Tag Archives: Scripture

“Faith in Jesus Instead of An Inerrant Bible”

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After reading a particular blog post I spent my day soaking in the Scriptures and in sermons. Some truths need to be said and they need to be said with gospel grace. I’ve spent so many years under the rock of self–righteous gospel amnesia I’ve forgotten what it is like to “fight” for the inerrancy of Scripture. I’ve spent so many years straining gnats I’ve forgotten how to contend for the faith in grace, love and truth. I know I’m late to the party, but I’m moved to respond. Forgive me the clumsy attempt.

Dr. Peter Enns has a Ph.D. and I don’t. Dr. Peter Enns knows Greek and Hebrew and I don’t. Dr. Peter Enns is a biblical scholar and I am not. In spite of my limitation, I would like to interact with what he posted on his blog yesterday. Dr. Enns used some comments from Pastor Tim Keller to throw out these two questions to his readers:

This raises two questions: “What’s wrong with some disassembling?” and “Why does disassembling  have to be tied to having or not having faith?”

Dr. Peter Enns

The disassembling question concerned the Bible. He was asking his readers to consider two things: disassembling the “traditional” way of reading Scripture (i.e. as inerrant), and divorcing how we read the Bible from faith. Enns is suggesting that we do not need to believe in the inerrancy of Scripture to have faith in Jesus. Furthermore, he urges, in today’s culture, we would do well to let go of the evangelical tradition of seeing the Bible as inerrant. From what I gathered, part of his problem with inerrancy is that it necessitates believing in a historical Adam. My understanding is that Dr. Enns does not believe in a historical Adam. I hope I have understood and accurately portrayed his position.

I noticed many of the commenters talking about disassembling the inerrancy, historicity, and the authority of Scripture while still coming out with a faith in Jesus. I’m left scratching my head. If you do not believe in the historicity of the Bible, or the inerrancy of Scripture, or the authority of the Word of God, how and why would you believe in Jesus? If I didn’t believe in the inerrancy of Scripture I wouldn’t waste my time on Jesus for one minute. I of all people want to see Christians loving the Lord their God with all their mind. If people believe they have to commit intellectual suicide to believe in Christ, then the Church needs to take a long hard look at what its doing. But this is not the answer. If you tell the culture that you don’t have to believe in the inerrancy and authority of Scriptures (which testifies of Jesus Christ) in order to have “faith” in Jesus Christ, how are you leading them to the true Jesus who said he was “the way, the truth, and the life?”

I admit I have not read Dr. Enns book Inspiration and Incarnation, but I would like to. I want to know why Dr. Enns has rejected the historicity of Adam and the inerrancy of Scripture. I don’t mean this in a sacrastic way at all, but I don’t know what to think of theologians who read some science and believe in order to make things “work,” some part of God’s Word has to be compromised. My husband and I are physicists and although we have lamented a certain anti–intellectual culture in evangelicalism, we do not believe that holding to the laws of physics (quantum or classical) requires us to compromise the Scriptures in such a way.

I was listening to an interview with Vern Poythress a couple of weeks ago. What we both see in Dr. Poythress is an example of a scientist/mathematician who can think with rigor but submits all fields of knowledge (including science) to Almighty God. In reality, if you believe that God exists and that he is who he says he is and he did what he said he did, then all knowledge and understanding, including the sciences, are a beautiful reality because God is God.

Again, forgive the clumsy attempt as I try to process this movement that seeks to re–define/re–think Christianity. Maybe I’m a pragmatist, but if you gut the Scriptures, there’s nothing left worth “believing” in. In which case, I would rather stand with Bertrand Russell than a “have it your way” Christianity.

 

The Proto–Crucifixion and the Christian

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Photo Credit: Chadica

Sitting in church on Sunday morning (listening to a sermon on Matthew 4:5–7) I formed a term I would like to explore. I don’t know if anyone else out there has used the term proto–crucifixion, I haven’t researched it. But if you will give me a few minutes, I would like to share with you a glorious glimpse into the Word of God. A fresh seeing, as Piper would say.

The book of Exodus starts off with Israel in Egypt and in slavery. The Lord God brings them out with might and power. By Exodus 17, they are traveling from the wilderness of Sin to camp at Rephidim, where there was no water. It is here they start “quarreling” with Moses and “test[ing] the Lord.” Exodus 17 is a beautiful symbol–laden chapter showing a sinful and rebellious people trying their innocent rescuer/redeemer and condemning him to death and then striking him.

