devotional

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 14

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Day 14

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 8.

“The Old Testament in Hebrew, (which was the Native language of the people of God of old)…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 3:2. Who had the “oracles of God”?

Reflection

Hebrew.

The language of the Israelites.

Different from English. Different alphabet. Different reading order. (English is read from left to right; Hebrew is read from right to left.)

The Old Testament is written in this language. God’s word revealed to the people of Israel.

Sometimes it can be difficult to see the usefulness of the Old Testament. Israel seems to have been a culture so different from Western society. Animal sacrifice, miracles and prophecy, wars and famines.

They sinned. We sin.

God chose them to be a people set apart. God has chosen us to be a people set apart.

They looked forward to a savior. We look back to the savior.

When we read about God’s dealings with Israel, we see how universal is the human condition of sin. We see how people throughout history have rejoiced and despaired, and we see the power, compassion, and mercy of God demonstrated in the history of Israel. A redeemer is promised from its earliest pages.

The God of the Old Testament is the same God we worship. The Old Testament is His word to us as well.

Not so different after all.

Questions to Consider

  • What is your view of the Old Testament?
  • Have you ever considered learning Hebrew? Why or why not?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 13

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Day 13

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 7.

“…yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for Salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.”

Scripture Lookup

Psalm 19:7. What does the testimony of the Lord do?

Psalm 119:130. Can those of low intelligence understand God’s word?

Reflection

The Bible has some passages that are hard to understand. Yet God in His goodness and mercy has made the way of salvation comprehensible to all levels of intellect. There is no “secret knowledge” about the Gospel. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to have the smarts necessary to know how to gain eternal life.

For there is no partiality with God. -Romans 2:11 (NASB)

…God is not one to show partiality…-Acts 10:34 (NASB)

You might not know all the ins and outs of covenant theology, or supralapsarianism vs. infralapsarianism, but you can understand what must be believed to have saving faith. Scripture is clear and direct about the gospel.

This simplicity of the gospel makes any lack of evangelism on the part of the Christian inexcusable.  We know that our message of sin and salvation can be understood by the intelligent and the ignorant alike, and so we must be sure to bring the gospel news to all. It can be clearly known. We must know it. We must share it.

Questions to Consider

  • Can you articulate the gospel?
  • Do you show partiality when it comes to sharing the gospel?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 12

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Day 12

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 7

“All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all;…”

Scripture Lookup

2 Peter 3:16. What does Peter say is hard to understand?

Reflection

There are churches that preach the Gospel. Yet how they understand other matters of Christian theology and practice differ. One example would be Reformed Baptist churches and Reformed Presbyterian churches. Both preach a saving Gospel, yet how and to whom  baptism is to be administered differs between the two groups. Another example would be whether women should wear headcoverings in worship. Some earnest Christians believe Scripture clearly teaches such a notion; yet other, equally earnest Christians do not think it such a clear-cut issue. How do we determine who is correct?

The approach to Scripture’s hard teachings varies. Some throw up their hands and decide to not bother with what these difficult parts of Scripture say.”Who cares? As long as they preach the gospel, anything else doesn’t matter.” Others say that they have no need for commentaries or aid from learned pastors and teachers: “The Bible states it, therefore I know it means this and don’t need any opinions of man!” Neither of these stances respect or recognize the efforts of God-fearing, gifted theologians who have wrestled with the difficult texts in order to aid the Church.

Our approach should be different than nonchalance or stubborn pride. There are parts of Scripture that take work -yes, work!- to understand, and there are conflicting views concerning their meaning, but that should not scare us from rolling up our sleeves and putting forth the effort. We also should make use of the resources available to us in comprehending these portions of God’s Word. Most importantly, we should humbly trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.

Questions to Consider

  • What are some parts of Scripture you find hard to understand?
  • Are you patient with Christians who have a different understanding of secondary issues?
  • Are you willing to strive toward a clearer understanding of these hard passages?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 11

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Day 11

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 6

 “…and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church common to humane actions and societies; which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.”

Scripture Lookup

1 Corinthians 11:13,14. Is Scripture or nature appealed to in this passage?

1 Corinthians 14:26,40. What is the guideline for worship given in these verses?

Reflection

How do you determine what time a church service should start? If you should use chairs or pews to sit in? Where to meet? What lighting to use?

Decisions regarding the worship of God should always be directed by Scripture. Some elements are essential; these are mentioned clearly in the Bible. There is freedom, though, in choosing those elements that are circumstantial – that aid us in our worship. Chairs for the comfort of members during church would be an example of prudent thinking, although not mentioned as necessary in Scripture.Holding a service in a store-front building is as valid as meeting under a tree. LED lights or candlelight can be used to light the room.

