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denny burk, drive by pneumatology, jesus, messiah

Follow up to defective Christology: The Many Things and the Main True Thing

Posted on July 14, 2013 by elizabethprata

I’m listening to Denny Burk’s lecture in the CD ‘Drive By Pneumatology’ called, “The Regenerating Work of the Spirit.” Mr Burk gave a good analogy about Christ that I’d like to share. In speaking of Jesus in John 3:16 with the setting of Nicodemus and Jesus, Mr Burk,

“As the King sits before him, all Nicodemus sees is a good teacher. He can’t see the kingdom. He can’t see Jesus for who He is. Somebody may ask me at this point, ‘good gravy, Denny, is it really such a big deal that Nicodemus doesn’t see that Jesus is the King? Shouldn’t we give at least a little credit to him for at least seeing that He is a good teacher from God?’

“If I were to invite a certain famous person to speak to us here today, and since I invited him I would be responsible for introducing him. I might say, ‘Here is a man who graduated from Yale, and Harvard Business School. He is a former airman in Air National Guard, and he comes from an important political family, maybe you heard of them, the Bushes? He once ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Texas House of Representatives. After that he became an owner of the Texas Rangers!

Ladies and gentlemen please help me to give a big Texas welcome to George W. Bush.”

“If I was to introduce him like that, how would that be received?… People would look around saying who is this idiot introducing the President? Why would they say that? Because it doesn’t matter how many true things I say about President Bush if I don’t say the main thing that’s true about about President Bush, namely, that he was former President of the United States! In fact all that other stuff is kind of piddly in light of the fact that he was the President and I probably shouldn’t even mention them.

If I leave that out it is not a bad reflection on the President, it just reveals to everyone how dimwitted I am. It doesn’t matter how many true things you see and believe about Jesus if you don’t see and believe the main thing about Jesus!

None of the rest matters unless you see that. You can see and believe that He is a great prophet, as the Muslims do. You can believe He is a good moral teacher as the Jews do. You can say He is loving and kind like almost every secular person believes. But if you fail to see that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, then none of the rest of the true things you believe about Jesus matters.

——————

Sunday Martyr Moment: Persecutions begin under Nero

Posted on July 14, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. According to this summary from Christian Book Summaries,

Writing in the mid-1500s, John Foxe was living in the midst of intense religious persecution at the hands of the dominant Roman Catholic Church. In graphic detail, he offers accounts of Christians being martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ, describing how God gave them extraordinary courage and stamina to endure unthinkable torture.

From the same link, the book’s purpose was fourfold:

Showcase the courage of true believers who have willingly taken a stand for Jesus Christ throughout the ages, even if it meant death,
Demonstrate the grace of God in the lives of those martyred for their faith,
Expose the ruthlessness of religious and political leaders as they sought to suppress those with differing beliefs,
Celebrate the courage of those who risked their lives to translate the Bible into the common language of the people.

In these posts, which I began last April, I have gone chronologically through the martyrdoms of the first generation martyrs, beginning with Stephen and ending with John. I’ve also put up an essay on the martyrdom of John Huss, to note the anniversary of his death, and then opened with Foxe’s next section, the “Chapter One: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions Under Nero” and related it to the coming persecutions of Christians today.

Now, we continue. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, by John Foxe

Nero was the 6th Emperor of Rome and reigned for fifteen years. He was a paradox, a man of great creativity combined with a vicious temper and extreme cruelty. It was said by many that it was Nero who ordered that Rome be burned and then blamed it on the Christians to turn the wrath of Rome’s citizens away from himself. Others say he was not in Rome when it burned. Whichever way it was, Christians were blamed for the fire that lasted 9 days, and during which the hunt for Christians increased and became a dreadful persecution that lasted the rest of Nero’s reign.

The barbarous acts against Christians were worse than any they had previously endured, especially those committed by Nero. Only a Satan-inspired imagination could have conceived them. Some Christians were sewn inside the skins of wild animals and torn apart by fierce dogs. Shirts stiff with wax were put on others, and they were tied to poles in Nero’s garden and set on fire to provide light for his parties.

