Thursday 22 October 2015

Not a book review - just a blog post this time (on the importance of eschatology, no less!)

I'm not going to make a habit of posting things that are not reviews, but since I don't think I'll write other things often enough to make a separate blog, I thought I'd just put this here, and hopefully get some comments from folk.

This came about because of a comment in a discussion group, along the lines of "please don't argue; eschatology is not worth discussing, let's just use the time for useful things like praying, witnessing, or praising" when a discussion on the subject of end times grew a little frustrating for some.  And I recognised that view, of believing no one could know about the end time, so it wasn't worth discussing or reading about, because I used to hold it.  After having left the whole "Left Behind" and dispensational mindset I just wanted to avoid the whole topic. Over the years I've gradually taken up some beliefs which I trust are Biblical but I don't have my beliefs all worked out.  After I get through a great number of other things that I'm reading or planning to read, I do hope to look into eschatology at least a little bit.  I suppose I could start with seeing what my own confession says about it, eh?

Here was my reply to the friend who thought people should stop discussing eschatology:

 I believe that it does really matter. I'm not sure exactly what I believe (although I have a few things I do know, or know I don't believe) in the area of eschatology - but I know it matters. It matters because the Lord has put such things in His word - in order to know Him and His will for us and the world. If He has put it in His word, we ought to be studying it. Whatever it is, and however difficult it is. 
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

One of the ways that human beings learn is by discussing things with others.

Prophecy takes up a lot of the Bible - over a third of it is, so oughtn't we to think it important?

Eschatology is about God's plans for mankind and Himself. Our view of what will happen at the end does have ramifications for how we think, and how we live our lives now. People who believe Jesus is coming back any minute tend to emphasize certain things, and even live a certain way, and there can be some specific errors they fall into. People who believe other things will emphasize certain other things. Eschatology can influence our political views (i.e. Israel).

There are some really unbiblical teachings out there about the end times and we ought to know right from wrong - not only for ourselves but to steer away others from bad teaching, if we have the opportunity.

Eschatology is involved when we comfort someone after they have had a bereavement. “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18) That passage comes after teaching about Christ's return. 


 I'll stop now. But it's important. Certainly we ought to discuss these things in kindness, and with reverence toward the Word of God, but the fact that some discuss things in wrong ways, doesn't mean that we should not engage in right ways.



So after writing that, I felt a bit convicted by my own words!  Surely I ought not avoid the subject anymore myself.    As I said, I have a lot of books I need to get through before adding others to the list, but I would be very glad to hear recommendations for good (preferably from a Reformed perspective)  books on "end times."   

And please comment - it's been a bit empty and echo-y in here lately!  Hopefully I'll get some more reviews up before the end of the month - things have been a bit busy since August and it's been hard to read much.   



Monday 5 October 2015

Her Husband's Crown by Sara Leone

This is the third of the Banner of Truth paperbacks I would like to share about today. 






I enjoyed this booklet by Sara Leone, which contains Biblical advice for pastors wives. I bought it as on the back it said it would be helpful to all wives no matter their husband's profession, and also to know how to pray for the pastor's wife of one's church.

She did indeed include all wives in her writing and I enjoyed both her practical and personal examples as well as the Biblical counsel she gave. There were plenty of Bible passages to back up what she said, and I appreciated the lines and stanzas from poems and hymns that she included.


Caring for the home, and showing respect for your husband are two of the major themes I came away with. 

Two Banner of Truth booklets dealing with the end of our earthly lives

I thought today, as I am still working through a number of books, that I would share about a few booklets I read earlier this year, from Banner of Truth.   Two of them are about the end of our earthly lives and one is for wives.   I just have some very brief comments that I already shared on Goodreads but I thought it was worth posting them here, and I have added a bit here.   In this post I'll share about the two booklets by Donald Howard. 


 
 
  The first is:

Burial or Cremation: Does It Matter?
ISBN  0851518036 (ISBN13: 9780851518039)
Published January 24th 2012 by Banner of Truth
Paperback, 32 pages
 
  I'm not sure that he entirely convinced me but he does make a very good case and if I didn't already lean to burial I think I would now. As a Christian the reminders of the Biblical teachings on resurrection were very encouraging.

Mr Howard shares some of the history of burial and of views found in the Bible regarding death and burial, and then moves on to the origins of cremation. He discusses burnings of bodies in the Bible (not our modern cremation), and then the modern history of cremation.  There are sections on the dignity of the body and on the need to grieve.

I agreed with his views in a further section that Christians ought to give thought to their death and the funeral arrangements that should follow.  The last section was on Christian burial and he included a short account of how his wife's grandfather's burial allowed them to share Christian truths with their children.   I think Mr Howard is probably correct in asserting that the emotions we feel and the truths we are able to contemplate at a burial are not as easily experienced at a cremation service. 
 
The second is:
 
 Christians Grieve Too
Paperback, 30 pages
Published October 1st 1991 by Banner of Truth 
ISBN 0851513158 (ISBN13: 9780851513157)
 
I found this book helpful and I believe that it helped prepare me more for future events. Many of the things Mr Howard wrote rang true to my own experience of losing a newborn many years ago.

I think all Christians who felt able to read this booklet, ought to, and that teaching on grieving and comforting the grieving ought to be more widespread in the church.
 
Mr Howard begins his book by talking about the types of grief that one may experience and how that grief may be manifested in different ways.  He goes on to discuss how grief is a process and it can be complicated by emotions such as fear, guilt, and anger.  There are a couple of chapters on how people (both ministers and laymen) may be helpful to the bereaved.  He concludes by reminding his readers of the hope the believer has in Christ, while acknowledging that there are some things which will always puzzle us. 

I was reading this at a time when others wouldn't, I think.  In January and February of this year my husband was waiting on the complete diagnosis of the cancer preliminarily diagnosed in December, and the possiblities were that he had a fairly "good" cancer (if you have to have cancer at all) or a really bad one.    As it turned out, in God's mercy, he has the "good" kind, one that often causes no problems at all, but we weren't sure of it at the time.   I'm the type of person that likes to look at all the possibilities and things that might have to be done, in order to meet them head on.  And, death is no stranger to us as a couple, having buried an infant daughter in 1997.    I really did find this booklet helpful.   My husband and children will live for a long time, I hope, but there are others in our extended family, and in our community who will probably pass on before we do.  It is good to be reminded of Scriptural truths and also to read of ways to be helpful to others who are suffering in grief.