Godward Thoughts

Legal Writing Competition at Trinity Law School

2011-12-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

Trinity Law School is hosting a legal writing competition on the topic of "A Christian's Response to Human Rights." Below is the information taken from the TLS website.

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Writing Competition

The Center for Human Rights invites the submission of scholarly papers.

Topic
Scholarly papers must address the issue of "A Christian's Response to Human Rights."

Papers may consider addressing issues of the source of Human Rights, the nature of Human Rights, why it matters if Human Rights have a religious or secular basis, how Human Rights are (or should be) protected and enforced, religion's role in protecting Human Rights, etc. Scholars are not bound by these suggestions and are encouraged to thoroughly address the topic in a manner that best addresses the pertinent issues.

Eligibility
Only students that are currently enrolled in a JD, LLM, and/or SJD program within the United States are eligible to submit a paper.

Article Format
Submissions must be original, unpublished academic works by one author. Students may only submit one paper. Multiple submissions will result in disqualification.

All papers must be submitted electronically to mmoore@tiu.edu. All submissions should be in English and in Microsoft® Word format. The text should be double-spaced in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. The length should be approximately 25 to 50 pages, including footnotes. Footnotes may appear in single-spaced 10-point font. All citations must conform to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.

All papers must be accompanied by a single cover page that includes:

The title of the paper;
The author's name, address, telephone phone number & e-mail address;
The name of the author's law school, degree program (i.e., JD, LLM, or SJD) and anticipated date of graduation.

Submitted papers will not be returned.

The failure to comply with the requirements of the Article Format will result in disqualification.
Judgment Criteria for Award

Papers will be judged on originality, quality of writing and scholarship, depth of research and analysis, and readiness for publication. All eligible submissions will first be reviewed by members of the Trinity Law Review. Papers that pass initial review process will then be reviewed by a panel composed of the Director of the Center for Human Rights, select TLS Faculty, and editors of the Trinity Law Review.

Prizes
A First, Second, and Third place will be chosen from the eligible submissions. The prizes will be awarded as follows:

First Place: $1,000
Second Place: $500
Third Place: $250

The First, Second, and Third place winners will also receive expedited consideration for publication in the 2012/2013 Trinity Law Review, which will be a special symposium issue on the Center for Human Rights.
Submission Deadline

Submissions are due on or before April 15, 2012. No papers will be accepted after that date.

Winners will be announced by May 30, 2012, via e-mail.

Please submit all papers, questions, or inquiries to: mmoore@tiu.edu

The Doctrine of the Trinity

2011-10-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent lecture I gave on the doctrine of the Trinity with powerpoint slides. This is part of the Rooted in Truth class I am teaching at Bethel Grace Baptist Church.

God Bless,

Doug

Rooted in Truth 1: An Introduction to Systematic Theology

2011-10-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the first Rooted in Truth class. This is the introduction to the class and covers what systematic theology is and why it is important in the life of the believer.

God Bless,

Doug

"Growing in Godliness" Sermon

2011-10-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a sermon I preached recently at Bethel Grace Baptist Church.

The four points covered are...

-What Godliness is not
-What Godliness is
-How Godliness is increased
-Godliness and past sins

God Bless,

Doug

Rooted in Truth: Lecture 1 - MP3

2011-09-12T18:44:00.001-07:00

The first Rooted in Truth (Systematic Theology) class is now available on line.

Rooted in Truth: Prolegomena

All future lectures will be available at this link also.

God Bless,

Doug

Rooted in Truth: Class Calendar

2011-09-08T14:09:00.001-07:00

Here is the calendar for the Rooted in Truth Class.

Prolegomena
-Sept. 11 – What is Systematic Theology and Why is it Important

Bibliology
-Sept. 18 – Revelation and Inspiration
-Sept. 25 – Clarity, Necessity, and Sufficiency

Theology Proper
-Oct. 2 - The Existence of God and the Attributes of God
-Oct. 9 –The Trinity

Anthropology and Harmatiology
-Oct. 16 – The Imago Dei and the Effects of Sin

Angelology
-Oct. 23 – Angels, Demons, Satan, and the Problem of Evil

Christology
-Oct. 30 – The Incarnation and the Offices of Christ

Soteriology
-Nov. 6 – The Atonement, Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification
-Nov. 13 – Monergism and Synergism
-Nov. 20 – The Divine Plan: Dispensational and Covenantal Theology

Pneumatology
-Nov. 27 – The Nature and Work of the Holy Spirit

Ecclesiology
-Dec. 4 – The Church

Eschatology
-Dec. 11 – The Millennium and the Return of Christ
-Dec. 18 – The Final Judgment, and Heaven and Hell

God Bless,

Doug

Rooted In Truth: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine

2011-09-07T14:52:00.001-07:00

I will be teaching a class at Bethel Grace Baptist Church during the Sunday school hour. The class will begin the second week of September and will run through December. The study will be an overview of systematic theology and the lectures should be available on the Bethel Grace website. Below is a video introduction to the class. I was out of town the morning the new class offerings were introduced to the Bible study group so I dusted off the cobwebs where I used to shoot videos (literally) and put this together to let them know what the class was going to cover.

God Bless,

Doug

1 Peter 5:1-5 Bible Study Questions

2011-03-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

1. (V.1) Why do you think Peter takes time to address elders in the midst of suffering?

2. (V.1) What do you think Peter’s definition of “elder” would be as he uses it in this passage?

3. (V. 2) What are the implications for the elder in that they flock they shepherd is called the “flock of God?”

4. (V. 2) What does it mean to shepherd “willingly,” and why is this important?

5. (V. 3) How does being an example negate the temptation to be domineering?

6. (V. 4) How should knowing that the Chief Shepherd will appear help the elder do his job?

7. (V.5) How do we clothe ourselves with humility?

8. (V.5) What does it mean that “God opposes the proud?”

9. (V.5) Why do you think God gives grace to the Humble?

1 Peter 4:12-19 Bible Study Questions

2011-02-23T21:58:00.000-08:00

Here are the questions for this week's lesson.

V. 12 – What does it mean that fiery trials come to “test you?”

V. 13 – How does sharing in Christ’s suffering relate to rejoicing and being glad “when his glory is revealed?”

V. 14 – What does it mean that the “Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” if you are insulted for the name of Christ?

V. 16 – Why would we be tempted to “be ashamed” if we suffer as a Christian?

V. 17 – What does Peter mean when he says “it is time for judgment” and when he talks about the “household of God?”

V. 18 – What does it mean that the “righteous” are “scarcely saved?”

V. 19 – Do you think there is any specific reason why Peter refers to God as a “faithful Creator” in this verse?

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Bible Study Questions for 1 Peter 4:1-11

2011-02-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

1 Peter 4:1-11 Questions

V.1- What does it mean that "whoever has suffered in the flesh, has ceased from sin?"

V. 2- What "human passions" do you think Peter is referring to?

V. 3- What does Peter mean when he says, "The time that is past suffices" when he refers to living in sin?

V. 6- What does it mean when it says, "the gospel was preached even to those who are dead?"

V. 6- What does "judged in the flesh" mean?

V. 7- Why does Peter say we are to be sober-minded and self-controlled "for the sake of our prayers?"

V. 8- How does "love cover a multitude of sins?"

V. 10- What does "God's varied grace" refer to?

V. 11- What does it mean to speak "oracles of God?"

James White at Bethel Grace Baptist Church

2011-02-16T14:29:00.001-08:00

For those of you in the Southern California area, James White will be speaking at an event hosted by Trinity Law School which will be held at Bethel Grace Baptist Church. The event is free so if you would like to attend, simply call 800-922-4748 to RSVP.

Irrelevant Churches

2011-02-13T22:44:00.000-08:00

If a church is not regularly preaching and teaching on sin and the Gospel, they are irrelevant and have very little to offer, because sin is our biggest problem and the Gospel is our only hope.

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How to Win the Day After a Fall

2011-02-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

"When you fall into the mire, be ashamed and be humbled, but return and wash in the open fountain, and return and beg for new strength to walk more surely. Learn to trust yourself less and God more, and take action against your enemies.....Do not imagine that your little is enough, or despair because you cannot do more, but “press on toward the goal to win the prize.” Do not think everything is lost because you are presently foiled. The experienced soldier knows that he will often win the day after a fall or the day after he has been wounded. Be assured of this, after a short battle follows an eternity of triumph." –Robert Leighton, Commentary on 1 Peter

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1 Peter 3:13-22 Bible Study Questions

2011-02-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a few questions to help prepare for lesson 6 of the Strength for the Struggle class. If you are not in the class, hopefully these questions will be useful for your own private study.