Moses uses the word “test” meaning to try as in a trial, to stand in judgment over. God then asks him to pass before the people with his staff (a symbol of judgment) taking the elders with him. The elders representing the jury.

And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:5–6

Here we see God standing before the elders (jury) and before the people prepared to receive their judgment. He stands before them, not as judge, leader, or other authority, but as the accused. He stands on the rock, and instructs Moses to strike the rock. Moses strikes the rock and water flows out. It is this scene I am calling the proto–crucifixion. The symbolism and the glory of it all is breathtaking. Here is God, their creator and redeemer. He brings them out to a desert and instead of trusting him because of who he says he is and his past actions, they doubt. They quarrel. They test. They strike. When Moses strikes the rock, that is a symbol for Christ’s crucifixion, for God taking the punishment for and from a wicked people. This is why in Numbers 20:8, the second time they were in the same sort of situation, the Lord tells Moses to only speak to the rock and it will pour forth water. Why? Because Jesus was to be smote only once. The picture is glorious. He comes to rescue, they quarrel and test, he allows himself to be judged and killed by them—but only once. The son of God died once and only once. After that we speak to him, we don’t crucify him again.

I believe this proto–crucifixion is important for modern Christians to understand. First, it displays the depth and the beauty of the plan of redemption. We can meditate on this scene for weeks and milk it for all sorts of truths. Second, it should comfort us that the crucifixion was God’s plan all along. Third, it is a staggering display of grace. Although through Moses God tells Israel that they should not “test” him, he allows himself to be tested by sinful man. Although they quarrel and demand and complain. He gives them what they want—water. Fourth, we should see another nested symbolism: The people were ready to stone Moses, but God in his mercy tells Moses to strike the rock while he stands on it before the people. God takes the blow in place of Moses. We are Moses and God takes our place. He dies so that we may be saved, so that we can drink from the Rock. The proto–crucifixion should build up our faith—showing us a God who loves his people so much that he condescends to come down, takes the judgement and dies on our behalf.

When We Don’t Abide in Christ with Depth and Consistency

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Photo credit: Dave Catchpole

I wanted to encourage all of us to be abiding in Christ consistently and with depth. John 15:4 says:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

This is not just about reading our Bibles, although that is critical to our spiritual health. Part of our abiding in Christ is dwelling on the gospel—the good news of who Jesus is and what he has done. Dwelling means rehearsing it in our minds, turning it over, thinking deeply, being preoccupied and obsessed with it. (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified—1 Cor. 2:2)

Gospel dwelling is crucial for a Christian woman; It instills in us a confidence that Jesus loves us. This reduces idolatrous tendencies. It frees us up from overly looking to husbands and boyfriends, food, or anything else to meet our deepest needs. Gospel dwelling teaches us how to think sacrificially and humbly like Christ; it transforms our selfish hearts so that we can better serve those around us. Gospel dwelling gets our eyes off ourselves; it reduces the pity-parties and obsessive self-examination. Gospel dwelling transforms the way we think about unbelievers; it teaches us to think about them and approach them the way Jesus did. Gospel dwelling reminds us continually of what God the Father did for us in the cross work of Christ; it revives our hearts to love God back, engenders gratefulness, and teaches us to forgive others.

When we do not abide in Christ with depth and consistency we become anemic. Without the consistency of being watered, our fruit stays small, immature, and shriveled. Depth requires time, tenacity, and sacrifice.

One very important point to remember: Abiding in Christ is a grace from the Holy Spirit. We cannot gin it up. We pray for the grace to abide and to dwell on our Savior.

J.I. Packer has said: “Dig deep and dwell deep.” That is my prayer and my desire from the Lord for all of us.

The Asymmetry God Built Into Man and Woman

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“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’…And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:26–31

Unfortunately, in an egalitarian age such as ours only complete symmetry between men and women is considered equality. Our cultural ideals set up as the highest good for a woman to be interchangeable with a man, as if the greatest thing for a woman to do is to attain to “manhood.” This is idolatry. This is a dishonoring of our being. Moreover, if we stop and think about it, this is simplistic and narrow. In light of the complexity and intricacies of human life and the world around us, this “ideal” takes away depth, uniqueness, and honor from a woman.

I have a picture of creation in which man was created on two axes simultaneously. On one axis man was created in the image and likeness of God—the Triune God. One another axis man was created as two distinct natures—male and female.

