Jonah -- The Preacher of Repentance (1): Who Was Jonah?
Jonah -- The Preacher of Repentance (1): Who Was Jonah?

A Well-Known Story

Most everyone knows the story of Jonah. Jonah was a reluctant Hebrew prophet who, while fleeing from his divine commission, was thrown overboard in the midst of a horrific storm by his terrified shipmates, only to be swallowed by a big fish (usually assumed to be a whale). Jonah then spent three days and nights in the fish’s belly, before being vomited up by the fish on a foreign shore. Once safely on land, Jonah fulfilled his evangelistic mission, went to Nineveh as commanded, and preached to the Ninevites who repented en masse. The story is simple enough it can be understood by a child, but profound enough that theologians and biblical scholars still debate its meaning.

Whenever considering any book of the Bible it is important to ask and answer several questions to make sure we interpret the book and its message correctly. Who was Jonah, when did he live, why did he write this book, and what is in it? How does this particular prophecy compare with the other Minor Prophets who lived and ministered about the same time? These questions are especially important with a book like Jonah, which many think to be an allegory or a moral fable, seeing the story as so implausible that it cannot possibly be speaking of historical events. How can someone be swallowed alive by a whale and live for three days? No, the critics say, this cannot be history, so it must be an allegory, a teaching parable, or a work of fiction, designed to teach us some important spiritual or moral truth.

When we interpret Jonah’s prophecy through this fictional lens, the reader’s focus usually falls upon Jonah himself, the prime example of a reluctant prophet who refuses to obey God’s will. By not obeying God, Jonah finds himself in the belly of a whale, until God relents and the whale then spits Jonah out safe and sound–if a bit shook up. The moral to the story is that should God call you to do something you do not want to do, learn the lesson of the story of Jonah. Obey the Lord and avoid the kind of calamity which comes upon those who, like Jonah, will not do what they know God wants them to do.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
Reflections on Jonah, Biblical Theology, Biblical EventsKim RiddlebargerBook of Jonah, God's grace to GentilesComment
Musings (4/4/22)
Musings (4/4/22)
Read More
Kim Riddlebarger
Jesus -- The Greater Joshua
Jesus -- The Greater Joshua

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary (who was betrothed to Joseph) the angel informed her that although she had never been with a man, she will become pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel also appeared to Joseph and instructed him regarding his future wife, “she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The name “Jesus” is so familiar to us that we can easily overlook the significance of his name in light of redemptive history.

Our Lord’s name “Jesus” is indicative of the reason why he came to earth–to save his people from their sins. Yeshua is a shortened form of Joshua (Yehoshua), which means “Yahweh is salvation.” The Greek version is Iesous—Jesus. This name ties Jesus to one of the great figures in redemptive history–a man used by God to save his people and bring them into the promised land. That man was Yehoshua (or Iesous), a name which comes down to us in Romanized form as “Joshua.”

Joshua is one of Israel’s greatest heroes. He first appears as a skilled commander who directs Israel’s army in battle against the Amelkites (cf. Exodus 17:8-16). Joshua is identified as Moses’ assistant who is with Moses before the latter received the commandments of the Lord (Exodus 24:13 ff). Joshua is said to have never departed from the tent where Moses led the Israelites (Exodus 33:11), and he assisted Moses in the governance of the nation (Numbers 11:28).

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
Biblical EventsKim RiddlebargerJesus as the greater JoshuaComment
Fear and the Sovereignty of God
Fear and the Sovereignty of God

“God is in control.”

These words can be of wonderful comfort to people struggling with common phobias, natural fears, apprehension of impending bad news, or even deep-seated terrors resulting from past trauma. A biblical reminder that God is sovereign over all things often brings great relief. That nothing can happen to us that does not first pass through the will of God is comforting in many fearful or worrisome situations.

But there are times when the words “God is in control” might actually make matters worse. A terrified Christian may have already wrestled with the fact that God is sovereign, yet since their fears have been realized, they arrive at the misguided conclusion that God is punishing them, or worse, that God has abandoned them to the very things which terrify them. At the root of such fear and anxiety is not whether God is in control of all things (a doctrine most Christians readily accept), but a fear that God really is in control of all things. “Why would God allow my fears to become my reality?” “Perhaps God hates me or has rejected me” they reason, only ratcheting up the intensity of their own dread and terror. The reality is for some that the awareness of God’s sovereignty may not be a source of relief—only another source of doubt, frustration, fear, or even anger at God. Fear can do this to people, even Christians, who intellectually know better.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
Biblical TheologyKim Riddlebargerfear of God's sovereigntyComment
The Calvinistically Warped Mind -- Warfield's "Review" of Methodist Theologian John Miley's Systematic Theology.
The Calvinistically Warped Mind -- Warfield's "Review" of Methodist Theologian John Miley's Systematic Theology.