This cruel persecution spread throughout the Roman Empire, but it only succeeded in strengthening the spirit of Christianity rather than killing it. Along with Paul and Peter, several of the seventy appointed by

Jesus (Luke 10:1) were martyred also. Among them were Erastus, treasurer of Corinth (Romans 16:23), Aristarchus the Macedonian (Acts 19:29), Trophimus the Ephesian (Acts 21:29), Barsabas who was surnamed Justus (Acts 1:23), and Ananias, bishop of Damascus whom the Lord sent to Saul (Acts 9:10).

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Lord, we thank you for the faith of our fathers. We thank you that you gave them, and us, the Holy Spirit, to strengthen us in times of persecution and to enable us to proclaim Your name as witnesses to the ends of the earth. They were witnesses who suffered a tormenting death, but unto joyous eternal life. Nero suffered a comfortable life, but unto a tormenting eternal death. Therefore, we thank you that no matter what our situation, circumstance or problem, You have promised Good to us and a life of glorified fellowship with You now and in the future. We hold onto the promise of Your coming and the promise of life everlasting.

Meanwhile, please remind us to pray for the afflicted, the persecuted and those undergoing martyrdom right now. Let us pray for each other always. “and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,” (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

promises of god

What is promised to the believer and what is promised to the unbeliever

Posted on July 13, 2013 by elizabethprata

The LORD makes promises. He does not have to interact with the people He created, but He does. He doesn’t have to make promises to us, but He does.

“by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:4)

I think this is remarkable. We have an incredible Father.

HE DELIVERS US

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. (Psalm 86:13)

HE SENDS THE SPIRIT

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26)

HE GIVES PEACE

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27)

HE SEES TO OUR NEEDS

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

HE GIVES GRACE

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

HE GIVES LOVE

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)

HE GIVES TENDERNESS

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are so many more promises, too, than can even be recorded here. He supplies all that His children need for a joyful, grace-filled, loving life here and forever in eternity. He delivers us, cleans us, makes us righteous, removes His wrath from out shoulders, fulfills our needs, grows us, sets an inheritance in in heaven for us…through and because of His Son- the biggest gift and promise of all. (Genesis 3:15).

Because He is God, and there is no deceit in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22) every promise given to His children in the bible will come true.

He made promises to the unbeliever too. For those who do not believe, He promised death-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HE PROMISES DEATH FOR THE UNBELIEVER

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

HE PROMISES PUNISHMENT

And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ (Luke 16:24)

HE PROMISES GLOOMY DARKNESS

These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 12-13)

HE PROMISES ETERNAL TORMENT

And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:11)

those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

HE PROMISES TROUBLE AND SORROW

The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. (Psalm 116:3)

HE PROMISES THE ETERNAL WORMS AND FIRE

‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:48)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are two groups and two groups only- the saved and the unsaved. The blessed and the damned.

“The bodies of the blessed shall shine with glory and eternal bliss, but the bodies of the damned shall be like rotting, putrid corpses that have the worm within…” (RCH Lenski)

Which promises will you claim?

Salvation- the Good News of the Gospel

amazing grace

Amazing Grace

Posted on July 13, 2013 by elizabethprata

You might enjoy these very different renditions of a favorite hymn, Amazing Grace

I remember being lost, relating to U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”. I remember when I was found. What a blessed day, bless my Savior. He reigns forever.

Soweto Gospel Choir

Jimmy Swaggart Music

Walela, Rita Coolidge and Priscilla Coolidge, with Priscilla’s daughter Laura Satterfield. Song is in Cherokee

Keba w/Daphne Nathaniel

wordle

Wordle art

Posted on July 12, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

paris

Paris under red alert, train derailment. What’s up with all the train derailments?

Posted on July 12, 2013 by elizabethprata

July 12: Paris France
French Official: 7 Dead In Paris Train Derailment

July 12 Seattle, Washington, USA
Train derails in Oregon; leak called not hazardous

July 6: Lac-Megantic, Quebec, Canada
Canada train disaster: Blast missing ‘probably dead’

Oil train derails and explodes in Quebec, leveling part of town

May 28, Baltimore MD
A rollback truck and train collided in Rosedale on May 28, causing a derailment and thunderous explosion felt miles away.

