Hebrews 11

Moses: The Mighty Man of God



I have much to say as I read J.C. Ryle's explanation of Moses. Like any good exposition, it brings to light things that are clear in Scripture that you never would have seen otherwise. I found the chapter, along with all the chapter's from his book, Holiness, online. I would encourage all of you to read it because I am sure I will not do it justice.



While he makes many fascinating points about how what Moses willingly gave up for His God, there is one thing that caught my attention that caused me to stop reading in the middle of the chapter, and write about it.

This is the section that caught my attention:

Who can conceive the torrent of mockery and ridicule that Moses would have to stem, in turning away from Pharaoh’s court to join Israel? Men would tell him he was mad, foolish, weak, silly, out of his mind. He would lose his influence; he would forfeit the favor and good opinion of all among whom he had lived. But none of these things moved him. He left the court and joined the slaves!
Let us think again, what a choice this was!
There are few things more powerful than ridicule and scorn. It can do far more than open enmity and persecution. Many a man who would march up to a cannon’s mouth, or lead a forlorn hope, or storm a breach has found it impossible to face the mockery of a few companions and has flinched from the path of duty to avoid it. To be laughed at! To be made a joke of! To be jested and sneered at! To be reckoned weak and silly! To be thought a fool! There is nothing grand in all this and many, alas, cannot make up their minds to undergo it!

Isn't it true. When I read this , my mind immediately went to the brave men who stormed the beaches at Normandy, and the many brave men and women I currently serve with. Many brave souls have risked their lives in battle, defying the odds, and charging forward into seemingly certain death. Whether they live or die, we all agree, they are heroes. What they did was brave, but I am sure what Moses endured was far more difficult. On the contray, it could be argued that some of our heroes have acted so bravely to avoid exactly what Moses stood firm against, and that is ridicule and mockery.

I don't want to discredit the bravery of soldiers who fight to defend freedom, but there is a strong argument for Moses' bravery being far greater! I personally have seen strong, battle-hardened warriors who have seen the terrors of war, who have fought valiantly against the enemies of the United States, who have watched friends die in combat, but bravely continued on with the mission... completely break down because of ridicule and mockery. Never under-estimate the power of the flesh. There is no secular explanation for why Moses did what he did, yet ironically, the secular world celebrates Moses as some sort of hero, who valiantly turned his back on luxury to live among slaves. It's also important to note that the ridicule and mockery Moses received was not from his enemies, but his peers. They were men and woman he was close to, brothers, sisters, parents, and relatives. Ridicule and mockery from enemies is one thing, but what man or woman do you know can handle it from close friends!

I'm thankful for the example of Moses. I believe we need more Moses' in our world. In closing I will turn you to Hebrews 11, which explains why Moses did this, and if you would like a further exposition, I would encourage you to read the chapter from "Holiness"

Annihilationism: Nothing to be afraid of... or is it?

Matthew 10:28; Galatians 3:24-26

Let me begin by saying... it's been a while, and it's good to be back. This has been a great outlet for me. I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly impotent I feel when it comes to apologetics. I know I can often give others the impression that I have superior knowledge when it comes to God, but my ability to communicate has deceived many, including myself at times, into thinking the great truths I've conveyed to them were a result of my own insight or rationale, when they were, in fact, mostly derived from my study of men who have poured their lives into Scripture. While I am grateful for the God-given insight of these men, I certainly don't want to give anyone the impression I have been afforded the same insight. I am grateful for the things God has revealed to me, and I always pray God will reveal them to me directly from His Word before I'm inclined to believe anyone, or discredit anyone.

This is why apologetics are difficult for me. I have been challenged, recently, on how I look at a lot of things in Scripture. Thankfully, by the Grace of God, His Word has always come out on top, and the question of annihilationism is no different. I read Greg Boyd's defense of Annihilationism, and even though it is in stark contrast to everything I have been taught since I believed, I considered it. Greg Boyd has a large following, and after reading his exposition of Romans 9 I wanted to read more about his theology on other things. Now, I believe any learned believer could probably pick apart his open theistic explanation of Romans 9, but I am not quite there yet. Even though the exposition stood against everything I understand about God, and I wasn't buying it, I can see how it would be understood that way. I was intrigued, hoping I could at least get a rational, even if it's wrong, opinion about annihilationism, and that's when the wheels started coming off.

I'll let Dr. Boyd tell you what Annihilationism is, so I'm not accused of putting a "negative spin" on it: "Annihilationism is the view that whoever and whatever cannot be redeemed by God is ultimately put out of existence. Sentient beings do not suffer eternally, as the traditional view of hell teaches."

Dr. Boyd says he is strongly inclined towards this position. I cannot say this enough... I am not an apologist, nor do I want to meddle too much in the business of picking apart heresies for a couple reasons:

1. I am too susceptible to pride. I find that when I spend a good deal of time finding heresy, and trying to snuff it out, I'm the one who gets "snuffy"

2. There are WAAAAAAY smarter individuals than myself who are much better at it

But I did have to say something about annihilationsim. I emailed Greg and asked him, why would anyone be afraid of God?

Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

If our two choices are go to heaven or cease to exist when we die, than why would Jesus tell us to fear God who is able to destroy body and soul? It doesn't add up. I know we will be judged, and if we're found guilty we'll be thrown into the lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:42) But how long will that last? is it just a few minutes? A couple seconds, and then we're gone? It seems the only difference between an atheist and an annihilationist is the annihilationist is at least willing to concede to a final judgement, but essentially, they're in agreement. A MUCH better argument against annihilationism can be found here, but so far, I haven't been able to find answers for my questions.

I am thankful for the testimony of the persecuted church. It would seem ridiculous that so many, like Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, among countless others (The Apostle Paul...?) would risk their lives to deliver a "message of salvation" to those who can either choose heaven or... nothing. I guess what makes it even harder to believe is the fact that is wrapped around open theism, which means it's our choice. Try to put yourself into the natural mind, and look around... why on earth would you become a Christian? There are dozens of religions that will soundly soothe your deepest needs, but certainly NOT Christianity. Remember, as mark Driscoll so eloquently put it... "We worship a Guy WHO GOT MURDERED." Murdered, killed... and what happens to many of His followers? You guessed it... killed. Paul put it plainly in Galatians... the Law leads us to Christ. We need forgiveness, we will be held accountable, and annihilationism, in my humble opinion, tears at the fabric of the Gospel Itself. So there it is... my first blog in a long time. It's good to be back.

My First Blog

so I decided to start one of these. I am so blessed everyday by people who put so much time and energy into thier blogs, that I wanted one of my own. Besides, people tell me it's a good idea to journal, and while you will rarely read about my personal struggles here, I will put in here things the Lord has taught me. I have decided to name my blog "So Great a Salvation" in honor of the verses found in Hebrews that reads:

"Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will."

That is such a beautiful verse, like so many verses in the Bible, and I have chosen it as a staple of this blog because I know so many people, including myself, tend to neglect this glorious salvation we have received through Christ. I believe it is time for those who depend on the Name of our Lord for their salvation to get serious about thier faith.