The Riddleblog

“Daniel Blessed the God of Heaven” – Daniel 2:1-24 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel-- Part Four)

Times Have Changed

The mood in the Babylonian court has completely changed between the time Nebuchadnezzar claimed the throne in 605 BC, and the scene which unfolds in Daniel chapter 2. In the opening chapter of his prophecy, Daniel describes Nebuchadnezzar as an all-powerful king, bestowing favors on those servants who have successfully completed their transformation from captured youths into humble and efficient servants in the Babylonian court, young men who come from the various peoples defeated by the Babylonians, now dedicated to serve the king and worship his Babylonian “gods.”

But in chapter 2 (which takes place two years later in 603 BC), the king is troubled and frightened because he has had a dream–the meaning of which escapes him. The royal court which seemed so dominant over its humiliated subjects is now depicted as a place of fear, helplessness, and brutality.[1] Whatever it was that the king had dreamed, coupled with the failure of Nebuchadnezzer’s magicians and astrologers to interpret the dream for him, initially leads to great peril for Daniel and his friends. But then it becomes an opportunity for Daniel to ascend in rank and importance in the court. This comes to pass because YHWH is Daniel’s shield and defender, and the source of both Nebuchadnezzaer’s dream and Daniel’s interpretation.

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Season Three of the Blessed Hope Podcast Kicks Off! “What Happens in Corinth Doesn't Stay in Corinth!”

Episode Synopsis:

I’m very excited to kick off season three of the Blessed Hope Podcast because we are taking up one of the most interesting and challenging letters in all the New Testament–Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. This is a letter which is practical in the best sense of the term and we will spend a great deal of time going through it in some detail.

One of the first things we will notice in Paul’s First Corinthian letter is that he is not writing a systematic treatise (as he does in Romans and Ephesians). Instead, Paul is responding to a number of important matters which have come to his attention that were troubling the Corinthian church. But Paul is in Ephesus when he gets this information and cannot get to Corinth (some 425 miles away) any time soon. So Paul must address these issues by letter. We know Paul wrote at least three letters to the Corinthians (we are in possession of two of them – 1st and 2nd Corinthians) and we’ll tackle them consecutively in our usual verse by verse manner.

There are an number of controversies in 1 Corinthians with which we’ve all wrestled, and which are addressed by Paul.

Perhaps you’ve heard the expression, “Christians are to be in the world, but not of the world.” What does this mean, and why is it that so many Christians in Corinth remain “of the world, but not in the world?” Paul tackles this question.
What about the gifts of the Spirit?
Maybe you or someone you know finds speaking in tongues to be the high point of the Christian life. Perhaps you think it tied to the apostolic age and something not to be practiced today–what does Paul say about speaking in tongues and how it is to be practiced?
What went on in a worship service in the apostolic church? Paul gives us our only description of such worship in 1 Corinthians 11-14.
What are we to do with those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, but who then do things which are utterly at odds with their profession of faith? What is church discipline and why do Reformed churches practice it?
Why does Paul spend so much time and energy in his discussion of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15? What does he say about the resurrection of our bodies and how we will dwelling in God’s presence for all eternity?

And this is just scratching the surface. So, there will be much more to come as we work our way through Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

To see the show notes and listen to the episode, follow the link below

Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerJanuary 8, 2024Introduction to 1 CorinthiansComment

The Basics -- Baptism

Before our Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, he left his disciples with the following command; “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). Based upon these words of the Great Commission, it is clear that the mission of Christ’s church is to go into the world, preach the gospel, and make disciples of all nations. How do we make disciples? We start by baptizing them in the name of the Triune God.

Although many professing Christians today are strangely indifferent to the sacraments in general and baptism in particular, the New Testament knows nothing of someone who comes to faith in Jesus Christ but who is not baptized. While the exception to this is the thief on the cross for whom baptism was not possible (cf. Luke 23:40-43), the New Testament is very clear about the necessity of baptism as the sign and seal of one’s profession of faith in Jesus (cf. Romans 4:9-12). Not only does Jesus command his disciples in the Great Commission to make disciples of the nations by baptizing those who believe in Jesus, the Pentecost sermon preached by Peter ends with the following charge–“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38-39). Throughout the Book of Acts, heads of households are baptized upon a profession of faith in Christ, but these same individuals also present their entire households, including their children, for baptism (cf. Acts 16:14-15; 31-33; Acts 18:8).

