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SHARPER IRON
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What Should Christians Think About Abortion? (Part 2)

TylerR | Monday, Feb 18, 2019 discuss

Read the rest of the series.

In the first installment, we looked at two very different ideas of what constitutes “personhood.” The Christian perspective teaches people are “humans” because of what they are; it’s a structural concept. This is why elderly people, folks with dementia, the medically incapacitated, and unborn children, are “people” with a corresponding right to life. 

On the other hand, pro-abortion advocates seem to believe in a functional view of “personhood.” You’re a person if you can do certain things. If you can’t do these activities (like, say, an unborn child cannot), then you aren’t a person and you have no...

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Earnestness: Its Marring and Maintenance (Part 6)

SharperIron | Friday, Feb 15, 2019  1

Read the series.

Stir the fire also by frequent attempts at fresh service. Shake yourself out of routine by breaking away from the familiar fields of service and reclaiming virgin soil. I suggest to you, as a subordinate but very useful means of keeping the heart fresh, the frequent addition of new work to your usual engagements. I would say to brethren who are soon going away from the College, to settle in spheres where they will come into contact with but few superior minds, and perhaps will be almost alone in the higher walks of spirituality, — look well to yourselves that you do not become flat, stale, and unprofitable, and keep yourselves sweet by maintaining an enterprising spirit. You will...

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Shall the Fundamentalists Win?

TylerR | Thursday, Feb 14, 2019  11

In this landmark 1922 sermon, Harry E. Fosdick, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in New York, called for an open-minded, “tolerant” view of Christian fellowship. He delivered this address in the midst of the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy. As is plain from his sermon, he did not want the fundamentalists to win!1

This morning we are to think of the fundamentalist controversy which threatens to divide the American churches as though already they were not sufficiently split and riven. A scene, suggestive for our thought, is depicted in the fifth chapter of the Book of the Acts, where the Jewish leaders hale before them Peter and other of the apostles because they had been preaching Jesus as the Messiah. Moreover, the Jewish...

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A Biblical View of Church Revitalization

Guest | Wednesday, Feb 13, 2019 discuss

by Marshall Fant III

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “church revitalization”? Do you think of it as the next popular ministry? Or as a program replacing church planting? Or maybe you think of other “re” words like refocus, realign, rebuild, or renew. Perhaps it is better to ask, Why should we even be interested in church revitalization? Why not just let dying churches die and plant new ones? I propose to you that we should be interested in church revitalization because Jesus is.

Jesus’ Promise to Build His Church

Before we consider what the Bible says about church revitalization, we must first examine Jesus’ promise to build His church. Matthew 16:13–20 tells us that Jesus intentionally journeyed to Caesarea...

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Image of The Old Testament: A Historical, Theological, and Critical Introduction
The Old Testament: A Historical, Theological, and Critical Introduction
by Richard S. Hess
Baker Academic 2016
Kindle Edition 825

Review: “The Old Testament,” by Richard Hess

Paul Henebury | Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 discuss

Richard Hess is an Old Testament professor at Denver Seminary who has distinguished himself with a brace of high quality studies and commentaries. These include a notable Commentary on Joshua in the Tyndale series, and a book on Israelite Religions. This work of Old Testament introduction competes with the works of Hill & Walton, Longman & Dillard, Arnold & Beyer, as well as older books by Gleason Archer and R. K. Harrison.

In The Old Testament Hess reviews each book of the Hebrew Bible providing an outline, an overview of the contents, a helpful section on “Reading” each book, which is divided into “Premodern” and critical readings; the latter being particularly useful. There is then a section on “Gender and Ideological Criticism,” Ancient Near Eastern and Canonical...

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First Corinthians 7:15, the Marriage Covenant, & the Nature of Desertion: Part 3

David Huffstutler | Monday, Feb 11, 2019  1

From DBSJ. Read Part 1, and Part 2.

The Marriage Covenant and the Definition of Desertion in 1 Corinthians 7:15

As reviewed earlier, Paul clearly allows for a believer to remain passive when an unbelieving spouse divorces and deserts their marriage according to 1 Corinthians 7:15. From the explanation above, though a spouse may actively divorce a spouse who has broken the marriage covenant in some way, the command in 1 Corinthians 7:15 is to be passive when being divorced....

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Implementing Separatist Convictions, Part 3

SharperIron | Friday, Feb 8, 2019  15

By Ernest Pickering (1928-2000). Read Part 1and Part 2.

The Pitfalls of Separatists

Separatists are human. They have sins. They are not perfect. While the matters about to be discussed are not problems exclusively for separatists, separatists are especially vulnerable to them by virtue of their unique position.

An improper spirit

It is possible to believe the right things, but to hold them and present them in the wrong way. Paul told us this when he spoke of those in Philippi who preached Christ “of envy and strife” and “of contention” (Philippians 1:15, 16). He was...

