The Riddleblog

As the biblical account of redemptive history unfolds, the story of God’s saving purpose is revealed even as the story takes a number of surprising twists and turns. The New Testament opens with an angel announcing to a young virgin that God’s promised Messiah was at long last coming to visit his people and bring them salvation. Jesus was born of Mary, he grew to manhood, and began his public ministry after his baptism by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-13). As we read in Matthew’s gospel, when our Lord’s messianic mission got underway, “[Jesus] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

Eventually, Jesus’ public ministry took him to Jerusalem. On the way there, Jesus informed his disciples, “the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death” (Matthew 20:18). It was John the Baptist who said of Jesus upon first encountering him, “behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Since Jesus came as Israel’s Messiah, the mediator of the covenant of grace, and fulfilled the anointed offices of prophet, priest, and king, the necessity of his death comes as somewhat of a surprise–although this death was foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:12), who predicted that God’s promised Messiah was also the suffering servant spoken of throughout Isaiah’s prophecy. When Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph on Palm Sunday, it appeared to all as though he would at long last take his place on Israel’s throne to restore the nation to its former greatness. But by Friday afternoon of that week, Jesus was dead, hanging on a Roman cross, having died an agonizing death by crucifixion.

Why did the story of our redemption take such a dark and foreboding turn? Why did Jesus need to die? Thankfully, throughout the New Testament, the biblical writers tell us why Jesus died and what his death means for us. When we briefly survey at the terms which the biblical writers use to explain the death of Jesus, the meaning and purpose of his death becomes clear.

To read the rest, follow the link below

"The Salvation of Deceased Infants of Believers" -- Article Seventeen, First Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort

Article 17: The Salvation of Deceased Infants of Believers

Since we must make judgments about God’s will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy.

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Because of human sin, and the fact that the guilt of Adam’s sin is imputed to all of his descendants, terrible tragedies do occur. Ours is a sinful and fallen race. We are weakened in body because of the inherited corruption passed down to us from our first father, Adam. Furthermore, we are subject to the sinful actions of our fellow sinners. Because we are under the curse, we will all die. As one of the sages of popular culture puts it, “nobody gets out of here alive.”

One of the worst consequences of the Fall of Adam and the curse is the death of a child. It is bad enough that children, now grown, must bury those who brought them into the world, and loved, cared and provided for them. It is even worse when parents are forced to bury a child who never lived to adulthood. If such a tragedy is not a graphic picture of the reality which is the imputation of Adam’s sin to all his progeny, then I don’t know what is.

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Mid-Summer Musings (7/28/2023)

Riddleblog and Blessed Hope Podcast news:

I will be taking a short break at the blog and the pod—the mountains are calling.
I’ve begun a new Riddleblog series, A Primer on Reformed Liturgics (with two installments posted so far). Once completed, I’ll compile them as a single document under Riddleblog publications.
I’ve completed my series on 1 Peter, and will tackle 2 Peter next.
Lord willing, the next up in the Blessed Hope Podcast series, “The Future”, is “The Returning King and His Kingdom.” Look for it upon my return.
Did I mention how much I hate endnotes in books?

To read check out the recommended links and see the video, follow the link below

A Primer on Reformed Liturgics -- The Reformed Liturgies Take Shape

General Characteristics of Early Reformed Liturgies.[1]

As the Reformation got underway and the Reformed churches began to develop their own distinct theological identity and practices, general characteristics of Reformed liturgical practice emerged. The following are found in the majority of Reformed liturgies in the Reformation era and can be summarized as follows: (1) The assumption that the church is the assembly of the covenant community. (2) The assembled people of God participate in worship in the common tongue. (3). Simplicity. (4). The centrality of word and sacrament. (5) A central role for Psalms. (6). Adaptability to need and circumstance.

Emerging Liturgical Forms and Practices

Given the stress upon congregational participation in worship as central among the changes brought about by the Reformation, the assembled worshipers sang, prayed, heard the word of God read and preached, and received the sacraments regularly. These things were not limited to the clergy, choirs, etc. Full congregational participation can be seen in the common liturgical practices adapted early on. Worship in the Reformed churches was grounded in a word-centered liturgy in the vernacular (the common language). This was a departure from pre-Reformation practices, amounting to a . . .

