“His Son” Hebrews 1:1-4 (An Exposition of the Book of Hebrews–Part One)
“His Son” Hebrews 1:1-4 (An Exposition of the Book of Hebrews–Part One)

Introduction

We begin a new series on the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews is an epistle which exalts Jesus Christ, who is superior to Israel’s prophets, superior to the angels, superior to Moses, superior to Aaron and the priests of Israel, and because of whom, life in the new covenant is vastly superior to that under the old.

John Calvin contends that the purpose of this epistle is to explain the offices of Jesus Christ and demonstrate how Jesus has fulfilled all the ceremonies and obligations of the Jewish law. As we will see, this is an epistle which was written to Greek-speaking Jewish Christians, some of whom were abandoning their Christian faith and returning to Judaism. The epistle speaks powerfully to us today. There are people all around us who have professed to believe that Jesus is the Christ, but who eventually give up their profession of faith and embrace the pagan religious impulse of our age, “spirituality.” The Book of Hebrews warns of the danger of doing so.

There are also people in our churches who believe all the right things on an intellectual level, but who never do seem to put their profession of faith into action. What is in their heads never makes its way into their hearts. There are also those who for a time profess the doctrine of justification sola fide, but who later abandon that confession and convert to Romanism or Orthodoxy and trust in their own good works or religious ceremonies to deliver them on the day of judgment. The Epistle to the Hebrews is both a warning and an exhortation to all of us not to abandon our faith in Jesus Christ. Not only is Jesus vastly superior to anything or anyone else we might imagine, but to walk away from him is to risk facing his judgment.

Hebrews Explains How We Are to Understand the Old Testament

It is important to keep the big picture before us, so that we don’t bog down in the details as we proceed. Hebrews is not an easy book to study because it presupposes that its reader is quite familiar the Old Testament. Yet because Hebrews is so thoroughly grounded in the Old Testament, it is a vital book for us to know and study since this epistle explains to us how we are to understand the Old Testament. Hebrews is also direct and pointed in its language and its rather stern warnings need to be applied to the right people in the right ways. The bruised reeds and smoldering wicks among us need to encouraged by the fact that struggling with sin as well as doubting assurance of one’s salvation is not something which characterizes apostasy–a theme which is addressed in this letter. Apostates (those who fall away) give up on their profession in Christ–they don’t worry about not having assurance of their salvation nor do they fear the wrath of God. Therefore, we need to understand the nature of the warnings we find here and then heed them.

In addressing the superiority of Jesus, the author sets forth the uniqueness of our Lord as the Son of God, who is the second person of the Holy Trinity. But Christ’s deity is not discussed in the abstract, but in the context of his role as the mediator of a new and better covenant, a covenant which was foretold by all of Israel’s prophets (especially Jeremiah). Christ’s work as mediator between sinful people and the holy God is one in which he represents us before our heavenly Father, but also ties together the rich redemptive themes of priesthood, sacrifice, and covenant–all of which are prominent in this epistle.

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"All Things to All People" (1 Corinthians 9:1-27) -- A New Episode of the Blessed Hope Podcast!
"All Things to All People" (1 Corinthians 9:1-27) -- A New Episode of the Blessed Hope Podcast!

Episode Synopsis:

If we were to find Paul’s notes for an upcoming lecture on “my philosophy of ministry,” we would probably find the words of 1 Corinthians 9:19–23,

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

In this chapter, Paul defends his apostolic office and explains his methods and purposes to the Corinthians. Recall that Paul had spent a fair bit of time in Corinth, but has been in Ephesus for several years. During his time away, many in Corinth had fallen back into pagan ways and began challenging Paul’s authority and integrity. One thing Paul must do as he addresses the various struggles facing the Corinthians is to remind them of his own calling to share the gospel with both Jew and Gentile.

Paul is an apostle who has seen the risen Lord. Everything he has done has been to further the cause of Jesus Christ and the gospel. Paul has consistently put the needs of others first and foremost–something which Paul also expects of the Corinthians. Although entitled to financial support, Paul took nothing from them while in Corinth in order to set an example to the strong as to how they should treat the weak. Paul is concerned to run the race and win the prize so that by all means he may win more to Christ.

