Archive for the ‘Hebrews’ Category
Above: The Original Document
Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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Ezek. 37, 1-10
Israel’s condition here seen in a vision; fittingly illustrates the sinner’s spiritual condition.
I.
“Dry bones,” devoid of spiritual life. Figure is not too strong. Men are powerless to move Godward if life to themselves–are “very dry,” devoid of life.
II.
“Can these bones live?” Is there any hope for a poor lost sinner? Yes. “The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live.” (Jno. 5, 21 & 25-26) “He [is] able to save to the uttermost.” (Heb. 7, 25) No case is hopeless.
III.
Means to be used:
(1) “Prophesy.” “O ye dry bones, hear ye the word of the Lord” (v. 4). “Preach the word” (2 Tim. 4, 2). It pleaseth God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1, 21). “The word of God is quick and powerful,” etc. (Heb. 4, 12).
(2) Prayer for the Spirit to impart life. “Come, O breath, and breathe upon these slain” (v. 9). “Grieve not the Spirit” (Eph. 4, 30). “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thes. 5, 19). We need his power to awaken and save sinful souls.
IV.
God waits to be gracious. How concerned he is about our salvation.
Let us look with much prayer for his saving power.
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
Above: The Pages of the Original Document
Images Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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EDITOR’S NOTES:
- The proper label for those who practice Islam is Muslims (alternatively, Moslems), of course.
- I make no apologies for the near-sacrifice of Isaac. If my father had tried to sacrifice me…. http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/arguing-with-god/
- My opinion of Abraham is considerably more nuanced than my great-grandfather’s opinion of him.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 27, 2014 COMMON ERA
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Heb. 11, 8-10
I.
The greatest man of antiquity, the father of those who believe in the one true God–Jews, Mohammedans, and Christians. In a day of vague ideas of God he recognized the unity and personality of God.
II.
Moral rather than intellectual greatness, exalted and pure faith, so profound that he obeyed God unhesitatingly.
(a) A man of peace, magnanimous toward Lot–“let there be no strife,” etc. Rescued Lot from his captors–brave.
(b) Man of prayer–interceded for pardon, very humble and reverent about it.
III.
Of great faith:
(1) The birth of Isaac when he was an old man. He believed God’s word regarding it.
(2) The offering of Isaac, the supreme test of his faith. How then could he be the father of a great and mighty nation? But if God called he would obey: he had nothing too good to devote to God.
(3) The father of the faithful and “the friend of God.”
“By faith Abraham.” By faith all may become great before God and be the friend of God. May our faith prove equal to every emergency.
O for a faith that will not shrink,
Though pressed by every foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe!
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That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chastening rod,
But in the hour of grief or pain,
Will lean upon its God.
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A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without;
That when in danger knows no fear,
In darkness knows no doubt.
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Lord, give us such a faith as this;
And then, whate’er may come,
I’ll taste e’en now the hallowed bliss
Of an eternal home.
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
Above: The Original Document
Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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Heb. 5, 9b
…he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him….
—Authorized Version
The saving of sinners, salvation–the most glorious work. Our hearts thrill at the thought.
It is of necessity the work of God. Man cannot accomplish it. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the author of it. He wrought it out by his death and resurrection. “The Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sin.” He is the Word, the Spokesman of God.
It is for all who obey him. He calls to repentance and faith and obedience. He saves all who obey–now and eternally.
How gladly should we honor him, love him, and follow his leading in all things.
“Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling,
Come, follow me;
And we see where Thy footprints falling
Lead us to Thee.”
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
Above: Part of the Original Text
Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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Heb. 7, 25
see Rom. 1, 16
I.
The cause of the world’s woe–sin. What fearful havoc it has wrought. Man sought to hide from the presence of God. He lost his way in moral darkness and plunged into every evil work. How deep was his sin and its stain.
II.
The need of the world–of every man in it–is salvation. Without it all else fails.
