Monthly Archives: August 2018

The Treatment Of Unborn Children

Posted on by
Reply

Dr. Wayne Grudem: An Example from Scripture

There’s a significant passage regarding abortion in Exodus 21:22–25 that says:

When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Two men are struggling, and they apparently unintentionally collide with a pregnant woman causing a premature birth, but the baby and mother are both okay. Those men are still fined for endangering the life of the unborn child and its mother. But then the text goes on to say “but if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

If there is harm, the penalty is life for life. Capital punishment was imposed as the penalty for accidentally causing the death of an unborn child. The reason that’s significant is that in all the laws in the Mosaic law code, accidentally causing the death of another person normally was not a cause of capital punishment. You had to instead flee to a certain city and wait there a certain amount of time until the high priest died and then you would be free. It was a kind of house arrest. But you could not receive capital punishment for accidentally causing the death of another person.

Accidentally causing the death of an unborn child is the only case in the Mosaic law code in which accidentally causing death is punished by capital punishment—which I think means that God is placing a higher premium on protecting the life of the unborn child and the child’s mother than on protecting the life of anybody else in Israelite society. That’s a significant and weighty consideration, indicating we should value the protection of the life of an unborn child very highly.

In addition to that, this was a punishment for accidentally causing the death of an unborn child. How much more serious it must be in God’s sight to intentionally cause the death of an unborn child?

Why It Matters How We Treat Unborn Children from Crossway on Vimeo.

Engaging Mormonism

Posted on by
Reply

Pastor Jeff Durbin and the crew at Apologia Studio and special guest Dr. James White: On this episode we respond to some comments made by the “3 Mormons” channel. Mormonism teaches that men and women can become gods and goddesses of their own planets. The “3 Mormons” try to defend that teaching in one of their videos.

Biblical Preaching: Supernatural, Not Magical

Posted on by
Reply

Article by Pastor Dan Phillips (original source here)

Christian worship is a supernatural event – but it is not a magic show.

In pagan worship, forms and rituals are thought to be inherently effective. The Latin phrase is ex opere operato, “from the work worked.” It is the idea that we can do things that in turn will make God do things. This is the essence of paganism and of magic: that forms of worship or manipulation produce supernatural effects simply by our performing them correctly.

In Harry Potter, it’s saying the right gibberish-Latin words (“Wingardium leviosa!”). In other literature, it’s gestures, or words-plus-gestures. In some lands, it’s sacrifice and incantation.

My fear is that some evangelicals – despite our call to reject all paganism – unwittingly entertain a faux-baptized form of the same sorts of expectations and beliefs.

How so?

We (correctly) affirm that the Bible is not just a book, not a mere collection of human musings. It is the word of God, “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). It is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), and communicates the mind of God (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). It is the means of saving faith (Romans 10:17), and of growth in holiness (John 17:17). It is truly a marvel, a gift from God.

So we (again correctly) make the preaching of the Word the center of our corporate worship. This reflects the stated priorities of Christ (John 8:31-32) and His apostles (1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:2). So far, so good.

But here comes the disconnect: sometimes both preacher and hearers get the idea that, if we do that right – that is, preach the Word faithfully – then God must do great and wonderful things, along the lines of our expectations. Sinners will be saved, saints will be transformed and matured, churches will grow. Glory all around. It’s guaranteed!

Right? Wrong.

I yield to no man in my absolute conviction of the centrality of God’s written word to all thought, faith, worship and practice. It is that very conviction which compels me to point out the corollary truth:

The glory of God requires not only faithful preaching of the Word, but also faithful hearing of the Word.

Once you see it, you will find this verity literally all over Scripture. Take Deuteronomy 28:1 – “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” This verse brims with vital truth. Continue reading →