A Common Word Between Us?

A few months ago come leading Muslim scholars published a document called 'A Common Word Between Us and You.' This document seemed to encourage world peace through greater Christian and Muslim dialogue. However this document only acknowledges the wrongs done by Christians to Muslims, including the crusades and the harm done to Muslims in the present as a result on the War on Terror. While the crusades were horrific, the Roman Catholic Church initially was not the aggressor but intended to protect itself from the spread of Islam, (Islam was spread with the sword and was threatening a full scale European invasion). The document does not acknowledge the persecution of Christians by Muslims in Muslim majority communities or its own guilt with regard to the crusades and so is unrepentant.
More to the point, the document also seemed to imply that we are united under a common belief in God. However even in this the document was urging Christians to embrace an Islamic understanding of Monotheism which excludes the trinity. As the Qur’an sees Jesus as nothing more than a prophet and rejects the idea of His deity and His Sonship there can be no common word between us. John 3: 36 says: ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.' Belief in the Son is essential for eternal life because there is 'no other name given under heaven by which we may be saved’. Islam acknowledges Jesus as a great prophet, but Jesus is much more than a prophet he is the eternal word of God, who was with God and is himself God. Christ is also the revelation of God, and the redeemer, it is only through His death that our sins are atoned for. There is no common word between Christians and Muslims.
How sad then, that the most senior clergyman in The UK, the Rev Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Communion has reportedly said that Britain should embrace Islamic law alongside existing law. Liberal clergy seem to have no idea that radical Islam does not share its views on tolerance. Evangelicals should be tolerant towards those of other religions, and encourage religious freedom and the right to critise other religions and the freedom to convert. Sharia law discourages this. Christians and Jews are regarded as second class citizens in Muslim countries; conversion from Islam can still result in the death penalty. Other religions are not allowed at all, radical Islam certainly doesn't share the Archbishop's liberal agenda.

Why I am not religious!

Yesterday I had some religious people visit me, you know the ones, the ones with aberrant views regarding the person of Christ, the Trinity and conscience eternal punishment. I have some friends that used to be part of their organisation before coming to salvation so I always try to talk to them. Yesterday it was so frustrating as we talked about a publication of theirs, 'What does God require of us?' In this publication it states that we should have a cleaner house than our neighbours, be well presented and clean shaven. I pointed out to them that they have more in common with the Pharisees than with Jesus, in Luke 11:39 Jesus' says 'Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also.' Jesus tells the Pharisees what God requires of us, believe in his Son! John 6: 28-29 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
We then discussed the differences between James 2 and Galatians 2. Is it by faith alone or is it faith and works? R.C Sproul once said, " faith alone saves but a saving faith is never alone." Paul and James are complimentary!
I get so frustrated with religious people, people who look to their "good" works and say this is why we shall enter heaven/ or live on a paradise earth. Counting on their self righteousness rather than on a righteousness that comes from God, and God alone. You can find religious people in evangelical churches too, people who miss the point that our sins are an offence to God and our good deeds cannot wipe out our sins, build a bridge to heaven and are tainted with sin themselves. Ephesians 2:8 'For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God'. While I find these religious people frustrating at least I don't pop a vein like Mark Driscoll does in this video:

Christian Heritage Cambridge

I have just been sent info from Christian Heritage in Cambridge regarding some apologetic downloads.
These include David Robertson on his book 'The Dawkin's letters' and Dr Wayne Grudem on Bible Translations. You can access them here Christian Heritage.
God Bless
Stephen

Tulip Blooming amongst the Baptists

I have just read an interesting article from CT called 'Tulip blooming' about the growth of Calvinism with the Southern Baptist Church. I find the resurgence of Calvinism in the States as a real encouragement. Here in the UK particularly through a generation of leaders like Martyn Lloyd Jones and John Stott, interest in Calvinism has grown but not amongst the mainline Baptist denominations. It is so encouraging that SBC which was turning liberal a few years ago was rescued through the work of people like Charles Stanley and Al Mohler.