Far-reaching change . . . The whole service [was read] in a clear audible voice [not Latin] and in the vernacular tongue. Low mass had been the popular form of service for a considerable period before the Reformation, and this meant that the old service had been said in Latin and also inaudibly. Now, for the first time, the people both heard the words and understood them, while at one stroke the old secret prayers disappeared and the central rite [i.e., the mass] stood clear of medieval accretions.”[2]

Much of the Reformation era liturgical reform was adapted from the ancient church, in part, to demonstrate that Reformation churches were not schismatic–a charge often leveled against them by Rome. Because the goal was the reform of the true church, the following became mainstays of the Reformed liturgies: The Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, a confession of sin with absolution or declaration of pardon, and intercessory prayers.

To read the rest, follow the link below

“The God of All Grace” (1 Peter 5:1-14) – Words from Peter to the Pilgrim Church (Part Twelve)

What Do You Say to Persecuted Christians?

What do you say to Christians who have been displaced from their homes by a cruel and cynical act of a pagan emperor? How do you comfort a persecuted people who see no relief in sight from their troubles? What do you say to people who are reviled and cursed because they profess their faith in Jesus Christ as Creator, Redeemer, and Lord, and refuse to worship Caesar or the pantheon of pagan gods? How do you comfort a people who are mocked because they follow the teaching of Jesus, and therefore refuse to indulge every bodily urge simply because those urges exist? If you are the apostle Peter, you tell them the truth.

The reality is that fiery trials come with being a Christian living in a pagan environment. Yet, these trials are also the means through which God strengthens our faith. Just as it was with Jesus–that the cross of Good Friday precedes the empty tomb of Easter–so too it is with Christians. Suffering precedes the glory yet to be revealed. Peter also tells these Christians that despite their troubles, God has not cast them off. Regardless of how they feel, those who believe in Jesus are his elect exiles, his spiritual temple, possessing a heavenly citizenship which guarantees all the blessings of eternal life and a heavenly inheritance. Peter also tells them that Christians must strive to humble themselves before God, and learn to cast all of their cares and worries upon the sovereign God who is also their loving father. As they do so, Christians begin to live in the hope of the eternal glories yet to come.

We now wrap-up our series on 1 Peter. In the previous discussion, we devoted our attention to several of the points raised by Peter in the concluding section of this epistle (vv. 1-14 of chapter 5)–specifically Peter’s reference to the office of elder, which functions as a bulwark against the schemes of the devil, the adversary, who is looking for struggling Christians to devour. This time, we will cover the same ground, but focus upon two different themes in the text–humbling ourselves before God, while at the same time learning to cast all of our cares upon him. This will bring our time in 1 Peter to an end.

To read the rest, follow the link below

I PeterKim RiddlebargerJuly 24, 2023cast your cares, true humilty Comment

The Next Episode of "The Future" Is Up! "This Age and the the Age to Come: the Implausibility of Premillennialism"

Episode Synopsis:

I begin this episode with a personal testimony.

I was born and raised a dispensationalist. Our family owned a Christian bookstore. The first Christian book I picked out and read on my own was Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth. Years later, I was challenged by one of our delivery men about the books we were selling–all the dispensationalist best sellers. He said he was “Reformed.” I thought he meant that he had gone to “reform school” or was on work release from prison. The questions he put to me bounced off like BB’s against a Battleship. Dispensationalism was biblical. How could anyone doubt that?

But those BB’s actually penetrated my embarrassingly thin armor. Eventually, I became a very reluctant Calvinist and then I started re-thinking my eschatology. After university and a year at the Simon Greenleaf School of Law (which was founded by John Warwick Montgomery, the faculty included Walter Martin, and Rod Rosenbladt, and is now the Trinity Law School in Santa Ana), I was steadily moving away from my doctrinal roots (Arminian and dispensational). I found that the Reformation views on law and gospel, the five solas, and the end times, were absolutely compelling because they were thoroughly biblical. To my surprise Drs. Montgomery and Rosenbladt suggested a career change–seminary, specifically the new seminary in Escondido (90 miles to the South), Westminster Seminary California.

