Tag Archives: Theology

by Anthony Baker | December 22, 2021 · 6:30 am

I Can Almost Hear a Kiss Lyric, Beth

Back in 1976 I was nothing more than an impressionable middle-schooler with a friend who liked KISS. Even though I went to a Christian School, my classmate introduced me to the group, and I thought they were kinda cool. Sorta.

Like I said, I was impressionable, and I wanted to be liked. Maybe that’s why I fell for the whole “KISS actually stands for Knights in the Savior’s Service” line. I guess it sounded cooler than “The Old-Fashioned Mountain Top Gospel Singing Boys from Bryson City, North Carolina.”

Now, to be fair, I never listened to KISS. It only when “Beth” came out that I actually heard them on some TV variety show. This song was unlike anything else they performed, and the one line that I’ll never forget was, “Beth, what can I do?”

What does this have to do with anything?

Well, it’s just that this year Beth Moore, the former darling of SBC women’s study groups, left the Baptists and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 and went full-on liturgical Anglican.

Beth, what can I do. . . but say, “I told you so”?

Beth, what can I do. . . but shake my head at all the money you made off the backs of Lifeway shoppers while you secretly disavowed their beliefs?

Beth, what can I do. . . but wonder how many more there are like you within the Southern Baptist Convention secretly denying our unifying beliefs while attempting to undermine the greatest missionary-sending organization in history with woke heresies?

I guess the irony of all this is that unlike the ’70s hit from KISS, you’re not waiting at home alone while the boys are out playing; you joined EISS (Egalitarians in Satan’s Service).

Ex-SBC Beth Moore Joins Anglican Church — Beth Moore behind the lecturn at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church (from YouTube).

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Filed under current events, Southern Baptist

Tagged as Anglican, Beth Moore, Doctrine, egalitarian, KISS, Theology

by Anthony Baker | August 4, 2021 · 9:05 pm

A Mini Commentary, Pt. 16 (Ephesians 4:16)

Sorry for the delay, but here is the final instalment of the mini commentary on Ephesians 4:1-16. I pray the whole series has been informative and a blessing in some way.

4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

From whom the whole body fitly joined together

Here is where the metaphor of the body can get a little tricky, at least compared to the way things naturally work. When a human is conceived, his DNA is already present, passed from both the mother and the father. The “blueprint of life” dictates how a child will look, how big he will be, his color of skin, etc. But Jesus, the Head of the Body, is the one who oversees the construction and placement of body parts. The mind, the Person of God, is eternal; the Body – both when He walked the earth and when He left and sent His Spirit – came into being by the will of God. There is no accidental deformity withing the Body of Christ! There are no mutations, missing parts, or inadequate ones! The WHOLE body is FITLY joined together! Hallelujah!

Are you intimidated, discouraged, or feel out of place in the Body of Christ? Don’t feel that way! You were designed and created to fit exactly where the Head wants you. You have a purpose for which no other part in the body can fill. You are unique and designed by God.

and compacted by that which every joint supplieth,

Here we see that not only is every person who is part of the Body a specially designed member created for a particular purpose in the overall growth of the Body, but each has a part in the unifying of the Body into a cohesive whole.^[1] Paul implied this same thought in his letter to the Colossians: “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Colossians 2:2).

according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,

Now, despite the lofty example of Jesus, God “knows our frame,” that we are nothing but dust (Psalm 103:14). Therefore, notice that Paul says, “…the measure of every part.” The measure of one part of the Body, one Christian, is not going to be the same measure of another one. Too often we find ourselves comparing our spirituality to that of other more “godly” believers. In doing so we often find ourselves discouraged from not measuring up to their likeness. Look, we are all dust, and the most that we can ever be is only because of God’s grace.

But the encouraging hope is this: what we have and all that we are, yielded to the will of the Head of the Body, is guaranteed to be effective toward the purpose for which we have been designed.

maketh increase of the body

Simply put, a healthy member of the body, no matter the importance, will, if effectually being used, make increase to the Body. Does that mean that one must lead others to Christ in order to “make increase”? Possibly, but whatever the purpose, if doing what it’s designed to do, will contribute to the other members’ edification.

unto the edifying of itself in love.