The two main Baptist denominations in the UK, The Baptist Union of Great Britain and the Baptist Union of Scotland are in a situation where they need godly solid theologians to rescue their colleges to the glory of God. Neither BUGB or BUS are particularly reformed and could only be described as evangelical in the broader sense. In the north of Scotland where we live, Baptist churches seem to both conservative evangelical and reformed but sadly this is not the national picture. Oh that God would raise up a new generation of evangelical baptists who will contend for the faith!

Shalom
Stephen

A Time to Question

I have just finished reading Michael V Fox's book a Time to Tear Down and a Time to Build Up. From the title it should be clear that it is a book on Ecclesiastes, Fox really gets to grips with Qohelet (the preacher-or as Fox' prefers the public speaker). I found the book depressing and at first thought that he was off the mark making Qohelet out to be less than orthodox. I realised towards the end of the book it is because we often overlook the message of Qohelet, 'that everything is hebel' (Fox opted for absurd as his preferred translation of hebel), because it doesn't sit comfortably with our theology. I think Fox does go too far in his conclusions, missing the message of the prologue and epilogue, that it is only under the sun that everything is Hebel, but it is a necessary corrective. Qohelet's message is not all about the answers that can be found with God, but about the uncertainties of live in the here and now.

Fox rightly points out that Qohelet has a questioning type of faith, Qohelet is not afraid to ask the difficult questions of God, and life, I think this is what separates evangelicals from their fundamentalist cousins. A questioning faith is the only type of faith to arrive at answers which leads to growth in our understanding and aids us in helping others who are going through difficult times or times or questioning. faith in a truly biblical sense is one that is certain through proven experience, God is faithful and will always be proved to be so. As God is faithful we can trust God during the difficult times and yet still ask questions.

Shalom

Stephen

Seize the day-to live with all my might

One of Edward's resolutions, "to live with all my might as long as I do live" is very important to me this year. I realise that my time at HTC is coming to an end, having just one semester left. Also I realise that if I am going into ministry this year then we shall soon be leaving Culloden Baptist Church, so I earnestly intend to enjoy every moment of both. Today was a good day, with much encouragement. I wasn't in the service for the sermon, instead I was with the young people, where we were discussing the place of the bible in their day to day living. I was encouraged not only by their successes but by their honest. After the service one of our more mature members came up to me to ask me some "on the spot questions". I was really encouraged that she could come to me with these questions but even more, I was encouraged by how the questions had arisen. She has a good friend that is an atheist who asks her challenging questions. I think she is somewhat unusual in having that type of relationship with someone, but it is something we should all seek to have. I am glad that I was able to answer her questions and hopefully she will continue to have fruitful conversation with her friend. Richard Dawkins accuses Christians of not being open minded, I know many Christians that have read his latest book. I have read bits and have also read a couple of other books by people antagonist to the gospel, if we are to understand people, their hurts and their questions we need to do this.

Shalom
Stephen

New Year's Resolutions

I don't normally make New Year's resolutions but I have a couple of things I'd like to do this year so the New Year is as good a place to begin. Last year I set myself the task of reading John Owen for 20 minutes a day, I did pretty well, I read two books but then got busy with college so I stopped. I am ashamed to say that I have never read John Calvin's Institutes. Like Jonathan Edwards I would describe myself doctrinally as a Calvinist but the name is convenient and I am not dependent upon him for them, but upon Scripture. Nonetheless I think reading Calvin will be a fruitful exercise, again I need to take my cue from Edwards and read with a pen in my hand, and my laptop open, ready to mark, highlight and write down anything truly significant. The other thing I'd like to is read Wesley's and Edwards resolutions. One thing I don't have on my list is to blog as often as Dr Mike Bird, there are not enough hours in the day!

May God Bless you
Stephen