Here's an Offer You Can't Refuse!

Ligonier Ministries and R. C. Sproul is making the Reformation Study Bible available between Oct 27 and Nov 2 for a donation of any amount.  You know you want one.   Now's the time to get one and support a Christ centered, God honoring ministry at the same time.

Oh, and while you're over there ordering your Bible, take time to read Sproul's essay on Principles for Voting.

My Friend, Paul

For the past 27 weeks, I've been taking my little Sunday School class verse by verse through the book of Acts.  It's been an amazing journey through the history of the early church and through the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul.  Each week since his conversion in Chapter 9, his personality and style have been fleshed out through the scriptures.  I've always loved Paul, but I admit that I could  identify more closely with Peter.  I've always sort of seen Paul as the "go to" guy for doctrine.   In my imagination of what they would have been like if you'd have been there and could have known them, Peter seemed the guy to talk to, while Paul seemed the guy to listen to.  (I know that may seem silly but I don't think you can diligently study the Word without developing a relationship of sorts with its authors as well as its Author.)

 But I've changed my impression of Paul through this study.  Now, when I read his epistles, I can almost see the man behind the letters--his passion for the Gospel, his love for the churches, his willingness to both discipline and restore.  More importantly, the more I see of Paul, the more I see of the Trinity--God's sovereign plan, Christ's Person and Work, and the Spirit's guidance and direction.

Ephesians 1 has always been one of my favorite "go to" passages in all of scripture.  I've read it more times than I can count or will ever know, for it is chock full of the doctrines of grace.  But when I read it again this morning, I didn't just thrill to the great theological sweep of the chapter, I saw Paul, the man, writing to his beloved friends in Ephesus, speaking to them of the things he desired above all other things that they remember. I can imagine how those words echoed in the minds of the Ephesian elders.

He had laid the foundation of doctrine while he was laying the foundation of friendship--with the Ephesians and the Galatians and the Caesareans and with every one he taught, even me.

Paul's a great guy to get to know.  

Inquiring Minds want to Know

Pam, of a rustling of leaves, asks:  What suggestions do you have for Women's Bible Studies?

What have you done in the past that really impacted your Christian walk and why?

Studying and memorizing the Shorter Catechism.

Do you favor a workbook with once a day bible study or glean your own from a book that has no questions?

No study guide for me! I detest them. Well, that's strong, but I really think they have a way of limiting conversation and causing people to prepare the questions instead of the lessons.

Do you ever do a video style bible study with the teacher and then you have discussions afterwards?

Have done it once. It was OK.

Do you create your own weekly questions from Scripture as you do a topical, verse by verse
or Book study?

For own study? No. But I take notes and observations.  I'm just getting ready to start a study of the book of Hebrews with my study group.  We will each be studying a section of the book on our own throughout the week, each using a different commentary, and we'll come together to discuss what we've learned.  I'm going to come up with several general questions as a guideline and to sort of keep the conversation going. 

Do you do a once a week or once a monthly study? Group study?

I do two studies. One is once a week, the other is every other week.  I also study or at least read something theological for myself all the time.

Do you do one-on-one or a group of women?

I've done both, but I prefer a minimum of three to lead a study.

Do you have the study at Church or in a home?

I've done both and believe it or not, I prefer doing it at a more neutral place like church. Homes are wonderful and cozy, but I find that conversations drift more in private homes and it's harder to get to the meat of the study sometimes.

What has not worked for you?

Having small children "playing in the basement." Doesn't work.

An Excellent Online Resource

This week's Quote of the Week comes from Studies in the Person and the Work of Jesus Christ, by W. E. Best.

