Praise be to God – Ephesians 1.3

To God be the Glory (1 of 5)

Praise be to God – Eph 1:3

Phillips writes about a trip to London as a child – on the grounds of Hampton Court – was a maze of hedges – visitors could go through that maze – and they did.  He says the paths were narrow – and the hedges were high – all the paths looked the same – and he says after a few turns they were lost.

In the middle of the maze were chairs – so they could sit and think things over – and unravel the mystery of the maze.  He says they wandered around for quite some time – until someone came and brought them out.  He says that although it defied their attempts at analyzing – it was laid out according to a plan – for those who had seen the blueprint – it was no mystery – it was only a mystery to those who are content – who casually attempt to find their way through.

That is the same thing with (Eph 1:3-14) – it is laid out according to a divine and definite plan.  The way Paul opens this letter isn’t the norm – usually he opens with an introduction – and then a thanksgiving.

Here he opens with an outburst of praise – to who or what? – praise to God.  The praise is grounded in the fact that in Christ – God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

Have you contemplated that recently  – all that God has done for you – does it make you want to shout a shout of praise?

You see the sermon is important – we learn from the sermon – we learn doctrine from the sermon – BUT folks – doctrine rightly understood – leads to doxology – praise!  I believe that when we discover who God is – and the wonderful plan of salvation He wrought in Christ – we WILL praise Him!

Paul spells out – the divine saving purposes – from eternity to eternity.  This verse we have before us  – tells us about God’s blessing on believers.  God is the provision of spiritual blessings – you see in the OT God was Jehovah Jireh – God our provider – now He hasn’t changed – He is still provider.

However in the OT it was a relationship of such – that when the people were obedient – they were blessed – when they were disobedient – they lost their stuff – and were chastised.

In our Christian life – God is provider – first of all from the foundation of the world – Jesus was the Lamb led to the slaughter – God provided THE way of salvation – in Christ.

Now don’t get me wrong – every good and perfect gift – commeth from above – if you have anything – it is because God allowed you to have it.

But what Paul is praising God for – what prompts this doxology from Paul – is that every spiritual blessing is rooted in Christ – with its location in the heavenly realm.

Let’s look into these blessings….

1. I.                    WHEN: ETERNITY PAST

He says in this verse – “who HATH” – this is something that is past tense – the blessing has already been given – even before you got it – it was good as done.  This doxology is distinctively Christian – you see the person to whom the praise if directed – is the God of the OT – He was praised as the God of Israel – the God of Shem – God most high – and Lord.  Paul says – “I know Him now as (v. 3a)” – look @ (v. 17) – eternal God – has chosen that through the manifestation of Himself – in the form of His Son – Jesus Christ – to grant access to believers (vv. 5-6).  Believers have gained access to the Father (2:18) – which the believer enjoys with freedom and confidence (3:12).  All of this – handled back in eternity past – Jesus wasn’t a last minute search and rescue mission.

I love what he says here – “Hath blessed us” – the word “blessed” is the word “eulogeo” – it means to speak well of.  You may recognize the “logos” in that word.  God spoke well of you – WHEN? – in eternity past – same word is used of Mary – (Luke 1:42).

Not only that – we must keep in mind – we are blessed by God’s Word – the logos of God.

So the blessing and prospering of believers occurred in eternity past.

1. II.                  WHAT: EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING

“With every” – en pase – speaks of quantity – what is he doing – he is emphasizing God’s benefits to every believer – of every kind of blessing.  Everything that God has done – is for His glory and our good – HE has blessed us – He desires to benefit us.  Just like a loving father – who desires the best for his children – God is the believers heavenly Father – and he desires the best for us.  Yes – sometimes we feel like God isn’t listening – or He hasn’t answered a prayer the way we thought it should have been.

Aren’t you glad that sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers – or better yet – says NO.

You see in a sense God didn’t have to send Jesus – but then in another sense – he did have to send Him.  God wants so much for you and I to be blessed with spiritual blessings – His very nature is LOVE and GRACE – it was bubbling over – He couldn’t help but intervene.  It’s like this – when you and I come to realization of who God is – what He has done – and all the blessings He has just given to us – our praise ought to be spilling out.  In the same sense – in our relationship with one another – IF the love has been poured in – it ought to be pouring out.

You see  – folks are going to do stuff – often times it is not intentional – but what gets me – is when people start talking and holding grudges.  If truly the love of God has been unloaded on you – and your brother or sister in Christ does something – the response of reconciliation should be quick and in love.  Something else about this phrase – “every spiritual blessing” – it speaks to our being enriched by God – for our spiritual lives.  You see the prosperity false preachers say to you – God wants you to be rich – financially.  My question to them is – what about those that are sold out and on fire for Jesus – and they are poor.  The blessings that God has given to us – are given that we would have the power and the ability to live the spiritual lives God has called to live.  Now since they have “already” been bestowed on believers – remember in eternity past – we should NOT ask for them.

