Favorite anchors of Calvinism... another view.

One of the most often quoted Bible passages of Calvinism is the one in Ephesians, chapter one, which speaks of predestination. By using the following passage, John Calvin (and many since his time) have taught that only those chosen and predestined are going to heaven, and all others will haplessly go to hell.

Here is that passage, from the NIV:

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

¹¹In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Now... if you examine the initial verses of Colossians, Romans, and 2 Corinthians, you find that Paul uses persuasive language intended to show the reader what his credentials are--in other words, "this is why you should believe us." Read especially 2 Corinthians 1 to really see this trait of Paul's letters.

Further, you see Paul use the "us and we" and then transition to the "you" elsewhere in his letters. Here are the first six verses of 1 Thessalonians 2:

1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: 2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. 3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. 5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: 6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been ^F2 burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

So now, let's look afresh at the same passage of Ephesians shown earlier, but I am going to insert in parenthesis "the apostles" where it seems obvious that Paul is indeed speaking of the apostles. I will also color ORANGE some parts of the passage that really need to be considered and understood...

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us (the apostles) in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us (the apostles) in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us (the apostles) to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us (the apostles) in the One he loves. ⁷In him we (the apostles) have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us (the apostles) with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹And he made known to us (the apostles) the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

¹¹In him we (the apostles) were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹²in order that we (the apostles), who were the first to hope in Christ (are we among the first to hope in Christ, living in the year of our Lord 2011?), might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

It should seem obvious now that Paul is initially speaking of the apostles (the first to hope in Christ, vs 12), and it is the apostles who are the ones who were chosen and predestined, and this for the benefit of all of us who could not have heard the gospel unless God had provided some specially selected people to share that gospel. By the way, "chosen" with reference to the apostles does not mean "invited," it's a different Greek word and it means hand picked, selected... so the apostles were hand picked according to God's good pleasure, and the majority of the church are those who have accepted an invitation from the Holy Spirit to be saved. Accepting that invitation means that God the Father will draw you to Jesus Christ, His Son.

In verse 13 of Ephesians 1 the focus shifts to the believers in the Ephesian church (and to all other believers, of course), when Paul says, "you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth." So it's pretty clear... the apostles were chosen... they were predestined for a mission... hand picked by God to spread the Gospel...

And when were all others included in Christ? When they heard the word of truth... and believed.

To interpret the verses preceding verse 13 as referring to all Christians, for all time, we have to satisfactorily explain two key issues: First, why would Paul refer to all believers for all time as "the first hope in Christ," and secondly, why the change from "us" and "we" to the pronoun "you?" (verse 13).

It would not seem wrong to say that God may effect the conversion of apostles differently than with the rest of the church. Even today, we see the phenomena of Muslims being visited in visions and dreams by Christ Himself, and they come away with a true conversion. Then they go about spreading the gospel--usually at great risk--in their communities.

Most Christians come to the faith after being persuaded... Paul "reasoned" in the synagogues. God says "Come let us reason together."

I believe it is of vital importance to understand at what points in Paul's letters the focus shifts from the church (usually addressed as "you"), to the apostles themselves, referred to as "us." Granted, there are passages that apply both to the apostles and also the church as a whole where Paul writes "us", so we need to really observe the surrounding text to know for sure exactly who is being referred to.

Dan Newberry

On Starting a Home Church...

Romans chapter 16:
³ Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵ Likewise greet the church that is in their house.(NKJV)

Colossians chapter 4:
¹⁵Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.(NASB)

From reading the two passages shown above, we find that in the early days of the church, home churches were not only sanctioned by God, but likely the norm. Brick and mortar buildings for the specific purpose of meeting together for worship and teaching were not always practical and affordable, so smaller groups would meet together in homes. We find this very thing going on today in China, and also in other parts of the world where the church is growing so well.

I find this manner of assembling ourselves together to be a wonderful blessing. Each Christian in attendance gets an opportunity to bring what he or she is led of the Lord to share. In 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 26, Paul says this:

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.(NKJV)

From this passage, you can see that the early church assembly was likely a lot more interactive, with some folks wanting to share a hymn (psalm), or a doctrine, or tongue or interpretation or revelation. I have learned through our Thursday night Bible studies that folks often get a lot more blessing from interacting with other believers than they do from the typical Sunday sermon.

Of course order must be maintained, and this was one of the many problems that Paul was addressing when he wrote to the Corinthians. If chaos and confusion is allowed to get a foothold in the assembly, no one will be edified...

The traditional American church service, held as it most often is behind stained glass windows, can be quite intimidating for many new Christians--and for many "would be" Christians as well. These individuals feel as though they don't fit into such a template, and they often feel unaccepted by the rest of the congregation.

But here is the thing: The very humility they feel as they nervously sit in the plush sanctuary of a "Church Street Church" for the first time is exactly the humility that Christ would want us to have as we approach the Throne of God. That feeling of unworthiness, that downcast heart--that is the mindset that moves us toward salvation in the first place.

Many folks will try a new church once, or maybe twice... but they'll ultimately leave that final Sunday with a feeling of emptiness and rejection. Rejected by the church... by its people... and by association they feel rejected by God Himself.

In many cases we have turned the church assembly into just such a machine. We have become, to use the words of J. Vernon McGee "knife and fork clubs." Our congregations are filled with unsaved people, who are typically the first to unfairly judge newcomers. Love has been replaced with pride. We tolerate what we ought not, and we are often very intolerant of Truth. Our leaders are careful not to ruffle any feathers, lest the numbers (and collections) drop off. Men (and even women) go into the ministry for selfish gain, never having been called of God to pastor and teach...