Herein lies the overall purpose of the gifts God gives in Christ through the Spirit: the edifying of the Church – the building up into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, there are many within the Body of Christ who think the edification of the individual member takes precedent over the body as a whole. This can be seen in the doctrine that promotes “prayer language,” or private times of prayer that consist of ecstatic speech, unknown tongues, or what is technically referred to as glossolalia. Yet, Paul addressed this very topic in 1 Corinthians 14:14-19.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:14: “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.” He did not argue that it could never happen; he just said that if he did pray in such a way, he would not understand what was being said. Furthermore, in verses 15 and 16 he states that he would rather speak and sing in an understandable language so that everyone could benefit, especially those who “understandeth not” (v. 16). But it is in verse 17 where the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Corinthians cross paths: speaking in a prayer language might encourage the one praying, but “the other is not edified.” He gave (v. 11) … for (v. 12) … till (v. 13) … that (v. 14) … may (v.15) … edify (v. 16).

^[1] Henry George Liddell et al., A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996), 1675.

A Mini Commentary, Pt. 9 (Ephesians 4:8-10) Did Jesus Preach in Hell?

This was a more complicated section on which to comment. Frankly, this could have been much longer if I had focused more on the questionable doctrine called the “Harrowing of Hades.” Nevertheless, I hope what I have written will be of some help or encouragement.

4:8-10 ⁸Wherefore he saith, “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” ⁹(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

v. 8: Wherefore he saith, “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”

Point One:

Who is the one that “saith” in verse 8? For the answer we must go to Psalm 68:18; there we find the words of David describing God as a conquering King who spoils His enemies on the mountain and then distributes the spoils as gifts to the people, including to those who are rebellious.

However, one important question that could be asked is: to what extent do we take this comparison? In other words, how specifically analogous is the story of the conquering King to the argument that Paul is making regarding the gifts and the purposes of giving them by Jesus to the Church?

Some have suggested that what is being spoken of is Christ’s ascension to the cross, while others have suggested that after descending to the “lower parts of the earth” Christ rescued those held captive in Paradise and took them “captive” to heaven.

[Note: This teaching is also called “The Harrowing of Hades” and finds support in the Apostles’ Creed: “He descended into Hades.”]

Nevertheless, it would seem the best course of action to simply keep a consistent contextual reading in mind: one that of unity within the Church and individual gifts of grace which Jesus imparts, both to His friends and those who are rebellious, to exemplify His glory and wisdom.

Point Two:

Beginning with verse seven, the context of Paul’s argument is the supplying each individual the things it needs to function properly in the Body of Christ, the Church. Are there deeper truths to be uncovered? Most certainly? However, we must not carry the analogy too far.

For as long as the author can remember, nearly every time the resurrection of Christ has been preached, the subject of Jesus descending to Paradise and taking the Old Testament saints out of there and up to heaven. The only problem is that there is nothing in the context of Ephesians 4:1-16 that addresses Paradise, hell, heaven, or even death! All that Paul addresses in these sixteen verses is the subject of unity.

Another passage that is linked to this verse is 1 Peter 3:19: “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.” But what is often never included with verse 19 is verse 20, which reads [emphasis added]: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water (1 Peter 3:20 KJV).

It is quite puzzling why 1 Peter 3:19 would be used as a supporting text (along with Luke 23:43, Psalm 68:18, and Ephesians 4:8-10) for a teaching claiming Jesus went to deliver the saints, when those to whom Jesus preached were the “disobedient.” It is therefore illogical to deduce from this passage in Ephesians that Paul was speaking of anything other than the unity of the Body of Christ, the power of God, the Kingship of Jesus the Conquering King, and Christ’s generosity.

v. 10b: …that he might fill all things.