As the two volumes of John Miley’s Systematic Theology were published in 1892-1894, B. B. Warfield reviewed each volume upon release. Miley was a noted Methodist theologian who taught at Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, New Jersey, not far from Princeton, where the Lion of Princeton (B. B. Warfield) held the chair of “polemical and didactic theology.” It was Warfield’s task to pounce upon any and all challenges to Reformed orthodoxy.

Miley, who some have called the “Methodist Charles Hodge” (because he wrote a similar theology text two decades after Hodge completed his), was a capable theological in the Methodist/Arminian tradition. Miley stated in his Systematic Theology that his efforts were, in part, to be seen as a Methodist corrective to the recently published Calvinist theologies of both Charles Hodge and his son, Archibald Alexander Hodge.

Warfield appears eager to see these volumes come into print as Miley was a capable sparring partner, whose work, Warfield was sure, would illustrate the profound difference between the two systems. Warfield playfully (if not sarcastically) speaks of his objection as the consequence of our “Calvinistically warped mind.”

The excerpts below (quotes from Warfield’s “Review” of Miley’s work and my interaction with both Warfield and Miley) are taken from my Lion of Princeton (2015) and edited for publication here.

Warfield appreciates Miley’s clarity and consistency regarding the Methodist/Arminian system.

The material is handled in a masterly manner, and the volume as a whole sets forth the Arminian scheme of salvation in as powerful and logical a form as that scheme admits of. For Dr. Miley presents himself here as above all things an Arminian, and as above most Arminians ready to follow his Arminianism to its logical conclusions. Here, indeed, we find the highest significance of the book. It is the Arminian `Yea’ to the Calvinistic declaration of what Arminianism is in its essential nature, where its center of gravity lies, and what it means with reference to that complex of doctrines which constitute the sum of evangelical truth.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerWarfield reviews John MileyComment
An Exposition of Article Twenty-Three of the Belgic Confession: Justification By Faith
An Exposition of Article Twenty-Three of the Belgic Confession: Justification By Faith

It was Martin Luther who once stated that the doctrine of justification is the article by which Christ’s church stands or falls. Luther was absolutely correct about this. If we do not understand how it is that we as sinners are made right before a holy God, we may misunderstand the gospel and therefore risk standing before God on the day of judgment expecting that our own righteousness will be sufficient. But we will also miss out on the wonderful comfort which this doctrine provides. As justified sinners, our sin has been reckoned to Christ, and Christ’s righteousness has been reckoned to us. We now possess the greatest gift imaginable, a conscience free from fear, dread, and terror. The knowledge that our sins are forgiven and that God is as pleased with us every bit as much as he is with his own dear Son, not only quiets our conscience and creates a sense of joy and well-being, but it also provides powerful motivation to live a life of gratitude before God. What is more, understanding this doctrine is the only way we will be able to give all glory and thanks to God, which is the ultimate goal of our justification.

Article Twenty-Three of our Confession summarizes the biblical teaching regarding the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone on account of Christ alone. Article Twenty-Two deals with the nature of faith, point out that justification occurs when the saving merits of Jesus Christ become ours through the means of faith. These merits, which are the ground (or basis) of our justification, are based upon Christ’s active obedience; his perfect obedience to the law of God, as well as his passive obedience, in his voluntarily laying down his life for our sins.

To read the rest: An Exposition of Article Twenty-Three of the Belgic Confession: “Freeing our Consciences from Fear, Dread, and Terror"

Read More
Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerJustification by faith Comments
Job -- The Suffering Prophet (12): "The LORD Made Him Prosperous Again”
Job -- The Suffering Prophet (12): "The LORD Made Him Prosperous Again”

The Book of Job is known for its wonderful ending. Job’s good name, his wealth, and his family are at long last restored to him. The suffering prophet has endured an intense and terrible period of suffering without cursing God, nor blaming God for his troubles. Satan has been proven wrong and his attack upon the righteous ways of God has utterly failed.

