Two Recommended Study Bibles

As a preacher, I collect Bibles. Of the several dozen I own, my two favorite study/reference Bibles would have to include the Newberry Reference Bible and the Companion Bible.

The Newberry is from Thomas Newberry, a “Plymouth” Brethren. His is not a reference Bible full of explanatory notes but is a grammatical reference Bible. He has a system of symbols to indicate verbal tenses and other grammatical notes from the Greek and Hebrew that might be lost on the English reader. Newberry may not have been as strong a supporter of the KJV (not as many were in the 19th century as we would have liked) but his work is still of immense value. I also like it because I have always appreciated the Brethren, even though I disagree with them on several important points. I have two copies of Newberry, one purchased from the Sword of the Lord, the other bought from a Brethren bookstore in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

My second choice is the Companion Bible, edited by E. W. Bullinger. There is just a wealth on information here, especially in the appendixes.

I also do appreciate the old standard Thompson Chain Reference. I never got much out of the MacArthur Reference Bible (would it kill you to at least offer it in the KJV or does MacArthur hate the KJV that much?) or the Scofield. I think I was one of the few Fundamentalists who never really recommended it, as it attacks the King James renderings in too many places (notably in 2 Thessalonians 2).

“George Bush is the Antichrist!” and More Theological Fun

I recently received a spam email trying to convince me that George W. Bush is the Antichrist. I’ve never heard of the author of this dissertation, probably for good reason. Theological quacks like this abound on the internet, but I really wonder what they are trying to accomplish by sending out incomprehensible essays with so many theological holes that you can fly Binny Hinn’s private jet through. This guy was about as convincing as Harold Camping trying to expound his “Jesus is Coming in 2011″ nonsense.

I never voted for Bush in either 2000 or 2004, but that was because I did not believe he was a true conservative, not because he was the Man of Sin!

Guys like this remind me of the poor fellow I talked to back in the late 1980s who was convinced that the Jews were really extra-terrestrials from Alpha Centauri and that the mother ship was on the way to Earth to pick them up. This man was convinced that these “Jews” were out “to get him” because he had discovered their secret and that they had stolen some sort of secret mathematical formula he had discovered. He produced about 10 pages of handwritten scrawl to prove his theory. I still have it and pull it out whenever I need a laugh.

Using the Psalter

I just got back from my second trip to Maine in two weeks (and a third one is scheduled for mid-August). One highlight was a visit to Mid-Coast Baptist Church in Brunswick, Maine, pastored by Bobby Mitchell. After a bit of difficulty in finding the church, we did arrive in time for the evening service. Pastor Mitchell asked to to bring a short exhortation and I was glad for the opportunity.

I noticed that Mid-Coast used a copy of the Psalter. This is something that very few Baptist Churches use. Besides our church, Mid-Coast is the only other church I have ever visited that uses it (okay, I don’t get into that many churches, but you get my point). I was glad to see another church following this Scriptural command regarding our corporate worship. But few churches practice it. Maybe we think it is too high brow. Maybe we think it is too Presbyterian. More likely, the lack of use of the psalter is caused by two things:

1. Ignorance of it. Not many people know what it is or how to since from it.
2. The decline of music in Bible-believing churches. Most people would rather since praise-and-worship ditties or Southern Gospel music.

There are several Psalters out there. I like the one by Isaac Watts. We use the one put out by the Church of Scotland. I would recommend both. Charles Spurgeon included the Psalms in his From our Own Hymnbook.

Since we are commanded to sing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs”, a revival of the singing of Psalms both privately and in congregational worship is something that we have neglected for far too long and is a practice that really needs to be revived.

Back? And Some Random Radio Thoughts

Maybe it’s time to brush off the blog after a break of several months. Some things are just too long to stick in a 140-word tweet.

Just got back from Nova Scotia, so I naturally had the radio on. When it comes to Christian radio through New England and the Maritimes, forget it. Bring your own music and sermon tapes instead, or listed to all-news stations like WCBS, WBZ or News 88.9 in Saint John, New Brunswick. While you may occasionally hear some good preaching (if you are lucky), 99% of the music will be contemporary. It seems that nearly no one programs sacred traditional music anymore. Family Radio (they have stations in Philadelphia, Newark and Hartford) has tolerable music for the most part, but when Harold Camping comes on with his 2011 nonsense and his “I sure hope I’m saved” folly, it ruins everything. BBN has a station in Portland but their music is more hit-and-miss. You may hear a good song, followed by three contemporary ones.

The state of Maine has a surprising number of Christian stations, but none are worth listening to. There is a station in Bath on 105.9 FM (I’ve actually managed to hear that station here in Delaware) offers the usual new-evangelical fare. K-Love and “God’s County” in Augusta and the Bangor station on 88.5 FM are train-wrecks.

There is an increasing number of Christian stations in the Maritimes. I heard one in Saint John and there are stations in Sussex, Moncton and Truro, as well as ones near my in-laws place in Aylesford and Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Again, all of these stations reject sacred traditional music. It is as if they fear that teenagers won’t listen unless they program CCM with heavy beats or the light and airy music. It really is discouraging but not surprising.