This excellent book begins by establishing the impeccability of Christ and then, as the title says,  systematically examines  the person and the work of Christ.  The subjects covered are as follows:

1 Introduction

2 The Eternal Son Of God

3 The Son Declares The Father

4 The Mystery Of Godliness

5 The Manifestation Of Godliness

6 The Incarnation

7 The Virgin Birth

8 Christ’s Human Nature

9 Christ’s Human Body

10 Christ’s Human Soul

11 Christ’s Human Growth

12 Christ’s Baptism

13 Christ’s Temptation

14 Christ’s Impeccable Life

15 The God Approved Man

16 Christ’s Prayer Life

17 The Drawing Power Of Christ

18 Christ’s Discriminating Message

19 Christ’s Miracles

20 Christ’s Death

21 Christ’s Headship

22 Christ’s Kingship

I think the book may be out of print, or at least difficult to find, but the entire book is offered online  at the W. E. Best Book Missionary Trust.

You can also find it used at Amazon.com for as little as $1.99.  If you'd like to explore some selected writings of W. E. Best, you can find some at this link from Monergism.

Update on Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at 12:37PM by Kim from Hiraeth

I find that I can no longer unreservedly recommend this book to you.  While I still find it theologically sound, the tone is polemic and harsh. 

Mr. Best wrote this book in the mid-70's, during a period of time in which the ideology of the 60's was coming home to roost within the church.  Jesus Christ Superstar was all the rage and the Person and Work of Christ was under attack in churches across America.  I offer that as an explanation, not an excuse. 

2 Peter 1

I've always liked Peter. Of all the Apostles, I think he's the easiest to relate to. He was bold, brash, and enthusiastic. He didn't always think before speaking. He wasn't always faithful, but he always had faith. He was not afraid to be transparent before Christ.

When we read through the Gospels and the Book of Acts, we can see Peter growing in "the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord." We can virtually see him changing from the one who betrayed Christ into the man who could stand up on the day of Pentecost and boldly proclaim, "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

We can see ourselves in Peter's weaknesses and failings and we gain hope from seeing his growth and the way God used Him for His Kingdom.

In today's reading I lingered over the first verse:

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ

Notice, here, that he calls himself "Simeon Peter." Christ, Himself, gave him the name of Peter, and one would think that with such an honor as that, he might have dropped the "Simeon" altogether. But Peter doesn't set aside his former name, or his former self so quickly.

Here in this first chapter, he is exhorting his readers to develop the Christian attributes of virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love. In verse nine he tells us, "For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins."

Peter never forgot the former sins from which he was cleansed. He remembered the "Simeon" part of his life; he remembered that he had been cleansed, and from what he had been cleansed.

He tells us in verse 13, "I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things."

Peter was drawing near the end of his life and he wasn't interested in burnishing his own reputation, he wanted his readers, then and now, to examine their lives as he did.

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Did you catch that? Peter calls us, "those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours." Just stop and think about that for a moment. Sometimes I think we put the disciples and the Apostles on pedastals, thinking that they are a different "level" of Christian than we are by virtue of their intimate relationship with Jesus while He walked this earth and by the way He used them after He ascended to the Father. And without a doubt, they were all remarkable men who had a unique place in the Kingdom of God.

But they obtained their faith and standing the very same way we do; through faith in Christ--in His obedient life and His sacrificial death on our behalf. Peter knew this. He knew himself to be particularly blessed by his friendship with our Savior, but he did not translate that into thinking that he was in anyway different than all of us. While he made reference to his having been there on the Mount of Transfiguration, he doesn't stay there; he directs us all to God's revealed Word, "something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place." He doesn't stay in the brilliant light of the transfiguration, he brings us to the brilliance of the Word.

(This post is one I wrote some time ago.  I am republishing it today because I remembered it when I read my chapter a day this morning) 

Morning Scriptures: James 1

Annette of Fish and Cans wrote this morning of the times she comes to the Word, well, less than prepared, and how God opens her eyes to His Word anyway.  I start the day with a chapter from the Word, delivered by email.  It's not the passage I am studying, but I read that first, emailed  chapter each day as a discipline.  Sometimes I have to admit, I read it and do not allow it to sink into my thoughts, nor let it inform my day.   