V. 13 How is it that no one can harm you if you are zealous for good works?

V. 14. What does it mean that we will be blessed if we suffer for righteousness?

V. 15. How do we prepare to make a defense to people who ask?

V. 16. How will those who revile your good behavior in Christ be put to shame?

V. 18. What does Peter's point that Jesus was "put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit" have to do with Christians facing suffering?

V. 19. Who do you think the "spirits in prison" are, and what do you think was "proclaimed" to them?

V. 20. What does Noah preparing the ark have to do with Christians facing suffering?

V. 21. What does baptism "correspond to?"

V. 21. What does Peter mean when he says, baptism "now saves you?"

V. 21. How is Baptism an "appeal to God for a good conscience?"

V. 21. How is all of this "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ?"

V. 22 Why does Peter close the passage by reminding us that Jesus has gone to heaven "with angels, authorities, and powers having been subject to him?"

1 Peter 3:1-12 Bible Study Questions

2011-02-02T23:15:00.000-08:00

Here are a few questions to help prepare for lesson 5 of the Strength for the Struggle class. If you are not in the class, hopefully these questions will be useful for your own private study

1. In our culture, does the word “submit” have a negative or a positive connotation?

2. How should knowing that Jesus “submitted” to the Father, change our understanding of the word “submit?”

3. (V.1) What reason does Peter give for wives submitting to their husbands even if their husband do not obey the word?

4. (V. 2) What does “respectful and pure conduct” look like?

5. (V. 3) Some focus on external beauty seems to be okay, but what or where is the line that Peter does not want us to cross?

6. (V. 6) What were some of Sarah’s qualities that women would admire?

7. (V. 7) What does it look like for a Husband to show honor to his wife?

8. (V. 7) What does Peter mean when he refers to the woman as the “weaker vessel?”

9. (V.7) What does Peter mean when he talks about prayers being hindered?

10. (V. 8) What does a “tender heart” and a “humble mind” look like in practice?

11. (V. 10) What does it mean to “love life” and “see good days?”

12. (V. 12) Why should the fact that the “eyes of the Lord are on the righteous” comfort us?

13. (V.13) What does it mean if “the face of the Lord is against” someone?

1 & 2 Peter Bible Study Audio (MP3)

2011-02-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

The audio for the lectures from the Strength for the Struggle class are being posted at the link below. We are slowly honing in on the recording quality. The first lesson did not get recorded, and the second lesson has a little distortion, but lessons three and four seem to be pretty clear. This link also has a lot of great sermons and lectures by pastor Jeff Saltzmann and other great teachers at Bethel Grace Baptist Church.

Bethel Grace Baptist Church Sermon Archives

God Bless,

Doug

Not Willing to Suffer?

2011-01-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

‎"If thou art willing to suffer no adversity, how wilt thou be the friend of Christ?" — Thomas à Kempis

1 Peter 2:13-25 Bible Study Questions

2011-01-28T22:42:00.000-08:00

Here are a few questions to help prepare for lesson 4 of the Strength for the Struggle class. If you are not in the class, hopefully they will be useful for your own private study

1. (V. 14) What are governors (governments) supposed to do? (What does this teach us about the relationship of law and morality?)

2. (V. 15) How can “doing good” silence the ignorance of the foolish?

3. (V. 16) What does Peter mean when he says, “live as people who are free?”

4. (V.19) What does it mean to be “mindful of God?”

5. (V. 20) Why does Peter remind them that it is no profit to suffer for sin?”

6. (V. 21) To what have we been called? (How does this affect your understanding of the Christian life?)

7. (V.22-23) How did Jesus respond to unjust treatment?

8. (V.23) What does it mean that Jesus “entrusted himself to him who judges justly?”

9. (V. 24) What does it mean that Jesus “bore our sins in His body on the tree?”

10. (V.24) What illness do you think Peter has in mind when he says we have been “healed?”

11 (V.24) What does it mean to die to sin?

12. (V. 25) What does “straying like sheep” and having “returned to our shepherd” have to do with the point of this passage?

Preach as if Your Life Depended on It

2011-01-22T21:33:00.001-08:00

Minister, preach as if your very life is dependent upon the gospel you are proclaiming, because it is.

Doug

1 Peter 2:1-12 Bible Study Questions

2011-01-19T22:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few questions to help prepare for lesson 3 of the Strength for the Struggle class. If you are not in the class, hopefully they will be useful for your own private study

1. (V. 3) What does it mean to “taste that the Lord is good?”

2. (V. 5) Why are we called “living stones” and a “spiritual house?”

3. (V. 5) What are “spiritual sacrifices?”

4. (V. 7) What encouragement can believers find in Peter quoting “The stone that the builder rejected has become the chief cornerstone?”

5. (V. 8) What does it mean that they were “destined” to “stumble?”

6. (V. 9) Who is Peter calling a “chosen race” and why does Peter tell us this?

7. (V.9) What is the “darkness” out of which we were called?

8. (V9) Who are the “people for his own possession?” Jews, Gentiles, or the Church (Jews and Gentiles).

9. (V. 9) What is the “marvelous light?”

10. (V. 11) How do the passions of the flesh war against the soul?

11. (V. 12) When Peter speaks of the “Gentiles,” to whom is he referring?

Illuminati, Legalism, and Forgiveness in Christ

2011-01-19T00:25:00.000-08:00

Tonight at the gym after the game was over, I was surrounded by six guys preaching illuminati, legalism, and all sorts of deception. After presenting them with some actual arguments for the truth, I asked them where they would find forgiveness for their sin in their view of things. Without an answer, they all stood silent as I told them about Jesus and the cross. Pray for them.

Doug

A Root of Poor Theology - Christopher Neiswonger

2011-01-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

"Jesus' primary interest was in the personal salvation of those he came to save; his secondary interest was in their personal behavior. He expected everyone that had the first to be concerned about the second. The root of poor theology is to reduce the first to the second, or the second to the first."

-Christopher Neiswonger

Do Not Become Reacquainted With Sin - Robert Leighton

2011-01-15T15:32:00.000-08:00

“You who have chosen Christ for your love, do not let your hearts fall so that you become reacquainted with sin. This will only bring new bitterness to your souls, for some time at least; it will deprive you of the sense of the favor of your beloved Jesus.” - Robert Leighton

1 Peter 1:13-25 Bible Study Questions

2011-01-13T22:02:00.000-08:00

Here are a few questions for lesson two of the strength for the struggle Bible study through 1 & 2 Peter. These questions are designed to get us thinking through the text. We will be looking at this text in depth this coming Sunday and attempt answer these questions among others. The quotes in these questions are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

1. (V. 13) What does it mean to be sober-minded?
(What would it mean for our minds to not be sober?)

2. (V. 13) How do we prepare our minds for action?

3. (V. 14) What are the “passions of our former ignorance” that we are now to reject?

4. (V. 17) Why should the fact that our Father judges impartially, cause us to fear?

5. (V.17) What does “the time of your exile” refer to?

6. (V 18) What does it mean that they “were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers?

7. What point is V. 20 and 21 making?

8. (V. 22) What does it mean when it says, "having purified your souls by our obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love?"

9. (V. 23) What does it mean that we have been born again of imperishable seed?

10. (V. 25) In summary of chapter 1, what is the “good news that was preached to you?”

First Peter 1:1-12 Bible Study Questions (Strength for the Struggle Lesson 1)

2011-01-06T19:34:00.000-08:00

For those of you who will be attending the class this weekend, or if you simply would like to do a Bible study on the first half of 1 Peter chapter 1, here are a few questions to help us begin thinking through the text. The translation used when putting these questions together was the ESV. One thing to keep in mind when going through these questions, is that some of these are not designed to be answered with quick easy answers. They are designed to open up further study and discussion.

To whom is this book written?

What does Peter mean when he says "the sprinkling with blood?"

What does it mean that God "caused us to be born again?"

Why does he call it a "living hope?"

What is being kept for us?

What does it mean when it says we are being guarded (kept)?

What does it mean that we are guarded (kept) through faith?

What is going to be revealed in the last time?

What is the significance of the word "grieved" when Peter mentions the trials we may need to face?

What does Peter mean when he speaks of the “testing of our faith” or the “trial of our faith”?

Why is faith more precious than gold?

