Mr. John Foxe's Martyrs, Numbers 1520-1555, & Salute to Joel Osteen

Foxe, John. The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Gainesville, FL: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 2001.

The very fallible effort at counting continues as we read. # = martyr number. We have martyrs #1520 to #1555.  Please be advised that we have a profound snark-contempt alert, at the bottom, a you-tube salute to Mr. Osteen.  But, now for Foxe's list.

#1520. 23 February 303. In Nicomedia, the eastern capital of Diocletian’s (eastern) Roman Empire, he issued the Empire-wide edict to “eliminate Christianity from the Empire,” including the “burning of books” and the leveling of “Christian buildings.” All Christians were to “be arrested as traitors to the empire.”

Every Christian was arrested and imprisoned in Nicomedia. Mr. Foxe claims that 1000s were martyrs, but offers no sources (31). We’re up to #1520 in our very fallible effort at counting. We'll add #1, but the numbers are probably higher.

These things are difficult to envision for insular and self-absorbed Westerners, but think of rabid Islamo-fascists. Or, Boko Haram in Nigeria. Or, Stalinist purges. Or, Hitler's genocide. Or, the Kmer Rouge in 1975. Or, our manifold wickednesses with the abortion holocaust.

Of note, he tells us that several provincial governors wrote Diocletian: “…such conduct on the part of Romans was improper.”

Many had their ears cut off, noses slit, or had one/two eyes put out.

#1521. Sebastian. He was an officer in the Emperor’s guard at Rome. He refused to recant. He was shot with arrows. He was buried in the Roman catacombs.

#1522. Vitus. He was taught and nurtured in the Christian faith by his nurse. His father was incensed and attempted to get his son to recant. As a propitiation, he offered his son as a sacrifice on June 14, 303.

#1523-1526. Victor in Rome. Bound, dragged through the streets, stoned, and imprisoned. His witness led to his 3 jailers being converted. All four were beheaded.

#1527-#1529. Maximus, the provincial governor of Cilicia, visited Tarsus. He repeatedly examined Tarchus, Probus, and Andronicus. They would not recant. His put them in the amphitheater. The attack animals would not attack. He pulled them out and slew them by sword.

#1530. Romanus was a deacon in Caesarea, the Roman capital of Palestine. He was taken to Antioch. Scourged, racked, torn with hooks, and strangled.

#1532. Susanna, a niece to Caius, an bishop in Rome, refused to marry a pagan noble as ordered by Diocletian. Beheaded.

#1533. Peter, a servant of Diocletian. He ridiculed the pagan gods. By order of Diocletian, he was “tortured with the greatest severity” (33). He died in prison of wounds.

#1534. Eulalia. She ridiculed the pagan gods. Mode of death not identified by Mr. Foxe.

#1535. Presbyter Valerius and his Deacon Vincent were chained and imprisoned by the Roman governor of Tarragona, Spain. For an unknown reason, he let Valerius go, but racked the Deacon. Vincent had joint-dislocation and died in prison of his injuries on January 22, 304. St. Vincent is remember in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, listed for January 22.

#1536-#1538. Three sisters murdered in Thessalonica on March 25, 304: Agape, Chionia, and Irene burned to death.

#1539-#1543. In North Africa, Saturninus and 4 children jailed and starved to death.

#1544-#1547. Four Churchmen died in Rome at the whipping post for speaking against idol worship. They were employees of the city of Rome: Victorius, Carpophorus, Severus, Severianus.

#1548-#1549. Deacon Timothy and his wife, Maura, newlyweds, were crucified in the Roman province of Mauritania. Deacon Timothy was responsible for Holy Scriptures in the church.

The governor ordered up the Scriptures. Timothy replied: “If I had children, I would sooner turn them over to you to be sacrificed than I would the Word of God.”

The enraged governor ordered his eyes be burned out with a red hot iron, saying, “The books will at least be useless to you, for you will have no eyes with which to read later.”

He remained constant in the faith. The governor crucified the Deacon and his wife. 

 #1550-#1554. Diocletian orders the Roman governor of Tuscany, his family and Sabinus scourged to death. Sabinus was the bishop of Assisium in Tuscany. He refused to sacrifice to Jupiter, the supreme deity in the pan-pluralist-you-name-it-you-got-it-religion of Rome. The provincial Governor involved preliminarily in examining Sabinus was converted along with his family. Diocletian put them all to death by scourging.

