In Adam's Fall, Sinned We All

Baseball fans know who Phil Rizzuto was and how he spent his last 60 + years in baseball.  He won seven world series titles and then was the Yankees' broadcaster for over 40 years.  He died yesterday after a long and illustrious career.

When I saw these two pictures juxtaposed, it struck me how the vigor of youth inevitably gives way to the craggy face of old age and declining health, and then finally to death.  As one wag put it, "nobody gets out of here alive."

Just as Phil Rizzuto was once a seemingly indestructible young shortstop and then a tired old man in a rest home, so too (barring an early death, or Christ's second advent) each one of us will go through the same sad transformation from the vigor of youth to the reality of old-age.   Rizutto's fate is our fate . . .  But it happens so slowly that we don't often observe it--especially in ourselves.  Yet, when we look at what happens over 60 years, wow . . .

The reason for this remarkable transformation?  As the Puritans put it, "in Adam's fall, sinned we all."  Yes, ours is a fallen race.  In the aging face of Phil Rizutto we see what is common to all of Adam's fallen children--the common curse, which is death.  Paul tells us plainly in Romans 5:19, "For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners."  The reason that indestructible young shortstops become sick old men is because of Adam's fall.

That is why our only hope must be in Jesus Christ, "who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:25).  If Christ is not raised, we are still in our sins.  But if Christ be raised, then the effects of sin will be forever undone and we will be raised imperishable, truly indestructible!

Ministerial Qualifications

Saw this recent news article about Ted Haggard's replacement at New Life Church in Colorado Springs--Rev. Brady Boyd (Click here: Colorado church recommends replacement for Haggard (OneNewsNow.com)). 

Here is his bio as given in the news story:

"Boyd, a graduate of Louisiana Tech University, served as senior pastor of Trinity Fellowship Church in Hereford, Texas, before joining Gateway in 2001. He has experience in sales management and in TV and radio broadcasting, according to his Web site. He is married with two children."

I think that just about says it all . . .  

Sadly, this is what far too many evangelicals are looking for--a pastor with sales experience and a face for TV.

Yet Another Reason (or Two) to Dislike Barry B*nds

As if you needed one, here's another reason why Barry B*nds is so universally disliked by baseball fans.  Yes, he is the greatest hitter of the modern era.  Yes, he belongs in the hall of fame (unless we find out he committed the unpardonable baseball sin--betting on games in which he managed, like Pete Rose).  But his home run record should have one big, giant asterisk!  The man is a cheater.

Aside from the steroid abuse (read Game of Shadows if you still think this is unfounded), the very public mistress (while B*nds parades his wife and kids around like nothing was going on), the impending perjury charges and tax fraud matter with the IRS, B*nds is simply one cold-hearted dude:  Click here: Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - Steigerwald column: Bonds isn't a good guy.

Another writer thinks that B*nd's armor plated elbow brace has helped him hit more home runs.  I'm ambivalent about this one, but found it interesting nonetheless (Click here: Barry Bonds' HR Record Tainted by Elbow 'Armor'?)

As Peter Abraham so aptly puts it (Click here: If Yankees pony up the money, A-Rod isn't going anywhere), "The less space and energy wasted on fraudulent home-run king Barry Bonds, the better. But here's our question: How can Curt Schilling be the only honest man in uniform? Throughout baseball, dozens of players, managers and coaches offered Bonds hearty congratulations, as if Tuesday were a day to be cherished.

`He's the greatest player to walk between the lines,' Arizona second baseman Orlando Hudson said. `It's good for baseball,' St. Louis outfielder Jim Edmonds said.

Good for baseball? In what way, shape or form can having a surly cheater holding the game's most cherished record be good for baseball?  Only Schilling - often a boor himself - has called out Bonds in public. Why haven't any others?

It seems obvious that a much larger percentage of players than believed have used performance-enhancing drugs to some degree and are afraid to have their own skeletons exposed. Or they fear the wrath of teammates who have used.

Even some writers, in an apparent case of Stockholm syndrome, now view Bonds in a sympathetic light. He's a product of his times, a flawed hero. Hopefully, Bonds will fade away after this season and join Mark McGwire in shameful seclusion. Perhaps then baseball will move past its steroids era.