Today was not one of those days.  I've known it was coming. As sure as Wednesday follows Tuesday, James chapter one follows Hebrews chapter 13.

The book of James has always seemed like an assault--it hits the ground running and never lets up. 

1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings.

 The introductory greeting is short, blunt, and seems a bit perfunctory.  It has a "listen up" quality to it.  You can almost hear James saying, "Now that we've got the greetings out of the way, everyone sit down and listen fast, because here it comes."

 And what comes is real life--real trials and real temptations and real sin to overcome.  Real personal examination to discover real religion--or not.  Real life that needs real sanctification.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (vs.27)

I read down to the bottom of the chapter and thought, 'my religion is neither pure nor undefiled.  I do not visit orphans and I rarely visit widows in their trouble.  And to live in this world is to be spotted by this world.  Is my religion useless?' (vs 26) 

If my religion were dependent upon my works and my ability to keep myself unspotted by this world, then I would be without hope in this world.  But thanks be to God!, James follows Hebrews. 

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

My religion rests on One who offered Himself without spot to God and it is He Who cleanses my conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  Good thing, because James has quite a bit to say about works coming up in tomorrow's chapter.  As sure as Thursday follows Wednesday, James 2 follows James 1.

 Like Annette, my thoughts were captured.  I'll be thinking of "spots" today:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Quote of the Week

The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter VIII
Of Christ the Mediator

V.  The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of His Father; [34] and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him. [35]

34. Rom. 3:25-26; 5:19; Heb. 9:14; 10:14; Eph. 5:2
35. Dan. 9:24; II Cor. 5:18; Col. 1:20; Eph. 1:11, 14; Heb. 9:12, 15; John 17:2

Consequent Absolute Necessity

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Notes, Chapter One (con't.)

 

Why did Christ have to die?  Why was it necessary?

 

We looked briefly at one common answer to this nearly universal question, the Hypothetical Necessity.  Today we'll look at the most commonly held view, the classical Protestant view of Consequent Absolute Necessity.

 

In a nutshell, this view begins with the understanding that God didn't have to save anyone; it was entirely according to the good pleasure of His Will that He purposed to save a people for Himself:

 

Ephesians 1:5-7  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

 

In other words, the saving of fallen man was not of absolute necessity in and of itself, however, once decreed, it followed that sin must, by necessity, be atoned for--absolutely.  Because God purposed to save us, it became necessary "to secure this salvation through a satisfaction that could be rendered only through substitutionary sacrifice and blood-bought redemption."

 

Murray lays out six reasons that a substitutionary sacrifice is absolutely necessary and he reminds us that all these Scriptural references must be taken "together and cumulatively."

 

1. Christ, our suffering Captain:

 

Hebrews 2:10-17  For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:

    “ I will declare Your name to My brethren;
      In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
13 And again:
    “ I will put My trust in Him.”

And again:
    “ Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

 

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

 

In order for us to be "accepted in the beloved as adopted children, we needed a "suffering Captain."  Ephesians 1 tells us that that Captain is Christ Himself.

 

2. Eternal Life or Eternal Perdition?

 John 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. 

 

Murray explains that the positive reading of this verse tells us that those who believe in the One He has given will have everlasting life.  From this statement we can deduce it's corollary; the negative reading of the verse:  Those who do not believe will perish eternally.  John 3:16 also speaks to the uniqueness of Christ as the absolute answer; there is no other alternative.

 

3. "The efficacy of Christ's work is contingent upon the unique constitution of Christ's person."  So serious is our sin, so utterly does it separate us that only the "perfect, final, transcendant efficacy" of Christ's sacrifice can atone for it:

 

Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 

 

Hebrews 2:9-18  9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
  
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:

“ I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
13 And again:
    “ I will put My trust in Him.”
And again:
    “ Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. 

 

Hebrews 9:9-14  9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
   
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

Hebrews 9:22-28  22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

 

We usually think of the Levitical sacrifices as being the forerunner to the sacrifice of Christ, however, as the verses above explain, they themselves were copies of things in the heavens where the blood of Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.