But where, then, can a true seeker go? Can there be a friendly haven where he or she can find true Christian love and fellowship? A place where the Word of God is trusted, followed and believed? A place where they won't be taught by Laodiceans and false converts that the Bible is full of mistakes? Is there somewhere these can go to learn what Christianity truly is, and also (and of equal importance) what it truly isn't?

Many of you reading this may be members of good churches, where the Bible is held in high esteem and the Word is being taught with such fervor that the false converts sitting in the congregation scatter like startled mice--or else get saved. That is what preaching should do. As the minister conveys the Word, it divides bone from marrow--sharper than any two-edged sword (see Hebrews 4:12)...

Still others of you may have that bothersome feeling that you are missing something in your worship, and in your assembly. Perhaps you have invited people you have witnessed to to your church, and they have come a time or two then they've fallen away. They say they just don't feel right... they can't put their finger on it...

Or perhaps you would like to see friends or even family members begin regularly attending church, but you can't think of a church within 50 miles that would seem to fit their needs...

Perhaps you should prayerfully consider whether God might be calling you to begin a home church. This does not mean you have to leave your current church--and you don't even have to hold your meetings on Sundays (though that would be preferred, if possible, since more people are available to come on Sundays due to work, school, etc.). If you don't feel qualified to lead the meetings, you could ask around for someone who may be willing to do it for you. Begin with as few as three or four people... then start getting the word out. :)

Serve a light refreshment (cookies, cinnamon rolls, donuts...), and coffee and hot chocolate and iced tea...

The leader of the assembly should keep in mind the spiritual maturity of each individual attending, and make sure that they get useful and edifying teaching from the Bible. You don't want to bore the advanced Christians, nor do you want to go over the heads of new Christians and seekers. Fortunately, God's Word is so incredible that you can choose a simple passage of scripture, read through it together, then discuss it as a group and everyone will be blessed. When the Holy Spirit is allowed to lead the meeting, it will always be good.

Be sure to include prayer requests and praises in every meeting, and have a question and answer segment near the end, so that folks can get clarification on things they're unsure about. Remember that iron will sharpen iron, and even if you're the leader of such a group you will learn from even the most novice of Christians in attendance--so keep your mind ready to learn, and ready for a blessing. :)

I believe that you will find that many new and would be Christians will feel more comfortable coming to your home (since you're inviting them) than they will to a traditional church. Let them know that your home church meeting is geared toward reaching out to new believers, and to those who are seeking God. God's word says in Jeremiah 29:13

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.(NKJV)

So could it be that someone will seek and find God through having been invited to a church meeting in your home? Remember that God does work in mysterious ways... :)


Dan

Atheists: God's rebellious teenagers

I've recently drawn what I believe to be a rather interesting paradigm between atheists and rebellious teens.

For those of us who have raised children (or are still in the process of raising our children) we know full well how rebellious our teenagers can sometimes be. It is part of the "growing up" process some will say. They are asserting their independence; their individuality. But if the behavior is allowed to go unchecked, the young person's life is sure to spiral out of control.

The rebellious teen believes that he can run the household better than you can. He questions your authority, and may often even mock your decisions. He rolls his eyes when you tell him to clean his room. He knows better than you, and hard presses himself to stop seeking your advice (because to seek your advice would be to acknowledge that you have wisdom above his).

But all the while, he feels entitled to the amenities that you provide. He wants that warm, dry bed at night (even if it is surrounded by mounds of clothes, books, and junk which he never picks up)... he wants to find the pantry stocked with his favorite foods. He wants the lights to come on whenever he flips the switch...

And in truth, he knows where that food in the 'fridge comes from... he knows that it is dear old dad who pays the electric bill... and the phone bill... and the mortgage.

But this "knowing of the truth" about how the amenities he enjoys are provided is bothersome to him. He doesn't like being under your authority. If he's under your authority, he must obey your rules, right? So what's a rebel to do?

This rebellious teen fosters his sense of entitlement by telling himself that you "owe him." You brought him into this rotten world, and it's all your fault that he is here. You don't know what is best for him, and you don't even know what is best for yourself, he reasons. This is a comforting thought for him, because it assuages his guilt for taking the things you make available to him, while simultaneously defying your authority in every way he can get away with.

Such a teen often stays home well into his adulthood. He likes the security of the parental units, so to speak--but he does not like their authority. The older he gets, the wiser he believes himself to be... and he uses his "wisdom" to reason against your authority, and further to "reason" that it's okay for him to keep free loading because after all, you created him and he is entitled to your support.

Let's look at Romans chapter 1 here...

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (NIV)

Paul is saying a lot here, and there are multiple lessons we can learn from this short passage of scripture, but most pertinent to our discussion here are the following points:

Note that Paul says in verse 19 that God has made His existence plain to even these ungodly people. The word says that they knew God. God has shown us all through His creation that He is real, and is deserving of worship. Should we not wonder how all these wonderful things we find on the earth and in the heavens were really made? If an organism has obviously been designed, does it not follow that there is a designer?

What Paul is saying here is that God has given us the ability to reason, and we should ALL be able to realize that God is our Creator. The word says that if we do not acknowledge God we are without excuse. (An aside... it's impossible to reasonably accept the "total depravity" plank of the Calvinist platform in view of Romans 1:20--this verse proves that we all can and we all should acknowledge and worship God).

Paul points out that these reprobates chose not to worship God, even though they did know Him.

