Truth Matters: Thoughts on graduation, a book review, and the question of evil.

Graduation Season is upon us. I remember well the ceremonies for my High School, College, and M.Div graduations well. Many graduates of high school will go through great emotional rollercoasters during the month of May and the ensuing summer.  No longer are they bond to the task of completing school. They have freedom to choose to advance their education or begin working toward their careers right away.  It's during this time that many students who have been exposed to Christianity begin to doubt, or question, or leave the faith they have been raised in.  

The world is waiting and looking for converts. They will ask questions, push doubts, twist truths, and ultimately present options for how one can abandon Christianity.  To that end 
Andreas J. Köstenberger, Darrell L. Bock, Dr. Josh Chatraw have provided an accessible and helpful book in Truth Matters: Confident Faith in a Confusing World. 

The book is not an exhaustive defense but it is an excellent introductory book for students to read concerning the matters of common objections to Christianity.  The skeptics speak your language, know you have not done adequate research, they confirm an air of disbelief, and they reinforce the view that faith and reason are at odds with each other.  

The authors address the skeptics and then answer important questions. Chapter 2 is all about the question of evil (the go to for agnostics and atheists). Next, chapters 3-5 deal with issues relating to the Bible: it's composition, data, and origins.  Chapter 6 deals with the beginnings of Christianity and Chapter 7 deals with the resurrection of Jesus.  The book is not long and yet is a sufficient introductory to the issues addressed. A follow-up book also has been published that goes a little deeper. 

Truth Matters is an excellent resource for students of both high school and college, but it should not be limited to this audience alone  I would recommend it for every Christian. Every Christian should be versed in these issues concerning the bible, the resurrection, and the problem of evil.  I found chapter 2 about the problem of evil to be the most helpful.  Most non-believers (and unfortunately many so called "Christians) approach God as if he is a genie in a bottle who can be manipulated and forced to do what we want.  Therefore, when things go wrong and we see evil in the world our first thoughts are "it's God's fault" or "there cannot be a god." The authors address this (on page 23)  when they state "to claim that God isn't treating us right is to say God is wrong...which implies we know right from wrong...which means we posses a working conscience...and a moral conscience must come from somewhere (Creator)...so it actually all testifies to a God who is real and who has a standard of morality. "

Many who try to deny God's existence or the Bible's reality push this issue of evil but "to come away believing there is no God since God does not appear good (as we define good) assumes an absolute moral framework which, if God were absent, would not be there at all." Therefore, to use such an argument against God is self-contradicting and self-defeating (25). The Bible presents the realities of God and our world.  Creation and mankind were spoken into existence in Genesis 1-2 and in Genesis 3 man rebelled against the Lord. Genesis 4-Revelation 22 reveal the effect of sin on mankind and the world.  The world is groaning (Romans 8:22) because of sin and from Genesis 4 we see evilness that comes from a sinful mankind.  

The Bible presents God as the sovereign creator.  He is free (I AM WHO I AM Exodus 3:14) and cannot be manipulated (I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy Exodus 33:17).  God is not bound, even by sinful humanity.  He is free to save and to overcome our sin and He is glorified in doing so. God permits evil, and yet He restrains evil. He sent his Son, Jesus into our dark and sinful world and though Jesus did not sin, and fully obeyed his Father, he died for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). Why would God put his Son through the greatest evil known to mankind? So that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Humanity deserves Genesis 6-9 or Genesis 19...but God is gracious, full of mercy, slow to anger (Exodus 34) and He is glorified in salvation through judgment.   

I received this book free from B&H Publishing through the B&H Bloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.

Review of "God Dwells Among Us: Expanding Eden to the Ends of the Earth" by G.K. Beale and Mitchell Kim

Beale, G.K. and Mitchell Kim. God Dwells Among Us: Expanding Eden to the Ends of the Earth. Downers Grove: InterVasity Press, 2014. 215 pp. $17.

In a recent PhD class on Old Testament Theology I had a discussion about the difficulty of bridging the gap between the academics found in seminaries and the laymen in our pews.  It is the same gap present between computer engineers and the everyday Facebook user.  The person on Facebook, and other popular web pages, is not interested in the lines upon lines of computer codes that it takes to build a website and yet both (the engineer and the Facebook user) are needed.

The goal of Mitchell Kim and G.K. Beale in God Dwells Among Us is to bridge the gap between a very academic work (in G.K. Beale's The Temple and the Church's Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God) and how it can be received by local church members (in this case how it can be preached in local churches).  Mitchell Kim takes the thesis of Beale's larger work and uses a pastoral approach to drive home how it applies to our lives.

The goal or purpose of the book is clearly stated "to strengthen the biblical conviction for sacrificial mission" (14). To achieve their goal the authors briefly walk through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  In looking closely and Genesis 1-3 and Revelations 21-22 the authors take a bookend approach in tracing the themes of Eden and Expansion through the Bible.  As Adam was called to to be fruitful a multiply and yet failed (Genesis 1-3). Jesus obeys the Father and, through the church, fills the new heavens and new earth with a new Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22).

