Carpe Diem: Redeeming the Time

By Martin Murphy

I finished reading Carpe Diem Redeemed: Seizing the Day, Discerning the Times, by Os Guinness. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Guinness in 1986. It was a pleasure because he spoke to a small group of conservative evangelicals about the cultural shift of western civilization. It set me on a long journey inquiring into the relationship of the culture to the evangelical church. Dr. Guinness influenced my thinking in terms of social and politica...

Am I of That Number or Where Is My Eternal Home?

By Martin Murphy

In the Christian's eternal home no one goes to church but everyone is in worship. Eternal life is joy unspeakable. Life is not mere existence, because the wicked will exist forever, but under the hand of God’s divine justice. “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). There is an eternal life for the believer and eve...

HUMAN SUFFERING

By Martin Murphy

Life is Empty Without Love
By Martin Murphy

Love is not merely something to talk about; it is something to understand and feel. If a person has never loved or been loved, he or she has not really lived. A few years ago I was with Mary in the Emergency Room of a hospital. Her door was open and the door across the hall was open. A couple of medical personnel were tending to the man when the flat line code appeared. Medical personnel rushed to his room and vigorously attempted to restore life to h...

Many professing Christians are pro-relativism, pro-pragmatism, pro-secular-psychological-therapy, pro-management, pro-Arminian, and pro-higher criticism, just to mention a few of the elements that cause me to say "professing." Professing Church leaders and their followers are inclined to man-made religious ideas rather than teaching the whole counsel of God.  Ecumenical colloquium has replaced church councils.  Doctrinal purity is despised.  It makes me wonder if the greater part of evangelic...

The autumn days remind me of change and anticipation of the long winter ahead.  Most people think of hunting season, football, or a visit to the mountains to see the beauty of the changing seasons. This change of seasons reminds me of a most significant day to celebrate. The special day is October 31^st. It was on this day 500 years ago that Martin Luther challenged the church with his 95 theses.

Luther never intended to start a new church or to divide the Roman Catholic Church. Luther simp...

This is the time of year when Protestant Christians should be reminded of their Reformation heritage and a few actually begin to search for a new Reformation. Unfortunately the Christmas holiday consumes their attention, so religious reformation is soon forgotten. Other Christians are content to search for spooks, witches, devils, and demons who hide behind the corner ready to frighten you.  Actually they are waiting in the department stores for you to buy them, so you will have a costume for...

Twenty four years ago I wrote a letter and sent copies to my Christian friends and few congregations. I want to share a couple of paragraphs.  I looked at it and thought, “What has changed over the past twenty four years?”  I wrote it January 1993.

What will 1993 bring as we all seek to serve the Lord?  As a nation, will we continue to decline in the spheres of responsibility that made us a great nation?  As a church, will we continue to decline in our understanding and remove ourselve...

 The greatest revivalist since the apostolic times (to the mind of this writer) was Jonathan Edwards.  There were several outbreaks of revival during his lengthy stay at Northampton.  How could Edwards, who read his sermons and preached sermons (today they would be considered academic sermons) without using lengthy stories or telling jokes, be God's instrument for revival?   In one of his post-revival sermons Edwards said:  "When any professing society is as a city set on a hill 'tis a great ...

The despairing cry of a confused sinner is “I don’t even know why I was born!”  Pessimistic depression of that kind is not uncommon in a sinful world.  Job’s question was “Why did I not die at birth?”  Job’s physical and emotional suffering was the consequence of sin.  We live in a world that loves contention, conflict, and controversy.  Hostility is a mark of the sinful human race. 

What should Christians do?  Cry out to God for relief!  “In my distress I cried to the Lord, ...

Living with “limited human understanding” has not been a very popular concept in the past couple of hundred years.  The enlightenment project and Rationalism of the 18^th century and the scientific method of the 19^th  and 20^th  centuries were supposed to have saved the world from limited human understanding.

Those centuries of progress were supposed to have removed mans minority.  For example, a minor is one who is incapable of making legally binding decisions, because his or her understa...

There are dozens of groups on Facebook featuring book promotion.  Some claim to have as many as 20,000 members.  There are a few, very few, that claim existence for the purpose of promoting Christian books.   This morning I went to one of the Christian book groups (boasting over 5,000 members) and scrolled through the list of posts from professing Christian authors promoting their books.  I found one book promoting Christian doctrine, excluding all the end time fanatics, self-help promotions,...

Every person reading this article has a world view.  A world view is simply the broad perspective of how someone understands reality.   World views such as secularism, humanism, pragmatism, consumerism, and individualism are un-Christian world views.  There are also Christian world views. I want to consider evangelicalism.

