Scripture

"KESETIAAN akan menolong kita untuk menemukan apa yang terbaik dari Tuhan didalam hidup kita""Percayalah kepada TUHAN dan lakukanlah yang baik, diamlah di negeri dan berlakulah setia, dan bergembiralah karena TUHAN; maka Ia akan memberikan kepadamu apa yang diinginkan hatimu. Serahkanlah hidupmu kepada TUHAN dan percayalah kepada-Nya, dan Ia akan bertindak" (Mazmur 37:3-5)

YESUS Berfirman : "Aku tahu engkau sedang gelisah, Aku tahu permasalahanmu sangat berat, Aku tahu bahwa hanya datang padaku ketika engkau merasa keluh, tetapi ingatlah, Aku tidak pernah melupakanmu & apa yang telah engkau lakukan pada-Ku tidaklah sia2" "Sebab TUHAN tidak akan membuang umat-Nya, dan milik-Nya sendiri tidak akan ditinggalkan-Nya" (Mazmur 94:14)

Introducing Theological Interpretation of Scripture: Recovering a Christian Practice.Daniel Treier has released his much anticipated (at least by me) book on the movement which seeks to return to a "theological interpretation of Scripture." One of the vexing aspects of engaging in this conversation is the fact that many people from many different backgrounds and disciplines are claiming "theologic

"Percayalah kepada TUHAN dan lakukanlah yang baik, diamlah di negeri dan berlakulah setia, dan bergembiralah karena TUHAN; maka Ia akan memberikan kepadamu apa yang diinginkan hatimu. Serahkanlah hidupmu kepada TUHAN dan percayalah kepada-Nya, dan Ia akan bertindak" (Mazmur 37:3-5)

Cute article here that goes throught the first couple of dozen verses of the Al Gore Bible, and, for an extra touch, some political cartoons at the bottom of the page. scottthong.wordpress.com Tags: Al Gore Related Posts More on Gore’s Global Warming Investments (0) So Al Gore Goes into a Comedy Club… (0) A Debate Over Global [...]

I posted this over a year ago, but it's been on my heart, so I thought it might be okay to repost it for Sheryl's Faith Lift Friday. I also found a video clip to go with, so even better! 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set

Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.                                                                 ~Ephesians 3:20

In order to provide some content during this down time, here is a paper I wrote for my Biblical Foundations class about two years ago. It was in response to this question:How do the senses of Scripture serve the aim of interpretation as outlined in Chapter 11 from Peter S. Williamson, Catholic Principles for Interpreting Scripture: A Study of the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s “The Interpret

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh {and} new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17  (Amplified® Bible)

Here is Part 5 in my debate with Amy on papal infallibility as it is found in Scripture. Also see Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -I apologize ahead of time that most my comments are not backed with Scripture at this point. I have made most of those already in previous posts. While I put little stock in my own opinions as compared to the authority of Scripture, I am

12 April 2008 :"Berilah dan kamu akan diberi: suatu takaran yang baik, yang dipadatkan, yang digoncang dan yang tumpah ke luar akan dicurahkan ke dalam ribaanmu. Sebab ukuran yang kamu pakai untuk mengukur, akan diukurkan kepadamu." (Lukas 6:38)19 April 2008 :"Sebab itu janganlah kamu kuatir akan hari besok, karena hari besok mempunyai kesusahannya sendiri. Kesusahan sehari cukuplah untuk sehari.

Here is Part 4 in my debate with Amy on papal infallibility as it is found in Scripture. Also see Parts 1, 2, and 3.Pax Christi,phatcatholic- - - - - - - - - -Somewhere between “Pope” and utter nonsense, is my view of name changes in the Bible. Jesus does not deliver the name change at this point, only makes reference to it. As if he said, “Peter, just like your name means Rock, upon the Roc

Woodward wrote a very interesting piece on the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who, which, in turn, prompted the following anonymous comment:This is a nice perspective when it comes to all books but one. Unfortunately, too many practice their faith in this manner, but that isn't the point of your post, and I am a bit off topic.It seems to me that the book to which the writer refers is the Bible. Wo

Click to enlarge Scripture Solitaire 1.3 Scripture Solitaire combines the words you reverence with the game you love. There are seven different solitaire games to choose from including the classic Klondike and Freecell. The game contains hundreds of verses from the King James Version of the Bible, and you can create your own [...]