May 17: Connecticut USA
The derailment and crash of a Metro-North commuter train injured 76 people.

The question was asked on June 19 by CBS New York:
Why So Many Derailments In The Tri-State Area Lately? Expert Weighs In
““A lot of the railcars are old. A lot of the track system is old. A lot of the communication to the signals are older than we would like,” Paaswell said. “The cure to that is more money.””

Old. Worn out. The earth is dying, you know.

These tragedies are going to happen more frequently as the infrastructure ages and money is short. We have seen bridge collapses, bus accidents, train accidents and recently, a plane accident.

The point is:

1. Expect more tragedies in increasing number and frequency.
2. Please pray for First Responders. They truly are on the front lines, and with incessant budget cuts, towns and cities are strapped. More people are doing more with less. These people who respond are real people, viewing increasingly large and incomprehensible tragedies. The explosion in Quebec was horrific. It leveled a lot of the town, 2000 people had to be evacuated, the fires burned for days. I can’t imagine the trauma to a person who has to see these things, pry charred wood up from homes in looking for bones and bodies.

These are real men and women who serve an increasingly dying world. It’s hard. They need prayer.

false christ, jesus

Another Jesus: an example of defective Christology

Posted on July 12, 2013 by elizabethprata

The truth is that there is “this same Jesus” (Acts 1:11) and there is “another Jesus”. (2 Cor 11:4).

I’ve explained before that there are a great many people who claim Jesus who are not saved. This is because they claim another Jesus, not this same Jesus as revealed in the bible.

We read the bible and we read its theology, its history, its poetry…and then we go on with our day, never making a practical application from what we just read as to our church’s theology, our personal history, our poetic hymnody and music. But we must make practical application. Jesus is too important and false doctrine and false teachers who bring these teachings are too destructive.

So what is meant by ‘another Jesus’ as stated in 2 Corinthians 11? Satan is very seductive. John MacArthur explains ‘another Jesus’ in his sermon on the Corinthians verse, titled “Christian Loyalty, Part 2“

“They identified somehow with Jesus, the name Jesus, but it was a different Jesus. … They had somehow invented another Jesus. You have to listen so carefully because Satan is so seductive. They talk about Jesus. They love Jesus. Jesus is the Savior. But it’s not the true Jesus.”

HOW is it not the true Jesus? Look how hard it is sometimes to unearth the seeming follower’s different Jesus — MacArthur continued:

“I said to the Mormon man that I met with, I said, “I want you to tell me who Jesus is.”You love Jesus.” “They said yes.
“You believe Jesus is your Savior.” Yes.
“You believe Jesus died on the cross.” Yes.
“You believe He died a substitute for your sins on the cross?” Yes.
“You believe that salvation comes by faith in the death of Jesus on the cross?” Yes.
“You believe that’s gracious of God to give you that?” Yes.
“You believe Jesus bore your sin in His own body on the cross?” Yes.
I said, “That’s…that’s true, that’s all accurate.”
“You sing praises to Jesus, you long to serve Him, you love Him?” They said yes.
I said, “Who is Jesus?”
“They said Jesus is the created spirit child of God.”
I said, “That’s another Jesus, that’s not the Jesus that we preach.”

Let’s go to the scene in Matthew 16:13-18a. It is very important in considering one’s Christology. It all boils down to the question: “Who is Christ?”

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…”

Jesus did not congratulate the ones who said, ‘You are John the Baptist’, saying, ‘Yup! Pretty close! Come on up and stand with me on the Rock.’ He didn’t affirm the ones who said He was Elijah, inviting them to come on in. He didn’t bless the ones who said ‘You are Jeremiah or a prophet.’ He said that the one who said He is ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’ is blessed. Note, “THE Christ. The one and only. Belief is a bull’s eye and a bull’s eye only. If you’re off on who Christ is, you’re off on everything.

Finally, He told Peter that Peter understood this fact because the Spirit had revealed it to him.

If you know who Christ is, THE Christ, you have the Spirit, because only the Spirit reveals these things. If you claim another Christ, you do not have the Spirit.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:4 that
“For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.”

