The Word of God

The Word of God: Some very, very desultory musings on the text in consultation with following. This may be the "becoming" of getting organized for a larger review, a monograph of sorts...a 100-page summary.  It will break no new ground, but will summarize things. This is a quick gathering on a perennial and essential theme.

The Book of Common Prayer. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1969.
Davis, J.G. The Westminster Dictionary of the Bible.  “The Word of God.”  Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1944. 
Engelbrecht, Edward (Ed.) The Lutheran Study Bible. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009.
McDonald, H.D.  Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. “The Word of God.”  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1984.
Sproul, R.C. (Ed.) The New Geneva Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.

The Westminster Confession of Faith.  Every single denomination on earth should embrace this chapter 1 of this grand confession.  The Bloody-Babylonians in Rome will never do it, but why descendants...why, of why...children of the Reformation have failed to adopt this is erroneous. Available online at: http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/

Christianity is the worship of the Triune God resting on the Self-disclosure of God in deeds with His people as enshrined in 66 canonical books.

The entire first chapter of The Westminster Confession of Faith should be the clear and close possession of all—memorized too.  And, yes, God speaks English too in child-like syllables to accommodate our small minds.

Varied texts are noted from Jesus and the Apostles: Mt. 4.4, 7, 10; 5.17-20; 19.4-6; 26.31, 52-54; Lk. 4.16-21; 16.17; 18.31-33; 22.37; 24.25-27; 24.45-47.  Jesus came to fulfill OT prophecies: Mt. 26.24; Jn. 5.46.  God’s breath, as it were, created the heavens and the earth (Ps. 33.6; Gen.1.2) and breathed-out His Word for the profit of His church (Rom.15.4; 1 Cor.10.1ff.; 2 Tim.3.15-17;  1 Pet. 1.10-12; 2 Pet. 1.21). The author of Hebrews uses the formula identifying the Scriptures with God’s Word: Hebrew 1.5-13; 3.7; 4.3; 10.5-7, 15-17)—what the Scripture says, God says.

Much, much more needs to be said.  A few volumes for starters.

Gaussen, Louis. The Divine Inspiration of the Bible. No location:  Christian Heritage, 2007. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Inspiration-Of-Scripture-The/dp/1857924495/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389484703&sr=8-2&keywords=louis+gaussen

Warfield, B.B. Inspiration and Authority of the Bible. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1980.  Available at: http://www.amazon.com/Inspiration-Authority-Benjamin-Breckinridge-Warfield/dp/087552527X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389484805&sr=8-1&keywords=b.b.+warfield+inspiration 

Augustine stated, summarizing the apostolic and catholic view:

What is the Bible else but a letter of God Almighty addressed to his creatures, in which letter we hear the voice of God, and behold the heart of our Heavenly Father?”

Luther asked rhetorically, “Where do we find God’s Word, except in the Scriptures?” with the expected reply, “Nowhere.”

The Thirty-nine Articles of the (Reformed) Church of England called it “God’s word written.”

The Irish Articles of 1615 opens with:  “1. The ground of our religion and the rule of faith and all saving truth is the Word of God, contained in the holy Scripture.”

The Westminster Larger Catechism: 

 Q. 3. What is the Word of God?

A. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God,[5] the only rule of faith and obedience.[6]

Q. 4. How doth it appear that the Scriptures are of the Word of God?

A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God, by their majesty[7] and purity;[8] by the consent of all the parts,[9] and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God;[10] by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation:[11] but the Spirit of God bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very word of God.[12]

The “Second Sunday in Advent,” The Book of Common Prayer:

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we would 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 has given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Martin Luther’s “Prayer to Receive the Word”

“Eternal God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant us Your Holy Spirit who writes the preached word into our hearts so that we may receive and believe it, and be gladdened and comforted by it in eternity. Glory Your Word in our hearts.  Make is so bright and warm that we may find pleasure in it, and through Your inspiration think what is right. By Your power, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen” (TLWA, 38).

“O Word of God Incarnate:” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFqTRWD2WD0

1.          O Word of God incarnate,

            O Wisdom from on high,

            O Truth unchanged, unchanging,

            O Light of our dark sky:

            we praise you for the radiance

            that from the hallowed page,

            a lantern to our footsteps,

            shines on from age to age.

 

2.          The church from you, our Savior,

            received the gift divine,

            and still that light is lifted

            o'er all the earth to shine.

            It is the sacred vessel

            where gems of truth are stored;

            it is the heaven-drawn picture

            of Christ, the living Word.

 

3.          The Scripture is a banner

            before God's host unfurled;

            it is a shining beacon

            above the darkling world.

            It is the chart and compass

            that o'er life's surging tide,

            mid mists and rocks and quicksands,

            to you, O Christ, will guide.