(1) No moral sense save as one has knowledge of a holy God. The Romans attributed great sins ton their deities on Mt. Olympus and in turn plead those sins in defense of their own corruption. There was not a gentleman on Mt. Olympus. Hence men need to learn that God is holy, that they may have a sense of sin–Isaiah’s vision. “Convict the world of sin.”
(2) Men need power to become the sons of God–new creatures–delivered from the power and pollution of sin, from its enslavement. Else man cannot walk uprightly before God and men.
(3) Jesus Christ does just this. “To them gave he power to become the sons of God” (Jno. 1, 12). “Hath power on earth to forgive sins.” Millions have experienced this.
III.
Here then is the work of the church–to give to the world the knowledge of God and his power to save, to solve their vexed problems. “How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard? How can they hear without a preacher?” Jesus calls us to witness to all the world that he may save all men.
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
Above: Part of the Original Text
Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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EDITOR’S COMMENT:
My great-grandfather’s use of “Jehovah” places him in time. The American Standard Version of the Bible (1901) makes frequent use of that term, for example. That term has fallen out of use in many circles, with “the LORD” of “Yahweh” taking its place most frequently. For example, the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, in its 1973 hymnal, The Book of Psalms for Singing, uses “Jehovah” frequently. Yet the denomination’s 2010 hymnal, The Book of Psalms for Worship, replaces “Jehovah” with other terms, usually “the LORD.” (Aside: I do find having a collection of hymnals helpful for research purposes.) Nevertheless, on my way to church each Sunday, I drive past the building of a congregation which calls itself “Jehovah’s Temple.” I guess they did not get the memo.
I note also that my great-grandfather had read up on developments in Christology during the first five centuries of Christianity.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 29, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINTS LYDIA, DORCAS, AND PHOEBE, COWORKERS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL
THE FEAST OF ANDREI RUBLEV, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ICONOGRAPHER
THE FEAST OF SAINTS GENESIUS I OF CLERMONT AND PRAEJECTUS OF CLERMONT, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; AND SAINT AMARIN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
THE FEAST OF SAINT GILDAS THE WISE, HISTORIAN AND ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST
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Matt. 16, 16
Christian view: two natures, humanity born of a virgin & died; divinity which was united with the humanity very and eternal God, in essence equal and one with the Father, truly & properly God.
I.
Titles: they can apply only to God
(1) Jehovah, Ex. 3, 14–“I am that I am,” the highest name of God. Isa. 40, 5–“the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed.” In Matt. 3, 3, this is applied to Christ viz: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”
(2) Lord of glory: “Had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2, 8).
(3) “God”–Jno. 1, 1; Lord of hosts…the God of Jacob–Ps. 46, 7. In Heb. 1, 8 this is applied to Christ.
(4) Son of God: “I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God” (Jno. 1, 34). And unclean spirits…cried saying, “Thou art the Son of God” (Mk. 3, 11). “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3, 17).
(5) “God with us”–Emmanuel. Matt. 1, 23, “God over all.” “Christ who is over all God blessed for ever” (Rom. 9, 5).
“God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into Glory” (1 Tim. 3, 16). “And we know that the true Son of God is come. This is the true God” (1 Jno. 5, 20).
Angels bear witness:
A Saviour (Matt. 1, 21); “Son of the Highest” (Lk. 1, 32); “Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2, 11).
II.
His attributes prove he is God: All that are applied to God are applied to Christ–Eternity, Immutability, Omnipotence, etc.
Consciousness of his nature
III.
His works prove him Divine: Creation, Preservation, Pardon of sin, Miracles, Judgment
We baptize and dismiss the congregations in his name, pray in his name and the Father hears us.
The mighty Lord from heaven, the Saviour of sinners
“If ever man was God or God man, Jesus Christ was both.”–Byron
“If Jesus Christ is a God
And the only God, I swear
I will follow him thro’ heaven and hell,
The earth, the sea, the air.”–Gilder
“Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
Hail, great Galiean!–Great God.”–Woods
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
Above: Part of the Original Text
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Acts 4, 12
I.