Look @ (Josh 1:3-4) – they didn’t ask for it – nor were they told to ask for it – God says just enter in – and enjoy.  The Israelites could have just stood out there on the border of the Promised Land – and not gone in.  Just like with you and I – we appropriate “every spiritual blessing” BY FAITH!

Now God does bless materially at times – but this is not the context here – he is thinking in heavenly terms – you see material possessions PALE in comparison to spiritual riches in Christ.

You see Paul details the “blessings” he is talking about (vv. 4-14) – election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, God’s purpose, and assurance of salvation.

 

1. III.                WHERE: IN HEAVENLY PLACES

You may have noticed that “places” is italicized – indicates it was added by the translators for emphasis.  What he is talking about here – is the REALM of our blessings – they are in the heavenly realm – in contrast to WHAT?  In contrast to the earthly realm – you see most folks want it fast and now.  You see these blessings are spiritual – NOT material – that pokes all kinds of holes in what we hear readily today.

The realm of these blessings and benefits of God – are heavenly – look @ (Heb 3:1 and 6:4) – there we are told that the call and the gift have their source in heaven – as opposed to earth.  That surely agrees with our present context – the spiritual benefits that come from heaven – are for believers united with Christ – and where is He? – (v. 20).  To summarize – as a born again child of God – we reside on earth – but have been enriched with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies – necessary for our spiritual well being.

When – eternity; what – every spiritual blessing; where – in the heavenly realm….

1. IV.                HOW: IN CHRIST

The sphere of this blessing – of this enrichment – is IN CHRIST – friends allow me to tell you today – that it all is wrapped up in Christ – everything!  Literally what is being said here – spiritual blessings given by God – are “in Jesus only.”  It is only by means of our union with Christ – that any of these spiritual blessings come to us.  Even our election is in Christ – ‘God chose us IN HIM from the foundation of the world.”

You see if you leave out – “In Christ” – you will never have any blessing at all.  Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega – all things were created by Him and for Him – in order to be born again – you must place your faith in the complete work of Jesus Christ.  In Adam sin has rained down on the human race – yet on behalf of mankind – Jesus Christ propitiated God’s wrath.  Anyone who believes God’s provision have been made IN CHRIST – becomes united in Christ.  And it is this union with Christ – who is in heaven – where the believer partakes of all the spiritual benefits from heaven.

Have you believed God? – if so friend – brother – sister – rejoice and praise God – not only today – but every day.

If you haven’t – do it today!

Why the Silence?

THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING

 Here in Alexandria, one is constantly in touch with its magnificent history.  Nearby is the site of the ancient Alexandrian lighthouse.  Across the bay is the beautiful new library, with reminders of the once-great center of Greek study surrounded by several universities.  I am currently reviewing a book on their historical library, and it contains a vivid account of the events surrounding the fall of this city to the Muslims.  The record is so bloody and violent that it is really hard to read.

 I also came across an article from the August 2009 issue of World magazine.  It is a review of the events chronicled in the book, Paradise Lost (The Destruction of a Christian City in the Islamic World) by Giles Milton.  The actual book would be a hard one to read; it is the record of the destruction of the old city of Smyrna that was located in Turkey.  That terrible event would be familiar to students of the seven churches account in the book of Revelation.  The tragedy took place on September 11, 1922.

 There is a clear similarity between accounts of the horrible destruction of life at Alexandria and at Smyrna.  The inhabitants were tortured, raped, and murdered and, in many instances, hacked to death.  Read the book if you dare, but know ahead of time that 100,000 died in that massacre.  So many bodies floated in the sea, it is said, that you could literally walk on them.

 A PEACEFUL RELIGION

 When you strip away all the incidentals, you learn that there was only one reason why all those human beings were butchered – they were viewed as infidels by the Muslims, who were filled with hate toward anyone of a different faith.  (By the way, I would guess that everyone reading this journal is also viewed by that religion as an infidel!)

 I am appalled at the abject ignorance displayed by any thinking person who says that Islam is a peaceful religion or argues that the nominal believers in that faith are peaceful.  While it may be so, that fact is totally irrelevant.  The destruction doesn’t begin with nominal believers; it begins with those at the top.  History is a powerful revealer of the hatred and violence that exist within the active segment of the Islamic movement.  What most people fail to realize is that even the nominal Islamic person is drawn into the violence on days like the two described above.

 COMING SOON TO YOUR LAND

 In the last ten months, America has reached crisis mode.  Public morality has dropped like a rock.  Our leaders openly praise sodomites.  Restraints on abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia are being removed every day.  The news is filled with reports of the ever-increasing freedom being extended to Islam, the fastest-growing religion in our land, while Christians are on the verge of being silenced on many fronts.

 None of this is nearly as important as what unquestionably lies just around the corner.  The American Smyrna is not far away; of that there is no question.  Our land will see a bloodbath in due time; all the signs are present.  Could this perhaps be why the America that we know is not in end-time prophecy?  I am confident that some people reading this will live to see disaster come to pass in our time, just like it has in the past.

