Biola Congregational Church

From our 4C Conference Minister, Rev. Ron Hamilton: I encourage you to pray for our nation on this Election Day. I also encourage you to vote in this important election if you have not already done so. We are privileged to live in a nation that provides the opportunity to elect our government leaders, and we should be faithful in our responsibilities as American citizens. We need a spiritual renewal in our country. Elected officials have extremely limited influence. Politici...ans make policy. But it is the Gospel that changes people. The most important choice that you can make today is to be actively engaged in advancing the Kingdom of God and promoting the Gospel. We can live in a way that draws attention and invites people to seek the Lord. We can engage in the work of our local church and promote the preaching and teaching of the Gospel. A community of believers can have a significant impact on people's lives. We can also support the broader work of Christ around the world as the Gospel goes out to the "ends of the earth." We are American citizens. But our true "citizenship is in heaven." (Phil.3:20)

October 25, 2020

18 October 2020

Paul’s Prayer Ephesians 1: 15-18 11 October 2020

May this be encouragement for you to continue with reading your Bible through the year. I have finished my Bible reading plan: once through the entire Bible and then once through the Gk. New Testament. I will now have to add another go through the Psalms. Blessings upon your Bible reading! May the Word of God nourish your souls.

The council decided last night at our meeting to move our worship time from 9am to 10am. Also, this Sunday will be our last worship service outside. So, Sunday, October 11th, will be outside at 10am. Then the following Sunday, October 18th, we will begin worshiping inside our sanctuary at 10am. By God's grace, I hope to see you all this Sunday.

Further Spiritual Blessings Ephesians 1: 11-14

Let us continue to examine the justice theory called critical theory. We will now list Timothy Keller's biblical critique of this social justice theory. 1. It is deeply incoherent. You cannot insist that all morality is culturally constructed and relative and then claim that your moral claims are not. 2. It is too simplistic. It states that evil derives from social structures. But we know that the Bible states that evil has many sources. Poverty, crime and violence cannot be ...due only to social issues. Fallen humanity are both individual creatures and social beings created in the image of God. And the devil is a part of the equation also. 3. It undermines are common humanity. We are primarily individuals created in God's image and then secondarily members of a race/nationality. Critical theory insists that we are primarily social groups that must give up or individuality. 4. It denies our common sinfulness. No race or people group is inherently more sinful than another. Yet, critical theory assigns greater 'sinfulness' to certain groups. This is an evil that led to the holocaust. 5. It makes forgiveness, peace and reconciliation impossible. These things can't happen when whole groups of people are banished from the community as enemies of society. 6. This social justice theory demands a 'performative' identity. You either have to identify as being oppressed or someone who advocates and fights for the oppressed. Your identity must first and foremost be in Jesus Christ. 7. It is not about love but about domination. To have domination, anger, rage and scare tactics are used to make people submit. But our God is a God of love and perfect love casts out fear. 8. It is a false utopian theory where its advocates will save you and bring you justice. Only Christ can bring true justice and be our only Savior. The critical theory of justice does not take into account all forces that forbid an utopian society on earth: the sins of the flesh and the principalities of the air. This justice theory falls woefully short of being remotely Biblical and will not solve society's sins. In fact, it will only perpetuate the sins of men against one another. See more

Social justice is quite the controversial topic. In this post I would like to critique a certain theory that seeks to achieve justice in the US through 'power.' In our postmodern times, many have seized upon critical theory to right the injustices of America. In essence, critical theory posits that a 'just society subverts the power of dominant groups in favor of the oppressed.' It has barged onto the American landscape with a bang, though its DNA is to be found in much olde...r, Marxist doctrine. All my talking points are borrowed from Rev. Timothy Keller. Keller's points will define critical theory and then be followed up by a biblical critique of this theory. Postmodern critical theory defined: 1. Unequal wealth and power are not due to individual actions or differences in culture, but only due to unfair social structures that have to be fixed by social policy and never by asking people to change behavior or culture. 2. All art, religion, morality, law, media, politics, education and family are a means to achieve social power and power over others. In and of themselves, they have no truth claims or reality. 3. Reality is nothing but power. To see who has power and who does not, one must map out 'intersectionalities.' Certain categories of race, gender, sexual bent and identity will give some greater power and others less. Those with less power like a transgender female now have the greater moral authority and ability to see reality. The white, middle-aged man who has power must give it up. 4. The main way power is exercised is through language. Therefore, the media and free speech must be controlled. 5. Individual rights do not matter. It is about society and not the individual. The individual can only have a group identity. The next post will biblically critique this justice theory.

God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Will

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