On one axis we see the symmetry between man and woman:

  • Created in the image of the Triune God
  • Created in the likeness of the Triune God
  • Equal in dignity as humankind
  • Equal in honor as humankind
  • Man qua man is set apart from the animals and given the cultural mandate equally

On the other axis we see an asymmetry built-in (not socially constructed) between man and woman:

  • Man created in two distinct natures—male and female
  • The man was created before the woman (Genesis 2:7–25)
  • Man and woman are fitted for each other and are not interchangeable or expendable
  • Women can bear children and men cannot

Interestingly, the asymmetry of God’s decretive will toward the male and female in Genesis develops more after the Fall. Men and women are different in their fallen nature, hence the distinct curses:

  • The woman’s curse is relationally bound and tied to her unique ability to bear children (“in pain/toil you shall bring forth children”)
  • The man’s curse directly affects his work, the outward aspects of the cultural mandate (“in pain/toil you shall eat of it” i.e. the ground)

Other than in the area of submission and Ephesians 5 discussions, I would like to find a development of the role of the trinity in the creation of man. There are many questions we should be asking and answering: When God says “after our likeness” he is referring to the trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How is man qua man like the triune God? How is man as male like the triune God? How is man as female like the triune God? We can ask these questions and more to better understand how each sex is to image the triune God in this world.

Although when I was younger I had fallen to the idolatry of wanting to become like a man, contentment in my identity in Christ has lead me to contentment in being a woman. I like to encourage us not to fear the areas of asymmetry between men and women. We can glory in it, study it, and use it to better serve the God who built it into the uniqueness and beauty of his creation.

On the other hand, there is an existential state in which man and woman are completely and wholly equal. That is, at some core of our being, there is complete symmetry. Again, it is God who created this symmetry. This also we can glory in, seek to understand, and use to serve him.

When we reason in this way, we can break down those idols, and we see that the highest good/value for woman as woman is not to become as man. The highest good/value for woman is in actuality the same as it is for man: It is to be conformed to the image of Christ; to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, with all the uniqueness and beauty she was given at creation. In this ultimate metaphysical sense, she is man’s complete equal.

Question: Does anyone know of a book that relates the trinity to the distinctness of our created nature? (I would appreciate any suggestions in the comment section)

Becoming a Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia and Syntyche (On Women’s Bible Studies Part Two)

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In You Do Not Belong To Your Children, You Belong To Christ I wrote about the importance of believing that we belong to Christ, understanding our identity in him, and centering our lives around him and not our children. I gave many qualifications also, so that I would not be misunderstood regarding the emphasis I was trying to make.

In On Women’s Bible Study Part One I spent time writing a bit about my journey through women’s Bible studies over the years with some critique here and there.

I now want to turn toward an exhortation:

Back in February I read an interview with D.A. Carson published on Desiring God concerning The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference. I wanted to go to the conference since the first time I heard about it last summer (summer 2011), but it was after reading this interview that my husband and I were convinced. The following quote, which I want to spend some time unpacking and using to encourage each other toward magnifying the name of Christ, is something I have been turning over and over in my mind since I first read it.

“It is very important that the complementarian stance not be reduced to a cheap parody, where all we are saying is “No!” I would love to see far more churches utilizing the gifts and training of women, whether in paid staff positions or not — positions that are shaped by complementarian confessionalism and simultaneously encouraging, liberating, gospel-focused. Our churches could do with a lot more women in the heritage of Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia, and Syntyche. (Why do we remember the latter two only for their bickering, and not only for their ministry of contending for the gospel at Paul’s side?)“

Concentrating on the section in bold, we can ask: What does it mean to become women in the heritage of Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia and Syntyche? (I love what he says in the parenthesis.) How can we get there? And is it really different from women like Ruth, Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary the sister of Martha, and all the other women that followed Jesus during his earthly ministry?

Would Ruth have been willing and able to cling to Naomi and her God if she had not known and loved the God of her husband, Naomi’s son? This love, submission and the impassioned plea in verses 16-17 of chapter one did not come out of nowhere. In verse 17 Ruth uses the word Yahweh for Lord, this is the personal and covenantal name for God. Ruth was claiming belief in the God of her husband and identifying herself as part of his covenant people.