In the Acts and Paul class taught by Dennis Johnson, I first encountered what I came to know as the two-age model–terms I was familiar with from reading the New Testament but never thought much about–“this age” and “the age to come.” After reading Herman Ridderbos and Geerhardus Vos on Paul, I realized how serious a challenge the two-model was to my premillennial eschatology (I had pretty much given up on most of my dispensationalism by then, although I still thought like one). Driving home after Dr. Johnson’s class, I had an “ah-ha moment.” “I can’t be premillennial any more.” The two-age model makes premillennialism (in all its forms) a biblical impossibility. I dug in my heels and fought the inevitable. But here I am far down the road, presenting and defending the two-age model. If you’ve not heard this before, you are in for a real surprise. This is a game changer in terms of your view of the end times.

To read the show notes and listen to the episode, follow the link below

The Basics -- Jesus Our Prophet, Priest, and King

The diagnosis is not very good. We are ignorant, guilty, and corrupt. But the prognosis is far worse. We are under the curse and face certain death. As fallen sinners ravaged by a threefold consequence of our sins, our hearts are darkened (Romans 1:21) and our thoughts are continually evil (Genesis 6:5). Our minds are clouded by sin and ignorant of the things of God (Ephesians 4:17-18). We labor under the tremendous weight of our guilt–the penalty for our many infractions of the law of God. We may delude ourselves into thinking that we have sinned against our neighbors only, but David knew that this was not true. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4). We also suffer from the destructive pollution of our inherited sinful condition, which infects every part of us from the moment of conception. Born in sin as the Psalmist declares (Psalm 51:5), there is no good residing in us (Psalm 14:1-3). Our bodies, which are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), become instruments to act out the wickedness that would otherwise lie hidden in our hearts (Romans 6:13). The bad news is very bad. Sin leaves us ignorant, guilty, and polluted, and therefore miserable.

But there is a glorious and miraculous cure from this disease. The good news of the gospel is that while “this is impossible with men,” nevertheless, with God, “all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26). It was John Calvin who brought the so-called “threefold office” of Christ into prominence. Utilized by many in the subsequent Reformed tradition, the threefold office presents Jesus Christ as prophet, priest, and king, who in his saving work fulfilled all the anointed offices of the Old Testament. As Calvin pointed out, the threefold office of Christ is one of the best ways to explain our Lord’s redemptive work, which by design overcame our ignorance, our guilt, and our corruption, and which even now provides us with illumination (through Christ’s prophetic office), redemption (through his priestly office), and hope in the present (through his kingly office).

To read the rest, follow the link below

The BasicsKim RiddlebargerJuly 19, 2023munus triplex, Jesus as prophet priest kingComment

"Responses to the Teaching of Reprobation" -- Article Sixteen, First Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort

Responses to the Teaching of Reprobation

Those who do not yet actively experience within themselves a living faith in Christ or an assured confidence of heart, peace of conscience, a zeal for childlike obedience, and a glorying in God through Christ, but who nevertheless use the means by which God has promised to work these things in us—such people ought not to be alarmed at the mention of reprobation, nor to count themselves among the reprobate; rather they ought to continue diligently in the use of the means, to desire fervently a time of more abundant grace, and to wait for it in reverence and humility. On the other hand, those who seriously desire to turn to God, to be pleasing to him alone, and to be delivered from the body of death, but are not yet able to make such progress along the way of godliness and faith as they would like—such people ought much less to stand in fear of the teaching concerning reprobation, since our merciful God has promised that he will not snuff out a smoldering wick and that he will not break a bruised reed. However, those who have forgotten God and their Savior Jesus Christ and have abandoned themselves wholly to the cares of the world and the pleasures of the flesh—such people have every reason to stand in fear of this teaching, as long as they do not seriously turn to God.

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There are a number of possible responses people can have to the teaching of reprobation. The Canons deal with three of them. The first group of people identified by the Canons are “those who do not yet actively experience within themselves a living faith in Christ or an assured confidence of heart, peace of conscience, a zeal for childlike obedience, and a glorying in God through Christ, but who nevertheless use the means by which God has promised to work these things in us.” This category refers to those who have not yet come to saving faith in Christ. These people cannot yet say that they are trusting in Christ, although they may be wrestling with the guilt of their sins, and may even be convinced of the truth of Christianity.

