The Riddleblog

The OC -- The "Buzz"

I am certain that my family owned and operated the only Christian Bookstore in an amusement park (Knott's Berry Farm). The photo above is of my dad (Clayton) and was taken when our bookstore was newly remodeled in 1967. If you ever visited Knott's back in the day, and can recall the displays of the California missions in what was then Fiesta Village, you'll understand why our store looked like a California mission. It was a California history thing, not a papal thing.

I grew up in this strange world of Christian retail, and I have long since repented of supplying too many families and churches with Warner Sallman's awful "Head of Christ" painting. If your grandma lived in Southern California (or visited Knott's), and had on her wall the picture of the old man praying over his bread, or the gleaners in the field giving thanks for the harvest, chances are she bought it from us.

I begin with our family's bookstore (the Inspiration House), because the first time I encountered the Christian "buzz" so typical of the OC in the late 60's through the mid 90's was the first "Maranatha Night" at Knott's. I don't remember the year (1971?), but my dad had died in 1969 of a sudden heart attack at age 50, and my mom took over the business. Darrell Anderson (one of the younger and hipper members of the Knott family) had recently become a Christian while attending a "Jesus People" church, which I later came to know as Calvary Chapel.

Follow the link below to read the rest

The OC -- A New Burned Over District?

I've been thinking about tackling this subject for some time. But it was an article in Monday's Orange County Register (Click Here) which prompted me to begin this brief series. In an article in the new "faith & values" section of the Register religion writer Jim Hinch observes . . .

The future of religious America lives in a two-story beige office building in downtown Fullerton, where homeless people and college graduates attend church together. The future also lives at a mosque in Mission Viejo. At an organic farm started by a megachurch. In downtown Santa Ana, where kids of many faiths feed the homeless. And in an Orange County church for hipsters where women, once excluded from ministry, now are pastors.

Hinch goes on to describe the biggest change of all to the Orange County religious landscape--Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral is soon to become "Christ Cathedral," home to Rome's OC diocese. Anyone who has been to the OC, knows that the Crystal Cathedral stands tall and is directly across the 5 freeway from the Honda Center (where the Ducks play hockey) and Anaheim Stadium (where the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim play baseball). Christ Reformed is also nearby, but almost invisible until you are on top of it.

To read the essay: The OC -- A New Burned Over District

OC - Burned Over DistrictKim RiddlebargerJanuary 12, 2021OC Burned Over District

An Exposition of Article Three of the Belgic Confession

When we speak of the Bible as “inspired,” we do not mean that the Bible is “inspirational.” What we do mean by the term “inspired” is that the Bible is given to us by God as part of his self-revelation for the purpose of giving us a knowledge of his will (the law) as well as knowledge of how to be delivered from the guilt of our sins (the gospel). That said, we’ll address the limits of the term “inspired” momentarily.

When discussing Article Two, we made the case that as our post-Christian culture becomes increasingly hostile towards Christianity in general, and Reformed Christianity in particular, one way in which we are to respond to the unbelief around us is to personally believe those things revealed to us by God in his word and then publically confess these doctrines as a church before the watching world.

One of the most important things we must confess to the unbelieving world is that the Bible is a divinely-inspired, self-revelation of God, through the agency of various human writers. Because God has spoken to us in and through his word, we have a sure and certain foundation for our knowledge of our Creator and Redeemer. God has not left us in the dark with only our own pious opinions about religious matters. Through the words of Holy Scripture, God speaks to us, even this very day.

To read the rest of this exposition: An Exposition of Article Three: The Written Word of God

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerJanuary 8, 2021Belgic Confession

New Riddleblog Publications

I am continuing to move resources from the old Riddleblog to the new.

Here are two new essays.

