"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." - Jerome

Monday, November 27, 2006

Scofield


I visited another church, and found my Scofield Bible had much more piercing spiritual insight than the pastor. Others may know Peter thrice is asked "Do you love me?" by Christ after the resurrection. Scofield points out the first two times Christ asks if Peter "agape"'s Him. Agape is "that love which the law demands". Peter replies he "phileis"'s Christ. Christ asks if we love God with perfect divine love, and Peter replies he loves Christ passionately as his friend, but not perfectly as the Law calls for as he did before he denied Christ three times. When Peter replied he did not twice, the third time, Christ asks Peter if he phileis's Him and Peter replies “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (phileis) You.” This was not Peter's frustration at being asked three times (as some have interpreted), but Christ condecending to our abilities, giving us grace as we cannot fullfil the command to love God perfectly and Peter being accepted by grace in his imperfect love. We are not accepted by Loving as the Law demands, but by our personal relationship with Christ as our Savior, as he stoops to conquer.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Iran and the Anti-Christ?

I know I am being way too contemporary for a blog named "Dead Theologians." But current events reminds me of just after 9/11 when Jon Stewart said he was using the book of Revelation as a checklist...

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

In God We Trust

In God We Trust

in God we trust
and the government is on His shoulders
in God we trust
through democracy and tyranny alike
in God we trust
He uses both good and evil men

in God we trust
so we fight for peace and He fights for us
in God we trust
even when He fights us for someone else
in God we trust
even when He looks like the enemy

in God we trust
even though our hearts are bankrupt
in God we trust
for more than just the value of our dollar bills
in God we trust
but there’s no gold behind these notes of reserve

in God we trust
even through our great presumption
in God we trust
even though He favors no nation-state
in God we trust
even when the blessing is a curse

Friday, November 03, 2006

Deja Vu


If Protestant Church Structure has a major flaw, it is that it is too dependant on individual leaders in churches. Ever since he was named one of the most powerful Evangelicals by Time, I have not been a fan of Ted Haggard. Not to kick him while he's down, but early on he actually reminded me of Jimmy Swaggard: an emotional, theologically-light, health and wealth preacher. Now the similarity seems to be more clear. Though I hope it is not true.