James R. White: The Peter Syndrome

"The Peter Syndrome is a deadly disease rampant amongst modern Roman Catholic apologists. And it is a disease that makes you see every reference to Peter anywhere in an early father as somehow relevant to the bishop in Rome even if that father never makes that connection himself, never shows that he believes the bishop of Rome is the vicar of Christ on earth, never says that Peter's successor sit only on the sit in Rome, it doesn't matter as long as an early father says something nice about Peter, therefore he is in support of the bishop of Rome." ~ James R. White

for a review of the book  Jesus, Peter & the Keys, click HERE

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Suggested Books:

 The Roman Catholic Controversy (James R. White)

 Upon This Slippery Rock (Eric Svendsen)

Church of Rome at the Bar of History (William David Webster)

Message from God or from Christina Aguilera?

On this day, God wants you to know...

... that the answers are within you. You're chasing in the wrong field. What you are looking for is inside of you, not 'out there'. Take a few days off to become quiet and look within, and you will find it.

Looking within us for answers is a dangerous thing considering the Bible teaches that the heart of  man is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). You may end up being deceived by yourself when you look inside for solutions to life's problems.

The answers are outside of us; they are found in God's written revelation namely the Holy Bible.

The counsel of this app is not from God. It sounds more like Christina Aguilera's Voice Within. Aguilera sings:

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength that will guide your way
You'll learn to begin to trust the voice within

Common Grace Bestowed Upon Bernard Hopkins

John Murray on Common Grace:

"The word 'common' in the title of the topic is not used in the sense that each particular favour is given to all without discrimination or distinction but rather in the sense that favours of varying kinds and degrees are bestowed upon this sin-cursed world, favours real in their character as expressions of the divine goodness but which are not in themselves and of themselves saving in their nature and effect. So the term 'common grace' should rather be defined as every favour of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God."

While Bernard Hopkins was punishing the then undefeated Felix Trinidad round after round, Larry Merchant called him a "geriatric wonder". That was 10 years ago when Hopkins was only 36 years old. I think it was too early for Merchant to say that. Now that a decade had elapsed, calling him as the "geriatric wonder" is perfectly justified. Last month, The Executioner defeated a young and dangerous champion namely Jean Pascal to win the WBC light heavyweight title and eclipse the record of George Foreman as the oldest boxer ever to win a world title.

Foreman was 45 years old when he snatched Michael Moorer's WBA and IBF heavyweight titles; Hopkins is 46. And unlike Foreman who won by the common grace of a single providential punch (the world calls it a "lucky punch"), Hopkins displayed a mastery of the "sweet science" in-between the sound of the opening and closing bells.

The HBO ringside commentator was a recipient of common grace himself with this brilliant remark:

"23 years in professional boxing, Bernard Hopkins' whole career is a tribute to the advantages of being made not born. Throughout his career, his opposite number was the great Roy Jones. He was never brought into the sport with the kinds of gifts that Jones enjoyed. He didn't have all that physical talent. We saw that when first they met in 1993. Bernard had to learn every detail. He had to master the craft and he did it like no one else in his generation. We saw that when he fought Jones again last year and dominated him just as completely as Jones had dominated him in '93. With what's made not born, you can last a long long time. Particularly, if you live a monastic life, if you don't drink, if you don't smoke, you eat the right things, you train as clearly and cleanly as you can-- everything about that defines Bernard Hopkins."

Hopkins' contemporary Roy Jones Jr. was a greater talent when both of them were in their prime. Jones fought Denis Lebedev on the same day Hopkins fought Pascal. I only saw the 10th and final round, but there is no doubt Jones is but a shadow of what he once was. He was brutally knocked-out by Lebedev. The other man on the other hand is still shining. Whatever he lacked in natural talents and skills, Hopkins filled in with discipline and hard work.

What we can glean from this pinch of common grace is the necessity of discipline and hard work in any area we are involved in. The bible encourages us to excel in our chose fields:

"Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." (Proverbs 22:29)

Specifically applied to spirituality, Hopkins' investment of sweat and blood is earning for him rewards of temporal value like money and the belts. The Apostle Paul on the other hand exhorts us to train ourselves to be godly for it will yield rewards both in the present life and the life to come. (1 Tim.4:7-8)

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Payapang Isipan sa Araw ng Linggo

Nang makita ni Isaias ang kabanalan ng Panginoon, siya ay nanginig sa takot. Napagtanto niya kung gaano siya karumi, at akala niya ay iyon na ang araw ng kanyang kapahamakan (Isaias 6:5).

