Apostles' Creed with Proof Texts

Paul McCain from CPH has posted the Apostles' Creed with proof texts from an unremembered 17th-century source, demonstrating its biblical basis.  I assumed someone had done this at one time.  Here it is:

I believe (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 4:5)
In God (Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:6)
The Father (Psalm 89:27; Matthew 7:11)
Almighty (Genesis 7:1; 2 Cor. 6:18)
Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 33:6; John 5:17)
And in Jesus (Zech 9:9; Matthew 1:21)
Christ (Daniel 9:24; John 3:34)
His only (Zechariah 13:7; John 1:14)
Son (Psalm 2:7; Matthew 16:16)
Our Lord (Jeremiah 23:6; John 20:28)
Who was conceived (Jeremiah 31:22; Luke 1:31)
By the Holy Spirit (Daniel 2:45; Matthew 1:20)
Born (Isaiah 9:6; John 1:14)
Of the Virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:43)
Suffered (Isaiah 50:6; Luke 23:25)
Under Pontius Pilate (Psalm 2:2; Luke 18:32)
Was crucified (Psalm 22:17; John 3:14)
Died (Daniel 9:26; Rom. 5:8)
And was buried (Isaiah 53:9; John 12:24)
Descended into hell (Psalm 16:10; Ephesians 4:9)
And on the third day (Hosea 6:2; Matthew 26:32; Acts 10:40-41)
He rose again from the dead (Isaiah 63:1; 2 Timothy 2:8)
Ascended into heaven (Psalm 68:19; Col. 2:15)
And sits at the right hand of the God the Father Almighty (Psalm 110:1; Mark 16:19)
From thence he will come (Isaiah 66:15; Acts 1:11)
To judge (Wisdom of Solomon 6:6; Acts 17:31)
The living and the dead (Daniel 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:51)
I believe in the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 12:10; John 15:26)
The holy (Psalm 45:14; Ephesians 5:26)
Catholic Church (Psalm 22:26; Matthew 16:18)
The communion of saints (Exodus 19:5; Ephesians 4:3)
The forgiveness of sins (Psalm 32:1; Acts 10:43)
The resurrection of the body (Isaiah 66:14; John 5:28)
And the life everlasting (Psalm 16:11; 1 Peter 1:4)
Amen! (Psalm 72:19; 2 Cor. 1:20)

If you have an issue using Wisdom of Solomon as a proof, remember that the Church into the Reformation recognized that the Apocrypha was not scripture but good material worthy to be studied.

Worship Innovations

The desire to add new features to worship is nothing new.  Over the decades and centuries, worshipers have tweaked their practices hoping to gain benefit or avoid retribution from God (or gods), with the result that these incremental changes eventually became standard practice and spiritual reasons were built around the practices to rationalize their continued use.  Consider this old account, which I have paraphrased and removed the particular item in question in order to understand the argument:

We have now to say a few words about [this] and [that] used in your religious acts.  With respect to [the former] which you use, we wonder where or when you became acquainted with and understand its application, so that you have good reason to think that it is either worthy or agreeable to be used.  For it is almost a novelty.  And there is no endless number of years since it began to be known in these parts, and won its way into the holy places.  Neither in the heroic ages, as it is believed and declared, was [it] known as is proved by the fathers in whose books no mention is found.  Nor are the superstitious acquainted with its fame and renown as the rites of the chapels prove.  Nor was it used by anyone in offering sacrifice during the early, flourishing years.  Nor did those who were skillful in devising innovations consider either its existence or growth, as the sacred steadfastness of performing the customary and usual sacrifices shows.

So where did its use begin to be adopted?  Or what desire of novelty assailed the historic tradition, so that the thing which was not needed for so long took a prominent place?  For if the performance of a religious service without [it] is imperfect, and if a quantity of it is necessary to make the heavens gentle and favorable to mankind, the ancient worshipers fell into sin.  Indeed, their whole life was full of guilt, for they carelessly neglected to offer that which was most fitting.  But if in earliest times neither worshiper nor recipient sought for this, it is proof that today the same is offered uselessly and in vain.  Though antiquity did not believe it necessary, modern times desire such without any reason.

Examining the Questions Raised
Where and when did the practice originate?  If a practice can be found defined in a sacred document expressing the desire and instructions of a deity, there should be no question for use.  If not, then the question needs to be asked: why are we doing this?  Did the innovation stem from a better understanding of the requirement(s)?  Was a heretofore unknown document or communication made to the worshiping community requesting or demanding the addition?

