The Pilgrim's Blog

The Pilgrim's Blog
Fair, Balanced and Lightly Sauteed

8/14/2003

The looting begins....NOW

It seems that the city that never sleeps is taking a short nap. From what the reports are telling me it looks like parts of Canada, Michigan, New Jersey and Ohio are blacked out as well. Hopefully K & K are alright out there in Buttpoke, OH. I'm sure a full report will be given once the juice goes back on.

Wow, couldn't of happened at a worst time too...rush hour. Happy travels East Coasters.

posted by Rob | 3:12 PM |

Pipes!

Barlow is killing me. His latest post (well actually, invitation to comment) and comments about pipe smoking has got me chomping at the bit to make a purchase that I have been eyeing for the last couple of weeks. I can get a pipe, traveling case and a lighter for $37.50 at Thompson Co. Inc. All I would need is a pipe tool and some tabacky. I had experimented with a $10 Sav-On pipe and a $5 bag of Whisky Cavendish some years back and found the experience enjoyable. It would be relatively cheaper than the $7-8 cigars that I smoke now and it would smell better (well at least some would think so.) ;-)

posted by Rob | 2:57 PM |

Some highlights of the SCCCS conference:

Getting to shake Randy Booth's hand and thank him for giving me that much needed push over the edge to infant baptism.
Talking golf, family life, good coffee and the gospel with old friends from my former OPC church.
Making a few new friends over Mexican food before the conference.
Hearing Nehemiah Christian Academy's name mentioned about ten times by different people while discussing classical, Christian education.
Rev. Jeff Niell's wonderful presentation on covenant and election in the book of Hebrews. I'm looking forward to hearing his complete sermons on the matter as soon as CMF makes the mp3's available (tapes are soooo 80's).

By now those of you who troll the Reformed e-mail lists may notice the buzz going about regarding Dr. Shepherd's claim in the second lecture that it is only Christ's death and resurrection is imputed to us (passive obedience) rather than his meritorious sinless life (active obedience). The doctrine of imputed active obedience is unfortunate, Shepherd claims, because it has given rise to a "covenant of works" theology (Adam could not "merit" salvation because of his disobedience to God, yet Jesus has because he was fully obedient to God, thus we when we believe in Jesus, that active obedience is reckoned to us). Dr. Shepherd made a pretty good case for his view, but the lecture left me with more questions than answers.

I questioned a few acquaintences about it and they tried their best to explain it to me, but being a bear of very little brain, all I could muster was a nod and a blank stare. So I went home and I thought about about it. I tried to make it all fit together: If Christ's active obedience is not imputed to us, then how can we be reckoned as righteous in God's sight? How does the doctrine of active obedience even fit into the scheme of a covenant of works? Have I dismissed the idea of the covenant of works too rapidly? And aren't we being a tad too scholastic in looking for a strict division between active and passive obedience? Are we making a distinction that God doesn't intend for us to make? Grrrr...questions, questions, questions.

Leave it to Rev. Mark Horne to provide some helpful insight into the issues at hand. I'm not ready to jettison the whole active obedience issue, though I don't think it is necessary for us to continually hammer on the distinctions between passive and active (one gets the disturbing picture of a person coming to Christ Himself, hat in hand with empty arms. All of a sudden Jesus pulls out some type of merit measuring cup saying "Let's see, that's 1/2 c. of passive and 1/2 c. of active, Thank you come back soon."). I certainly agree with Rev. Horne when he says that Adam did not need to earn merit, though he (and us by extension) earned demerit by disobeying God. Jesus as the second Adam didn't need to earn merit either, yet He also kept God's commandments faithfully thereby preserving God's favor with Him. He was completely in God's favor from start to finish. Because of our faith, we are united to Christ and are (also by extension)therefore in God's favor completely because of Christ who is without sin. Wowzers!!

posted by Rob | 2:07 PM |

8/12/2003

Although I only attended 50% of it I can truly say that the SCCCS conference was great success. Due to family obligations, I could only attend the first night and first three lectures of the second day. I hooked up with old friends and acquaintances and met a few new friends as well.

I'll post more tomorrow but I don't really know if I can add anything substantial to the brief yet thorough breakdown of the conference than Kevin Johnson provided at CCL. So go check it out.

I will say that it was a blessing to hear Dr. Shepherd lecture on justification by faith and on the passive obedience of Christ as the only hope and ground of that justification. Christ was truly and honorably presented in those lectures. More tomorrow (today).

posted by Rob | 12:29 AM |