 I DON’T KNOW, AND I DON’T CARE

 As I read the material described above, my heart was heavy.  Despite all the hatred that is already evident, something is notably missing: I have not heard of one sermon from any evangelical or fundamental pulpit warning about all this.  Are we perhaps we are too busy to know?  Too scared to read?  Too lazy to be concerned?

Now, if you know of a message recently preached to warn of the coming disaster from the tidal wave of Islam, please tell me.  Make my day!  For now, THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING.

 I know we are so busy with our potluck dinners and our useless committee and board meetings, but they will be of little help when your children’s heads are being smashed against a wall, as happened in ancient Alexandria.  Our church politics will mean nothing when loved ones are raped and arms are severed from living bodies as they were at Smyrna.  For now, though, all I hear is silence.  We should be evangelizing the hundreds of thousands of Muslims around us, but only a small handful of churches are involved in this kind of work.

 APPOLOGIES

 I know how brutal you will consider my comments to be, but don’t bother reading me the riot act until you have read for yourself the records mentioned above.  Oh, and perhaps you should include Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.  I know, I know; it couldn’t happen here.  But it will; history demonstrates that it will.

 Written by Dr. Clay Nuttall – the Shepherds Staff

Hey Dads!

In 1 Samuel 2:12-4:18 we find the account the priest Eli and his family.  Eli had two sons – Hophni and Phinehas.  Was Eli a good father and his sons just “bad apples” – (3:13) “his sons made themselves vile.”  Or was Eli an example of the things a godly father should avoid?  I think when we look at this passage of Scripture we find that Eli was not a good father and some truths that serve as warnings to fathers today.  Hophni and Phinehas did not know the Lord.  They were described as worthless people who openly practiced lawlessness (2:12).  They “abhorred the offerings of the Lord” – in other words they took the meat that was given on the altar for themselves.  What are some of the “warnings” for us today?

I.                    Eli condoned the sins of his sons (2:29-30).  “He that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matt 10:37b).”  In 1 Sam 2:29 a prophet of God comes to Eli and says for God to Eli “honourest thy sons above me.”  Here is the priest Eli and God says to him that he has put his sons before him.  Nothing or no one is to come between God and us.  The pattern in the home is God first family second.  The fact that Eli demonstrated that he loved his sons more than God shows that he condoned the sins of Hophni and Phinehas.  Then God says through the prophet to Eli – “I said that thy house should walk before me.”  As Christian we have been called to walk before God holy and blameless.  God has called the father to be the leader and the example in the home.  The problem today is the Biblical mandate and distinction between manhood and womanhood has been thrown out the window.  Now we have women trying to lead and sissy men sitting back watching their families blow off into the horizon.  All of it done in the name of – “Oh we just want little Johnny to be happy, just let him do what he wants and let him have what he wants.”

II.                  Eli was not faithful to God (2:35).  “I will raise me up a faithful priest (2:35).”  God has pronounced judgment on Eli and his family.  Eli was a priest, but in light of this comment, he was not faithful.  And God says He will raise up a faithful priest.  This is contrasted sharply with the strong rebellion of Hophni and Phinehas toward God.  Fathers place God first in their own lives and be faithful to Him – especially in front of their children.  Our children our watching our every move.  Eli’s sons saw that God wasn’t real to him – he was a bad example.

III.                Eli was implicated because he didn’t restrain his sons (3:13).  The word “restrained” is interesting.  The “TWOT” defines it as – “the general idea of becoming weak, ineffective, or colorless.  To grow disheartened.”  The Law demanded the death penalty for showing contempt for the priesthood (Deut 17:12) as well as disobedience to parents (Deut 21:18-21).  Eli did not teach these things to his sons and therefore he is implicated because he was weak and ineffective – didn’t restrain his sons.  Eli’s house committed blatant sins against God and showed no signs or remorse or repentance.  In turn they became subjects of a divine death sentence.  Fathers today must teach their children the ways of the Lord.  If they don’t their children may one day hear the dreadful words of the Lord – “depart from me I never knew you.”

IV.                Eli did not show his sons how to get to God (4:3).  Too many today think they can just “fetch” God.  God had clearly taught the people – including Eli – how to handle the Ark.  God will not be used just to make sinful people achieve their own selfish purposes.  The carnal self-confidence of Hophni and Phinehas became evident in their approach to the Ark – in their approach to God.  What a shame it would be today for a father to teach his children how to be successful in life, and how to earn a living, or even excel in sports – but never teach them how to get to God.

Eli knew right from wrong yet he chose to raise his boys in a carnal home.  He even participated in the sins of his sons.  God was patient with them, however when the time is up it’s up.  God had been long-suffering with Hophni and Phinehas as they desecrated His sacrifices and defiled His people, but now their time was up and their sins found them out.  Be not deceived God is not mocked, whatso ever a man soeth (even in his parenting) that shall he also reap.