–Note Paul said ‘if someone comes…’ but remember that Teachers, Pastors, and Disciples AKA Believers are sent. (Matthew 28:19). Believers are sent in Christ’s authority but the false professors come in their own authority.
–Note Paul said ‘proclaims another Jesus’- indicating it was already happening in 60 AD, an no less from the people that Paul, a first generation witness to the risen Christ, had personally taught!
–Note Paul said they will proclaim this other Jesus ‘by another spirit’, not the Holy Spirit.

Christianity has standards for including believers into it. Non-believers and in some cases even non-members of a particular church may NOT partake of The Lord’s Supper at Communion. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16). Only believers may be baptized. (Romans 6:3-4). Christianity has commands and is exclusive, separate, and distinctive. Jesus said that His sword of truth is so precise it will divide son from father, mother from daughter. (Matthew 10:34-36). We should not accept anyone and everyone as a brother in the faith simply on the basis their surface proclamation of Jesus. Paul was chiding the Corinthians over that. ‘You accept a different gospel readily enough’.

When Paul arrived at Jerusalem and said “I’m a member of the body of believers in Jesus Christ” the local body didn’t accept him at first. They were afraid of him, even though Paul had been preaching Christ for three years by the time he got to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:26). After all, Saul/Paul had been the chief persecutor and torturer of believers. They had a right to be afraid. But isn’t a false believer who brings a different Jesus just as destructive? Yet we overlook their kind of killing belief, and accept them without a second glance. For many undiscerning people, they utter the holy name of Jesus as simply a magic password. Too many believers have thrown out the “listen carefully” warning. This evidences their lack of discernment.

How is your Christology? Who is Christ? That is the question. Is Jesus God? Was He born of a virgin? Was He both fully man and fully God? Was He sinless? Is He the Word, revealing Himself in the bible? Did He die on the cross as the substitute for our sins, and was resurrected on the Third Day? Is He judge? Is he holy? And so on. Who IS Christ?

The church has watered down theology today because they have accepted many in their midst who have an outwardly pious and sincere belief in another Jesus.

Because of this watering down, the essential doctrines of our faith are under attack. Many people think you can disbelieve in one or more of them and still be in the faith. Not so. There are essential beliefs, and they are absolute. Where Jesus said a belief was essential, it is essential. For some of these, He even included a penalty for NOT believing.

Jesus is going to return and show Himself as Who He really is. His robes will be stained with blood, He will speak a word and millions will be slain at Armageddon, He will judge the living and the dead. JUDGE them, calling them account for their lives- the distinguishing benchmark being whether they believed in this same Jesus, or not. If they did not, they will be sent to hell for all of their conscious tormenting eternity.

Be distinguished from the world NOW, believe on the Christ of the bible. Study Him carefully, diligently, from His word (not visions and dreams and impressions and purpose-driven, motivational books.) Because belief in Him (this same Jesus) is the standard by which your eternity will be divided- heaven or hell, narrow road or broad, there is no other subject to which a person ought to devote himself with more fire or zeal or attention. If you claim Jesus, make sure you claim THE Jesus, and not another.

“and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” (Matthew 24:11)

———————–

Movie "Sharknado": Enough Said!

Posted on July 12, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Last night the SyFy Channel (should be ScFi) presented the long awaited, eagerly anticipated, major motion picture “Sharknado”.

The fin-fest swept the ratings, (if not the reviews), went down in history as all the best time B-movie camp, perhaps even knocking out the long revered Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and Plan 9 From Outer Space from their lofty pinnacles. It excited a feeding frenzy on Twitter.

Dread Central reviewed the movie in all due B-movie reverence: “The only thing I’m certain of is that The Asylum, Syfy, and all other b-filmmakers might as well retire the shark genre after this because I don’t know where you can go from here or how you can possibly top it.”

CNN weighed in this morning, demonstrating its journalistically lightning quick reflexes in picking up the pulse of the people:

Oh no, it’s “Sharknado” and it’s ravaging Twitter
“The title says it all. It’s the story of a menacing storm that spews hungry man eaters on Southern California. It’s perfect fodder for the Twitterverse, where hashtag #Sharknado was a top trending topic early Friday. Judging from the crack, one-line reviews, the online commentary may be better than the movie itself.”