The word, evangelicalism, is derived from the Greek words "euangelion" which means good news and "euangelizomai" which means to announce good news.  Evangelicalism is the ...

When I look at the books in my library authored by such men as St. Augustine, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, R. L. Dabney, classics from Plato and Aristotle or contemporaries such as John Gerstner, R. C. Sproul, Os Guinness and Alasdair MacIntyre, I  often feel a sense of astonishment.  In times past I thought their work was magnificent.  As time goes by, I realize more and more that these men are not so magnificent.  But they have accomplished so much.  What makes them so outstanding?  Is it...

The definition of publish is, “to issue,  or cause to be issued, in copies made by printing or other processes for sale or distribution to the public as a book, periodical, map, piece of music, or the like”   (Webster’s Encyclopedic Abridged Dictionary).  A publisher is one who publishes.  Recently someone asked me if I was a publisher?  I responded affirmatively.  Then the inquirer sarcastically said, I didn’t know you owned a printing press.”   My composed rational response was, �...

In Luke chapter 15 there are three parables.  Biblical parables are stories used to explain a truth or true principle.  Jesus took typical events and circumstances familiar to the people in His parables. The three parables in Luke 15 seem to focus on one sheep, one coin, and one son.  But there are the 99 other sheep, the other 9 coins, and the other brother. The emphasis however is not on the 99 sheep or the 1 sheep.  The emphasis is not on the 9 coins nor on the 1 coin.  Neither is the emph...

Mending the torn theological ignorance of evangelical Christianity is like the blind man telling his deaf child, “listen to me!”  I wrote a book in 1996 that received limited distribution, but I do recall a pastor calling me to say that the book had caused a disturbance in the church.  After he chastised me I asked him if it was true or false.  He responded, “that’s not the point.”  Yes, truth is the point of the entire Christian life and experience.   Biblical truth is necessary to...

This study from the book of Acts will challenge the church to become more like a church.  The Church: First Thirty Years, traces the development of the early New Testament Church in both doctrine and practice.  It will challenge the church to fulfill its purpose, mission, and ministry. The purpose of the church is to worship God personally and collectively with God’s children.  The ministry of the church is to prepare the saints (the people of God) to understand the purpose and engage in th...

The beauty of autumn reminds us of activities that are generally associated with this time of the year.  Hunting season, football games, and for many southerners this is the time of the year to hold church revivals.  An out of town preacher comes to the community and presents the gospel message and somehow or another the out of town preacher speaks a little louder, tells better jokes, and maybe speaks with  more authority.  Everybody goes to the meeting and calls it revival.

Where did the church come from?   When did it begin?   What does it do?   Who owns it?  What is its purpose.  Those are all legitimate questions. Very few Christians are able to answer those questions because they have been taught there are various answers to all of those questions.  If the various answers are in contradiction,  then some of the answers must be true and others false or maybe all of them are false.  Either the truth has never been revealed or the doctrine of the Christian chur...

Technology, especially communications technology, popularized theological expression.  Turn on the television and select your favorite preacher or Bible teacher.  If one does not suit your individual preference, switch to another; there are hundreds available.  Theological and academic credentials are no longer necessary to exegete the Full Counsel of God.   All that is necessary is to have an “experience” with God.  Diploma mills have risen to the occasion for those who want a theologica...

The Sacrament of the Incarnation

Galatians 4:1-5

I admit that most of my adult time on earth has been spent in study, contemplation, inquiry, research, and musing about life.  The philosophy of life has three immediate questions that fascinate the rational mind, especially mine.

1.  Where did I come from?
2.  Why am I here?
3.  Where am I going?

Simple questions, but rarely deliberated with any serious meditation.  If you ask all three questions and secure three answers and do that in sequence at least seven times, you will begin to lose c...

Social media technology has captured the attention of the public by using the term “friend” and the concept known as “friendship.”  Facebook friends is a good example.  True friends are scarce. The old cynic who went about in broad daylight with a lighted lantern in search of a friend would have difficulty in finding a true friend. It has often been said: "I went out to find a friend, but could not find one there. I went out to be a friend and friends were everywhere." How does the Bi...

The term “Culture Wars” has become a popular term in public discourse.  My first inquiry into this term was in 1991 when I read and reviewed James Davidson Hunter’s book on the subject.  The thesis and solution is the same as it was 22 years ago.

Culture Wars:  The Struggle to Define America, by James Davison Hunter (Basic Books, 416 pp.; $25.00).

James Davidson Hunter has searched the sociological dimensions of the North American culture.  He categorized the various discipline...

