EXPLANATORY POST DEFINING TERMS

After some recent discussions on SI, I have come to see that the continualist/cessationist issue is truly a spectrum.

So here are my definitions. I am no Joel Tetreau when it comes to taxonomy, but I will do my best. A:

Our discussions about Wayne Grudem’s views on New Testament (fallible) prophecy have led me to ask this question.

Some fine Christians take a pure wisdom approach to God’s leading and decision making (Decision Making and the Will of God).

Others take a very subjective approach.

I am in the middle, only occasionally “feeling” led.

Often our approaches may be colored by our personality. Perhaps people who are constantly “feeling led” tend to be more emotional than others who sense and occasional leading or have never “felt” led. Perhaps not.

The subject of time is not so easy. We have difficulty conceiving of existence outside of time. Some might say that there is no existence outside of time.

To make matters more complex, what applies to time might also apply to dimension.

How you interpret Romans 8:38-39 is a factor:

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John MacArthur is a key player, respected by conservative evangelicals and often fundamentalists, too. I greatly respect the man.

I appreciate his resistance to fads and consider them a sign of shallowness and superficiality. Rather than pilgrims and strangers, we are more like Lot, settling in Sodom.

Fads often burn out, or involve “tokenism.” We say what we are supposed to say, participate in an event or two, and our responsibility in that matter has been fulfilled and we move on to the next fad, the previous fad soon forgotten.

When I was first saved, many of the people in my new (Bible believing) church held to the Gap Theory. As I began to study the terrain in 1974, I noticed many popular Christian authors held to theistic evolution or perhaps the day-age theory. The young earth creation movement had gained steam by then, and soon this became the predominant viewpoint, at least in my brand of Christianity.

It has been a while since we wandered into the nebulous aspects of theology. So let’s sharpen our theological swords and see what we can parse.

When it comes to the Persons of the Trinity and their relationship to the believer, is there a difference between being indwelt by the Spirit, the Son, and the Father?

When the Scriptures suggest we are indwelt by God (the Father), Jesus (the Son) and the Spirit, what does that mean?

In this poll, you can choose from a number of inspired writers.

It would make for a more edifying poll, however, if you would share what your very favorite psalm is. If you have two or three that are perhaps tied, you are free to share them, too.

My favorite psalm is written by David, Psalm 86, personally. I read this very often when I visit folks, along with 27 and 63.

Poll Results

Who was the human author of your very favorite psalm?

Politics are not really my forte. But, whether we love politics or no, sometimes political issues are also moral, ethical, or humane matters. In those arenas, Christians generally have deeper convictions.

So, when we deal with “Is it right?” we are not asking “Is it legal.” It very likely is legal.

We are asking at least one of these questions: Is it morally right? Are the consequences to the innocent too great? Is it prudent? Does it properly balance love and justice?

I believe we should be proud of who we are. Thought I do not pastor a Baptist Church (I pastor a non-denominational Bible oriented church), if our church were affiliated with a Baptist group, I would not hide that in the title. To me, if you are not proud of the group to which you belong, why do you belong to it?

I know of several Baptist churches that have removed the word “Baptist” from their name, I have known Methodist Churches and others to do this as well.

Many churches doe not have hymnals, and many rarely (if ever) sing hymns.

Other church continue to sing mostly hymns.

I am not asking you what you prefer, but the poll question refers to the church you attend. You are encouraged to comment about your preferences.

The subject is about congregational singing, not special music, offertories, etc.

Poll Results

Does your church’s main service usually include at least one hymn or vintage Gospel song?