To read the rest, follow the link below

The BasicsKim RiddlebargerJanuary 5, 2024BaptismComment

John Wesley's Take on Election and Human Obedience (in Light of the Canons of Dort’s Declaration that Basing Election on Obedience Is an Error)

The following comes from John Wesley's famous sermon "On Free Grace," (1740).

This then, is a plain proof that the doctrine of predestination is not a doctrine of God, because it makes void the ordinance of God; and God is not divided against himself.
[The doctrine of Predestination] directly tends to destroy that holiness which is the end of all the ordinances of God. I do not say, none who hold it are holy; (for God is of tender mercy to those who are unavoidably entangled in errors of any kind;) but that the doctrine itself, -- that every man is either elected or not elected from eternity, and that the one must inevitably be saved, and the other inevitably damned, -- has a manifest tendency to destroy holiness in general; for it wholly takes away those first motives to follow after it, so frequently proposed in Scripture, the hope of future reward and fear of punishment, the hope of heaven and fear of hell.

Says Wesley, the Christian life is to be lived in light of the hope of a future reward and the fear of punishment. But are hope and fear the proper basis for good works? Should not good works arise from a thankful heart and done out of gratitude? No, says Wesley.

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"The Error of Teaching That Our Election Is Secured By Human Obedience" -- Rejection of Errors, First Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (VII)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching concerning election and reprobation, the Synod rejects the errors of those . . .

VII. Who teach that in this life there is no fruit, no awareness, and no assurance of one’s unchangeable election to glory, except as conditional upon something changeable and contingent.

For not only is it absurd to speak of an uncertain assurance, but these things also militate against the experience of the saints, who with the apostle rejoice from an awareness of their election and sing the praises of this gift of God; who, as Christ urged, “rejoice” with his disciples “that their names have been written in heaven” (Luke 10:20); and finally who hold up against the flaming arrows of the devil’s temptations the awareness of their election, with the question “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?” (Rom. 8:33)

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Roman Catholic theology contends that any notion of the assurance of salvation inevitably leads to presumption and laxity in the Christian life, which Rome identifies as the sin of presumption. So too, many Arminians have argued that the ground of election is to be located in a Christian’s personal performance (faith, good works, and our own efforts at persevering to the end).

According to the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent,

No one...so long as he lives this mortal life, ought to regard to the sacred mystery of divine predestination, so far presume as to state with absolute certainty, that he is numbered of the predestined, as if it were true that the one justified either cannot sin any more, or, if he does sin, that he ought to promise himself an assured repentance. For except by special revelation, it cannot be known who God has chosen to Himself. (Sixth Session, Chapter XII).

As Rome sees the matter, no one can know that they are numbered among the elect. This lack of assurance supposedly motivates the faithful to lead godly lives and to persevere in good works to the end of their lives, so that they may be delivered from eternal loss (or shorten their time in purgatory). In this scheme, the proper motivation for perseverance and good works is the fear of divine chastisement and/or eternal punishment. Clearly, Rome was worried that believers who possessed assurance of their salvation would become morally lax, and live lives indifferent to good works and holy living.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Wishing You a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!

The New Year’s Day Prayer (from the URCNA Forms and Prayers)

Eternal and Almighty God, we humble ourselves in your presence to dedicate to you the beginning of this year, by adoration, prayer, and praise.

We come before your Supreme Majesty, and acknowledge, with gratitude, the manifold blessings which you have freely bestowed upon us, through the whole course of our lives. We thank you, that having preserved us to the present time, you have permitted us to enter upon a new year. You have not ceased, O most gracious God, to give to us the abundance of your lovingkindness. But you have especially sustained us with every spiritual blessing by keeping in the midst of us the light of your gospel.

You have granted us repentance, through your mighty help, through your great goodness, and through the warnings of your Word and Spirit; and have mercifully given to us favorable opportunities to grow in grace. Despite our unworthiness, for the love of Jesus Christ, take not away from us your protection and favor.

Moved by your grace, we devote ourselves to you at the beginning of this year, desiring to employ it better than we have done the years that are past. And since this day also warns us that our years pass away like a flood, like a dream, give us grace that we may seriously number our days that we may have a heart of wisdom; that we may discern the vanity of this life; and that we may aspire to that better life, when days, and months, and years, shall be counted no more, forever.

