I spent the last week out on the streets of Toronto & Hamilton shooting video and getting some stock photography for Word of Life Bible Institute while the students were doing Open Air Evangelism. I also had quite a few good conversations with people on the streets, and was able to do some video interviews which we hope to put up on the web soon.

One idea is very prevalent on the streets here in Canada: What is right for you is right for you, what is right for me is right for me. There is no standard of absolute truth. This idea is known as postmodernism. You could talk to the postmodernist all you want about the Gospel and they would smile and be very happy that you found the truth! But they would be just as happy that Joe Athiest has found his truth as well

How do we evangelize in this PostModern World? Michael Patton writes an interesting article on four approaches used to engage postmodernists. I generally use a mixture of option 2 and option 4. Now before you tie me to a stake and light a flame for saying I use option 4, read the whole article. I believe the Gospel has been discolored and masked by many "Christian" churches, proclaiming they have the truth, but preaching confusion.

A great book I am reading right now about postmodernism is called "The New Tolerance" by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler (I know dad, you lent this book to me almost 5 years ago, I will get it back to you!). It is scary to see how our culture & church is embracing this idea as right. You can read some exerpts of it from our friends over at Google Books.

Is it biblical to be a stay at home dad? Is it biblically acceptable to be a mom that brings in the income and have the father stay home and raise the kids?

Mark Driscoll has what I think are some good biblical points on the issue. Mark, pastor of a very large church (Mars Hill) used to be involved in the emerging trend of the church today, but has since realized the faults in the emergent mindset. Since then his church did a 180 in the way they look at scripture, and have really gotten back into The Book. Although I don't agree with everything he says, I have found some good stuff from him more recently.

See His Video: Should I be a stay at home dad?

I am beginning to work my way through a leadership & counseling series done by Paul David Tripp (visit his blog), along with some other students here at the Bible Institute. One thing he said that I highlighted in my mind was about truth. He said something along the lines of "truth to each person is not based on facts, but is based on their interpretation of the facts". I think he got it right....look how many viewpoints claim they know the truth? We all have the same facts...

The same is true when interpreting the Bible. It bugs me when I hear someone "exposit" scripture...then come up with some profound meaning hardly found within the text. The Bible is not a mysterious book full of allegories, hidden meanings, and secret truths. It is a book with a simple clear truth. I am convinced that we can interpret the bible literally taking into consideration the grammar & context. I think most "conservative" evangelicals would agree. But I also see many "conservatives" suddently take a slightly different approach when looking at Song of Solomon. Is it Christ & the Church? Marriage counselling? A graphic story? Michael Spencer @ internetmonk.com wrote an awesome article on this. See it here.

Many people would say they love God's Word, and many do read it everyday, but start talking about digging into scriptural doctrine & theology they shy away from it. Excuses: Theology divides, we need to focus on what unifies, theology puffs up as long as you believe Christ died & rose again etc...and the list goes on. And many of those points are valid (Theology does divide, and it can make one proud!). But I think that anyone who seriously claims they love His Word, must seriously spend time studying it and trying to understand it and the true doctrine contained within it's pages. If one's heart has a passion for Christ one it must also have a passion for accurate doctrine.

Theology is the study of God. God has revealed Himself in two ways: Generally (through nature/creation), and specifically (through His Word the Bible). Theology generally focuses on his specific revelation, the Bible as it specifically reveals to us information about Him, and His plan for mankind, which ultimately is to glorify Himself.

I like theology...

I really enjoy learning about God through His written Word, and studying it to find out more about Him, and the nature of His saving grace! Therefore I really enjoy studying His Word and the doctrine contained within it, because the more I learn about Him, the more I learn about myself and how undeserving I am of what He did for me.

Importance of Theology

I believe that it is important for every believer to study God's Word and know & speak sound doctrine (Titus 2:1) and be able to quickly identify false teaching. (2 Cor. 11:1-4, 13-15).

I believe it is important to be able to not only give a reason of the hope that lives in you, but be able to give a defense of it (1 Peter 3:15, Phil 1:7, Titus 1:9).

I believe it is important to accurately apply scripture, and accurately challenge & teach others (2 Tim 2:2, 2:15, 4:2)

It enables me to analyze my heart's spiritual emotions and personal experiences and see if they are based on truth. (Jer. 17:9)

so that I might glorify God in every area of my life.

Essential vs. Non-essential
I love learning about all different aspects & viewpoints of doctrine and theology, however it is true that some doctrines are essential (ie. Diety of Christ, depravity of man, salvation by grace through faith, etc...) and some are less essential, or non-essentials (Are the Nephelim an evil race of man-angel children? Were we physically present with Adam when he sinned, or did he represent man in the "original sin"?).

The ratio of essentials to non-essentials varies in all denominations, from the Fundamentalists, some of whom place most doctrines as absolutely essential, and take a stand on everything, to the Emergents who loosely hold to a few core doctrines, but let all else slide since "who can know truth?"...and even as far as the Liberals who hold to virtually nothing.

The core-doctrines essential to Christianity are known as "orthodox truths" and are held to by the majority of denominations.