What may these trial result in?

Why does Peter place emphasis on the fact that we have not seen Him?

What is the outcome of our faith?

In verses 3-9, which of the following does Peter mention; that we have been saved, are being saved, and/or will be saved?

What did the prophets do regarding this salvation?

What Spirit was in the prophets, and is this any different than the Holy Spirit?

What was the Spirit predicting?

What else was revealed to them?

How were the prophets serving the readers of Peter's letter?

What were the things proclaimed in which the angels long to look?

Strength for the Struggle - A Study in 1 & 2 Peter

2010-12-18T14:47:00.000-08:00

Starting in January I will begin to teach a Bible Study elective class at Bethel Grace Baptist Church. The study will be a 16 week expository teaching through I and II Peter. As you can see the title of the series is “Strength for the Struggle.” My hope is that this study, by the work of the Holy Spirit, will have two different effects on the hearers. First, I hope it will convict us to make sure we are really engaged in the struggles in which we should be engaged. It is easy to float along with the currents of our culture, and even our own sinful nature, but we must strive for the mortification of sin in our own lives, and be a light to the world around us. Neither of these are easy, and often involve conflict. Second, along with those struggles, we all face pain and heartache, but God has promised to be our strength in all our struggles, so my hope is that we will be reminded to turn to the Lord for our strength and not be lured by the second hand saviors that this world presents to us. Through this we will find the comfort and strength we need to be who God has called us to be.

The plan for this blog is that each week I will post questions and thoughts on each of the section of scripture we will be covering, in order that they will be useful for helping us dig deeper into these passages.

Here are the titles of each week of study along with the scripture passages we will be covering.

-Kept By the Power of God (I Pet. 1:1-12)

-Born Again of an Imperishable Seed (I Pet. 1:13-25)

-Out of Darkness into Marvelous Light (I Pet. 2:1-12)

-Die to Sin and Live to Righteousness (I Pet. 2:13-25)

-The Eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous (I Pet. 3:1-12)

-Do Not Fear, Christ Also Suffered (I Pet. 3:13-22)

-Arm Yourself to Suffer (I Pet. 4:1-11)

-Prepared for the Fiery Trial (I Pet. 4:12-19)

-Clothe Yourself with Humility (1 Pet. 5:1-5)

-Stand in the Grace of God (I Pet. 5:6-14)

-Make Your Election Sure (II Pet. 1:1-11)

-Pay Attention to the Word (II Pet. 1:12-21)

-The Lord Know how to Rescue (II Pet. 2:1-10a)

-Recognize the Slaves of Corruption (II Pet. 2:10b-22)

-Wait with Patience in the Midst of Scoffers (II Pet. 3:1-10)

-Be Diligent to Grow in Grace and Knowledge (II Pet. 3:11-18)

God Bless,

Doug

Sin, Sorrow, and the Joy of Christmas

2010-12-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

The lights glow softly, the Christmas music plays, and wondrous thoughts of the birth of our Savior fill our minds. What a blessing it is for the believer who still finds childlike joy in this time of year. Being "grown-up" is a bit over-rated, because being "grown-up," according to the world, usually entails a constant stiff upper lip and a cynical heart. Now, there are times to be stout, to conceal your emotion, and be a bit guarded, but too often these virtues can be turned into vices. Just as there is time to be immovable, there is a time to be moved. There are things that should stir our hearts, and move us to childlike wonder, and the story of the birth of Jesus is one of those things.

Sin is our greatest enemy, and it has been ever since the fall. In our natural condition, with hard hearts, we are the makers of our own demise, we despise what is good, and we love that which will destroy us. So much so that it seems we love our own destruction. And what is worse, is that we are constantly heaping upon ourselves the wrath of a Holy and just God who will not let any sin go unpunished, and the thought of such things should cause us to weep.

If this were where we were left, there would be no hope for any of us. But as we know, in the garden after the fall, God promised that He was going to give us a seed who would be the remedy for sin. What is often missed is the fact that right after this promise, we see a curse that was to come upon mankind for their sinful act of rebellion, and one aspect of that curse was that God Himself was going to cause children to be brought forth in sorrow. Why would God do such a thing after such a wonderful promise? Of all the female creatures upon this earth, it seems that humans have the greatest sorrow during childbirth, but this sorrow is not without hope. Every time a woman grieves during the pain of childbirth, it is to be a reminder to us of the seriousness of sin. It is a proclamation of our depraved condition, but that is not all it is, it is also a gesture of God’s love for His people because He does not want us to evade the knowledge of our sinful condition and neglect the promised seed.

As Mary gave birth that night in a dusty stable, she undoubtedly lamented in pain. Any of us who have pondered that night and have thought of the cold ground beneath her, with no doctor’s guidance, and no comforts of home, have heard her proclamation of the tyranny of sin. In sorrow she gave birth, but the Child was to be the death of her sorrow, and even the death of death itself. Like Rachel giving birth to Benjamin, she may have had the desire to call Him Benoni, the son of her sorrow, but the Father, God Himself, had already declared Him to be the Son of His Right Hand. His name was to be Jesus, for He was to save His People from their Sins.

Christ, God incarnate, had entered our sin riddled world. From his first breath He was to be known as the Man of Sorrows, and He would endure it all because of His love for us. All we like sheep have gone astray, but as Christ suffered the sorrows of this fallen world, He never faltered in His righteousness. He then, like a lamb, willingly went to the slaughter never once opening His mouth in protest. Without fail, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and By His stripes we are healed.

If this Christmas season is passing you by, and the thoughts of our Savior have not yet moved your heart to adoration, through the Spirit's work, may the meditation of our great God and His Gospel invigorate our sin embattled hearts and produce once again the childlike wonder of the Christmas season. Through faith, He is the joy of our salvation. Though sorrow may still be a part of living in this fallen world, you can have joy in the knowledge that any sins over which you mourn, and any sorrows you face, have been conquered by the child who was born in the manger: Jesus Christ the Lord.

Merry Christmas,

Doug Eaton

In Preparation for Christmas

2010-11-30T10:23:00.000-08:00

It is that time again. Thanksgiving has come and gone, and many have already frantically begun to prepare for Christmas. The sales are on, the shoppers are swarming, and the decorations are going up. The preparation has begun, but none of it can compare to the preparation that took place for that first Christmas. Just imagine what it would have been like to not know the Savior as intimately as you do now.

In order to get ready for Christmas it is always helpful to prepare our hearts by thinking of what it must have been like for those of the household of Israel who had been waiting for the Messiah. It all started right after the fall when God told Eve that there would be a seed that would have His heal bruised by the serpent, but He would ultimately crush the serpent’s head. Already, God was promising a remedy for the spiritual death they had brought upon themselves, and all subsequent generations, and also for the physical death that was working in their bodies at that very moment.

As time went on God’s people were taught many things about this coming one who was going to redeem them from the wages of sin. To name a few, they were told that He was going to be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), He would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14), and He would speak in parables (Ps. 78:2-4). On top of all that, He would be hated without reason (Ps. 35:19), He would be spat upon and stuck (Is. 50:6) and He would be pierced (Zech. 12:10), all to save His people by being a substitute for them in order to make atonement for their sins (Is. 53:5). Then in the darkest hour He would be resurrected (Ps 16:10, Ps 49:15).

The prophecies had been progressively revealing details regarding the coming Messiah, and although they did not fully understand it, it gave them hope. But the promise of a Messiah who was to redeem them from the grip of sin is not the same as having Him present and knowing His name. Those among the Hebrews who really believed must have constantly been wondering who He was going to be and must have longed to know His name. Jacob may have wrestled with Him in some preincarnate form, and when Jacob asked Him his name He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name? (Gen. 32:29),”and he was left in mystery. Later, Samson’s father Manoah may have spoke with Him, and though he did not fully understanding at the moment with whom he was speaking, he also asked Him His name and the response was “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful (Judges 13:18). But all of these events were shrouded in mystery for the name was not to be revealed until the fullness of time.

With such wonder, hope, and speculation, they lived for thousands of years, including an approximately 400-year period of time following the prophet Malachi where God seemed to go silent. Then that faithful day came when an angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and said, “You will conceive and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” His name would be Jesus, and He would save His people from their sins! The wait was over. Sinful humanity was to be redeemed, and the one who was to do it was going to be named Jesus!