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

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim Riddlebarger1 Corinthians 9:1-27, Paul's authority, Challenges to Paul's AuthorityComment
Three Things to Know About 2 Peter
Three Things to Know About 2 Peter

Ligonier is running a “Three Things You Should Know” series about each book of the Bible. I was asked to contribute the “Three Things” for 2 Peter

1. The Apostle Peter warns the churches of the dangers of false teaching and the ungodliness that it produces.

Peter does not name these false teachers, but from his comments in 2 Peter 2:1–3, it is clear that they were once professing Christians who have since departed from the faith. Peter describes them as introducing destructive heresies, denying the Master who they claim “bought them,” while attracting a large number of followers who blaspheme the Lord. False doctrine inevitably leads to sinful conduct. Because of their apostasy, God’s judgment upon them is certain.

Based on several hints given to us by Peter, it may be the case that these people misused the letters of Paul to justify antinomian (lawless) behavior. In 2 Peter 2:19, Peter writes, “They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption.” The Apostle goes on to say in 2 Peter 3:15–16 that there are some things in the letters of Paul “that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.” Apparently, the content of Paul’s letters was distorted in the Apostolic age, even as it is in our own.

To read the rest of “Three Things You Should Know About 2 Peter,” click here:

To see my exposition of 1 & 2 Peter, click here (scroll down):

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Warfield on 2 Timothy 3:16 -- The Scriptures Are God-Breathed, Giving Them Their Supreme Value
Warfield on 2 Timothy 3:16 -- The Scriptures Are God-Breathed, Giving Them Their Supreme Value

The following comes from B. B. Warfield’s article, “Inspiration,” originally written for The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia in 1915. The article was republished in 1948 by Presbyterian & Reformed in the Warfield volume The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible, and was re-titled “The Biblical Idea of Inspiration” (131-166).

After pointing out that the Greek word θεόπνευστος (theopneustos) does not mean “inspired by God” (“breathed-in” or “inspirational”), but “breathed out by God,” Warfield fleshes the meaning of 2 Timothy 3:16 in “The Biblical Idea of Inspiration” (133-134). He is emphatic that Paul’s assertion here must frame how we understand the divine origin and supreme importance of Scripture.

(1) 2 Tim. iii. 16: In the passage in which Paul makes this energetic assertion of the Divine origin of Scripture he is engaged in explaining the greatness of the advantages which Timothy had enjoyed for learning the saving truth of God. He had had good teachers; and from his very infancy he had been, by his knowledge of the Scriptures, made wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The expression, “sacred writings,” here employed (ver. 15), is a technical one, not found elsewhere in the New Testament, it is true, but occurring currently in Philo and Josephus to designate that body of authoritative books which constituted the Jewish “Law.” It appears here anarthrously [without the article] because it is set in contrast with the oral teaching which Timothy had enjoyed, as something still better: he had not only had good instructors, but also always “an open Bible,” as we should say, in his hand. To enhance yet further the great advantage of the possession of these Sacred Scriptures the apostle adds now a sentence throwing their nature strongly up to view. They are of Divine origin and therefore of the highest value for all holy purposes.

Warfield is clear that the origin of Scripture—breathed forth by God—gives Scripture its authority as the Word of God. This, in turn, is why Scripture has the “highest value” for all holy purposes— which is the reason why the Bible is commonly described as our “only rule of faith and practice.”

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“The Error of Teaching That the Death of Christ Was Not Necessary for Salvation” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (7)
“The Error of Teaching That the Death of Christ Was Not Necessary for Salvation” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (7)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

Who teach that Christ neither could die, nor had to die, nor did die for those whom God so dearly loved and chose to eternal life, since such people do not need the death of Christ.

For they contradict the apostle, who says: “Christ loved me and gave himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20 ), and likewise: “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ who died,” that is, for them (Rom. 8:33–34). They also contradict the Savior, who asserts: “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15), and “My command is this: Love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12–13).

_________________________________________

The conclusion to the refutation of errors under the second head of doctrine challenges the Arminian perspective on the atonement by pointing to scriptural evidence that Christ’s death is for particular sinners, thereby saving them. In Arminian theology, Christ’s death is viewed as a general provision for all, demonstrating God’s moral governance and love, but not necessarily satisfying the demands of God’s justice. The Arminian approach contends that Christ’s sacrifice was not aimed at securing salvation for anyone in particular, but was a general offer, leaving the decision to individuals on the presumption that those said to be dead in sin, actually possess such ability to choose Christ and live. It is a short step from here to the error condemned at the Synod of Dort in the refutation above—that the death of Christ is really not necessary to save anyone, important as it is.

The Canons highlight those passages from Scripture which point to Christ’s death being for specific individuals, such as Galatians 2:20 (“Christ loved me and gave himself up for me”) and Romans 8:33-34 (“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ who died,”that is, for them [i.e., the elect]), suggesting that his sacrifice had a particular and intentional focus. The cross was not an arbitrary means of salvation (and therefore not entirely necessary), but essential for satisfying God’s justice for the elect.