#1555. In Caesaria, Pamphilus, was arrested, tortured, and put to death. He was reputed to be a 2nd Origen. He translated Origen’s works and an Old Testament manuscript. The infamous Eusebius, author of the Ecclesiastical History and The Life of Constantine and an attendee at Nicaea, was his assistant. Pamphilus established a public library in Caesarea and was known for charitable works.

A profound snark alert at:  

 Satire-snark-utter-contempt alert. Christian Martyrs Tweet Joel Osteen.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA_wWmVlypg
 

So this Church-Growther and this Liturgomaniac Walk into a Bar…; Micro Koinonia Project Coming to BJS, by Pr. Rossow

Steadfast Lutherans is offering this debate.  It sounds interesting.  http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=17431&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BJS+%28The+Brothers+of+John+the+Steadfast%29

Pastor Rossow says:

"So this Church –Growther and this Liturgomaniac walk into a bar… Well, it isn’t quite like that but it is close. It’s not a joke, it’s not a bar and it’s not really a church-growther and a liturgomaniac but it is about a pastor who espouses many church growth principles and a pastor who espouses the liturgy sitting down to talk to see how far apart they are and how close they can get, and doing it all for the world to see here on BJS.

"One of my friends and colleagues is Pastor Mark Schulz from Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle, Illinois, the next suburb over from me and my church, Bethany Lutheran in Naperville, Illinois. He and I have been in the same circuit for over ten years, had coffee together through the years, given each other grief about how we “do” church and also shared some life experience together. I had the pleasure of teaching religion/confirmation to his son Christian for two years at our day school here at Bethany.

"We had lunch together today and agreed to have an online discussion about our similarities and differences and invite the BJS crowd to chime in via the comment section.

"We will start out with each of us giving a summary view of what goes on in our churches and the principles that we use to guide those activities. Then in consequent postings we will critique each other’s practice and principles. We are not sure where it is headed or how long it will go on but we are both really enthused about having it out on line here and seeing where out little Micro-Koinonia Project ends up. We hope and pray it will be a blessing for our beloved Lutheran Church Missouri Synod."

Church to Go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n4QFKS4LzS4

Evening Prayer: Church Shrinkage Principles Eschewed by the Mega-Churchers.

Church Shrinkage Principles Eschewed by the Mega-Churchers.

After the processional and first hymn or Psalm, say these words. Guaranteed to "thin out the ranks." Try these.

WHEN the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Ezek. xviii. 27.
I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Psalm li. 3.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Psalm li. 9.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm li. 17.
Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel ii. 13.
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws which he set before us. Daniel ix. 9, 10.
O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Jer. x. 24. Psalm vi. 1.
Repent ye; for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. St. Matt. iii. 2.
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. St. Luke xv. 18, 19.
Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. Psalm cxliii. 2.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 St. John i. 8, 9.

Reymond’s “Systematic Theology, ” the eternal plan of salvation, TBN, Arminians, Emergents, Liberals, 461-480

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=16084&uid=308173344359

1. Reymond’s “Systematic Theology, ” the eternal plan of salvation, TBN, Arminians, Emergents, liberal and others. Some afterthoughts. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1998), 461-480.

2. TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals, Arminians, Church Growthers, and Contemporary Evangelicals.

3. Wesstminster Confession of Faith, Chapter Three:

I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass; yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.

II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions; yet has He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.

III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.

IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.

V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, has chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto; and all to the praise of His glorious grace.

VI. As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so has He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.

VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, whereby He extends or withholds mercy, as He pleases, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice.

VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men, attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.

4. God’s “eternal purpose.” Eph.3.11: Paul speaks of God’s “eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ, Jesus our Lord.” The Greek word means plan, purpose, or resolve. The texts could be multiplied, Eph.1.11, Rom. 9-11. We commend our readers to many good works on this.