Having sinned, man is condemned. Sin has dominion over him. He is doomed if left to himself. He has not power to free himself. His only hope is in God.
II.
In his great love God provided for man’s deliverance. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” “To seek and to save that which was lost.” He is become the author of eternal salvation (Heb. 5, 9).
(1) Socially–man’s dealings with man. Corruption abounds save when Christ is honored. Morals depend on religion–can’t long survive if divorced from it. “Feared not God was regarded man.”
(a) “To preserve the government we must preserve morals. Morality rests on religion. If we destroy the foundation the superstructure must fall.”–Daniel Webster
(b) “Why not give Christianity a trial? After contemplating the world of human nature for nearly sixty years I see no way out of the the world’s misery, but the way of doing God’s will.”–George Bernard Shaw
(c) “The Church of Christ is the world’s only social hope, and the sole promise of world peace.”–Earl Haig
(d) “Depend upon it, the world could not hold together without morals, nor can morals maintain their station in the human heart without religion.”–A British Journalist
(2) He is the hope of Democracy. She had kindly interest in every man.
“The paramount question underlying democracy is the religion of Jesus Christ. Eliminate Christ and you leave the world to eternal war.
(3) Government is is elevated by him. Without religion corruption will rule and ruin the state. Graft is rampant without proper restraint.
(a) “Now it is either Christ or chaos; either the kingdom of God or world revolution.”–Lord George
(b) The world must come back to Christ, the greatest revolutionary that the world has ever known, a revolutionary that carries out his revolution, not by strikes and mobs and lawless slaughter, but by dying himself upon a cross.”–a labor leader
(c) “Whoever does anything to depreciate Christianity is guilty of high treason against the civilization of mankind.”–McCauley
(d) “Our civilization cannot survive materially unless it be redeemed spiritually.”–Woodrow Wilson
(e) “Speaking of our efforts for peace McArthur said, “It must be of the spirit of we are to save the flesh.”
“I think I can find the money if you can furnish the men.”–Jones
(4) He is the Saviour of the individual. How wonderfully he saves! Is he yours?
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
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Above: Part of the Original Text
Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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Acts 2, 24
1 Cor. 15, 57
1 Jno. 5, 4
I.
The death & resurrection of Jesus were in God’s plan. That he should die for man was necessary to salvation & God willed it. But to consumate that plan he must live to carry it on.
II.
Hence God raised him up. It was part of the plan & due to God’s direct intervention. Acts 3, 15; Rom. 4, 24; 2 Cor. 4, 14; Eph. 1, 20; Col. 2, 12b; 1 Thes. 1. 10; Heb. 13, 20; 1 Peter 1, 21; & text = 10 times it is affirmed.
He was not to be [the] loser in the struggle but victor. Life is stronger than death. He submitted to it only to redeem us. He arose no longer subject to death. Death was vanquished by him; it is subject to his power. “Have the keys to death.”–Rev. 1, 18
III.
He lives to give us victory over sin. By his grace we may resist the devil, “overcome” him. “He is able to succour them what they are tempted.” Heb. 2, 18 “To him that overcometh.” The plan of salvation wrought out by Christ is no failure. The “gospel is the power of God unto salvation,” see Jude 24.
IV.
He will give us victory over death. We too, shall have our Easter morning–Jno. 5, 28. “All that are in the grace shall come forth.”
Our resurrection body is to be fashioned after his, a spiritual body–Phils. 3, 21.
Redemption is completed in our resurrection and glorification.
Victory!! “Death is swallowed up in victory”–1 Cor. 15, 54.
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
Above: Part of the Original Text
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EDITOR’S COMMENT:
The American Standard Version (1901) was one of the most influential of recent translations of the Bible. I can think of two direct revisions (the Revised Standard Version and the New American Standard Bible) of it and one revision of the NASB and several of the RSV. Also, The Living Bible was a paraphrase of the ASV. This 1901 milestone of Bible translation also had an alternative title: American Revised Version, for it was the U.S. counterpart to the British Revised Version of the 1880s.