While in the motel room in Bangor (I really can’t recommend the Travelodge that much) I stumbled across Peter Popoff on the telly. Remember him? He got caught cheating in one of his healing crusades when he had a radio receiver in his ear and had one of his employees feeding him info on his victims that he claimed he was receiving from the Holy Spirit. Popoff was peddling the usual “Get Rich Quick” version of Christianity. It amazes me that anyone, Christian or not, could actually fall for such a ponzi scheme. I heard a man once say “You can’t con an honest man”. It makes me wonder about the motivations of those who watch and follow the prosperity preachers.

Okay, so I will probably reactivate the Remnant Christian Blog to discuss devotional issues (such as my current emphasis on Psalm 119, a psalm I have somewhat neglected) and some religious matters of interest to remnant saints.

Pope denounces failure to forge new climate treaty- Oh Teh Horror!

Pope denounces failure to forge new climate treaty

This is the same Pope who is so scientific and Biblical that he believes in the fairy tale of Darwinian evolution. Hasn’t anyone told Pope Benny that global warming is a fraud?

Memo to Il Papa- more theology (which you still fail at) and less moralizing about scientific materials that you know nothing about.

One of the Best Christian Bookstores in Canada

Just got back from a week in Nova Scotia. I always try to get to Dartmouth (across the harbor from Halifax) and visit the Bible Treasury, my favorite Christian bookstore. It is run by a “Plymouth Brethren” brother and he carries books that you just won’t find anywhere else, mainly Brethren works but other good materials, too. I usually drop $50-100 when I visit. Their website is here. The Google map is here.

National Review Blogger Endorses FBC Radio

Mike Poterma, blogging at National Review, says this about FBC Radio, from Foundations Bible College:

“If You’re Looking for Christmas Music that emphasizes the “Christ” in Christmas, please consider tuning in to one of my favorite Internet radio stations, FBC Radio, broadcasting out of Foundations Bible College, a fundamentalist academy in Dunn, N.C. The station specializes not in Southern Gospel music or other music forms that are currently popular in conservative U.S. Protestantism, but in classic English hymns and sacred music from the Western classical repertoire. I’ve been looking for an opportunity to praise Foundations Bible College for this wonderful act of cultural conservation, and what better time than the Christmas season? I think many, many NRO readers will enjoy this station as much as I do.”

This is a good excuse to plug my broadcast on FBC Radio, the Pilgrim Way Broadcast, Mondays at 9:45 AM and PM Eastern. Give FBC Radio a listen- no Southern Gospel, Christian rock or rap and no Christian Contemporary Music. They play genuine Christian music.

Thoughts on Romans 9- Part 2

Continued, from my Pilgrim Way Commentary on Romans:

Paul’s Burden For Israel 9:1-3

9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

“I speak the truth…I lie not” A most solemn oath, about as strong of an oath as a Christian can make, even calling upon Christ to witness it and verify it. Paul makes as strong a statement as he can to demonstrate that what he is about to say regarding his burden for Israel is true and is not just a put-on or a lot of pious hot-air. He will speak in a deliberate way in what he has to say.

“my conscience bearing me witness” It is when the conscience is under the control of the Holy Spirit does it become a reliable guide, not otherwise since then it may very well be defiled by sin. But Paul had a clear conscience which allowed him to say what he is about to say truthfully. These were the same Jews who tried to kill him, who persecuted his brethren, who blasphemed his Lord continually and who were implacable against his gospel. Their hate towards him and Christ knew no bounds. Yet Paul could still pray for them and desire their salvation, even if it had to involve his own damnation. Paul harbored no resentment against his persecutors. Not only were these Jews against Christ but they were also against Paul personally and would have killed Paul as they did his Master. Forty of them bound themselves under a great curse to eat no food or drink no water until they had tasted Paul’s blood. This is what Christianity does in the heart- it makes you love for and pray for your enemies who would like to see you dead. Can you pray for an enemy? Can you pray for those who despitefully use you? A Spirit-filled Christian can- and will do these things.

Would we be able to pray for our “kinsmen after the flesh” as Paul prayed for his? Can we pray for our fellow Americans (or for whatever ethnic group we belong), knowing how wicked most of them are and how against the gospel they may be? Can we have a burden for our own, for those in our own house, for our own wicked family members who may have done us great injury?

9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

This is what constitutes a burden for someone’s salvation, when that person (or in this context, nation) is on your heart continually and you can think of nothing else. This is the paradox of the Christian- he has a continual sorrow in his heart for the lost whom he loves while at the same time enjoying the great joy which accompanies salvation.

“continual sorrow” Paul’s burden for the Jews was no “fly by night” thing or just some emotional distress that came around whenever he sat in a missions conference. It was continual with him, a constant companion that dogged every waking hour. It was a permanent fixture with him and made up his spiritual fiber.

