Author Archives: Keith Walters

2008-06-13 The Brief

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. . . . I said no more posts on politics and here I am in the same week doing another post on politics.  Honestly, I have written so much on this lately because I feel that the church has lost her mission (II Corinthians 10:3-5).  Below are two series of posts one by John MacArthur, at Pulpit Magazine, and the other by Phil Johnson, at Pyromaniacs.  I am posting these not to correct the churches understanding of politics, although I think these posts will serve well to do that, but to call the church to repent of her folly and reclaim her mission.

John MacArthur

Phil Johnson

A Missionary God

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“The Living God is a Missionary God” by John R. W. Stott is a fantastic article detailing the theme of mission in Scripture.  The article is very short and provides two discussion questions at the end.  I would appreciate it if you would be willing to read the article, answer the two questions, and then share any other thoughts you have concerning the article.  The article is the first chapter in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader, which I would recommend to anyone who wants to gain a serious understanding of missions.  You can also check out the Perspectives website for more information.

2008-05-30 The Brief

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Blogroll

Eric Bryant did an interesting post a while back entitled Why Homophobia is So Gay.  I think he offers some good insight into how we should handle what I expect to be an inevitable norm, not just in America but globally as well.  As for me I think we need to start thinking beyond constitutional amendments if we hope to engage this and a host of other issues that are on the horizon.  I have not listened to the sermons that his post links to, although if I ever have the time, which I doubt, I will listen to them and post my thoughts here.

Derek Brown has done a fantastic post detailing How to Waste Your Theological Education this is a must read for all who are currently attending or plan to attend seminary.

Ed Stetzer (also here) discusses technology in the church and has some good insights as well as some great questions for discussion in his recent post Technolochurch.

 

Israel

First Things has an interesting and incredibly lengthy article entitled Zionism for Christians.

Just for Fun

Condoleezza Rice joins the Kiss Army.

Simply Amazing

Write Your Senator!

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For those of you who actually read Missio Dei I hope the title of this post was to some degree surprising or shocking.  If you are not familiar with my perspective on politics I would recommend reading Meaning versus Significance: Hermeneutics and Evangelical Political Activism I think it is a clear and concise explanation of where I stand.

So why am I encouraging you to write your senator?

The Kentucky primaries are coming up soon, this week actually, and I am sure there are some interesting things to vote for this time around.  Over the years I have heard countless individuals encourage me to “vote my conscience,” to “oppose what God opposes,” to “stand for what is right,” and other “evangelical” idioms.  Believe it or not I take these things very seriously and this has caused me to ponder how this should be applied in American politics.

But first let us read Scripture . . .

 “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. . . . . And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.  Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town’” (Matthew 10:5-6, 14-15).

“Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?  Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:3-5).

What merits a judgment worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah?  What heinous act not only deserves judgment but actually stores up wrath?

Answering these questions brings us full circle to answering the questions posed in the beginning of this post.  You should write your senator and propose a constitutional amendment that bans, not gay marriage or abortion or gambling, but nominal hypocritical self-righteous “christianity.”  That is what God hates.  If you want to uphold American morality then you should write your senator urging him/her to oppose the greatest moral failure in the history of America nominal Christianity.

Outlining Philippians

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Last year I began to study through Philippians and really slacked off during the school semester.  I am trying to get back in the habit of the consistent study and translation of Scripture and I spent most of the day outlining the book of Philippians.  Below is the outline I have settled on, which I hope proves as fruitful for your own study as I hope it will for mine.

I.          Prologue (1:1-2)

II.         Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:3-11)

            A.        Thanksgiving for Their Partnership in the Gospel (1:3-8)

            B.        Prayer for Their Spiritual Maturity (1:9-11)

III.        Paul’s Joy in the Advancement of the Gospel (1:12-26)

            A.        Through His Situation (1:12-14)

            B.        By Others Regardless of Motive (1:15-18b)

            C.        In His Bodily Witness (1:18c-26)

IV.       Exhortation to Live Worthy of the Gospel (1:27-2:18)

            A.        Stand Firm amidst Suffering (1:27-30)

            B.        Serve Humbly like Christ (2:1-11)

            C.        Shine as Lights in the World (2:12-18)

V.        Paul’s Plans Concerning His Companions (2:19-30)

            A.        Timothy (2:19-24)

            B.        Epaphroditus (2:25-30)

VI.       Miscellaneous Exhortations (3:1-4:9)

            A.        Towards Righteousness in Christ (3:1-4:1)

            B.        Towards Unity (4:2-3)

            C.        Towards Joy and Confidence in the Lord (4:4-7)

            D.        Towards Dwelling and Acting upon Truth (4:8-9)

VII.      Paul’s Joy and Continued Thanks (4:10-20)

            A.        In Divine Contentment (4:10-13)

            B.        For Godly Partnership (4:14-20)

VIII.     Conclusion (4:21-23)