Here is Part 3 in my debate with Amy on the authority and infallibility of Peter (and his successors) as it is found in Scripture. Also see Parts 1 and 2.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -Though my digestion of your post is incomplete, and I have no hope of addressing everything you have written, I will do my best to reply. My reply is very incomplete. Thank you, in advance, for putting up with the length of this.The length doesn't bother me at all. I try to be as concise as possible, but sometimes you just have to write a lot in order to defend a position, and I'm okay with that.Some of your post matches up with what I have learned my entire life in studying the Bible.Some things you have written, I hold as truth, the first of them being that,“All things pale in comparison to

Here is Part 2 in my debate with Amy on the authority of the pope and the Scriptural witness to this authority. Also see Part 1.Pax Christi,phatcatholic - - - - - - - - - -Thank you for engaging me in this discussion. I know you are busy. I have been praying for you and the cute girl in your profile pic.Thank you!! That means a great deal to me. We certainly need your prayers. You'll be happy to know that my fiancee's name is Amy too!...to the fact that we are both Switchfoot fans, there can be no debate on this.Great!Again we have a point where no contention can be made: The Bible is authoritative because it has been inspired by God (God-breathed). (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)Good to know.Now I have a question: 1)How do you know for sure: "his words are protected from error by a charism of the Holy

What follows is Part 1 in what I think will be a very fruitful dialogue with Amy, who owns a blog called "The Way I Say." I happened upon her blog because I was looking for a poem about redemption for a presentation on that topic and she just happened to have exactly what I needed. Since then she has made some very helpful comments on my blog and I look forward to our dialogue together.That said, here is her first post to me:First of all, do you like switchfoot, because that is a most important matter to clear up?Do you give as much authority to the Pope's words as you do to scripture?I definitely like Switchfoot! I hope that's ok :DAs for your second question, I don't want to give a simple "Yes" or "No" answer because I'm afraid it might imply things I don't intend. I will say that, when

There a many reasons why you should consistently read the Word and get it on the inside of you. One major reason in my life has been the fact that it literally transforms and shapes your thinking - ultimately drawing you closer to Jesus. You’ve probably heard it said before; the mind is [...]

Plot: A serial adventure writer with problems in his personal life lives out the adventures of his literary hero, King of Adventurers. Tech specs: Title …………. Dr.Wai.and.the.Scripture.With.No.Words Theatre Date …… 1996 DVD Retail Date … xxx Release Date …… 2007/01/16 Ripper…………. io Genre …………. Action DVD Runtime ……. 01:30:27 Video Bitrate ….. 1570 kbps AVG Video Codec ……. XviD Audio Bitrate ….. AC3 6CH 192 Kbps [...]

Someone recently asked me for some Scripture verses that would be comforting in times of anxiety or depression. Here's what I found:Exo 14:14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still.Psa 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for thou alone, O LORD, makest me dwell in safety.Psa 29:11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!Psa 46:10a Be still, and know that I am God.Prov 1:33 but he who listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of evil."Isa 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."Isa 32:2,17-18 Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a

As I was reading through psalms today, I noticed an interesting pattern. Some of you may have heard of a branch of scriptural study called “scriptural numerics.” Many believe that the numbers and patterns found in the scriptures are ubiquitous and meaningful. I lend some credit to the theory, but not as much as others. For instance, three has to do with perfection, completeness, and God especially. Six is a number dealing with the weaknesses of man, satan, etc….The number that caught my eye today was eight. Previously, I had loved psalms 119 because it dealt with the importance of scriptures and their importance. It took on a whole other dimension today for me when a few things caught my attention.I have been curious in the past about why this chapter (psalms 119) is subdivided into

If you loved the previous post about the lolcatbible, you know you need to visit lolcatchurch, and if you’re still wondering what to send fracas for Christmas, why don’t you check out the lolcatbible store at cafepress? Everyone knows how I love those religious type gifts at Christmas! But… being Sunday and all, please take a [...]