While we continue in the flesh, may we more and more live not according to its desires, but according to your will. And grant, O God, that when our years shall come to an end, and the day of our death arrives, we may depart in the peace that passes all understanding and in the sure hope of life everlasting. Favorably hear us through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Riddleblog PublicationKim RiddlebargerDecember 31, 2023A blessed and happy new yearComment

“Ten Times Better” -- Daniel 1:17-21 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel-- Part Three)

Context and Background Matter In Daniel

I think it fair to say that one reason why preachers often turn the great events of redemptive history into object lessons or timeless truths–and often times even these are obscured by illustrations, stories, and multi-media presentations–is because neither they nor their congregations know the Bible well enough (or care to know the Bible well enough) to let the biblical story tell itself, and then trust God to apply his word to the hearts of those hearing it proclaimed.

Because it is a difficult book, requiring a great deal of historical background, the Book of Daniel is far too often subject to such unfortunate moralizing treatment. This is a shame, because the story of four young Jewish boys taken captive, forced to conform to foreign ways, and then finding themselves standing before the king of Babylon (the man who has done these evil things to them) and out-performing by ten times the king’s own best and brightest, is far more interesting than any illustration I might find, any story that I might tell, or any timeless truth we may attempt to identify.

Their story is especially compelling when we know the biblical background which puts this account into perspective–the reason why I will spend some time developing that background. Yes, this is a wonderful story of faith under pressure and resistance in the face of temptation. But it is also a story of God working all things after the counsel of his will, while still caring for these four young men. God has chosen Daniel to reveal future chapters in the great story of redemption.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerDecember 28, 2023Daniel--the big picture, Two Themes in Daniel, OT echoes in DanielComment

One Implication of the Birth of Our Savior – “There Is No Other Name Under Heaven Given Among Men by Which We Must Be Saved” (Acts 4:1-22; Isaiah 41-45 selected texts)

Jesus Came to Save us from Our Sins

Jesus is the eternal word, who took to himself a true human nature, and was born of a virgin. Jesus did this to save us from our sins. The incarnation is truly a wonder of wonders, but one implication of our Lord’s birth the first Christmas often goes unspoken. If Jesus is the only savior and salvation can be found in no one else, then Christianity is the only true religion and we as Christians are making the claim that all other religions are false no matter how sincere non-Christians may be, and despite how much self-flattery and false comfort these religions bring to their adherents. But to dare say such a thing (and to make such an exclusive claim to truth) is to commit the unpardonable sin in modern America. So this implication which arises from Jesus’ birth is a point well-worth considering now that Christmas has come and gone. The birth of Jesus Christ—that mere babe in the manger—changes everything, for Christians and non-Christians alike.

We are not the first Christians to face these implications of Christmas and we won’t be the last. In fact, the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the importance of his incarnation as a truth claim becomes clear in the opening chapters of the Book of Acts when the apostles begin proclaiming the gospel to the Jews. Jesus had been crucified and buried just weeks earlier, although his followers believed that he had risen from the dead.

Better Than Silver or Gold

The first 22 verses of Acts chapter 4 record some of the fall-out associated with the dramatic events which just transpired in Acts 3, where we read that near the gate called “beautiful” (which was between the inner and outer court of the Jerusalem temple), Peter and John encountered a man who had been handicapped from birth. When this man (who survived by begging for alms) asked Peter and John for money, we read in Acts 3:4ff that . . .

Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, `Look at us.’ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, `I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!’ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.

Those who knew the man and had passed him daily came running to see what was going on. According to Luke, the people “were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

To read the rest, follow the link below

Christmases Past

My great grandparents, Albert and Paulina Riddlesbarger were married on December 25, 1893 in Andrew County, Missouri.

“Bert” and “Lina” were devout Brethren (of the evangelical Grace Brethren sort) and moved to Belleville, Kansas soon after they were married. Later they moved on to Nampa, Idaho with a number of Brethren families. They ended up in Garden Grove, California, in the late 1920s to be near my grandparents and their grandchildren (including my dad, Clayton).

To read the rest, follow the link below

Riddlebarger Fam HistoryKim RiddlebargerDecember 24, 2023Albert and Paulina RiddlebargerComment

A Festivus for the Rest of Us!

Time for the feats of strength, the airing of grievances, and waiting for that Festivus miracle.

So, lets get it started . . .

I got a lot of problems with you people!