Tyndale and the Bible

Although the Bible was available in the vernacular in much of Europe, the only version of the Scripture tolerated in England was St. Jerome’s Latin translation which dated back to the 4th century. It was thus a closed book even to most clergymen, but Tyndale was determined to make God’s Word accessible to all men.  He was forbidden to work in England because as early as 1408 a council of clergymen met at Oxford, England, and decided that the common people should not be allowed to have copies of the Bible in their own tongue for personal use. Tyndale moved to Germany where he translated and printed in English the New Testament and half the Old Testament between 1525 and 1535. He worked from the Greek and Hebrew original texts when knowledge of those languages was rare. His pocket-sized Bible translations were smuggled into England, and then ruthlessly sought out by the Church, confiscated and destroyed. Ultimately, Tyndale was betrayed by a friend, arrested in Brussels, Belgium, and condemned as a heretic. He was brought forth to the place of execution, was tied to the stake, strangled by the hangman, and afterwards consumed with fire, at the town of Vilvorde, A.D. 1536. As he died, he cried at the stake with a fervent zeal, and a loud voice, “Lord! Open the King of England’s eyes.” This God did less than a year later when in August of 1537, King Henry VIII gave authorization to the Bible generally known as Matthew’s Bible. He decreed that it should be freely sold and read within his realm. Thus Tyndale’s great desire to get the Bible in the hands of the common people was realized and the Reformation followed soon after!

The Pastor/Theologian

In the early twenty-first century, when many pastors have abdicated their responsibilities as theologians, and many theologians do their work in a way that is lost on the people of God, we need to recover Edwards’ model of Christian ministry. Most of the best theologians in the history of the church were parish pastors…

“But when our pastors spend the bulk of their time on organizational matters, and professors spend the bulk of their time on intramural academics, no one is left to do the crucial work of shaping God’s people with the Word. Perhaps our pastors and professors, Christian activists and thinkers, need to collaborate more regularly in ministry. Perhaps the laity need to give their pastors time to think and write–for their local congregations and the larger kingdom of God.”  (Jonathan Edwards)

Election and Predestination

Let us never forget – that when we approach the things of God –it is the finite approaching the infinite.  All the finite can comprehend of the infinite – is what the infinite reveals to them.

Life to you and I is presented is little packages – we live moment by moment – the future lies before us – but we cannot touch it except for that fleeting moment it brushes by us – then the present receded instantly into the past.  Yes we can anticipate the future – and recall the past – but the present is one flickering moment.  With God – the past present and future are all swallowed up into the present.  You see when we read “God has chosen us from the foundation of the world” – we must realize that the HS is stating the issue from our perspective.  Since God lives in the present tense – there is to Him no time difference between the moment He chose me and I chose him – from God’s standpoint both acts are simultaneous.

Now please do not allow that explanation of what is unexplainable – distort the fact that it is God who chose us in Christ – do not allow that to lesson your perception of God’s grace – for God’s grace is surely a mystery!!!

“Why did He love me?  I never can tell; Why did He suffer to save me from Hell?  Nothing but infinite grace from above – could have conceived such a story of love.”

That said – everyone finds the doctrine of election difficult – someone says – “Yeah, but didn’t I choose God?” – we would answer – “yes you did, and freely, but ONLY because God – in eternity first chose you.”

It seems to me that the difficulty is not so much in the doctrine of election – but rather the doctrine of the depravity of man.

So I want to write on the subject of: God’s Grand Plan – If you are saved  – God chose you “In Christ” – and predestinated you to be adopted into His family – to be Holy and without blame.

Paul in Ephesians 1 begin in verse 3 in a doxology which continues on down to verse 14.  He is praising God for “every spiritual blessing.”  Then he discusses those blessings.  He says that their orientation is heavenly and found in Christ.

One of those blessings is the fact that as a born again child of God we have been chosen to be adopted into the family of God.  God from the foundation of the world chose whom He would adopt.  It is important to note that we aren’t as the best of the bunch, for the Bible clearly states that all are sinners in desperate need of a Savior.  The question often comes up of why did God chose some?  That is the wrong question – the question should be – why did God chose any at all.  God was not obligated to save us – He did so out of His abundant love and grace.  God does this individually as He builds His church. 

Now in Ephesians 1:4 we see why God chose us.  This is really where the rubber meets the road.  He says that God chose us that “we would live holy and without blame before Him.”  God has chosen us to live sanctified lives, holy as we walk before Him.  God didn’t choose anyone because they were holy – but rather that we should “be holy.”  The doctrine of election FORBIDS sin in the life of the believer.

Why do People Hate the Bible?

The following was written by Dr. Clay Nuttall

WHY DO PEOPLE HATE THE BIBLE?