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The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerChrist's death necessaryComment
My Article, "The Whole Counsel of God" -- Featured in this Month's Tabletalk
My Article, "The Whole Counsel of God" -- Featured in this Month's Tabletalk

The good folks at Ligonier are featuring my article, “The Whole Counsel of God,” in this month’s Tabletalk.

According to Luke’s account of Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 18:23–21:16), Paul arrived in Ephesus in the spring of AD 52. Paul’s three-year ministry in the city bore much fruit. Luke informs us that the word of the Lord was increasing and many people were coming to faith in Jesus Christ (19:20). But the increasing number of Christians in the city also created “no little disturbance” among the city’s merchants (19:23), leading to the riot described in Acts 19:21–41.

Paul soon left Ephesus for Macedonia to meet with the churches that had been founded during his second missionary journey, returning to Asia Minor by way of Miletus, a seaport near Ephesus (20:17). Knowing that he would eventually go on to Jerusalem, Paul summoned the elders from Ephesus to meet with him in Miletus to say goodbye to those men with whom he had labored in ministry for several years and from whom he had to depart.

You can read the article here: The Whole Counsel of God

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Reformed Resources, Riddleblog PublicationKim RiddlebargerTabletalk, The Whole Counsel of GodComment
“Seal the Book” Daniel 12:1-13 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Twenty One)
“Seal the Book” Daniel 12:1-13 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Twenty One)

Sealed Until the Time of the End

The prophet Daniel was given a vision of Judah’s future by a mysterious visitor–the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus. In Daniel 11:2-35, Daniel’s visitor foretells in amazing detail how the people and the land of Judah will fare from the time the Jews began to return home after their captivity in Babylon ends in 538 BCE, until the rise of a persecuting tyrant–Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the man who will desecrate the temple in Jerusalem in 167 BCE.

After predicting the precise events associated with Antiochus IV’s rise to power, Daniel’s divine visitor begins to speak about the time of the end–moving from events in 167 BCE to those which will occur in the distant future at the end of time. Daniel learns that a figure much like Antiochus IV will arise and “do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done” (Daniel 11:36).

But Daniel’s vision is not yet over. The divine visitor tells Daniel that human history will come to a final end on that day when all the dead are raised, and God will judge all the earth’s inhabitants according to what they have done–whether good or evil. Some of those raised from the dead will live in everlasting righteousness, while others in everlasting shame and contempt. But instead of giving him precise details–as he had done in verses 2-35–Daniel’s visitor now tells him, “the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.”

With this exposition we wrap-up our series on the Book of Daniel. We are in the concluding section of Daniel’s prophecy–chapters 10-12, which includes the third and final vision given to Daniel, a portion of which we considered in chapter 11:2-45. We will consider the closing scene in this vision (verses 1-4 of chapter 12), before looking at the epilogue to the book (vv. 5-13), where Daniel recounts his divine visitor conversing with two other beings (presumably angels), speaking about the time of the end, discussing how those things just revealed to Daniel must remain “sealed,” or closed off to Daniel and all of God’s people until the dawn of the messianic age.

To read the rest, follow the link below

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The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerThe end, The general resurrection, The scrollComment
"The Strong and Weak" The Latest Episode of the Blessed Hope Podcast Is Up! What to Do About the Weaker Brother in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
"The Strong and Weak" The Latest Episode of the Blessed Hope Podcast Is Up! What to Do About the Weaker Brother in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Episode Synopsis:

The church in Corinth was plagued by factions. One source of division was ethnicity–the church was made up of Jews, Greeks, Romans, and likely a number of other nationalities. Then there were the factions formed by church members who identified with Paul, Peter, or Apollos, as their favorite teachers. There were also deep cultural divisions between the wealthy and the poor who found it difficult to socialize with one another even within the body of Christ. But in this section of Paul’s Corinthian letter (chapter 8), we encounter yet another kind of division–that between the strong and the weak.

The strong were those who understood that if God created all things, then the idols invented by pagans were nothing but lifeless statues, with assorted trinkets and amulets, and pointless ceremonies and useless sacrifices. There is no occult reality behind these images and the temples which housed them. Therefore, why should Christians not be free to eat the leftover meat and food which the pagans sacrificed to their imaginary gods. The weak, on the other hand, were those who had trouble understanding how any Christian could eat food that had come remotely near a pagan feast or temple–seeing such food as possessing an occult reality.