Since God is the Creator of nature and reason, it makes sense that some circumstances between the Christian life and the secular life would be similar. God would not have us doing things that make no rhyme or reason. While Christians are not of this world, we and the world do share a sense of order. As long as the general guidelines of Scripture are obeyed, we are free to use our own common sense and wisdom in determining surroundings and circumstances that aid in worship services.

Questions to Consider

  • What are essential elements of worship?
  • What are circumstantial elements of worship?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 9

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Day 9

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 6

“The whole Counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory, Man’s Salvation, Faith and Life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new Revelation of the spirit, or traditions of men.”

Scripture Lookup

2 Timothy 3:15-17. What are the Scriptures able to do?

Galatians 1:8,9. Should other gospels be preached?

Reflection

Is the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants, both used by Mormons, a reliable guide to salvation? What about the writings of Ellen G. White, who influenced Seventh-Day Adventism? Or the teachings of Ann Lee, founder of the Shakers? They may have different beliefs, but they all claim to follow the same set of Scriptures that Christians do.

There are differences between those groups and Christians, though, important ones. Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, and Shakers all had prophecies and revelations supposedly given to them by God. Thus they adopted various beliefs and practices that veered away from the clear teaching and logical deductions contained in the Bible. Looking at Galatians 1, we read that it doesn’t matter who is doing the preaching – if that preaching is pointing you to a Gospel that is not the one found in the Scriptures, it is false and those preaching it are accursed. Those are scary and harsh words! Yet they show just how important Scripture is, how powerful Scripture is, and how grievous is any teaching that deviates from it.

“Alright,” you may argue, “so Scripture is to be my authority in religion, but what about everyday life? The Bible doesn’t help me explain mathematics or teach me geography or politics. Does that mean I shouldn’t pay attention to those things? Or does the Bible have no authority in those matters?”

All that you need to know for God’s glory and your salvation, faith and life are found in Scripture. While it may not teach you explicitly about the world we live in, it does provide a framework and guidelines to aid us in how we approach learning and living in this world. Sam Waldron in his 1689:  A Modern Exposition writes:

When we remember that the area of religion and ethics is the supreme sphere of human life and knowledge, we become increasingly aware of the magnitude and value of this doctrine of the sufficiency of the Scriptures. Though it is not an assertion of the omni-sufficiency of the Scriptures, it is saying that they are sufficient to be the basis and starting-point for every other scientific endeavor. The Scriptures are not a textbook of biology, but they sufficiently provide those ethical and religious perspectives basic to any proper science of biology.

So value Scripture highly. Recognize its place as “the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving Knowledge, Faith and Obedience.”

Questions to Consider

  • If you haven’t memorized 2 Timothy 3:16-17, take some time to do so.
  • Have there been “new revelations” or “traditions of men” that you have followed?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 7

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Day 7

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 4

“The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the Author thereof; therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.”

Scripture Lookup

2 Peter 1:19-21. Are Scriptures solely a man-made document?

2 Timothy 3:16. How is Scripture described in this passage?

1 Thessalonians 2:13. Are these the words of men, or of God?

1 John 5:9. Whose testimony or witness is it?

Reflection

Should you believe and obey the Bible because your church says so?

Should you believe and obey the Bible because of the great men who wrote the various books it contains?

No and no.

While the Church may recognize the authority of Scripture, the Church does not hold power over Scripture. The only reason why we should believe and obey the Bible is because it is God’s Word. While God used the personalities and and talents of various men throughout history to declare His truth, it is His truth that is contained in there. If God is Truth, He does not lie. His Word, therefore, does not lie.

Strictly speaking the books became part of the canon the moment the ink dried on the page. They were breathed out by God. They were God’s word. But only when gathered together over an extended time was it possible for any church, and then for the entire church, to recognise them as a whole as the canon.-Sinclair Ferguson, From the Mouth of God. (Banner of Truth, Carlisle PA. 2014)

The Almighty Creator of the universe and all that it contains has breathed out the Scriptures. They are powerful words that reveal His character and will. They are a display of His majesty and glory. Trust them. Submit to them. And most of all, trust in and submit to their Author.

Questions to Consider:

  • Do you view Scripture as the word of God?
  • Are you spending time learning God’s word and submitting to its authority?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 5

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Day 5

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 2

“Under the Name of Holy Scripture or the Word of God written; are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament which are these,

Of the Old Testament.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

Of the New Testament.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Phillippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, The first and second Epistles of Peter, The first, second and third Epistles of John, Jude, the Revelation.

All of which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of Faith and Life.”