5. Some advocate suppression of the doctrine. Erasmus did that with Luther. We hear the same today. Here’s Calvin:

“Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit, in which, as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so that nothing is taught but what is expedient to know. Therefore we must guard against depriving believers of anything disclosed about predestination in Scripture, lest we either wickedly defraud them of the blessing of their God or to accuse and scoff at the Holy Spirit for having published what it is in any way profitable to suppress…But for those who are so cautious or fearful that they desire to bury predestination in order not to disturb weak souls--with what color will they cloak their arrogance when they accuse God indirectly of stupid thoughtlessness as if he had not foreseen the peril that they feel they have wisely met? Whoever, then, whoever heaps odium upon the doctrine of election reproaches God, as if he had unadvisedly let slip something hurtful to the Church.” Institutes, III.xxi.3, 4.

6. Christ’s Cross Work according “to God’s plan.” Lk.22.22: “…the Son of Man is going [to the Cross] in accordance with the [divine] decree.” Acts 2.23: “…This One, by the determining purpose and foreknowledge of God was handed over, and you with wicked hands put him to death by nailing Him to the cross.” Acts 4.24-28: “…what your hand and your will predestined should happen.” Other texts could be multiplied also. Luke was a thorough-going predestinarian.

7. God’s Foreknowledge and Predestination of the Elect in the Plan of Redemption.
Rom 8.29. Foreknowledge and Predestination. Foreknowledge means “set one’s affections on” and “have special regarding love.” Rom.9 is clear that election is unconditional and not based upon foreseen human qualities such as faith and repentance. Eph.1.4-5: Election and Predestination to Holiness. 2 Thes.2.13: Election to Sanctification. No honest and humble servant of Christ can deny these teachings, including TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals (Protestant mainline), Arminians, Church Growthers, and Contemporary Evangelicals.

8. With Calvin, we say the above groups reproach and scoff at the God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Apostles. Rebellion, insolence, impudence, indolence, and ignorance.

“Hodge’s Systematic Theology”, the Means of Grace and TBN & Others, 466-480

Also posted on our Facebook Wall entitled “Exposing the False Prophets—Reformation Christians Against TBN” found at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=308173344359

1. “Hodge’s Systematic Theology” and a few miscellaneous afterthoughts on “The Means of Grace” with help from Charles Hodge, “Systematic Theology, Volume Three” (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1992), 466-480.

2. Our reference point for wider inquiry is certainly ourselves, but also TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals, Arminians, Church Growthers, and Contemporary Evangelicals.

3. By “means of grace” is meant the Word of God, sacraments and prayer, the ordinary and customary channels ordained by God for salvation and nurturance, church growth and preservation.

4. The Word of God is “indispensable.” The Church was commissioned to preach Christ and His Words to the nations (Mt.28.18-20). That’s what they did. If you see how Luke summarizes Paul’s years of confinement at Rome, it’s preaching and teaching (Acts 18.28ff.) The preaching of the Word has a two-fold effect, to save and to harden. The sacred writers under the Spirit’s tuition and sovereign superintendence extol the Word of God again and again. (Ps. 19.7, 119). It is a “lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps.119.105) “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jer.23.29). “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim.3.16). Jesus prays, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.” (Jn. 17.17). We could multiply texts in overwhelming abundance, but our point is to bring light to darkness. It’s not our point to develop a full blown bibliology or doctrine of Scripture; that’s for another time. It is our point to bring this to bear on this things we see about us.

5. We would add the Christianity flourishes in proportion to fidelity to the Word of God in liturgy, hymns, sermons, abundant lections or read sections of the Word of God, biblical sermons, and biblical prayers. We would add that Christianity best flourishes when congregations are faithfully instructed and catechetized. The same applies for children, youth, and collegians.

6. The Word is what it is, irrespective of response. It is not be adjusted to audience receptivity like Mega-church theoreticians would make it. There are times of drought in the Bible: the period of the Judges, days under bad Israelite kings, the days of our Lord Himself, and other periods of history. Or, Jesus’ time when vast multitudes rejected Him (Jn.1.10-13). With Isaiah might we well claim, “O Lord, who has believed our report?” (Is.53.1) There have been other times when the Word has flourished such as at Pentecost when 1000’s believed. The days of the Reformation represented times of refreshment and enlargement. The “responses” to the Word of God is in God’s hands. Just because Paul before his conversion hated Christ and Christians did not change the identity of Christ and His Lordship or the authority and power of the Word of God. Christ is who Christ is, whether the numbers are 10 or 1,000,000. The Word of God is the Word of God whether 10 believe or 1,000,000 believe. After all, only 8 were left in Noah’s day, but the Word of God was the Word of God. If the majority hates, derides, and denigrates the Word of God, the office of the Pastor, the commitment of any true church, and the position of any believer is not to dismiss or reduce the Word of God in preaching, hymns, prayers and views, but to hold fast. Paul was explicit with Timothy in 2 Tim.4.2: “Preach the Word: Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

