# 50: Open Book Exam

When I was at university, some of those artsy courses used to have open book exams. They could take any book into the class and use it in the exam. Didn't make sense to me until I did one and realised if you don't know the stuff well enough you aren't going to find it quick enough in an exam.

God's judgement is an open book exam.

God's judgement is not a hidden mystery, as if he will judge us for things we know not what.

No, God has given us the textbook, in fact God is a lot like my Physics lecturer who used to say, "I'm not going to tell you what's in the exam, but if you study the lecture material, in particular week four, and if I was doing this exam I would be sure to study magnetism."

God has told us what's on the test, he's given us the textbook.

So it makes absolutely no sense for Cliff Richard to say things like this:

"I'm not going to judge, I'll leave that to God."

Off course we leave judgement to God, but God has told us how he will judge and that really ought to modify our behaviour and what we approve and disapprove of.

What Cliff really means is, "I'm not listening to what God has already told us"

Umm, Cliff, that's one of the main things God says he will judge us for.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/books/sir-cliffs-life-with-expriest/2008/09/05/1220121491526.html?sssdmh=dm16.333153

# 48: 2 Timothy 2

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

2 Timothy 2:19

# 45: Jerome Urges Right Handling of Scripture

"A false interpretation of Scripture causes that the gospel of the Lord becomes the gospel of man, or, which is worse, of the devil."

Jerome

#44: Leonard Ravenhill on the Bible

"The Bible is either absolute, or it's obsolete."

Leonard Ravenhill

# 42: Salt of the Earth

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "
Matthew 5:13

Salt is salty because it is different to the rest of the world. Sure it stings a wound, but that's because it's killing the germs.

How can Christians be the salt of the earth when:

* Our ways of thinking are the ways of thinking of the world,

* Our morals and ethics become those of the world, and

* Our actions and lifestyles are the same of those of the world?

If we stop looking to God in Scripture, and continue looking to the world for our definition of right and wrong and using worldly wisdom to regulate church practice, as for example some do in the area of accepting homosexual practice as good, then we lose our saltiness. We are no longer good for anything, except...

# 37: Oswald Chambers

"Beware of reasoning about God's Word - obey It."

"The golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters is not intellect, but obedience."

Oswald Chambers

# 36: James 1

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

# 35: Charles Colson on the Bible

Simply put, the Bible is the rock on which the Church stands or falls. The texts were written with meticulous care, based on manuscripts accumulated over the centuries before Christ—and then, by faithfully recording the apostles' teaching. Archeological discoveries are mounting, supporting the Bible's historicity.

No book has ever been so challenged nor found so reliable.
For 2,000 years, the Bible, often unaided by any human intervention, has transformed—often dramatically—the lives of those who read it: St. Augustine, St. Anthony of Egypt, Martin Luther, to name a just a few. And I have known thousands, including hardened criminals, who have read the Bible and been transformed for good.

# 33: Augustine of Hippo

Let us therefore yield ourselves and bow to the authority of the Holy Scriptures, which can neither err nor deceive.

Augustine of Hippo

# 25: An Apology

As ministers of various churches and denominations we recognise that the churches we belong to, and the church in general, have not always been places of welcome for the word of God (Bible). Indeed the church has often been profoundly hardhearted to the Bible's message. For these things we apologise, whatever the distinctive of our Christian position on human responsibility – to which we remain committed. We are deeply sorry and ask for the forgiveness of God himself. We long that the church would be a place of welcome for God's word and commit ourselves to pursuing faithful obedience.

We ARE a group of Christian ministers who voluntarily and individually bring this apology.

We ARE NOT official representatives of our churches or denominations.

We ARE NOT making a statement on the biblical position on biblical authority.

We ARE recognising the lack of honesty, integrity and obedience with which the churches have handled the revealed word of God.

# 24: Go the Saints (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

Notice a few things:

• It is plain that Christians are to avoid sexual immorality.
  
  
• We are to control our bodies (not other way around)
  
  
• We are not to be like the heathen (unbelievers) who do not know God.
  
  
• Passionate lust like that of the heathen has no place in our lives.
  