In chapters 1-2 the foundational information in given from Genesis 1-3.  Chapters 3-4 follow the Patriarchs through the Tabernacle.  Chapter 5 looks into the prophets and promise for a new 'expanded' Eden, while chapter 6 looks into the gospels and how eden will be rebuilt.  Chapters 8-10 deal with the church as the new temple, the role as priests that Christians are called to, and the reality of Eden completed and expanded in Revelation 21-22.  The book concludes with two helpful chapters of application and summary.

The positives: This book is very accessible. Each chapter is filled with great insights and build upon each other. Kim provides wonderful illustrations in a very pastoral manner to help his reader grasp the points that are being made. Essentially, Kim and Beale desire to give a 'big picture' of the Bible. The benefits of reading such a work is that the Bible as a whole becomes easier and more desirable to read. As one reads the Scriptures more their view of God increases and as their view of God increase so does their obedience to what He says. As Kim says "The history of kingdom breakthrough is a history of faithful submission to God's Word over time in difficult places" (54). Part of that submission is a willingness suffer for the advancement of the gospel.

For those who have read Beale's work: this is a wonderful refresher.  I wondered early on if I would get bored with the book because I have read Beale's work but it was a rather quick and refreshing read.  I especially like Kim's remark on the parallels between Chronicles and Matthew and the possibility that Matthew structures his book with the same structure fun in Chronicles (96). Kim's work is also helpful in seeing how the process of bringing academic work to laymen's terms works.  Which leads to a fews negative remarks.

The negatives: The book, while accessible, is still very academic. I do not know if there is any other way around trying to explain and argue what Kim and Beale both argue.  The basic argument is understandable: understanding the mission of God from Genesis to Revelation leads to sacrificial mission. And Kim has moments of being very accessible and contextual with his illustrations...but in the end each chapter reverts back to an academic line of thinking.  This leads back to my original paragraph.  It is very hard to balance academics with everyday Christianity.  That does not mean attempts do not need to be made.  On the contrary, more attempts and better attempts need to be made by scholars and pastors.  1 Corinthian 12 and Romans 12 describe the need for prophets and teachers.  The church needs sound theologians to wrestle with very difficult task on languages, theology, and etc.  But in order for the church to benefit there must be a bridge between the scholar and the person in the pew.  In my ind that bridge is the pulpit and a 'pastor as scholar.'

Another point of criticism is the neglect of the covenants by Kim and Beale.  While creation and new creation are indeed bookends of the Bible the covenants are the how we get from creation to new creation.  Kim and Beale do not state whether there is one or two covenants in Genesis 1-3 (though it appears they only argue for one). They also discuss how Abraham, Sinai, and the Prophets speak to issues about the temple/new temple but not about how the covenants found within those passages (and also the Davidic covenant in 2 Sam 7) help move the story from creation to new creation.

Conclusion: Overall this book is very helpful.  Helpful in introducing biblical theology, typology (which chapter 10 unpacks) and making it easier to see how connected the Scriptures really are.  Even more, I am encouraged to read the Scriptures and share the message of the gospel no matter the cost.  To this end, Kim and Beale achieve their goal.  This book will make the pew sitter, the pastor, and the professor hungry to know God more through His revealed Word.  Therefore I recommend it to everyone, though especially pastors who are tasked with bridging the gap between academics and the pulpit. May the church awaken from its slumber and live sacrificially until the glory of the Lord covers the dry lands as the waters cover the seas (Hab 2:14), Amen.

The Joy and Pain of Mother's Day

Psalm 34:17-18

17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

     Mother's Day is the third largest card sending holiday, (behind Christmas and Valentine's Day),  the second largest gift giving holiday (behind only Christmas), and the top holiday for dining out. It is a day of joy and thankfulness as we honor the women who bore and nurtured us. But it is also one of the most difficult days on the calendar.

     I am a momma's boy and I am not ashamed of that. I am very fortunate. My parents are both still living and still married (celebrating over 30+ years this year) and they are loving their roles as grandparents to our children. I will give my mother a call tomorrow (well FaceTime actually) and tell her I love her...and pass the phone on so that she can talk with her grandchildren.  The kids and I will spoil my wife with gifts, cards, and special meals...I am sure it will be a day filled with joy.

     It will also be a day filled with grief. My wife lost her mother to Ovarian Cancer 10 years ago. Forever loved as "Ms Jackie" my mother-in-law was the best that a son-in-law can have.  She was a faithful and dedicated Christian, Wife, and Mother. She taught children in Sunday School for decades and would often tell the kids in her classes that she wanted to be a "grandma" when she grew up. Just before her battle with cancer ended my wife and I were able to share with her that her dream had come true. My wife was pregnant with twins. My mother-in-law was so happy to tell the nurses and doctors that she was going to be a grandma.

     Shortly after my mother-in-law went to be with the Lord...our twins (Peyton and Jordan) joined her. Several months after losing my mother-in-law and the twins tragedy struck again and Jayden joined them in heaven.  The grief felt by my wife (and I) was enormous. There is nothing harder in life than losing a mother or a child and we had lost both within six months.

