Discipleship | A People for His Name

Pray and Act

May 21, 2011

King David fled from Jerusalem when his son, Absalom, conspired against him to overthrow his rule (2 Sam. 15:13-30). Learning that Ahitophel, David’s counselor (15:12), was among the conspirators, David prayed, “O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” (15:31).

After this, Hushai, a key friend of David (15:37), came to him (15:32). David instructed him that if he were to remain with him, he would burden him (15:33). If, however, he would return to serve Absalom, he would serve for David to “defeat the counsel of Ahithophel” (15:34).

Hushai returned to Jerusalem (15:37) and served under Absalom (16:16-19). At this time, Ahitophel was continually giving Absalom exceedingly wise counsel (16:23).

At a key moment, however, Absalom consulted both Ahitophel and Hushai (17:1-14). Although Ahitophel again gave Absalom wise counsel (17:1-4), Hushai persuaded Absalom and all the men of Israel to reject that counsel (17:5-14). David’s prayer was thus answered through the actions of the agent whom he sent.

The juxtaposition of David’s prayer for the defeating of Ahithophel’s counsel (15:31) and his acting to dispatch Hushai to be his agent to bring about that defeat (15:32-37) appears to illustrate how God sometimes answers our prayers. Although we are not explicitly told that such was the case, it is entirely possible that God directed David’s mind so that he employed Hushai as his agent (cf. Prov. 21:1).

David both prayed and took appropriate action concerning the matter of his prayer. His action ultimately resulted in his prayer being answered. Has not God given us this account in part to promote at least our considering doing likewise with appropriate actions in appropriate circumstances?

In Prayer

Bible Reading Update 5.19.11

May 19, 2011

I began this year with the intention of reading through the entire Bible in Greek this year. I hope also to finish reading again through the KJV this year.

Here is the progress (chapters read/total chapters) that God has allowed me to make so far!


Section	Greek	English
OT	412/920	196/920
NT	1/269	269/269
Bible	413/1189	465/1189

As God directs, I would strongly encourage any of you who know Greek to consider reading extensively in the Septaguint. Having read nearly half of it this year, I can attest to the tremendous value of such immersion in biblical Greek.

My hope is that when I read the NT in Greek later this year, Lord willing, the growing familiarity with biblical Greek that I am developing from my reading the LXX will provide me with numerous valuable insights into the Greek NT. I have experienced that many times in the past, and I look forward to what God will give me this year through such study!

In Bible reading

"The Key to Victory Over the Devil"

May 17, 2011

. . . [I]f you and I are to wrestle triumphantly against the devil and all his powers, the first essential is assurance of salvation. There is no hope for us in this conflict unless we know God’s power and God’s might. But if we are uncertain about our relationship to Him we cannot stand and withstand in the fight. In other words the key to victory over the devil is assurance of salvation, certainly concerning our relationship to God in Jesus Christ. That is but another way of saying, ‘They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.’ You cannot give a testimony if you do not know your position. It is only one who is certain who can give a testimony, and who can act as a witness. The saints’ testimony in the Book of Revelation is that the blood was on them, that they belonged to Christ; they possessed assurance of salvation.
By assurance you are made ‘strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.’

—D. M. Lloyd Jones, The Christian Soldier: An Exposition of Ephesians 6:10 to 20, 62

Are you certain that you are saved?

In Quotes

Guitar Music for "What a Wonderful Savior!"

May 16, 2011

Elisha A. Hoffman’s What a Wonderful Savior! in my format for guitar chords and melody in the key of D.

The shaded number in the second line is how I notate a fermata.

In Guitar Music

Illegitimate Intra-Trinitarian Transfer

May 15, 2011

James Barr coined the term illegitimate totality transfer to signify the unwarranted reading into a particular occurrence of a word every possible meaning of the word. The Semantics of Biblical Language (Oxford: Oxford University, 1961), 218. In my dissertation, I coined the term illegitimate intra-Trinitarian transfer, which I patterned after Barr’s term, but I did not use it with reference to semantics.