  
• The Christian is called to live a holy life not to be impure.
  
  
• Men will be punished fro such sins (like cheating others and sexual immorality)
  
  
• If you reject the Bible' teaching on sexual immorality you actually reject God.

Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

# 23: Galatians 5:16-31

Galatians 5:16-31

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

#20: Mythological Translations

A comment on the 100 revs blog responds to a previous quote of 1 Corinthians 6:9 with this:

Natasha, have a read of different translations of that verse of 1 Corinthians, and the majority of them won't mention 'homosexuals' because most translators don't agree that's what the original Greek word means.

This is very very bad work. There are a very few modern dissenters who do not think the text refers to homosexuals. They all come from the gay lobby, or sympathise.

It doesn't matter what the majority of translators think, what matters is sound translation principles. Studying the word in it's context, it's root, its usage. Arriving at a reasonable and defensible translation.

Homosexual is the reasonable, defensible translation. In fact it is demanded by the usage of the word. It is well attested and clearly understood.

Trevor (who wrote the comment) is engaging in wishful thinking scholarship. It goes like this:

Step 1: An insignificant number of people with an agenda develop an alternative proposal through hand waving and blindfold exegesis.

Step 2: They promote this interpretation with friends with a sympathetic view.

Step 3: This unjustifiable translation circulates through the sympathetic community who do not check to see that it has been disproved and debunked by serious (independent) scholars.

Step 4: All of a sudden there is "debate among the scholars" and "most translators don't agree" etc etc etc.

For the sake of thoroughness, however, lets have a look at a few translations.

American Standard Version
1Co 6:9 Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,

Darby Bible
1Co 6:9 Do ye not know that unrighteous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who make women of themselves, nor who abuse themselves with men,

New Living Translation
1Co 6:9 Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals,

New American Standard Bible
1CO 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,

New Revised Standard Version
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites,

Amplified Bible
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality,

King James Version (Authorised)
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

New International Version
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders

Not a lot to that argument was there.

It's either homosexual, sodomite (a blunt and derogatory word for homosexual) or abuser of self with men (a more polite way of saying homosexual).

Different ways of putting homosexual does not indicate that there is dispute over whether it means homosexual.

#19: Leviticus 18:22

‘Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.'

This command lies in a whole section of law related to sexual and relational conduct.

It lies amidst prohibitions on sex with close relatives and sex with animals, and offering children to Molech.

The unifying theme is that this kind of conduct is what the former residents of the land used to get up to. This is not what Israel are to be like. They are not to be like this because they belong to God. Anyone who engages in these practices has no place in the people of Israel.

Christians also belong to God.

The context has changed. But the nature of these practices has not. New Testament Scriptures confirm that these practices remain detestable to the holy people of God.

There is no place for someone who engages in homosexual practices in the church

#17: The Battle Of The Bulge

Sometimes people will ask, "Why do Christians get so upset about homosexuality?" This may be contrasted with the sin of adultery, Christians don't go on as much about that do they?

This criticism may come in the form of a statement, "I'm not as concerned about what goes on between consenting adults, I think there's enough to worry about with all the poverty and injustice in the world."

So why are right thinking Biblical Christians causing so much of a fuss over this issue. Is it just our homophobia?

No.

This is just where the battle is.

It didn't make sense for the Americans to fight the Germans on such a wide front in the second world war. The Battle of the Bulge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge) was difficult and bloody, but it was where the Germans were pressing the attack so it is where the Allies had to stand and fight.

The argument over homosexuality in the church is really a battle about the Bible. The conservatives are fighting over the principle that the Bible is the final authority over doctrine and practice. That is, the Bible tells you what to do and and what to believe.

One of the things the Bible says quite clearly, emphatically and consistently is that homosexuality is wrong.

So when a Christians claims that homosexual activity is alright, they are departing from the Bible, blatantly. This is something Christians cannot do and remain true to their calling. So that is why Bible believing Christians oppose the homosexual lobby in the church.

Martin Luther is quoted as saying,

"If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing him. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point." Weimar Ausgabe Briefwechsel 3, 81f.

