying on the Galatians’ Christian liberty. Christians in these churches do not, apparently, follow a kosher diet, they do not observe the feasts of Israel, and there is no requirement that Gentiles be circumcised in order to be justified, or declared “right with God.” Jews and Gentiles worship together, eat together, and embrace the same gospel, without, according to the Judaizers, proper observance of the law of Moses–the reason why they were so vocally challenging Paul’s authority and his gospel.

In response, Paul turns to the account of Abraham, who, in Genesis 15:6, believed God and was reckoned as “righteous.” Paul appeals to the story of Abraham to refute the Judaizing idea that those justified before God, are such, because of obedience to “works of the law.” Abraham is the” man of faith” and the spiritual father of all who believe the gospel. The same gospel, Paul says, which YHWH preached to Abraham and which was foretold through the Scriptures.

How can uncircumcised Gentiles be identified as “children of Abraham”? Paul is about to tell us.

To listen to this episode of The Blessed Hope Podcast and check out the show notes, follow the link below

To listen to previous podcasts in this series on Galatians, go here: The Blessed Hope Podcast

Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerJuly 30, 2021Justification by faith, Chirldren of AbrahamComment

Athanasius on the 70 Weeks of Daniel -- A Fulfilled Messianic Prophecy

I’ve been reading through Athanasius’ classic text, On the Incarnation. In Section 39, Athanasius is marshaling evidence from fulfilled prophecy to confirm the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is primarily concerned with responding to Jews who do not believe that Jesus is God incarnate when the evidence from their own prophets indicates otherwise.

Athanasius writes,

On but perhaps, not even themselves being able to fight against obvious truths, they will not deny what is written, but will positively assert that they are expecting these things, and that God the Word has not yet come. For this is their common and continual talk, nor do they blush to fly in the face of obvious facts.

To build his case, he introduces Daniel 9:24-27 as an example of an Old Testament prophecy which confirms that Israel’s prophets foretold of the coming Messiah.

But on this point the more especially shall they [the Jews] be confuted, not by us, but by the most wise Daniel, who indicates both the present time and the Divine manifestation of the Saviour, saying: ‘Seventy weeks are cut short upon thy people and upon the holy city, to make a full end of sin, and for sins to be sealed up, and to expunge iniquities, and to make propitiation for iniquities, and to bring eternal righteousness, and to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint the All-Holy One; and thou shalt know and understand from the going forth of the word to answer, and build Jerusalem until Christ the Chief.’

There are some interesting points as well as significant omissions made here.

To read the rest of Athanasius’s discussion of the seventy weeks prophecy, follow the link below

The Keys of the Kingdom

Church discipline is one of those subjects no one really wants to talk about. This keeps pastors and elders up at night and can create unease and tension in a congregation, For one thing, church members fear that such discipline entails church officers snooping around in someone’s private business and then outing their private sins to others in the church. For another, church members don’t wish to perceived as being judgmental toward others. If snooping is what biblical church discipline entails, then people would be right to be worried. Fortunately, this is not the case.

The prime example where church discipline is applied in the New Testament is found in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. In chapter 5, Paul describes a situation in which a member of the church (presumably a prominent member) has “taken his father’s wife.” Paul seems utterly perplexed that someone could do such a thing. “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans” (1 Corinthians 5:1). Not only was this man’s behavior a violation of biblical morality, apparently his act was considered scandalous to pagans outside the church. Paul’s remedy for this was to excommunicate this man– “you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (v. 5).

To read the rest, follow the link below

Princeton and the Millennium: A Study of American Postmillennialism

In this essay, I address the postmillennial eschatology of the famous “Old Princeton” theologians, Charles Hodge, A. A. Hodge, and B. B. Warfield. I look at the postmillennialism of Daniel Whitby and Jonathan Edwards, move on to discuss the various postmillennial distinctives, the rise of a distinct Amillennial view (which had previously been discussed under the heading “postmillennialism”) before I draw a series of conclusions about how each of the Princeton theologians modified and moderated the postmillennialism which they inherited from Whitby and Edwards.

