Musings (10/22)
Musings (10/22)

Thank You!

The new Riddleblog is one year old (as of yesterday)! Thanks to all of you regular readers! I’ve nearly finished transferring stuff from the old Riddleblog to the new. Once that’s done, the old blog will go the way of all flesh.

Must Listen!

Bob Godfrey on "What's Going On Right Now?" This is the introductory session from Dr. Godfrey’s new series taught in his regular adult Sunday school class at the Escondido URC. Thanks to Abounding Grace Radio for making it available. Hopefully, other sessions will follow—several hints were dropped at what is coming next, and sure whet my appetite for more. Dr. Godfrey is a first-rate historian and perhaps the wisest man I know.

To read the rest, follow the link below

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MusingsKim RiddlebargerDr. Robert Godfrey, Favorite Podcasts Comments
False Jesuses
False Jesuses

We begin by noting that the nature of our Lord’s incarnation almost guarantees the presence of false Jesuses. The very idea of God taking to himself a true human nature is in and of itself a unique and somewhat mysterious historical event. That Jesus was a real flesh and blood human, who is also the second person of the Holy Trinity, and nevertheless remains one person, raises many profound and important questions. Questions regarding Jesus’ person and his origin are closely related, and arise throughout the ministry of Jesus as recounted in the gospels.

Those who actually heard Jesus preach about the kingdom of God, were said to marveled at his words, for Jesus spoke as someone having authority–unlike anyone they had heard preach previously. Jesus performed miraculous signs and wonders which were obviously not trickery or chicanery. He instantaneously healed people well-known to crowds who were following him. Jesus even raised the dead–several times. All of this was to confirm that the content of his preaching had its origins in the will of YHWH. The buzz surrounding Jesus was that he might be the long-expected messianic prophet, and some among his followers understood Jesus to claim he was older than Abraham or Moses.

It was impossible to hear or see Jesus and not ask, “who is this?” “Where is he from?” In Matthew 16:13–15 we read of an interesting exchange between Jesus and his disciples regarding this very matter. “When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, `Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ They said, `Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, `But who do you say that I am?’” People have been attempting to answer Jesus’ question ever since.

To read the rest, click here: False Jesuses

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Riddleblog PublicationKim RiddlebargerFalse Jesuses, Who Is Jesus?Comment
"I Really Mean It!" -- Wisdom from the Reformed Confessions
"I Really Mean It!" -- Wisdom from the Reformed Confessions

In those independent Bible churches in which I was raised, most Sunday mornings the minister preached from a well-worn Bible, told a few stories to illustrate his point, and then reminded us that we must believe in Jesus to go to heaven. But every service ended the same way–with an altar call. Those who heard the message and were convicted of their sins were invited to come forward and speak with the minister, who would ask those brave enough to repeat the sinner’s prayer and thereby be assured of God’s favor toward them.

Sometimes prominent or long-time church members would go forward, which was always a bit of a shock, because you wondered what they did the week before which required such a public act of contrition. On those rare (but joyful) occasions, someone for whom the church had been praying, was ready to accept Jesus as their “personal Savior.” They would get up out of their pew, walk the aisle, and be received with great joy, especially when the person was known to be an unbeliever or a “backslider.”

There was something truly wonderful about this. Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7). It was comforting to be assured of Christ’s favor and to know that even in those times when we struggle with some particular sin, or when doubt chips away at our faith, we could be reassured of God’s favor in some tangible way. Yet, there was also something very troubling about this practice. There was always a qualification. The minister would tell the congregation that if we were truly sincere– “if you really mean it”– only then would God’s promises about the forgiveness of sins and the hope of heaven truly apply to us. But I wasn’t always sure “I really meant it.” No doubt others felt the same way.