They chose instead to worship created things, rather than the Creator. The modern day equivalents would be the tree huggers and the PETA-types and the global warming alarmists, I would suggest. :)

24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

In the same way that a rebellious teen feels entitled rather than grateful as he indulges himself in the amenities provided by the parents, the atheist--to use J. Vernon McGee's phraseology--is "breathing God's air, and drinking God's water, and soaking up God's sunshine"--all the while denying that God even exists.

The atheist is God's rebellious teen who thinks he knows it all. He thinks his heavenly father is not worth acknowledging, but he'll take his father's gifts because he feels justified by birthright. He will then go on to be "greater than his father." By his own wisdom he'll be his own god, he reasons. He will go on to be, as the vilest of all creation once said, "like the most high."

We should always pray that atheists will come to the Knowledge of Truth in Christ.

Dan Newberry

How do you know you can trust the Bible?

As Christians, we often get asked by atheists and agnostics a very contemplative question: How do we know that the Bible is truly the word of God--and not just something that man made up?

I think the prudent Christian should be equipped to answer this question succinctly. But how?

I personally believe that all of the answers to mankind's dilemmas can be found in scripture. But how can the Bible prove, from its own pages, that it is God's Word?

Here are some things worth considering...

Isaiah 40:22 says It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Note that phrase "circle of the earth." Could a man have known when the book of Isaiah was written that the earth appeared as a circle?

Job 26:7 says He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

Job is reported by many Bible scholars to be the oldest book in the Bible, written perhaps as long as 5000 years ago. Who would have known in that time that the earth was hung on "nothing?"

Here is a point worth pondering... In Luke chapter 17, talking about His return to us, Christ says:

34I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

35Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

37And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Does anyone else find it curious that Christ is describing His worldwide simultaneous return (here He is speaking of the rapture, I believe, but that's another subject) as an event that will be occurring when some of us are asleep at night, and others are in the field working? Is He not demonstrating a knowledge of a spherical, turning earth, knowing that it will be daylight for some of us, but night for others? In the days that this scripture was written, people thought the world was flat.

Then there are the curious instructions for hygiene throughout the Old Testament that God gives to the Israelites.

In Leviticus chapter 15 we find instructions from God as to how a man who has infected wounds should be treated. Turn to your Bible and read chapter 15 of Leviticus, or if your Bible isn't handy just click this link:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2015&version=50

What you see in Leviticus 15 is an amazing demonstration of knowledge of micro-biology, and the instructions as to how to clean an infected person and his or her bedding and garments (note the call for running water, for instance) are indicative of an intelligence far above that of mankind at the time Leviticus was written, which was around 1425 BC. Waiting for a period of time before being declared clean is also a common command in the Old Testament. This would allow time for germs on the surfaces of the skin and hair to potentially die of exposure or else be purged from the body via flaking skin, or perspiration. Note too, that the wooden vessels that the contaminated person touched were only to be washed, but the clay vessels were to be destroyed. Can you think of a reason why wood would only need to be washed, but clay could not be washed clean of germs?

Now lets look at another book of the Old Testament, written about 1450 BC--the Book of Numbers, particularly, chapter 31. God's instructions to those who had gone in and slain the Midianites were as follows:

19And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

20And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.

21And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses;

22Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

23Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

24And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.

We see again in this passage an amazing knowledge of micro-biology. God is telling them to put whatever can abide the fire into the fire, so that it will be clean. And we know that fire kills germs! But what about that which cannot abide the fire?

God says to put whatever cannot abide the fire (clothing, animal skins, leather, etc.) through the "water of separation." What's this stuff? (other translations call this the "water of cleansing," or "water of purification")... could this stuff kill germs?

God gave an answer to my friend Ousman and me as we studied this issue one afternoon. No search of the internet's vast resources gave us a cogent explanation as to what the water of separation was. But the Holy Spirit did. :)

Turn to Numbers chapter 19 where there are instructions regarding the sacrifice of the Red Heiffer. It is through the Red Heiffer sacrifice that we get the "water of separation."

5And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

6And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

7Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.

8And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.

9And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.

If you read all of Numbers chapter 19, you'll notice that there is a very ceremonial tone to the proceeding of the Red Heiffer sacrifice. God is making sure that His instructions have noteable form, and that they are followed. But there appears to be a practical aspect to this sacrifice as well.

The ashes of the Red Heiffer are to be used in the water of separation, and the water of separation has the ability to clean up unclean things. We have some interesting ingredients in the heap of ashes of the cedar wood, laying on top of the dead bovine. Realize that God's instructions were to place the wood on top of the animal, not underneath it. This would likely ensure that some of the animal's fat would survive the fire. Are you getting it yet? :)

We make from animal fat and ashes... soap. Realize, too, that the cedar wood would contain evergreen oil, which has disinfecting qualities as well. The scarlet wool bits may have been to cause the substance to clump better, or else as a scrubbing agent to aid in cleaning. The Hyssop called for may have some similar effect, or else it may simply be for fragrance.

In any event, it seems clear that the water of separation was a soapy water, which indeed would have the effect of cleaning up things which can't pass through the fire.

Again, there are a lot of ceremonial things which are being performed during the practical intent of the act, so it might be easy to miss what is actually going on here if you focus too much on the ceremony.

So when someone asks you how you know that you can trust the Bible, remember that there is ample evidence within the pages of the Bible itself to prove that man could never have written these things, uninspired of God.

Dan Newberry

First Mate Calvin and the Captain

The ship was sinking, and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. The captain called first mate Calvin to his side, and informed him of the coming tragedy. The captain said that some would certainly perish, though it grieved him that this was the case.