You can find the essay here: Princeton and the Millennium: A Study of American Postmillennialism

S. P. 18 Lives! In Durango, Colorado of all Places

If you’ve driven US 395 and gone through Independence, CA, the route many Southern Californians take to the Eastern Sierras and Mammoth Lakes, you may recall the Narrow Gauge locomotive exhibit in Doheny Park. Number 18 was moved there in 1955 when the Southern Pacific Narrow gauge line gave up its aging steam engines for diesel. The line eventually closed in 1960.

It was a familiar sight and has fond memories in Riddlebarger history. Back in 2013, I posted this on the old Riddleblog. US 395 and the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Railroad.

To see the video and read the rest, follow the link below

History and CultureKim RiddlebargerJuly 19, 2021SP # 18 Comment

Macabre But Fascinating -- Victorian Era Home Decoration for a Funeral

There is a fascinating photo essay on preparing the Victorian-era home for a funeral posted on Billion Graves. The essay is simultaneously macabre and fascinating. Posing the dead (sometimes posing with the dead), decorating and displaying locks of hair from the deceased, shrouding mirrors, mantles, and doorways in black, hanging wreathes and crepe throughout the home. Well worth checking out. Preparing the Victorian Era Home for a Funeral.

To check out the rest of the essay, follow the link below

History and CultureKim RiddlebargerJuly 14, 2021victorian funeralsComment

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill

If you’ve not been following the Christianity Today podcast series, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill,” I highly recommend it. The series (still incomplete) has been widely praised and generated much interest. It is superbly done. Essentially, it is the Mark Driscoll story.

But to my mind this sad tale is the consequence of a non-existent ecclesiology, which proves beyond all shadow of a doubt, how important it is that the church be governed according to biblical mandate, and by officers properly chosen and supervised as spelled out in the New Testament (i.e.,1 Timothy 3:1-13). I know, the chapters on ecclesiology are the least read chapters in any systematic theology text, but just because these chapters tend to come at the end, does not mean they are unimportant. A church with a sound ecclesiology is a bulwark against what happened with the “make it up as you go along” ecclesiology of Mars Hill.

To read the rest, follow the link below

An Exposition of Article Eleven of the Belgic Confession -- The Deity of the Holy Spirit

Far too often we hear people speak of the Holy Spirit as an “it,” not a “who.” One reason this is the case is that it is the nature of the Holy Spirit’s work to bring glory to Jesus Christ, not to bring glory to himself. This is why one theologian calls the Holy Spirit, the “shy member of the Trinity.” But the self-effacing role the Holy Spirit plays should not cause us to de-emphasize the fact that the Holy Spirit is truly God and that he possesses all of the divine attributes as do the Father and Son. Even as we speak of the Father as God, the Son as God, so too we must speak of the Holy Spirit as God, for he is the third person of the Holy Trinity.

We are in that section of our confession (articles eight through eleven) which deals with the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As we have emphasized when going through these articles, often people erroneously believe that since Christians, Jews, and Muslims are monotheists, we all worship the same God. But this is not the case. Christians worship the Triune God, who reveals himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As we have seen, the Koran (the holy book of Islam) directly attacks the doctrine of the Trinity. Jews emphatically deny that God reveals himself as three persons and many regard the doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ as one of the leading factors in the rise of Anti-Semitism, since Jews are often blamed for the crucifixion of the Son of God.

To read the rest: An Exposition of Article Eleven of the Belgic Confession -- The Deity of the Holy Spirit

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerJuly 10, 2021Deity of the Holy SpiritComment

The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Four: "Paul Confronts Peter, Table Fellowship with Gentiles, and Paul's Doctrine of Justification" (Galatians 2:11-21)

Peter’s confrontation with Peter in Antioch was a remarkable event, not only in the Apostolic era, but one with huge ramifications down to the present day. In the fourth episode of our series on Galatians, we work our way through Galatians 2:11-21. In this episode we tackle Paul’s conflict with Peter, the issue of table fellowship with Gentiles, the New Perspective on Paul’s misreading of the dispute, before we turn to Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith and not by works (v. 16). This is a packed episode divided into two parts (about 40 minutes in).

