I started and finished reading this little book last night.

For getting to the heart of American contemporary spirituality, Glenn Beck and Keith Ablow hit pay dirt.  This book is a gold mine for tapping in to your own autonomous, spiritual vibes.  It is American “common sense” after the vein of Thomas Jefferson.  You can apply your own common sense to any beliefs about a literal hell.  You can apply your own common sense to a spiritual odyssey with a Higher Being.  In fact, you can apply your own common sense to how you might treat any religious covenant in America.

It is common sense gospel – the American, conservative, inclusive way for all seekers in 2011.

So after 400 years of gospel change declared through the King James Version of the Bible to the English people of the world, does Beck and Ablow’s book contain biblical conclusions for change? 

God forbid.

By their book, Beck and Ablow are trumpeting the scripture words, “You are the temple of God” (I Cor. 3:16, and also 6:19), while divorcing the nation’s readers from the uniqueness of the Triune nature of God, the salvific power of the cross, and the verbal inspiration of God’s Word touched upon in chapters 1 and 2.

Let’s allow scriptural revelation to redeem our God-given but fallen reasoning.

Glenn Beck has been through a lot of tough and humbling experiences.  But I fear for him.  Even though he is wildly successful in today’s culture with so many prized characteristics:  drug-free, alcohol-free, beautiful family, high morals, hard working, funny, wealthy, patriotic, and on and on – I fear that he is listening to American wisdom and standing in the wisdom of men and not in the power of God.

What American engulfed in his or her own common sense will accept the idea that God is altogether unique from us?  What American swamped in personal reasonings and justifications accepts the idea of original sin?  What American accepts the Creator God’s just and eternal retribution for creaturely rebellion?  And is it the American common sense way to let a vile criminal experience not only pardon but a full glorification and exaltation because of substitutionary atonement?

It would only be an American heart awakened by the Spirit of God.  God is the wonder.  Not us.

He who glories, let him glory in the LORD (the climax of the first chapter of I Corinthians)

Dear brothers of Galatia, we greet you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!  We have heard how through the ministry of Brother Paul you have been converted from the worship of dumb idols to serve the true and living God of Israel.  We are glad you have made such a good beginning, but we are afraid that there are some very important things about the gospel Paul has omitted to tell you.  We ourselves come from church at Jerusalem which is directed by the very apostles Jesus called and ordained.  Paul though is an upstart.  Why, he never even knew Jesus while he was on earth and was certainly never commissioned by him as an apostle.  True, Paul did visit Jerusalem just after he stopped persecuting us, and there he learned the ABCs of the Christian faith from the true apostles.  But the message he now preaches bears no resemblance to theirs.  I don’t imagine he even told you about circumcision!  Why, this is the very way God has made it possible for you Gentiles to become a part of the New Israel.  Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.  Circumcision is just as important as baptism–nay, more important, for it will introduce you to a higher plan of Christian living.  If you will observe this holy ordinance of the law, God will be pleased with you.  We are just now forming a new association of law-observant churches, and we would love for Galatia to represented!  We are true Christians.  Jesus, our great example, pleased the Father by fulfilling the law and so can you!”

If our church family were to receive this letter, I would throw it in the trash.

The One Year Bible Reading Journey – my entry for today is here.

This post makes me feel right at home in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Though I would be interested in delving sometime into the fine nuances, for instance looking at a humorous comparison and contrast between Rexburg, Idaho culture and Provo, Utah culture.

Did you catch the article in World (December 18, 2010) about the Chronicles of Narnia films?

This little section stood out to me:

In an interview earlier this year, Dr. Jerry Root, who teaches Lewis at Wheaton College, complained, “The worst element in Prince Caspian was when Lucy sees Aslan for the first time on her return to Narnia.  In the book she exclaims, ‘Aslan, you’re bigger!’  Aslan responds, ‘I am not.  But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.’  In the movie, this was seriously compromised to, ‘Aslan, you’ve grown!’ Aslan replies, ‘Every year you grow, so shall I.’  It is a horrible compromise of Lewis and really bad theology.”

I agree.

Read over here.

We just begin today a men’s study in Galatians.  We meet at the Bella Vita on the West side of Snake River in Idaho Falls.  Study time starts at 7:00 am and continues for an hour.  You all are welcome to join us.

Last summer, I appreciated how Jessica sought to stir some study in Galatians among LDS and evangelicals.

So one of the brothers in our group brought a brand new ESV Study Bible.  In our introduction today, he pointed out the study note below Galatians 1:8-9,

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

The study note reads,

The gospel is unchanging.  Thus Paul pronounces a curse of final judgment on those who proclaim or receive a different gospel.  Even in he himself, or an angel from heaven, were to preach such a gospel, the Galatians should reject it.  Mormonism is an example of a religion that is based on revelation supposedly given by an angel and that teaches a gospel different from justification by faith alone in the substitutionary death of Christ.

Would you like to discuss this?  I think the book of Galatians is the Christian Declaration of Independence for Southeastern Idaho.

It is a beautiful day.  God is good.

Hmm . . . I might try to go to this two day conference at BYU in Provo.

CHRISTMAS

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Maker of the sun, He is made under the sun.  In the Father he remains, From his mother he goes forth.

Creator of heaven and earth, He was born on earth under heaven.  Unspeakably wise, He is wisely speechless.

Filling the world, He lies in a manger.  Ruler of the stars, He nurses at his mother’s bosom.

He is both great in the nature of God, and small in the form of a servant.

_____

I am amazed  by Christ’s incarnation . . .

John Milton writes, “That glorious form, that light unsufferable, and that far-beaming blaze of majesty, wherewith he wont at Heaven’s high council-table to sit the midst of Trinal Unity, He laid aside; and here with us to be, forsook the courts of everlasting day, and chose with us a darksome house of mortal clay.”

But it had to be . . .

Desiderius Erasmus joins in, “By a Carpenter mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can mankind be remade.”