By Dr. Clay Nuttall

We probably assume that we know why the world’s great religions, cults, and philosophers hate God’s Word, but the extent of that hatred is much deeper than most of us realize.  The atheist would say, “There is no God, so how could this be his word?”  The agnostic would postulate that, since we do not even know if there is a god, how could this be the word of God?  The modernist and the liberal would reject most of the Bible, and neo-orthodox minds would accept only what becomes the Word to them.  The neo-evangelical would cast doubt on such passages as those that deal with creation, believing that some portions of scripture are unreliable.  To hold any of these views is to despise some of the scriptures and put the rest in question.  Such humanism and intellectualism are really expressions of hatred toward the book given to us by the sovereign creator.

 CLOSER TO HOME

It’s easy for us to evaluate the above points of view in others, but asking the same question about evangelicalism or fundamentalism is another thing altogether.  I often refer to “the theological error of the month” in evangelicalism.  This phenomenon, however, has now reached into fundamentalism.  It is deeply rooted in a person’s attitude toward the Bible.  Anyone’s hermeneutic, or system of interpretation, may reflect disdain toward holy writ.

 A person’s or group’s innate negative attitude toward the Bible may not necessarily be an active one.  Detracting from, or adding to, scripture is what causes the fatal flaw in the maze of current theological errors, and it is usually done deliberately.  On the other hand, to ignore the scriptures is to reject a love for them.

 CAN THIS MAN SAY HE LOVES HIS WIFE?

We need ask only a few questions to see why this is true.  Consider a man who is married to a woman whom he claims to love dearly.  The problem is that, although they are together much of the time, he only speaks to her for one or two hours a week; and that is on Sundays.  In a normal relationship, he could say he loves her, but what he says is quite different from what he demonstrates.  The opposite of love, after all, is hate.

 And that is exactly the way many Christians are with the Bible.  They say they love it, but then they open the Word only a couple of times a week.  What that behavior demonstrates is not a love for the Bible; and remember – the opposite of love is hate!   Another practical illustration can be found in many average Christians’ approaches to finding answers for their questions about daily living; they go to the Bible in an attempt to find justification for their disobedient actions.  As a result, they reject the clear teachings of holiness and instead find proof-texts that they feel will allow them to practice sinful lifestyles.  The lesson here is self-evident.

THOU ARE STANDING WHERE I AM ABOUT TO SHOOT

One of my favorite illustrations is reportedly from an old Quaker’s sermon: “I would not hurt thee, nor do thee no harm, but thou are standing where I am about to shoot.”

 Because I teach classes in Contemporary Theological Issues, I try to read as much current material as possible.  I purchase only a few publications, but the web is full of this type of information.  Just this week, I finished reviewing a highly respected publication.  Many of the authors of the articles contained in this issue are friends who travel in fundamental circles, and I enjoy reading their work when it is published.  The problem of people’s misinterpretation of scripture might not have even crossed my mind if I had not been working on this issue ofShepherd’s Staff.  When I went back over the material, I was shocked to note how many of the printed conclusions were indeed additions to the text!

 At this point in my life, I continue to learn just how much there is that I don’t already know.  We fundamentalists have a bad habit of trying to give the impression that we have everything figured out; such pride and arrogance make us hardly any different from the liberals.  We are often so absolutely sure about our interpretations that we insert things into the text to prove that our traditional views are right. 

 How can we say we love the Bible, when we consider it our prerogative to embellish the text in order to justify our human conclusions?  One of the arguments used by those who tend to edit scripture by adding to, detracting from, or ignoring the text is that of a faulty historical method. The claim is made that, if some theological position has been held for hundreds of years, then surely it must be right.  The problem is that many a theological error has been held for hundreds of years… but that still does not make it truth.

 There certainly is value in a truth that has been tested by time, but we know it is truth only because the Bible text says so.  Profane history has immense value, but it definitely is not equal to scripture.  In the study of hermeneutics, we do not have a full and complete view until the historical setting of the written material is explored.  This type of exercise, however, though required by the one biblical hermeneutic, does not supersede the text; it only augments it.

Homework Assignment:

Let me suggest that a good test of this would be to read Acts, chapters 6 and 15.  Do not add one word of explanation.  Of extra value would be doing the exercise from the original language, if you have access to that wonderful tool.  When you have finished dealing with each word in the text, and have refused to add to or detract from it, then ask yourself exactly where we got some of our beloved traditions about polity.  Then, ask if we really love the Bible just as it was before we started editing it. 

 Why would I deal with such a sensitive subject?  The answer is that over the past few months I have seen among fundamentalists such egregious attitudes toward the Bible as to grieve a righteous soul.  I am sure that many people do not purposely hate the Bible, but there is confidence and great joy in accepting exactly what God has said in His Word.

Thank you Brother Clay for your faithfulness to the Lord Jesus!!

Types in the Bible

“A type looks forward to and prefigures the antitype, whereas in an illustration the truth referred to in the New Testament is pointing back to an analogous person or situation in the Old Testament and drawing some parallels (Zuck 177).”  There are four views on interpreting types in the Bible.  These are – (1) No types in the Bible; (2) Excessive use of types; (3) Moderate View or two kinds of types; (4) the New Testament designates types.