Volumes 2-4 in Zondervan's Scripture and Hermeneutics Series are on sale at CBD.com I'm not sure if this is a system glitch or how long this price will last, but a discount like this doesn't come along every day. Here are the stats:Vol 2: After Pentecost: Language & Biblical InterpretationRetail Price: $34.99 CBD Price: $9.99You Save $25.00 (71%)Vol 3: A Royal Priesthood? The Use of the Bible Ethically & BiblicallyRetail Price: $34.99 CBD Price: $9.99You Save $25.00 (71%)Vol 4: Behind the Text: History and Biblical InterpretationRetail Price: $34.99 CBD Price: $7.99You Save $27.00 (77%)All three Volumes Together:Retail Price: $104.97 CBD Price: $19.99You Save $84.98 (81%)I think we can all see that I've found the perfect gift for my wife.

There is an interesting article over on the CT blog site. It concerns remarks made by J.P. Moreland at a recent gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society. He strongly voiced his objectiona to the  ‘bibliolatry’ among American Evangelicals: “In the actual practices of the Evangelical community in North America, there is an over-commitment to Scripture in [...]

Luke 12:6-8 6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 8"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. His Eye is on the Sparrow Why should I feel discouraged, why should

Two short essays I wrote for my Methods in the study of Sacred Texts: God’s relationship with Man, course. The topic if Kaufman, how he views Jesus in relation to scripture and importance, and how he defines God. Enjoy. Leonard O Goenaga Professor Alvarez REL4205 30 October 2007 Kaufman, God, and Christ/Scripture Question One: In the chapter on Jesus, Kaufman speaks about the role of the Scripture in our reconstruction of the life of Jesus and the extent to which Scripture remains authoritative for Christians today. What is Kaufman’s view? What is the source(s) of authority for Kaufman? Question Two: What is Kaufman’s understanding of the concept of God, particularly in terms of the dual aspect of the concept of God. After presenting Kaufman’s position, to what criticisms is Kaufman vulnerable; both from the point of view the Christian tradition and from the point of view of the naturalistic worldview he is trying to a large degree to accommodate? To what extent do you

Isaiah 65:17-25 17 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. 20

24Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. Jesus sums up the entire problem of earthly governments right here. The Gentile rulers lord their power over their subjects. Why? Because it’s for their subjects own good, of course. They like to call themselves our benefactors. In fact, doing something for “the greater good” or “the common good” is the easiest way to gain power and commit atrocities, because you can get the public’s assent. And kings have known this since the beginning of time. In the context of the passage, Jesus’ disciples are still thinking that the kingdom he is going to establish is going to be a

And ye shall seek Me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 O Master, let me walk with Thee, In lowly paths of service free; Tell me Thy secret; help me bear The strain of toil, the fret of care. Help me the slow of heart to move By some clear, winning word of love; Teach me the wayward feet to stay, And guide them in the homeward way. O Master, let me

Since the fourth century when five books narrating the earliest Jesus movement, several epistles, and an apocalyptic vision were added to the Hebrew scripture to become the canon for early Christians, this literature has been both a deep consolation and a source of enormous conflict. On most issues, scripture offers an astonishing plurality of opinion: genocide, just war, rejection of war, polygamy, slavery, rejection of slavery, the death penalty, rejection of the death penalty, loyalty to a violent and demanding deity, gratitude for revelation that “God is love.” This variety of moral and spiritual ideals makes a simple appeal to scripture impossible. But, as Jesus tells us, God wishes to give us bread, not stone and so it is important to think about how scripture can be a means of grace in these contentious times. From the time that science began to function as the primary model of truth conflicting interpretations of scripture have become, if anything, more bitter. In the p

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Many times when dealing with this passage, Christians tend to shrug it off, thinking that Jesus really didn’t want the kingdoms of the world anyway. After all, didn’t he really come to establish a new religion, or to give us a set of universal truths so we could get to heaven? Jesus only carried about a “spiritual” other-worldly kingdom, right? This perspective couldn’t be further from the truth. At the very end of the same book in Matthew 28:18, Jesus himself says: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” In other words, he has been set over the kingdoms of the world. Notice also i

Praise the Name of the LORD. For His Name alone is excellent; His glory is about the earth and heaven. Psalm 148:13 O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace! My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim, To spread through all the earth abroad The honors of Thy name. Jesus! the name that charms our fears, That

After Israel commits a form of idolatry in asking for a king, God decides to give them one more chance to change their minds. God, in his mercy, warns the Israelites about what having a king, a formal government like the other nations, really means. Let’s break down the list. And remember, God is trying to essentially scare the Israelites into changing their mind. Verse 11: “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.” Modern Day Equivalent: There will be military drafts. Verse 14: “He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.” Modern Day Equivalent: The best land and resources will be given to his political cronies, either to buy support or reward past support. The current abuses of Eminent Domain come to mind. Verses 15-17: “He will take a tenth of your grain an