Oh, how we have sung His name for thousands of years. How long we have known the only name under heaven by which man can be saved. How long it has filled our hearts with joy. We have not only known His name and His teachings, which are and endless supply of light and life, but we have also known Him because He is still with us today, and will be with us always, even unto the end of the world.

As we already know, He bore our sorrows and carried our grief. He took upon Himself our sins, thus ending the condemnation that the law demanded, and He imputes to us His righteousness, making us co-heirs in the inheritance that He so rightly deserves, and we most certainly do not. None of the rapturous joys that fill the believer’s heart would be the same, had it not been for His birth in that lowly stable when God himself took on flesh.

It is easy to be swept away by all the trappings of the season, but the believer must not lose the infinite worth found in Christ, in all the paltry tin of secular add-ons. As you prepare your home this season, be sure preparation is made to spend time with your Savior through meditation on His word and prayer, for no heart is as full as the heart that is filled with Christ.

May the Lord bless you this Christmas season!

Doug

Romans 16: The God of Peace Will Soon Crush Satan under Your Feet

2010-11-27T21:36:00.000-08:00

In Chapter 16 Paul closes out one of the greatest letters ever written. He spends some time on the final greetings then closes with some final instruction. Since the original readers of this letter would have most likely read the entire letter in one sitting, all that Paul had said would still be fresh in their minds as he made his closing statements. In this final study we will look at five phrases made in chapter 16 and relate them to other passages in Romans to recall some of the great things we have learned along the way.

V. 19 “Be wise as to what is good.

Chapter 6:1 & 15 – We are not to continue in sin.
Chapter 8:9 - The Spirit of God dwells in us.
Chapter 12:1 – We are to be living sacrifices.
Chapter 13:9-10 – Love is the summary of the law.
Chapter 14:1 – Care for the weaker brother.
Chapter 15:2-3 – Christ is our example.

V.19 Be “innocent as to what is evil.”

Chapter 1:18 – Do not suppress the truth.
Chapter 3:23 – All have sinned. That includes us.
Chapter 7:15 – Hate sin even you are guilty of it.

V. 20 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

Chapter 1:16 – The Gospel is the Power of God unto salvation.
Chapter 5:1 – We have peace with God.
Chapter 6:9 – Death no longer has dominion.
Chapter 7:24 – He will deliver us from this body of death.
Chapter 8:1 – No condemnation.
Chapter 8:33 – No accusation.
Chapter 8:37-39 - No separation

V. 25 “Now to Him who is able to strengthen you.”

Chapter 5:2-5 – We have hope because of the Holy Spirit’s work.
Chapter 8:28 – Even when Satan buffets it is for our good and God’s glory.
Chapter 8:30 – All He justifies he will glorify.

V. 27 “To the only wise God.

Chapter 3:26 – He can be both just and the justifier of sinners.
Chapter 8:28 – He is working all thing together for good.
Chapter 11:3-5 – There is still a remnant. Don’t trust your own perception over truth.
Chapter 11:33 – Depths of riches, unsearchable judgments, and inscrutable ways.
Chapter 1:16 – The Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation.

Thanksgiving, Gratitude, and Leaness of Soul

2010-11-24T11:32:00.000-08:00

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! Psalm 106:1

Psalm 106 begins by calling the people of God to praise and thanksgiving. The following 12 verses continue by reminding them of God’s great and merciful works. How He showed His power and set them free from the slavery in Egypt, how He parted the Red Sea to get them to safety, and covered their enemies with water. With thoughts like this we see thanksgiving flowing freely from grateful hearts as they remembered the Lord and His mighty works.

Then, a few verses later, we find a drastic change as we are told how they soon forgot His works, and did not seek His counsel. As they were in the wilderness they began to lust for the old flesh pots of Egypt, and began to test God in the wilderness. As they began to demand meat, as if the Lord had not given them something they deserved, we find this in verse 15, “And He gave them their request, but sent leanness of into their soul.”

In the context of this verse, what was happening was that the Lord had given them what they desired, which was meat in the form of quail, but the meat did not satisfy them. The more they ate the less it gave them what that hoped it would, and for some it even caused disease. Ingratitude works much the same way. When we think that we need something more than what God has already given us, we tend to find that when we get what we desired, it does not satisfy. The reason for this is that our true satisfaction is found in feasting upon God through His word, in remembrance of all He has done for us. But when we begin to forget God, and ingratitude begins to set in, it doesn’t matter what we get, we will still want more. If God and His great mercy toward us is not enough to fill our hearts with gratitude, we will find that nothing will.

Gratitude flows freely from a heart that is full of God, mindful of His great works, and aware of His grace to such unworthy and sinful creatures. The sinner, who hungers and thirsts after righteousness and has been filled by the justifying work of Christ, can find themselves in any harsh situation that this life has to offer and still have hearts that rejoice and are full. But the one who has forgotten God’s great works toward them and begins to think they deserve something more, can be in the most pleasant of all earthy positions but will live with souls which are lean.

The same Gospel that saves us from our wretched condition is the same Gospel that will fill our souls with joy for all eternity. We are never to forget how great His love is toward us, that we should be called sons and daughters of God. To go about our lives without this at the center of who we are will cause leanness to our souls that will never be satisfied with anything else we try to put in its place.

This Thanksgiving, and moving on into the Christmas season, if your heart has been forgetful of God’s great love and works toward you, or if you find yourself unsatisfied with what the Lord had done for you, it is time to seek His face and remember His goodness. Do not let one more day pass without spending time in His word, and calling out to Him in prayer, for the greatest holiday meals will not cure the leanness of soul which accompanies ingratitude toward God. And if you have remembered your God and your heart is full with Him, then any lack you face this holiday will not be able to empty the joy and gratitude which fills your Soul.

May all our hearts burst forth with gratitude toward our great God this holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Doug

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100

Questions for Romans 15 – The God of Hope!

2010-11-20T23:35:00.000-08:00

1. (v.3) What does “the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me” mean?

2. (v. 6) What will be the result if we live in harmony with one another?

3. (v. 7) Why should we welcome one another?

4. (v.8-9) Paul speaks of Jews and Gentiles; how does this affect your understanding of this passage?

5. (v. 13 and v. 4) Paul wants us to abound in hope. Where do we find the encouragement to hope?

6. (v.20-22) Why has Paul been hindered in coming to the Romans?

7. (v. 30) In what way does Paul want the original readers of his letter to strive for him?

What were Paul’s prayer requests?

8. What do these prayer requests say about the power of God over the will of men?

9. How does this chapter challenge you in regards to striving for unity with fellow Christians who may be troubled by you, even when you are in the right?

10. Does the fact that God is called “the God of hope” encourage you? If so, why?

11. When we look at the example of Paul’s life in this chapter, do you see anything that we should emulate?

Questions for Romans 14: Stumbling Blocks and Weaker Christians

2010-11-11T23:41:00.000-08:00

The way some people apply Romans 14 would mean that Christian who have freedom in Christ should be constantly walking on eggshells, but is that what Paul was intending? A proper understanding of this chapter will help us to love our fellow Christians who are troubled by something in our life that they may think is a sin but is actually permitted by Scripture. It can also help us in avoiding actual sins ourselves.

1. (V. 4) – What does it mean to judge another?

2. (V.5) – What is Paul talking about when he talks about “esteeming days?”

3. (V.8) – What does it mean “to live and die unto the Lord?”

4. (V. 13) – What does it mean to “put a stumbling block in the way of a brother?”

5. (V.14) – What does Paul mean when he writes, “it is unclean for anyone who thinks it is unclean?”

6. (V.15) – What does it mean to “destroy the one for whom Christ died?”

7. (V.23) – What does it mean when it says, “whoever has doubts is condemned?”

8. What are some examples of things that someone might think is sinful but would actually fall under Christian liberty?

9. Is there any limit to how much we should do to make sure we don't offend a weaker brother?

10. What if your brother thinks reading your Bible in public is prideful? Do you stop reading you Bible around other people?

11. What are some ways you have seen this passage abused?

12. Could it be possible for someone who thinks eating meat offered to idols is a sin, and not a matter of Christian liberty, to simply tolerate it when you do it?

Five Solas of the Reformation

2010-11-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to the most recent radio show I participated in. In it we discussed the five solas of the reformation.

http://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=570:annual-reformation-day-show-2010&catid=43:kkla-995-fm-los-angeles&Itemid=74

Here is a synopsis of the show...