"Unfortunately, many will not make it into the life boats in time," the captain grimly told Calvin. "Some will stubbornly refuse to believe that the ship could be sinking and will therefore ignore the call to enter the life boats. Some will be so paralyzed with fear, they'll remain in their cabins. Nonetheless, go on and get the word out to all souls aboard."

"Which passengers shall I go to first?" Calvin hurriedly asked.

"Simply tell all who will to board the life boats. We have twenty-four life boats on deck. That is enough to save all souls aboard, but some will not be saved. You don't know who will be saved and who will not, so just let everyone aboard know about the life boats. Better some saved than none at all."

"Aye aye, captain!" first mate Calvin dutifully shouted.

Calvin left the captain's bridge and grabbing a bull horn on his way to the passenger's quarters he then began considering the dire circumstances of all the passengers and the crew. Calvin also began to mull over bits and pieces of the conversation he'd had with the captain.

"Hmmm," Calvin thought, "the captain says that he wants all on board to be saved, but then again he says that all won't be saved... he says some of them are stubborn and afraid and therefore they won't be saved... I wonder how the captain knows that? Well, no matter... he's the captain so I'm sure he knows a lot more than I know. I wouldn't save those stubborn ones either if it were entirely up to me, so I see the captain's point. And the scared ones will just get what's coming to them too. That just means more room for the rest of us..."

Calvin then walked the hallways and common areas of the ship, shouting:

"This ship is sinking! The captain says that some of you will be saved! Get into the life boats immediately so that those who will be saved can be saved!" Calvin felt a sense of authority that he'd never felt before as he shouted this message all over the ship.

But a woman with a very young child came to him and said: "My brother is on board somewhere and I cannot find him. You said that some of us would be saved. Will my brother be saved?"

"Only the captain can answer that," Calvin smugly informed her. "The captain has said that not all will be saved. I'm sure he knows which ones will be saved and which ones won't. He has a complete list of all souls on board, and I'm sure he has a list of the ones who will be saved."

"But I won't leave my brother behind. Can't he, too, be saved?" the woman desperately wondered aloud. "Where is this list?"

"You can't see the captain's list," he told her. "You, your child, and your brother may all be on that list. But then again, only some of you may be. Or possibly all of you will die. It's all up to the captain."

"Well, what if we go on and get into a life boat now? Will that mean that we're probably on the list?" the woman asked.

"No," Calvin said. "Your act of climbing into the life boat means nothing in and of itself. If you're not on the captain's list and he finds you in one of his life boats you'll be thrown out. There is nothing you can do to ensure that you're on that list--it is entirely up to the captain."

And so with that Calvin again raised the bull horn to his lips and continued shouting his warnings to all souls on board.

A middle aged man approached Calvin and asked: "Why are you telling everyone that only some of us will be saved? Shouldn't you just call everyone into the life boats? Isn't there enough room in the boats for everyone?"

"There is enough room for everyone, but the captain says that all won't be saved," Calvin said. "That's not my rule, that's his rule. I'm just the messenger."

But the man was not satisfied with Calvin's answer. "Do you mean to tell me that everyone on board could be saved, but that the captain has declared that only some will be saved? How do we know who will be saved and who will be lost? What can I do to ensure that I'm one who will be saved? And what about my wife, can I bring her onto the life boat with me?"

First mate Calvin paused a moment and pondered these questions. He did his best to remember the words that the captain had spoken to him, and made the best sense of those words that he could. "Only the captain knows who will be saved and who won't. It is not up to you or your wife whether either of you will be saved," Calvin said. "There is nothing either of you can do to affect the captain's decision--it is entirely up to him who will be saved and who will go down with the ship. So don't attempt to get into good graces with the captain now because unless you are on his list to be saved, you're going to be lost."

Continuing, Calvin then said: "But I have some good news! If you are on the captain's list to be saved, you cannot lose! So rejoice! He's a great and wonderful captain because he has picked a few of us for his good pleasure to put into the life boats. The rest of you will drown, as you well deserve to!"

"We deserve to drown?" an elderly woman shouted? "Is that what the captain said?"

"Well... yes," Calvin replied. "If you're not on the captain's list, you deserve to drown."

"And do you deserve to drown?" the woman asked Calvin.

"We all deserve to drown," Calvin said, because we're all on this ship and we're all bad people. Remember this is a casino ship, and all of us on board are gamblers. We all deserve to drown, but it is the captain's good pleasure that some of us be saved."

The woman then asked "What if we go now and beg the captain to put us on his list? Will he then do that, and so save us?"

"No," Calvin was certain. "If you were not on the captain's chosen list when you came on board, then you're not going to get on that list at all. You can't ask the captain to add you to his list because it is not up to you whether you are on that list or not. You're either on it, or you're not on it. If you asked him to put you on that list, that would mean that it is something which you did which got you onto the list. And that is not how it is. So don't waste the captain's time."

"This isn't making any sense" another woman said. "First you tell us that there is enough room in the life boats that we all could be saved. Then you say that the captain has wished that we would all be saved. Then you tell us that only some of us will be saved, and that the rest of us will perish. Then you say that it is not up to us whether or not we can be saved--you say it's entirely up to the captain no matter what we do or don't do. But you have already said that the captain would like us all to be saved. How can he wish that we all be saved and at the same time sentence some of us to drown?"

"Captain's orders," Calvin smugly replied. "That is just the way it is, and he's in charge of this ship. Deal with it."