Paul warns the strong (who are correct about the falsity of pagan religion) not to attempt to coerce the weak to violate their consciences, as that might destroy the faith of those (the weak) who have not yet advanced in their knowledge of the Christian faith sufficiently to leave such concerns behind. Until the weak Corinthian Christians gain sufficient knowledge to dismiss paganism as the mere superstition which it is, Paul challenges the strong to put the weak first and give up the freedom to eat all foods. In light of the harm the strong can bring upon those weak in faith, Paul tells the strong that just because they are free to eat all things, doesn’t mean that they should. This is not about food but about the circumstances in which it is eaten.

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

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The Legacy of John Warwick Montgomery (1931-2024)
The Legacy of John Warwick Montgomery (1931-2024)

Above — Dr. Montgomery as a Guest on the White Horse Inn (2007)

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery died in Christ on Thursday, September 25, from various complications associated with old age. He was 92. Dr. Montgomery had a huge impact on me, and I look back on my time with him as the major turning point in my life and career.

The first time I heard the name John Warwick Montgomery was when a salesman from Bethany Fellowship Publishers told me about Montgomery’s books on apologetics. He suggested that we carry them in our Christian bookstore. I did, I read them, and found them to be far superior to other Christian apologists I had been reading (i.e., Josh McDowell). When Walter Martin announced on his popular Bible Answer Man radio program (broadcast live on Saturday nights in the early 1980s) that he would be teaching at a new law school to be opened in Orange County by Dr. Montgomery, The Simon Greenleaf School of Law (SGSL)[1], I was one of the first to sign up. The school was named for the famed American jurist, who had written a masterful case for Christ’s resurrection marshaling evidence along the lines of a legal argument in a court of law—The Testimony of the Evangelists. Both A. A. Hodge and B. B. Warfield referred to Greenleaf’s work quite favorably. Montgomery used much the same method to defend the faith in the face of rejuvenated critical scholarship.

Montgomery’s massive list of accomplishments is simply amazing, and I won’t recount them here. But please do check out his Wikipedia entry and you’ll see what I mean. Absolutely mind blowing—eleven degrees including three earned doctoral degrees, and more than forty books on a variety of subjects—mostly apologetics. Shane Rosenthal, as well as the folks at 1517, have written eloquent pieces offering their take on Montgomery’s life, influence, and legacy. For a more exhaustive memorial, see Craig Parton’s Full Obituary. I encourage you to read them.

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Riddleblog Publication, Riddleblog UpdateKim RiddlebargerDr. John Warwick Montgomery Comments
Digging Up the Treasures of the Gospel — Calvin on the Necessity of Prayer
Digging Up the Treasures of the Gospel — Calvin on the Necessity of Prayer

In light of these uncertain and tumultuous times (see my previous post, In Times of Worry), Calvin addresses the matter of the necessity of prayer by making appeal to the promises of God, which he likens to finding treasure.

The Necessity of Prayer

It is, therefore, by the benefit of prayer that we reach those riches which are laid up for us with the Heavenly Father. For there is a communion of men with God by which, having entered the heavenly sanctuary, they appeal to him in person concerning his promises in order to experience, where necessity so demands, that what they believed was not vain, although he had promised it in word alone. Therefore we see that to us nothing is promised to be expected from the Lord, which we are not also bidden to ask of him in prayers. So true is it that we dig up by prayer the treasures that were pointed out by the Lord’s gospel, and which our faith has gazed upon.

Words fail to explain how necessary prayer is, and in how many ways the exercise of prayer is profitable. Surely, with good reason the Heavenly Father affirms that the only stronghold of safety is in calling upon his name [cf. Joel 2:32]. By so doing we invoke the presence both of his providence, through which he watches over and guards our affairs, and of his power, through which he sustains us, weak as we are and well-nigh overcome, and of his goodness, through which he receives us, miserably burdened with sins, unto grace; and, in short, it is by prayer that we call him to reveal himself as wholly present to us. Hence comes an extraordinary peace and repose to our consciences. For having disclosed to the Lord the necessity that was pressing upon us, we even rest fully in the thought that none of our ills is hid from him who, we are convinced, has both the will and the power to take the best care of us.

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 30.20.2

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It’s Fall — New Musings (09/23/2024)
It’s Fall — New Musings (09/23/2024)

Riddleblog and Blessed Hope Updates:

  • There’s a new picture of my family on my Instagram account if anyone is interested—taken at my 70th birthday celebration (Geezerfest 2024) thrown for me by my dear wife. I did get to chase all the guests off my lawn as a bonus. But there were no visible clouds to yell at, so I missed out on that.