Tatlong tao ang gumising nang maaga sa araw na ito at sila ay may kanya-kanyang lakad.

1. Sa nauna, nakasanayan na niya ang mamasyal at manood ng sine tuwing araw ng Linggo.
2. Sa pangalawa, ni hindi na siya naligo. Ayon sa kanyang pamahiin, mamalasin ka sa sabungan  kapag nagpunta ka doon nang malinis at mabango.
3. Ang pangatlo'y ikaw. Oo ikaw na naririto ngayon upang sumamba.

Sa inyong tatlo, wala ni isa man ang nanginig sa takot tungkol sa poot ng banal na Diyos. Sa una at pangalawa, 'yan ay madaling unawain. Kulang sila sa kaalaman tungkol sa kabanalan at poot ng Diyos. At kung anumang kaalaman meron sila ay kanilang sinusupil (Roma 1:18). Sa kalagayan ng mga hindi sumasampalataya, wala ka talagang aasahang takot ng Diyos sa kanila (Roma 3:18). Subalit ikaw,  ikaw na babad sa aral mula sa pulpitong iyan, alam na alam mo na ang Diyos ay banal at kailanman ay hindi siya nalulugod sa kasamaan. Bakit pumarito ka nang hindi nanginginig sa takot?

Nawa'y ang dahilan ng iyong kawalang takot ay batay sa mga katotohanang narito Awit 32:1-2:

1. Hindi ka natatakot sapagkat alam mong ang iyong mga pagsuway ay pinatawad na.
2. Hindi ka natatakot sapagkat alam mong ang iyong mga kasalana'y tinakpan na
3. Hindi ka natatakot sapagkat alam mong wala nang paratang ng kasamaan laban sa iyo

Sa halip, sabi pa nga dito ay "pinagpala" (blessed) ka. Hindi ka man kasinyaman ng iyong kapitbahay; hindi ka man kasinlusog ng umaaway sa'yo, ikaw ay pinagpala sapagkat nilimot na Diyos ang iyong paghihimagsik laban sa kanya. Ikaw ay inari niya bilang kanyang anak (Juan 1:12) at inilagay sa lugar kung saan tatanggap ka ng patong-patong at walang patid na mga pagpapala (Juan 1:16).

Mas mamamangha ka sa habag ng Diyos kung iyong mauunawaan na ito ay isinulat ng isang taong nakagawa ng mga karumaldumal na kasalanan: Pakikiapid (adultery) at Pagpatay (murder). Mapaya ang mga araw ni David hanggang sa ipamukha sa kanya ng Propetang Natan ang kanyang tunay na kalagayan. Nawala ang kapayapaan at kagalakan sa puso ni David (v.3-4; Awit 51:12). Ngunit matapos ang pagsisisi, bumalik ang kapayaan at kagalakan sa kanyang isipan. Sinasabi niya ngayon na siya ay "pinagpala" sapagkat nahugasan na ang kanyang pagkakasala. Bukod doon ay alam niyang pinakikinggan ng Panginoon ang kanyang mga daing at binibigyan pa ng proteksyon (v.6-7).

Ganyan kadakila ang kapayapaang hatid ng pagpapatawad ng Panginoon. Maging ang mga pinakamatitingkad na mantsa ng ating kasamaan ay nabubura.

Dagdagan pa natin ang ating pagkamangha. Sa panahon ng Bagong Tipan, ang awit na ito ang isa sa mga katibayan ni Apostol Pablo sa kanyang pagpapatunay na ang mga tinatangap ng Diyos ay hindi naman talaga mga matuwid. Bagkus, sila ay mga makasalanan na ibinilang ng Diyos bilang mga matuwid sa pamamagitan ng kanilang pananampalataya-- tulad nina Abraham at David (Roma 4:1-8).  Ito ang dahilan ng payapa nating isipan sa hindi lamang tuwing araw ng Linggo kundi sa bawat sandali (Roma 5:1)

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Suggested Reading:

 The God Who Justifies

James R. White

7th Halo-halo Huwebes

Something in Common for Friendster and HHH

In the past, most of Halo-Halo Huwebes (HHH) were featured quotes. But with the revival of Kuwaderno ng Tinubos, HHH needs a major reformat just like the old Friendster. What does the future hold for HHH? I have no idea.