Building on the image of the king that ascended to conquer his enemies, Paul speaks of Jesus’ all-encompassing Lordship with a parenthetical explanation of the logical comparison being made (beginning in verse 9). This imagery of Jesus’ omnipresent authority and power in this passage can be compared to other verses, such as: Eph 1:20-21(in the heavenly places, far above all principalities); Heb 4:14 (we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens); Heb 7:26 (a high priest became us and made higher than the heavens).

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Filed under Bible Study, Christian Unity, Christianity, Theology

Tagged as Christian Unity, Christianity, Christology, Doctrine, Harrowing of Hell, hell, Jesus, Religion, Theology

by Anthony Baker | July 13, 2021 · 12:40 pm

A Mini Commentary, Pt 8 (Ephesians 4:7)

OK, so now it gets even better! Paul brings it down to the personal level.

4:7 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

But unto every one of us

After stressing unity in the Body, Paul now changes direction and tightens his focus onto the individual, including himself. In verses 1-6 Paul addresses the Church as a whole, the Preacher to the congregation. But now in verse seven we see Paul moving away from the plural “you”, using instead “every one” and “we.”

Christianity is about God’s love for the Church, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, but it’s also about the individual member of the Body. The hope of the believer is not to be swallowed up into God as a Hindu might believe, but to be eternally loved by a personal God, one who has even reserved a special name on a white stone that only the Father and His child will know (Revelation 2:7). Yes, God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, but the offer of salvation is to “whosoever believeth” (John 3:16). The individual is uniquely important and particularly gifted for the work and the health and the unity of the Body.

It also should be noted that the “us” to whom Paul is speaking is the Church, the body of believers. This is an important observation to make because only those within the Body of Christ can experience being part of the Body of Christ.

is given grace

It is wonderful to read these words! It is much more wonderful know that it’s true! Who receives the gift of grace? It is the Church as a whole? Are those who are in the Church (i.e., baptized into the Roman Catholic Church) guaranteed a gift of grace from the Father? No, it is unto “every one of us” (v. 7a) that grace is given as a gift. The personal aspect of the relationship of the Father to His children should not be overlooked nor discounted.

Paul will go on to refer back to Psalm 68:18 in the next verse when he describes David’s description of Yahweh as a conquering King. But here what we have is the declaration that the gifts to be given are based not on our good works or position, but in the goodness and graciousness of God. The noun χάρις (charis) “is related to the verb χαρίζομαι (charizomai), which conveys the general concept of giving generously or forgiving a debt or a wrong.”^[1] There are none who can say they deserve grace, for grace is “unmerited divine favor, arising in the mind of God and bestowed on his people.”^[2] The idea that grace can be earned is contrary to the reality that the only thing earned by ungodly man is judgment.

There is also no maintaining of biblical unity without grace, for the natural man gives according to merit and expects to receive for the same reason. If God gave us grace according to measure of our good deeds, we would be doomed. But He gives grace to every man, not only to exhibit His mercy, but to manifest unto the greatest example of forgiveness and compassion which, if followed, will help the individuals within the Church to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (v. 3).

according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Here we find one of those lines in Scripture that seems simple enough, but upon deeper study, especially of the original languages, it is not simple in the least. As a matter of fact, “according to the measure of the gift of Christ” can be understood in different ways, leaving the context to be the only real determiner of the author’s meaning. For example, who is it that is to be giving the graces? Christ? God the Father on behalf of Christ? And what of the “measure” that is spoken? Is grace given to us based on a standard “measure,” that of the gift of Christ? Or is grace dispersed according to how Christ determines to mete (measure) it out? The best way to determine the meaning is to consider the context.

As has been mentioned earlier, verse seven shows us that God’s concern and work is not limited to the Church as a whole, but it also stretches to the individual and his place in the Body or Building. Not all bricks in a building are the same. And even if most of the bricks in a wall were made exactly alike, the positioning would be unique, for no two bricks could occupy the same space in the wall.