The first view in interpreting types that says there are no types in the Bible is an extreme and I believe is incorrect.  Then there are excessive uses of types.  This seems to be the road allegorizers travel down.  There are no limits or controls placed on hermeneutics in this system.  In this system there is forced meaning in the text and historical realities are ignored.  The moderate view is the middle road which the limits and controls are minimized still.

Pentecost says “by its very nature a type is essentially prophetic in character (52).”  Fairbairn chimes in and says of a type and prophecy that “one images or prefigures (type) while the other foretells (prophecy) coming realities (106).”

I would say that the final view, that the New Testament designates types, would be the preferable one.  That being said the very term type should be understood.  “Most Bible students recognize that the Old Testament includes types that are later specified in some way in the New Testament.  The two Testaments are related by types and antitypes, shadows and fulfillments (Zuck 169).” 

“The safeguard against over imaginative misuse of the text does not lie in a retreat from the spiritual and divine nature of the Bible, or in the minimizing of its typical teaching.  The only legitimate and effective safeguard is to clearly demonstrate that the interpretation of typical passages is not a matter of whim and fancy, but of sound, cautious and logical procedure (Fairbairn X).” 

Zuck says that a type must have at least five elements.  They are “a notable resemblance or correspondence between the type and antitype, a prefiguring or predictive foreshadowing of the antitype by the type, a heightening in which the antitype is greater than the type, and divine design (Zuck 175).”  He goes on to add a sixth element which I agree with and that is – “it must be designated in the New Testament.”  Looking back on one of the basic principles of Bible interpretation – the Bible interprets itself.  The interpreter isn’t left hanging in trying to figure what God is saying.  I think where many go wrong with types is they fail to put controls on their system and confuse illustrations with types.  The Bible is full of illustration, especially those that speak to the coming Christ in the Old Testament.  Joseph was certainly an illustration of Christ.  He is the “lilly of the Valley” and the “Rose of Sharon” – but those aren’t types.  Geisler points out well I believe that there is a Christological theme in each book of the Old Testament.  “The Old Testament views Christ by way of anticipation; the New Testament views Him by way of realization (Geisler 18).”  Illustration are not specifically designated as a type in the NT.

On the other hand “a type may be defined as an OT person, event, or thing having historical reality and designed by God to prefigure in a preparatory way a real person, event, or thing so designated in the NT and that corresponds to and fulfills the type (Zuck 176).”

There must be controls and limitations in proper hermeneutics, without them the student is a ship on a large ocean with no rudder.

The Letter to Laodecia (Col 4:16)

There are a couple of views as to the statement found in Colossians 4:16 – “The epistle to the Laodecians.”

It is important to keep in mind that Paul had not been to Laodecia, so any information he had was delivered to him.  Nor had he been to Colassae as this is one of the “prison epistles.”  John Phillips interestingly notes “Paul knew something was wrong at Laodecia.  Probably Epaphras had told him all about all of the churches in Asia Minor…evidently whatever the trouble was, it was affecting the Colossian church, too.  Similarly some of the things that Paul addressed in the Colossian church were infiltrating the Laodecian church.  (Therefore) he called for a mutual sharing of the two letters (Phillips 222).”

Norman Geisler in his commentary included in the BKC says “The Laodecian letter may be the letter to the Ephesians.”  He doesn’t really come down specifically – just speculation.  However in the same BKC, Harold Hoehner contributes the Ephesians commentary, and in the preface he comments that Ephesians as well as other epistles were circular letters and that “Paul in writing Colossians urged the believer’s there to read the letter from Laodecia, which is most likely a reference to the Ephesian epistle (BKC 613, 685).”

John Knox suggests “the letter from (should be ‘to’) the Laodecians is in fact the letter to Philemon (Knox 38).”

Douglas Moo comments “that ye likewise (kai) read the letter from Laodecia – suggests that Paul is the author of both letters.  The most plausible suggestion is that the letter is Ephesians (Moo 351).”

It is also interesting to note that some of the early church fathers (Chrysostom & others) thought this letter to be “from” the Laodecian church “to” the Colossae church.

The letters Paul wrote to the churches were addressed to specific churches, however many scholars believe that these letters were circulated around Asia Minor.  They were read aloud to the assembly as a whole.  It seems to me that to say that this “mysterious” letter (which was not mysterious to the Colossians) is Ephesians is purely speculation at best.  Colossae and Laodecia were in the same region which makes me think they dealt with some of the same issues – mainly Gnosticism.  There are several parallels in Ephesians and Colossae – those parallels are very similar.  Keeping in mind these similarities, I would have to say that the “letter to the Laodecians” is a letter that has been lost.  There were other letters that Paul wrote during his ministry that were not included in the canon of Scripture, and this could be one of them.