7. Re: TBN we ask. Why isn’t there reading of chapters on their programming? Unbelief. Why isn’t there serious, in-depth, doctrinal and expository biblical preaching? $$$-mongering and unbelief. Why the hype and the enthusiasm? Unbelief in the presence, power and necessity of Biblical exposition. From Isaiah 3 and the Money-Grubbers, you may wish to follow some leads at: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/isaiah-3-and-tbn-pentecostals-arminians.html

8. Re: liberals, we need ask no further. Their views of the Bible is that it’s man’s words. It still remains the Word of God when read. We call your attention to an audio on this by Dr. Michael Horton re: the mainline. http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-we-should-learn-from-mainline.html

Also, Dr. Carl Trueman at: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/dr-carl-trueman-on-decline-of-mainline.html

9. Re: contemporary evangelicals, we ask. Why are there not 3-4 chapters read during divine worship? Why the contemporary music with 7 words repeated 11 times, what we call 7-11 music? Why are we not singing all 150 Psalms? Why are we not sing vast tracts of canonical Scriptures as many Reformed Churches used to do? These same questions could be put to the TBN and liberal crowd. We call your attention to a good series of articles which you can follow-up at:
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/summary-of-reasons-to-avoid-rick.html

10. Emergents, we need little more than 8. above. They are neo-Marcionites and neo-liberals, although their background is evangelical. More to follow as the light continues to shine.

11. The Word of God is the Word of God, irrespective of audience receptivity, audience likes or dislikes. Just because leaders give lip service to the Word as a means of grace, but deny it in practice, is no ground for us to follow them.

12. In closing, we pray:

“Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.”

Book of Common Prayer, Second Sunday in Advent.

Alexandrian theology and TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals, Church Growthers, Contemporary Evangelicals

Also posted on our Facebook Wall entitled “Exposing the False Prophets—Reformation Christians Against TBN” found at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=308173344359

1. Alexandrian theology and TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals, Church Growthers, Contemporary Evangelicals. A few miscellaneous notes on “Alexandrian Theology” from “The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology” (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1992), 31-32.

2. The Gospel was established firmly in Alexandria, Egypt by 150 AD with St. Mark, Peter’s nephew and amanuensis, as the likely participant in its establishment. Alexandria was the second largest city of the Roman Empire. It had the largest Jewish concentration in the ancient Roman world. It seems amazing that St. Paul never preached there. The Council of Nicea, 325, assigned it the second place of honour after Rome and above the see of Antioch. It's importance was diminished by according Constantinople secondary honour by the Councils of Constantinople (381) and Chalcedon (451). Subsequently, many Egyptian Christians supported a later development called Monophysitism. Egypt fell to the Persians (616) and the Arabs (642), losing its influence as a Christian centre.

3. A catechetical school of renown was established in this ancient city of Alexander the Great, the famous Ptolomies, the home of the famed Jewish writer Philo, and city where the Greek Septuagintal version of the Old Testament was produced. We associate the names of Clement of Alexandria (c. 190) and Origen (c. 202) with this city and school of thought. As an aside, like TBN-ers, Pentecostalists, revivalist Baptists, and Arminians, Clement was a “free willer.” The latter, Origen, was a writer of renown, an exegete, biblical commentator, and theologian. He was known for his hermeneutics of the literal, moral and allegorical readings of Scripture, something that would be vitiated by Reformation scholars and writers. Sloppy hermeneutics is dangerous. Platonic thought was synthesized by Origen with theology; this created problems and was the seedbed that aided Gnosticism. The Platonism was almost over-mastering. Origen’s theology is for another day. Of much later fame and importance for Nicene Christianity was Bishop Athanasius, the “iron-willed” Bishop who helped extinguish Christological Arianism and other Trinitarian deviances.