 

4.          O make your church, dear Savior,

            a lamp of purest gold,

            to bear before the nations

            your true light as of old.

            O teach your wandering pilgrims

            by this their path to trace,

            till, clouds and darkness ended,

            they see you face to face.

1978 Prayer by Donald Philip Veitch

I pulled a book off the shelf, as I was reading before church...headed out here shortly. Out fell a hand-written prayer dated 1978. I am an adopted son in Anglicanism. 1981 is when I became a Reformed Episcopalian, so this predates that. However, as a Reformed Churchman (thanks goes to Dad for this), schooled in that great Confession (WCF), nonetheless, I often wrote prayers--I've lost or misplaced those written prayers, having moved so often with the military. Yet, here one dropped out of an old book. I post it here not as a maudlin or self-absorbed event, but in thanksgiving for His Majesty's preservation to this day, 7 Nov 2010, and for HM's answers to those prayers 32 years ago. Am still praying these words--in essence. Christ's benefits were promised to me in baptism and HM's Almighty Spirit "quickened me" when I was dead in sins and trespasses (Eph.2.4), enabling me to exercise justifying faith. To Him be all the glory. Ps. 71.5: "Through Thee I have been holden up ever since I was born; Thou are He that took me out of my mother's womb; my praise shall always be of Thee." Ps. 71.15: "Thou, O God, hast taught me from youth up until now: therefore will I tell of Thy wondrous works." Bottomline: God's covenanted mercies have been with this scribe, lo, these many years. God's covenanted mercies have been with my forbears in generations past. We pray the same for generations to come. "The God of Jacob is our God."

Here's what fell from the book to the floor.

"Almighty and most merciful God, grant that in our lives we would be diligent and apply ourselves to our tasks according to our abilities. More specifically, grant that we would persistently obey Thy voice; that we would wait daily upon Thee, attuning our minds and heart to Thy Holy Word. We praise Thee that by Thy Almighty Word the heavens and earth were created--that by Thy Word they consist and cohere--that by Thy Word and command, nations are lifted up and others humbled. Grant that we would diligently cleave to Thy instruction, as humble children willingly to hear and obey a Parent. Enable us to listen to Thee carefully, with meditation, with quietness and receptivity. Speak the Word, O Blessed God, and we shall be healed. For Thy sake and service and in Thy Thrice-Mighty Name, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Amen."

Schaff’s “History of the Christian Church, Vol.2,” Persecutions, Joel Osteen, Paula White, Benny Hinn and Other TBN-ers, 20-40

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=16099&post=94961&uid=308173344359#post94961

1. Schaff’s “History of the Christian Church, Vol.2,” Persecutions, and miscellaneous after-thoughts including Joel Osteen (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 20-40.

2. We argued that history is important to the practitioner of systematic theology at:
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/hodges-systematic-theology-and-tbn.html Further, we critiqued TBN and Pentecostals as having no sense of history or systematics.

3. In the apostolic age and immediate post-apostolic age, the Gospel spread over Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, north Africa, and to the east, Edessa, Mesopotamia, Persia, Media, Bactria, Parthia, Armenia and Arabia.

4. Christianity in northern Africa flourished before the Vandals and Moslem invasions in the 7th century. Alexandria, with the largest library in the ancient world, was home to a vibrant Christian community. The Gospel spread to Lower and Upper Egypt and as far as Nubia, Ethiopia and Abyssinia. Egypt gave us Arianism, Athanasius and desert monks like Antony and Pachomius. We offered comments on Alexandrian Theology and TBN at: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/alexandrian-theology-and-tbn.html
We also have that on file in the discussion section here.

5. As to heresies and necessary products (“necessary” we’re told), Paula White espouses her Christological heresy at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_NHV1tBIhI In reading the early Christian literature, you won’t find stuff like this. Or Benny Hinn’s lunacies and anti-Trinitarianism at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_a4Z1PKGXc&NR=1&feature=fvwp

6. We by-pass Schaff’s comments on the extension of Christendom to Spain, Germany, Gaul and England. A general survey is offered. This is quite a story too.

7. We do call attention to Roman Imperial persecutions: Nero, Domitian, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Maximinius, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian, and Diocletian, two of which were imperial wide. We refer you to Eusebius’ “Ecclesiastical History.” Persecutions were serious and severe.

8. Regrettably, Joel Osteen has no room in his mind for this. After all, he hasn’t finished one semester of college. We refer you to “Your Best Life Begins Each Morning" for a tour of depth, balance and wizardry at: http://www.amazon.com/Your-Best-Life-Begins-Morning/dp/0446545090/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268988427&sr=8-3
He is a Word of Faith preacher (lite-variety).