Individuals and groups within a culture will formulate worldviews to understand and influence the culture in which they live.  Every aspect of culture will be influenced by worldviews.  Conflicting worldviews normally occur because of individual preferences competing in the public sector in terms of demands.  They often turn into cultural wars.  The cultural wars are the battles that are being fought in the public arena in this postmodern culture over the important issues of life.  Cultural...

Psalm 104:1-35

Psalm 104 shows the scope of God's creative power in the works of His creation so that God demonstrates his governing hand over creation.  God creates, preserves and governs all things.  To understand thanksgiving one must understand God’s providence.  The word providence comes from two Latin words “pro” and “videre” meaning to see before hand.  God is not merely a spectator, passively knowing in advance, what will happen through his foreknowledge.  He knows in advance...

Before the days of the 501c3 church, faithful pastors would preach Election Day sermons. On the first Wednesday of June 1797, Rev. Stephen Peabody preached an Election Day sermon before the General Court of New Hampshire.  His text was Exodus 18:21.   "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them, as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens” (Exodus 18:21).

He exp...

NASB – He who is the blessed and only sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords
NIV – the blessed and only ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Living Bible – only Almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords
1 Timothy 6:15

King of kings and Lord of lords is a statement of God’s sovereignty.  Every king, president, governor, ruler and any other person in authority is subordinate to the great King and Lord of heaven and earth.   They all depend on the sovereign King and ...

The cultural elites have successfully deceived several generations into believing that truth is so abstract that it becomes practically useless.  Mental assent is sufficient for most and for the rest if truth really surfaces, it is to be put on a shelf so it will not divide the ranks.

So where does this leave the state of the Christian?  It leaves the Christian standing on the edge of a cliff about to fall into a neo dark age.

Debate and defend the truth as God illumines your mind.  The gre...

Alfred Tennyson said, “Man is man and master of his fate”

If by fate he means chance, he is dead wrong. 
If by fate he means destiny, he is right that man has a destiny.

If you’re interested in your destiny, I hope you will continue reading.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  God also created man with a body and soul.  The body will die, but the soul will live forever.  A man of great wisdom once said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the ...

So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Too often, I have not followed the biblical pattern.  I understand the eternal essence and existence of God and I thank God for creating me.  Unfortunately, I try to take over my life and use it for myself rather than the glory of God.  I think I’m not the only one in the boat.  I call it the Epicurean spirit of the age.  Self-interest prevails while the spiritual nature of life becomes a utilitarian tool.  Oh,...

The biblical text is Nehemiah 9:6.

Although the 9th chapter of Nehemiah is a time of confession, prayer and worship, it gives us a picture of God's generous providence.

We must not disassociate God’s providence from our expressions of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving seasons have a rich heritage in the history among God's people.
 
The people of God in the O. T. celebrated the Feast of Weeks, what we commonly call Pentecost, which is a form of thanksgiving.

After the first harvest of 1621, the A...

After the first harvest of 1621, the American Pilgrims celebrated a day of Thanksgiving.  This eventful celebration has since become a national holiday.  Although Christians set aside this special time to acknowledge that the gracious hand of God provides for all our needs, thanksgiving should be a daily celebration.

The word providence comes from two Latin words "pro" and "videre"  which means "to see beforehand."  God is not a mere spectator.  He knows in advance because He plans in advanc...

The greatest revivalist since the apostolic times (to the mind of this writer) was Jonathan Edwards.  There were several outbreaks of revival during his lengthy stay at Northampton.  How could Edwards, who read his sermons and preached sermons (today they would be considered academic sermons) without much expression, be God's instrument for revival?  In one of his post-revival sermons, Edwards said,  "When any professing society is as a city set on a hill 'tis a great obligation upon them to ...

On October 31^st in the year 1517 Dr. Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the church door.  He wanted to discuss the issues relative to salvation and the practice of the church.  He wanted the church to be reformed by the Word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The purpose of this brief monograph to celebrate and encourage the church to be reformed by the word of God.

Reformation (the recovery of biblical truth) and revival (spiritual renewal) is much needed among churches and in the ...

I listened to Steve Brown’s discourse titled “Truth with Tears.” He was my homiletics professor in the early 90’s and I have listened to him often since that time.  He has a heart and passion for God and has the gift to express it with winsome and persuasive words.  He has always caused me to muse over issues that other people seem to grasp without any effort. 

I listened to “Truth with Tears” yesterday afternoon.  I began my journey to discover the proximity of love to truth an...

Since words are important, let me define theological integrity.  It refers to the truth of God’s nature and character and everything relative to the Lord, God almighty.