The phrase illegitimate intra-Trinitarian transfer refers to the error of attributing a role or activity to one member of the Godhead in a given text when a careful examination shows that the passage is attributing that role or activity to a different member of the Godhead.

Illegitimate intra-Trinitarian transfer (IITT) obscures a right perception of the apostolic focus on testimony to both God and Christ by taking statements about the Father and attributing them to Christ or speaking of them as if they are only about Christ. Such use of these statements, especially on a repeated basis, hinders and obscures the full appreciation of their primary teaching.

Two examples from printed works illustrate IITT clearly. First, Warren Wiersbe’s explanation of Colossians 1:13-14 displays this error when it attributes multiple actions to Christ that the passage does not attribute to Christ but to the Father:

Sinners need a Saviour. These two verses present a vivid picture of the four saving actions of Christ on our behalf. . . . We could not deliver ourselves from the guilt and penalty of sin, but Jesus could and did deliver us. . . . Jesus Christ did not release us from bondage, only to have us wander aimlessly. He moved us into His own kingdom of light and made us victors over Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Earthly rulers transported the defeated people, but Jesus Christ transported the winners. Be Complete: How to Become the Whole Person God Intends You to Be (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1981), 45-46.

This explanation of Colossians 1:13-14 attributes actions to Christ that the passage does not attribute to Him but to the Father: the Father, not Christ, “rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”

Second, Paul Enns’ writing similarly displays IITT:

The Son has redeemed the believer (Eph. 1:7), removed the wrath of God from the believer (Rom. 3:25), justified the believer (Rom. 5:1), provided forgiveness (Col. 2:13), and sanctified the believer (1 Cor. 1:2). The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1989), 341.

Colossians 2:13 actually teaches that the Father has “quickened [us] together with Him [Christ], having forgiven [us] all trespasses.”

I have heard a number of people over the years commit IITT in their prayers by praying something like this, “Father, thank You for dying for us on the Cross.” The Father did not die on the Cross, and we should not pray this way.

These examples of IITT should alert us to be more careful in what we write and say. We must be diligent to handle the Word of God as accurately as possible (2 Tim. 2:15).

In Interpretation, Quotes

The "World's Greatest Classic"

May 12, 2011

The Bible was not so neglected a Book when the great revivals of 1857-59 swept over the United States and Great Britain. Neither was it so neglected in Moody’s time. During the late Manchu dynasty, scholars were expected to know the classics of their sages by heart. How do the scholars of so-called Christian lands measure up to that standard as regards the “World’s Greatest Classic”? It is nothing short of pathetic how so many, who come professedly to represent the Lord Jesus Christ in China, know so little of His Word. Thirty years ago the missionary ideal was to know the Bible so well that one would not have to carry around a concordance. Is the indifference to the Bible today on the part of so many missionaries due to the fact, perhaps, that they have discovered some better means with which to meet the needs of a sin-sick world?

—Jonathan Goforth, By My Spirit, 136

In Quotes

Ensemble Guitar Music for "God Is So Good"

May 9, 2011

Learning to play ensemble music is a great way to develop many basic musical skills, such as rhythm and listening to both yourself and others as you play.

When I was teaching theory classes to young guitar students, I came up with a simple ensemble format for guitar music. In this post, the format provides the notes that are to be played for all four parts of the song God Is So Good.

Each part can be played by one or more students by paying attention to the Roman numeral that tells you on what string to play the notes for that part. Advanced students can try to play more than one part at a time.

Although the music itself is quite simple, working on it with one or more other guitarists can be a fun way to improve your guitar playing!

In Guitar Music

Know and Honor Our Mothers

May 8, 2011

On this Mother’s Day, we should know and honor our mothers.

1. “The Mother of All Living”

As Bible believers, we must accept all that the Bible teaches. Scripture says, “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20). Many professing Christians are calling into question or denying the historicity of Adam and Eve (e.g., some professors at Calvin College).

If Eve was not the mother of all living, then Jesus was either wrong or deceptive in what He taught because He taught that Adam and Eve were real and that they were the first people that God made (Matt. 19:4-5; cf. John 3:12). The Christian faith would then be worthless.