9. We call attention to some modern persecutions. Just a few are noted. We might have added the reports about Nigeria also.
Planned attack on Christians in India:
http://heidelblog.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/reporta-of-a-planned-attack-on-christians-in-india/
Pakistan:
http://heidelblog.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/pray-for-pakistani-christians/
Islamo-fascists:
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2009/08/pakistan_christ.html

10. TBN Health, Wealth and Prosperity preachers are pimps, profiteers and men and women who are ignorant of history, confessions, theologians, writers, liturgies or hymns. People need to preach the Gospel and warn others about these loons. And we're not going to relax on these points. They are dangerous to the health of the Church of Jesus Christ. Why are they dangerous? Because they pose as Christian leaders and people, unlettered ones, follow them. They are a cancer and must be opposed. Sleep if you wish. We at this forum won't be sleeping.

11. We close with a prayer and an hymn:

Almighty God, the Supreme Governor of all things, whose power no creature can resist, to Whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, be merciful to those being persecuted for the name of Jesus Christ throughout the earth. We give thanks for the steadfast train of witnesses who did not yield in persecutions like Polycarp and all the English Reformers. Save and deliver us from people like Paul Crouch, Benny Hinn, Paula White and Joel Osteen. Save and deliver us and others still in the Babylonian Captivity: Grant that we, being armed with Thy strong defense, we may advance and tear down bold and arrogant arguments that insult Thy name, through the merits of Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH2UcunPAR0




For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Apostles’ glorious company,
Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea,
Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Evangelists, by whose blest word,
Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord,
Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye,
Saw the bright crown descending from the sky,
And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reymond’s “Systematic Theology” and the facts of revelation

1. Reymond’s Systematic Theology and the "facts of revelation" (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1998), 3-10.

2. As an additional set amplifying on Reymond, we post Dr. R.C. Sproul’s video-cast at: http://www.ligonier.org/rym/broadcasts/video/his-word-truth/?format=video

3. The facts of revelation. God revealed Himself “at many time and in various ways” (Heb.1.1-2) . The OT uses, “the word of Yahweh” scores of times. “The law of Yahweh” occurs also which means “divine authoritative communication.” Galah, a revelatory word, means the “removal of obstacles to perception.” Yadah, in the causative stem, means “reveal” or “make known.” God made known Himself, His attributes, glory, works and words.

4. Pre-patriarchal period, Gen.1.-11. God spoke directly and propositionally to Adam.

5. Patriarch period. Gen.12-50. Theophanies. Varied texts are posted. By the way, throughout, God speaks in recognizable language, not babblings like Pentecostalists assert.

6. Mosaic period. The burning bush (Ex.3) and other visions (Nu.22.20). Moses was repeatedly told to write things down.

7. Conquest under Joshua. Mosaic words inscripturated and were authoritative. A few more Theophanies. Texts given.

8. Age of Prophets, Samuel to Malachi. Samuel inscripturated the Word of the Lord. Samuel organizes guilds of prophets to instruct Israel in the Word of God. They studies the written Word of God, kept a record of Israel’s history, and preserved their own writings.

9. United kingdom under David. God spoke to David and Solomon. 73 Psalms by David. 2 by Solomon. Texts given.

10. Divided kingdom. Various prophets.

11. They were all instructed to put these revelations to writing.

12. Summary:

a. God reveals Himself in the history of redemption.
b. Redemptive history is structured by several covenants.
c. Redemptive revelation is progressive.
d. Revelations came by theophanies, dreams and visions. The NT will call it the “law and prophets” Lk.16.16, inter alia.
e. Public reading, teaching and exposition of the Word of God followed inscripturation. This was to keep the Word of God before the people.

13. As we ponder this theme, it is this scribe's view that the doctrine of Scripture is under very open attack. Should we be surprised?

14. "Modern Reformation" is dealing with this subject, Scripture, throughout the year in its publication. Available through http://www.whitehorseinn.org/. We commend Martin Chemnitz's Examination of the Council of Trent, 3-Vol (Concordia Press).

“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.

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

2-Infant Baptism: Luther and Confessional Lutherans

2-Sacraments. Infant Baptism

By Dr. Francis Nigel Lee


http://www.reformed.org/sacramentology/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/sacramentology/lee/index.html


Luther's antirebaptismal work Concerning Rebaptism


In his own work Concerning Rebaptism (1528), Luther thrashed the Anabaptists. They had over-emphasized the subjective and downgraded the objective side of the rite. Yet, Luther retorted, important as faith is -- the Word, and not faith, is the basis of baptism. Any would-be baptizer who regards faith on the part of the baptizee as essential for the validity of the baptism -- can never consistently administer baptism. For he can never be certain that faith really is present.

It is possible, conceded Luther, that some might conceivably doubt the validity of their own infant baptisms. For they might well have no irrebutable evidence that they even then already truly believed. They might then conceivably wish to request (re-)baptism -- when adults.