I agree with Curtis Vaughn who writes “The Colossian Christians were to see to it that (Colossians) was read also in the Laodecian church.  Perhaps they first made a copy of it to keep and then sent the original to Laodecia.  In return the Colossians were to read the letter from Laodecia.  It has been conjectured that this is the epistle we know as Ephesians, but that is highly unlikely.  The most obvious conclusion is that Paul wrote to the Laodecian church an epistle that has not been preserved (Vaughn 226).”

If we interpret literally “the letter to the Laodecians” – then that means exactly that – a letter to the Laodecians.  Instead of worrying about what we don’t know or don’t have – God has given us plenty in what is included in the Canon – let us give ourselves to that!

Presuppositions (2 of 2)

Biblical Theology

          Scripture is the product of God – the mind of God.  He has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind through His Word and the manifestation of Himself in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Only a consistent system of theology which represents God accurately (as much as He has shown us) will be sufficient.  What is it that a consistent system of theology consists of?  I will use four presuppositional anchors for the remainder of this paper.  The first anchor is as I have mentioned already and that is the undeniable reality of an all powerful living creator Biblical God.  Secondly, the source of the Bible is God Himself.  The Bible is divine in its origin.  It was not thought up by man (Galatians 1).  The Bible doesn’t contain the thoughts of man.  The Bible is the believer’s authority in which God has chosen to reveal Himself.  Thirdly, one who is not born again cannot comprehend God’s revelation.  The Bible says that the natural man cannot comprehend the things of God.  Lastly, as I have already alluded to: a consistent grammatical/historical/literal method of Bible interpretation. 

          The aspects of theological method and theology must arrive exclusively from the Bible.  There should be no considerations from any other source – the Scripture alone – Sola Scriptura.  If external sources are brought into the equation they will undoubtedly impact method.  We must not allow influences from outside the Word of God, to impact our study of God – our theology.  Millard Erickson offers some expertise here: “A final meaning of the expression biblical theology is simply theology that is biblical, that is based on and faithful to the teachings of the Bible.  In this sense, systematic theology of the right kind will be biblical theology.  It is not simply based on biblical theology; it is biblical theology.  Our goal is systematic biblical theology (Erickson 26).”  He goes on to emphasize that we are striving for pure and true biblical theology.  Our system of theology must be arrived at from biblical theology.

First Anchor

          This anchor is the undeniable existence, without wavering, of the God of the Bible.  This is the first presupposition in Bible study and theological method.  The major works of God in Scripture all serve the doxological purpose.  God is glorified – He glorifies Himself – in the believers predestining and calling, Creation, keeping His promises, in His Church, faithfulness of believers, Christ’s ministry on earth, in sickness and even death, judgment to come, the future deliverance of Israel, and the consummation of all things.  God has revealed all of this, plus others, to mankind through His Word.  “A basic and working conception of the purpose of God is His own glory (Ryrie 48).”

          That said it doesn’t take long in examining Scripture, to find that Scripture does not seek to prove the existence of God.  It assumes the existence of God. The Bible’s opening factual statement is “In the beginning God (Gen 1:1).”  The Psalmist says “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.”  The “fool” starts from the conviction (presupposition) that God is not interested in what is happening on earth, and is not interested in them.  However in denying God, the “fool” actually points to God. 

          Without this assumption, the existence of the God of the Bible, one cannot effectively investigate the revelation of God in the Bible.  This requires a belief in the God of the Scriptures.  “Faith in the existence of the object to be investigated is the condition sine qua non of all scientific investigation (Kuyper 58).”  The Bible says “God has put eternity in the heart of man (Eccl 3:11).”  There is within all of us, a void in which only God can fill.  Many seek to fill that void as they deny God’s existence, with the things of this rotting world.  Those things aren’t lasting, and people go looking for more.  It is that “void” in which God has put that awareness of Himself in all of us.  God has implanted in man an understanding of His glory.  The void mentioned above is stuffed often times with false gods.  Man’s attempt in creating a god suitable for him.  Geisler says that we cannot recognize false gods without knowing the true God (Geisler 18).  The first anchor is the presuppositional approach to the existence of God, who desires a personal relationship with man by grace through faith.

Second Anchor

          This anchor is the belief that the Bible is the Word of God; that the words are the very words spoken of by God.  God has made Himself known to man through divine self disclosure.  This is through His Word (the Scriptures) and as His calls men into fellowship with Himself.  Not that His purpose is man centered, His divine purpose is for Himself to be glorified.  But He manifests His glorious character in His calling man unto Himself. 

        God has revealed Himself through general revelation and special revelation.  His general revelation is seen clearly in creation and order in the universe.  The general revelation of God is enough to where man will stand before God, outside of Christ, without excuse.  However it isn’t enough to result in a regenerated heart, therefore more revelation is necessary.  This is specific or special revelation.  Specifically God has revealed Himself in many ways (Heb 1:1).  He also moved holy men of God along in their penning the Scriptures, which are inspired and without error.  In the Bible we see that down through the ages God has progressively revealed more about Himself and His purposes. 