Israel asking for a king is a dramatic turning point for the chosen people of God. While things eventually turned out well (the coming of Christ), this has more to do with God having the uncanny ability to make the best out of a bad situation. Because rest assured, asking for a king was a foolish request, and if this post doesn’t convince you, a cursory reading of 1 and 2 Kings easily shows that: The kings led Israel astray most of the time. Even the good kings couldn’t save Israel in the end. The whole sad story almost reads like a case study about how utterly incompetent earthly kings are, pointing the way toward the only worthy king. But more on this later. Let’s get to 1 Samuel 8. Israel asking for a king could only be a good thing if the following 3 things were true: God was not really a jealous god, after all. He just said that because he was in a bad mood at Mt. Sinai. God wished the Israelites to learn from the Canaanites, and emulate them in any way po

God is a PowerThe Power becomes lightThe light becomes vibrationThe vibration becomes soundThe sound becomes wordThe word becomes languageThe language becomes scripture.Like that return to the Source.- Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, may God bless his pure soulBehold the mystical letters: Alif Lam Mim. This (Quran) is the Scripture; in it is guidance sure.(The Quran 2:1,2)Do they not then meditate on the Quranic Revelation? (4:82)Nay! it is a glorious Quran, (Inscribed) in a Mystically Preserved Tablet! (85:21,22)The revelation of the Scripture is from God the Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom. (45:2)... God made it a light, guiding thereby whom God please of His servants; and most surely you, Muhammad show the way to the right path. (42:52)... and most surely it is a Scripture of Exalted Mystical Power. (41:41)Reference.. what does the word Quran mean?The word Quran is derived from the root 'to read' or 'to recite', hence Quran (also written as Koran, Qur'an) is a verbal noun meaning reading

"C-dero" agreed with everything I said in my last post except for the last paragraph. Here is my response to his thoughts on that section.I think it when you even bring the issue that one's interpretation being authoritative over another is when you create more problems.Having an authoritative interpretation of Scripture doesn't create problems, it solves problems. Now, whenever there is a question in the Christian community regarding what is true doctrine, we have a voice given authority by God to settle the matter, instead of everyone having to rely on their own abilities and their own perception of being "inspired" by the Holy Spirit. No contradiction in teaching. No democratic vote. Just the authority of God.This is when I become a minimalist in Biblical interpretation. What I mean is that you have the Bible in its historical context, written to a certain type of people in particular times which meant what it meant to them and even within this understanding there is self-evidence

"C-dero" asked the following question in the HCR forum, and I think it is an important one, especially within the Protestant community. The division and contradiction that sola scriptura creates is the big pink elephant in the living room of Protestantism. I can't tell you how many Protestants I've heard who either utterly deny that there is a problem, or who actually praise denominationalism as "diversity."However, it seems to me that C-dero is a person who is not afraid to confront the problem areas in Protestantism and to search out a solution, instead of just pretending that these problems don't exist. This is not the first time that he has asked a question that attempts to take a bold and honest look at his faith. I respect that and I think it is refreshing.You may have heard this before, "the best interpreter of scripture is scripture itself."How meaningful is this catch phrase? Is it not true that the one who asserts such a concept is the Bible's interpreter? Does he/she not

Can't beat the entertainment of Conversations with Bob! Here is my latest!Bob,Beautiful! Loved your comments and your honesty regarding social issues. One good dose of honesty deserves another. I am not fond of the Democrats. I think they are caught up in the same "Domination System" (to use Walter Wink's phrase) as the Republicans. They are not our saviors as much as some other progressives think. I don't like the politics of faith in order to get votes. I don't like Democrats who try to sound religious or wear their faith on their sleeve in order to do that, even as that has been successful for Republicans. Frankly, I don't like appeals to Jesus, YHWH, or the Bible to authorize a viewpoint. If one's viewpoint does not stand on its own merits, then no amount of "supernatural authority" will make it any better.To alienate more of my progressive friends, as much as I appreciate Al Gore's attention to the environment, I don't think all the facts are in regarding Glob

A new resource advertised in our very own Presbyterians Today is "Out in Scripture" by the Human Rights Campaign. You don’t have to leave your mind, heart and body behind when you encounter the Bible. This Human Rights Campaign resource places comments about the Bible alongside the real life experiences and concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of faith and our allies. With the help of skilled scholars, you will discover a fresh approach to Scripture. Here you can be honest, question and go deeper. Read MoreIt is a great resource. Check out the lectionary readings.

