Today I went to the Barnes and Noble bookstore on Fifth Avenue and 46th street. I bought a book by Mortimer J. Adler entitled Ten Philosophical Mistakes. After that I visited the New York Public Library, where the beginning of Ghostbusters the movie was filmed…you know, where the two statues of lions sit adjacent to each other in front? Can you tell by my activity on this, my day off, that I like to read? More than that, I like learning. I want to tell you that the NY Public Library is vast and the selection is expansive. They have the largest collection of religious literature and references that I have ever seen! The picture that I posted is a painting of Moses dashing the Ten Commandments to pieces. The man sitting below the painting is there to give you a point of reference about the scale of the painting, although he may not have known that was his role for this blog. There are several impressive works of art like this in the Library. I can’t wait to see the museums in New York! I also took pictures of the Guttenberg Bible, circa 1466! It was one of the first documents ever printed on the printing press, in fact I think it is the first, but I was too busy paying attention to the Bible itself to read the whole caption describing it. The Guttenberg Bible is the first printed copy of the Latin Vulgate. I would post the pictures, but they aren’t very clear—the Bible just looks like a regular old book. And isn’t that true? The Bible appears to be just another book passed down to us from antiquity. But I want to tell you with the utmost conviction that the Bible is the very Word of God and it was passed down from antiquity for the very purpose to give us a tangible point-of-reference by which to pattern our lives, gain faith and doctrine, and preserve the truth about God, and specifically Jesus Christ. It is our standard by which to judge ourselves, like a measuring tape for a precise cut of wood. But unfortunately, as Paul conveys,
“But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament (the Scriptures), because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty…But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”—2 Corinthians 3:14-17; 4:3-4.
There is a little known fact about me, which only my close friends realize, and I want to express that fact right up front. I am a Christian who believes in both the Scriptures and the power of God; the Spirit and truth. I am a Charismatic Biblicist—or at least that’s the best explanation I can think of. I appreciate balance. So many times these days I find Christians who either emphasize one or the other—dead religionists, on one end of the spectrum, who only stress the importance of fidelity to the Bible, and on the other end, religious fanatics who only care about feelings, so-called moves of the Spirit, and ecstatic religious experiences. But the early church fathers weren’t that way. The great revivalists weren’t that way. And I praise God the pastoral leadership here at Times Square Church are not that way. They all stress the importance of BOTH life by/in the Spirit of God and belief in right doctrine, or the truth as revealed in the Scriptures. The combination of those (and nothing less) leads to salvation through sanctification—cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:13. That being said, I am convinced that in order for the veil of blindness to be removed from those who are perishing, I must pray and engage in spiritual warfare on their behalves against the god of this age, and that I must engage in intellectual warfare against every vain philosophy that sets itself up against the knowledge of God; in two words, intercessory prayer and apologetics. I am merely insisting on what I, as one member of the Body of Christ, must do. This is what I am compelled to do in order to reach the lost for Jesus and edify the body of Christ. The reason should be obvious. First of all, we fight not against flesh and blood, but against powers, principalities, and rulers of darkness in the heavenly realms. So we must engage in spiritual warfare to aid evangelism. Second, and more tangible, is the fact that many pseudo-scholars, scientists, and the self-proclaimed intellectually elite have perpetrated and perpetuated ideas that criticize the historical, scientific, and theological integrity of the Scriptures, and thus undermine faith in God for untold millions. It is the task of apologetics to expose such vain ideas as the falsehoods that they are by using sound arguments based on good evidence. (And make no mistake. There IS good evidence to believe in the Bible. Just read The Case for Christ as merely one example. Or go online and listen to apologetic lectures by Ravi Zacharias and William Lane Craig, to name a few.) Apologetics is useful to remove any excuse that the skeptic and unbeliever may have. This discipline serves to show the skeptics that the Bible is not just another old, out-dated book, but that it is indeed reasonable to believe wholeheartedly that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God. The combination of these two tactics will be a powerful aid in evangelism, will restore unwavering faith in the Bible and bring about true deliverance in the Spirit. Somehow, this is my task, and I’m not alone, although I wouldn’t impose my calling on anyone else. Pray for me as I continually prepare for this ministry, both here and elsewhere. And remember, Jesus has appointed YOU as a specific member of the body with specific gifts and passions for a specific ministry. If you don’t know what that ministry is yet, please seek the presence of the Lord diligently until He shows you. The power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is the most precious gift we have and the most important for enabling in our ministry. (Might I add that the Holy Spirit is not an “it.” That is neither grammatically accurate to the Bible, nor respectful of God. The Holy Spirit is God with us. He is our only direct and intimate connection to the Godhead at this time and we cannot live without Him.)
Also, would you pray for me and my special friend Helen as we get to know each other with intentions of considering each other for a more long-term relationship? Helen and I are communicating regularly from a distance. She is in Alabama (via England) and I am here in New York. We just desire God’s perfect will for each of us.
Thanks and grace to you all.
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