Unto “every one of us” is given grace (not saving grace, but special grace) according to the great architectural design of the Builder, Jesus Christ (“I will build my church” – Mark 16:18). As commentator Ernest Best explained, the giving is not random nor arbitrary, nor is it given in abundance for no reason; “he apportions gifts to believers”^[3] in order to accomplish His architectural plan for the Church. Therefore, everyone is given special graces, such as will be touched upon in the next two verses, but they are not all the same, nor in the same amount.

^[1] Joshua G. Mathews, “Blessing,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

^[2] Gary S. Shogren, “Grace: New Testament,” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1086.

^[3] Ernest Best, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Ephesians, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T&T Clark International, 1998), 377.

Christmas IS the Gospel

This month will see a lot of Christmas sermons preached, and if you actually go to church somewhere, you might actually get to hear some 😉

But if you aren’t planning on attending any church services this December, or if you just can’t get enough of sermons on the subject of Christmas, I would encourage you to listen to the one I’m attaching below.

Several years ago (2012) while pastoring at another church, I delivered a sermon entitled “Christmas Is the Gospel.” It was recorded on my iPhone that was sitting on the pulpit, so don’t expect too high a quality of production.

Why did the angels tell the shepherds what they are about to hear was “good tidings”? Pick up a Bible and turn to the book of Luke, chapter two, and follow along.

Listen: Christmas IS the Gospel

And remember, “sharing” is caring 🙂

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Filed under Christmas, God, Preaching, salvation

Tagged as Bible, Christmas, Church, faith, Gospel, Gospel of Luke, Holidays, preaching, Religion, Riverside Baptist Church, Theology

by Anthony Baker | August 28, 2020 · 4:16 pm

What Having a Thought Looks Like

Last week, as I was studying for the upcoming Sunday morning sermon, I had a thought cross my mind, which led to me jotting it down on my desk calendar.

Before long, my “thought” became notes which would affect 6 days’ worth of my calendar and become the source of much discussion between several other pastor friends and myself.

Amused, I picked up my phone and took a picture, then posted it on Facebook. I commented, “This is what having a ‘thought’ looks like.”

So, with no editing or commentary, I’d like to share my “thoughts” with you. All I did was re-write them so that they could be read in this format.

One doesn’t have to have a sin nature to sin. Angels sinned without a sin nature. Adam sinned. But, since Adam, all have sinned (Romans 5:19), whether innocent or not, for their very nature – the sin nature – is not holy as God is.

The true predicament: Are you as holy as God? No, of course not! Then that is sin! The sheer fact that we are anything less than holy defies the holy law of God which is a reflection of His nature.

The Law is not arbitrary, but in conformity with the nature of God. Therefore, no amount of keeping of the Law, even if possible, would make us holy. Only God could keep the law of His own Character, and only God could live holy and without sin, for it is His nature and only His to live consistently holy.

Therefore, no amount of law-keeping could change one’s nature, thereby making him holy, much less to become holy by keeping the law that denotes past imperfection… unholy to holy. This, again, is contrary to the nature of God which would be contrary to His Law. We have no hope! We need a Savior!

Did Adam have a sin nature that led him to sin? Or, did he willfully sin without a sin nature?

Men might be born innocent, but they are not born holy. One could then be at one moment innocent for never having willfully committed a crime, but because he is not holy, and must become holy, he is in contradiction to God’s nature (the Law within Himself) and is, therefore, a law-breaker – a sinner.

One thing is for sure – We need a Saviour! Amen?

Feel free to add YOUR thoughts below.

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Filed under Bible Study, Christianity, salvation, Theology

Tagged as Bible, bible study, Jesus, nature, soteriology, Theology

by Anthony Baker | August 24, 2020 · 11:12 am

Pulpit Time: August 23, 2020

Tonight is the first night of the Republican convention. I’m sure it will be far less depressing than the DNC’s version not long ago. I mean, will anybody sing a song about how Nancy Pelosi is destroying their life?