With Special Guests Doug Eaton of Bethel Grace Baptist Church, Pastor Philip George of Calvary Presbyterian Church of Glendale CA, Reverend Kent Moorlach of Communion Presbyterian Church of Irvine CA, Host Christopher Neiswonger of Apologetics.com and callers from across the theological spectrum, this years show is focused upon the influence and thought of Martin Luther and the "Five Solas" of the Reformation for Reformation Day 2010. "Justification by faith alone is the doctrine upon which the church stands or falls" - Martin Luther

The show can also be downloaded in itunes under the apologetics.com podcast.

God Bless,

Doug

The Difficulty of Real and Artificial Character

2010-11-06T19:26:00.001-07:00

"In civilized life, where the happiness, and indeed almost the existence, of man depends so much upon the opinion of his fellow-men, he is constantly acting a studied part. The bold and peculiar traits of native character are refined away or softened down by the levelling influence of what is termed good-breeding, and he practises so many petty deceptions and affects so many generous sentiments for the purposes of popularity that it is difficult to distinguish his real from his artificial character."

Washington Irving

Repentance and Procrastination

2010-10-27T14:16:00.001-07:00

"God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination."

Augustine of Hippo

The Bible Was Not Given to Give Us Information

2010-10-21T14:23:00.000-07:00

When someone tells me that the Bible was not given to give us information but to transform our lives, I always like to ask if they were informed of that by Scripture.

Doug

Questions for Romans 11: All Israel will be Saved

2010-10-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

Today I led a Bible study through Romans chapter 11. Below are the questions we used as we went through the text. In this chapter Paul is speaking of several different groups; National Israel (ethnic Jews), the elect Jews, the elect Gentiles, ethinic Gentiles, all of the elect (both Jews and Gentiles), and all mankind (both Jews and Gentiles). In order to understand this chapter it is important to be constantly asking which group Paul has in mind. If you are up for it, read the chapter and answer these questions. It is a wonderful chapter worth diving into.

Romans 11: 1-6
-What people is Paul referring to when he asks, “Has God’s people been rejected?”
-What is Paul’s answer to this question?
-What group of people is Paul referring to when he speaks of his people whom he "foreknew?"
-What group of people is referred to as the "remnant?"
-Paul says it is “no longer of works.” Has it ever been of works?

Romans 11: 7-16
-What did Israel fail to obtain (see Roman 9:30-32)?
-What did the elect obtain?
-What happened to the rest, and who did it to them?
-What was His purpose in doing that to them?
-What does Israel’s rejection mean for the Gentiles?
-What would Israel’s acceptance mean?

Romans 11: 17-24
-What have the Gentiles been grafted into?
-Why should the Gentiles not boast against the Jews?
-What will happen to the Gentiles if they do not stand fast in the faith?
-What will happen to ethnic Israel if they believe?

Romans 11: 25-27
-What is the mystery that Paul wants us to understand?
-In verse 25, when Paul says “all Israel will be saved,” which group was he referring to.
a. All ethnic Jews who will have ever lived.
b. All the elect (both Jews and Gentiles).
c. A group of ethnic Jews alive in some future generation.

Romans 11: 28-36
-What group of people are the enemies of God for the Gentile’s sake?
-Because of election, what group of people is beloved for the sake of their forefathers?
-What does the fact that God’s calling and gifts are irrevocable have to do with national Israel?
-Who has God consigned to disobedience?
-On whom will God have mercy?
-What is Paul’s point in ending the chapter like he does?

On Ruining Perfection

2010-10-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

‎"Don't paint lilies or garnish the gospel." - Charles Spurgeon

Progress by Turning Back

2010-10-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

‎"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive."

C.S. Lewis

Counting the Cost and Modern Evangelism

2010-10-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus tells people to count the cost before following Him (Luke 14:28), but much of modern evangelism, by hiding the hard truths, says don’t give them a chance.

Doug

Love and Polemics

2010-10-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

When someone attempts to use Paul’s definition of Love in 1 Cor. 13 to tell you that you that you shouldn’t argue against false teaching, they fail to see that that passage is part of a polemic against false teaching.

Doug

Opium and Preaching

2010-10-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

For years opium has been popular because it gives people a false sense of peace and stupefies them to any legitimate fears, which seems to be the same method used to gain popularity by many modern preachers.

Doug

Sad Moments in Church History: Kublai Khan

2010-10-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

In the early 1300’s the Kublai Khan of China requested, through his friendship with Marco Polo, that the Pope send 100 monks to teach them about Christianity. This request was never fulfilled because the church was too busy with their military operations. Mark this: sad moments in Church history.

Doug

C.S. Lewis on the King James Bible and Modern Translations

2010-10-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting perspective on the King James Bible and the need for modern translations by C.S. Lewis. This was originally published as an introduction to J.B. Phillips book, Letters to Young Churches: A Translation of the New Testament Epistles.

____________________________________

It is possible that the reader who opens this volume on the counter of a bookshop may ask himself why we need a new translation of any part of the Bible, and, if of any, why of the Epistles. ‘Do we not already possess’, it may be said, ‘in the Authorised Version the most beautiful rendering which any language can boast?’ Some people whom I have met go further and feel that a modern translation is not only unnecessary but even offensive. They cannot bear to see the time-honoured words altered; it seems to them irreverent.

There are several answers to such people. In the first place the kind of objection which they feel to a new translation is very like the objection which was once felt to any English translation at all. Dozens of sincerely pious people in the sixteenth century shuddered at the idea of turning the time-honoured Latin of the Vulgate into our common and (as they thought) ‘barbarous’ English. A sacred truth seemed to them to have lost its sanctity when it was stripped of the polysyllabic Latin, long heard at Mass and at Hours, and put into ‘language such as men do use’ — language steeped in all the commonplace associations of the nursery, the inn, the stable, and the street. The answer then was the same as the answer now.

The only kind of sanctity which Scripture can lose (or, at least, New Testament scripture) by being modernized is an accidental kind which it never had for its writers or its earliest readers. The New Testament in the original Greek is not a work of literary art: it is not written in a solemn, ecclesiastical language, it is written in the sort of Greek which was spoken over the Eastern Mediterranean after Greek had become an international language and therefore lost its real beauty and subtlety. In it we see Greek used by people who have no real feeling for Greek words because Greek words are not the words they spoke when they were children. It is sort of ‘basic’ Greek; a language without roots in the soil, a utilitarian, commercial and administrative language.

Does this shock us? It ought not to, except as the Incarnation itself ought to shock us. The same divine humility which decreed that God should become a baby at a peasant-woman’s breast, and later an arrested field preacher in the hands of the Roman police, decreed also that He should be preached in a vulgar, prosaic and unliterary language. If you can stomach the one, you can stomach the other. The Incarnation is in that sense, an incurably irreverent doctrine: Christianity, in that sense, an incurably irreverent religion. When we expect that it should have come before the World in all the beauty that we now feel in the Authorised Version we are as wide of the mark as the Jews were in expecting that the Messiah would come as a great earthly King. The real sanctity, the real beauty and sublimity of the New Testament (as of Christ’s life) are of a different sort: miles deeper or further in.

In the second place, the Authorised Version has ceased to be a good (that is, a clear) translation. It is no longer modern English: the meanings of words have changed. The same antique glamour which has made it (in the superficial sense) so ‘beautiful’, so ’sacred’, so ‘comforting’, and so ‘inspiring’, has also made it in many place unintelligible. Thus where St Paul says ‘I know nothing against myself,’ it translates ‘I know nothing by myself.’ That was a good translation (though even then rather old-fashioned) in the sixteenth century: to the modern reader it means either nothing, or something quite different from what St Paul said. The truth is that if we are to have translation at all we must have periodical re-translation. There is no such thing as translating a book into another language once for all, for a language is a changing thing. If your son is to have clothes it is no good buying him a suit once for all: he will grow out of it and have to be re-clothed.

And finally, though it may seem a sour paradox — we must sometimes get away from the Authorised Version, if for no other reason, simply because it is so beautiful and so solemn. Beauty exalts, but beauty so lulls. Early associations endear but they also confuse. Through that beautiful solemnity the transporting or horrifying realities of which the Book tells may come to us blunted and disarmed and we may only sigh with tranquil veneration when we ought to be burning with shame or struck dumb with terror or carried out of ourselves by ravishing hopes and adorations. Does the word ’scourged’ really come home to us like ‘flogged’? Does ‘mocked him’ sting like ‘jeered at him’?