Although Job is a justified sinner, he stands as YHWH’s blameless and upright servant. Job is not the self-centered opportunist who obeyed God only so that he would prosper, as Satan falsely charged. Once everything Job had was taken away, Job still refused to curse God to his face, as Satan predicted. Having successfully graduated from the school of suffering and then personally instructed by YHWH in the nature of true wisdom, Job’s ordeal comes to an end. The Lord restores to Job all the things he has lost, and then some. God is faithful to his covenant promises, his ways are proven righteous and just, and in his word alone is true wisdom to be found.

When we come to the conclusion of the Book of Job, there is much to consider. In an act of grace and condescension, God spoke to Job from the midst of the storm. Job was sick and suffering from sores all over his body. Job was thinking he was about to die, and nearly crossed the line when he demanded that YHWH issue a written indictment against him. Yet, God did not come to Job in judgment, nor confront him with a list of his sins. In fact, God did not answer any of Job’s specific questions about why all of this had come to pass. Nor did God deal with Job as Job demanded.

After the Lord appeared to Job from the midst of the storm and spoke to him about the nature of true wisdom which could be seen in all that God had made, Job knows that everything will be okay. He is reassured. He knows that his Creator-Redeemer is not angry with him, although Job complained of being abandoned. Throughout the dialogue with his friends, Job even wondered out loud whether God was being just with him. But the appearance of God to Job in the storm is actually an act of grace and brings Job’s ordeal to a blessed end.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
Reflections on JobKim RiddlebargerJob vindicatedComment
Musings (3/17/22)
Musings (3/17/22)

  • So, will Vlad the Invader use nukes? What is current Russian military doctrine regarding the use of tactical nuclear and chemical weapons on the battlefield? There is an informative (if disconcerting) discussion of Russian doctrine in episode 21 of the School of War Podcast. This one is highly recommended, especially as the tides of war seem to be shifting in Ukraine’s favor. The more Vlad the Invader is backed into a corner, the more this becomes an issue.

  • Another installment of Dr. Godfrey’s great series. Dr. W Robert Godfrey: " What is Going on Right Now?" (11)

  • Arians beware! Here’s a helpful look at the doctrine of eternal generation: Scott Swain on John 8 and the Eternal Generation of the Son

  • The prophecy pundits are back! To all who think (and preach) that Vlad the Invader’s attack upon Ukraine is predicted in biblical prophecy, here’s a nice rebuttal. Jesus did predict wars and rumors of wars as a characteristic of the inter-advental age, but many have got the whole “Gog” thing wrong (More End Times Fiction)

  • Here’s yet another reason why a proper distinction between law and gospel helps us to understand all the Bible. Scott Clark on Luke 18:18-30 and the Rich Young Ruler

    To read the rest of Musings, follow the link below

Read More
MusingsKim RiddlebargerWill Putin Use Nukes?, Patriarch Kirill Is in trouble, Baseball is back, Woodrow Wilson again Comments
"Law and Gospel" -- B. B. Warfield's "Review" of C. F. W. Walther's Book
"Law and Gospel" -- B. B. Warfield's "Review" of C. F. W. Walther's Book

B. B. Warfield (1851-1921) was professor of polemical and didactic theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. The Lion of Princeton published 781 book reviews over his long and exceedingly productive career. Simply an astonishing accomplishment.

Warfield's review of the German born Lutheran theologian, C. F. W. Walther's book, Gesetz und Evangelium (Law and Gospel) appeared in1894. The book was first published by Concordia in 1893, and Warfield gave it a brief review the following year. Walther's book remains in print and can be found here: C. F. W. Walther on Law and Gospel

Warfield describes the format behind Walther's book, noting that Walther had given a series of lectures on Friday evenings to theological students. These lectures were then transcribed into thirty-nine chapters, corresponding to Walther's lectures with each centering around a particular thesis, then discussed in detail. Warfield clearly appreciates the content produced in “freer” interaction with such a "live" audience.

Besides his academic lectures, Dr. Walther was, it seems, accustomed to give to the whole body of students, assembled usually on a Friday evening, series of freer talks on theological and practical topics. Among these was a course of twenty-two talks on “Inspiration;” one of twenty-two talks on “The Truth of the Christian Religion;” one of forty-nine talks on “Justification;” one of sixty-two talks on “Election and Justification;” and (among still others) two courses, one of ten and the other of thirty-nine talks, on “The Law and the Gospel.” The Introduction to each talk, the citations used in it, and the plan of treatment, exist in Dr. Walther’s own hand; for the rest full stenographic notes of his students are available. From this material, it is proposed to publish the whole of them in due time; and the present book, which contains the shorter course on “The Law and the Gospel,” makes the beginning.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerReview of CFW Walther, Law and Gospel Comments
An Exposition of Article Twenty-Two of the Belgic Confession: The Righteousness of Faith
An Exposition of Article Twenty-Two of the Belgic Confession: The Righteousness of Faith