3. The Alexandrian School found allegories in almost all the biblical texts. Clement asserted the literal, mystical, moral and prophetic uses. Origen was similar. The opposing school, sometimes called the Antiochene school, stressed the common sense, natural and historic hermeneutic, e.g. Chyrsostom. Ambrose and Augustine took a mediating approach. The Reformers, Luther, Melanchton, Calvin and others, explicitly repudiated allegorical exegesis and followed the well-worn principle of "Scriptura scripturae interpres," Scripture interprets Scripture. This is summarized in the great Westminster Confession, Chapter One, paragraph 9: "The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly."

4. Re: Christology, Trinity and hermeneutics: this has a connection to the resurgence of deviant, errant, and heretical manifestations on the doctrine of the Trinity at TBN. We find Sabellians and out-right Arians on their programming schedules (for starters).

5. Origen taught the essential and economic subordination of Jesus the Son to God the Father. He taught that there was a “moral and volitional unity” but not an “essential unity” between the Father and the Son. “God the Father, Son the Lesser, and Holy Spirit the Lesser” might get us closer to Arius and TBN. It's more complicated than that, but this give an early sense. The Nicene, Constantinopolitan, and Chalcedonian Creeds would address this. We expect Protestant liberals to be disinterested in this; we expect Pentecostals to know nothing of these things; education and thinking is not their interest. We deny both liberal and Pentecostalists on their orientations.

6. Sabellianism also surfaced and was expressed largely through Cyrenaica and Libya of northern Africa. “Oneness Pentecostals” like TBN-preacher T.D. Jakes and the United Pentecostal Church adhere to this. Rick Warren, the “American” Baptist works alongside T.D. Jakes with little interest in Trinitarianism.

7. Arianism surfaced with Arius (c. 317), another man in the Alexendrian School, that denied the Son his eternality. “There was a time when the Son was not” asserted Arius. The term “homoiousios” and “homousios,” the “debate over a vowel (“i”) in the two terms as it was later called, was at the heart of it. “There was a time when the Son was not.“ Was the Son “like the Father in essence” or “essential to the Father in essence?” Gnosticism, Sabellianism, and Arianism had this checkered background leading to the Nicene Council of 325.

8. Athanasius became the bishop or senior presbyter of presbyters at Alexandria in 328. He also was in the “Alexandrian School,” although different from Clement, Origen and Arius. Athanasius served under Bishop Alexander. Alexander, a Bishop of Alexandria from 313, excommunicated Arius and notified Bishop Hosius of Cordova, Spain, about Arianism. Alexander and Athanasius were energetic opponents of Arianism. Both men participated in the Council of Nicea. Athanasius' “De Incarnatione Verbum Dei” is a difficult but important work to read. He argued that the union of the divine natures, God and man, was essential in the preservation of the doctrine of salvation. “Wholly God and wholly man the Saviour must be” summed up Athanasius. Athanasius also asserted the “essential” deity of the Holy Spirit, “homousios,” with the Father and the Son.

9. Our Facebook page/forum and this blogspot, http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/, is dedicated to the exegetical, biblical, theological, historical and confessional assertion, advance and defense of the Athanasian Creed.

10. We call for the exposure of deviances and belittlements of classical Christendom evinced at TBN, Emergent, Church Growth, and Protestant liberal establishments. We also recognize that Roman soteriology has eviscerated Nicene Christology. We oppose Romanism.

11. This scribe remains thankful for the discipline of the old Book of Common Prayer. It has so many, many prayers that end with “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals, Church Growthers, and Contemporary Evangelicals lack that education, orientation and discipline of worship. It is liturgical sloth. The reassertion of Trinitarian doctrine is essential. It must be done by the one holy, apostolic, Catholic, and Reformational Churches.

12. For the record, below, is an article posted by Peter Otajian, a correspondent at Facebook. Thanks Peter. Enclosed for the record and review. Feel free to join us and post articles germane to our field of inquiry, assertion and defense.
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http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=16025&post=94700&uid=308173344359#post94700

This creed is named after Athanasius (293-373 A.D.), the champion of orthodoxy over against Arian attacks on the doctrine of the Trinity. Although Athanasius did not write this creed and it is improperly called after him, the name persists because until the seventeenth century it was commonly ascribed to him. It is also called the Quicunque, this being its opening word in the Latin original. Apart from the opening and closing sentences, it consists of two sections, the first setting forth the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity (3-28), and the second dealing with the doctrine of Christ, especially concerning the two natures (29-43). The teachings of Augustine (354-430 A.D.) in particular form the background to the Christological section. The creed itself appears for the first time in the first half of the sixth century, but the author is unknown. It is of Western origin, and is not recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

(1) Whoever desires to be saved must above all things hold to the catholic faith. (2) Unless a man keeps it in its entirety inviolate, he will assuredly perish eternally.

