Gospel Living

17  For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18  For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19  And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20  for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. The house of Herod was a nest of sin.  It wasn’t a biblical reign over Israel, but instead established by Rome.  It didn’t herald the One “born king of the Jews” (Mt 2:2) but instead tried to murder Him (vv. 16–18).  And in this text, it alternatively arrested and sought to kill a prophet of God who called for its repentance.  A specific sin had caught the attention of John the Baptist.  Herod Antipas had stolen the wife of his bro...

Did Isaac marry a three-year-old?  If you've never pondered this question, it's because nothing in the straightforward reading of the text would suggest that Rebekah was a toddler or that their marriage was arranged. Even so, a couple of verses out of context could be used by skeptics to prove anything.  While perusing the web for a related topic, however, I found a thread stating that the Bible isn't against the raping of children .  The cited evidence was this issue, the claim being that Isaac engaged in pedophilia. The question comes from the fact that Genesis 22:23 announces the birth of Rebekah after the binding of Isaac.  Tradition states that Isaac was then thirty-seven, and Scripture says that the two wed when Isaac was forty (Gn 25:20).  Hence, Isaac robbed the cradle. The whole theory is fraught with assumptions, the primary being that Scripture never records a age marker for Rebekah.  Further complicating the matter, however, is Jewis...

“So you’ve become convinced that the Bible supports gay marriage. You’ve studied the issue, read some books, looked at the relevant Bible passages and concluded that Scripture does not prohibit same-sex intercourse so long as it takes place in the context of a loving, monogamous, lifelong covenanted relationship. You still love Jesus. You still believe the Bible. In fact, you would argue that it’s because you love Jesus andbecause you believe the Bible that you now embrace gay marriage as a God-sanctioned good. As far as you are concerned, you haven’t rejected your evangelical faith.” Read the rest at TGC .

The Domain of Truth completed its week-long series on biblical counseling and the Christian's concern of psychology.  I recommend it, especially if you are unfamiliar with the differences between "Christian counseling" and the more biblical brand, or if you trust life's problems to the hands of a certified psychologist or psychiatrist. Choose Biblical Counseling Not Psychology: Part 1 Choose Biblical Counseling Not Psychology: Part 2 Depression Poem Pre-courtship Counseling: Seven Relationship Questions Courses: Pastoral Counseling Course by Dr. Stuart Scott Marriage and Family Counseling Course at The Master’s Seminary by John Street Westminster Theological Seminary’s Professors on Biblical Counseling Book Reviews: Review: One Nation Under Therapy by Christina Hoff Sommers, Sally L. Satel Review: Freud by R.J. Rushdoony Book Review of “Out of the Blues: Dealing with the Blues of Depression & Loneliness” by Wayne Mack I lift up my eye...

John Piper discusses his movement from racism and his views on interracial marriage.  Bloodlines Documentary with John Piper from Crossway on Vimeo .

What is the real divorce rate among Christians?  Consider this from the Aquilla Report (HT: American Vision ) and a recommendation at the bottom: Professor Bradley Wright, a sociologist at the University of Connecticut, explains from his analysis of people who identify as Christians but rarely attend church, that 60 percent of these have been divorced. Of those who attend church regularly, 38 percent have been divorced. "Christians divorce at roughly the same rate as the world." It's one of the most quoted stats by Christian leaders today. And it's perhaps one of the most inaccurate. Based on the best data available, the divorce rate among Christians is significantly lower than the general population. Here's the truth.... Many people who seriously practice a traditional religious faith -- be it Christian or other -- have a divorce rate markedly lower than the general population. The factor making the most difference is religious commitment and practice. Couple...

Chaos Theory : 1. ( n. )  an explanation of the phenomenon of the male predisposition of offending women, regardless of the topic of discussion; 2. ( n. )  an explanation of the chaos in relationships.

(HT: Kevin DeYoung )

HT: Kevin DeYoung : One of the best scenes from The Cosby Show . The husbands have seceretly made a bet to see who can give their wives the most romantic gift for under $25. The wives find out about the bet are a committed to being unmoved and unimpressed with their gifts. Enjoy… [The splice feature may not work on your mobile device, in which case skip ahead to 5:20.]

Another one for you: Late last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and force states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. If passed, the so-called "Respect for Marriage Act" ( S. 598 ) will repeal DOMA and give federal recognition to two homosexuals who wish to be "married." S. 598 shows anything but respect for the sanctity of marriage. Urge your Senators can stop this bill! The repercussions are enormous: • States laws protecting marriage as between "one man, one woman" will become null and void - including the 31 states who have voted on constitutional amendments. • The military will be thrown into complete chaos and disarray , as Department of Defense leaders try to figure out housing, benefits, and "same-sex spouse" sensitivity training regimens. • Churches will come under fire from radical homosexual activists. Ministers and churches will be sued for "religious di...