An elderly man named George stepped forward and addressed the first mate: "Then why are you telling us these things? Assuming you are right--assuming you have not misunderstood the captain--why are you telling us these things? If the captain's list cannot be changed, why tell those of us who are not on the list that we are about to drown? Why cause such discord among the passengers? If what you say is true--if nothing can be done to affect the captain's decision as to who goes and who stays--why fret those who will drown? Why take their hope now? I see that one young man has already returned to his cabin to drown. He was about to board that life boat over there, but then he heard your words. I heard him say as he passed by me that he's sure that he can't possibly be on the captain's list. He has returned to his cabin to drown because of what you have said."

Calvin was contemplating a reply when a young woman yelled: "We want to speak to the captain ourselves. This cannot be the way of it!"

Just then a woman named Mary ran to join the crowd. "I have already spoken to the captain" she said. "I've just come from the captain's bridge and if I understand the captain correctly, it is up to each passenger whether or not they board the life boats. Room on the boats is plentiful, the captain says. He does not want any of us to die--but he says it's up to us whether or not we avail ourselves of the life boats."

"Not so fast!" Calvin scoffed. "That's not what the captain told me. And who are you anyway--some mere passenger? And you have dared to approach the captain to bother him at such a time as this?"

"The captain was very gracious to me, even loving," Mary said. And I did not get the impression that I was bothering him at all. I could feel just from being in his presence that he is very concerned for every one of us. 'Tell all who will be saved to enter into the life boats!' This is what he told me to say."

"Well I don't believe you," Calvin flatly stated. "The captain has a list and I'm sure of it. Some of you aren't on that list so you just deceive yourselves into thinking that you can ask the captain to put you on that list, even at this last minute, and he will. Ha! Go on and think such foolishness! You'll die anyway!"

Then the elderly man named George asked the first mate: "What if Mary is right? Wouldn't that be good news to you? What if any of us could ask to be put on the captain's list, and so find a place on the life boat? You seem as if you would not be happy if the captain had so arranged things."

"It doesn't matter whether I'm happy with that or not," Calvin retorted. "The captain will only save those whom he will."

George asked "What about the crew? What about you, first mate? Are you on the list? Do you plan on being in one of the life boats?"

"Certainly I do," Calvin said confidently. The captain would surely not allow me to be lost. I'm his messenger to all on board. He has confided in me, and I'm so very respectful of his authority and his total sovereignty. I believe this pleases him."

"Have you seen the captain's list?" George wanted to know.

"Well, not exactly," Calvin admitted. "But since I'm the one who the captain first told about the list, I'm certain that I'm on that list. Otherwise I'm sure he wouldn't have told me about it. And besides, I have very strong admiration for the captain and I especially revere his total authority because I know how much he likes that... so I'm sure I'm on that list."

"What did you do to get on the list?" George wondered.

"Nothing. It was just the captain's good pleasure that I be on that list! That's what's so great about it! But I'm beginning to suspect that you, sir, are not on the list and you're just jealous because you're not. That's why you keep badgering me with all this nonsense! It's not my fault you're not on the list. And it's too bad for you that you can't do anything to get on the list. Too bad indeed!" The first mate seemed quite happy with himself.

And so Calvin continued, going all about the ship as it slowly sank, shouting to everyone on board that if they were one of the lucky ones--one of those chosen by the captain--they could be saved. But no one--not even those who were already seated in the life boats--could understand how Calvin could so gleefully--even pridefully--tell everyone on board that only certain ones were designated by the captain to be saved. This caused a great deal of confusion among the already frightened passengers.

Then Mary turned from the crowd and announced: "I'm going into the passenger's quarters to tell everyone what the captain has told me--that they can be saved if they'll just come up and board the life boats."

"Knock yourself out," Calvin sneered. "The ones who are actually on the captain's list are already in the boats. There's no hope for the rest of these hapless souls. You're just wasting your time!"

But within a half hour, when the water was beginning to flood the ship's deck, Mary emerged from below, leading a dozen passengers who had believed there was room on the life boats for them too. These were soaking wet, humble, and afraid, but so very thankful that someone had shown them that they could still be saved. As they boarded the life boats, first mate Calvin strolled over and announced:

"These were obviously on the captain's list the whole while! Thank goodness the captain has chosen these also!"

"We thought sure we would all drown," a man named Paul said. "We had been told that it was not the captain's will for all to be saved. Earlier this day, I had stolen money from another man's cabin while he was having his lunch. When the ship's officers came around to question me about the theft, I lied and said I had nothing to do with it. But I knew that the captain suspected me. Therefore, when I was told that only those on the captain's list could be saved, I was certain that I would not be on that list. But this woman," he said, pointing to Mary, "assured me that the captain still had room for me--even me--in one of the life boats. And this made me very happy, but also very sad. I was happy that I might not die, but I was very sad about the crime I had committed. I wanted to tell the captain that I was guilty, and would pay back double for what I had done. I wanted to apologize to the man whose money I had taken. I wanted to make things right. And I still feel terrible to even be here with you fine folks, trying to save myself from drowning. But I'm so glad that there are enough boats! I praise the captain that he will not allow me to perish for this awful thing I've done."

"Are there any other souls below deck?" George asked Mary.

And Mary's eyes welled with tears. "I called out to one young man and I told him that there was still time for him to be saved. He said that he did not deserve to be saved, and therefore he was sure that he wasn't on the captain's list that the first mate had told everyone about. I told him to just come, and not to worry about any such list. I told him I had spoken to the captain and that anyone who was willing to come would be saved." She paused a moment, her tears now streaming down her cheeks. "But he wouldn't believe me. He's still down there."