(3) Now this is the catholic faith, that we worship one God in trinity and trinity in unity, (4) without either confusing the persons, or dividing the substance. (5) For the Father's person is one, the Son's another, the Holy Spirit's another; (6) but the Godhead of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, their glory is equal, their majesty is co-eternal.

(7) Such as the Father is, such is the Son, such is also the Holy Spirit. (8) The Father is uncreate, the Son uncreate, the Holy Spirit uncreate. (9) The Father is infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite. (10) The Father is eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal. (11) Yet there are not three eternals, but one eternal; (12) just as there are not three uncreates or three infinites, but one uncreate and one infinite. (13) In the same way the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty; (14) yet there are not three almighties, but one almighty.

(15) Thus the Father is God, the Son God, the Holy Spirit God; (16) and yet there are not three Gods, but there is one God. (17) Thus the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, the Holy Spirit Lord; (18) and yet there are not three Lords, but there is one Lord. (19) Because just as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge each person separately to be both God and Lord, (20) so we are forbidden by the catholic religion to speak of three Gods or Lords.

(21) The Father is from none, not made nor created nor begotten. (22) The Son is from the Father alone, not made nor created but begotten. (23) The Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son, not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding. (24) So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. (25) And in this trinity there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, (26) but all three persons are co-eternal with each other and co-equal. (27) Thus in all things, as has been stated above, both trinity and unity and unity in trinity must be worshipped. (28) So he who desires to be saved should think thus of the Trinity.

(29) It is necessary, however, to eternal salvation that he should also believe in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. (30) Now the right faith is that we should believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is equally both God and man.

(31) He is God from the Father's substance, begotten before time; and He is man from His mother's substance, born in time. (32) Perfect God, perfect man composed of a human soul and human flesh, (33) equal to the Father in respect of His divinity, less than the Father in respect of His humanity.

(34) Who, although He is God and man, is nevertheless not two, but one Christ. (35) He is one, however, not by the transformation of His divinity into flesh, but by the taking up of His humanity into God; (36) one certainly not by confusion of substance, but by oneness of person. (37) For just as soul and flesh are one man, so God and man are one Christ.

(38) Who suffered for our salvation, descended to hell, rose from the dead, (39) ascended to heaven, sat down at the Father's right hand, from where He will come to judge the living and the dead; (40) at whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies, and will render an account of their deeds; (41) and those who have done good will go to eternal life, those who have done evil to eternal fire.

(42) This is the catholic faith. Unless a man believes it faithfully and steadfastly, he cannot be saved. Amen.

1 Samuel 3 and TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Rick Warren, Liberals

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=15995&post=94594&uid=308173344359#post94594

1. I Samuel 3 and TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Rick Warren, Liberals and some miscellaneous observations with Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s “A Commentary” (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1978), 1-9.

2. This is not a commentary on 1 Samuel 3, but a miscellany of after-thoughts in application to the battle lines.

3. The familiar story of the call of one of Israel’s champions, Samuel, a young lad under Eli’s supervision in the temple. The sacred historian notes that the word of the LORD was rare in those days, to wit, was not widely regarded, feared, embraced, believed or heeded. While Eli was the senior leader of the temple, the corruption entered into his family life and governed his sons without Eli’s discipline. During the early morning hours or the pre-dawn before the lights were trimmed for the day, Samuel heard the call of the LORD, a vision, meaning an internal call, sense, and bidding. This call was sovereign, unilateral, efficaceous, invisible, and mighty. Samuel did not ask for this. He thought it was Eli and petitioned Eli. The context suggests that Eli had a diminished sense of the divine calling and bidding. He’d lost the edge perhaps. Eli did perceive, however, that Samuel was being called and instructs the impressionable lad to go back to bed and await the LORD’s further guidance.

