The true test of a man’s spirituality is not his ability to speak, as we are apt to think, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue. —Kent Hughes
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Daily Archives: September 3, 2017
Colleges rocked by left-wing rallies face backlash from parents, donors
According to Fox News:
Both the University of Missouri and Evergreen State College have been rocked by left-wing demonstrations, some of which administrators in both schools allowed. Now both have had to deal with falling enrollment and a decline in funds – and there are fears the situation could spread to other schools.
The defining issue is whether parents and donors see administrators as capable of containing clashes and responding firmly when protests get out of control, experts say.
Source: Colleges rocked by left-wing rallies face backlash from parents, donors
Why does God desire that all in Christ be filled with the Spirit?
by Mike Ratliff
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Ephesians 5:15-21 (NASB)
What is God’s purpose for the Christian to be filled with the Spirit? I am going to start by simply posting some scripture first.
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The world finally seeing behind the facade of Joel Osteen and Lakewood.
The Daily Mail has recently done a considerable job timelining the Lakewood/Harvey scandal. Considering Lakewood stated, “Lakewood Church is inaccessible due to severe flooding! We want to help make sure you are safe,” evidence by witnesses suggested likewise: “The roads around it were in use, disproving the claim that it was inaccessible, and the parking lot had several vehicles in it.”
Nothing is wrong with Lakewood ‘church’ apologizing for not acting sooner. However, instead of an apology, Lakewood operated under damage control, spinning facts and playing victim to justify their inexcusable behavior. Although the ‘church’ claimed on Tuesday to have been flooded over the weekend, “the church released photographs which […] showed how it had been flooded inside but said the water had receded.”
However Lakewood’s handling of Harvey victims doesn’t wash. The glaring problem is this – those images issued by Lakewood do not prove that the church was inaccessible.
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September 3, 2017: Verse of the day
Blessing of Forgiveness (32:1–2)
1–2 By a twofold repetition of “blessed,” three synonyms for sin, and a threefold expression of forgiveness, the assurance of forgiveness is promised to the person “in whose spirit is no deceit” (v. 2). Forgiveness is freely and graciously given, regardless of whether it is of a “transgression,” “sin,” or “iniquity” (v. 2; NIV, “sin”). The three words for sin may in certain contexts connote different reactions to God and his commandments: (1) “transgression” (pešaʿ, GK 7322) is an act of rebellion and disloyalty (cf. TWOT 2:741–42); (2) “sin” (ḥaṭāʾâ, GK 2631) is an act that misses—often intentionally—God’s expressed and revealed will (cf. TWOT 1:277); and (3) “sin” (ʿāwōn, GK 6411, “iniquity”) is a crooked or wrong act often associated with a conscious and intentional intent to do wrong (cf. TWOT 2:650). The three words here do not signify three distinct kinds of sin, since the synonyms overlap. The psalmist declares that the forgiveness of sin of whatever kind—whether against God or human beings, whether great or small, whether conscientious or inadvertent, or whether by omission or commission—is to be found in God.
The nature of the sin is not as important here as the blessedness of forgiveness. The three verbs express the absoluteness of divine forgiveness: (1) “are forgiven” (neśûy, GK 595l, lit., “carried away”) is the act of removal of sin, guilt, and the remembrance of sin (cf. TWOT 2:600); (2) “are covered” (kesûy, GK 4059) is the gracious act of atonement by which the sinner is reconciled and the sin becomes a matter of the past, so that the Lord no longer brings it up as a ground for his displeasure (cf. TWOT 1:448); (3) “does not count” (lōʾ yaḥšōb, GK 3108) expresses God’s attitude toward those forgiven as “justified” (cf. TWOT 1:330).
There is an expression of joyous excitement in these verses. The voice of wisdom is heard in the last colon, where the blessedness of forgiveness is contingent on integrity. The Lord hates those who purposely sin against him. God knows the “spirit” of humankind, whether the request for forgiveness is expressive of true repentance and sorrow for sin or merely of regret for the consequences. To teach the godly both the blessedness of forgiveness and the way of integrity, David has given us a psalm to lead the godly into the path of wisdom. The joy of forgiveness was a reality among the OT saints (cf. Ro 4:6–8). How great is the blessedness of all who have tasted God’s forgiveness in Christ (cf. 1 Jn 1:9)! But God expects no less than blamelessness in those whom he has forgiven (cf. Rev 14:5).[1]
the blessedness of forgiveness (vv. 1–2)
Forgiveness was not a light thing to David. He regards himself as being ‘blessed’ in receiving it. By using the word ‘blessed’, he was essentially saying, ‘How very happy!’ David was happy to be forgiven.
If we do not share his appreciation for forgiveness, it is most certainly because we do not share his understanding of sin. Wrongdoing presupposes an objective standard of right and wrong. The Bible insists that God’s law is that standard.
David alludes to God’s standard of behaviour by the words he uses for his sin. He calls it ‘transgression’, which indicates the stepping over a known boundary. He calls it ‘sin’, which refers to missing a mark or a target. He calls it ‘iniquity’, which carries the idea of twisting something.
In each case, the thought is the same, namely, failing to live up to a standard. There is a boundary, there is a target, there is something that is straight and true, but sin steps over the boundary, misses the target, and twists the straight.
But the grace of forgiveness is ever sufficient for the sin. David had found it to be so. His sin had been forgiven and covered (v. 1). And iniquity was no longer imputed to him (v. 2). God had lifted the burden and carried it away. God had covered it from view. God had blotted out the handwriting of its indictment.[2]
32:1–2 / The liturgist begins by pronouncing a blessing on him whose transgressions are forgiven and thus brings center stage the psalm’s chief topic. Yahweh’s forgiveness is depicted by three images. “Forgiven” is literally “lifted up” (cf. 25:18; 85:2), as in the removal of a burden. The sins are also covered and are “not counted,” as in an accounting ledger (Lev. 25:27, 52; 1 Kgs. 10:21; 2 Kgs. 12:15; 22:7). For most readers, however, what the blessing offers by way of forgiveness it takes away by the condition of applying it to a person in whose spirit is no deceit—a quality with which few of us can identify. There are three possible explanations. First, this line appears to lie outside the normal metrical structure of the poetry (though the metrics of this psalm are generally uneven). It may be a later scribal gloss. Second, it parallels somewhat the character profiles of those who may or may not enter Yahweh’s temple (5:6; 24:4; 36:3; 52:2, 4). In this light it should not be read as a claim to absolute moral purity but as an affirmation that one aspires to be true to Yahweh’s way (see on Ps. 24). The third and most likely explanation is that the meaning of this phrase is exemplified by the confession that follows. This absence of “deceit” is spelled out as acknowledging “my sin to you” and by not covering up “my iniquity.” Because “I … confess, you forgave.” Verse 5 thus links confession and forgiveness, just as this opening blessing links the absence of deceit and forgiveness. (Instead of “spirit,” the lxx reads “mouth,” and if correct provides further support for the second and third explanations.)[3]
[1] VanGemeren, W. A. (2008). Psalms. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition) (Vol. 5, pp. 311–312). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
[2] Ellsworth, R. (2006). Opening up Psalms (pp. 96–97). Leominster: Day One Publications.
[3] Hubbard, R. L. J., & Johnston, R. K. (2012). Foreword. In W. W. Gasque, R. L. Hubbard Jr., & R. K. Johnston (Eds.), Psalms (pp. 161–162). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
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