What is the historical precedent?  When not found there, there should be suitable historical use context.  What demonstrates that, though the first document no longer remains, there is ample attestation of other writers and practitioners for inclusion.  Has the practice been previously examined and handed down as right and good?

Who sinned—the ancients for their failure to do right or the moderns for their vain novelty?  If neither the original requirement nor the historical witness is available, one must assume that either the inclusion or exclusion of the addition is a sinful act.  Were the first worshipers lax in giving proper divine deference in their gatherings?  Or was the novelty added relatively recently of well-meaning human insight and invention—initiating the inclusion as a method for enriching some aspect of the devotional experience, but wronging the object of worship with the contrivance?

Application
The paraphrase above is from chapter 26 of The Case Against the Pagans, VII by Arnobius of Sicca written 1700 years ago but could have been written yesterday for any number of innovations being promulgated on members by preachers in the guise of drawing numbers or preaching self-help tips rather than the gospel.  We expect innovations from pagans, who make it up as they go in order to bend and shape with culture.  Should the church be doing the same?  What grievous element was introduced originally to elicit the questions?  Incense.  In the aggregate of worship practices a seemingly trifling matter, but how many like practices can be allowed to invade without diverting from the main focus?  Precious few.

We have the God's own revelation of who he is and what he requires of those who are called unto himself.  We have 2000 years of testimony concerning the rightful (and wrongful) understanding and implementation of doctrine and practice.  We are to test what Charles Finney once referred to as "new measures" but are now called "reaching the unchurched," "engaging in conversation," or some other catchphrase.  They are wanting.  The mission of Christ's church remains: make disciples by baptizing and teaching as we go about our lives.  As well we regularly engage in proper worship, remembering that God first gives to us as unworthy recipients of forgiveness through Jesus' death on the cross, resting in the promise of Jesus' actual presence with his gathered people, taking in his life-giving word,  and responding in adoration for so great salvation.

Maybe its time for "spring cleaning" in each assembly of God's people in order to get rid of the clutter.

Proper Place of Commentaries

Phillip J. Long is beginning a blog series of Top Commentaries for New Testament Studies.  Reading his introductory post, I was pleased by his early statements:

First and foremost, a commentary ought never take the place of reading the text of the Bible.  Study should begin by reading the passage to be studied several times through, in context, with a pencil in hand.  Make your own observations before opening a commentary.

 I have heard this taught many times, and yet, so often in the past my first reaction was to open commentaries first.  Not until years later did I realize that most everything the Holy Spirit is saying in a passage through the writer is quite understandable just by reading through and meditating on the passage in context.  How much context?  Enough to know the flow of logic: this could be one chapter, a block of chapters, or the whole book.  Removing the passage from context leads to poor doctrine and ultimately to full-blown heresy.  Notice the recommendation is not directed to preachers and teachers.  No, this is pertinent for anyone wants to understand his Bible.

Should commentaries be used?  Certainly, but in their place: in an abundance of counselors there is safety (Prov 11:14).  And do not think that only the latest commentaries are those only worthwhile.  They reference and build off centuries of scholarship for a reason.  There are many websites that contain the historical works (CCEL, for example).  For more contemporary work, check out something like Bible.org, which has solid studies by book or topic.  Above all, have someone older and wiser in the faith that you can go to with ideas and questions.  If you are the older and wiser, talk with your peers.  Check and recheck your findings.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.  (2 Tim 2:15)

Living with Fallout from Speaking the Truth

“You’re Too Negative”
How many times have you heard that one?  I get it all the time.

So begins Bill Muehlenberg's post on bearing the brunt of reactions for telling the truth.  I have gotten the same, even from friends and family.  When you disagree with someone, a certain amount of tension occurs.  This is inevitable and good.  The proper response is to work through it.  Sadly, the mode du jour is to converse without expecting resolution—agreeing to disagree agreeably—and without making objective, transcendent truth claims.  Only opinions and knowledge based on life experience are used as verbal lubricant with the net effect that all parties maintain their views and part amicably.  I liken this to kissing my wife with a mask on.  Why bother?  Yet this has become the expectation in both secular and sacred culture.

The post ends with this:

I think Spurgeon had it right when he said, “This shall be an infallible test to you concerning anyone’s ministry.  If it is man-praising, and man-honouring, it is not of God.”  If that means we will be seen as negative and harsh to some people, well, tough beans.