Many evangelical Christians understand the biblical teaching that we are saved by grace through faith and that we are not saved by our good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). And yet, many of these same Christians think of faith as that one thing God requires of us so that we might be saved. Faith is something which God sees in us and which he is compelled to reward. But properly understood, faith is not a work we perform. Faith receives what God freely offers. And what does God freely offer to sinners? He offers us the merits of Jesus Christ, which are more than enough to justify even the worst of sinner (1 Timothy 1:15).

We move to another section of our confession, (Articles Twenty-Two through Twenty Four) which deal with the application of Christ’s saving work to the individual believer. These three articles address subjects which are very familiar to many of us: faith, justification, and sanctification. These subjects are familiar to us because they lie at the very heart of the gospel. They are also familiar because many of us have had to wrestle with these doctrines in our own journey to the Reformed faith. Not only does the Reformed understanding of these doctrines amount to a repudiation of the Roman Catholic understanding of justification as a process (which was the major issue at the time our confession was written in 1561), but the Reformed understanding of these doctrines often differs significantly from the way in which many evangelicals understand them as well.

As you probably know, the Protestant Reformation largely centered upon the question of how sinners are reconciled to the holy God. At the time of the Reformation, the Roman church understood faith as essentially mental assent to the doctrines taught by the church. According to Rome, when enabled and energized by the grace received through the sacraments, this mental assent to the truth became a “formed faith” which produced genuinely good works. Some of these works are of such a nature that God must reward them as a matter of justice (condign merit), while there are other works which God chooses to reward because he is gracious and decides to reward them (congruent merit).

To read the rest, click here: "Jesus Christ Is Our Righteousness"

Read More
Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerFaith in Christ, Justification by faithComment
Job -- The Suffering Prophet (11): Shall You Contend With the Almighty?
Job -- The Suffering Prophet (11): Shall You Contend With the Almighty?

Job in YHWH’s School of Wisdom

YHWH’s examination now takes the student (Job) beyond matters of day and night, to matters of weather and the heavenly bodies (the first part of chapter 38). It is self-evident to Job that God rules over heaven and earth, because he has created them. Yet Job, a mere creature, has no control over the world in which he lives. YHWH’s examination of his suffering prophet continues, for there is still much for Job yet to learn. YHWH continues his examination of Job as the ordeal challenge continues. Beginning in verse 22 of Job 38, the Lord asks of Job,

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth? “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass? “Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven? The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth? “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you? Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind? Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, when the dust runs into a mass and the clods stick fast together?

No, Job cannot issue commands to the lightening in the storm. No, Job did not hang the constellations in space. Yet, the lightening coming from the storm is the Lord’s servant. The Lord spoke and the constellations came into being. Job is firmly put in his place–he is a creature, a sinful one at that.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
Reflections on JobKim RiddlebargerGod answers Job, God challenges JobComment
"The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger" Is Now Available on Your Favorite Podcast App
"The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger" Is Now Available on Your Favorite Podcast App

“The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger” Is Now Available on the Following Podcast Apps:

Apple Podcasts: The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Buzzsprout: The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Spotify: The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Google Podcasts: The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Amazon Music: The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Stitcher: The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

RSS Feed (for any podcast service): RSS Feed for "The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger"

Please give the “Blessed Hope” a listen, and if you like it, or think it valuable, tell a friend and leave a good rating and/or comment.

Read More
Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerThe Blssed Hope PodcastComment
An Important New Book -- Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies
An Important New Book -- Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies

Here’s the scoop on an important new book, with Michael Horton as a main contributor: Covenental and Dispensational Theologies: Four Views on the Continuity of Scripture

Here’s the publisher’s blurb:

How does the canon of Scripture fit together? For evangelical Christians, there is no question about the authority of Scripture and its testimony to the centrality of Jesus Christ in God's salvation plan. But several questions remain: How do the Old Testament and New Testament relate to each other? What is the relationship among the biblical covenants? How should Christians read and interpret Scripture in order to do justice to both its individual parts and its whole message? How does Israel relate to the church? In this volume in IVP Academic's Spectrum series, readers will find four contributors who explore these complex questions. The contributors each make a case for their own view―representing two versions of covenantal theology and two versions of dispensational theology―and then respond to the others' views to offer an animated yet irenic discussion on the continuity of Scripture.