  • Just passed 50K downloads on Buzzsprout! A huge milestone for the Blessed Hope Podcast! Thanks for listening!

  • I tackle the matter of idolatry in upcoming episodes of the Blessed Hope Podcast (1 Corinthians 8-10). I think you’ll find them both fascinating (given the Greco-Roman cultural context) and relevant to us—how does Paul’s discussion of “idol food” apply in the present?

Thinking Out Loud:

  • Why do presidential candidates keep telling us that “on day one” they’ll do x,y, and z, when what they claim to want done usually can only be done through legislation, something Congress must do. This is but another indication that Congress has ceded far too much power to the executive branch and that presidential candidates glibly make promises they know they cannot keep—“I’m shocked! Shocked to find that politiking is going on in here.”

  • A “now that I’m 70” rant . . . Do E-bikes drive anyone else crazy? The lakes and campgrounds of the Eastern Sierras were full of them. Far too often riders ignore basic rules of the road, placing themselves in danger. Dads take the point, often with the wife and kids in tow, with all on their own E-bikes. Then he leads his family off the bike trail and on to the roadway. Such folks don’t know what they are doing, and become a menace to themselves and others. Now E-bikes are all over Orange County. Keep out of my driveway!

  • I enjoyed the Netflix series Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War. Not perfect, but better than most “the real story” series. It will make Tombstone interesting to watch next time since much of the movie was not exactly accurate (but hey, it is still a great movie).

  • The 2024 USC Trojan football team has introduced this strange and long-forgotten thing called “a defense.” I recall such a thing back in the Pete Carroll days, but haven’t seen much of one since.

  • The Hitler Rant YouTube shtick is played out. Enough already.

To read the rest of my "Musings" follow the link below

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“At the Time of the End” Daniel 11:2-45 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Twenty)
“At the Time of the End” Daniel 11:2-45 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Twenty)

A Mysterious Visitor

It was April 23rd, 536 BCE. The prophet Daniel was standing on the bank of the Tigris River when a mysterious visitor appeared to him and revealed that Daniel was about to receive the next in a series of visions which YHWH had given him throughout his time as an exile in Babylon. The appearance of this mysterious visitor–the pre-incarnate Jesus–caused Daniel great fear. The very presence of the holy visitor exposes Daniel’s sinfulness, causing him to fall on his face.

Reassured of God’s favor by the visitor, the vision now given Daniel will foretell the future of those Jewish exiles who had recently departed from Babylon when Cyrus, the Persian king, released them in 538 BCE to return to Judah, rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple of YHWH. Jeremiah’s prophecy that Israel’s time of exile was limited to seventy years was now fulfilled. But Daniel learns that although the time of exile is over and the Jews have returned to the promised land, the glory days for Israel are over. Jerusalem and the temple will be rebuilt, but the nation of Judah will be trapped between two empires bent on waging war upon each other–the Seleucids (to the North) and the Ptolemies (to the South). As the vision comes to an end, Daniel will be given a glimpse into the distant future, a time when a mighty blasphemer will arise, boasting about himself and making threats to the people of God (an Antichrist), who, at the time of the end, will be destroyed by YHWH’s kingdom which triumphs over all on the day of resurrection and final judgment.

History In Advance

The vision recounted in Daniel 11:2-45 is utterly remarkable in that Judah’s future is foretold hundreds of years in advance with an amazing level of accuracy and detail. The vision reads like history written in advance, which is why critical scholars argue that this “vision” must have been written after the fact. We will turn our attention to the details of the passage shortly, but we must not miss the forest for the trees as we proceed. YHWH has ordained Israel’s future (seventy weeks have been decreed) and is directing all things to their appointed ends. Israel’s time in exile has now come to an end. The Jews have returned to Judah and begun to rebuild. But their troubles are not over.

As for their immediate future, the Jews will again possess the land, rebuild Jerusalem, its walls, as well as the temple of YHWH as recounted in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. But in the period which follows (so-called “Second Temple” Judaism), Judah will function as a vassal state, first of the Persians, and then the Greeks, before finding themselves caught in the middle of a prolonged struggle between two kingdoms (one to the north and one to the south). Despite the troubles to come, YHWH is still fulfilling his purposes, which include the coming of a messianic age and the rise of a future Antichrist at the time of the end.