Amen.

Eloquence in the Pulpit

[Eloquent preachers] are praised because the common people admire them when they hear them tell stories and examples and play with words and allegories.  But no one is judged eloquent on the article of justification, nor do people like to hear him or praise him.  Take this as a sure sign that the common people sleep and cough when we preach the article of justification but prick up their ears at stories.

Martin Luther, Weimar Tischreden (St. Louis), 22, 640, No. 19

United in One New Man

That he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

He put to death the enmity by the cross, offering the flawless sacrifice.  He reconciled both, that is, those from the Gentiles and those from the Jews, in one body offered for all, so that they might form one body.  He called all believers one man since while Christ the Lord is the single head of all, those granted salvation fill the role of the body.

Theodoret of Cyrus, "The Letter to the Ephesians" on Ephesians 2:15-16

Made Alive With Christ

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

But though our condition was so bad, the Lord God in the depths of his goodness made us sharers in the immortal life of our Lord—the meaning of made us alive together with Christ.  Since he is risen, we also hope to rise, as through him our condition has been set to rights.  Then he brings out more clearly the greatness of the gift: you were called not on account of the excellence of your life but on account of the love of the one who saved you.

Since he is risen, we rise in hope, and since he is seated with the Father, we also participate in the honor; it is our head that is seated with him, our first-fruits who reigns with him, since He is clothed in our nature.  Here and now the greatness of the good things hoped for, while completely hidden from the nonbelievers, the faithful at any rate gaze upon as in a mirror and in shadow, walking through faith and not in appearance.  But then they will see face to face; then both faithful and nonbelievers will see the nature taken from us adored by all creation, and the saints reigning with him.  "If we died, we shall also live with Him," Scripture says, remember, "if we endure, we shall also reign with Him."

Theodoret of Cyrus, "The Letter to the Ephesians" on Ephesians 2:4-7

Call Sin What It Is

This blindness concerning sin is the chief cause of the almost universal rejection of the Gospel in our time.  People who fail to recognize the horrible nature of sin decline to accept the sacrificial death of the Son of God for the reconciliation and redemption of this world of sinners.  They consider His death completely unnecessary and, therefore, regard the story of the Gospel as a miserable fable.

It is, therefore, one of the most important requirements of a true, Gospel-oriented pastor that he know how to explain to his listeners the true nature of sin in terms that are loud and clear as they are terrible, drastic, and relevant.  For without a real knowledge of what an awful thing sin is, a person cannot understand and accept the Gospel.  As long as he is not alarmed that sin is his greatest enemy and the most awful horror living in him, he will not come to Christ.

C.F.W. Walther, Law and Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible,

(trans. Christian C. Tiews; St Louis: Concordia, 2010), 362

Boast Only in the Cross of Christ

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

I pray to have a high esteem only of the saving cross.  On account of it the whole of life is pointless to me, even like a dead body.  It is not only dead to me but I to it, awaiting eternal life as I am.

Theodoret of Cyrus, "The Letter to the Galatians" on Galatians 6:14

Seek First the Kingdom of God: Life Lesson from Solomon

I am reading through Ecclesiastes, and a thought came to me that this book is an expanded discourse on a portion of the Sermon on the Mount.  In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus tells the people not to seek after the treasures of this world, because that treasure will not last and the effort leads you away from the Giver of all good things.  You serve the wrong master.  No longer are you trusting that the Almighty God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills to meet your need.  You worry about the lack and not remember what has been received, looking instead to make plans and expend effort improving your lot in life.  Jesus' solution for that problem is:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  (Matt 6:33)

Solomon, the wealthiest and most powerful man on earth, pursued all he could and wrote from experience on the vanity of chasing after what the Lord would warn against on that mountainside centuries later—wealth, goods, wisdom, and many other things that are considered important by the world and our flesh—in order to achieve happiness and contentment.  Solomon's advice is:

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.  Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.  For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.  (Eccl 5:18-20)

Notice the central theme of the two passages: God will give the desire of your heart if you stop chasing the wind and rest in His goodness.  Wealth and possessions are not the problem, the love of money is.  This malady is not restricted to an economic stratum.  Whatever one's income, there is a temptation to be more intent on gaining just a bit more in ignorance that the blessing of the Lord makes rich (Prov 10:22) and great gain comes from godliness with contentment (1 Tim 6:6).