This group includes the older children of believers who have been baptized, but have not yet made profession of faith. But there are others we need to consider–not mentioned by the Canons–who, at this point in time, appear to have no interest in Christ. Although this is currently the case does not mean that all such people are numbered among the reprobate, nor can we treat them as such, even if they appear to be notorious evil doers.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerJuly 17, 2023The doctrine of reprobation, Teaching ReprobationComment

Musings (7/14/2023)

Riddleblog/Blessed Hope Podcast News:

Logos Re-flagger has been added to the Riddleblog—whenever your cursor hovers over a biblical citation, a popup will appear citing the passage in the ESV.
The new pod series, “the Future,” has launched on the Blessed Hope Podcast. “The Future” deals with the question, “what does the future hold for the people of God?” It is a series of pre-covid Bible prophecy conference lectures I’ve given through the years, combined and edited to podcast format.
The Blessed Hope Podcast has just passed a very significant milestone in terms of downloads (who’d have thunk??), so thanks to all of you who listen, and especially to those of you who recruited new listeners!
A head’s up . . . My annual trip to the Eastern Sierras is coming up soon, so there will be a week or so with little activity here at the blog and at the pod.

To see the rest of my “musings” (links, book recommendations, and a video) follow the link below

MusingsKim RiddlebargerJuly 14, 2023News and updates Comments

A Primer on Reformed Liturgics — The Beginnings

The Reformed liturgy is thought to originate in St. John’s chapel in Strasbourg, where a revised mass was celebrated in 1524 in German by Diehold Schwarz. Schwarz, an ex Dominican, translated the Latin mass into simple German and removed words and phrases which spoke of the mass as a repetition of Christ’s work on Calvary. The service was read audibly in the vernacular. A revised mass in the common tongue was just the beginning.

As the Reformation took root across Europe, a number of liturgical reforms were made in Strasbourg and elsewhere, especially in Switzerland. Metrical Psalms (with melodies and harmonies) and hymns were introduced into the service and sung by the congregation in German. The Apostles’ Creed was also recited by the congregation, and the old lectionaries (collections of biblical passages to support “holy days” on the church calendar) faded into disuse. The Scripture lessons, especially from the gospels and epistles, became much longer and were now read in every service. Sermons were also preached at every service, often based upon the Scripture lessons chosen for that service. The ceremonial elements of the mass were slowly eliminated, the minister no longer faced to the East (a long practiced custom) but now faced the assembled worshipers. Church fixtures changed as well—the communion table was no longer called “the altar” and was moved forward, much closer to the people.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerJuly 13, 2023Reformed liturgics Comment

I Was a Guest on Eschatology Matters Discussing the Man of Sin in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

To watch the interview, follow the link below

“Like a Roaring Lion” (1 Peter 5:1-14) – Words from Peter to the Pilgrim Church (Part Eleven)

There is one thing American Christians do not like–to submit to the authority of church officers. In one survey, 90% of American Christians opined that the church has no authority to declare whether or not someone is a Christian. Yet, all the evangelical theologians asked to comment on the poll results found themselves numbered among the 10% who rightly noted that Jesus himself gave to the church the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16:17-19), as well as explaining the precise steps for the church to take when someone’s doctrine and conduct do not match that required of those who name the name of Jesus.[1]

There is also one thing about which American Christians are thoroughly confused–the power and tactics of the devil between the time Jesus defeated Satan while suffering upon the cross, and our Lord’s second advent at the end of the age. Ironically, Peter discusses both the role of elders in governing Christ’s church, as well as Satan’s opposition to Christ’s rule through his appointed church officers, in our text, verses 1-14, of 1 Peter chapter 5.

The Importance of the Office of Elder

In this exposition and the next we will discuss the 5th and final chapter of this remarkable epistle, bringing our study of this epistle to an end. Although the final chapter of 1 Peter contains only 14 verses, there is enough significant material here, I felt it best not to rush through this section and only touch briefly on the matters which Peter addresses. In wrapping up this epistle, the apostle Peter gives us wise counsel about the purpose of suffering, as well as introducing us to a proper understanding of church government (the importance of elders in ruling Christ’s church). Yet, Peter does so in the context of the devil’s efforts to attack the people of God. So, this exposition will address the office of elder, and how a proper understanding of the church and its officers is the bulwark against the schemes and attacks of the devil. Next time, Lord willing, we will conclude our exposition of 1 Peter by addressing how we as Christians ought humble ourselves before God, while casting all of our cares upon him.