Dan Newberry

Maintaining your Biblical Truth Model

A truth model is a hypothetical idea of what we believe to be the truth about a particular issue. A properly functioning truth model will be adaptable in the face of new information, and proper maintenance of our various truth models is key to expanding our understanding of the world around us. Truth models can be very simple (gravity works, things that go up must come down) or very complex (what do we believe about the John F. Kennedy assassination?)...

We construct our individual truth models as a result of having to make decisions constantly throughout our lives. Having a ready made template on hand quickens the decision making process, or in some cases it totally eliminates the need to ponder a choice. If I have already decided that Ford cars are best, when I go to look for a new car, I've shortened the quest considerably--I'll only have to choose a style and color from the Fords available. When we go to the polls, we've got a truth model in place which generally makes voting a snap.

But how do we go about constructing our set of truths? Does the man who buys only Ford cars have a legitimate set of reasons, arrived at by personal experience and research which leads him to be brand loyal? Or does he buy only Fords because he was trained to think that way by his father? Do you vote for one party or the other because you've carefully considered all of the consequences of electing the candidate you're voting for? Or do you simply vote like your parents or your peers vote, having never researched the issues?

Daily life involves so many decisions that we simply have to construct truth models in order to expedite living. Of course what is true for the Ford guy is not at all true for the Chevy guy, and the Democrats have a different set of truths from the Republicans. So truth on most levels is indeed relative.

But what about Ultimate Truth? Can it be relative too?

In John chapter 18, Pilate asked the question that has been on the minds of unregenerate men for eons...

38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

It has become popular in this day and age to make the claim that even ultimate truth is relative, and that whatever each of us decides becomes truth to us. Oprah Winfrey has descended into this heresy, and is leading many away from the Truth she once professed to know.

http://herescope.blogspot.com/2007/11/oprah-and-friends-to-teach-course-on.html

http://www.wfial.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=artNewAge.article_1

If the ultimate truth is that everyone's version of truth is correct, how can one such as Oprah tell me I'm wrong when I say that Christ is the only way for any of us? The moment she tells me I'm wrong about Christ being the only way, she has destroyed her own version of ultimate truth, which was supposed to allow me to be right. See? The whole notion is dunder-headed.

But as Christians we have professed Christ and confessed our sins and we follow Him and keep His commands because we love Him. We have been born again, and we have been made partakers of Ultimate Truth, which is salvation and wisdom from God. There is no room for any other truth. Jesus said that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He said that no man comes to the Father except through Him.

Remember, too, that God warned us over and over again in His Word that many would come to deceive.

1 Peter 3:15 says But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (NIV)

But how do you defend your faith in Christ if your truth model is either incomplete or distorted into nonsense? Does you truth model allow all verses you come across in the Bible to fit somewhere on it? Or do you find yourself constantly "wordsmithing" God's Word, telling yourself and others that it really doesn't mean what it says in certain places. Do you cast out some scripture on the premise that it was written for different folks in a time long ago? Do you find yourself claiming things like "Christ was speaking metaphorically here," or Paul really didn't mean "all" but only "some?" Does your theological view of scripture look something like this?

:)

Realize that even renaissance theologians often got things wrong (obviously this is true, since they disagreed with each other so often). The Bible is intended to be understood. You don't have to be a scholar to make sense of it, either. In fact, I think many folks have had their understanding severely impeded because they have chosen the teachings of others rather than reading and studying for themselves. Now I'm not questioning the value of good Bible teachers, I'm just emphasizing that I have seen many led down strange roads to bizarre doctrines by people they put their trust in. Trust God above all, and let the Holy Spirit teach you, as John says in 1 John 2:26-27:

26I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (NIV)

If you don't read your Bible daily, studying to show yourself approved as Paul advises, what is your truth model going to look like? As mentioned earlier, many of us forsake reading God's Word, favoring to read the writings of other ministers and teachers, believing that this is a viable substitute to the Bible. Then when we do read our Bible and we come across a passage of scripture that doesn't seem to fit onto our truth model, we often go back to the same fallible architects of reason who confused us in the first place--rather than praying for an answer from God. We are stubbornly unwilling to adjust our truth model, rather preferring to adulterate scripture so it fits with our already preconceived notions. Circular reasoning is often employed as a means of wriggling out of these conundrums. Scientists do this when their pet notions begin to crumble in the face of new data. They question the data, rather than their own theory. Such is the usual state of humanity--and none of us are immune to doing this. When we study the Bible and continue improving our biblical truth model (which of course is our Ultimate Truth) we need a lot of Holy Spirit led prayer to step out of our own limited mindset, and into God's. Unless and until we are able to do that, our biblical truth model will be our idol.

Let me be clear, though--I'm not against reading Christian authors and of course we should always consult our pastors for better understanding. But realize that when you consult only men and leave God out of the equation, you put yourself in a precarious postion. Soon, you will be thinking just like your mentor--and being not divine your mentor could very well be wrong. And if he missteps, you will be prone to follow him right off the straight and narrow--so be diligent, always, letting the Truth in the Bible be your guide.

Dan Newberry

New Baptist debacle.... :o

As many of you know, a convention for a New Baptist Covenant www.newbaptistcelebration.org was held in Atlanta, Georgia earlier in 2008. The main theme on the minds of the participants was purportedly unity among all Baptists. Many Baptists around the country have felt marginalized by the Southern Baptist Convention, the mammoth organization to which most Baptist churches in America belong. The SBC is a staunchly conservative group, and its leadership has historically had little to no tolerance for the more moderate positions of some Baptist leaders. Too, many black church leaders have felt disenfranchised by the SBC, and have longed for a larger parent body where they might have a stronger voice.