My Preferred Statue for Karol Wojtyła

My brother shared this news item on Facebook. The people of Rome does not like the first ever erected statue of their Blessed John Paul II. Public opinion is against it 9-1. As for me, I would like to see a JP2 statue with his lips on the Koran.

Tinubos and The Virginian Compared

Blogger stats report that there were more than 1,500 visitors on this blog for the month of May. If only Blogger were consistent in excluding my IP address, perhaps that figure will be cut in half. That is so small compared to the popular blogs. Yet I have a reason to rejoice.

The Virginian is the official student publication of Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation (VMUF). I was on the staff for I think two-and-a-half years. Though my theology has substantially changed through the years, I was already passionate about writing for Jesus in my campus journalism days. If my memory is functioning well, each issue of The Virginian in those days had a circulation of about 2,000 copies.

The "circulation" of Tinubos last month was still below The Virginian's. Yet blogging reaches areas where printed pages can't. Most subscribers of the student publication are residents of Pangasinan, while for Tinubos, Cluster Maps report that from the period of February 2010 to May 2011, there were 1,571 visits from the United States, 465 from Saudi Arabia, 166 from the United Kingdom, 150 from Canada, 122 from Taiwan, and 104 from the United Arab Emirates. I have not noted here visits from different parts of Luzviminda and figures below three digits. I thank God for letting my voice be heard in those places.

"Blogspotted"
Last week, I discovered that Tinubos has just been included in Triablogue's "Blogspotting" links. I don't know what is their criteria in their "Blogspotting" choices. Surely I am way below the level of the other Christian bloggers on the list. But just seeing Tinubos there gave me unspeakable joy.

Recent Posts at Kuwaderno ng Tinubos

1. John Macarthur on Work and Leisure
2. Larry Kreitzer on 1 Cor. 15:22 and Universalism
3. R.C. Sproul on Regeneration and Justification
4. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: In Shocking Moments, Be Calm and Logical
5. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Why Does God Allow War?
6. John Gerstner: Is Faith a Meritorious Work?
7. Charles Bridges: Fools Rush In
8. D. James Kennedy: Evangelical Statesmanship and Confronting Error

 My Favorite Back-to-School Song

Common Grace Bestowed Upon Dr. Jose Rizal

John Murray on Common Grace:

"The word 'common' in the title of the topic is not used in the sense that each particular favour is given to all without discrimination or distinction but rather in the sense that favours of varying kinds and degrees are bestowed upon this sin-cursed world, favours real in their character as expressions of the divine goodness but which are not in themselves and of themselves saving in their nature and effect. So the term 'common grace' should rather be defined as every favour of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God." 

When I was a university student , there is one book that keeps me coming back to the library's Filipiniana section. It is Ambeth Ocampo's Rizal Without the Overcoat. More than a decade after, I'm still following his online columns at the Philippine Daily Inquirer's Opinion pages.

In one of the more recent articles, Ocampo cites a letter sent by Dr. Jose Rizal to his sister Lucia where he explains why he is encouraging one of her sons to be a farmer. You can read the entirety of Ocampo's article here. I'll just reproduce below what Rizal had penned.

What we can glean from this pinch of common grace is an understanding of the various inclinations of different people. This will guide us in making career choices. It may even be useful in the church for determining which ministries should we involve our selves in.

Here's what Rizal wrote:

"Teodosio and Tan have gained much with their stay in Manila and are grown up. They don’t seem to me unpromising boys. All on the contrary, and I hope that with time they will become very useful men. Teodosio is not lazy; he has more liking for the land than for books. We cannot all be doctors. It is necessary that there be some to cultivate the land. One must follow one’s inclination. Tan, on the other hand, is a boy who likes to study and has ability. He has already looked at my books and has asked me for some. With time, this lad will be a man of books. When I asked them what was their order for Manila, Teodosio asked for his bolo and Tan for his book. This proves the inclination of each one. And after all, I, who have spent my life studying, now I’m going to plant coconuts! Today I have made them write a letter. The writer was Tan and Teodosio helped him. You will see by the characters that Teodosio is economical and Tan is generous. Here I shall teach them Spanish, English, Arithmetic and gymnastics."

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The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that Evil and Corruption Will Be Eradicated Soon

There may be others but I could only think of three reasons why political leaders fail to eradicate graft and corruption:

1. Lack of political Will
 
2. Limitation in power-- corruption is deeply embeded in the system that it takes absolute power to eradicate it.
 
3. The political leaders themselves are wicked-- Ironically, if you fill what is lacking in #2-- that is if you grant absolute power to a political leader to enable him to fight corruption, he might turn out to be the problem himself. Remember the maxim, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

In God's kingdom, the three things mentioned above doesn't exist.

