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SHARPER IRON
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Combating End-Times Disinformation

Paul J. Scharf | Friday, May 20, 2022 discuss

The strangely ill-advised notion of a federal Disinformation Governance Board came to a merciful end this week—thankfully, at least for now.

As Americans, we cherish our First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech and the press, and tend to oppose anything that even vaguely appears to threaten them. Furthermore, as has been expressed far and wide in response to this oddly-timed proposal, we rightly view it as our role as citizens to critique the government of this Republic—not vice versa.

My purpose here, however, is to introduce a greater dilemma. Specifically, how are we as Christians to Biblically combat doctrinal, especially prophetic, disinformation?

Drawing further upon our heritage in the United States, we would never want to outlaw or silence anyone—even...

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Simple Church Planting

Forrest McPhail | Thursday, May 19, 2022  1

There is nothing simple about making disciples, and yet, making disciples should be done simply. Forming local churches from new disciples does not need to be an overly complicated affair.

In unreached areas, or among unreached people groups, to make disciples is to plant local churches. This is what Jesus communicated to us in the Great Commission:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, [even] to the end of the age. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV)

The Lord Jesus commissioned His people to go and make disciples of all nations. They are to baptize these new...

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Some Positive Benefits of Family Worship

Bob Gonzales | Wednesday, May 18, 2022 discuss

Having considered the decline of family worship and some biblical support for its practice, we look now at some positive benefits, which in turn supply another argument for its restoration. As Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether we eat, drink, or whatever we do, we’re to do all to the glory of God.” However, we need not view God’s glory and our benefit as mutually exclusive. I believe there are a number of benefits and blessings that result from the practice of family worship. Even if there were no passages of Scripture to support the practice directly or indirectly, the potential of these blessings would...

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Deciphering Covenant Theology (Part 7)

SI Filings | Monday, May 16, 2022  11

The Covenant of Grace (2)

It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of “the covenant of grace” to Reformed theology. When one reads of “the covenant” in the writings of CT’s the implication is that it is the covenant of grace. When it comes to CT’s comprehending the Bible as a “redemptive-historical” book, the thing that is powering this is the covenant of grace. Hence,

The covenant of grace tells us that the whole Bible is about one thing: God redeeming a people for himself through Jesus Christ. (Michael G. Brown and Zach Keele, Sacred Bond, 69)

The covenant of grace is the appearance in time of the Covenant of Redemption. As this is the case it could be said that the covenant of grace furnishes the ground of...

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When Genesis Comes Again

Paul J. Scharf | Friday, May 13, 2022  1

In my training in the original Biblical languages, I was clearly instructed to remember that words have greater meaning than the sum of their constituent parts.

While that rule stands true, there is still one particular New Testament word that is built of fascinating components. It is a word that has a significant presence in our theological vocabulary, even though it is actually found only two times in the Scriptures. It is the word regeneration.

We’re probably all familiar with its most prominent use in Tit. 3:5, from which we draw its theological meaning with regard to God’s working in salvation. But have you considered its other usage, by Christ Himself, in Matt. 19:28?

The occasion for Jesus’ statement was one of Peter’s infamously misdirected...

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Genesis 1 and the Roots of Premillennialism

Michael Vlach | Thursday, May 12, 2022  2

The case for Premillennialism does not begin in Revelation 20—it starts in Genesis 1. How so? Remember that Premillennialism consists of four elements: (1) a future kingdom; (2) an earthly kingdom; (3) a kingdom of the Messiah who represents man; and (4) a kingdom that is 1000 years in duration.

To see how Premillennialism relates to Genesis 1 we need to look at Genesis 1:26–28:

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them...

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The Biblical Basis for Family Worship (Part 3)

Bob Gonzales | Wednesday, May 11, 2022 discuss

Read the series.

“Listen to Your Father and Mother”

In 2 Samuel 6, David and the Israelites successfully relocate the Ark of the Covenant from Obed-edom’s house to Jerusalem. It’s a time of great celebration and rejoicing. We read in verses 14 and 15:

And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

Once the ark is brought to its assigned place, David offers a burnt offering, a peace offering, and then, “he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.” (v. 18). Now it’s important for us to...

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Deciphering Covenant Theology (Part 6)

Paul Henebury | Monday, May 9, 2022  10

Read the series.

Some of this post reuses material from a previous article.

The Covenant of Grace (1)

Covenant theology depends for its credibility upon theological covenants with virtually no exegetical proof. This is especially the case with the “Covenant of Grace.”

[N]ot only do covenant theologians speak of the one people of God in both Testaments, they also affirm that the church existed in the Old Testament. One key linchpin for seeing continuity between the covenants revolves around the centrality of the covenant of grace. Because God is working out his unified plan to redeem humanity through this covenant, all historical covenants fall under this...