That’s true- I love reading the online commentary to my favorite shows such as MasterChef or Food Network Star, where the witty commentary from fellow Twitter birds is often much more entertaining than the show itself, or at least, adds zip to the proceedings. It is our very own 21st century MST2K.

Watching all things Sharknado climb the trend list, I saw that soon enough, #Sharknado was hovering at number two. How long would it take to bump #MyGodIs from the top spot?

I captured a few of the Sharknado comments I thought were funniest:

If Criterion doesn’t purchase the rights to #Sharknado, I just don’t understand the arts anymore. Will Antonin

If the first floor of the house is flooded with sharks, I’m pretty sure the car won’t start. Just sayin’. #SharkNado Derek Hunter

This movie is better than Obamacare. #Sharknado Dana Loesch

Pretty sure a life insurance claim reading “He was eaten by a shark in my living room” won’t pay out without a serious challenge. #SharkNado Derek Hunter

Sweet relief for John Heard in #SharkNado – early death, check cleared. Derek Hunter

#Sharknado is the “Citizen Kane” of sharks in a tornado movies. Ben Shapiro

Disaster Relief Services in California are pitiful. I think that’s what #Sharknado is really teaching us. Classic Frat Bros

So, the shark is climbing a rope? #Sharknado Anthony Cumia

The effects in #sharknado were done using iMovie, then importing into one of those iPhone apps that let you add splashes & gunfire. Danny Sullivan

The made for TV film #SharkNado is trending in case you’re wondering why the terrorists don’t like us. SCO

And then two of my favorite weather guys joined the snark-fest, Shawn Reynolds of Weather Center Live tweeted,

I really wish there were a SharkCon. Shawn Reynolds

And Jim Cantore of Weather Channel said,

All I wanna know is why wasn’t I asked to be the forecaster for #SHARKNADO ?!!!! Jim Cantore

Everyone loves camp and everyone loves people with a good sense of humor.

Cinema Crazed.wordpress concluded their review of Sharknado thus:

I look forward to “Squidnami” and “Piranhavolcano.”

I made an assumption that the movie would be a blood-filled gross-fest and so, I didn’t watch it. I thought a long time about the premise for the movie and the fact that people had to pitch this, get funding for this, and find actors willing to play in this. For a while the twitter trend list showed John Heard on it, likely because he is a credible actor and many people wondered why he would play a part in this worst-of-the-worst movies. He has to pay bills too, I guess.

People seem to have a ghoulish fascination with tragedy, blood-N-gore entertainment, (Roman Colosseum anyone?) and of course the apocalypse. Movies on that topic are coming out faster than sharks from a tornado.

I had a ghoulish fascination with the ghoulish fascination. Is this what we do with our time now? Either watch terrible movies or snark about them? Or both at the same time…?

Sharknado is so last night. Now trending this morning on Twitter, movie “Pacific Rim”, “As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse.”

And the beat goes on.

moone boy, netflix, orange is the new black

TV Show Review: ‘Moone Boy’ and ‘Orange is the New Black’

Posted on July 11, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

The new wave of television watching is actually through the computer. Netflix and Hulu are competing for your money and time and attention. They are creating programming, buying programming and going outside the US borders in search of programming. To that last item, Hulu & Netflix this week rolled out new shows that are making a big deal out of.

Netflix has Orange is the New Black. The synopsis goes: “From the creator of “Weeds” comes a heartbreaking and hilarious new series set in a women’s prison. Piper Chapman’s wild past comes back to haunt her, resulting in her arrest and detention in a federal penitentiary. To pay her debt to society, Piper trades her comfortable New York life for an orange prison jumpsuit and finds unexpected conflict and camaraderie amidst an eccentric group of inmates.”

OK, sounds like it could be good. Martha Stewart in jail, with wacky inmates… I’ll bite.

Seven seconds and one sentence into the first episode the viewer sees a closeup of two naked woman in a shower kissing, and nothing is left to the imagination. There was no warning. Lord, blot out my eyes.

So then I went to Hulu. Hulu is gaga over Moone Boy.

NY Times explains “‘Moone Boy’ Joins the Hulu Stable of Imported Television.” Monarch of the Glen was good. I love Doc Martin. Could be good…

Irish comedy set in the 1980s? Great! Who didn’t like The Commitments? It’s Wonder Years meets Harvey? Better! It’s a show about a family? Wonderful!! The show centers on the young boy! Super! I bit.