Scripture Lookup

2 Timothy 3:16. What are the uses for Scripture?

Reflection

Ever hear of “Sword Drills”?

I didn’t grow up in a faith tradition that did this, but from what I understand it was a game in Sunday School classes. Students would hold their Bibles over their heads and wait for the teacher to call out a book, chapter and verse of the Bible. Then the students would race through the pages to be the first to reach that citation and read it out loud.

We’ve learned that Scripture is an awesome gift to the church. It is the word of God written, after all! Shouldn’t we know what comprises it, then? As our Western culture grows less and less Biblically literate, knowing what books are in the Bible becomes more and more important. “Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels.“

Memorizing the books of the Bible in order can be a great first step in getting comfortable with the Bible. You’ll know when someone quotes Hezekiah they’re either joking or are truly ignorant. You won’t be dependent upon the search function of your phone when looking up a passage in Nahum. You’ll know Jude is in the New Testament. It will be that much easier to be acquainted with the canon, the rule of faith and life.

Questions to consider:

  • Can you name the books of the Bible?
  • Can you name them in order?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 4

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Day 4

Of The Holy Scriptures

 Chapter 1, Paragraph 1

“…and afterward for the better preserving, and propagating of the Truth, and for the more sure Establishment, and Comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the World, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.”

Scripture Lookup

Proverbs 22:19-21. According to the passage, what is used to help make truth known?

Romans 15: 4. What does Scripture offer?

2 Peter 1:19,20. How does Peter describe the prophetic word that he and the apostles declare?

Reflection

After learning of all the exciting and miraculous ways God revealed Himself in the past, it can be easy to long for such a supernatural experience ourselves. Those events sound like a spectacular summer blockbuster movie! In contrast, Scripture can sometimes seem like a dry documentary. However, when we realize just how much of a treasure Scripture is, we see how its light is brighter than any revelation that came before.

The written Word, or Holy Scriptures, reveal God and His will to His people. While it complements those former manners in which God revealed Himself, it nonetheless surpasses those former ways. Scripture does a better job at keeping that truth available than what came before. Scripture does a better job at spreading that truth than the former ways. By having God’s will committed to writing, the information can be disseminated more easily than through a single prophet in a single point in history.

Scripture also is superior to the former ways of revelation in how it builds up God’s church, His people. It provides a grounding for the church. Remember back in Day 1 when we looked up Ephesians 2:20? “…the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone…”  Not only does it equip the church, it encourages us and gives us hope (Romans 15:4). It teaches, rebukes, corrects, trains in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). It is the sword of the Spirit we are to wield in all circumstances (Ephesians 6).

THAT is Scripture.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your aid in his excellent Word! What more can he say than to you he hath said, you who unto Jesus for refuge hath fled?

Questions to consider:

  • Have you ever reflected on the necessity of Scripture?
  • What is your attitude toward Scripture?
  • Do you give Scripture a place of authority in your life?

A little Time With The 1689: Day 2

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Day 2

Of The Holy Scriptures

Chapter 1, Paragraph 1

“…although the light of Nature, and the works of Creation and Providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will, which is necessary to salvation.”

Scripture Lookup:

Romans 1:19-21. Why are all people without excuse when it comes to knowing God?

Romans 2:14,15. What is the evidence given that all people are responsible to obey God?

Psalm 19:1-3. What demonstrates God’s glory? Is this a one-time instance of declaration, or is it constant?

Reflection

Warm, sandy beaches. Crisp, glittering snow. The beat of a hummingbird’s wings. When confronted with the beauty of the world around us, it is apparent that God created it all. How could such beauty come by chance?

Rain falls, the sun shines, and food grows. People are fed. The goodness of God is declared.

The earth’s rotation around the sun is extremely reliable. Math equations are constant. Mankind has a desire for knowledge. The wisdom of God is shown.

Ocean tides ebb and flow. Volcanoes erupt. History tells of people surviving events that should have crushed them. The power of God is displayed.

This constant cry from nature, creation and providence declaring God’s goodness, wisdom and power is called general revelation. How amazing is it that those attributes of God are made known to everyone? And yet, due to sin, we supress that knowledge and disregard God’s law. General revelation is amazing, what it tells us about God is awe-inspiring, and yet it is not enough. It leaves out the knowledge needed about God to free us from our sin and the penalty due to sin. Where can that knowledge be found? In the Holy Scriptures.

General revelation is beautiful. How much more so the Scriptures!

Questions to consider:

  • If you looked outside your window right now, how would nature, creation and providence you see point to the goodness, wisdom and power of God?
  • If a person has never heard of the Scriptures, can that person be saved?
  • What importance do you place on Scripture? Is it more valuable to you than creation?