Sound Doctrine divides, it always will. It is my goal through studying God's Word to glorify Him, and therefore divide on certain issues relation to God's holiness, scriptural reliability, salvation, and following commands found in His Word.
Read this great article looking at the relationship between Fundamentalism & Liberalism.

Sincere Godly Christians, Different Viewpoints
So how can I come to a conclusion on true doctrine within the Bible when there are so many "godly" christians who have very different opinions on different doctrines (ie election, women in leadership, etc..) and seem firmly convicted of their position as truth?

Well it all starts at how you interpret scripture. Therefore the foundation to studying Theology is your hermeneutics, your method of interpreting scripture, so that you may properly exegete, or "get out" an interpretation of the text.

Therefore foundational in your study of Theology is Bibliology, or the study of the bible, and consequently your hermeneutics. How you interpret the Bible will lead to you settling on different conclusions on doctrines.



Personal Note: I really like discussing theology, different viewpoints, and ideas, but on non-essential issues I really don't want to argue! I may have an opinion on certain non-essential issues, and enjoy discussing them, but they are NON-essential! I discussing non-essential things can be healthy and fun, but it should not divide.

I believe we should divide on essential and important truths, but that being said I fully acknowledge that many people I believe to be seriously inaccurate in their interpretation of scripture are just as much saved as I am! What is scary is that people who may be accurate in their interpretation of scripture have missed the application and may not be saved at all!

I simply pray that all I do & say will glorify my Father in heaven.

This school year at the Bible Institute is coming to a close, and it is the last week of classes for the students. One of the cool things about the program here is that we get great Men of God to come and teach the Word of God. It has been great to talk to them while they are here and get to know them.

This past week we had Dr. Renald Showers, who is widely recognizes as one of the most distiguished theologians in North America. He went to Dallas Theological Seminary and Grace Theological Seminary, and now teaches at Grace. He used to teach at PBU and Moody. He is probably most famous for his works relating to dispensational theology.

Before he came I had been listening to some podcasts and audio series by him. When he arrived I was able to pick his mind and ask lots of questions I had. It was great to see a man who's life reflected his love for Christ, and who had a passion for teaching the truth of God's Word!

The internet was down, so I didn't get to post yesterday.

Galatians 3 is a heavy passage...all about faith. So here are my ramblings...

It astounds me how so many "Christian" religions and denomination's don't understand the concept of Salvation by FAITH not WORKS or the LAW.

What first comes to mind is the Seventh Day Adventists, who will tell you they believe in Salvation by Grace through Faith, but when it comes down to it they have a Works based Salvation, and rely heavily on following parts of the Old Testament Law for salvation(Worshiping on Saturday, dietary laws, etc...). A great resource to reach out to Adventists is the Proclamation Magazine. It is a great free Magazine written by former Adventists. I have been receiving it for a couple years now.

But there are other denominations who don't seem to get passed working for salvation. The Holiness/Wesleyan tradition for instance. Though I believe here are many great Christians, and sincere believers in the movement, when it comes down to it, they teach you can lose your salvation if you fall into Sin. I mean it is great that they stress living a Holy Life sold out to God, separate from Sin, but if "works" can cause you to lose Salvation, then essentially you are counting on works to keep your salvation!

Galatians 3:3 says "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh?" Paul is referring specifically to Gentile believers trying to "keep" their salvation by doing the works of the Jewish Law. Is it so different if someone tries to "keep" their salvation by keeping God's Law?

Now, this is no excuse to sin! Romans 6 in Jon's paraphrase says "Should we keep sinning so that God's grace might become greater? Absolutely not! How can we who supposedly "died to sin" still live in it? Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ (Saved), were Baptized into His death?" See Galatians 3:26-27. I am baptized into Christ and am now part of His family!

This passage is a great reminder of how Gracious God is, and how vital Faith is. Challenges me to trust God, and also challenges me to live a holy life free from sin because I belong to Christ (vs 29).

Lightning hit the world's largest statue of Christ during last Sunday's storm in Rio.
The statue is 130ft tall, is made of 700 tons of reinforced concrete and stands atop the 2,296ft Corcovado mountain overlooking the city, and is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Brazil, being a very Catholic country has statues of Christ, Mary, and the Saints in most towns and cities. 95% of people you ask will tell you they are a Christian and believe in Salvation through faith in Christ's work on the cross, but the vast majority are counting on Works (Good deeds, going to church, or having statues of Jesus & Mary, praying to God, Mary, or the saints) to get them to heaven.

This concept of a "works based" salvation is found no where in the Bible. The Bible teaches that salvation is a free gift, unable to be earned by anything we do. All we must do is admit that we are sinners (deserving punishment in what the Bible calls Hell), and believe that God came down to earth as a man (Jesus), and that Jesus Christ took our punishment in our place by dying upon the cross, then rose 3 days later conquering sin, so that we can be declared perfect before God. God forgave our sin by placing the penalty we deserved to pay on his Only son, Jesus Christ.

So where do works and good deeds come in? The Bible says that our good deeds & works prove our faith. This means that if we truly believe in Christ, our life, our words, and our actions will show it. Nothing I can do can pay (or equal out) the sin I have done.

There is no concept of a Good vs. Bad scale in the Bible.