History and Culture, Just having some funKim RiddlebargerDecember 23, 2023Airing of Grievances, Feats of StregnthComment

Christmas and End of the Year Musings (12/22/2023)

Riddleblog and Blessed Hope Updates:

For some reason, I was not getting notifications when folks comment on Riddleblog posts. I was also gone for several weeks in November. So, I missed a number of your questions/comments. Very sorry, but I think the problem has been fixed.
I should have a release date for Season Three of the Blessed Hope podcast soon—early in the New Year. I’ve been hard at work, getting the first few episodes of our study of 1 Corinthians ready. I’d like to have several episodes “in the can” before season three begins.

The Riddleblog Series on the Book of Daniel is underway.

Thinking out loud:

Count me among the vast majority of Americans who do not want to see either Trump or Biden nominated by their respective parties. Every news cycle reveals more cringeworthiness, disrespect for the rule of law, and ineptitude from both of them. There are 340 million Americans and this is the best the Ds and Rs can do?
Why do personal injury attorneys always seem to wear incandescent blue suits in their commercials and billboard ads?
The NCAA better fix the NIL mess with college football—this current signing date and transfer portal situation is pure chaos.

To read the rest of my musings, follow the link below

“The Babe, the Lamb, and the Lion of Judah” An Exposition of Revelation 5:1-14

The Babe in Bethlehem

In their opening chapters, the synoptic gospels give us a wonderful picture of God incarnate, a helpless babe in a manger, virginally conceived, and born to a young woman named Mary. When we see him in Bethlehem, the Christ-child is like a defenseless lamb, anything but a roaring lion.

Yet, in Revelation chapters 4 and 5, the Apostle John gives us an entirely different perspective on this newborn’s true identity. John recounts being caught away by the Holy Spirit where he was given a vision of God’s throne in heaven–a much different perspective upon our Lord’s advent from that given to us in the gospels.

A Different Perspective–The Throne of Heaven

Struggling to describe the scene he is witnessing, John sees one who is both a lion and a lamb. The glory of the one sitting upon the throne, says John, has the appearance of precious gems and reflects virtually every color of the spectrum. A rainbow encircles the throne, from which emanate flashes of lightening and peals of thunder. Surrounding the throne are twenty four elders, representing God’s redeemed people from both testaments. Also present are four living creatures (angels) who have six wings and who are covered with eyes. The living creatures represent all of creation. Together, with the elders, the living creatures worship the one seated on the throne. But they also worship another—a Lamb who was slain and yet who is also the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5). He alone is worthy to open the mysterious scroll containing God’s plan for the future chapters of redemptive history.

To read the rest, follow the link below

B. B. Warfield on the Celebration of Christmas

In a review of a German book beautifully illustrating the art associated with the celebration of Christmas written by Georg Rietschel (1842-1914), who was a professor of theology at Leipzig University (H. T. Barry Waugh: Warfield on Celebrating Christmas) , B. B. Warfield concludes by raising the following questions:

1). What can be said for the customs [of Christmas] to which we have committed ourselves?

2). There is no reason to believe that our Lord wished his birthday to be celebrated by his followers.

3). There is no reason to believe that the day on which we are celebrating it is his birthday (Michael Kruger: Five Misconceptions of Christmas).

4). There is no reason to believe that the way in which we currently celebrate it would meet his approval.

These questions cause Warfield to conclude with the follow challenge; “are we not in some danger of making of what we fondly tell ourselves is a celebration of the Advent of our Lord, on the one side something much more like the Saturnalia of old Rome than is becoming in a sober Christian life; and, on the other something much more like a shopkeeper’s carnival than can comport with the dignity of even a sober secular life?”

Christmas is a difficult time for Christians precisely because of these important questions raised by Warfield. What do we do when a secular holiday and all the things that go with it (some good, some terrible) becomes thoroughly intertwined with the Christian celebration of our Lord’s birth and incarnation? There is something wonderful about an annual gathering when families and friends come together, feast, share gifts, and make family memories. There is something awful when “Frosty the Snowman” plays in the annual rotation of the FM radio station of Christmas music right after “Joy to the World.”

To read the rest, follow the link below:

What Will You Hear This Christmas? The Testimony of the Inn-Keeper? Words from Edith Bunker?