From reading Mary’s Magnificat we see that Mary knew her theology (Luke 1:46-55). Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught him the Scriptures and were commended for their faith (2 Timothy 1:5). Priscilla and her husband Aquila took Apollos aside and “explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26) which helped him become an even stronger disciple-maker and gospel preacher, Phoebe was a deaconess-servant of the church and trusted by Paul (Romans 16:1), Euodia and Synteche labored “side by side with [Paul] in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of [his] fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Philippians 4:3). So as I personally look over the godly women of Scripture I don’t see a dichotomy between women who were dedicated to their families and women who were dedicated to gospel work. I see that all of them were well grounded in the Scriptures and the difference instead lies in the gifting and emphasis which the Lord wanted to draw attention to in his Word.

So let’s get back to the remaining two questions I asked above: What does it mean to become women in the heritage of Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia and Syntyche? And, how can we get there?

It means to be Biblically literate women; to know and to love the Word of God, to learn how to handle the Scriptures rightly, and to contend for the gospel. That love and knowledge will then flow out toward service in the home, church and community producing women in the heritage of Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia, and Syntyche.

I think in order to start moving in this direction, we need to heed something Carson said earlier in that interview:

“TGC aims to reform evangelicalism, putting the “evangel” (the gospel) at the center of our thinking and practice — and that means focusing on Scripture, on Christ, on the cross and resurrection, on the God who redeems his people. If we are going to contribute to the reformation of evangelicalism, we must aim to teach women as well as men.”

So I see the first step being putting the “evangel” back at the center of women’s thinking and practice. This will mean men and women working together to help women of all ages, life situations and giftedness to see themselves first and foremost as daughters of God, grounded in their identity as disciples of Jesus, and sisters in Christ together.  So that they in turn can pass this primary identity to the next generation. When our identity in Christ is better grasped we will not be as easily swayed by the “winds” blowing in and out of the church.

Another step on the road to becoming a Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia and Syntyche would be to guard ourselves from wanting to jump too quickly to life application when studying God’s work. I love the thought of Mary, Martha’s sister, sitting at the feet of Jesus drinking in his words. Let’s take a look at another thing Carson said in that interview:

“If we leap too quickly to personal application without reflecting on how any biblical passage fits into the Bible’s grand history and plan of redemption, we almost always end up (however unwittingly) distorting the Bible. Worse, we lose sight of the way Scripture flows toward Jesus. The best application of Scripture takes place after coming to grips with how any text fits into the God-given big picture.”

As Tim Keller and others have said, the Bible is not about us, the Bible is about Jesus. If we want transformation and not just information we would do well to read Scripture with eyes resting on Christ without trying to quickly bypass him to get to what the Word can do for us personally (even if it is greater sanctification that we’re looking for).

This is just the start of a conversation. I certainly don’t have all the answers. As I said, I’ve been thinking about these things since I first read this post back in February and will need to continue to think through it. I will happily admit that I am a woman desiring the heritage of Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia and Syntyche but I also know that I have a long ways to go.

Learning To Define Christ Rightly

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This morning while spending some time in Luther’s commentary on Galatians, I was in a section where he was expositing Galatians 1:4 (Schreiner and Stott are so much easier to read). At any rate, Galatians 1:4 says,

“who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

Luther has already spent seven pages just on “who gave himself for our sins.” Of course none of it is going into the women’s Bible study guide, except for maybe a few sentences about the necessity of understanding how Scripture defines Christ and how to protect ourselves from Satan’s deception in that area. Luther seems always to be on guard against Satan and his devices. That’s not surprising given Luther’s life and conversion. I find myself really appreciating this aspect of the great Reformer, since I have fought many of these dark seasons myself. There was a time when I was constantly under self-condemnation, doubt and guilt; they were bleak and sorrowful seasons. I have always known of the fact that Satan deceives us and accuses us, but there is something very insightful about what Luther says here.