Let me affirm right away that I do not take issue with everything that the New Baptist movement seeks to do. Most all of their aspirations are honorable, and Bible based.

I spoke with Pastor Rusty about his experience at the New Baptist convention, and he told me that it was largely positive, though he did not fully agree with everything said by the speakers invited. I have reviewed quite a bit of material which was showcased during the New Baptist convention, and I have come to some conclusions which I'll share in this letter. Please feel free to leave your comments and opinions here in this blog thread, which you can do by joining the blog.com membership. If you'd rather not use your real name, that is fine.

Let me say again that it is certain that the overwhelming majority of folks who went to Atlanta to participate in the New Baptist Celebration have godly, honorable intentions. I know that Pastor Rusty's intentions were honorable, and I believe he went for the right reasons, and I believe it may have been a worthwhile experience for him. My concerns are not with the good folks who fellowshipped and truly honored Christ at the event. But I am concerned with the motives of some of the organizers of this movement. While there are occasional political undertones which are hard to miss, I am primarily concerned with a recurring theme espoused throughout some of the speeches that the Bible is not to be interpreted literally, or else it has become outdated and therefore needn't be adhered to as closely as it was in centuries past. This worries me.

If you have time to view some of the speeches which were given at the convention, you can do so here. I would pay particular attention to the speeches of Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and also John Grisham.

http://www.newbaptistcelebration.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=96

And here is a news story from the Tennessean, where our pastor at Wytheville Baptist gets a mention... :)

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008802030410

Rusty assured me (for the record) that Bill Clinton had not won him over, as the article implies. Rusty was just tapped for an interview, and he was kind enough to oblige.

Okay. Let's cut to the chase...

If you've watched Bill Clinton's speech (linked above) you'll realize that Clinton overtly questions more than a couple of times whether or not the Bible is "literally true." At the 19 minute point in the speech, Clinton quotes 1 Corinthians 13 as he asserts that the Bible cannot be fully understood because we "see through a glass darkly." Of course if the Apostle Paul had intended by his phrase in 1 Corinthians 13:12 that we cannot properly understand his letters (since we see through a glass darkly and all), he'd never have written them in the first place. Right? It seems obvious to me that Paul was speaking of our limited understanding of the things of God--not scripture itself here. I believe that Paul and the other inspired writers of the Bible believed that they were communicating clearly to mankind as they wrote down God's intended words for us--on this side of the dark glass. Once we're on the other side, we won't need the written Bible any longer, because we'll then be with Christ. :)

Now, before continuing, step away from the computer a moment, and open your Bible to 2 Peter chapter 3 and read verses 15 and 16...

At about the 22 minute mark in his half hour long speech, Clinton says "...so it almost doesn't matter if the Bible is literally true or not..." (so long as we all love each other, he has contended). Love is certainly one of God's most wonderful gifts. But if the Bible isn't literally true, what might be left for us after we die? Can we say that we are Christians and at the same time question the truthfulness of scripture?

If you do not even know for sure whether the Bible is literally true or not, you've got some major salvational issues I would think. If you call yourself a Christian, you've got to realize that the Bible is literally true. The Holy Spirit will tell you this, if indeed you have the Holy Spirit in you. Pray and ask God about His Word, then listen for His still small voice...

As mentioned earlier, I believe that most all of the participants of the New Baptist movement are sincere Christians, and their hopes and intentions are honorable. But these honorable intentions of decent Christian folks who are just looking for a place at the Baptist table are clearly being used by political operatives, with largely liberal agendas. This is undeniable, and cannot be intelligently questioned. The overt liberalism being espoused by some of those invited to speak at this convention is appalling to many of us who read, love, and believe God's Word. They seek to adulterate the truth, and to render the gospel to no effect for many. They are doing this under the auspices of being inclusive, and respecting diversity--but they're including sinful and ungodly behavior under their "diverse" umbrella, and it appears they would ask that the rest of the church do the same.

Former Vice President Al Gore spoke at the convention, advancing as may have been expected, his notion (in this non-political setting, remember?) that the rising temperatures on our planet are caused by the activities of mankind, rather than natural patterns set by God. (As an aside, google "NASA" and "Mars" and "melting" and you'll find plenty of articles discussing the fact that the polar ice caps on Mars are melting too... perhaps from all of the Martian industry and infrastructure run amuck, I guess?)... =)

In an attempt to give Biblical credence to his argument, Gore quoted the following passage from Luke chapter 12:

54 Then He also said to the multitudes, "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? 57 "Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?

Gore's "exegesis" of this scripture went like this: "The evidence is there," he said. "The signal is on the mountain. The trumpet has blown. The scientists are screaming from the rooftops. The ice is melting. The land is parched. The seas are rising. The storms are getting stronger. Why do we not judge what is right?"

Does Gore really think Christ was speaking about global warming or protecting the earth in Luke chapter 12? Or does he just hope that some of us are that stupid? In any event, he grossly twisted the words of Jesus to bolster his own contrived assertions. Bad juju.

