A rambling blog by a Christian in Northern Ireland
About Boaly
Gary has been involved in printing the Scriptures for 20 years, enjoys photography and rambling online
This is such an easy trap to fall into brother. What is our reason for coming to the Word of God, the Scriptures, the Holy Writ, our God's Own words? While in the car last night a reading of Richard Baxter's writings on 'The Reformed Pastor' were playing through the car stereo and such challenging comments and observations were made such as the question just asked. The wording of this comment to your blog must be careful so as not to cause offence to readers. I believe I understood what Baxter had written - is our reason for coming to the Word to gain solely in our own head knowledge? I would ask "is to understand such topics as ‘end times’; ‘Daniel’s seventieth week’; ‘the book of Revelation’?" as you have shared brother and even in the opening verses of the book you have clearly shown how much we can learn about the King of kings and Lord of lords – a King Jesus not often taught, yet many gloss over such gems to put in a box their doctrines and tie it up in a bow to present to others for their own personal gain; ‘replacement theology’ etc.! Yes, I would be one of the first to commend someone for digging with pick-axe so deeply into the Word of God, however, I would ask what is in the heart of the scholar? Is it to study for 1 hour while our minds are on other things? Is it so that we might learn certain information and share it with others, using big words with no passion or emotion from the scholar having just feasted from this oh so valuable book to appear ‘holy’ before listeners? To look for a verse, a calling from God – is it for ‘self’ reasons or is it just laziness? Or…is it to learn more of our God, His attributes, to bask, feast, drink from Him that we would wield the sword of the Spirit mightily in the battle and bring Him honour for His Name’s sake and for many humble and God-glorifying reasons besides! Geoff and myself are leading classes through Daniel at present and it is so easy to get caught up in what kingdom comes when, what happens after 7, 62 and 69 weeks, does it relate to the Hebrew nation etc.? It would be so easy to be side-tracked by the flesh, by prideful thoughts solely for head-knowledge and to share such knowledge for our own gain but let us look to the sovereignty of God, His ultimate sovereignty – He changes times and seasons and removes and establishes kings and infinitely more in this vast universe – His dominion will not be destroyed, His kingdom is everlasting and we, His saints, will inherit this kingdom at His appointed time but in the interim let's [continue to] look for the city, that better country, that is to come praising, honouring, glorifying, humbling ourselves before the Uncreated One. Thank you for your recommendation about ‘The Reformed Pastor’ – what a writing and oh, to live it out!
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