For the last few months I have been receiving emails advertising a sermon subscription series—the proprietor and the service shall go unnamed. Either the proprietor added me to his list (not knowing how I’d react to these emails), or someone who does know how I feel about these things (On Subscription Sermon Series) signed me up as a prank. Back in the day, the White Horse Inn crew, (including Mike Horton, our producer Shane Rosenthal, along with yours truly), would sign up our feisty Lutheran co-host, Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, for all kinds of stuff to get his goat—Wesleyan Woman comes to mind. It took him all of a few seconds to guess the culprits. So it may very well be the case that someone did that here. The point is, these email pitches came to me unsolicited.

The advertisements contain “highlights” from various sermons for which you can sign-up and then download in their entirety. Aside from the propriety of a minister not preparing his own sermon, there is the matter of attribution. Does the one preaching someone else’s sermon ever feel compelled to tell the congregation that they are doing so? You’d think with content so bad no preacher would want to pass this stuff off as their own work!

Then there is the matter of content. I have never subscribed to such a series—even on a free trial basis out of a sense of curiosity, wondering “how bad can they be?” So I don’t know how much biblical and theological content they may include. I only see what they choose to send me. If these are the “highlights,” I’m pretty sure the body of these “sermons” contain similar piffle—or worse.

To read the rest, follow the link below

"God Gave Daniel Favor and Compassion” -- Daniel 1:8-21 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel-- Part Two)

Daniel’s Prophecy is About Much More Than Resisting Temptation

Perhaps you heard the same sorts of sermons on Daniel I did growing up. As Daniel resisted the temptation to embrace worldly ways, keeping his faith under pressure to conform, so we too should resist “worldliness” and stand strong in our beliefs in the face of those who reject them. The application we were to draw from this was not to smoke, drink, date non-Christians, lie, steal, and so on, when non–Christians tell us these things are okay.

While there is some truth in this, when we read of Daniel being forced to resist the pressure to compromise his faith we are tempted to read Daniel’s struggle in light of our own struggles to live godly lives and progress in our sanctification. But, as I will suggest throughout this series, we should understand Daniel’s situation as much more like that in which a Christian in modern Syria and Iraq endured when their community was overrun by a terrorist regime like ISIS or Hamas, or even in light of what the Chinese Communist Party has sought to do with the Uyghurs—a Muslim population in western China. Daniel faced a constant, coercive, and humiliating pressure to reject his religion and his national citizenship, to embrace foreign gods, serve foreign rulers, and adopt a way of life completely alien to the faith of Israel’s patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Daniel faced intense pressure to conform at a level difficult for us to imagine, especially when we consider that he was still a youth serving in the royal court and therefore in the presence of the very king (Nebuchadnezzar) who was attempting to subjugate Daniel’s people and nation through the most diabolical of means. Throughout his struggle to not compromise his fundamental beliefs, YHWH is with him every step of the way, all the while directing the affairs of kings and nations to their divinely-appointed ends.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerDecember 13, 2023Daniel's Resistence Comments

The Basics -- The Sacraments

Although any discussion of the role which the sacraments play in the Christian life seems too “catholic” for many evangelical Christians, they do play a very important role throughout the New Testament. The debate over sacraments was a huge point of contention at the time of the Reformation, not only with Rome, but between Protestants (Lutheran and Reformed, as well as opposition to the Anabaptists). Baptists and Presbyterians continue to exist today as separate Protestant church bodies for a number of reasons, but one big point of contention is the on-going debate over the meaning, mode, and subjects of baptism, as well as how we ought to understand the nature of the Lord’s Supper.

Summarizing the teaching of Scripture on this topic, the Heidelberg Catechism (Q 65) defines the two New Testament sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as “holy signs and seals for us to see. They were instituted by God so that by our use of them he might make us understand more clearly the promise of the gospel, and might put his seal on that promise.” And what is the promise of the gospel? “To forgive our sins and give us eternal life by grace alone because of Christ’s one sacrifice finished on the cross.”

The sacraments are visible signs and seals of God’s invisible grace promised to his people in the gospel (Romans 4:9-12).

To read the rest, follow the link below

The BasicsKim RiddlebargerDecember 11, 2023The sacraments Comments

"The Error of Teaching That Election is Changeable" -- Rejection of Errors, First head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (VI)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching concerning election and reprobation, the Synod rejects the errors of those . . .

VI. Who teach that not every election to salvation is unchangeable, but that some of the chosen can perish and do in fact perish eternally, with no decision of God to prevent it.