Then there's novelist John Grisham, masquerading as a knowledgeable Christian but sounding much more like an atheist. From his 20 minute speech, we find him saying things like:

"In the Baptist church of my youth we were taught that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant Word of God -- every word is divinely inspired and it is to be read literally... It just dropped out of heaven. Five thousand years ago God made the earth in six days, 144 hours. Then He rested on the Sabbath, which is really on Saturday but we're not going to start that debate. Methuselah lived to be a [thousand], and when Paul wrote that women should be submissive, that was the literal interpretation. It was the law.

Here's the link to a page where the Grisham quotes are taken from: http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=27309

Grisham continued, saying: "Who are we kidding when we try to exclude? God made all of us. He loves all of us equally, and He expects us to love and respect each other without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, biblical interpretation, denominations or other religions." Note how he slips "sexual orientation" and "other religions" in among race and gender. This is to imply that God not only makes people of different genders and races (which He of course does), but that He also intentionally makes people who are homosexual, and who are born to worship other gods (which He of course does not). Of course we are to love our neighbors, whoever they may be. Christ commanded it. But that does not mean to turn a blind eye to sin, and allow it to take firm root in our churches because we're too politically correct to teach what the Bible says about these things.

What Grisham is advocating is that people who claim to be homosexuals, and people who grossly distort what the Bible actually teaches, and even people of OTHER RELIGIONS not be excluded from fellowshipping with Baptists. We should fellowship with them, but we shouldn't preach the gospel to them, or we'll be viewed as exclusionary. But what would the Apostle Paul say to such a notion?

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

"In the Baptist church of my youth, women were expected to stay in their places," Grisham said. "They couldn't preach, couldn't serve as deacons... They could run the nursery. They could teach the children. They could sing in the choir, but they could not lead in public prayer. They could be appointed missionaries' wives but not missionaries. And two or three times a year, just for good measure, to remind them of their reduced status, we would hear a long sermon based on the first-century writings of the apostle Paul. How many times have I heard 1 Timothy 2:11-12?... Even as a child I did not understand this."

And obviously he still doesn't. It doesn't fit his liberal view of the world, so it just cannot mean what it says. Note that he says of Paul's writings that they are "first century," as if to imply that we do not have to go by those writings here in the grand old 21st century. Certainly, Grisham would contend, God has changed after all (even though the Bible tells us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever)...


It seems that the ring leaders in this New Baptist movement have concocted a cleverly devised strategy which is directed at crippling the conservative Christian voting base in America--and it is political. But again, I'm far less worried about the politics here than I am the outright assault on the Bible.

Listen to another of the speakers at the event, one Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children's Defense Fund...

"Millions of children are abused, receive inadequate healthcare, die of preventable causes and lack adequate education," she said. "The church must take responsibility for this problem and work for a solution... The church ought to be the locomotive and not the caboose in speaking up for the poor children and the neglected children in our country... One important way the church should help is by rediscovering its prophetic voice to the culture... It is particularly important for the church to speak against making President Bush's tax cuts permanent," she said.

This would be laughable if it weren't so sad. Not political? Right. I'm going to invite you to a party being thrown by Jimmy Carter where Bill Clinton and Al Gore are featured speakers but it's not political. Who is gullible enough to believe that?

Also prominently featured at this convention was Tony Campolo, a man who believes that many people who do not know the name of Christ (Buddhists, Hindus, etc.) will be in heaven in the end, because they had the relationship, but just never learned His name. (So I guess the Great Commission wasn't necessary after all... I guess someone should have let Christ in on this new way of getting to heaven but of course Campolo wasn't around back then to enlighten Him)... Don't take my word for it, hear it in Campolo's own words, in this streaming audio interview... http://www.wayofthemasterradio.com/podcast/2007/12/29/december-29-2007-weekend-show/

Campolo was also once quoted as saying that God and Satan are engaged in this great cosmic battle and that the outcome is yet uncertain. I'll never forget hearing that interview. Here's a link to a review of Campolo's often apostate teachings: http://www.letusreason.org/Popteac27.htm

The New Baptist Convention came to a close on Saturday, February 1st, 2008, with a wondering aloud of "Where do we go from here?"

Let me suggest that while the political operatives of this movement are wondering where they're going next (shudder to think, but I'll bet the devil knows)... let us consider where we, the conservatives in the congregation, are going next. Shall we let their adulterated views of scripture carry the day in our churches? Do we capitulate, all in the name of diversity, and preach not against certain besetting sins, and forget what God has taught us from His Word? I'll bet the good ministers from various churches in America who attended this event were quietly dismayed at what some of the speakers there were saying.

On the diversity matter, I do wish we had a more racially integrated church. My wife and I attended Bethlehem Baptist (a predominantly black church here in Wytheville) prior to joining Wytheville Baptist, and that congregation really knows how to worship, and they know how to love. I'm all for being diverse when it comes to the various ways God made us, but I draw the line when someone wants to call sinful behavior--be it homosexuality or wretched biblical exegesis or other such atrocities--acceptable and even desirable in our churches.

You see, the real issue here can be summarized in a question: Is the Bible literally true and inerrant? If you agree that it is, then you cannot go adrift of the Truth which God has given us. Conversely, if the Bible is not true in its entirety, if God has indeed found Himself incapable of managing the translations and publications of His Word, then why believe any of it? If a man is to climb a ladder, he must be able to trust each and every rung on that ladder--or else he should never venture up it. Remember that Satan deceived Eve by calling into question what God had said...

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (NIV)

...and it appears to me that some of these New Baptists are asking similar questions, again at the behest of that same old foe.

Dan Newberry



Addendum, a link to a Wall Street Journal contributed by a WBC member for inclusion here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120242949190952127.html?mod=taste_primary_hs

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