In light of the reality that the chapter on ecclesiology is usually the least read section in any good systematic theology (because American Christians tend not to be interested in the doctrine of the church, which explains why there are so many church hoppers and public scandals), I begin by pointing out that the doctrine of the church is a major theme throughout the New Testament. Jesus called disciples and then commissioned them to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, in the process making disciples and establishing churches, which, in many ways, are modeled upon the synagogues of Israel. These new churches are to be ruled by elders who ensure the gospel is preached, the sacraments are administered according to the word of God, and that all things are done decently and in good order (1 Corinthians 14:40).

To read the rest, follow the link below

A New Blessed Hope Podcast Series! "The Future" In the First Episode We Tackle the Question, "How the Past Shapes the Future"

Episode Synopsis:

We are beginning a new series on the Blessed Hope Podcast, “The Future.”

In this series we will wrestle with the question “what does the future hold for God’s people?” What historical events and biblical prophecies remain to be fulfilled before Jesus returns on the last day? How are we to interpret the various signs of the end we find throughout the New Testament?

In this series we will talk about the necessity of understanding the biblical past (specifically the person and work of Jesus Christ) since this gives us the biblical context to understand the promises God makes to us about the future. What do we expect and what are we to be looking for? To what (or to whom) do the signs of the end point?

In order to answer these questions we will need to talk about the proper biblical framework in which the signs of the end unfold. Our future expectation is not the Rapture or a millennial age, but the return of Jesus Christ to raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new. Biblically speaking, all of the promises of the future center in and upon our Lord’s return. This is the critical event to which all of the signs of the end point us.

So, what is included among the signs of the end? We’ll talk about this in some detail in the episodes to come. Wars and rumors of war? What about technology? What about plagues? We’ve just lived through one. What about Israel? What role will Israel play in the future? What about an Antichrist? How does he figure into the end times? Can we make any specific predictions about what is to come?

We discuss all of the things and more in coming episodes in our new Blessed Hope Podcast series “The Future.”

To listen to the episode and see the show notes, follow the link below

The Basics -- Jesus Christ, the Covenant Mediator

Christians often speak of important doctrines in the abstract. People speculate about election and predestination, the purpose and extent of the atonement, and so on, without making any connection between these doctrines and the person and work of Jesus Christ. But the Bible does not allow us to do this. If we follow the biblical pattern and language, we cannot even mention the subject of election, without at the same time mentioning that we are chosen from before the foundation of the world in the person of Jesus Christ, who was himself chosen by the Father to be the redeemer of the world (John 17:1 ff.). The seed of the woman mentioned in the first gospel promise (cf. Genesis 3:15) is Jesus of Nazareth, who has redeemed us through his saving work. And so on. This is why the eternal son of God became incarnate–to save his people from their sins. And this brings us back to the covenant of grace, and its mediator, Jesus Christ.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The BasicsKim RiddlebargerJuly 6, 2023Christ the MediatorComment

"Reprobation" -- Article Fifteen, First Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort

Article 15: Reprobation

Moreover, Holy Scripture most especially highlights this eternal and undeserved grace of our election and brings it out more clearly for us, in that it further bears witness that not all people have been chosen but that some have not been chosen or have been passed by in God’s eternal election—those, that is, concerning whom God, on the basis of his entirely free, most just, irreproachable, and unchangeable good pleasure, made the following decision: to leave them in the common misery into which, by their own fault, they have plunged themselves; not to grant them saving faith and the grace of conversion; but finally to condemn and eternally punish them (having been left in their own ways and under his just judgment), not only for their unbelief but also for all their other sins, in order to display his justice. And this is the decision of reprobation, which does not at all make God the author of sin (a blasphemous thought!) but rather its fearful, irreproachable, just judge and avenger.

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If the biblical teaching about election is difficult for us to grasp, the biblical teaching about reprobation is that much more difficult. Like it or not, we must face the fact that if God chooses to save a vast multitude of sinners (Revelation 7:9), but not all of Adam’s fallen children, then God must also in some manner deal with those whom he has not chosen. This bring us to the doctrine of reprobation.

Before we define the doctrine (below) several cautions are in order. Although many try to avoid the subject at all costs, the fact of the matter is that we must wrestle with the biblical teaching about reprobation (cf. Romans 9:1-23) because this is a revealed doctrine every bit as much as is election.