     It was during this time that the stories of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1-2, Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 12-21, and Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis  23-25 became very real and very encouraging for us. Adam and Eve were told to be 'fruitful' and to 'multiply' in Genesis 1-2.  They disobey God's Word in Genesis 3 and part of the curse given to the woman is that her 'pain' in childbearing will be increased (3:16). While certainly there is great pain in delivering a child...it appears (after the focus on infertility in Sarah, Rebekah, and even Rachel) that it is not just physical pain that is increased. Women, made with the gift of being able to carry and deliver children, will struggle with infertility and barrenness.

     Our grief droves us to the Bible and the Lord brought comfort. We cried out to the Lord...brokenhearted and with crushed spirits...and He heard our cries.

     One of the great lies of our enemy, the devil, is that you are alone. Take heart, you are not a lone. Many will mourn the loss of their mother tomorrow. If you have lost your mother...the Lord is near the brokenhearted and I pray that he would bring you great peace, comfort, and mercy.  If you desire to BE a mother...take heart...many struggle and many have experienced loss...the Lord hears the cries of the righteous, he is near the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:17-18). Jesus says in Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

    So on this day of joy and grief remember to pray. Thank the Lord for your mother and children. Pray for those who are mourning and for those who are longing. Pray that the Lord would give comfort and grace. Finally, remember that the Lord will one day swallow up death forever and will wipe away every tear (Isaiah 25:8)...and so we pray Revelation 22:20...Come, Lord Jesus!

Mystery in the Bible? A review of G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd's "Hidden But Now Revealed: A Biblical Theology of Mystery"

G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd. Hidden But Now Revealed: A Biblical Theology of Mystery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2014. 392 pp. $27.00.

The Bible is amazing. It is a well that never runs dry, but provides life. Today, in 2015, we have access to the Bible like never before…and yet we do anything but meditate on the Scriptures (Joshua 1:8; Deuteronomy 6; Psalm 1). Part of the reason we neglect our Bible is because it can be difficult to understand. It has been picked apart, scrutinized, and denied as foolishness. And yet, “..the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” 1 Corinthians 1:25. While the Bible can be difficult to understand we have no excuse. God has revealed his word to mankind. It is through the Bible that we come to know God and receive eternal life through his son, Jesus Christ.

The relationship between the Old and New Testaments is one of the major difficulties in understanding the Bible. G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd in Hidden But Now Revealed, present an extremely helpful resource for anyone seeking to understand the continuity and discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments. Specifically, Beale and Gladd zoom in on how the term mystery is used by New Testament authors to reveal their understanding of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments (18-19). They define mystery as “the revelation of God’s partially hidden wisdom, particularly as it concerns events occurring in the ‘latter days” (20).

The introduction is superb. The authors present the need for their work, a well defined thesis, helpful definitions, presuppositions, goals, and describe the audience they are writing for. Outside of the Introduction the most important chapter of the book is chapter 1 on Daniel’s use of mystery. While the term mystery is found in the New Testament 28 times, it is only found 9 times in the Old Testament and only in the book of Daniel. Thus, the authors emphasize the importance of how Daniel uses the term and how that informs the New Testament authors understanding of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.

After the foundational chapter on Daniel, the authors have a brief chapter on the use of mystery in early Judaism. They explore how Daniel affected writings, commentaries, and other Jewish texts in their understanding of mystery from the close of the Old Testament canon until the coming of Christ. Next, in chapters 3-10 the authors work through the 28 New Testament findings of the word mystery in Matthew, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, and Revelation. These chapters represent the meat of the book and provide excellent insight and analysis of the texts. Each chapter builds off of the initial chapter on Daniel and includes how they are all connected together. After working through the New Testament the authors have a chapter dealing with mystery in the New Testament where the technical terms is not used, and a chapter exploring and contrasting how pagan religions also used secrecy and mystery as well. Finally, chapter 13 provides a concise conclusion.

Throughout the book the authors argue that “…the revealed mystery is in some form or another linked to Old Testament references and bound up with the person of Christ. The unveiled mystery according to the New Testament is is inextricably tethered to Christ and his work” (321). The authors sum up their argument by briefly tracing their argument from Daniel-Revelation before giving final thoughts about the hermeneutical technique of the New Testament authors (which they expand upon in their appendix), the importance of the mystery of the Cross, and how practically mystery should be applied to our lives by increasing our view of God and obedience to His Word.

Beale and Gladd have provided a wonderful resource for the church. It is scholarly, and technical, but not so dry that only scholars and pastors can benefit from it. The authors are very qualified to write such a work (a daunting task 7-8) and each chapter is very helpful on its own and together with the whole. I especially benefited from the chapters on Daniel and Ephesians. These chapters alone are worth the price of the book. While I disagree with some of the authors conclusions about Daniel, that chapter is key to understanding mystery in the New Testament. I recommend this work to anyone who desires to understand the Bible better, as a whole, and the relationship between the Old and New Testaments. The book would be especially beneficial to pastors, seminary students, and others who are wrestling with the tension found between the discontinuity and continuity of the Old and New Testaments. Get it, read it (fast, slow, or maybe both) and be driven to know God through the means He has given us, His Word.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review*