The first is an essay from Modern Reformation magazine on the reactions of Jerome and Augustine to the fall of Rome: Jerome, Augustine, and the Fall of Rome (2009)

The second is an essay written for the volume, Always Reforming (a 2010 Festschrift for Dr. Godfrey) which defends a frequent celebration of the Lord’s Supper: The Reformation of the Supper

Riddleblog PublicationKim RiddlebargerDecember 30, 2020Jerome and Augustine, Fall of Rome 411

Two New Riddleblog Publications

I have uploaded two essays from the old Riddleblog to “Riddleblog Publications.”

You can find them here:

Eschatology by Ethos

A Rival to Biblical Christianity

Exposition of Article Two of the Belgic Confession Posted

According to the Apostle Paul, there is no such thing as an atheist, there are only people who attempt to suppress the knowledge of God in unrighteousness. Atheists may claim they do not believe in God, yet Scripture tells us that they suppress the knowledge of God deep within. I am reminded of the atheist’s quip, “there is no God, but I hate him.” This internal contradiction comes about because God reveals himself to all people in such a way that everyone knows that God exists and that he possesses divine attributes. Since God has made himself known to all, people are without excuse for failing to worship and serve the Creator. But the revelation of God in and through the created order cannot lead people to a saving knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. God reveals this through his word, both in the historical record of his mighty acts in redemptive history, and through the divinely-inspired explanation of those saving acts recorded in Holy Scripture. It is through these two divinely-appointed means (Creation and Scripture), but only through these divinely-appointed means, God makes himself known.

In Article One, the Confession makes the point that the biblical pattern found in Romans 10:8-10 of believing certain doctrines and then confessing them before the watching world is one of the divinely appointed means by which Christians are to respond to unbelief and idolatry. In the previous article, we made the case that we currently live in a post-Christian age and find ourselves confronted with secularism, paganism, false religion, and what may be called the “Great Awokening” at every turn.

To read the rest of this article: An Exposition of Article Two of the Belgic Confession

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerDecember 17, 2020Belgic ConfessionComment

Dogs in Church?

An artist whose work I enjoy, is Emanuel de Witte, noted for his interior scenes of churches. This painting is the "Interior of the Oude Kerk [old church], Delft," from about 1680. It is now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago.

The scene above is of a Reformed minister, preaching from the raised pulpit in the center of the church. If you look carefully, one of those listening to the sermon has brought his dog to church (in the shadow at the bottom right). According to one source, this was a common practice. But should Fido got too noisy, or attempt to do his business, church wardens would instruct the dog's owner to take them outside, or else make them clean up after the dog made a mess.

Blog postKim RiddlebargerDecember 15, 2020Dogs in churchComment

Scenes from My Retirement Celebration at Christ Reformed Church (Updated Video)

Our church family at Christ Reformed threw my wife and me a wonderful retirement celebration. We are truly thankful to all of you for your kindness and great generosity!

Video:

I recorded a “thank you” video for the members of Christ Reformed Church who could not attend the celebration, but it applies to some of the long-time readers of the Riddleblog too.

Riddleblog UpdateKim RiddlebargerDecember 14, 2020Kim's retirementComment

My Interview on Protestant Underground Radio -- Amillennialism and the Future of Israel

Interview on Protestant Underground Radio

eschatologyKim RiddlebargerDecember 12, 2020Amillennialism

My Office Hours Interview with Scott Clark

I was recently interviewed for Westminster Seminary California's "Office Hours" by my friend and colleague Dr. Scott Clark. We talk about the founding of Christ Reformed Church twenty-five years ago, my time as a student at Westminster Seminary California, and the rise and fall of the evangelical "buzz" in Orange County, California.

Here's the link: Office Hours with Scott Clark -- An Interview with Kim Riddlebarger

Riddleblog UpdateKim RiddlebargerDecember 8, 2020

Exposition of Article One of the Belgic Confession Posted

When someone says “I think God is like,” I can be certain that the person speaking hasn’t got a clue as to what God is like. Since the only way God can be known is through his self-revelation in creation and his word–the topic of article two–someone who defines God based upon personal experience, or personal opinion, is engaging in rank idolatry. While it is easy to think of idolatry as something associated with the primitive peoples of the past, or with pagan religions of the east, nothing could be further from the truth. We are all habitual idolaters. America is a land filled with idols. When we believe and confess that there is only one God, we are raising a standard against the spirit of the age.

