Monday, May 6, 2013 at 8:45PM 
Questions about the Word, the Church and the Ordinances
131. Q. Who are to be baptized?
A. Only those who repent of their sins, and believe in Christ for salvation should be baptized.
(Click through to read scriptural proofs.)
Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 7:19PM My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.Refrain
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand—Edward Mote
I posted several years ago on the meaning of the words in the first verse of this hymn.
Bob Kauflin at T4G.
Because I’m partial to piano solos …
… and Deborah Liv Johnson, too.
Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:
Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.
Friday, May 3, 2013 at 8:47AM 
Today is my day for a post at Out of the Ordinary. I’m continuing the series on Scriptural Lessons from the Natural World with a post about what we can know about God because we can see that all his creatures are fed.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 9:04PM Sitting … on the couch in the living room.
Listening … to today’s Dividing Line, recorded.
Chuckling … at the newly built snowman at the end of my neighbor’s driveway. It’s holding a cardboard sign that says “May 1st.” Yes, we still have snow. (It even snowed a bit more today.)
Noticing … that snow on the ground and daylight at 10:30 pm when I take the dog out is a strange combination.
Hoping … that the weather forecasts for spring weather (finally!) for the next week will come to pass.
Reading … Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books by Michael Kruger. It’s the best book I’ve read in a while, presenting a model of the canon that I’ve never had explained to me before: the self-authenticating model. This is one I’ll be sure to review when I’m finished because I think you should read it too (mothers of babies and toddlers excepted.)
Thinking … that today my youngest granddaughter gave us evidence of the truth that “every mother’s [daughter] learns to be naughty without book.” She has begun a shrieking tyrant phase. Let’s hope it’s short-lived.
Planning … to babysit the shrieking tyrant all day tomorrow.
Realizing … that I may not have paced myself well this week. Tomorrow might be a long day.
Also planning … to prime the drywall in the kitchen first thing next week. The kitchen reno project is progressing, but I am still without kitchen cupboards or sink. I have a makeshift kitchen in the dining room and I wash my dishes in the bathroom.
Wishing … a blessed May. May your snow be gone and your flowers be bloomed.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 8:23PM 
regarding some church history stories I’ve read. You may be familiar with these exaggerated or false accounts, too.
Mrs. B. B. Warfield
“In biographical sketches of Warfield today, it is common to read of Annie’s ill-health, but … the story frequently goes a bit beyond the historical evidence. Reports that she was struck by lightning early in marriage, paralyzed the rest of her life, that Warfield provided meticulous care for his invalid wife for the entirety of their marriage, and such, are common.” —Read the whole post from Fred Zaspel (Credo Magazine).
Jan Hus
It is very unlikely that the phrase his/her/your goose is cooked came from the story of the martyrdom of Jan Hus (World Wide Words).
Related: A few years ago I posted on what is probably a mythical account of Jan Hus’s last words: Words to Die By and Swan Song for the Goose Quote.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 6:11PM 
Great Commission
Christ’s command to “Go … and make disciples of all nations,” given to the apostles after his resurrection, summarizing what his followers are commissioned to do from the time of his ascension until he comes again.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)
- The focus is on Jesus’ commands, not OT law. Jesus’ words, like the words of Scripture, are more enduring than heaven and earth (24:35); and the peculiar expression “everything I have commanded you” is … reminiscent of the authority of Yahweh (Exod. 29:35; Deut 1:3, 41; 7:11; 12:11, 14)… . The revelation of Jesus Messiah at this Scriptures pointed and constitutes their valid continuity; but this means that the focus is necessarily on Jesus.
- Remarkably, Jesus does not foresee a time when any part of his teaching will be rightly judged needless, outmoded, superseded, or untrue: everything he has commanded must be passed on “to the very end of the age.”
- What the disciples teach is not mere dogma stepped in abstract theorizing but content to be obeyed.
- It then follows that by carefully passing on everything Jesus taught, the first disciples—themselves eyewitnesses—call into being new generations of “earwitnesses”. These in turn pass on the truth they received. So a means is provided for successive generations to remain in contact with Jesus’ teachings (cf. 2 Tim. 2:2).
- Christianity must spread by an internal necessity or it has already decayed; for one of Jesus’ commands is to teach all that he commands. Failure to disciple, baptize and teach the peoples of the world is already itself one of the failures or our own discipleship.
Related terms:
Filed under Person, Work, and Teaching of Christ
Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.
Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.
Monday, April 29, 2013 at 8:32PM 
One of the points Michael Kruger makes in Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books
A few years ago I traced the theme of light through the Bible and noticed that it started at the beginning Genesis and finished at the end of Revelation. You can see from the list above that light isn’t the only theme that unfold at the beginning of our canon and wraps up at the end of it. Altogether, it’s compelling confirmation of the internal unity of the canon of Scripture.
Monday, April 29, 2013 at 1:48PM
Questions about the Word, the Church and the Ordinances
130. Q. What is the purpose of baptism?
A. Baptism testifies to believers that God has cleansed them from their sins through Jesus Christ.
(Click through to read scriptural proofs.)
Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 8:46PM Under His wings I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me, and I am His child.Refrain
Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me,
Resting in Jesus, I’m safe evermore.—William O. Cushing
Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:
Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.
Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 8:18AM
A thoughtful theology of work (or vocation) gives purpose to our lives, whatever our circumstances. What’s more, it provides both motivation to act and peace to rest in.
It’s been a neglected area of study and teaching, although recently I’ve seen more written about it. Here are three recommendations—two links and one book:
I’m just a …(fill in the gap): “Your work is from God, it is His calling. He gave you the work, He designed you for it, and He’s called you to do it today”—David Murray.
Can I add that this applies even to those of us who are not actually employed? What work we find to do and what service our circumstances demand of us, as long as it’s legal and not sinful, is God’s calling for us.
Is There a Distinctively “Christian” Way to Be a Bus Driver?: “The Bible teaches that as Christians we should function within our God-ordained vocations (i.e., legitimate callings) (1) from biblical foundations, (2) with biblical motives, (3) according to biblical standards, and (4) aiming at biblical goals. These are the necessary and sufficient conditions for Christian virtue”—Justin Taylor.
My son recently read Tim Keller’s book on work, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work
(Here’s a bonus link to Keller’s sermon, Our Work and Our Character.)