To read the rest, follow the link below

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The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerAntiochus IV Epiphanes, The Kings of the North, Daniel 11 Comments
“The Error of Teaching That Forgiveness Depends Upon Our Free Will” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (6)
“The Error of Teaching That Forgiveness Depends Upon Our Free Will” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (6)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

VI Who make use of the distinction between obtaining and applying in order to instill in the unwary and inexperienced the opinion that God, as far as he is concerned, wished to bestow equally upon all people the benefits which are gained by Christ’s death; but that the distinction by which some rather than others come to share in the forgiveness of sins and eternal life depends on their own free choice (which applies itself to the grace offered indiscriminately) but does not depend on the unique gift of mercy which effectively works in them, so that they, rather than others, apply that grace to themselves.

For, while pretending to set forth this distinction in an acceptable sense, they attempt to give the people the deadly poison of Pelagianism.

_________________________________

In order to use biblical terminology used of the cross, while at the same time denying that the death of Christ is a true satisfaction for sins, as well as a literal payment of our debt to God, Arminians have contended that the death of Christ is “for all,” but “not all” are forgiven until the merits of Christ are appropriated by the sinner through an exercise of the will.

To explain how this can be, the Arminian sets up a system in which the death of Christ is said to be for all, but is not effectual for any until it is actually “appropriated.” This means that the death of Christ does not accomplish redemption for anyone, but does have the potential to save everyone who believes. This means that only those who exercise their free-will and believe the gospel are saved, since the atonement is only provisory and ineffectual until actually appropriated by the sinner who supposedly retains the power of free-will to do so.

This enables the Arminian to argue for a doctrine of grace alone, speak of salvation in connection to the death of Christ, and still champion justification by faith alone. But in reality this is theological smoke and mirrors. In the words of one sage, this is mere “word magic.”

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The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerForgiveness does not depend upon free willComment
Another Milestone!
Another Milestone!

The Blessed Hope Podcast feed on Buzzsprout has just passed 50K downloads! Not bad for a niche podcast doing a deep dive into the letters of Paul. Thanks to those of who listen, and please keep telling others about the pod because word of mouth recommendations really do work! And if you haven’t listened to the pod yet, give it a try — the Blessed Hope Podcast, available on your favorite podcast feed!

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"You Can't Unscramble Eggs" -- A New Episode of the Blessed Hope Is Up! 1 Corinthians 7:17-40, and Paul's Instructions to Christians In Times of Trial
"You Can't Unscramble Eggs" -- A New Episode of the Blessed Hope Is Up! 1 Corinthians 7:17-40, and Paul's Instructions to Christians In Times of Trial

Episode Synopsis:

In 1 Corinthians 7:17-40, Paul teaches what I call the “you can’t unscramble eggs” doctrine. What should a new Christian do when they come to faith in Jesus Christ? Do they quit their current “secular” job to devote themselves full-time to Jesus Christ and to the work of ministry? Should they rush into marriage to avoid the lusts of the flesh? Or conversely, should they seek to end an engagement because the time of the end might be drawing near? What about those widowed, single, or divorced? Now that they are Christians, what are they to seek to do? Paul tells them all to “stay put.” What they’ve done, they’ve done. And as he cautions them, when a crisis is at hand, that is not the time to make big changes.

Paul is addressing a congregation in the midst of serious difficulties of some sort–a regional famine or the consequences of the divisions the church was then facing. Paul assumes his readers know to what he is referring, so he offers little clarification. But what he does offer is wise advice for those bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. Slaves ought not seek immediate freedom–in Christ they are free people. Gentiles ought not seek to be circumcised–now in Christ, the old covenant sign has been replaced by baptism. And for the time being, the unmarried ought not seek to get married–at least until the crisis has come to an end.

Paul tells the Corinthians to wait for the crisis in Corinth to be resolved before they make major life changing decisions. Christians would be wise to wait for things to sort themselves out, and then make an informed and not a rash decision about significant events in their lives. Paul’s instructions make plain that he’s not concerned with fixing all those things new converts may have done in the past, but rather with teaching them the traditions passed down so that they learn how to live the Christian life and become better able to move forward in their lives now set free from the guilt and power of sin.

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

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim Riddlebarger1 Corinthians 7:17-40, Stay Where You Are When CalledComment
“God Himself Is Judge” – An Exposition of Psalm 50
“God Himself Is Judge” – An Exposition of Psalm 50

Courtroom scenes on television or in film often make for good drama–especially when the case takes a surprising turn, or when justice itself is on the line. In Psalm 50 we have a dramatic courtroom scene in which YHWH himself summons the whole world to the foot of Mount Zion to appear before his divine tribunal. But when the charges are read, those assembled in the court realize that the defendant is not who or what we expect. Judgment begins in the house of the Lord.