To listen to episode four follow the link below

To see the previous episodes in this series, The Blessed Hope Podcast

Michael Horton Nails It -- No "Christian" Nations in the New Covenant Era

Follow the link below to view Michael’s recent discussion of Christian nationalism (from TGC).

Rejoice Always?

When writing to Christians in the city of Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul instructs them, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). The Thessalonian church was founded by Paul, Timothy, and Silas on Paul’s second missionary journey, and was composed of people who left Greco-Roman paganism to embrace Jesus Christ by faith. Thessalonica was a large city (about 100,000 people lived there) on a major road when Paul visited the area. Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. It was an important place to plant a church. But it was hardly a friendly environment for new converts.

Having heard about their struggles after his departure, Paul writes to them from Corinth, partly to clear up some confusion in the congregation about the Lord’s return, but also to instruct them how to deal with their difficult circumstances. Paul is direct in his exhortation to the Thessalonians. Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks in all circumstances should characterize the lives of these new Christians in the face of heated opposition from those who simply cannot understand why people would worship a Jewish Rabbi from far away Palestine, who claimed to be the Son of God only to be put to death by the Romans. But if that same Rabbi had been raised from the dead—as Jesus had been—how could you not worship him? One who conquered death was surely an object of hope in any time of trial.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical EventsKim RiddlebargerJune 30, 2021Rejoicing, biblical hope

Sorely Tested by an Epidemic -- A Family Tragedy

Covid-19 is not the first pandemic to kill millions. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 sickened upwards of 500 million people with as many as 100 million dying. The Black Plague in the 1350’s killed up to 200 million, probably many more. Mosquito borne disease kills more people annually than those who die from acts of violence—upwards of 600,000 per year. Human are highly vulnerable to the countless viruses which stalk us.

These statistics are sobering, but rather impersonal—until you factor in Covid. You, the reader, may have had a severe case. You may know of someone who fell gravely ill. Or you may even know of (or know personally) someone who died from Covid. News accounts speak of families who lost several members without being able to say “goodbye” due to enforced isolation—a tragic thing.

We have now lived through a pandemic. So did most of our ancestors. There have been countless localized epidemics throughout the course of human history which sickened or killed many in their community. The disease hits, and then disappears as quickly as it came on. What follows is an account of a family tragedy in which a diphtheria epidemic struck a small community near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, in the Fall of 1862.

To read the rest, follow the link below

No Creed But Christ? Protestants and "Catholic" Creeds

I’ll never forget the first time my wife and I worshiped in a Presbyterian church. I was raised in independent Bible-churches where it was a given that we believed the Bible, but Roman Catholics relied on tradition. We affirmed “no creed but Christ,” which ironically is a creed in is own right—albeit a short creed. I knew of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, but thought of these as relics of the past, which functioned as an end run around the authority of Scripture. This is why, I suspected, that Roman Catholics recited them. You can imagine how we were taken aback when the Presbyterian faithful recited the Apostles’ Creed with great gusto, including the line which, at the time, I could not bring myself to repeat, “one holy catholic and apostolic church.”

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Three: "Paul's Conversion, Visit to Jerusalem, and the Gentile Mission" (Galatians 1:11-2:10)

In the third episode of our series on Galatians, we take a look at Paul’s defense of his apostolic office in the face of direct challenges to his gospel from the Judaizers in Galatia. In this section of Galatians (Galatians 1:11-2:10), Paul recounts his call and conversion, his early ministry in Damascus and Arabia, his two post-conversion trips to Jerusalem when he met with the other apostles, and his time in Syrian Antioch and Cilicia (an area which includes Paul’s hometown, Tarsus).

To listen to this episode, follow the link below

To see the other episodes in this series, Click Here

Face to Face? Not Today . . . But One Day

I suppose that if you were to ask Christians whether or not they would like to “see” God, many, without thinking about it, would answer “yes.” Human curiosity easily wins out over whatever knowledge we might have of those biblical passages such as Hebrews 12:29, which informs us that “our God is a consuming fire.” If we were to see God this side of glory, it would not be a good thing, nor would such a sight satisfy our curiosity. We would be consumed. Although Isaiah saw the Lord upon his prophetic commissioning (Isaiah 6:1-7), he was undone by his sin—”woe is me!”