(Repost from Nov. 2008) James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries posted a five part debate between himself and sociologist professor Michael Schutz on the topic of gay marriage. Schutz, taking the "pro" side of the debate, claims to be a Christian himself, though it is interesting to see what he appeals to as his authority. If anything, the debate is worth watching just for James White's opening remarks on the value of marriage. Enjoy! Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Andy over at Veritas posted these three gems: And here are the instructions to legally kill her:

(EDIT: This is an updated version of the video) (HT: BibChr )

What if Hollywood hosted your wedding? 'Getting Married' Trailer from David Malki ! on Vimeo . Perhaps an improper focus on what God intended, but funny, nonetheless. (HT: Webinator )

We should be in daily worship of God if we can have any hope of living out the Gospel.  This is true, of course, whether we are married or not.  That one has a spouse that is (like me) muscular, suave, yet sensitive and oh-so-humble is only one aspect of true joy in life.  Our marriages are precious, but they can breed idols that turn us away from the supremacy of Christ. I've quoted from Stuart Scott's The Exemplary Husband  a couple of times before, and here is another section of his book I wanted to share.  John Calvin is often quoted as saying that our hearts are idol-factories, and Scott does a good job in highlighting some of the idols we have in a relationship. First, he notes (90) that when we worship something, we will: Adore it Sacrifice for it Focus on it Submit to it Seek after it Hope in it Serve it/ give to it Speak about it Look to it for peace, meaning, and happiness Spend a great amount of thoughts, time, energy, and resources...

The Trinity is not an abstract theological concept, one that can be debated among academia but has no direct impact upon the believer.  It provides us with the blueprint for how godly relationships are to operate. He that made mankind in the beginning male and female is three Persons in perfect unity.  He that instituted marriage knows what it is to be "one."  The Trinity might be confusing to some when they are trying to comprehend it, it provides us a snapshot of what we were created for in our relationships. Stuart Scott points this out in his book, The Exemplary Husband (Bemidji, MN: Focus Publishing, 2002, pp. 51-52).  Here is what he gleans from his studies: Within the relationships of the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) there is: A willingness to deny self (Mark 14:32-36; Phil 2:5-9). Honor and respect - though equality exists (John 8:49; 2 Pet 1:17). Submission to an order of authority - though equality exists (John 8:28-29; 14:31; 16:13; 1 C...

I just finished an excellent article called “Should We Get Married?” by David Powlison and John Yenchko ( Journal of Biblical Counseling , Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 33-42), available online here . Below is my summary, basically quotations from the paper, but I still recommend the article because it has excellent discussion questions for you and your fiancée. If you are already married and reading this, you may find this to be a good cause to review your own relationship that it might grow. • Are you both Christians? o Are you looking to marriage to make you happy or complete, to give you identity or purpose? Do you hope marriage will remove a sense of despair, inadequacy, failure, bitterness, or isolation? Will marriage make your life “come together?” Do you believe your spouse will meet all of your desires? o Are you thinking of marrying a non-Christian? (see 2 Cor 6:14–16) o Do either of you have complicating entanglements or relationships? o Has God given you the gift of si...

Franky Schaeffer says he and other pro-life leaders are to blame for Dr. Tiller's murder. Slimjim says that's poppycock. Read why . John MacArthur refuses to accept the survey that says Christians get divorces at the same rate of unbelievers, and lays out his reasons in parts one and two .

What a title mishmash! Well, let me start here. Currently, The Master's Seminary is running the annual Faculty Lecture Series during the chapel services. These lectures serve as precursors to the Fall edition of the The Master's Seminary Journal. For example, the lecture series last year was on the topic of homosexuality: Date Title 2/14/08 Biblical Response to Homosexuality Download Alex Montoya Selected Scriptures The Truth About Homosexual...

...so you can have divorces?  Two short years after "gay" marriage was legal, the gals who spearheaded the campaign in Massachusetts announced their separation, and now they are officially filing for divorce .  (HT: Cent .) I guess they really, really want to be like most of the nation.  Of course, there is no difference between  two lovers sharing a room for a couple of years, only to move on to other people, and a married couple divorcing after the same time, but... isn't nice that these gals could get married? The problem with any marriage, gay or otherwise, is that there is a general lack of commitment in our society.  We don't fix that problem by cheapening the definition of marriage.