We ought therefore to welcome all new translations (when they are made by sound scholars) and most certainly those who are approaching the Bible for the first time will be wise not to begin with the Authorised Version — except perhaps for the historical books of the Old Testament where its anachronisms suit the saga-like material well enough. … It would have saved me a great deal of labour if this book had come into my hands when I first seriously began to try to discover what Christianity was.

-C.S. Lewis-

God and Public Policy

2010-10-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

It seems these days that the only people who are allowed to influence the State and its public policy with their views of God, are those who believe that God does not exist and those who believe that even if He does exist He would want a completely secular government where he is removed from the picture.

Doug

Capitalism and the Nature of Man

2010-10-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Why is it that people attack capitalism by stating that it is driven by greed and assume that man is basically evil and cannot be trusted with their success, yet in their “redistribution of wealth” models they assume that man is virtuous and will continue to be industrious to produce wealth for the country to redistribute even when their success is taken away from them and used at the government’s discretion?

Doug

God and the Establishment Clause

2010-09-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

If the founders were moved to include the establishment clause in the Constitution because of their understanding of God, was that a violation of the establishment clause?

Doug

Continue in the Scriptures

2010-09-27T23:58:00.000-07:00

It is important that we continually be reading Scripture because we continually have new questions that need to be illuminated by its light.

Doug

Deceived to Believe the Truth

2010-09-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

If we use an argument that we know is fallacious simply because we know most people will not catch the fallacy and it will move them closer to the truth, we are being deceptive.

Doug

The Empiricist's Dilemma

2010-09-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

To rationalize that you should only believe things you can experience with your senses is to argue for the invalidity of your rational, since rationality itself cannot be tasted, touched, seen, heard, or smelled.

Doug

It's Better to be Called a Hypocrite

2010-09-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

It is better to be called a hypocrite by those who think everything is a sin, than spending a long period of time trying to please them only to find out that you are actually wearing a mask of religiosity that you do not really believe.

Doug

Searing the Conscience and Quenching the Spirit

2010-09-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

"The more often [a man] feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and in the long run, the less he will be able to feel."

- C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters-

On Pitting Paul Against Jesus - C.S. Lewis

2010-09-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

“In the earlier history of every rebellion there is a stage at which you do not yet attack the King in person. You say, ‘The King is all right. It is his Ministers who are wrong. They misrepresent him and corrupt all his plans –which, I’m sure, are good plans if only the Ministers would let them take effect.’ And the first victory consists in beheading a few Ministers: only at a later stage do you go on and behead the King himself. In the same way, the nineteenth-century attack on St. Paul was really only a stage in the revolt against Christ. Men were not ready in large numbers to attack Christ Himself. They made the normal first move—that of attacking one of His principal ministers. Everything they disliked in Christianity was therefore attributed to St. Paul. It was unfortunate that their case could not impress anyone who had really read the Gospels and the epistles with attention: but apparently few people had, and so the first victory was won. St. Paul was impeached and banished and the world went on to the next step—the attack on the King Himself.”

-C.S. Lewis-

The Reason For Democracy

2010-09-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

"A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government. The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they’re not true. . . I find that they’re not true without looking further than myself. I don’t deserve a share in governing a hen-roost, much less a nation. The real reason for democracy is: Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows."

-C.S. Lewis-

Glenn Beck, Mormonism, and Christians

2010-09-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

It seems that there is a crucial distinction that needs to be made when it comes to Glenn Beck, his Mormonism, and his cause which many evangelical Christians are supporting. Based on what can be seen online so far, this distinction seems to be rising to the surface but has not yet been clearly defined. This distinction is between Beck’s promotion of conservative ideals (many of which seem to be Biblical), and the Gospel and his understanding of God. The first distinction is that there are many things on which evangelical Christians and Mormons can agree. For example, we can agree on the importance of family, the sanctity of life, the institution of marriage, and many other ideals which are clearly grounded in the Word of God. It is upon these very issues, and many others, that we can unite to combat the erosion that is taking place to the foundational principles upon which this nation was built. And this is a crucial fight since these are the very principles that were established in the constitution to combat tyranny and oppression. As we peruse the internet, is seems that one flaw is that many Christians are blind to this aspect of the commands of scripture. We are to free the oppressed and safeguard others so they will not be oppressed in the future. Another flaw is that others seem to see it as our sole calling. In other words they seems to equate Christianity with doing those things, and as long as you do them you are a Christian regardless of who you think Jesus was and what he accomplished while he was on this earth.

This leads us to the second distinction that needs to be made, and that involves the Gospel and the commands of scripture surrounding it. We must have the discernment to realize that Beck’s understanding of God and the Gospel is contrary to the truth of God’s word. First, his understanding of God is that the godhead entails a god the father and god the mother. These two began to produce spirit children, two of whom were Jesus and Lucifer. In the Mormon view Jesus is a created being and not the eternal God. Second, their understanding of the Gospel is that what Jesus accomplished on the cross is not center of our hope. In the Mormon view, what Jesus accomplished on the cross will only get people to the first level of heaven, which is still often equated with damnation. To them, the Gospel entails all the works you can do to get to the third level of heaven in order to become a god over your own universe. This of course is a seriously false Gospel. Now one of the main arguments made by some who argue that we should support Beck is that the Scriptures command us to stand for righteousness, and to neglect this is to neglect many commands of scripture. On this every Christian should wholeheartedly agree, but we are also commanded to stand against false teaching and false Gospels. To argue, like some have, that Beck is lifting up the name of Jesus, or that he is crying out so that the rocks will not have to, also seems to neglect crucial commands of Scripture. Beck is neither lifting up the true Jesus, nor is he fulfilling the words of Scripture when it says, if you do not praise him, these rocks will cry out.

In conclusion, there are many areas where we can agree and unite, and, as some have suggested, maybe even praise God that he has raised up a man to promote those truths (for the Lord often uses the unregenerate to accomplish his purposes), and Christians need to understand this and not throw the baby out with the bathwater. It also seems important to keep in mind that Beck’s primary work has very little, if anything, to do with the Gospel. On the other hand we must also not be so blindsided with the things we can agree upon, that we neglect our due diligence to the commands of scripture in other areas. We must be discerning and, with the same emphasis as Scripture, emphasize the importance of the purity of the Gospel. And even though Beck’s primary work has little to do with preaching the Mormon gospel, the minute he invokes the name of Jesus, or uses the word “God,” we must be aware that he means something very specific by these terms. To believe that anyone can interpret those terms any way they want and that authorial intent does not matter, is imbibing in the very postmodern thought that is driving much of the secular liberalism which they are trying to combat. And worse, they are saying that the authorial intent (God’s meaning) of scripture doesn’t really matter either, as long as it helps us meet some pragmatic end.

Doug

A Horrific Error

2010-09-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hadley Arkes once pointed out that at one particular holocaust display you will find a vast vat filled with shoes. These were the shoes of the victims that the Nazis kept because they saw them as valuable. The most horrific error in this is that they discarded the human life made in the image of God and who has an eternal existence, and saw the shoes as “the real durables.” But isn’t this always the case with the deceitfulness of sin? It will always lead us to discard what is really durable in exchange for what is passing away.

Doug

Do You Find the Hard Saying of Our Lord Hard?

2010-08-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

If we read a verse like, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven," and it causes us to reel in pleasure over many false professors of Christianity who will be excluded on the final day, it is time to check our own hearts. C.S. Lewis said it well when he said, "The hard sayings of our Lord are wholesome to those only who find them hard."

Doug

Do You Trust the Bible In the Hands of New Believers?

2010-08-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

If you are afraid to hand a new believer a Bible and say read, because you are worried that if you are not there to explain it to them they might end up with theological beliefs contrary to yours, you might be holding to the wrong theological system.

Doug

Why are the "Coexist" Folks Always Telling Me I'm Wrong?

2010-08-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Why are the "Coexist" folks always telling me I'm wrong in believing in the exclusivity of Christianity? Why won't they "coexist" with me? Oh... that's right; they believe their understanding of religion is the only correct one and that everyone who disagrees needs to be converted.

Doug

The Tyranny of Sin

2010-06-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

I saw the effects of it today in an old friend who is being ravished by a disease that has attacked his mental capacities to the point he has lost the ability to speak. I saw it in another friend who is fighting with the grief of losing their spouse to illness. It reared its head in the news of another family friend who found out their six year old has cancer and will be heading to chemo. Why is there any of this in the world? The short answer is sin. One man’s disobedience unleashed a torrent guilt, condemnation, sickness, and death. All sickness and death is a result of sin, even when the person suffering may not be suffering because of any specific act of sin in their life.