Anyway, you can sit in front of a television (or computer) and watch political pulpiteering, or you can check out some more eternally-important pulpiteering I did yesterday.

By the way, I like my new glasses!

God bless!
Anthony Baker (The Recovering Legalist)

I’m Just a Simple Preacher

“Simple Preacher”

I’m just a simple ol’ preacher
I know what I know, I think
But when I’m around the scholars
I find that my knowledge stinks

They impress with their didactic polemics
And their proofs of amanuenses
But at the risk of sounding solipsistic
I know that I know I have Jesus

– Anthony Baker

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Filed under God, poetry, Preaching

Tagged as Christianity, didactic, faith, Poetry, polemic, preaching, solipsism, solipsistic, source criticism, Theology

by Anthony Baker | February 28, 2020 · 9:10 am

A Doctrinally-Worthless Bumper Sticker

I’m facing a pretty busy weekend, so instead of writing something new for today, here’s an observation and commentary, more like an open letter to my readers, that I wrote back in 2018. It’s an example of what can wake me up when I’m tired: stupidity and shallow doctrine. Enjoy!

Happy Friday, everybody! 🙂

Dear blogger friends,

Have you ever had so much to write, but being sleepy, tired, worn out and ready for bed kept you from it?

Have you ever wanted to launch into the deep waters of controversial topics only to realize the sails of your little boat were too tattered to catch the wind?

Well, that’s about how I feel right now. I’m tired, sleepy, and I need to get up early in the morning.

However, I saw a bumper sticker today that really got my goat, so I have to say something.

You see, just tonight I was going through a small book that was given to me by a Muslim “apologist,” and my head is still spinning from all the twisted scripture he used to “prove” his obscenely ignorant arguments. The former Baptist converted to Islam, then he wrote a book meant to “prove” that Jesus never claimed to be God nor died on the cross.

If there was one verse taken out of context, there were ten. If there were ten times he made ignorant inferences, there were a hundred where he proved nothing more than that he never studied the Bible as a Baptist, much less as a Muslim.

Maybe, just maybe, if this man had spent more time in the Word of God studying what it actually said instead of being caught up in some social or racial “gospel,” he might have never fallen victim to the foolishness he now believes.

And that’s where the above bumper sticker comes in… It’s about the most useless attempt at profundity I’ve ever seen; it makes no sense whatsoever.

You may think that “Jesus [loves] Feminists” is a wonderful truth, but let’s take a moment or two to unpack it.

First of all, Jesus loves feminists. Yes, He does.

However, Jesus also loves prostitutes and murderers, so what’s the point?

Jesus loves sinners, and that’s why He went to an old, rugged cross to suffer and die for the sins of the world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Are feminists sinners? Is that what they’re saying?

Or, is the bumper sticker implying that Jesus loves feminists, but not chauvinists? Is it saying that Jesus prefers tree-hugging egalitarians over traditionally conservative complementarians? Does Jesus love some people and not others? Is that the point?

On the other hand, maybe it’s simply trying to say that Jesus loves feminists, also. Like, Jesus loves the chauvinists, the complementarians, the macho men, AND the feminists.

If that’s the case, then Jesus loves everybody, right? So what’s the point of the bumper sticker?

Unfortunately, the above bumper sticker does nothing glorify the love of Christ. All it does is pander to those who need to be affirmed.

Truth is lost in ambiguity; the reader learns nothing.

What a doctrinally worthless bumper sticker!

I did say I was tired, didn’t I?

And just for fun… watch Allie Beth Stuckey as a feminist (thank the Lord she’s only acting!).

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Filed under Culture Wars, current events, General Observations, Marriage, politics, self-worth

Tagged as bumper stickers, feminism, Theology, worthless

by Anthony Baker | February 24, 2020 · 6:54 pm

Do You Have the Heart of the Renewed or Unrenewed?

Do you ever wonder how to tell if you have been born again, saved, or renewed by the Holy Spirit?

