As It Is In Heaven

Election Day Semper Plene Radix from Noah Webster

Bahnsen8 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:59:00 GMT

“When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, “just men who will rule in the fear of God.” The preservation of government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be sqandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded. If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws.” — Noah Webster, History of the United States (New Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1832), pp. 336-337, 49.

Satan's Worldling Zombies, No More. Rejoice.

Bahnsen8 — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:06:00 GMT

Ephesians 2:1-5 tells us that prior to new birth in Christ, we were dead in our sins, walking in the paths of this world, hand-in-hand with Satan, children of wrath, and we liked it. But, thanks be to our Almighty and Merciful and Triune God that because of His great love, via the unfathomable sacrificial death of Christ, He rescued us and made us alive together with Christ, eternally placed us in His Holy Family, guided us onto the path of life, made us children of His favor and gave us love and desire for Him, His Kingdom and His Ways. I write this today to proclaim my thanks to God and invite my fellow steeplefriends to join in giving thanks to Him for this glorious salvation He has bestowed upon us, and I promise to spend at least the next one month (pray I can make it) only voicing agreement on these forums, agreement on the greatness of God and His gospel. Then, maybe voicing disagreement won't feel so divisive to our oneness in Christ, and maybe I will do it with more tact, humility and grace.

Spiritual Father of Mine

Bahnsen8 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:42:00 GMT

Dr. John Oliver preaching at Independence Presbyterain Church, Savannah, GA, a man and a church to learn from.

Sarah's Soldiers

Bahnsen8 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:27:00 GMT

One thing is for sure, you Palin-lovers should go ahead and get your daughters ready for front-line warfare. Once, Sarah-of-the-tundra is VP, in line for Commander in Chief, you will have no gender-specific argument against the involuntary military draft of your daughters. I look forward to all the wild and zany and illogical arguments that are sure to follow, that will try to justify a female President while simultaneously rejecting daughter-drafting. B8

Take your choice: Pagan to the left or pagan to the right

Bahnsen8 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:14:00 GMT

McCain's selection of Palin proves he is the pagan-minded people-pleaser that his past Senate record already proved. It sickens me that he chose this oxymoronic "feminist for life" with an adulterous 17 year old daughter. It sickens me most because he is presenting this family to us all as some sort of glorious model. No, the Palin family is a sick family, walking the path of deception, needing healing, not acclaim. McCain is no different than Obama. Either of these men, if elected, will represent God's continued judgment on our apostate nation. Voting for either of these tickets, dear Christian readers, will be a sinful act requiring the covering of the blood of Christ. Chuck Baldwin is the only candidate that any Christian can vote for and not violate the Word of God. I beg you, trust in God, not in the most recent poll, not in pragmatism. Cast a vote that will not violate the revealed will of God. Vote for Chuck Baldwin. And, reject pragmatism in your local, state and congressional election choices. Vote for a man that meets the Biblical requirements, or do not vote. Or, join in bringing God's judgment on our land by voting for McCain, or Obama, or some other deceived people-pleasing, pagan-minded blind one. Respectfully, B8

At my mother’s funeral service, Saturday, August 30th, 2008:

Bahnsen8 — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:47:00 GMT

I stand here before you all today in a time of great personal pain, yet at complete peace, because Jesus Christ, the only Lord and Creator of all, has conquered sin and death because of His great love for us. While He was eating His last meal before He died, the Lord Jesus Christ told His closest earthly friends that they would have great troubles and difficulties and pain while they lived in this world. Certainly, He was speaking to us as well. My mother died unexpectedly Tuesday evening. I miss her so much already. I wish she were here with us. I don’t know why the Lord chose to do this now and in this way. I know she is gone from this world, but for me, she is still here. She is still here in that space inside of me where she has always been. She will always be here. As I experience my life, I will always be missing her and wishing she were able to be here with me, watching my children grow, and seeing life’s little and big moments. This is the most personal pain I have ever known. Movies have made me cry, sad songs make me cry, and the pain of my friends and family can make me cry, but all that is from outside of me, like being caught in the rain. If I just go inside, I can get dry. But, this is different. This comes from inside of me, and I know that it will always be open as I live in this life, open and raw to the touch, a kind of slow bleeding. I cannot get away from this, unless I forget about my mom, but that would also mean losing all the joy of remembering her, and I will not do that. She loved me and she gave me her life in so many ways. I will not stop thinking about her and remembering her. And by doing this, day in and day out, I will honor her, until she greets me on heaven’s shores. I imagine it will be her embrace that greets me on the other side. But, the pain and suffering of this life does not have the last word. Jesus Christ, the Creator and Sustainer of all, Who made each of us with His own nail-scarred hands, this same Jesus, also told His disciples that they could have peace in the midst of life’s most difficult and painful times. And, He told them that the peace was theirs because He had overcome this world, with its sin and sorrows and death. Then, a few days later, He proved this to them by His resurrection from the dead and subsequent ascension into the clouds, raised up to the right hand of God the Father, where He has ever been, ruling and reigning over all things, with His beloved children constantly before His eyes. My father and brother and I were at my mother’s side as she passed away on Tuesday evening. Knowing of her faith that Christ had rescued her from her own sins through His sacrifice for her on the cross, I said to her, “Mom, we’re here with you. You are not alone. Do not be afraid. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.’ Do not be afraid, Mother. We love you and God loves you. We’re here with you, Mom” I stand here before you all today in a time of great personal pain, yet at complete peace, because Jesus Christ, the only Lord and Creator of all, has conquered sin and death because of His great love for us.

