I am taking Greek exegesis of James this semester so I am going to be posting more thoughts on James. It seems this blog is only and always about James.
James 1:6
-----What does James mean by doubt?
-----What kind of doubting keeps one from receiving anything (eternal glory?) from the Lord?
-----This doubting is perhaps related to those who profess godliness and do not love their brother, as James discusses throughout the book. Perhaps it is a doubting like the Israelites doubted when they tested God. Perhaps this relates it back to the previous paragraph.
-----"Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12). That quote relates to Hebrews 3:7-11, which shows us that those who doubt God's goodness in the face of trials respond with rebellion/ wickedness, complaining, etc.
-----Perhaps it is doubting the purpose of God in trials. How many churches are full of those who are filled with wickedness because they test God in the midst of trials? I really do not know, but if I am correct about this hunch then the number is high. God bless.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
IT IS FINALLY HERE!!!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
My Death of Cold
It snowed again today in Louisville. Most people ran in terror of the devastating snow fall. 
I, for one, was unafraid, and in my shorts built this noble-looking snow figure. Oh, and Jeremy was there too, but he looked significantly less cool. He was afraid and used some sort of cold-defense system.
The snow figure beckons to all who would come and join his snow brigade. He offers less than adequate health benefits for its members.Saturday, February 03, 2007
Fleshy Exegesis
The newest issue of Cradenda Agenda is out here. There is good reason that someone who has paid any attention to my blog should check out this issue, lest you think that I am just trying to promote Wilson's devious scheme of world conquest. The issue is entitled Stinkers in the Church and the first article is The Genesis of Church Split. Starting from James 4 Wilson discusses the causes of quarrels in churches.
I know most of you are thinking, "How could he handle the text any better than Isaac did (yeah right)?" What I found painfully clear when I preached at Concord at the beginning of the Summer is that there is a big difference between following an argument in a text and actually knowing what the real life manifestation of such things looks like. It's a difference between theory and flesh, between knowledge and wisdom, between Torah and incarnation. I feel disapointed whenever I hear a teacher who can follow the text's argument, but then they flesh it out in a way that is like hammering a square peg into a round hole. As I have learned over the years, if all else fails tell the congregation that they can fulfill the text by evangelizing more.
I found that when I preached from James 3 all my pontificating was worth very little until I had an example of the type of men who were violated James' commands. Wilson's experience and study have given him a very concrete understanding of the types of people who cause quarrels in the church. Recently in studying with Shawna we came across this chilling verse, "As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him (Titus 3:10)" It was clear to us that churches do not take divisive people seriously enough, and accept them as a healthy part of the church rather than a cancerous limb. "Well, that's just old lady Jenckins; she pretty much runs the church. She was the one to alert everyone that the last pastor's wife wanted to paint the women's lounge. It was good that we got rid of him."
I hope that everyone will read Wilson's article and take head. I found myself very convicted by what it says. I realized while reading it the secret motive of a sin that I had already sought forgiveness for. You too might find that this article knows you better than you know yourself.
I know most of you are thinking, "How could he handle the text any better than Isaac did (yeah right)?" What I found painfully clear when I preached at Concord at the beginning of the Summer is that there is a big difference between following an argument in a text and actually knowing what the real life manifestation of such things looks like. It's a difference between theory and flesh, between knowledge and wisdom, between Torah and incarnation. I feel disapointed whenever I hear a teacher who can follow the text's argument, but then they flesh it out in a way that is like hammering a square peg into a round hole. As I have learned over the years, if all else fails tell the congregation that they can fulfill the text by evangelizing more.
I found that when I preached from James 3 all my pontificating was worth very little until I had an example of the type of men who were violated James' commands. Wilson's experience and study have given him a very concrete understanding of the types of people who cause quarrels in the church. Recently in studying with Shawna we came across this chilling verse, "As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him (Titus 3:10)" It was clear to us that churches do not take divisive people seriously enough, and accept them as a healthy part of the church rather than a cancerous limb. "Well, that's just old lady Jenckins; she pretty much runs the church. She was the one to alert everyone that the last pastor's wife wanted to paint the women's lounge. It was good that we got rid of him."
I hope that everyone will read Wilson's article and take head. I found myself very convicted by what it says. I realized while reading it the secret motive of a sin that I had already sought forgiveness for. You too might find that this article knows you better than you know yourself.
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