Seldom do we think about it with as much seriousness as we should, but it is all around us. It ravishes both those we love and those we consider enemies. Quite often, we play with it as if it were some tame animal that could never turn on us, but in reality, the only reason we think little of it is because it has already turned on us and has us under its sway. Scripture speaks of the exceeding deceitfulness of sin, and part of that deceitfulness is that it convinces us of its harmlessness, but when we see the havoc it has released upon this world we should think twice. The truth of the matter is that the sicknesses and death that plagues us are not the biggest problem. All have sinned and fallen short, our sin condemns us before a holy and just God, and part of its tyranny is to convince us that though we may not be perfect, we certainly don’t deserve the wrath of God. The deceitfulness of sin doesn’t stop there, it goes on and moves us to suppress the truth when we hear it and reject the very remedy for our condition.

Yet, by the grace of God, Scripture does not stop there; it goes on to tell us that, through Christ, all who have faith in Him have peace with God, and have been set free from sin (Rom 6:18). Though this does not mean we will never have to fight with our old nature, it does mean that the fact that we have turned to Christ is because the Lord, through his grace, has released us from sin’s ultimate deception. On top of this, he has promised that He will complete the work He has started in us.

This promise of Christ completing His work in us deals primarily with sanctification, but it doesn’t stop there. All of sin’s tyranny will ultimately be destroyed for the believer. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we too will be resurrected. Though we were sown perishable we will be raised imperishable. Though we have been sown in dishonor we will be raised in glory. And though we have been sown in weakness we will be raised in power (1 Cor. 15:42-43). Even though through one man’s trespass, death has reigned, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). So when you look around and see the ravishing effects of sin in yourself and the lives of those around you; remember to take sin seriously, and to trust in Christ who is greater than the tyranny of sin. For there is no condemnation, there is no disease, and there is no death as powerful as the life given to us in Christ, which is our hope of glory.

Doug

The Difference Between Might-Makes-Right and the Right Being Mighty

2010-06-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

“Your claim is without God might makes right, then what's the difference? God says follow me or die. Worship me or burn.”

(A response to a friend)

There is a big difference between might making right and the standard of right being mighty. The difference is this; the atheistic worldview has no ground to claim that the mighty are right or wrong other than a subjective opinion, and the fact that the Christian worldview’s standard for ethics is mighty in no way disqualifies it from being a standard for ethics. In other words, anytime an atheist argues that something is not the way it “ought” to be, they contradict their worldview, because it cannot provide a solid base for what ought to be. Whereas the Christian, no matter how mighty their standard is, is not contradicting their worldview. This type of question tends to be a red herring since it neither alleviates the atheist from their conundrum, nor does it prove that God is not the standard for ethics.

God Bless,

Doug

Sacrifice and the Christian Life

2010-05-31T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a new episode of the www.apologetics.com radio featuring Donald McConnell, Jeff Saltzmann, and myself. This show can also be downloaded as a podcast in itunes. Simply search apologetics.com in the itunes store and click the link for the podcast.

Sacrifice and the Christian Life

Over the memorial weekend we take time honor those who sacrifice to defend our freedoms. These men and women choose to protect and defend others even over their own safety. This idea of sacrifice runs all through Christianity. From the Old Testament sacrifices, to the sacrifices made by Christ in taking on flesh and being obedient even unto death. It is in Christ's example that the Christian is to model his or her life. For scripture tells us in 1 Peter 4:1 "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking."

In this show join host Donald McConnell, Dean of Trinity Law school; Jeff Saltzmann, Pastor of Bethel Grace Baptist Church in Bellflower; and Doug Eaton of Trinity Law School as they discuss "Sacrifice and the Christian Life." Join them as they look at questions such as, "Why did God demand the sacrifice of animals in the Old Testament? Did those sacrifices actually atone for sin? What did Paul mean when he said he was filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, "What apologetic role does suffering play?" The panel will also be spending some time looking at three chapters from Calvin's Institutes that deal with this aspect of the Christian life; On Self-Denial, On Bearing Our Cross, and On Meditating on the future life.

God Bless,

Doug

Safety and Sin

2010-05-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Feeling safe while playing with sin is the epitome of ignorance.

Doug

Deliverance and Affliction

2010-05-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

Often when we cry out to the Lord to deliver us from some trial or suffering, He speaks to us through His word and tells us that He is actually using the affliction to deliver us from something greater than the trial itself.

God Bless,

Doug

Filled with the Power of God

2010-05-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

When we pray to be filled with the power of God, we often expect to be endued with power and self-confidence, but instead the Lord often humbles us and allows us to see our own brokenness and need for Him in a more profound way. He must increase, but we must decrease (John 3:30).

Doug

Weakness, Displeasure, and True Enjoyment

2010-05-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

"I am weak, but the Lord gave strength in the time of need." Quite often this seems to be the description of the Christian's daily life, and though being weak can produce times of displeasure and struggle in areas where most people think happiness is to be found, in it we see God glorified which constitutes our true enjoyment (2 Cor. 12:9).

Doug

Social Justice and the Nature of Man

2010-04-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Social justice seems to be something that everyone should be working toward, but why is there often differences of opinion between conservatives and liberals on the topic?

Fundamentalistic Anti-Fundamentalists

2010-04-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

When someone throws out the term fundamentalist in a pejorative sense without providing an answer to a logical argument, they are guilty of participating in the very aspects of the term they are attempting to condemn, because calling someone a name in hopes that their argument will go away is a closed minded attempt to disparage someone into submission.

Doug

Which Version of the Bible Do You Believe is Inerrant?

2010-04-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

(A response to a friend)

Regarding which Bible version I find to be inerrant, I am not a KJV onlyist. I believe the scriptures are inerrant in their original form, and I believe that we have those original words in the 1000's of early manuscripts that can still be studied today, but some of it is complicated. Studying those is where we will find the 100% word for word inerrancy. I also believe we have those original words translated into English (except for a few textual variances) in a few of the translations such as the KJV, NKJV, and the NASB, among others. My not coming to a decision on which one is the best of all (because the variants are obvious) is not due to the fact that I believe that one is not more correct than the other, but because I have not done a complete study on all the variants; which means I am still growing and learning in this area and not opposed to being corrected.

When it comes to the KJV, I believe it is one of the best translations, but I do not believe it is the standard by which all translations should be judged.

God Bless,

Doug

Relativistic Statements About Absolute Truth

2010-04-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

When someone attempts to temper their epistemological relativism by saying that it is true that absolutes exist but as humans we are unable to know them, it is important to remember that their statement that “absolutes exist” is, according to their own philosophy, something that is not absolutely true. So logically what they are really saying is that any statement that says absolutes exist is necessarily untrue.

Doug

What is Justice?

2010-04-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Is justice relative to the individual or will of the community, or is there actually a place where justice is grounded? In this short clip Dean Donald McConnell of Trinity Law School gives a few thoughts.

Illness as a Gift of God

2010-04-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Because of our sinful nature, health can often produce in us an overconfidence in our own strength, in those times, illness is often God's gift to us to wake us from our delusions.

Doug

God, Events, and Meaning (Video)

2010-04-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

The Redistribution of Wealth and Social Justice

2010-04-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Everyone who believes that redistribution of wealth equals social justice, needs to understand the following.

"There might be some truth in that the State is God’s means to answering injustice but it is by no means clear who the unjust ones are. People are not right because they are poor; neither are they right because they are rich; people are right when their cause is just. Some people are rich because they abused the poor, which is another way of saying they stole their money. Some people are rich because they suffered and postponed trivial and fleshly indulgence for the betterment of their families and community, and when the leftists steal their money they are certainly the oppressor. The rich are not as easy to oppress as the poor but they are the more attractive target." - Christopher Neiswonger

God, Events, and Meaning

2010-04-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

Only in a universe created and governed by a personal, sovereign, and rational God; can events have meaning. To believe that any event in our lives happened for a reason while denying such a God is a serious flaw in reasoning.

Doug

Theology and the Traditions of Men

2010-03-31T15:40:00.000-07:00

When people say that they don't like to get into theology because they would rather listen to the Spirit of God than the traditions of man, they often say it because they have bought into an unbiblical tradition of man.

Doug

Are Atheists Free Thinkers?

2010-03-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

Atheists often argue that they are free thinkers, but is this acutally the case?