My Mother died on Tuesday

Bahnsen8 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:34:00 GMT

Steeple Friends,

Please pray for me and my family. My mom died unexpectedly on Tuesday. I miss her so much already. I will be speaking some words at her memorial service on Saturday. Please pray for the Lord to be honored by this entire weekend, as friends and family from all over the country will be coming in to celebrate my mother's life. Most of all, please pray that the gospel will go forth into the hearts and lives of all those who do not yet trust Christ.

The part of the gospel about sin and death and judgment is particularly unsavory to the lost during a funeral.

At peace, because He has overcome the world,

B8 (B9 in time, Lord willing)

Still Breathing by the Grace of God

Bahnsen8 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:09:00 GMT

Hello, sterling, stellar Steeple stalwarts, All is well over in the B8 world these days, in case you were wondering. Skin testing, mixing allergy shots, giving allergy shots, training nurses, doing spirometry, giving breathing treatments, paying bills, paying more bills, paying some more bills, stopping to give thanks to God for the busy clinic days, new friends and new connections in this wonderful little town where we live, praying with my patients, seeing them cry with gladness toward God, writing prescriptions, making appointments, eating lunch at work, staying very late at work, typing my notes even still right now but had to take a break and say "hi." Praise the Lord for His goodness, glory, power, mercy, justice, sovereignty, kindness, compassion, gentleness, meekness, majesty. May you know Him more and more and be filled to fullness with the knowledge of HIm Who is beyond comprehension. Pre-mil folks still drool and post-mil folks still rule. :-) ChOL In Christ, B8

The Planted Flag

Bahnsen8 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:26:00 GMT

Matthew 10:26-33

26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Proverb 3:5-7

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

For me, this has been a very personal and practical instruction from the Lord. In my new business, I will acknowledge the Lord. This means I will speak of Him and His goodness and love toward me in Christ. I will share that I started this practice for the glory of God. I will openly declare that our daily activities are to be governed by the words of the Lord Jesus: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

God has planted this flag in my heart. I was afraid because I was being "wise in my own eyes" and "leaning on my own understanding" and "fearing those who can [only] kill the body". I was fearful that this open acknowledgement of Him would hurt my business. Now, I don't care what others say about this practice. I am at peace with leaving the results in His Almighty Hands as I walk the path He has revealed in His Word, the path of acknowledging Him in ALL my ways, which I know cannot exclude my business life.

May He plant this flag in all of us, that we may do the same in all our workplaces, retaking what has been slowly surrendered.

Update on my new practice

Bahnsen8 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:43:00 GMT

Well, here I sit in my new office. The initial space improvements are mostly complete, most of the furniture is in place, and I type to you on my new MacBook Pro, which I will use as the main workhorse for patient encounter notes. Today, my cell phone broke to bits, my van is incapacitated with a dismantled steering column and the air conditioning in this office went out. So, I am out of touch, immobile and hot. The good news is I think I will get an iPhone, better night driving and an a/c full of freon (or some non-ozone dwindling blah blah blah substitute). Anyways, hope you all are well. B8

Undone by Ephesians 1

Bahnsen8 — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:14:00 GMT

So much of this section of Scripture is grand beyond measure, almost too beautiful to risk maligning with merely human reflections. Too high to be scaled, this pinnacle of glory glimmers with rays of sublime power, ever drawing us in for a closer look, yet the infinite immensity, seen ever more clearly, only intensifies the awe and wonder of the scene. The closer look does not satisfy the industrial, clinical, mechanical, scientific, purely hermeneutic eye. Oh, but, draw near with the eyes of faith and a heart alive to His mystery, wonder and beauty, and the clarity of proximity to these wondrous truths, the fragrance of the essence of beauty filling your soul, will squeeze forth soul-song in gladness that human tongue cannot rightly or fully express. This is the knowing of that which is beyond comprehension. This is the knowing root, plunged ever more deeply into the soil of Him, that grows the tree of genuine worship, that MUST grow this giant, glorious tree of always overflowing worship of Him. To know Him is to worship Him. Who must this God be in order to do such things? How is it that I can be His? What wonder to my soul.