A Psalm of Asaph

Various Psalms were written by David, Moses, and the Sons of Korah. But Psalm 50 is one of twelve Psalms attributed to Asaph. In addition to Psalm 50, his name is also attached to Psalms 73-83). There are Psalms of praise, Psalms of trust, royal Psalms, wisdom Psalms, and Psalms used during worship in the temple. Psalm 50 (which appears in Book Two of the Psalter–which includes Psalms 42-72) is yet another genre (or type) of Psalm called a prophetic (or oracular) Psalm, because in this Psalm, God appears in a theophanic vision, apparently to accuse the nations and warn them of a judgment certain to come, before calling them to repentance.[1]

We begin by looking at this Psalm’s place in Book Two of the Psalter. Psalms 46-49 speak of God’s rule over his creation from a cosmic perspective. In Psalm 50, God declares that he has no human limitations. He does not hunger. He does not need sacrifices. He hates pious platitudes and self-righteous religious speech. Psalm 51, which follows, speaks of human sinfulness and guilt before God, as well as reminding us of God’s forgiveness and mercy. Psalm 52 contrasts human folly and God’s wisdom, while Psalm 53 mocks the fool who says in his heart, “there is no God.”[2]

One of the most interesting historical questions surrounding this Psalm has to do with its authorship. We know that Asaph was one of the musicians or singers in the temple choir founded by Heman during the reign of David. This circle of temple singers/musicians also includes the sons of Korah and Jeduthun (Ethan). According to 1 Chronicles 16:4-7,

then [David] appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. Asaph was the chief . . . . Asaph was to sound the cymbals . . . . Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

Asaph is mentioned again in 2 Chronicles 29:30. “And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.” Whether Psalm 50 was written by Asaph, or dedicated to him is not clear. But we do know Asaph was appointed by David for this role, and that Asaph was considered a seer (or had some sort of prophetic gift). Asaph’s prophetic office is reflected by his composition of those twelve Psalms attributed to him.

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Biblical Theology, Biblical EventsKim RiddlebargerPsalm 50, The Heavenly Court, A Psalm of AsaphComment
Christ's Spotless Bride -- Holiness as an Attribute of the Church (Part Seven)
Christ's Spotless Bride -- Holiness as an Attribute of the Church (Part Seven)

The Second Attribute in the Nicene Creed: Holiness

While the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and perhaps the Eastern Orthodox Church (EOC) have some claim to an outward unity that the Reformed do not have, they certainly have nothing of the sort when it comes to holiness. The Roman Catholic Church may be externally the Roman Catholic church, but it’s not externally the holy catholic church. This fact raises the question: “If the Roman and Orthodox churches need to look to an objective gift of holiness rather than focus on a visible holiness, does not this bolster the Reformed case that this is true for unity too?

Michael Horton makes an interesting big-picture comparative observation:

In both Roman Catholic and free-church ecclesiologies . . . . the church’s visible holiness is inherent, although for the former it flows from the one to the many and for the latter from the many to the one . . . . In both paradigms . . . , the means of grace employed . . . are oriented first of all toward an infused, inherent, and inward holiness . . . . Covenant theology has taken a different route than either of these paradigms. Regardless of the personal holiness of its members, the church . . . is holy because it is the field of divine activity, in which the wheat is growing up into the likeness of its firstfruits, even though weeds are sown among the wheat.[1]

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EcclesiologyKim RiddlebargerThe Holiness of the ChurchComment
In Times of Worry, Uncertainty, and Fear, God's People Pray!
In Times of Worry, Uncertainty, and Fear, God's People Pray!

We live at a point in time characterized by an unfamiliar uncertainty of a sort which generates great unease, worry, and far too much catastrophizing.

There are plenty of reasons why this is the case.

The most obvious is that there is an upcoming national election. Whichever candidate wins, about 35% of Americans will be thrilled, another 35% will be incredibly disappointed and deflated, the rest will ignore the outcome as same ole same ole and return to their daily lives as though nothing earth-shattering actually happened. The losing side may threaten civil disobedience, the courts will be overwhelmed with litigation, and more Americans will lose faith in our system of government. Many will despair that the American dream is but a mirage.