Jesus was not wrong or deceptive. We must know that Eve was the mother of all living, and we must honor her as such. We are to honor Eve by defending her historical existence.

We are to honor Eve also by heeding the teaching of key passages in the NT that speak of her (1 Cor. 11; 2 Cor. 11; 1 Tim. 2). God created her from Adam and for Adam and not vice versa (1 Cor. 11:8-9).

Eve was deceived by the serpent (2 Cor. 11:3). We must honor her by learning from her failure that we must guard ourselves against false teachers who preach another Jesus and speak of receiving another spirit and of accepting another gospel (11:4).

Adam was formed before Eve and was not deceived (1 Tim. 2:13-14). We must honor Eve by learning from her succumbing to deception that we are not to allow women to teach men or usurp authority over them in the church (2:12).

2. “Thy Mother”

Every person that has ever lived has come into the world in the same way: he came out of his mother’s womb (Job 1:21). In the Ten Commandments, God declares, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee” (Ex. 20:12). The New Testament reiterates that teaching in Ephesians 6.

In various ways, we are to honor our mothers who gave us birth:

heeding her law (Prov. 1:8; 6:20); obeying her (30:17; Eph. 6:1-3)
making her glad by being righteous and wise (Prov. 23:24-25)
blessing her (Prov. 31:28; 30:11)
providing for her if she is widowed (1 Tim. 5:4)

3. “The Mother of Us All”

In Galatians, Paul teaches us vital truth for all believers. He defends justification by faith without works. In his defense of that doctrine, he says, “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26). Paul speaks of one here whom he says is “the mother of us all.”

Paul says that the Jerusalem that is above is the mother of all believers, and that she is free. He contrasts her with the earthly Jerusalem that was in bondage in his day.

How do we honor heavenly Jerusalem, our mother? Some people are currently saying that we have misunderstood Paul’s teaching about justification and the Law. They are trying to get Christians to change their understanding of justification and salvation. To honor “the mother of us all, we must steadfastly resist all such teaching (4:30; 5:1).

In Discipleship

"The Nearest Place to Heaven"

May 7, 2011

But to them the happiest days of all were not those high days and holidays. Through the mists of childhood the brightest associations lingered about one dear figure in the repose that always seemed to accompany a white crêpe shawl and satin gown. Sunday was the day on which mother gave herself to them as she could not through the week, and if there was one thing she cared about, it was that that day should be to every member of the household the happiest and most helpful of the seven. In the morning the children went with her regularly to the House of God, and there was more leisure to enjoy companionship at home on Sunday. But in addition, Mother had ways and means for making that day different from all others and much to be desired. The nicest toys and picture-books belonged to Sunday, as well as the prettiest frocks and a cosy fire in the drawing-room because the piano was there. Mother’s sweet voice made hymn-singing a delight. No talks were like her talks over the Bible, not to speak of Pilgrim’s Progress and other books that only appeared that day. Then she always had a basket of fruit for her little people in the afternoon. And just to see her looking so sweet and restful as she shared their enjoyments was not the least part of the happiness of the day.
Yes, home was home indeed and the nearest place to heaven, because it held that mother in whose heart was shed abroad the very love of God.

—Hudson Taylor in Early Years: The Growth of a Soul, 57

In Quotes

Spurgeon on The Mediator as Judge and Savior

May 6, 2011

In his message, “The Mediator-Judge and Saviour,” on the Lord’s Day morning, May 30, 1880, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, C. H. Spurgeon said,

OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIRST OFFICE OF THE MEDIATOR IS EXCEEDINGLY NECESSARY TO OUR ACCEPTANCE OF HIM IN HIS SECOND CAPACITY. This is why Peter preached it: this was why Paul before Felix reasoned concerning righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come. This is why the Holy Spirit himself convinces the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Dear hearers, if you do not believe in Christ as your Judge you never will accept him as your Saviour (caps in original).

—Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit: Sermons Preached and Revised by C. H. Spurgeon During the Year 1880, Vol. 26, Pilgrim Pubs. Pasadena TX, 1972, 321

What do you think?

In Quotes

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