I have the same question for the church today that John Calvin had for the church over 400 years ago.  "Do we hope for salvation from the gospel while no man is willing to run any risk in asserting its truth?"  Calvin goes on to explain; "in so many cities and provinces the purity of Christianity is gone" (an excerpt from C...

Every nation and every generation has problems of its own. For example the Apostle Paul (30 A.D.) quoted the poet Epimenides (600 B.C.) saying, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12).

Around 700 B.C. in Israel a prophet speaking about the king of Babylon (based on my research, I believe the prophecy ended up referring to Nebuchadnezzar) said, “Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, who dwell securely, who say in your heart, I am and there ...

Dr.  Os Guinness wrote a book eighteen years ago entitled The American Hour.  In it he said, “that the deepest source and agency of …cultural authority lies in its faiths, so that it can be truly said that there is no strong and vital culture without a cultus or source of worship and ultimate faith commitment.  His book motivated me to write a brief statement expressing concerning about cultural authority.  The following is one example of my assessment of the culture in May 1993.  It was ...

King of kings and Lord of lords is a statement of God’s sovereignty.  Every king, president, governor, ruler and any other person in authority is subordinate to the great King and Lord of heaven and earth.   They all depend on the sovereign King and Lord God Almighty.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones” (Luke 1:52).

Just before the 4th of July each year television, radio, newspapers, internet and literally every form of communication writes or talks about celebrating Independence...

Everybody talks about freedom.  What is it and who has it?   The present generation is unable to give a clear cogent definition, because in the postmodern world words are meaningless.  The word “freedom” has lost its meaning over the past couple of hundred years. It must have because I often hear people say, “I have my freedom.”  It sounds like they are not under restraint.  Freedom is sometimes associated with self-determination.  However, the average person probably takes the meanin...

The church is in the public arena.  The people and events associated with church life become the objects of either praise or scorn.  The praiseworthy church reflects the character of God's law in worship and morality.  The church that becomes the object of scorn reflects the character of Satan's deceptive devices.

The public sector judges the church based on the public lives of its members.  Specific sins such as gossip and slander practiced or known to be practiced by persons in the church ...

The Old Testament is replete with types and symbols found in ceremonial and judicial case law.  Types are ordinances that have a prophetic element.  Old Testament messianic prophecies had present value, but pointed to future facts.  For example, the Passover lamb, and holy of holies represented a type of the work and person of Jesus Christ.  Symbols show in visible form a spiritual principle.  For example, the burning incense symbolized the prayer of saints and intercession of the Mediator.  ...

It has been said that the title of a recent book “My Christian Apology” is a play on words.  The sub-title is “Apologetics Explained and Applied.”  If it was a play on words then the author might lay claim to Jacques Derrida’s postmodern deconstructionism.  Since I am the author of  “My Christian Apology” I apologize for my apology and denounce literary deconstructionism. 

A few words about deconstructionism will suffice.  The alleged father of deconstructionism, Jacques Derri...

Have you heard someone say, “I don’t want doctrine or theology, I just want the Bible?”  The apostle Paul warned the church that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.”  The word doctrine, as it is used in that text and many others, refers to instruction in the Christian faith.  Jesus commanded His church to “make disciples.”  The only way to make disciples is to instruct from the whole counsel of God.  Anyone who says, “I don’t want theology” means ...

Thousands of sermons, teaching sessions, seminars, and lectures on the Christian religion and western philosophy in general have fallen upon my ears over the past forty years.   I’ve consumed hundreds of books and devoted the last one third of my life in study and research relative to the Christian religion.  God has graced me with an eternal relationship with Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Until this day, God has given me an able body and sound mind to...

"We don't talk about politics or the Bible" is an often used expression by Christians who want to avoid the real and serious side of life.  If we do not talk about politics and the Bible, we will pass tyranny and immorality to the next generation.  We cannot expect order and purpose in our present lives unless we reflect on the political history of Holy Scripture.  No, your eyes have not deceived you.  The Bible is the best source in creation for studying political theory and civil philosophy...

William Still was the minister of Gilcomston South Church in Aberdeen, Scotland from 1945 to 1997.    He was faithful to take the gospel to members and friends in the church by writing hundreds of letters through the years.  He wrote a Christmas greeting to the congregation which is appropriate for us during this Christmas season.

Dear Friends,
        On my fifty-first Christmas letter, I want to revert to the rude domesticity of the stable as an antidote to the lavishness of Christmas extra...

On the morning of April the 18th in 1521 Martin Luther, a monk from Whittenberg,  prayed this prayer.  Luther had been called before an imperial diet in Worms, Germany to give testimony of his writings which were considered by the Roman Catholic Church to be heretical, an offense punishable by death unless the guilty party recanted his or her teachings.  This prayer is a reformers prayer.  Luther's passion for reformation should be the passion for every Christian.