Many will retreat to social media where truth telling is increasingly rare, clever folk with no expertise or training use their cleverness to pass themselves off as experts to spread all kinds of nonsensical historical revisionism, personal attacks, bad advice, and “foil-hat level” craziness. Social media (which the vast majority of Americans thankfully ignore) is now a place for the “very on-line” where treating others as divine image-bearers is taken as a sign of weakness (or unmanliness).

And there are too many bad actors in the world. In many places on the globe, war is a reality and an increasing threat to our national peace and security (with possible escalation and American boots on the ground). Think of Putin’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine, the Middle East situation (Iran and Israel, particularly), and the looming possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

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Biblical Theology, History and Culture, Riddleblog PublicationKim RiddlebargerThe Need to Pray, Uncertain times Comment
“Fear Not” Daniel 10:1-11:1 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Nineteen)
“Fear Not” Daniel 10:1-11:1 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Nineteen)

An Invisible War

Throughout our time studying the Book of Daniel, we have read of YHWH using dreams and visions to reveal to his prophet information about the future of the land of Judah, the people of Israel, the city of Jerusalem, and the temple of YHWH. The purpose of this prophetic revelation is to encourage those Jews then living as exiles in Babylon–the former capital of the Babylonian empire, now occupied by the Persians. The exiles find themselves under YHWH’s covenant curse because of Israel’s past idolatry and unbelief. The good news is that this time of exile is about to end. The bad news is that their struggles will not. Daniel now learns that there is an invisible and spiritual war behind the day to day struggles of God’s people, a war which will be won by a coming of the Messiah.

During his remarkable life in exile, Daniel was called and equipped by YHWH to serve two of the greatest kings of that age: Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon) and Cyrus (the Persian empire). YHWH has also revealed to Daniel that four great Middle Eastern empires will successively rise and fall–the Babylonian, the Persian, the Greek, and then finally, Rome. Through the prophetic revelation given to Daniel, the exiles learn that they are about to return home and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. But YHWH will also reveal that the glory days for Israel are past, and they will not return until the mighty fourth empire of these visions, Rome, is finally subdued after its direct opposition to YHWH and his kingdom. YHWH’s final conquest will take the form of a messianic kingdom which conquers all of God’s enemies apart from the use of armies and political power. This will be a victory won by a suffering Messiah who breaks the power of sin and undoes the curse.

YHWH – The Author and Lord of History

As recounted in chapter nine, Daniel was well aware that Judah’s seventy years of exile foretold by the prophet Jeremiah was coming to an end. Worried about his people, Daniel fervently prays for Judah (vv. 1-19 of Daniel 9). YHWH answered him by sending the Angel Gabriel who revealed to Daniel that a time of seventy weeks has been decreed for God’s people, a period which begins to unfold with the Persian king Cyrus’s decree in 538 BCE. This decree will allow the Jews to return to Babylon and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. Furthermore, Gabriel explains that the seventy weeks will be fulfilled when a coming Messiah will finish the transgression, put an end to sin, atone for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal both vision and prophet, and anoint a most holy place (v. 24). Gabriel also reveals that in the process of the Messiah redeeming his people, both Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed, and then Jews will be dispersed into the ends of the earth. But the Messiah will complete his redemptive work and usher in the final jubilee and the eternal Sabbath at the end of the age.

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The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerDaniel 10, Daniel's fnal vision Comment
“The Error of Teaching That All Have Been Reconciled to God” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (5)
“The Error of Teaching That All Have Been Reconciled to God” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (5)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

Who teach that all people have been received into the state of reconciliation and into the grace of the covenant, so that no one on account of original sin is liable to condemnation, or is to be condemned, but that all are free from the guilt of this sin.

For this opinion conflicts with Scripture which asserts that we are by nature children of wrath.

_________________________________

This error is yet another fruit of the governmental theory of the atonement and notion of prevenient grace as championed by many Arminians. The Arminian Articles of 1610 state: “Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, died for all men and every man, so that he hath obtained for them all, by his death on the cross, redemption and the forgiveness of sins; yet no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins except the believer.”

This brings us back to the root of the whole problem--the nature of God’s justice and the purpose of the atonement. For the Arminian, the atonement reconciles the entire world to God (all people inclusive), redeems the world unto God, and provides for the forgiveness of sin for each and every person who has lived in each and every age. Even the guilt of original sin is supposedly remitted.

But under the terms of the Arminian doctrine, the atonement–while having the potential to save everyone–actually saves no one. Indeed, countless millions of those whom Arminians believe Christ has reconciled, redeemed, and forgiven, will perish anyway--and this despite the fact that all of this has been done for them freely by Christ.

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The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerPrevenient grace, Universal atonement Comment