One episode is about 21 minutes long. In that 21 minutes I learned that girls run the world, dads are ineffectual, parents hate their kids, life is a hopeless round of family and work, bullies are left to their own devices, but can be bought if you let them touch your sister’s breasts…

Sigh.

The search continues.

jonathan edwards, wrath

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God": Not so seeker friendly

Posted on July 11, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

The following excerpt is Point #4 from the famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Jonathan Edwards was a part of the First Great Awakening. He lived between 1703-1758 and delivered this sermon at the height of the Awakening in New England, in Enfield, Connecticut, July 8, 1741- 272 years ago this week!

As Wikipedia summarizes the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a typical sermon of the Great Awakening, emphasizing the belief that Hell is a real place. Edwards hoped that the imagery and message of his sermon would awaken his audience to the horrific reality that awaited them should they continue without Christ. The underlying point is that God has given humanity a chance to rectify their sins. Edwards says that it is the will of God that keeps wicked men from the depths of Hell. This act of restraint has given humanity a chance to mend their ways and return to Christ.”

Below is the interior of the Rocky Hill Meetinghouse, Salisbury, Mass. built in 1785. It’s typical of the New England meetinghouses of Edwards’ day. It’s called Meetinghouse because the building was used for church services AND government activities. This one was unheated until 1830.

Source

They were leaping out of their pews… “Parishioners personalized their pews by adding footstools, cushions, foot stoves, or arm rests. The pew seats are hinged, possibly to allow women more space for their full skirts while standing.” (source)


Numbered box pews were sold to parishioners. The remainder of the seating was unreserved.(src)

An oft-overlooked fact is that as Edwards preaches hell and gets to point four, he tells the congregation that of the danger of hell, he is speaking to them. Not everyone in a church is saved, as Edwards says,

“There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity.”

It doesn’t matter how moral you are or how sober you are, if not saved by faith in Jesus, their place wrathful torment will be their state forevermore. (Matthew 7:22-23).

John Wesley preaching during 1st Great Awakening

Here’s Edwards:

“It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God’s anger?”

“How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell?”

He ended this way:

“Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: “Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.””

—————–end—————

Not so seeker friendly, is it? The reaction of the congregation was astounding. Reverend Stephen Williams was minister at Longmeadow Mass. He recorded the reaction in detail later that night in his diary. This is Pastor Williams’ description of the congregation’s reaction at Enfield to Edwards’ sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,”

“Before the sermon was done there was a great moaning and crying out throughout the whole house, “What shall I do to be saved?! Oh, I am going to Hell! Oh, what shall I do for Christ?!” etc. etc. So that the minister was obliged to desist. Shrieks and cries were piercing and amazing. After some time of waiting, the congregation were still so that a prayer was made, and after that we descended from the pulpit and discoursed with the people, some in one place and some in another, and–amazing and astonishing!–the power of God was seen, and several souls were hopefully wrought upon that night, and oh, the pleasantness of their countenances that received comfort.”

Lest one believe that Jonathan Edwards was dour and sad, here is the text of his sermon, Heaven, A World Of Love

“…But heaven is his dwelling-place above all other places in the universe; and all those places in which he was said to dwell of old, were but types of this. Heaven is a part of creation that God has built for this end, to be the place of his glorious presence, and it is his abode forever; and here will he dwell, and gloriously manifest himself to all eternity. And this renders heaven a world of love; for God is the fountain of love, as the sun is the fountain of light. And therefore the glorious presence of God in heaven, fills heaven with love, as the sun, placed in the midst of the visible heavens in a clear day, fills the world with light. The apostle tells us that “God is love;” and therefore, seeing he is an infinite being, it follows that he is an infinite fountain of love. Seeing he is an all-sufficient being, it follows that he is a full and over-flowing, and inexhaustible fountain of love.”

Yes indeed! His love reigns.

Every person born has an automatic citizenship in hell the world of wrath. You can transfer that citizenship to heaven, the world of love, by repenting of your sins and calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and so be saved from the world of despair.