By this gross error they make God changeable, destroy the comfort of the godly concerning the steadfastness of their election, and contradict the Holy Scriptures, which teach that the elect cannot be led astray (Matt. 24:24), that Christ does not lose those given to him by the Father (John 6:39), and that those whom God predestined, called, and justified, he also glorifies (Rom. 8:30).

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Another error associated with certain forms of Arminianism derives from the formulation of the dual decree described in the previous refutation of errors (paragraph five). In this instance, the Arminian argues, God will never withhold his salvation from those who do indeed repent, believe, and live holy lives before him. But since election is not absolute, and in this regard is only general and universal, there is no guarantee that those who are chosen by God will persevere in faith to the end, and therefore be saved.

As we have seen, the argument runs as follows. God has determined the plan of salvation, but has not chosen the specific individuals who are themselves to be saved. Those who fulfill God's requirements are considered to be numbered among the elect if they persevere.

The problem with this should be obvious. Those who are presently in Christ through faith, can take no comfort in the fact of their election, because there is absolutely no guarantee that they will believe in Jesus until death. This places the onus on the individual to persevere in the Christian life, and does not give the believer the comfort of knowing that it is Christ who is even now ensuring that the elect will persevere to the end and be saved (cf. Luke 22:32; 1 John 2:1-2).

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerDecember 8, 2023election is unchangeable Comment

Paul on Christian Hope in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

The Question Put to Paul by the Thessalonians

In light of the broad background of the New Testament’s teaching regarding the second advent of our Lord, we consider Paul’s teaching regarding Christian hope in verses 13-14 of 1 Thessalonians 4. Paul is addressing the question brought to him from the Thessalonians by Timothy regarding the fate of those who die before Christ returns. Since Paul had been gone from Thessalonica for but a short period of time, many have wondered about how it is that this question would arise, since it is not likely that many people in the congregation would have died during the short time span between Paul’s departure and Timothy’s return trip to the city. Perhaps some were martyred due to persecution, but this is improbable. Although many proposals have been put forth as an explanation, Gene Green wisely cautions us,

The reconstruction of greatest merit argues that at the moment of confronting the reality of death, the Thessalonians did not allow their confession to inform their reaction to this human tragedy. Alternately, they may simply have not understood fully the reality of the resurrection from the dead, especially in light of the general Gentile consensus that such things simply do not happen.[1]

To read the rest, follow the link below

Warfield on the Slight Difference Between Rationalism and Mysticism

B. B. Warfield was not a fan of mysticism nor rationalism for that matter. According to Warfield, here’s what happens when you give up on biblical authority:

Once turn away from revelation and little choice remains to you but the choice between Mysticism and Rationalism. There is not so much choice between these things, it is true, as enthusiasts on either side are apt to imagine. The difference between them is very much a matter of temperament, or perhaps we may even say of temperature. The Mystic blows hot, the Rationalist cold. Warm up a Rationalist and you inevitably get a Mystic; chill down a Mystic and you find yourselves with a Rationalist on your hands. The history of thought illustrates repeatedly the easy passage from one to the other.

This gem is found in, B. B. Warfield, “Review of Mysticism in Christianity by W. K. Fleming and Mysticism and Modern Life by John Wright Buckman, in The Princeton Theological Review, xiv (1916), 343-348; and is reprinted in B. B. Warfield, Critical Reviews (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1981), 366-367.

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerDecember 4, 2023Mysticism and RationalismComment

December Musings (12/1/2023)

Updates:

I am back from our trip abroad and once again hard at work on editing the manuscript of the Blessed Hope Podcast series on Paul’s Thessalonian Letters—it will be available free of charge to all of you who have listened to the entire series, just as with my Galatian exposition, "For Freedom" -- An Exposition of Paul's Galatian Letter
I am also working on season three of the Blessed Hope Podcast series on 1 and 2 Corinthians.
I’ve started a new series on the Riddleblog—an exposition of the book of Daniel.
Pictures from my European trip can be found at Kim Riddlebarger on Instagram. I finally made it to all the Calvin sites in Strasbourg and Geneva.
My volume on First Corinthians in the Lectio Continua series (now published by Reformation Heritage Books) is off to the printer. I’ll have an update and a release date when I get more info from the publisher.

To read the rest of my musings, follow the link below

MusingsKim RiddlebargerDecember 1, 2023Paul as subversive, Martin Bucer, Lectio Continua, Clowns, MiltonComment