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

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Wisdom from ConfessionsKim RiddlebargerBaptism, Lord's Supper, Sacraments, Altar Call Comments
Benedict XVI -- Papal Fashion Maven (Best of the Old Riddleblog # 2)
Benedict XVI -- Papal Fashion Maven (Best of the Old Riddleblog # 2)

From June, 2006

One of the Riddleblog readers sent this picture to me with the following caption:

"The man on the left, wearing a fabulous vintage chiffon-lined Dior gold lame gown over a silk Vera Wang empire waisted tulle cocktail dress, accessorized with a 3-foot beaded peaked House of Whoville hat, along with the ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz, is worried that The Da Vinci Code might make the Roman Catholic Church look foolish."

My favorite comments:

“There's no place like Rome, there's no place like Rome, there's no place like Rome...”

"To Rome, to Rome ... it's off to works we go..."

“Whoever wrote that know TOO MUCH about the fashion industry :-)”

"I suppose a scarecrow reference would be considered ad hominem. So I'll refrain. I thought that would be the strawman fallacy...”

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From the Old RiddleblogKim RiddlebargerBenedict XVI on fashionComment
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Nine: "Two Women, Two Mountains, Two Covenants, Two Cities" (Galatians 4:21-31)
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Nine: "Two Women, Two Mountains, Two Covenants, Two Cities" (Galatians 4:21-31)

Paul understood Israel’s history and the biblical accounts of Moses and Abraham one way before his conversion, and in an entirely different way after. Once Jesus had come, fulfilled his messianic mission, and called Paul to faith, Paul’s understanding of the Old Testament completely changed. In Ephesians 4:21-31, Paul speaks of two women (Sarah and Hagar), two mountains (Zion and Sinai), two covenants (Abraham and Moses), two cities (the Jerusalem above and the earthly city of Jerusalem). Reading the familiar story of Genesis 16 (among others) through a Christ-centered lens, Paul reinterprets the two women, mountains, covenants, and cities from the vantage point of New Testament fulfillment. In doing so, Paul teaches us how we should read and understand the Old Testament.

To listen to this episode of the Blessed Hope Podcast, follow the link below

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerCovenant theology, Sarah and HagarComment
An Amazing Promise -- Zephaniah’s Prophecy of Restoration
An Amazing Promise -- Zephaniah’s Prophecy of Restoration

Zephaniah is one of the least known books in the Bible. Yet, in it, we find one of the most amazing prophecies of Israel’s restoration in the coming messianic age. Speaking forth the word of the Lord during the reign of King Josiah (between 640-609 B.C.), Zephaniah foretells of the coming Day of the Lord (cf. Zephaniah 1:7— “Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests”). When this day dawns, the Lord will reward those who have obeyed him, as well as mete out judgment upon those who have broken his commandments.

When speaking of the future conversion of the Gentiles in 3:8-20, Zephaniah describes a coming messianic age and the spread of the gospel. Yet, in the closing verses of his prophecy (3:14-20), Zephaniah focuses upon a time of great joy for Jerusalem. The prophet sees the city cleansed and rejoicing, even though Israel’s exile in Babylon is still future. This can only mean that the prophet foretells of a two-stage fulfillment of his prophecy; one after Israel’s exile in Babylon when God’s people return from their captivity to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple, and another associated with the messianic age and those wonderful blessings to be earned for us by Jesus.

To read the rest, follow the link below.

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Biblical TheologyKim RiddlebargerZephaniah, Messianic promise of restorationComment
Musings . . .
Musings . . .

Recommended:

David Van Drunen: On Race and Racism

God told me to tell you to read, R. S. Clark on the Dangers of "God Told Me"

Sen. Ben Sasse on Tech Disruption, Political Addiction, and the Loss of Community. Sen Sasse is my go-to guy on these issues.

Guelzo's book on Robert E. Lee is finally here! Guelzo is the right historian to tell the story of the “Marble Man” in the post-Charlottesville era. I can’t wait to read it

Athanasius on the Death of Arius:

Granted, there is certainly a perverse temptation to take delight in the affliction experienced by others. But when it comes to the fall of an arch-enemy of the gospel, there is a slight measure of satisfaction when justice finally prevails. It falls to Athanasius to inform us of manner of Arius’ death, the very night before Arius was to be ordained as Bishop.