To read the rest, follow the link below:

Read More
Kim Riddlebarger
Musings (3/3/2022)
Musings (3/3/2022)

I grew up during the cold war. I remember duck and cover drills in elementary school. Our teacher told us to stay away from the windows during these drills, because if there was a blast nearby, the glass would shatter and injure us. I grew up hearing the monthly testing of civil defense air raid sirens. There was a small Nike-Ajax missile base just a couple of miles from my house—the missiles pointing skyward for all to see. We knew where the local bomb shelters were and the secret hospitals and emergency bunkers (under shopping centers and county buildings) were not terribly secret. I vividly remember Lyndon Johnson’s famed “Daisy Girl” Political Advertisement, which nuked Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential hopes—one of the most effective television commercials ever run.

I am so very thankful that my wife and I raised our sons without that kind of fear hanging in the air. Apparently, many Europeans in the EU and NATO-allied nations remember those days too, and have decided that Vlad the Invader’s murderous dream to re-incorporate Ukraine into a revived Russian empire cannot stand. In two short weeks, the world has changed. A truly remarkable turn of events.

To read more “musings” follow the link below

Read More
MusingsKim RiddlebargerComment
Then Again, You May Be the Antichrist
Then Again, You May Be the Antichrist

In a previous post (Putin's Invasion of the Ukraine as a Spiritual Quest ), I noted a line of evidence which suggests that Vladimir Putin (“Vlad the Invader”) considers himself a loyal son of the Russian Orthodox Church, and seems to have the tacit support of that church’s Patriarch. But an archbishop from the break away Ukrainian Orthodox Church has much different take on Mr. Putin’s spiritual status:

A Ukrainian archbishop and spokesman for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin as the "anti-Christ of our current time" as Russia invades Ukraine.

While Putin appears to be portraying himself as a kind of messianic figure, seeking to reunite the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches (which formally split in 2019), Yevstratiy Zoria put him on the other side of the Christian spectrum.

To read the rest, follow the link below:

Read More
Kim Riddlebarger Comments
How to Help Christians in Ukraine
How to Help Christians in Ukraine

My friend and colleague (Dr. Scott Clark at The Heidelblog) beat me to it, but Rev. Wes Bredenhof (from the Free Reformed Church in Launceston, Tasmania) has a blog post providing links to two organizations which are providing relief to Christians (and others) in Ukraine: Resources to help the Ukrainian Church.

Also, a number of Reformed and Evangelical Seminaries in Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation have issued the following joint statement, Please pray for these dear brothers and their families and for the advance of the gospel!

The Christian Church has been instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Created by the Word of God and directed by the Holy Spirit, the Church confesses one Lord and Savior Jesus, His gospel and law. Therefore, as part of the Church and under the Lordship of Christ, we are called to speak the truth and expose deceit (Eph 4:15; 4:25).

In the light of Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine, we consider it necessary to strongly condemn the open and unjustified aggression aimed at destroying the statehood and independence of Ukraine and based on blatant lies from the lips of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and the country’s top leadership.

We reject Putin’s mythical narrative, which has nothing to do with historical reality, about the alleged artificial creation of the Ukrainian state.

We condemn Putin’s cynical lies about Ukraine’s alleged genocide of the people in the east of the country, lies that Putin uses to satisfy his own geopolitical ambitions, which are clearly contrary to God’s revelation (Deut. 27:17; Prov. 22:28).

We confess the real and unlimited power of God over all countries and continents (Ps 24:1), as well as over all kings and rulers (Prov 21:1), therefore, nothing in all creation can interfere with the fulfillment of the good and perfect will of God. We, together with the first Christians, affirm “Jesus is Lord,” and not Caesar.

We express solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We share the pain of those who have already lost their loved ones. We pray that all of the aggressor’s plans would be thwarted and put to shame. We call on all people of good will around the world to resist the lies and hatred of the aggressor. We call on everyone to petition for a cessation of hostilities and to exert every possible influence on the Russian Federation in order to stop the unmotivated aggression toward Ukraine. We ask you to pray for peace for the people of Ukraine and for courage and wisdom for Christian churches so that they continue to serve those in need.

We pray for our authorities and put our hope in the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who is, and remains, our refuge and our fortress, even in time of war (Ps 46).