NEW YORK, NY — It seems we have been brought to a new revelation regarding the end times. The world has welcomed the UFO (unidentified flying object) and alien phenomenon for many years now. The latest Roper Poll shows more than half (56 percent) of the American public believing UFOs are real and not imaginary. [...]

Where do you start thinking theologically? What path is the best way to begin thinking about God? In First Theology, Vanhoozer contends that "when it comes to doing theology, God must be our first thought, Scripture our second thought, and hermeneutics our third and last thought" (9).This might strike you as odd. Why isn't God our first and last thought? Why is hermeneutics our third and last thought? How does this work itself out practically? Vanhoozer admits that "matters are not really so simple, nor so linear. Doing theology involves all three thoughts, together and at once" (9). To the end of explaining this, he says his book is "a plea for being hermeneutical about theology, and for being theological about hermeneutics. To be precise: it is an argument for the importance of treating the questions of God, Scripture and hermeneutics as one problem" (9). This is what he calls First Theology. For him, these things necessarily go together.But doesn't this lead to a hermeneutical sp

My friend Steve has a great post you should read..."It is high time that evangelicals return to their roots. We believe in the authority of Scripture, in what is called the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. All of the parts of the Bible are inspired and the actual language form, the words and styles of literature are inspired. That inspiration exists apart from my understanding and application of the Word. It is in the understanding and application of the Word that lives are transformed - but the Bible is not a set of Tarot cards, intended for my personal life direction."read more...________________________________________ Here’s a quick understanding of MISSIONAL – being a missionary everywhere you are! It's being Jesus to everyone everywhere!

I just found out about this organization, The Committee for the Scientfic Examination of Religion (CSER), which will be holding a conference next weekend at UC Davis. You can read about the conference here. James Tabor at UNC-Charlotte sent me an e-mail about it and his new book, The Jesus Dynasty: A New Historical Investigation of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity (2006).I will check that out further. James Crossley has been talking about this on his blog Earliest Christian History. Crossley is the author of Why Christianity Happened, a book published by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. I referred to that book on an earlier post.Back to James Tabor. His blog is entitled The Jesus Dynasty Blog and he speaks about the conference on this post.The conference entitled "Scripture and Skepticism" (University of California at Davis, 25-28 January 2007) was called to consider comparative approaches to sacred scripture in the three book religions—J

To understand this post, you probably need to read the two posts preceding it -- my original post on the topic, and Woodward's response.It seems to me that it is precisely because God is the author of Scripture that we can allow for an innumerable number of personal interpretations of Scripture -- at least as many interpretations as there are people. For in his infinite mind, God knew before time began how each one of us would read and interpret the Bible. As He inspired the sacred authors, He kept each one of us in mind -- not in a general sense, but, rather, in a personal sense -- so that we can really say that God wrote the Bible for me, just as I can really say that Jesus died for me -- not in a general sense, but in a personal sense.There is a caveat to this, and that's the Church. We should not, as many people do, see the Church as robbing us of our freedom to interpret Scripture as we want. Rather, we should see the Church as helping us in our conversation with the Father

For the big announcement!!If that does not get your blood pumping!!I was invited by Darlene from Christian Women Online, to join a new adventure called Jehova Java Internet Cafe. My first reaction was, I love CWO, I love Darlene, sure why not...Then it began to sink in, what I "quickly" agreed to, and I came close to bowing before the porcelain throne.I am with Carol, Christine, Cyndi, Darlene, Elise, Iris, Kelly, Kim, Linda, Lisa and Lynn. I am going to throw up, do they know I CAN NOT WRITE! I am going to make a total fool of myself being lumped in with these great women. Do you hear a lot of "I am's".After the Lord calmed me down (and I have to say it took a full day), and some wise words from others to encourage me on this new journey. I realized this IS NOT ABOUT ME! It is about Him working through me. So..."So long, status quoI think I've just let goYou make me wanna be brave.." (Nichole Nordeman) I am not worthy to be with these women, but I praise God for the opportunity. T