Here ends the history lesson.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 28, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT WENCESLAUS I, DUKE OF BOHEMIA
THE FEAST OF JOHN PAUL I, BISHOP OF ROME
THE FEAST OF SAINT LORENZO RUIZ, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF RICHARD ROLLE, WALTER HILTON, AND MARGERY KEMPE, ENGLISH MYSTICS
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I. Man cannot by works merit salvation. It can be experienced only through Jesus Christ. When ye have done all, say: We are unprofitable servants.
II. Yet good works are enjoined upon us as a Christian duty, expressive of our love.
(1) Good works spring from faith in His goodness and love. He will accept our service.
(2) Love is the motive that prompts our good endeavors. The Christian wants to do good. When good deeds are not, is not love lacking? Motive gives character to the deed.
III. God is not indifferent to our good deeds. “He that giveth a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple shall not fail of a disciple’s reward.”
IV. What an encouragement is here to noble deeds of service! What more need He say to assure us? Let us be faithful in well-doing even as “he went about doing good.”
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
Above: Five of My Favorite Bible Translations
Photograph Taken Via My Computer Camera, September 13. 2013
From Left to Right:
J. B. Phillips, The New Testament in Modern English (Revised Edition, 1972)
The New Revised Standard Version—Catholic Edition (1993)
The Revised English Bible with the Apocrypha (1989)
The New Jerusalem Bible (1985); and
TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985).
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EDITOR’S COMMENT:
To say to that my piety differs from that of my great-grandfather is to understate reality. Although I respect the Bible and therefore take it seriously, my attitudes and many of my conclusions are quite different from his. Some of these differences fall into the category of the merely subjective–with no right or wrong, just preferences one way or another–and others come under the heading of that which I will not defend, for they are legalistic, even if they are consistent with his cultural milieu and therefore historically understandable. So know, O reader, that I am myself and my great-grandfather was himself. And know which is which. Then you will understand reality correctly.
And I, as a Neo-orthodox Christian, know the difference between the word of God (the Bible) and the Word of God (Jesus). The former leads me to the latter, where I place my emphasis. Yet often (as is the case here) I notice Evangelicals and others using “Word” to mean the Bible, not Jesus. (I have numerous conversational examples to cite, so may nobody question the veracity of my statement.) Language matters in communication. If we use the same term to mean different things, a lack of communication results.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 13, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF ALL EXILED SAINTS
THE FEAST OF GODFREY THRING, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF JANE CREWDSON, ENGLISH QUAKER POET AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE
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Psalm 119:105-112
Our text says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a lamp unto my path.”
Read Definition of the Bible
What shall we do with the Bible?
1. We can refuse to own one.
The Bible once occupied a prominent place in homes.
2. We can let it lie on shelves and collect dust or we can use it to hide money, papers, etc.
Moody said, “Sin will keep you away form the Bible and the Bible will keep you away from sin.”
3. We can keep it in our pockets.
[Item #4 is erased.–Editor]
5. We can admit it to be God’s word.
Dare you to read the Bible if you don’t want to be a Christian?
It is the world’s bestseller.
Men have tried to destroy it.
The American Bible Society distributes it.
If there is something worrying you, read the book.
One doctor’s prescription to a wealthy woman was to read the Bible one hour each day and then come back to see him.
6. We can commit it.
Memorize its precious truths–one verse per day.
Jesus used word vs. Devil in His temptations.
7. We can submit to its teachings: Do what it says do.
There is no use to read or commit it unless we intend to obey it.
Recite some important commands–
Swearing–“Do not take the name….”
Sabbath Day–Hebrews 10:25
Biggest crowds at Sunday events–Baseball, Theatres, etc.
8. We can transmit it.
We can tell it to others.
If you love the Word, there is opportunity to teach it. One advantage of many churches is that that they give so many work to do.
The responsibility of Sunday School teachers is great.
GEORGE WASHINGTON BARRETT
SOMETIME AFTER DECEMBER 1952
ORIGINAL POEMS AND FAMILY HISTORY BLOG 
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