In the meantime, here's to Roger Maris and Hank Aaron, two sluggers whose accomplishments should be remembered with a smile, not a grimace."

IMHO, Peter Abraham's Yankees blog is the best sports blog, period (Click here: The LoHud Yankees Blog.

Who Said That?

Who said that?

"From this we should learn that everything which is not united with our God and Christ cannot be other than an abomination which we should shun and flee from. By this is meant all popish and antipopish works and church services, meetings and church attendance, drinking houses, civic affairs, the commitments [made in] unbelief and other things of that kind, which are highly regarded by the world and yet are carried on in flat contradiction to the command of God, in accordance with all the unrighteouness which is in the world. From all these things we shall be separated and have no part with them for they are nothing but an abomination, and they are the cause of our being hated before our Christ Jesus, Who has set us free from the slavery of the flesh and fitted us for the service of God through the Spirit Whom He has given us."

You know the drill . . .  Leave your guesses in the comments section below.  Please don't cheat and spoil it for everyone else. 

Update on Sunday, August 12, 2007 at 06:03PM by Kim Riddlebarger

This comes from the Schleitheim Confession of 1527.  Michael Sattler, head of the Swiss brethren, was the principle author.  While not a confession per se, it is a statement of general Anabaptist conviction, especially the need to withdraw from all things "worldly." 

While you might make a good case that a Christian shouldn't spend all his time and his paycheck in a "drinking house," the confession exhorts Christians to avoid all civic affairs, and worship services of non-Anabaptist churches (that would include Reformed and Lutheran churches, who practice  what Sattler considered the chief lie of the papacy--infant baptism). 

Much of what is said here was said in the fundamentalist churches of my youth-churches now dominated by pop-psych, Christian activism and politics, and works-righteousness.  You can easily see how the Anabaptist concern about worldliness has been rejected in these same circles for a form of cultural accommodation.

Christ Reformed Invades the Eastern Sierras

Well, its that time of year again.  A bunch of folks from Christ Reformed Church will make their way from Anaheim to the Eastern Sierras for a week of fun and relaxation.  Most years we camp, but this year we will be "condoing."  My wife is especially thrilled about this, since it is much harder to encounter a bear from the second story of a condo, than it is in a campsite--which is a common occurrence for us even though there are bear boxes and we are careful campers!

We'll be hitting all the tourist sites in and around Mammoth Lakes this week, so if you happen to be at the Hot Springs, the Postpile, the Village, Lake Mary, Angel's, Perry's, Roberto's or the Stove, or even up on Tioga Pass, you just might run into some of us. 

The Riddleblog will be quiet for the next week (unless I post a few pictures from the trip), so enjoy some of the sermons, academy lectures and other things posted here in days past.  You might even want to go back and look at some of the old posts from way back.

Thanks to all of you who stop here to read the latest post.  Your comments are thoughtful, intelligent and witty.  I haven't had near the problems with blog trolls in the comments sections that other bloggers have had.  I truly appreciate you guys!

Back next week, Lord willing, perhaps with a "bear raiding a condo" story! 

Update on Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 09:10PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Our gang is having a blast here in the Eastern Sierras!  Some of our group made it to the top of Pothole Dome in Tuolumne Meadows (in Yosemite).

Update on Friday, August 10, 2007 at 04:24PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Here are a few of us at the Consolidated Mine at Mammoth.  Some of us went fishing, some just relaxed, and some of us took the kids up to see a real gold mine.

Remembering Bob den Dulk

Many of you have heard the sad news that Bob den Dulk has died after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.  If you don't know who Bob was and you are a fan of the White Horse Inn, you certainly need to read Dennis Johnson's moving piece about Dr. den Dulk on the Westminster Seminary California website.  Click here: Westminster Seminary California newsevents.

I served with Bob for a time as a trustee and vice-chairman of the seminary, when he was chair.  In fact, it was he who "fired" me.  When the White Horse Inn moved back to California under the auspices of the seminary, I could no longer serve on the board since our by-laws did not allow someone to be both a trustee and an employee of the seminary.  Bob wryly smiled and said, "you know, you can't serve on the board anymore."  I already knew that, he knew that I knew that, but it was his way of expressing his pleasure that the White Horse Inn was back in California.