9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

“wish” is in the imperfect tense. Paul had started wishing this at some undisclosed time in the past and he was still wishing this, as he had not yet stopped, as his burden had not yet been fulfilled.

“accursed” Strong’s #331 anathema, a gift given by vow or in fulfillment of a promise, and given up or devoted to destruction for God’s sake, given up to the curse and destruction, accursed. It answers to the Hebrew “cherem”, which the Septuagint translates by it, and means either a thing or person separated from its former state or condition, and devoted to destruction. In this sense it is used, Deuteronomy 7:25, 26; Joshua 6:17, 18; 7:12. It denotes an indissoluble vow. Paul was willing to give of himself as a sacrifice devoted to utter destruction and condemnation if it would result in Israel’s salvation. In the fullest sense, Paul was willing to go to hell for his countrymen if it would result in their salvation. Of course, it would not, as Paul was a sinner with his own sins and a sinner cannot pay the sin debt for another sinner since he also has a debt of his own that would first have to be discharged- impossible except through the blood of Christ. There is therefore no way anyone could claim that Paul was anti-Semitic in any of his writings. But what Paul wished for himself is what Jesus has already done for the nation of Israel on the cross! Paul realizes he must be patient for the salvation of Israel, as it will not happen in his lifetime, although he wishes he would be alive to witness it.

The commentators tend to water this down to something like “separated from Christ” rather than “accursed from Christ”. They have difficulty understanding such a burden because few of them have probably ever felt anything even a tenth as intense for someone’s conversion. No, we will keep the strength and force of these words. Paul was willing to go to hell on behalf of the Jews if it would have led to their salvation.

“I could wish myself accursed…” This may sound like pious dribble but Paul says in 9:1 “My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Ghost”. Paul’s burden was genuine and that was one of the secrets as to why God used Paul the way he did. And very few Christians understand this kind of burden. Paul here is showing his willingness to be cursed for Israel, but not its necessity. But could Paul use any stronger words to express his crushing burden for the salvation of his people?

“I could wish myself accursed…” Compare with what Moses said in Exodus 32:32 “…blot me out of thy book!” Moses would have understood something about Paul’s burden for Israel.

“my kinsmen” Although a Christian, Paul, a former Jew religiously, still considered himself Jewish, at least racially.

1. Israel’s Position- “my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” 9:3
2. Israel’s Privilege- “Who are Israelites…and the service of God and the promises” 9:4
3. Israel’s Pedigree- “whose are the fathers” 9:5 (Ian Paisley, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans, page144).

Thoughts on Romans 9- Part 1

To offer an alternative to the Calvinistic/Reformed interpretations of Romans 9, I’ll post thoughts and selections from my commentary on Romans 9, which is written from a Biblicist, that is, non-Calvinist and non-Arminian presupposition.

“The thrust of the Romans 9 is why God chose, or elected, Israel, over all the other nations of the earth. Paul is dealing with national and racial election, not personal and individual election to salvation. Trying to read personal election to salvation into Romans 9 will lead to theological errors and confusion. Doctrines relating to Calvinist understandings of “unconditional election to salvation” do not belong to Romans 9 as Paul is dealing with Israel and her election as God’s covenant people, not to personal election to New Testament salvation. There are no “proof texts” to support the Calvinist idea of “unconditional election” in Romans 9. Calvinists seem to imagine that Romans 9-11 present an “unanswerable” presentation and defense of their theological system but that is obviously not the case. Spurgeon, in his Commenting and Commentaries, while reviewing commentaries on Romans, complained about non-Calvinists dealing with these chapters and lamented as to why non-Calvinists just couldn’t leave these chapters alone. That is the height of spiritual arrogance to think that only Calvinists were qualified to comment on these chapters, or upon any portions of the Bible! Naturally, we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated by such attitudes. Anyone, from any theological system (or those who claim no theological system!) are at divine liberty to expound these verses, as much as any Calvinist is.
There really is such a thing as “The Jewish Problem” but not in the way Adolph Hitler or the anti-Semites define it. The “problem” is “What do we do with Israel in the overall plan and economy of God? What is their present condition and what does the future hold for them?”

More to come…

Fundamentalism Loses Another Soldier

Word is that Dr. E. Robert Jordan, founder of Calvary Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary, both in Lansdale PA, has been promoted to glory.

I never met Dr. Jordan but I used to listen to his “Message From Calvary” program when it played on WOEL-FM in Elkton, Maryland and always appreciated it. I heard several taped messages and immediately I could discern the spiritual strength that he had. Many stories I’ve heard about him also reflect a strength of conviction that I admired as a young preacher.

I have a ring-bound book in my library (I’d have to check the date of publication) where Dr. Jordan strongly pled for the King James Bible, something else that I also appreciate.

I seriously considered attending Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary after I finished my undergraduate work in 1988, mainly because it was only an hour away, but the Lord had me attend Foundations Theological Seminary in Dunn, North Carolina instead.

What’s left of the Fundamentalist movement finds itself much poorer today but his legacy will live on and we hope it will not be forgotten.