Doug

Understanding the Problem of Evil

2010-03-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

The academic problem of evil comes up quit often when talking about theology and non-Christian worldviews, but often many people do not fully understand the debate. This video gives a brief overview.

Doug

Christianity and Character

2010-03-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

As Christians, because we have fallen short, we understand that our character profits us nothing before a holy and just God, but when the Lord illuminates our hearts and minds to understand this, it moves us to humility, compassion, and patience which is an improvement upon our character.

Doug

Why Pop Culture Often Lacks Virtue - Ken Myers

2010-01-26T16:48:00.000-08:00

"Popular culture is unimaginable without mass-media, which is in turn unimaginable without advertising, which would not survive in a cultural climate that places a premium on modesty, chastity, frugality, simplicity, and contentment. So those virtues will necessarily be alien to popular culture, even if the people wanted them there."

-Ken Myers-

Sanctified Affliction Seldom Seems Sanctified

2010-01-11T10:15:00.000-08:00

The Trouble with Sanctified Affliction.

2010-01-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

One of the troubling things about sanctified affliction is how unsanctified it can appear while you are going through it, but this should be expected since the Lord is often drawing the dross to the surface in order to remove it.

Doug

A Lamp in the Window (A True Christmas Story)

2009-12-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

Here is a wonderful and true Christmas story from a friend of mine. When things seem dark, sometimes a lamp is right around the corner.

A Lamp in the Window

Merry Christmas,

Doug

Importunate Prayer

2009-12-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

It is interesting how God seems to be moved by our importunate prayers, but that should not suprise us, because the only time we seem to offer importunate prayers is when He is moving us.

Doug

What Troubles You?

2009-12-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

"Were any of us asked seriously, what it is that troubles us, we must refer it to one of these heads:— either we want strength or power, vigour and life, in our obedience, in our walking with God; or we want peace, comfort, and consolation therein. Whatever it is that may befall a believer that doth not belong to one of these two heads, doth not deserve to be mentioned in the days of our complaints." -John Owen

What Your Lust is Working Towards

2009-12-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

"Take heed, this is that thy lust is working towards, — the hardening of the heart, searing of the conscience, blinding of the mind, stupifying of the affections, and deceiving of the whole soul." - John Owen

Christmas Hope (For the Hurting)

2009-12-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Christmas, Heartache, and the Christian

2009-12-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

Many people have trouble celebrating Christmas because of the pain and heartache they are facing. But for the Christian, pain and heartache is often used by the Lord to move us into a deeper celebration, because we realize that the one we are celebrating is our ultimate redemption from all pain and heartache.

Doug

More Conservative than Scripture (Video)

2009-12-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

Being more conservative than Scripture is no more praiseworthy than being more liberal than Scripture.

Doug

Hope in Chastisement

2009-12-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

Since God chastises those He loves, here is a great verse to keep in mind when His hand is heavy upon us for our sins, “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up." Hosea 6:1

Doug

Please Pray for Bobby Grow

2009-12-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

Please keep my friend Bobby Grow and his wife Angela Grow in prayer as he battles cancer and if the Lord is leading you to help them out, you can find out how to do so at the link.

A Day at the Oncologist: A Full-Fledged Health Update, and Real Life Request for Help «

Doug

Empty Deceit and "Christian" Self-help

2009-12-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

To the atheist, the conscience is the end product of a long line of evolutionary and social conditioning, so when it bothers them they are not really guilty of anything. As James Sire puts it, they are really only guilty of guilt. This is why we live in a culture of therapy. The goal is to rid ourselves of the feeling of guilt instead of the guilt itself. Unfortunately, we see this being translated into many churches as sin and the cross of Christ are ignored and replaced with a "Christian" self-help regimen. So even under the name of Jesus, empty deceit can hold sway.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

-Colossians 2:8-

Doug Eaton

A Shepherd's Christmas

2009-12-01T10:37:00.000-08:00

To hear the shepherds tell their story must have been wonderful.

More Conservative Than Scripture

2009-11-30T14:53:00.000-08:00

Being more conservative than scripture is no more praiseworthy than being more liberal than scripture.

Doug

The Funny Thing About a False Belief

2009-11-24T16:01:00.000-08:00

The funny thing about a false belief is how beautiful and strong it can often appear before reality applies its pressure. Take for example the person who believes that God would never want his people to face affliction because he loves them so much that he couldn’t stand to see them suffer. During the good times, this idea has a way of sounding beautiful in that it encourages them to believe that God, in his affections toward them, is going to always keep them at peace. It can also give the perception of strength as they think of the all the dangers of this life, yet feel hedged in by a God that would never let their foot slip into distress. But when the person who holds to this false notion is tested in the furnace of affliction, they will out find how quickly it begins to crumble. In the midst of suffering they will either have to admit that their God, who does not want them to suffer, either does not exist, or he is not powerful enough to stop it. Either way, what they trusted in is gone right when they needed it the most. We must build our life upon the Word of God, because when the storms come, everything else will be washed away.

Doug Eaton

The Problem with Many "Seeker" Churches

2009-11-24T14:51:00.000-08:00

The problem with many “seeker” churches, is that they really don’t understand people who are truly seeking after God. Usually, the person who is seeking God, is under the conviction of their sin and trying to understand how a just God could forgive them, and unfortunately, the guilt of sin and the justice of God are two things many seeker churches avoid mentioning in order to not annoy the "seeker."

Doug Eaton

Application Without Exegesis: A Destructive Trend

2009-11-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

Exegesis is foundational to understand scripture’s application to our lives. The problem is that many in the church want to hear the application without doing the work of the exegete. In many cases this has also been translated into the way many preachers preach. In order to keep congregants happy, they are given large amounts of life application with little if any scriptural content. This puts both the preacher and the congregant in a dangerous position, because now neither the preacher nor the churchgoer is tethered to the text. Two major problems can arise in the life of the church member because of this. First, even if the application of scripture is correct, when it is challenged by those who disagree, the church member is left defenseless when it comes to defending this truth biblically. And second, if the application is not truly derived from scripture, then the church member has been sold some kind self-help scheme as if were a “biblical principle.” And when this self help scheme eventually lets them down, not only will they be disappointed in the church, but they may even start to believe scripture is no longer trustworthy. This is indeed a destructive trend.

-Doug Eaton-

10 Ways Daily Bible Reading Will Enhance Corporate Worship

2009-11-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

1. When a scripture is read you will already have some idea of the context of the passage and be able to draw more from it.

2. As you sing songs in worship you will recognize many of the passages of scriptures alluded to in the music, which will enrich the truths they are communicating.

3. You will better understand the significance of the ordinances like baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which will make you be able to see more of the imagery of the law and gospel in them.

4. As you study the text while it is being preached, you will be able to relate it to other passages of scripture not included in the sermon.

5. During discussion times you will better be able to contribute to discussions and edify others.

6. You will have a greater hunger for the word because you have been feeding on it and finding satisfaction in it. This hunger takes away much of the dryness that some people experience when attending church and makes it a pleasure to be in the house of the Lord.

7. In times of fellowship you will be able to apply the scripture to people’s lives as they talk about their daily joys and struggles.

8. It will reveal your sinfulness and give you strength as you fight against the indwelling sin in your own life, and make you better able to strengthen others. And better understanding this struggle produces contrition and begins to eliminate the pride which causes unneeded divisions in many churches.

9. As you desire success for your church, you will better understand what true church success is, and it will keep you trusting in the Lord who gives the increase instead of trusting in worldly tactics as you seek growth.

10. Since the Word moves us to prayer, you will be more prayerful as you spend time in the Lord’s house which is called a house of prayer.

This list is designed to let people know a few of the ways daily bible reading will enhance the corporate worship in bible teaching churches. If you attend a church where the bible is neglected and pop psychology is the main course, attending those types of churches while engaged in daily bible reading will only frustrate you. This is because you will find that motivational “preaching” neglects the main themes that run throughout scripture and replaces theology with therapy and replaces redemption with a self-help regimen. Of course even that frustration is a good thing.

-Doug Eaton-

The Cities of Refuge: Sermon on Youtube

2009-11-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

Lane Chaplin has graciously posted the Cities of Refuge sermon on youtube.

Doug

Christ Our Refuge (Christ in the Cities of Refuge)

2009-10-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to a sermon I preached recently on the cities of refuge and how they point to Christ. The text is Joshua 20. The MP3 can also be downloaded at the link.

Christ our Refuge

God Bless,

Doug