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Image of The Gospel according to Mark (The Pillar New Testament Commentary (PNTC))
The Gospel according to Mark (The Pillar New Testament Commentary (PNTC))
by James R. Edwards
Eerdmans 2001
Hardcover 578

Personal Thoughts About Commentaries: Mark

Paul Henebury | Thursday, Feb 7, 2019  18

Mark’s Gospel is terrific for the preacher. It really comes into its own when expounded. Any commentary on this book that keeps flipping back and forth between Mark, Matthew and Luke should not be considered a first choice. There is now an embarrassment of fine resources. Here is my list:

1. James R. Edwards (Pillar)

Edwards’ commentary on Romans is very good, and it was on my experience with that work that I purchased this. I ended up reading the whole book and marking most of its pages. The author gives you what you need (the Markan reveal of Jesus; the theology of Mark; the personal touches; the deliberate plan of the Gospel), in clear prose with good application. This is my top pick for the preacher and teacher of Mark.

2. William L. Lane (NICNT)

...

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In Case You Missed It

Wed, Feb 6 -

Chosen for What?

G. N. Barkman
Tue, Feb 5 -

Check Your Christian Liberty

Aaron Berry
Mon, Feb 4 -

What Should Christians Think About Abortion? (Part 1)

TylerR
Fri, Feb 1 -

Implementing Separatist Convictions, Part 2

SharperIron
Thu, Jan 31 -

Defining the "Evangelical Religion"

TylerR
Wed, Jan 30 -

First Corinthians 7:15, the Marriage Covenant, & the Nature of Desertion: Part 2

David Huffstutler
Tue, Jan 29 -

First Corinthians 7:15, the Marriage Covenant, & the Nature of Desertion: Part 1

David Huffstutler
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You Don’t Want to Have a Megapastor
Mon, Feb 18, 2019 discuss
"I do think there is a contemporary foible that leads, among other things, to these catastrophes. Why do churches need to have 12 site campuses with everybody linked up by video feed so they can drink from the pure font of one guy’s leadership?" - Rooted Thinking
Megachurches   Celebrity Pastor   Multi-Site Churches
Should We Keep Studying a Fired Pastor’s Work?
Mon, Feb 18, 2019 discuss
"After LifeWay pulls James MacDonald’s Bible studies, Christians consider if and when a leader’s teachings remain edifying after a scandal." - Christianity Today
James MacDonald   Books & Publishing   LifeWay
Majority of Pro-Choice Americans Oppose Third Trimester Abortions, New Survey Reveals
Mon, Feb 18, 2019 discuss
"Americans United for Life (AUL), partnered with YouGov, released on Tuesday the poll’s findings, which surveyed the attitudes of 1,145 American adults toward abortion." - Christian Headlines
Abortion   Late Term Abortion   Bioethics
How ‘No Creed But the Bible’ Subverts the Bible
Fri, Feb 15, 2019  4
Owen Strachan: The apostles not only allow believers to systematize their doctrine—they demand the church do so.
Creeds and Confessions   Systematic Theology
Organizations offer non-Darwinian education for young science students
Fri, Feb 15, 2019 discuss
"The Discovery Institute, which emphasizes intelligent design and doesn’t say how long it took, has Education Days: Some 312 students and educators attended one in Seattle last year, and this year’s schedule includes Richmond and Dallas." - World
Darwinism   Non-Darwinian Science   Science
Louisiana College quits CCCU over LGBT policy
Fri, Feb 15, 2019 discuss
"Describing what had been a 'long and beneficial relationship' with CCCU, Brewer ended all ties, saying 'by conviction I cannot endorse the 'Fairness for All' initiative nor be willfully associated with any entity that does.'" - BPNews
CCCU   Christian Colleges & Seminaries   Sexual Ethics   Separation
Conservatives greatly outnumber liberals in the United Methodist Church: poll
Fri, Feb 15, 2019  4
"In findings released earlier this month, the survey found that 44 percent of respondents identified as 'Conservative-Traditional,' 28 percent identified as 'Moderate-Centrist,' 20 percent identified as 'Progressive-Liberal,' and 8 percent identified as 'unsure.'" - Christian Post
United Methodists   Mainline Denominations
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Poll of the Week

What Is Your Belief About the Future of the Jewish People in the End Times?

By Ed Vasicek
Feb 13 2019
The Jews at the end of the Tribulation will be saved, Israel exalted as a nation in the Kingdom, a literal temple rebuilt, etc
56% (9 votes)
The Jews at the end of the Tribulation will be saved, Israel exalted as a nation in the Kingdom, no literal temple/sacrifices.
19% (3 votes)
The Jews will come to Christ at end of Tribulation, become part of church, no special ethnic destiny.
0% (0 votes)
No special plan for the Jews, just like everyone else in the end times.
0% (0 votes)
Undecided
13% (2 votes)
Other
13% (2 votes)
Total votes: 16
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