It is wise to begin by pointing out if sinful human curiosity is a problem when we talk about election, such speculation is a far greater problem when we come to the subject of reprobation. Here, of all places, we must be very careful to teach only what Scripture teaches, and we must go no further.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Gettysburg 160

Today marks the final day of the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg—the largest land battle ever fought on the North American continent.

On the afternoon of July 3, 1863, Pickett’s charge—an event many contend was the turning point in the Civil War—got underway only to be smashed by Union defenders on Cemetery Ridge. Pickett’s failed assault wrapped up three days of fierce fighting in brutal Pennsylvania heat. The day after Pickett’s charge, the exhausted, depleted, and demoralized Confederate army packed up, headed south, and crossed the Potomac River back into Virginia. The war would last nearly two more years, but for all intents and purposes, the South could never recover and would not invade the North again.

Allen Guezlo’s book on the Gettysburg campaign and battle is a wonderfully written volume, and must reading for anyone interested the Civil War or curious about this battle. I highly recommend it.

This is from my review, which you can read in its entirely here: A Review of Allen Guelzo's Gettysburg

If you've read Michael Shaara's Killer Angels or have seen the glue-on beard marred epic movie "Gettysburg" (which actually isn't that bad, except for Martin Sheen's horrible portrayal of Robert E. Lee as some sort of Eastern mystic), then you probably believe that the South's failure to capture Little Round Top toward the end of the second day’s fighting (July 2) was the turning point of the three-day battle. Not true.

To read my review and/or order Guelzo’s book, follow the link below

Book Reviews, History and CultureKim RiddlebargerJuly 3, 2023 Comments

B. B. Warfield on the Essence of Calvinism: “God Saves Sinners”

B. B. Warfield is well-known as an ardent defender of what is commonly identified as “Calvinism,” which Warfield defines simply as a “profound apprehension of God in His majesty.” In an entry entitled “Calvinism” written in 1908 for the New Schaff-Herzog, Encyclopedia of the Religious Knowledge (a massive and respected reference work in its time), the Calvinist, says Warfield is one who . . .

who believes in God without reserve, and is determined that God shall be God to him in all his thinking, feeling, willing—in the entire compass of his life-activities, intellectual, moral, spiritual, throughout all his individual, social, religious relations—is, by the force of that strictest of all logic which presides over the outworking of principles into thought and life, by the very necessity of the case, a Calvinist. In Calvinism, then, objectively speaking, theism comes to its rights; subjectively speaking, the religious relation attains its purity; soteriologically speaking, evangelical religion finds at length its full expression and its secure stability.

As for the Calvinist’s understanding of redemption from the guilt and power of sin, Warfield contends we must start with the fact of revelation—Calvinistic doctrine is revealed in Scripture and is not the consequence of human speculation (as often charged). He notes, “a supernatural revelation, in which God makes known to man His will and His purposes of grace; a supernatural record of this revelation in a supernaturally given book, in which God gives His revelation permanency and extension—such things are to the Calvinist almost matters of course.” To paraphrase Warfield here, Calvinism is “biblical.”

To read the rest of Warfield’s comments, follow the link below

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerJuly 1, 2023Calvinism, monergismComment

“A Faithful Creator” (Peter 4:12-19) – Words from Peter to the Pilgrim Church (Part Ten)

Peter’s Desire to Comfort His Readers

Peter’s purpose in writing this epistle is to comfort persecuted Christians in Asia Minor, many of whom who have been displaced from their homes because of a decree from the Roman emperor Claudius. Peter reminds them that despite their struggles, in God’s eyes, they are elect exiles, citizens of heaven, and when worshiping together they compose God’s spiritual house (the church), even as they sojourn upon the earth until the day of final judgment when God will dispense his covenant blessings and curses.

Through a lengthy series of imperatives (commands), Peter told these struggling Christians how they are to differentiate themselves from the Greco-Roman pagans around them–through their profession of faith in the Triune God who sent his Son to die for his people’s sins, and through their honorable conduct before the pagans. Christians are to think and live as God’s people. They must live a life of self control, in contrast to their pagan neighbors who live to indulge every urge of the sinful flesh.