“We must learn to define Christ by Paul’s words. Christ, indeed, is no cruel exactor, but a forgiver of the sins of the whole world. So if you are a sinner (as indeed we all are), do not see Christ only as a judge, for that will make you terrified and despair of his mercy. Take hold of his true definition–namely, that Christ, the Son of God and of the Virgin, is not someone who terrifies and afflicts and condemns us of sin and demands an account from us of our evil life; he has given himself for our sins and with one offering has gotten rid of the sins of the whole world and nailed them to the cross (see Colossians 2:14)…. Moreover, the enemy is so subtle that he will not set the whole Christ before us, but only a bit of Christ–perhaps that he is the Son of God, and a man born of the Virgin. And in a while he sticks something else on to that–some saying of Christ’s with which he terrifies impenitent sinners, such as Luke 13:3, ‘Unless you repent, you too will all perish.’ And so, by corrupting the true definition of Christ with his poison, he brings it about that although we believe Christ to be the true mediator, our troubled conscience still feels and judges him to be a tyrant and a judge. Thus we are deceived by Satan and easily lose that sweet vision of our High Priest and Saviour, Christ; and once we have lost it we shun him no less that the devil himself.
“This is why I so earnestly call on you to learn the true definition of Christ from these words of Paul: who gave himself for our sins. If he gave himself in death for our sins, then undoubtedly he is no tyrant or judge who will condemn us for our sins. he is not one who casts down the afflicted, but he raises up those who have fallen and mercifully relieves and comforts the heavy and brokenhearted. Otherwise Paul would be lying when he says who gave himself for our sins. If I define Christ in this way, I define him correctly and take hold of the true Christ and posses him indeed.”

–Luther, Galatians

This is not just pie-in-the-sky theology. This is important for women to understand. Women (single or married, with or without children) can sometimes fall into seasons of guilt and condemnation. Knowing how Scripture defines Christ, who he is, and what he has done, and what he is currently doing, is not just for nerdy women like me. It is for all of us, to guard us from the attacks of the enemy.

Depression and Scripture Reading

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I neglected to mention in my interview for DK that one of the books that helped me tremendously when I was battling depression was John Piper’s When the Darkness Will Not Lift. I highly recommend it. I’ve realized that I haven’t really written about depression, I’m not sure why. It’s certainly not because I’m ashamed to talk about it! I believe it’s only because my heart is burdened to write about other issues right now. I reject the idea that “discernment” means we hide our struggles. I have learned from the example of Paul in the Scriptures, and pastors like John Piper that these issues are crucial for Christians to share with one another. I’m also grateful for ministries like Head Heart Hand who work hard to help the Church learn to understand depression and guide Christians through seasons of darkness. Here’s a post from yesterday on How To Help A Depressed Spouse. And of course there is David Murray’s book Christians Get Depressed Too, which I understand has been helpful to many. I have personally not read it, however.

I want to say a few words about depression and Scripture reading. I have known people (I was like this) who continue to be in God’s Word even through heavy seasons of depression (albeit sometimes mechanically and with little or no joy). However, I also know that there are times when those suffering through this affliction, lose their will to read the Bible or find little, if any, desire for God himself. I understand these things, deeply. Because the Lord has given me a great burden to entreat people to read the Scriptures, I want to help even those who have no taste for it whatsoever. Here’s something from When the Darkness Will Not Lift that I want to share:

“For most people who are passing through the dark night of the soul, the turnaround will come because God brings unwavering lovers of Christ into their lives who do not give up on them. Throughout Richard Baxter’s sermon on the causes and cures of melancholy are strewn counsels to the church on how to carry the burdens of the depressed. He says things like, ‘Often set before them the great truths of the gospel which are fittest to comfort them; and read them informing, comforting books; and live in a loving, cheerful manner with them.’ If depressed saints cannot read the Bible or a good book, we should read it to them.”

–John Piper, When the Darkness Will Not Lift

I believe in the complete and total power of the Word of God. I believe that the Holy Spirit takes the living Word and works it into our hearts and minds and that this, over time, bears fruit in our souls. Therefore for me, reading it is crucial to the life of the believer. There is no life to be found outside of Christ and his Word. So, if you know someone who is so depressed that they cannot even read their Bibles, then please, read God’s Word to them. Or, if you are in such darkness that you cannot go to the Scripture, then please, have it read to you. I remember there were times when I asked my husband to read to me because I just couldn’t. I remember God’s Word crashing over me like ocean waves, over and over again they would come until I was soaked.

There are two things that are absolutely essential for depressed men, women and children: A person who loves Jesus Christ to speak the gospel to them over and over again (with a robust dose of grace), and Scripture reading. Of course depending on the situation, other things may be necessary also, but nothing takes the place of these two.

If you have tasted depression and have endured, then please consider reaching out and helping others. Even if you haven’t but you love the Lord, you can still help those who suffer. Let us all be encouraged by what the Apostle Paul says:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (emphasis mine)