WORD5 #599 3/6* (Hard Mode) 🟧🟧⬛🟪🟧 ⬛🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪

WORD5

If one's understanding of who Jesus was (and is) is indistinguishable from a Jedi channeling The Force, then that one needs to go ad fontes (read the gospel of John--an eyewitness to his life, death, and resurrection).

Had a cordial disagreement with my Dad about what's going on with Iran. He's moved away a bit from what he passed on to me--namely, Rothbard, Hayek, etc.--but I'm thankful we can disagree about it without it affecting our relationship in the least. Few have that. I am blessed.

Finished Van Til's _Letters from America_ this morning. A fun little read for those interested in early 20th-century American religious history. - "TIL" that CVT believed the Westminster Standards ruled out the premillennial view entirely, yet Machen softened it a bit, ruling out only the dispensational form of premillennialism. After all, many of the divines in the "Long Parliament" were of this persuasion. See his little artcle, "Premillennialism" (available here:

J. Gresham Machen Bibliography

Premillennialism

The Premillennial view of the return of Christ is that our Lord will return before a thousand-year period held to be mentioned in the Book of Revel...

). The denomination has followed Machen on this to this day, although most in my immediate circles are decidedly amillennial. There is wisdom in keeping debatable things...debatable. - I was reminded that the first big debate in the newly formed 'Presbyterian Church of America' (later forcibly renamed to the 'Orthodox Presbyterian Church') was over teetotalism (this was even after the 21st Amendment), and premillennialism--which lead to the formation of the 'Bible Presbyterian Church'. The BPC wanted to make both issues 'required' for all ministers (or was it all officers?). But "TIL" that the BPC (which still exists!) has, since then, rescinded both positions as litmus tests for orthodoxy...(smh). - After Machen's "untimely" death, the term 'fundamentalism' become more and more--and rightly--associated with teetotalism and dispensational premillennialism. CVT gave thanks that *those* 'fundamentalists' went out from among them, so they could get to work building on solidly Reformed ground. I am inclined to agree with him. - CVT's letters were surprisingly sarcastic (in a very funny way), I even laughed out loud a couple of times. A fun read. Available here:

Letters from America: A Dutch Reformed Perspective on the Struggle for Orthodoxy in American Presbyterianism (1935–1940) – Reformed Forum

Van Til, Cornelius. Edited and translated by Daniel J. Ragusa. Hardcover with dust jacket.

One of the most important books I've ever read: Cornelius Van Til, _The Defense of the Faith_

Amazon

Amazon

Highly recommended.

Death is not "a normal part of life," just "part of the circle of life," -- it is thoroughly abnormal, the "last enemy" of mankind. The man, Christ Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, has defeated both death and the one who wields it, for himself and for all of his people. This is why we are no longer "enslaved by the fear of death" (Heb. 2). Christians, especially, have cause to be utterly fearless.

WORD5 #598 4/6* (Hard Mode) ⬛🟧⬛⬛🟧 🟧⬛⬛⬛🟧 🟪🟪⬛🟪🟪 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪

WORD5

The gospel was preached today, with passion and clarity and power. God be praised.

...look what I just found!

J. Gresham Machen Bibliography

J. Gresham Machen

JOHN GRESHAM MACHEN (July 28, 1881 – January 1, 1937) taught New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary from 1906 to 1929. In 1929, he and o...

#ReadMachen

WORD5 #597 5/6* (Hard Mode) 🟧⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟧⬛🟧⬛⬛ 🟪🟪🟧⬛⬛ 🟪🟪⬛⬛🟪 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪

WORD5

Don't rant about 1979 unless you know about 1953.

Tomorrow we cover WLC 50-52: Q. 50. Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death? A. Christ’s humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell. Q. 51. What was the estate of Christ’s exaltation? A. The estate of Christ’s exaltation comprehendeth his resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Father, and his coming again to judge the world. Q. 52. How was Christ exalted in his resurrection? A. Christ was exalted in his resurrection, in that, not having seen corruption in death (of which it was not possible for him to be held), and having the very same body in which he suffered, with the essential properties thereof (but without mortality, and other common infirmities belonging to this life), really united to his soul, he rose again from the dead the third day by his own power; whereby he declared himself to be the Son of God, to have satisfied divine justice, to have vanquished death, and him that had power of it, and to be Lord of quick and dead: all which he did as a public person, the head of his church, for their justification, quickening in grace, support against enemies, and to assure them of their resurrection from the dead at the last day.

...wow, this guy's putting out some great apps!! PearGuard, PearCircle, etc. -- fantastic. Just followed. View quoted note →

Virtue is not reactionary; it is static. Let the surrounding culture ebb and flow all around--virtue is the rock against which the tumult of culture breaks.

12-yo son dying to play Minecraft. Is there a way to do this without all the track-and-trace junk? On a Linux device? #asknostr

Heard this unhinged radical lunatic ranting about how everyome should switch to 1099-C and then forget to pay their taxes. That would be horrifying! Who would build the roads?!

...Massie lost? 🤯 Well, then the takeover of Congress is complete. But his podcast will be 🔥

Nostr - because autism is evidently contagious 😂