While Scripture promises that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8), Paul makes it clear that such sight cannot come until death, when believers enter God’s presence. It is God alone who “has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16). But on the last day, Paul says, when Jesus appears, we will see that which our sin and finitude currently prevents us from seeing (6:14-15).

To Read the rest of This Article, Follow the Link Below

Biblical EventsKim RiddlebargerJune 14, 2021The Glory of God, The Beatific VisionComment

Hear Anything Lately About the Wrath of God? The Silence Is Deafening

It is a major theme throughout the Old Testament. It is found throughout the New Testament as well. John the Baptist clearly taught it (Matthew 3:7). Jesus preached about it (Luke 21:23). So did Paul (Romans 1:18; 9:22; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6). John mentions it once in his gospel (3:36) but makes it a central theme of the Apocalypse (Revelation 14:6 ff). But in our day and age–so it seems–no one wants to touch the subject. It is too controversial, too divisive. It often goes unmentioned in our pulpits. The very thought of it is repulsive to many Americans. I am talking about the wrath of God.

To read the rest of this article, follow the link below.

Biblical TheologyKim RiddlebargerJune 9, 2021wrath of God

John Calvin on the Transforming Power of the Book of Romans

Many of you, no doubt, have consulted Calvin’s famous biblical commentaries. You may even have consulted Calvin’s commentary on the Book of Romans–one of his first, written in 1539, while Calvin was still in Strasbourg. It is my guess is that many who have consulted Calvin on Romans, have not read Calvin’s dedication of the commentary (to Simon Grynaeus), nor Calvin’s introductory essay on the theme of Romans. In these two essays we get a fascinating glimpse of Calvin’s goal as a biblical interpreter and his estimation of the importance of grasping the central message Paul’s most famous letter–the doctrine of justification by faith. We also get a sense of how Calvin felt about the transforming power of the Book of Romans.

To read the rest of this article, follow the link below

Biblical TheologyKim RiddlebargerJune 7, 2021The Book of Romans, John CalvinComment

An Exposition of Article Ten of the Belgic Confession -- The Deity of Jesus

While a truism in modern American–“Jews, Muslims and Christians, all worship the same God”–the deity of Jesus Christ is the most obvious reason why this is not the case. Like Jews and Muslims, Christians are monotheists. But unlike Jews and Muslims, Christians are also Trinitarians. We believe that the one God is triune and is revealed as three distinct and divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If Jesus Christ is fully God, and if Jews and Muslims reject his deity, then Jews and Muslims do not worship the same God that Christians worship.

Christians embrace the New Testament as part of God’s self-revelation (unlike the Jews). Since Christians believe that the New Testament’s teaching regarding the deity of Jesus Christ supercedes all subsequent supposed revelation from God (i.e. the Koran–the holy book of Islam), then the person and work of Jesus Christ will necessarily define the Christian view of God. However, Jews, Muslims, and many indigenous American cults (i.e. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons) do not accept the deity of Jesus Christ. It is especially important that we believe the doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ in order to be saved, since salvation is found in no other name than the name of Jesus (cf. Acts 4:12). It is also vital to confess this doctrine before the watching world so that people might come to a saving knowledge of God, through the saving work of Jesus Christ, who is the true and eternal God, the Almighty.

We must also confess this doctrine because so many mistakenly think that Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God. No, we do not worship the same God and we cannot allow this mistaken but popular assumption to go unchallenged. This is why we must believe and confess the deity of Jesus.

To read the rest of this article, Article Ten of the Belgic Confession: The Deity of Jesus

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerJune 4, 2021Deity of Jesus, Arianism

The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Two: "No Other Gospel" (Galatians 1:1-10)

The Second Episode in The Blessed Hope Podcast Series on Galatians Is Ready!

To Listen to the podcast, and check out the show notes, follow the link below