People today hate authority, but love status. Truth frightens them, and they envy the things that people in positions of status have.

This yields an odd kind of person, who freed from truth cannot make decisions for his life on his own and so by default follows anyone who has the resources to push his own agenda, whether it be a newswoman on TV, a celebrity, or commercial advertisement.

A standard of truth means that a person must depend on a standard outside himself and greater than himself, yet recognize it inside his conscience. The postmodern reverses this. He believes that he is the end-all, but without a standard of truth to follow, he is dependant upon someone else to guide him. This is why Emergents are so easy to identify by the dark rimmed sunglasses and the goatees; they are all following the same gurus like robots. He that would save his soul…

This is why there is greater freedom in Christ who redeems us. We are held to one truth and thus to similar standards of decency, but we are not bound to the latest fads. We are regenerated to be more like the men God created us to be. By aligning our will with God’s, we have more freedom. Through selflessness, we find ourselves.

http://www.bereanbiblechurch.org/transcripts/hebrews/7_11-19.htm

“we are to keep the law; that we may be more like Jesus and reflect his character. Because of this, adherence to God’s law is the responsibility of all men.”

Should we stone our rebellious sons to death?

That is not a ceremonial law.

If not. Why not?

Please some one give me the proper interpretation of this.

You have asked good questions in regards to the law and I want to approach you with a covenantal understanding of the law in regards to ethical questions. I hope you find what I say here helpful.

First we must remember that our God is an unchanging God and he would never command something that went against his character. It is because of this we are to keep the law; that we may be more like Jesus and reflect his character. Because of this, adherence to God’s law is the responsibility of all men.

Though it is certain that Christ has fulfilled the law, it is also certain that he did not come to abolish the law. As a reflection of God’s moral character, the law is a great tool for our sanctification and should therefore cause great joy as it is an instrument used of God to conform us to the image of his Son, whose perfect righteousness was in accordance to the law. As the scriptures say, the law serves as our tutor, leading us towards Christ.

Through the law we are able to reflect all that is righteous and good. Though we are justified by faith alone, it is only by following the law that we may understand God’s will for our lives and know if our actions are pleasing to him.

There are many questions in regards to the continuity/discontinuity of scriptures that I am still dealing with today (though I have come to the conclusion that the ceremonial aspects are no longer needed as their sole purpose was to point towards Christ), however, one thing is for certain. God’s law is a reflection of God and the more we follow it, the more we reflect his altogether lovely character.

Sincerely Yours,
BD

“Shifting trends?” Hmmmmm. I think that the next big fad will be “The Shift”. I think that Brian McLaren is already starting to align himself with it. And yes, it is worse than emergent.

Exactly. But note: The message these articles were transcribed from is more than tree years old already. The Emerging/Emergent fad is already unraveling. Sadly, for people who have imbibed the fad-chasing mentality, what’s coming next is even worse. I write about these things on my blog weekly, and I’m trying my best to keep up with the shifting trends.

These would be very discouraging times to be a Christian if we did not know God is sovereign.

“Maybe the EMERGENT brothers are just trying to figure things out. Maybe they are being honest and admiting they don’t understand the Bible.”

If the emergent brothers (and sisters) don’t understand the Bible don’t you think that it would be prudent of them to submit themselves in humility to more a more knowledgeable shepherds teaching and preaching to learn to understand the bible?

I doubt that as a possibility because according to one emergent leader,”Preaching is an act of violence toward the wills of the people who have to sit there and take it.”
And in our pride, we certainly don’t want that….do we?

I think some emergents need to make the even more honest statement of “We don’t WANT to understand the bible. Mystery allows me to keep doing what I enjoy doing.

I’ve found in my life that everything is only as complicated, or unclear, or mysterious as I need to make it to justify my present sinful actions or inactions.

Grace & Peace my friend.

I would recommend the book “knowing scripture” by R.C. Sproul. While I do not agree with all of his beliefs, This book is an excellent resource on properly interpreting scripture.

God commanded the Israelites to do many things that He does not command us to do. For instance: killing those who were morally perverse. God commands us in Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” That is what God commands us to do. We must be able to interpret which commands are cultural, and which are moral.

1 John 3:4 gives us a definition of sin: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Who’s doing that Kelly? Or are you sinply making a general statement?