Sure, we have to know the facts given to us in the doctrinal systems. Good Christians who love God will learn their catechism. But, all this does is get the mountains in view. The looking at mountains has no effect on the climbing skills. Go, live according to His glorious grace at work in your life. Go, act as if He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Spend your days declaring His praises. Ponder anew each day His mercies to you in Christ. Think on the death of Jesus. Meditate on Him constantly as you mingle with others continually. Submit to the power of New Life as you walk amidst a world of old death. Stop trying to measure the dimensions of predestination, grace, election and mercy. Stop testing the waters. The flood, the deluge shall lavish itself upon you. Swim. Drown. Be rescued. He is always with you.

Father Abraham, the Missionary Evangelist

Bahnsen8 — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:38:00 GMT

Genesis 18: 17-19

The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

God chose Abraham to be the father of a great and mighty nation, and God chose that all the nations of the earth would be blessed in Abraham. This great missionary and evangelistic passage shows God's choice to work through a single sinner, Abraham, to bring worldwide blessing.

What strikes me is the way God chose to accomplish this foreordained plan. How does God plan to "bring to Abraham what He has promised?" How does God plan to accomplish "all the nations of the earth" to be "blessed in [Abraham]?"

Answer: By "...command[ing] his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice."

Abraham's fatherly faithfulness did not earn him a mighty nation as offspring. Abraham's fatherly faithfulness did not earn him the position of worldwide evangelist. Abraham's fatherly faithfulness was God's appointed means to carry out God's immutable plan for Abraham to be a mighty nation and a blessing to all the earth, ultimately and fully accomplished through Jesus Christ, the Seed of Abraham.

I hope this will encourage every man who reads this. Abraham, really, in many ways, was a great sinner. He had a problem with courage and truthfulness. His kids were an awful mess at times. But, in the end, Abraham believed God, and this faith, ultimately, led Abraham to many acts of righteousness and justice that God used to accomplish His plan in Abraham's life. God even used Abraham's sin and failures to accomplish His plan.

May each of us fathers, with joy and gladness under the favor of Christ our Redeemer and Friend and Lord, and under the compassionate eye of God the Father, and empowered by the very real presence of the Holy Spirit, press on to be the fatherly evangelist demonstrated to us by Abraham, commanding our children and our household after us to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, rejoicing in the knowledge that in this way, we, too, can be a blessing to all the nations of the world, through the power of God, the great Gospel of Jesus Christ, the humble crucified carpenter, resurrected, ascended and reigning over all, Who is and ever shall be, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

B8 OFTEN gets it ALL WRONG

Bahnsen8 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:45:00 GMT

"3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."

OK, so I have asked the Lord to help me to really be all the good things mentioned in this passage from Titus 3. I admit that I have not been careful to communicate in ways that are gentle, with perfect courtesy toward all, especially in communication with Wesley and Joe. Please accept my sincerest apologies, forgive me, pray for me and hold me accountable to a form of interaction that sincerely honors Christ. May I never speak evil of others or be quarrelsome. May my manner never be irritating or ugly. If my views are unpleasant to ponder, then may my manner and demeanor make reading them surprisingly pleasant.

On the other side of a new leaf here in this little corner of cyberspace, where theology as "blood sport" is strictly refused.

Finney got it ALL WRONG

Bahnsen8 — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:09:00 GMT

"I demand your decision now and whom do you suppose that I am now addressing? Every impenitent sinner in this house -- everyone. I call heaven and earth to record that I have set the gospel before your today. Will you take it? Sinner, the infinite God waits your consent!" - Finney.

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." - Paul, in Holy Scripture

God needs the consent of no human, neither in Creation or in Providence or in His Sovereign act of Redemption unto eternal life. Thus, Finney-ism mischaracterizes God as neither sovereign nor almighty in the realm of soteriology. This, my dear friends, is nothing less than the doorway into idolatry- false worship hidden in the disguise of Christian religion.

Shameless Re-post

Bahnsen8 — Sat, 24 May 2008 03:58:00 GMT

http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/2008/05/3725.aspx

Now, that's what I'm talkin' about.