“When the Bishop Alexander heard this (that Arius had under oath declared that he held the right faith) he was greatly distressed, and entering into the church stretched forth his hands unto God, and bewailed himself; and casting himself upon his face in the chancel, he prayed laying on the pavement . . . . `If Arius is brought to communion tomorrow let me, Thy servant depart, and destroy not the pious with the impious; but if Thou wilt spare Thy Church . . . . take off Arius, lest if he enter into the Church, and the heresy also may seem to enter with him, and henceforth impiety may be accounted for piety.’ When the Bishop had thus prayed, he retired with great anxiety, and a wonderful and extraordinary circumstance took place. . . . Arius . . . talked very wildly, [but] urged by the necessities of nature withdrew, and suddenly, in the language of Scripture, `falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst,' and immediately expired as he lay, and was deprived both of communion and of his life together. Such has been the end of Arius” (Athanasius, “To Serapion, Concerning the Death of Arius,” in NPNF, Vol. IV. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1978), 564 ff.)

Athanasius, no doubt, felt a measure of divine vindication. “The antichristian gang of the Arian madmen has been shewn to be unpleasing to God and impious.”

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Reformed Resources, History and Culture, MusingsKim RiddlebargerRace and racism, God told me, R. E. Lee, Allen GuelzoComment
An Exposition of Article Thirteen of the Belgic Confession -- "Nothing Happens Apart from His Direction"
An Exposition of Article Thirteen of the Belgic Confession -- "Nothing Happens Apart from His Direction"

Creation and providence are two doctrines which fit together like hand and glove. God created all things visible and invisible from nothing (the doctrine of creation), and God sustains the world he has made and so rules over it that all things fulfill the ends for which they have been created (this is the doctrine of providence). Christians believe God is distinct from the world (unlike the pantheists, who confuse God with the world). Yet, while distinct from the world, nevertheless, we believe and confess that God is intimately involved in every aspect of the world he has made. In believing this, we reject all forms of deism, which teach that after creating all things, God steps back (so to speak), allowing human history to simply run its course.

Articles Twelve and Thirteen of the Belgic Confession address the closely related doctrines of creation and providence. As we have seen throughout our study of articles Eight through Eleven of our confession, which deal with the Trinity and the deity of the Son and Holy Spirit, the Triune God creates and sustains all things. The Christian view of creation and providence is quite different from other monotheistic religions such as Judaism and Islam, both of which deny the deity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, as well as their respective roles in the creation of all things.

To read the rest of this exposition, click here: An Exposition of Article Thirteen -- "Nothing Happens Apart from His Direction"

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Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerCreation, Providence, Divine concurrence
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Eight: "Do You Want to Go Back to Slavery?" (Galatians 4:1-20)
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Eight: "Do You Want to Go Back to Slavery?" (Galatians 4:1-20)

Paul’s question to those listening to the agitators in Galatia is a profound but simple one. “What has happened to all of your joy?” Paul is referring to that joy they had experienced together with Paul when he first preached the gospel to them. These people were Paul’s spiritual children. He loved them, and he thought they loved him. They took him in when he had been felled by illness. There was much joy. And then the Judaizers came. Do the Galatians really want to follow them and return to slavery?

To listen to this episode of the Blessed Hope Podcast, follow the link below

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerLegalism, The Book of Galatians, Galatians 4:1-20Comment
Some Thoughts on a Friday -- Mostly About Books
Some Thoughts on a Friday -- Mostly About Books

Thanks so much to the folks at Banner of Truth for reprinting Louis Berkhof’s venerable Systematic Theology. Not only does this volume include Berkhof’s Introduction to Systematic Theology, (a full book in its own right) but the entire volume has been given a refreshed typeset. I’m thrilled. I have used it constantly for the last forty years. My current copy is falling apart. Hope this one has a good binding and will lie flat when open. You can get it here: New Edition of Berkhof's Systematic Theology

To read the rest, follow the link below

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Reformed Resources, History and CultureKim RiddlebargerChamberlain and Hitler, Berkhof's Systematic Theology, Review of Piper's Future Grace Comments
On the 20th Anniversary of September 11, 2001
On the 20th Anniversary of September 11, 2001

In the terrible days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC., I composed this essay for publication (I don’t remember where, Modern Reformation perhaps?). On the twentieth anniversary of 911, I thought it might be a good time to re-post it here, but now to be read in light of all that has happened in the twenty years since—both good and bad.