Well, I found the lists below in a John MacArthur study Bible a while back, and I thought I would share them with you.

Do a self-assessment (2 Cor. 13:5), if you’re concerned. If you’re NOT concerned, yet you fit more in the bottom half of the list, I’m concerned for you! It might be good for you to check out the tab “Eternal Life” at the top of this blog. Seriously!

Again, this is not original on my part, but I thought it was worth sharing. If nothing else it can shine some light on areas needing improvement.

Heart, Character of the Renewed

Prepared to seek God. 2 Chr 19:3; Ezra 7:10; Ps 10:17

Fixed on God. Ps 57:7

Joyful in God. 1 Sam 2:1

Perfect with God. Ps 101:2

Upright. Ps 97:11

Clean. Ps 73:1

Pure. Matt. 5:8

Tender. 1 Sam 24:5

Single and sincere. Acts 2:46; Heb 10:22

Honest and good. Luke 8:15

Broken, contrite. Ps. 34:18; 51:17

Obedient. Ps 119:112; Rom 6:17

Filled with the law of God. Jer. 32:40

Meditative. Ps 4:4

Circumcised. Rom 2:29

Void of fear. Ps 27:3

Desirous of God. Ps 84:2

Enlarged. Ps 119:32; 2 Cor 6:11

Faithful to God. Neh 9:8

Confident in God. Ps 112:7

Sympathizing. Jer 4:19; Lam 3:51

Prayerful. 1 Sam 1:13; Ps 27:8

Inclined to obedience. Ps 119:112

Wholly devoted to God. Ps 9:1; 119:10,69,145

Zealous. 2 Chr 17:6; Jer 20:9

Wise. Prov 10:8; 14:33; 23:15

A treasury of good. Matt 12:35

Heart, Character of the Unrenewed

Hateful to God. Prov 6:16, 18; 11:20

Full of evil. Ecc 9:3

Full of evil imaginations. Gen 6:5; 8:21; Prov 6:18

Full of evil thoughts. Jer 4:14

Fully set to do evil. Ecc 8:11

Desperately wicked. Jer 17:9

Far from God. Is 29:13; matt 15:8

Not perfect with God. I Kings 15:3; Acts 8:21; Prov 6:18

Not prepared to seek God. 2 Chron 12:14

A treasury of evil. Matt 12:35; Mark 7:21

Darkened. Rom 1:21

Prone to error. Ps 95:10

Prone to depart from God. Deut 29:18; Jer 17:5

Impenitent. Rom 2:5

Unbelieving. Heb 3:12

Blind. Eph 4:18

Uncircumcised. Lev 26:41; Acts 7:51

Of little worth. Prov 10:20

Deceitful. Jer 17:9

Deceived. Is 44:20; James 1:26

Divided. Hos 10:2

Double. 1 Chr 12:33; Ps 12:2

Hard. Mark 10:5; Rom 2:5

Haughty. Prov 18:12; Jer 48:29

Influenced by the devil. John 13:2

Carnal. Rom 8:7

Covetous. Jer 22:17; 2 Pet 2:14

Despiteful. Ezek 25:15

Ensnaring. Eccl 7:26

Foolish. Prov 12:23; 22:15

Deceitful. Prov 17:20

Fretful against the Lord. Prov 19:3

Idolatrous. Ezek 14:3,4

Mad. Eccl 9:3

Mischievious. Ps 28:3; 140:2

Proud. Ps 101:4; Prov 6:14

Stiff. Ezek 2:4

Stony. Ezek 11:19; 36:26

Arrogant. Isa 10:12

Stubborn. Isa 46:12

Elated by sensual indulgence. Hos 13:3

Elated by prosperity. 2 Chr 26:16; Dan 5:20

Studies destruction. Prov 24:2

Often judiciously stupefied. Is 6:10; Acts 28:26,27

Often judiciously hardened. Ex 4:21; Joshua 11:20

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Tagged as bible study, characteristics, Doctrine, John MacArthur, salvation, Theology