          God also chose from eternity past to reveal Himself in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The second person of the God-Head hasn’t always been a man, but He always has been.  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1-2).”  When Jesus Christ was born and walked this planet, He fully exegeted God.  In other words, He fully explained God.  He was God manifest in the flesh.  He took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh yet without sin.  Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:18b).  Jesus Christ, on the cross of Calvary, propitiated the wrath of God for man which is appropriated simply by faith – believing God.  “It is imperative that the Bible student recognize the conflict between biblical claims and the claims of liberal criticism…we must make a choice to either acknowledge God’s sovereign and supernatural work in revealing Himself (Archer 113).”

 

Third Anchor

          This anchor is that a man cannot comprehend or understand God’s revelation until he is born again.  The unregenerate heart knows not the things of God.  The Bible says “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned.”  Not only can the lost man not comprehend God, he cannot comprehend his own nature.  Sin has been imputed to all people.  It is sin that blinds the eyes of the lost person.  Until this person comes to a recognition of the God of the Bible he is incapable of comprehending that he is a sinner and the reality of Creator God.

          The Satan offered promise of “knowing good” proved to be a deception, it also left mankind without the ability to appraise reality.  The light of creation offered by God pours forth truth and reveals God, naturally understanding in natural revelation (Rom 1:19) is impossible (Rom 1:18) by the human mind and unregenerate heart.  God must intervene.  God’s ways and thoughts are much higher than mans.  In Eden the human race was plunged into the depravity of sin, but praise be to God for his actions in making salvation available by faith.  “The history of the human race as presented in Scripture is primarily a history of man in a state of sin and rebellion against God and of God’s plan of redemption to bring man back to Himself (Grudem 490).”  Until a person is justified by faith they cannot comprehend or know the things of God.

Fourth Anchor

          This last one is that we must approach Scripture in the hermeneutical process with a consistent literal/grammatical/historical method.  God has chosen to reveal Himself, as discussed already, in the incarnation of Christ and His Word – the Bible.  The men who penned the words were lead, moved along, by the Holy Spirit of God.  In other words they wrote exactly what God wanted them to write.  However, God did not overtake their personalities, nor did He remove them from the cultural settings in which they were most familiar.  That said, when we approach theology and biblical theology the presupposition of this consistent hermeneutic is essential.  If we are inconsistent with this we begin to go in a variety of directions, none of which God intends for us to go.  He literally revealed Himself in the Lord Jesus Christ, it stands to reason that would be the way to approach the Scripture. 

          The hermeneutic that is chosen cannot be in conflict with the other three anchors.  It is interesting to note that the Ethiopian Eunuch of Acts chapter 8, after being guided rightly into understanding the meaning of Scripture, responds rightly to God.  The hope is that the interpreter would move from the knowledge of God possessed by those who do not honor God (Rom 1:21), to the knowledge of God which is eternal life (John 17:3) – the establishment of a personal relationship by the power of God. 

          Keeping in mind the second anchor, which is the truth that God has chosen to reveal Himself to glorify Himself.  If we do not use a consistent approach to the study of the Bible we will be in dangerous areas.  The spiritualizing and allegorizing of the Scripture destroys objectivity which in turn destroys damages the authority of the Scriptures.  This eventually leads to the interpreter being the authority and removing God from the equation.  When we are consistent in our hermeneutical method the doxological purpose of God will jump off the pages.  He created us as an expression of His glory and He has revealed Himself as an expression of His glory.  Getting away from a consistent literal hermeneutic evangelicalism runs crazy in different directions – progressive dispensationalism, ultra dispensational, covenant/reformed theology and the list goes on and on.  This in turn has a negative impact on eschatological and theological conclusions.

Conclusion

          There is so much more to say on this subject.  In systematic theology we should dedicate more energy into the study of presuppositions.  Lewis Chafer many years ago states the essential requirements in theology as – the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures are assumed, the laws and methodology are as essential in the science of systematic theology as in any other science, finite limitation must be recognized, and Spiritual illumination is necessary and provided.  All of those agree with my four anchors, but Chafer goes further with three other “essential requirements.”  The aim of every theologian should be to hold the entire divine revelation in a true balance of all its parts and free from fads and inaccuracies (Chafer 12).  In other words do not allow cultural influences affect biblical theology.

          The Bible student should be deliberate in understanding prerequisites of Biblical doctrine.  We must not ignore presuppositions.  He should also maintain a consistent and proper approach to hermeneutics and exegesis.  The Bible student must be diligent to systemize the Bible themes – remember – context, context, context.  Always be aware of the doxological purpose of God, and respond to Him in fear and humility and love.  Bible study should result in a life that is impacted.  Isolating presuppositionalism gives the foundation to build a sufficient method of theology. The goal being – “charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned (1 Tim 1:5).”