1st, God rules with perfect political will. He says "Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; As I have puposed, it will stand" (Isa. 14:24)

2nd, God is unlimited in power. It is written, "For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, who can turn it back?"

3rd, the maxim stated above doesn't apply to God. His absolute power will not corrupt him because God is light and in him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). There will never be an iota of dirt in the character of God. He alone can combine absolute power with absolute holiness.

Since the three problems in human governments are absent in God's rule, evil and corruption will not exist in the King's abode.

1 Cor. 6:9-10 "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
 

"Woe is me! Will I be outside the gate?"

When I was a university student, there was a sign I see daily. It was posted at the gate: No ID, No Entry. What is required for us to enter God's abode is perfect righteousness. The heavenly policy is: No Perfect righteousness, No Entry

Revelation 21:27 "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful..."

We also know that none among us possesses this requirement. Romans 3:10 "There is no one righteous, not even one"

Will we be then outside the gate?

The complete Revelation 21:27 reads "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Though many will not be able to enter in, the Lamb keeps a book of names-- names of those who will be richly welcomed in God's dwelling place. I list here three aspects of what the Lamb has secured when he was sacrificed at the cross:

1. By the Lamb's sacrifice, believers were made POSITIONALLY holy. That is they are not actually holy, but "God justifies the wicked" (Romans 4:5) as they receive by faith what Christ did for them at the cross. In theological jargon, this is JUSTIFICATION.

2. By the Lamb's sacrifice, believers are PROGRESSIVELY being made holy. Here we are "being transformed into his likeness" (2 Cor. 3:18). In theological jargon, this is SANCTIFICATION. Believers will be excited to enter heaven because they have experienced the joys of holy living here on earth.

3. By the Lamb's sacrifice, we will be made INSTANTLY holy. 1 John 3:2 says that when Christ appears the second time, we will be like him. Because God is holy, he will not leave those whom he loved in their sinful state. When time ends and eternity begins, there will not even be a hint of sin on the present bad boy Manny. In theological jargon, this is GLORIFICATION.

So we should be glad that this dreaded holiness of God is our assurance that our future dwelling place will be free from all evil and corruption-- including the evil and corruption presently in us.
 

The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that He Will Fulfill His Promises

A neighbor preparing for his birthday banquet comes to you and says: "May I borrow your large cooking pot? I will return it tomorrow after the banquet." After a dozen tomorrows, he still keeps your large cooking pot.

Men are unholy. They don't honor their word. They place little value on integrity. But God is not like unholy men. He is absolutely holy. Thus, when God promises something, he will surely fulfill it. In Psalm 89:35, he says: 

 "Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness--

and I will not lie to David--"

Such is the character of God. You cannot find any hint of falsehood in him.

You know that he promised that he will never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5). Because he is holy, we have the assurance that in the most difficult circumstances, he is with those whom he has redeemed. "Is he a million miles away?" No! He is a God so near.

You know that he has promised that whoever hears his word and believes will no longer face judgment (John 5:24). Because he is holy, he will fulfill it. You don't have to worry about paying for your own sins. No condemnation awaits you for you are in him.

He promised that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Because he is holy, he will fulfill it. You don't have to be anxious about that present trouble ruining you. It will only be for your welfare to bring you closer to God.

Numbers 23:19---"God is not a man, that he should lie,
    nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
  Does he speak and then not act?    Does he promise and not fulfill?" (NIV)

The Holiness of God as a Source of Comfort

The holiness of God is one of the less popular topics for a sinful generation. It certainly doesn't tickle their itching ears. They don't want to be told that the shows they watch, the music they listen to, the sites they visit and the magazines they browse are abominable before the pure eyes of God. They will really be offended when you tell them that the thoughts that cross their minds, the words they speak and the life they live are repugnant before the holy God. They find no comfort in the fact that God is holy.

For the next two posts, I will discuss two things about the holiness of God that brings comfort to believers:

1st, The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that He Will Fulfill His Promises

2nd, The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that Evil and Corruption Will Be Eradicated Soon

Tomorrow, I will touch on the first one and on Saturday, the second one.

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Suggested Reading:

 The Holiness of God (R.C. Sproul)