In my opinion, adultery is probably a greater issue in the church (in terms of frequency of occurrence) but there is nobody who seriously stands up and says adultery is OK. (Yet!)

But there are plenty of voices calling for the acceptance of homosexuality in the church.

This is just where the church is leaving the rails, so this is where we have to try to get it back on track.

#15: Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We are not to be shaped by the world. We do not think as the world thinks, we do not act as the world acts.

Our world is currently redefining homosexuality as normal. Our world actively promotes homosexuality as normal. Our world promotes homosexuality as healthy and happy.

That should have no influence whatsoever on our thinking. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.

Our understanding of sin, our definition of wrong, our ideas of acceptable behaviour are to come from the Scriptures, which clearly state that homosexual practice is a sin.

As homosexuality is a sin (as is adultery, idolatry etc) how are we to act?

"offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God"

#14: Romans 6

Romans 6:1-4

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

We become dead to sin by repenting of sin, not by redefining it. There is no place for sin, for the way of the former life, for the way of the world in the Christians life.

We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

#13 Romans 1

Romans 1:26-17 are pretty clear.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Homosexual acts are:
shameful,
unnatural,
products of lust,
indecent,
a fruit of perversion and
receive judgement.

But why do these things happen? What is the root of this kind of behaviour? God explains why these thing happen in verse 25:

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie. Now Paul is probably referring to idol worship and false religion- imagine Buddhas and things like that. But doesn't our western culture (at it's worst) worship the created thing - human body, human pleasure, human wisdom - rather than the creator.

The 100 revs have (or are in extreme danger of doing so) exchanged the truth of God for a lie.

The Bible clearly states that homosexual activity is a sin. The 100 revs wish to redefine it as acceptable in the church. I fear for the consequence that may be the judgement on that particular example of exchanging the truth of God for a lie.

#12: The Leaning Theology of Pisa

The 100 revs have tried to protect their theological integrity.

They have added clauses to their apology that reserve the right for each of them to hold their distinctive theologies and that seek to distance themselves from any particular Biblical interpretation.

So perhaps some signatories think of themsleves as orthodox.

Some of the signiatories have their roots in orthodox protestant denominations, some might even regard themselves as evangelical.

But when you see a place for homosexual behaviour in the church. When you feel the church has to apologise to the homosexual community for not accepting homosexuals as is, your theology is leaning so far over that it is in grave danger of leaving contact with its foundations.

It may feel like it's standing now, but it's just a matter of time. And as ministers they should be thinking about who their theology is going to land on and who it might drag with them when it collapses.

# 8: Adam, Steve, Charli and Lola

You can just hear the old time fundamentalist preacher thundering out,

"God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve..."

Simplistic, we think. Rhetorical nonsense. Dramatic posturing with no substance.

But it's not that at all.

There is a growing number of people calling themselves Christians who are finding homosexuality to be theologically acceptable. 1 Corinthians 6:9 is explained as an obscure reference to pagan temple prostitution, In Romans 1:27 the emphasis is placed on natural relations, and an appeal is made to modern pseudo-psychology that it's natural for people with a gay 'orientation' to be gay. All the Old testament is abrogated - we eat prawns now don't we? And it goes on.

Genesis 1 and 2 is a clear corrective of this trend of misinterpretation and theological conniving.

When the conservative quotes Leviticus, or Corinthians, or Romans, he is accused of proof texting. Picking the verses that suit him. Yet Genesis 1 and 2 show that these texts are embedded within a cohesive Biblical framework of heterosexual male-femaleness of creation.

Let's read it again.

So God created man in his own image
In the image of God he created him,
Male and female he created them.

It is significant that it is male and female. This is a pattern of the created order. Adam and Eve is not just an incidental particular, it is a pattern of humanity.

It is not Adam, Steve, Charli and Lola.

it is not "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender he created them."

Throughout the Bible from front to back, cover to cover, homosexuality is shown to be a dysfunction and a sin. It is this because it is a deviation from the created blessing of male femaleness and heterosexual faithful relationship.