The confession of the Reformed churches that there is only one God is at the very heart of all Christian theology. The famous Shema, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4) is the basic confession of faith of Israel and separates biblical revelation from all forms of paganism. Christians do not worship the “sun god” nor the “moon god” as do the ancient pagans. We worship the true and living God who created the sun and the moon. Nor are we pantheists and identify God with that which he has made, as in “the earth is our mother,” the creed of those environmentalists who worship nature. There is only one God–not many gods–and since God has created all things, God cannot be equated with that which he has made. He is transcendent and Lord over all the earth.

To read the rest of this exposition, click here: Exposition of Article One of the Belgic Confession --There Is Only One God

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerDecember 5, 2020Belgic Confession

New Post in Riddleblog Publications -- Hitler as Antichrist Figure

How did the ordinary-looking child (pictured above) become an antichrist figure, the maniacal leader of a "Christian" nation such as Germany?

Uncovering the answer to this question has kept plenty of capable historians busy since the Second World War. But evangelical theologians and Bible prophecy experts, who may have genuine insight into an answer, have largely remained silent.

One reason for this silence regarding Adolf Hitler as an antichrist figure is that many who write in the field of eschatology these days tend to push the discussion of the two beasts in Revelation 13 back into the distant past. In Revelation 13, John sees one beast rising out of the sea (Rev. 13:1-10), and another beast rising out of the earth (Rev. 13:11-18). This understanding of Revelation 13 is obvious because of the historical connection between these two "beasts" and imperial Rome. This is characteristic of the preterist reading of Revelation--which contends that the Apocalypse was written before A.D. 70 and speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem, it's temple, and God's judgment upon Israel in the form of the Diaspora.

Others interested in biblical prophecy (the futurists) tend to see the events of Revelation 13 as something yet to come during a future tribulation period. Many futurists see John's description as a prophetic warning of a revived Roman empire, unleashing its full fury in the final days upon those who remain "left behind" after the rapture, now forced to face the Antichrist during the seven-year tribulation period.

On both of these views, there is no reason to look for "antichrists" manifesting themselves during the inter-advental period--i.e., in the present course of history. Either the beast has come and gone (the preterist view), or is yet to come (the futurist view).

To read the rest of this article: Hitler as an Antichrist Figure

eschatologyKim RiddlebargerDecember 3, 2020Hitler as Antichrist

An Introduction to the Belgic Confession Posted (PDF)

“We Believe and Confess” An Introduction to the Belgic Confession

We are pilgrims passing through a foreign land. Like Abraham, the father of the faithful, we too are looking for the promised land flowing with milk and honey, that place where at long last we will find rest for our weary souls. In Hebrews 11:10, Abraham is commended because even though the land of promise was not yet his, and even though he believed that God would keep his promise and give him the land, nevertheless Abraham was looking beyond that land lying between the Euphrates and the River of Egypt to that heavenly city whose builder and architect is God. Abraham did this, Scripture says, “by faith.”

To continue, click here: An Introduction to the Belgic Confession (PDF)

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerNovember 30, 2020Belgic Confession

Welcome to the All New Riddleblog!

I published my first Squarespace blog post on November 5, 2005. Wow, that was a long time ago. I’m one of a shrinking number of bloggers who have stuck with it.

There were several software upgrades over the years, but eventually Squarespace launched an entirely new version—7.0, which required a full re-do of my current blog. I’ve delayed the inevitable until retirement.

So, here’s the new blog which should work much better with tablets and Android and Apple phones.

Riddleblog UpdateKim RiddlebargerNovember 24, 2020New Riddleblog Comments