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In Case You Missed It

Fri, May 6 -

The Principle of the Open Hand

Paul J. Scharf
Thu, May 5 -

From the Archives – Culture War, Outrage, and Joy

Aaron Blumer
Wed, May 4 -

Knowing the Sovereignty of God through Suffering, Part 2

Mark Farnham
Mon, May 2 -

Romans 1 isn't "about" homosexuality

TylerR
Fri, Apr 29 -

The Reformation at 500: Luther’s Stay at the Wartburg (Part 2)

Paul J. Scharf
Thu, Apr 28 -

Leadership Development: A Three-Step Process

Guest
Wed, Apr 27 -

The Biblical Basis for Family Worship (Part 2)

Bob Gonzales
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Filings

A divide between the pulpit and the pew is roiling the evangelical church
Fri, May 20, 2022 discuss
"New York Times journalist Ruth Graham says many pastors are being pressured to resist vaccines and mask mandates, embrace Trump's claims about election fraud and adopt QANON-based conspiracy theories." - NPR
QAnon   Populism   Conspiracy Theories   Discernment
Evangelical Pro-Lifers Clash Over Criminalizing Abortion
Fri, May 20, 2022  4
"Ahead of a potential ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, Founders Ministries’ Tom Ascol and other 'abolitionists' voice opposition to longstanding 'incremental' approach, calling for penalties for women." - C.Today Related at RNS: As Roe’s potential fall nears, abortion abolitionists turn on ‘pro-life...
Abortion Criminalization   Abortion   Bioethics   Tom Ascol
Reassess, be vigilant, church security experts advise following latest shooting
Fri, May 20, 2022 discuss
"Both Everett and Ben O’Neal, who leads seminars and training for church security and safety through the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, point to the 2017 shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, as a turning point of consciousness on the discussion." - C.Index
Church Shootings   Church Security
Congress dives into UFOs, but no signs of extraterrestrials
Thu, May 19, 2022  1
"Congress held its first hearing in half a century Tuesday on unidentified flying objects.....[Pentagon officials] said they had picked a director for a new task force to coordinate data collection efforts on what the government has officially labeled 'unidentified aerial phenomena.'" - C.Index
UFOs   Extraterrestrial Life
“The power of introverted hospitality in an extroverted world of church ministry.”
Thu, May 19, 2022 discuss
"Jesus had no home on earth to invite others into. When he sat with the woman at the well or crossed the sea to purge a single man of his demons, he wasn’t trying hard to attract crowds.... Sometimes, no one could find him... yet he embodied hospitality—which translates from the Greek to love of...
Introverts   Evangelism   Hospitality
Pew: More than half of Americans live within an hour of extended family
Thu, May 19, 2022 discuss
"Roughly equal shares of Americans say they live near all or most of their extended family (28%) or near some extended family (27%). Another 24% of adults say they live within an hour’s drive of only a few family members, while one-in-five say they do not live near any extended family members." -...
American Culture   Family Life   Pew Research
‘Cussing Pastor’ Returns: Mark Driscoll Swears While Addressing Abortion, Calls Biden ‘Coward’ Headed to Hell
Thu, May 19, 2022 discuss
"Last week, Driscoll posted a video clip from a May sermon at a men’s event, wherein he discussed '23 Scriptures Commanding True Christians To Oppose Abortion.'" - C.Leaders
Mark Driscoll   Foul Language   Celebrity Pastors
What Christians Should Know About the ‘Great Replacement’ Theory
Thu, May 19, 2022  4
"The Great Replacement theory is the latest version of a century-old white genocide conspiracy theory. At the root of the theory is the claim that 'elites'—especially Jews—are deliberately plotting to reduce or eliminate white people in the United States and Europe." - TGC
Great Replacement   White Nationalism   Decline of the Right   Conspiracy Theories
Gordon-Conwell to Sell Main Campus, Move to Boston
Thu, May 19, 2022 discuss
"After a decade of enrollment decline, leaders began to see the seminary’s biggest financial asset as a liability. They hope relocation could be the big change they need." - C.Today
Christian Colleges & Seminaries
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Poll of the Week

Will More Mainstream "Evangelical" Leaders Change Their Position on Abortion?

By Ed Vasicek
May 08 2022
Yes, they will drop like flies.
7% (1 vote)
Yes, many will, but most will not.
14% (2 votes)
Yes, some will.
21% (3 votes)
Yes, some or many will, but they will drop the name "evangelical."
14% (2 votes)
Unsure
21% (3 votes)
No, few will give up a pro-life stance.
7% (1 vote)
No, not likely
14% (2 votes)
Other
0% (0 votes)
Total votes: 14
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