_______________________________________

My phone usually doesn’t ring at 6:45 AM. I could hear someone leaving me an urgent message: “turn on the television!” When I turned the TV on, I watched in horror as a commercial jet airliner crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in New York. From the smoke pouring out of the other Trade Center tower, it was clear that this was not the first plane to strike. The TV reporter was still speculating about what was becoming obvious–this was a terrorist attack. Like most Americans, I spent the rest of the morning of September 11, 2001, glued to the television watching the Pentagon burn, shocked at the huge loss of life, and coming to the inevitable conclusion that Usama Bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda terrorist network was behind these savage acts. I knew that America was going to war.

But it was not long before the phone rang again. This time a twenty-something year-old member of our church was calling, deeply troubled by horrors they had witnessed in New York and Washington. Looking for some solace, the caller soon checked off a series of difficult questions such incidents always seem to bring to mind. “Pastor, Paul says in Ephesians 1:11 that `God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.’ Does this mean that God is responsible for this? Is this horrible tragedy really a part of God’s purpose?”

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

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Kim Riddlebarger Comments
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Seven: "Why the Law?" (Galatians 3:19-29)
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Seven: "Why the Law?" (Galatians 3:19-29)

Paul has made his case that all believing Jews and Gentiles are children of Abraham through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul has also made the point that the giving of the law at Mount Sinai does not annul the prior covenant God made with Abraham.

But, at some point in this letter, Paul must address the question, “why then did God give the law?” The law, he says, was given for a particular time in redemptive history (Moses to Christ) and plays a vital role (to expose sin), which he is about to explain. The law, Paul says, functions as a guardian until Christ comes. The law exposes and incites sin. But once faith has come, God’s people are in a new era in redemptive history (of the new covenant in which the promises to Abraham have been fulfilled) and it is only after the coming of Jesus Christ, that we can see the law’s true purpose.

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

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerWhy the Law of God?, Circumcision and Baptism, Galatians 3:19-29 Comments
Elders Matter — The Mars Hill Debacle Is Proof
Elders Matter — The Mars Hill Debacle Is Proof

The Mars Hill/Mark Driscoll debacle is well known. Many have listened to Christianity Today’s excellent podcast series, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. The fall of Mars Hill is but another incident in a long series of scandals plaguing American evangelicalism. Why do such things happen over and over again?

My response . . . A bad or non-existent ecclesiology. Throughout today’s American Christianity there is little if any regard paid to the biblical model of church government (Presbyterian/Reformed), which is rule by a plurality of elders, approved by the congregation, whose role is, in part, to keep watch upon the life and doctrine of the pastor and their fellow elders.

I wonder if there was ever a moment in the early days of these entrepreneurial churches when the founding members asked themselves, “how did the church in the New Testament govern itself?” Probably not, or else the question was quickly dismissed as an appeal to mere tradition, something too cumbersome or unnecessarily inefficient. Groups like this often view its charismatic leader as taking on (even if indirectly) the role of an apostle. The leader appears to have a direct link to God, which allows the group members (better— “followers”) to let the leader unquestionably assume the role of arbiter of the group’s doctrine, the gifted one who determines the group’s mission and “casts its vision,” as well as the primary decision maker should there be differences of opinion. Without a biblical ecclesiology in place, the visionary leader is able to get his way through manipulation and guilt, and if necessary, will remove any and all who oppose him. Yet nobody blinks. In the end, the once loyal followers are left embittered and wonder, “how did God let this happen?” We have seen this story play out over and over again, often in the media.

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

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Wisdom from ConfessionsKim Riddlebargerecclesiology, Mars Hill Comments
As the Summer Winds Down . . .
As the Summer Winds Down . . .

I thought it time for a few updates . . .