That request, however, should not be granted. Instead, insisted Luther, the one making this request should be told that even if he were thus to be 'baptized' a second time -- Satan might well soon trouble him again, as to whether he then too really had faith. Then he would have to be 'baptized' yet again -- a third time -- and so on, ad infinitum, for just as long as any such doubts kept recurring.

"For it often happens that one who thinks that he has faith," explained Luther, "has none whatever -- and that one who thinks that he has no faith but only doubts, actually believes. We are not told 'he who knows that he believes' [shall be saved]..., but 'he that believes [and is baptized] shall be saved!' [Mark 16:16]....

"The man who bases his baptism on his faith -- is not only uncertain.... He is...godless and hypocritical.... For he puts his trust in what is not his own -- viz., a gift which God has given him -- and not in the Word of God alone." Consequently, even though at the time of baptism there be no faith -- the baptism, nevertheless, is still valid.99

The condemnation of Anabaptism in the Lutheran Symbols


The 1530 Augsburg Confession (later endorsed also by John Calvin), declared100 that the Lutheran churches "condemn the Anabaptists...who imagine that the Holy Spirit is given to men without the outward Word, through their own preparation and works.... They condemn the Anabaptists who allow not the baptism of children....

"They condemn the Anabaptists...who teach that those who have once been holy, cannot fall again.... They condemn the Anabaptists who...contend that some men may attain to such a perfection in this life that they cannot sin.... They condemn the Anabaptists who forbid...civil offices [to Christians].... They condemn the Anabaptists who think that there shall be an end of torments to condemned men and the devils."

Also in the Formula of Concord, the later Lutherans declared101 that "the Anabaptists are divided into many sects -- of which some maintain more, some fewer, errors. Nevertheless, in a general way -- they all profess such a doctrine as can be tolerated neither in the Church; nor by the police and in the commonwealth; nor in daily [domestic and social] life."

The Formula then mentions "Anabaptist Articles which cannot be endured in the Church." It claims that "this 'righteousness' of the Anabaptists consists in great part in a certain arbitrary and humanly-devised sanctimony, and in truth is nothing else than some new sort of monkery."

These intolerable Anabaptist Articles include the one "that infants, not baptized, are not sinners before God -- but just and innocent." Concerning "baptism," continues the Lutheran Formula of Concord, "in the opinion of the Anabaptists, they [infants] have no need" of baptism or of salvation. "Infants [say the Anabaptists] ought not to be baptized until they attain the use of reason, and are able themselves to profess their faith....

"They [the Anabaptists] neither make much account of the baptism of children, nor take care to have their children baptized -- which conflicts with the express words of the divine promise (Genesis 17:7 sqq.). For this only holds good to those who observe the covenant of God and do not contemn it."

The Anabaptists again quite wrongly further teach "that a godly man ought to have no dealings at all with the Ministers of the Church who teach the Gospel of Christ according to the tenor of the Augsburg Confession, and rebuke the preachings and errors of the Anabaptists." Thus, they 'shunned' saints!

The Formula also condemns "Anabaptist Articles which cannot be endured in the Commonwealth. I. That the office of the magistrate is not, under the New Testament, a condition of life that pleases God. II. That a Christian man cannot discharge the office of a magistrate with a safe and quiet conscience. III. That a Christian man cannot with a safe conscience administer and execute the office of a magistrate if matters so require against the wicked, nor subjects implore for their defence that power which the magistrate has received of God. IV. That a Christian man cannot with a safe conscience take an oath, nor swear obedience and fidelity to his prince or magistrate. V. That the magistrate, under the New Testament, cannot with a good conscience punish criminals with death." Anabaptism spurns the Bible's death penalty!

The Formula next condemns "Anabaptist Articles which cannot be endured in daily life. I. That a godly man cannot with safe conscience hold or possess any property, but that whatever means he may possess he is bound to bestow them all as common good. II. That a Christian man cannot with a safe conscience either keep an inn, or carry on trade, or forge weapons. III. That it is permitted married people who think differently in religion to divorce themselves, and to contract matrimony with some other person who agrees with them in religion." Anabaptism hates capital, weapons, and marital fidelity!

The Formula further condemns the following "Errors of the [Anabaptist] Schwenkfeldians. I. That all those who affirm Christ according to the flesh to be a creature, have no true knowledge of the heavenly King and His reign. II. That the flesh of Christ through its exaltation has in such wise received all the divine attributes, that Christ as He is man is altogether like to the Father...and that the flesh of Christ pertains to the essence of the Blessed Trinity. III. That the ministry of the Word...is not that instrument whereby God the Holy Ghost teaches men.... IV. That the water of baptism is not a means whereby the Lord seals adoption in the children of God."