4. The LORD instructs Samuel on some basics re: Eli’s future and divine providence. “Behold I will do a thing which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.” Judgment was to come to Eli, his sons, and their relation to Israel and the divine worship. A purge, judgment and discipline was coming. “I will judge his house” for “the iniquity which he knoweth” and “because he restrained them not.” Samuel is afraid to tell Eli of the vision or internal communication. Under Eli’s compulsion, Samuel tells him the certain future. Judgment and the threatening prospect are met with humble submission and a certain meekness by Eli. Eli appears to have been a godly sort, but he refused to be consistent and he allowed the corruption of worship. He “papered it over” as we might say. "Paper it over?" God will not suffer His honour to be insulted forever and divine providence, as always, in everything, prevails with infinite precision.

5. We get an executive summary of the maturing Samuel without details. Namely, that “the LORD was with him” and that others began to perceive this Presence about him. Need we say more? "The LORD was with him." The LORD’s young prophet was being prepared, the man who would anoint Saul and David in later years. Notice carefully, too, 1 Sam.1-2, to wit, that this elect servant was being prepared. God was making a man of God. The outgrowth and execution of the divine judgments are not mentioned in terms of dates. It may have taken 20 to 30 years for those judgments to unfold? We’re not told. What the sacred historian will tell us later...God did all His good pleasure and His Word was fulfilled.

6. Samuel was applying the Word of God and the Spirit was giving him insight. Eli should have taken God’s holiness and worship more seriously, e.g. Leviticus 10, but he had been dulled. He should have recalled the Law in Leviticus 27 and have been in daily repentance and operating with faith. He was not “honoring God.” Disrespect.

7. God was, again, “pruning” and “shaking off” the drift-wood as he does throughout history. This is a constant dynamic. Repeated over and over and over. The list is long in the Bible.

8. The sacred historian “names names.” That list is long in the Bible too. Talk about being divisive, naming names.

9. Worship corruption in our time? Disrespect for God’s Word like Eli? Tossing the Law and Gospel? TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Rick Warren, Liberals?

10. Want this scribe to “give a prophetic Word?” One can simply rely on God’s Word for that. God is not going to be mocked by levity, irreverence, disregard, diminishment, frivolity and other abuses of His name, title, attributes, works, Word and covenantal signs and seals. That ain’t gonna happen. No dates are offered, but the principles obtain. You can count on it.

11. May we read, mark, learn, inwardly digest, fear, believe, obey and apply in our times.

12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGzuUfQD-G4

TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Liberals and 1 Corinthians 3

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=15985&post=94574&uid=308173344359#post94574

1. TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Liberals and some miscellaneous observations on 1 Corinthians 3 with Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s “A Commentary” (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1978), 290-292.

2. The Corinthians are the last place to look for leadership. They are carnal, divisive, infantile (=babes), sucklings (=unable to take meat), puerile (=not yet able), immature, and imperfect. They are “fleshly.” Paul says he was unable to give them much since they were so childish. They acted as if Apollos was divided against Paul. Paul laid the foundation of Corinth, but the real foundation of the Church was Christ, not Paul and not Apollos. Apollos of Alexandria was discipled by Aquila and Priscilla at Ephesus and then, after further instruction, was dispatched to work at Corinth. Apollos and Paul were united in ministry but some of these disorderly types in the church were sectarians.

3. Of note, Paul speaks of “the grace of God which is given unto me…” He describes his abilities in that light. When’s the last time a serious discussion of “God-given grace, faith, repentance and abilities” were described by the above? Paul says at the end of this chapter, “Therefore let no man glory in men.” Faith and repentance are gifts, but that’s for another day. Ministers don’t give it. Individuals, dead in sins, don’t exercise it. They are gifts. Ever heard that from the TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, or Liberals?

4. Of note, the warning “to take heed how he buildeth thereupon.” That is, clergy need to be very careful how they build upon the foundation of Christ. The gold in the superstructure will withstand fire. Building with inferior and bad-quality materials will not. Do you want your home built by a man with no “construction qualifications?” Look at the educational skill sets of these TBN-ers. Grouch Sr, Hinn, Osteen? Have they been careful about how they build upon Christ? Do you want a doctor who never went to medical school? They are reckless workmen fashioning and selling ignorance and weakness. God raise up leaders with cajones to say that.

5. This is not meant to be a commentary. You'll have to do your own research and feeding. It serves as an application to the issues after I've done my own work.

6. Liberals includes Anglican liberals.