Evangelical Reformed Seminary of Ukraine
Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary (Riga, Latvia)
Evening Reformed Seminary (Almaty, Kazakhstan)
Kyiv Theological Seminary
Odessa Theological Seminary
Poltava Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary of Donetsk (temporarily located in Kyiv)
Reformed Theological Seminary Heidelberg, (Germany)
Seminary in Western Russia (we withhold the name of the seminary)
Seminary in Western Siberia, Russia (we withhold the name of the seminary)
Taurian Christian Institute (Kherson)

Read More
Current EventsKim RiddlebargerAid for Ukrainian ChristiansComment
Putin's Invasion of Ukraine and Kyiv as a Spiritual Quest
Putin's Invasion of Ukraine and Kyiv as a Spiritual Quest

A number of years ago I ran across a fascinating essay claiming that Vladimir Putin was engaged in serious talks with the Russian Orthodox Patriarch to restore the church to its former dominance in Russia. Putin openly expressed his willingness to fund new church construction and repair, and work closely with the Patriarch to ban from the Russian state all those forms of Christianity perceived as hostile to Orthodoxy. The JW’s were singled out, but Evangelicals were also targeted as threats because they were engaged in “proselyting” among the orthodox. In exchange for Putin’s money, the Orthodox Patriarch would restore the title “Czar” and grant it to Putin in a grand coronation ceremony to be conducted in the rebuilt orthodox cathedral in Moscow. It sounded far-fetched then, not quite so much now. Since “Vlad the Invader” (I’m happy to grant him a royal title) has moved against Ukraine, I searched long and hard for that essay, but have not been able to find it.

But I did find this recent essay on Putin’s ties to the Russian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Kirill which makes a similar point, and contains a number of fascinating insights about Putin’s motives (Putin's Spiritual Destiny).

On Putin’s professed interest in Kyiv (note: Kyiv is the Ukrainian spelling—Kiev is the Russian name). . .

“The spiritual choice made by St Vladimir still largely determines our affinity today” Putin wrote only last year. “In the words of Oleg the Prophet about Kyev, `let it be the mother of all Russian cities.’”

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
Kim Riddlebarger Comments
Putin Plots, the Lord Laughs
Putin Plots, the Lord Laughs

I know several Christians now living in Ukraine. I know that there are many others—including many Reformed and Presbyterian missionaries and seminary/Bible school teachers—planting churches there. Please pray for their safety and that our Lord will turn this despicable Russian invasion into long-term good. The words of Psalm 2 come to mind—as these powerful words are being read and prayed by many Ukrainian Christians. They know that as Putin plots, the Lord laughs. They have taken up the chief Christian weapon—prayer. They know that the days ahead will be exceedingly difficult and as the beast rages against the people of God and the gospel, their hope is in the Lord to deliver his people. Let us pray for them, their safety, and for the spread of the gospel.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Read More
Kim Riddlebarger Comments
An Exposition of Article Twenty-One of the Belgic Confession: The Atonement
An Exposition of Article Twenty-One of the Belgic Confession: The Atonement

We do not go to church to perform a ceremony appease the wrath of the angry God. We do not shed the blood of some poor animal and then consume it in flames as a burnt offering unto God. Nor do we sacrifice a virgin, or throw one of our children into a volcano as a form of human sacrifice. We do not perform some a ritual intended to purify us from our sins and to make God happy with us. Ministers of word ans sacrament are not priests, nor do we celebrate the Mass, offering the transubstantiated the body and blood of our Lord as an unbloodied sacrifice unto the Father so that God’s wrath toward our sins is turned away. We do none of these things. Why? Because we have a great high priest who has already turned aside God’s anger toward our sins! Therefore we assemble to hear yet again that Jesus has already, once and for all, satisfied God’s righteous anger toward our sins when he suffered for us upon the cross, because his sacrifice for sin paid our debt in full.

We are working our way through that section of the Belgic Confession which deals with the work of Christ (Articles Twenty and Twenty-One). Before we move ahead to consider Christ’s work as our high priest–who satisfies the justice of God on our behalf–we need to keep in mind the context in which Christ’s priestly work takes place. That context is human sin. If we do not consider the suffering and dying of our Lord in its biblical context–which is human sinfulness–then we really do risk misrepresenting or misunderstanding what Jesus does on our behalf. In the suffering and dying of our Lord we do not see a picture of human worth, as so many of our contemporaries seem to think. Rather, in the cross, we see the gravity of our sin and the horrible cost that our blessed Lord Jesus paid to redeem us from our sins.

To read the rest, Article Twenty-One: "We Know Nothing But Jesus and Him Crucified"

Read More
Kim Riddlebarger