The Fall Semester at WSC begins next week. I’ll be teaching Theology Proper the first half of the semester, as part of a course I’ll split with Dr. Van Drunen (who teaches the anthropology section).

N. T. Wright (AKA “I’m Always Right”) has released his new commentary on Galatians (Wright on Galatians). I’ll read it in detail when I can, but a quick once over reveals that Wright has embraced full curmudgeonhood—his tone is crabby and he’s just flat out dismissive of his critics. Wright ignores Horton’s volumes on justification as well as Charles Lee Iron’s decimating critique of Wright’s misuse of righteousness language—the Bishop glibly refers readers to his previous work on Paul. He smugly dismisses the work of Moo and others on Galatians as though, “if you want to read old perspective stuff, `go for it.’” He continues to make his case that he alone understands Paul properly, repeating his erroneous view of the Table Fellowship debate and “works of law” in Galatians 2. BTW, I embraced full curmudgeonhood long ago, so I know it when I see it.

To read the rest of the updates, follow the link below.

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Riddleblog UpdateKim RiddlebargerN, N. T. Wright, Galatians, Allen Guelzo, The Dispatch Comments
An Exposition of Article Twelve of the Belgic Confession -- "The Creation of All Things"
An Exposition of Article Twelve of the Belgic Confession -- "The Creation of All Things"

One of the basic affirmations of Christian theology is that God created all things out of nothing. This includes the creation of things visible and invisible. It is clearly taught in Scripture that God does not create all things and then step back as a dispassionate observer, watching the created order run its course. This is the error of the deists. God creates all things, and he ordains the ends for which they have been created. He also sustains and upholds the things he has created so that they fulfill the ends for which they were created. This is what we mean when we speak of the doctrines of creation and providence and reveals these two topics to be inextricably linked.

Given the alarming increase in pagan conceptions of the world and creation found in American religion and culture–that God is in some way identified with the creation itself, that God is somehow a part of the world (pantheism)–this is yet another truth which is important for us to believe and confess before the unbelieving world around us. We now move from a discussion of the Trinity and the deity of the Son and Holy Spirit (articles eight through eleven), to a discussion in articles twelve and thirteen of the work of the Triune God in creating and sustaining all things. As we saw when we discussed the Trinity and the unique properties of each of the divine persons of the Godhead, all three members of the Godhead are said to participate in the creation of all things.

To read the rest of the this exposition, "Created Out of Nothing"

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Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerDoctrine of CreationComment
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Six: "Christ Became a Curse for Us" (Galatians 3:10-18)
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Six: "Christ Became a Curse for Us" (Galatians 3:10-18)

To correct the error of the Judaizers–which is to insist that Gentiles undergo circumcision and live as Jews—Paul makes a series of important distinctions in his letter to the Galatians. The Apostle contrasts faith and works, the spirit and the flesh, the law and the gospel. He also carefully distinguishes between the covenants God made with Abraham (in which Abraham was reckoned as righteous), and the covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai, (in which the law of God was given to his people).

The covenant God made with Abraham is gracious, while the covenant God made with Israel at Sinai is closely tied to the blessing/curse principle. The Judaizers conflated these two covenants, thereby mistakenly seeing the sign and seal of God’s gracious covenant with Abraham (circumcision), through the lens of the blessing/curse principle, thereby turning circumcision into a meritorious work.

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

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerChrist's redemption, Christ became a curse
The Fear of the Lord
The Fear of the Lord

I was still in my teens, but I vividly remember the preacher’s words. “When the Bible speaks of the fear of the Lord, it doesn’t mean to be afraid of God, but to respect him. We must never be afraid of God because he loves us.” The preacher had a point and there was palpable relief felt in the congregation upon his declaration. It sounded like God’s love somehow canceled out any fear of God which might trouble us.

But I continued to wonder, how does the softening of fear into “respect” square with the well-known verse in Proverbs 1:7, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, something which fools despise”? The question remained. What does it mean to “fear the Lord” especially when failing to fear the Lord is to be a fool who lacks knowledge?

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

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Biblical EventsKim Riddlebargerfear of the Lord, love casts out fear