I first met Bob back when Westminster had just opened and was still in San Marcos.  He was the vice-president and business manager.  It was clear to me then, as it was throughout the time I knew him, that this was a man who not only knew what ought to be done, he made sure that it was.  Bob is one of those great men who tirelessly labors behind the scenes making sure things are done right and ethically.  Oh, for more like him . . .

Bob loved the Reformed faith and wanted to see it make a bigger impact upon American evangelicalism.  Bob was one of the first board members of CURE (the forerunner of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals).  His wisdom and guidance were instrumental in seeing us through those early days when the White Horse Inn was becoming popular, yet we knew nothing about handling the business side of things.  Bob's was a steady hand, and if you enjoy the White Horse Inn today it is largely because Bob helped us through very difficult times.

One Bob den Dulk story . . .

In June of 1994, we decided that a mountain retreat would be a good idea for the next CURE board meeting.  So, we rented a large home at Lake Arrowhead.  Bob and his beloved wife Nellie were there, as were Ken Jones, Rod Rosenbladt, Mike Horton, along with Luder Whitlock (then president of RTS), and Robert Preus (the noted and Solomonic-like Lutheran theologian).  Bob told stories of Cornelius Van Til ("Opa Case") witnessing to truckers in California's central valley.  He and Dr. Preus debated particular redemption with the rest of us just taking it all in.  It was wonderful to hear all the great stories and see such giants debate Reformation theology over dinner and libations . . . 

But when the time came for the afternoon session to get under way, here sat Bob den Dulk, Luder Whitlock, and Robert Preuss, all glued to the television.  We called them time and time again, but they wouldn't come.  They were absolutely engrossed.  Turns out they were watching a White Bronco drive the freeways of LA.

It was the infamous OJ chase!  We never did get much work done that weekend, but I'll never forget it!

Please pray for Bob's wife Nellie, their children (Gilbert, Tim, and Rob and their wives), and their 15 grandchildren.   May God grant them comfort in life and in death, through their confidence in the finished work of Christ and the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.

Old Dispensationalists Never Die . . . And They Never Seem to Fade Away . . .

I was making my semi-annual trip through the local Christian bookstore (actually, a trinket store) when I saw the third reincarnation of John F. Walvoord's best-seller Armageddon, Oil and the Middle East.  Originally published back in 1974 by Zondervan, the book was re-issued with a snazzy new cover after Operation Desert Storm in 1990.

Lo and behold, here it was again on the shelves of a Christian bookstore!  This time published by Tyndale with an update (apparently) by Mark Hitchcock.  I refused to buy it (since I've already purchased the two prior incarnations), so I can't tell you what has been updated.  But the title says it all.  Now that Saddam Hussein is pushing up daisies somewhere near Tikrit, the focus switches from a Soviet-Arab invasion of Israel and a revived Babylonian empire, to a more general Muslim threat to Israel and the new foil of dispensational end-times theorizing--Islamic terrorism.

Dr. Walvoord, who died in 2002 and now a member of the church triumphant, obviously, was not able to contribute to the new edition.

The shamelessness with which books like this can be corrected, updated and then republished with new covers and a new chapter or two, only to sell a gazillion more copies, is simply breathtaking.  Doesn't it trouble people that the 1974 edition and the 1990 edition got many things wrong?  I thought if we interpreted the Bible "literally" all the mysteries regarding the end-times would be cleared up.

The Soviet Union no longer exists . . .  Saddam Hussein is dead . . .  Militant Islam is the new menace from the east (displacing Communism and a revived Babylonian empire).  Barring the return of our blessed Savior, I suspect another edition, with another new cover, is a mere ten years away.  I can only imagine how the cover art and title will be tweaked this time.

As one who has written two books on eschatology, let me just say, if you see a new edition of A Case for Amillennialism or Man of Sin, in which my exegesis is "updated and corrected" to explain an as yet unforeseen world event that I failed to predict, don't buy it.  It means I didn't know what I was talking about!

That being said, I am now hard at work on an expanded eschatology text which will deal with a broader range of eschatological issues, including preterism and postmillennialism.  We do need a Reformed/covenantal/amillennial equivalent of the venerable J. Dwight Pentecost's Things to Come.  Lord willing, this will come to fruition . . .