"O Almighty and Everlasting...

The rediscovery of biblical truth is a biblical principle known as reformation.  It is not just a dramatic change in the religious lives of people, it is a continual process.  There is a good bit of talk today among Christians about reformation and revival.  Every year on October 31st we remember the 16th century Reformation and how Dr. Martin Luther rediscovered "justification by faith alone."  The Reformed church has experienced biblical reformation throughout its history.  Sometimes it was...

This title needs some explanation.  The word protestant comes from the Latin "protestari" which has the root meaning "to protest."  The Latin word “testari” means “to bear witness.” The word protestant was used by the Christian church to describe those who protested the theology of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16^th century.  It became known as the Protestant Reformation.  Denominationalism relative to the Christian church describes a world view that designates names to various gro...

On the Eve of All Saints Day, October 31, 1517, at twelve o'clock, Dr. Martin Luther went to the Castle Church in Wittenberg and posted ninety-five theses on the church door.  This was the normal process used to ask for an academic disputation (a debate) on a particular theological question.  Luther had an irresistible compulsion to resolve the question of indulgences.  The manner he chose was widely practiced and a regular feature of university life at that time.   Luther wanted to see refor...

In 1926 Dr. J. Gresham Machen gave his testimony before the house and senate committees on the proposed Federal Department of Education.  Machen said, “We do not, I think, want a Federal Department of Education because such a department is in the interests of a principle of uniformity or standardization in education which, if put into practice, would be the very worst calamity into which this country could fall.”  The Federal Government, using greenbacks as leverage, eventually did what M...

A few years ago I wrote this brief article about aging from a biblical perspective.  Each day brings the reality of aging into the fresh awareness that the article particularly applies to me.  I would like to finish the course and then go to my Sabbath rest.  If you are young it may speak to you emotionally, but if you are old, it will meet the mind with the reality of truth.

“I’m a senior citizen” or “I’m retired” often refers to those golden years of life.  It is those clichés...

My conversion to Christianity nearly thirty years ago started a soul-stirring venture to understand God’s message to me.  Since I didn’t hear any audible voice that sounded like God and not having a supernatural experience like seeing an ax head float, I resolved to believe God’s word, commonly called the Bible.  After reading through the Bible, I was compelled to believe it was sufficient for my life, forever.  The yearning to know God’s message would not let me rest.  The next sensi...

I recently finished my manuscript on Hosea.  It is a brief commentary, exposition and application of the book of Hosea.  The title is “Return to the Lord.”  It is so titled because God’s people, God’s people, not unbelievers are commanded to return to the Lord.  “O Israel, return to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you and return to the Lord” (Hosea 14:1).  Based on 30 plus years of experience with evangelical churches, I doubt if ...

Diction and rhetoric are words that I rarely see used by contemporary speakers.  Good diction was once considered a virtue.  Rhetoric was almost considered a sacred art.  Today diction and rhetoric are marginal aspects in the world of speech.  The principle denigrates the proper use of the language in our culture.  I would like to lay the blame for the misuse of language at the feet of the postmodern deconstructionists.  Their influence has been great in the western world, but the intentional...

Theology, doctrine, and truth were landmarks of the evangelical church in centuries past.  Holy Scripture was the means to measure the worship and work of the church.  Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone, was the absolute universal standard.  Today those things that work best or more specifically those things that seem best at the particular time and situation measure the worship and work of the church, to a large degree.  The evangelical church has moved away from a God-centered ministry and has...

Urgency is the word that describes my writing agenda at the present time.  Each day is one less day I have to get my thoughts together, get them on paper, and make them available, not only for the present time, but also for some future time, D.V.  Since a culture represents a way of life, I want to say a few words about our present cultural situation and the need of cultural recovery.

Everyday we are confronted and seduced by all sorts of "isms" in our modern culture. An "ism" is, of course, any particular world and life view. The letters "ism" attached to the end of a word, simply represent a philosophy of life or the way a person thinks about the world or how one relates to the world.

I devote much of time writing and editing Christian books, especially biblical exposition.  I find myself challenged by many of the world views as our culture shifts from the modern to the p...

J. Gresham Machen said, "The absence of doctrinal teaching and preaching is certainly one of the causes for the present lamentable ignorance in the church." Dr. Machen went on to say that "doctrine is intellectual, and Christians are generally anti-intellectual.  Doctrine is ivory tower philosophy, and they scorn ivory towers. . . It is a fundamental, theoretical mistake of practical men to think that they can be merely practical, for practice is always the practice of some theory" (Education...