But even if Christians do all of the things Peter exhorts them to do, they should not be surprised if their struggles continue and the persecution they face remains intense. As Peter has stated in verse 4 of chapter 4, the pagans “are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you.” Evil-doers want nothing more than for professing Christians to join them in their self-indulgence. Having made this point in the first part of the chapter, Peter describes their troubles as a fiery trial, and a time of judgment. Yet, this is also a time in which God’s purposes will be realized, and through which these struggling Christians will grow in their faith.

We Should Not be Surprised by Trials

We conclude our time in chapter 4, as Peter acknowledges that his readers and hearers have been through very difficult times. So much so, that in verse 12, Peter writes, “beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” Some commentators take Peter’s statement as a warning of an impending calamity, and that extending this warning is the reason why Peter sends this letter to Christians of the Diaspora in Asia Minor [1]. On this reading, for those hearing/reading Peter’s letter, things have been bad, but they are about to get a whole lot worse. Peter is understood to be writing to warn them in advance so that his readers and hearers can prepare themselves for what is about to come.

To read the rest, follow the link below

I PeterKim RiddlebargerJune 29, 2023Suffering for Christ's sakeComment

A "Review" of Daniel G. Hummel's, "The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism"

Daniel G. Hummel, The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End times Shaped a Nation (Eerdmans, 2023), 400 pages, $29.99

What Sort of Book Is This?

Daniel Hummel’s book is not written to defend or refute the dispensational approach to biblical prophecy and the end times. I noticed a fair bit of pre-publication chatter to that effect, so it is important to tamp down that expectation now that the volume is available. What Hummel has done is to write a thorough, quick-paced, and well-sourced history of the origin, development, and current status of what we speak of today as “dispensationalism.” Hummel’s “nothing but the facts” approach makes the book hard to review since the author moves quickly through the history of the movement with but minimal amounts of evaluation along the way. This is the proper method for a volume such as this one, but leaves little about which a reviewer might quibble.

The most significant thing to note about The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism is that Hummel situates the rise of a distinct dispensational theology within the broader context of what we often identify as “American evangelicalism.” This is Hummel’s purpose, one which he accomplishes quite well, and which is very valuable in its own right. But this broader perspective can also be a bit frustrating for those who participate in a more nuanced and related space which Hummel only addresses tangentially—the internecine debate about whether or not dispensationalism provides a helpful, and dare I say “biblical” manner of interpreting the Bible. Those readers of the Riddleblog who are interested in Hummel’s volume should keep his purpose in mind so as not be disappointed in what they will find. This is not a refutation of dispensationalism. Hummel’s book is exactly what it claims to be—an account of the rise of a distinctive dispensational theology in the 1830’s until its most recent period of development, which Hummel identifies as the “pop dispensationalism” of the Trump era. This is an historical account of dispensationalism and the role it has played in the development of American evangelicalism, and a well-written and important one at that. Hummel’s book is therefore must reading for anyone interested in eschatology, the rise of American evangelicalism, or who might have deep dispensational roots as does the author and this reviewer.

To read the review, click here: A "Review" of Hummel's Rise and Fall of Dipsensationalism

The Latest Musings (6/24/2023)

Riddleblog Update:

If you listen to the Blessed Hope Podcast, I recently uploaded a postscript to season two: What Is Next for the Blessed Hope Podcast? Season Two Wrap-Up. I explain where we are going and why. Look for a short series entitled “The Future” before we start season three, when we take up Paul’s Corinthian letters.

Currently Reading:

Now that I am retired, I can read things I want to read just because I want to read them. And I have the time to do so.

First up was Jack Curry’s The 1998 New York Yankees -- The Inside Story of the Greatest Baseball Team Ever. A great read from someone who covered that team (Curry was the Yankees beat writer for the NY Times) and still had standing twenty-five years later to follow up with the players from that team in preparation for this book. There’s much here I didn’t know (David Wells had a terrible hangover when he pitched his perfect game), and much here I had forgotten (the Yankees were 73-1 when leading after seven innings, Bernie Williams won the batting title, El-Duque’s remarkable season, Jim Spencer’s incredible home run binge at the end of the year).

To read the rest of my “Musings” follow the link below

MusingsKim RiddlebargerJune 24, 2023Yankees, Clark schools MacArthur, Giant Snails, Tom Sawyer's IsalandComment