 

This application of the blood of Christ in the heavenlies was of absolute necessity because:

 

a) sin is an absolute reality

b) only a person with flesh and blood can bleed and die and only "the effulgence of the Fathger's glory and the express image of  His substance"--pure, righteous, and holy--could secure forgiveness of sin.

 

4.  Not only does the atonement secure remission of sin--because of Christ's perfect righteousness and obedience it secures our justification as well.  It is not only forgiveness we require; we need righteousness and only the perfect, obedient righteousness of Christ is the remedy for our condition.

 Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

 

5.  The infinite, supreme sacrifice of Christ demonstrates the love of God.

 

 Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

1 John 4:10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

Romans 8:32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

 

And finally, 6. Not only does Christ's sacrifice secure remission of sin and justification, it vidicates the demands of justice: 

Romans 3:21-26  But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

". . .in the work of Christ the dictates of holiness and the demands of justice have been fully vindicated.

 

Murray concludes Chapter One with this thought:

 

"The more we emphasize the inflexible demands of justice and holiness the more marvelous become the love of God and its provisions."

 

UPDATE:  Pam of "a rustling of leaves" is blogging her way through Redemption Accomplished and Applied, too.  Here is a link to her reflections on Chapter One.

Hypothetical or Absolute Necessity?

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Notes, Chapter One (con't.)

 

 After Murray establishes that it was God's infinite love and wisdom, according to His good pleasure, that established the atonement as the means of redeeming a people for Himself, He asks the question that theologians, academicians, laity and countless 4th grade Sunday School kids have asked:  Why?  Why did He chose to sacrifice His Only Son?  Why did Jesus have to die a cruel death on the cross?  Why the cross?

 

He asks these questions in a particularly pointed manner:

 

Why did not God realize the purpose of His love for mankind by the word of His power and the fiat of His will?  If we say that he could not, do we not impugn His power?  If we say that He could but He would not, do we not impugn His wisdom?  Such questions are not scholastic subtleties or vain curiositities.  To evade them is to miss something that is central in the interpretation of the redeeming work of Christ and to miss the vision of some of its essential glory.  Why did God become man?  Why, having become man, did He die?  Why, having died, did He die the accursed death of the cross?  This is the question of the necessity of the atonement.

 

Murray then presents the two common ways in which these questions have been been answered:  hypothetical necessity and consequent absolute necessity.   We'll look at hypothetical necessity first:

 

Hypothetical Necessity 

 

In it's simplest expression, Hypothetical Necessity brings forth the basic idea that God, to Whom and through Whom all things are possible, could have used any means whatsoever to forgive sin and redeem His elect. Even though "nothing inheres in the nature of God or in the nature of remission of sin that makes blood-shedding indispensible," it is the way that God chose and decreed.  This, according to Murry's explanation of this particular view, was the way that God purposed in Himself because "this is the way in which the greatest number of advantages concur and the way in which grace is more marvellously exhibited." Simply put, although He could have done it any way He wanted, this is the way He chose and decreed, and therefore, that is the way it was accomplished.

 

Scriptures cited to support this view include: 

 

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26

 

He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”  Mark 14:36 

 

(This view was held by Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.) 

 

Next up: The Consequent Absolute Necessity.  This one takes more time to develop properly, so I will tackle that in the next post. 

 

Love's Determinate Purpose

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Notes, Chapter One

 In Chapter One, Murray discusses the necessity of the atonement.  He begins by tracing the source or cause of the atonement to the Sovereign Love of God. (John 3:16)

The atonement "springs from" love--a love that elects and predestines.  It is a "distinguishing love."

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Romans 8:31-32

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Romans 8:29

. . .just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will  Ephesians 1:4,5

But what is sovereign love?  To understand that correctly, we must begin with the understanding that God is love.  Love is not something He chooses, rather something He IS.

It was of the free and sovereign good pleasure of His will, a good pleasure that eminated from the depths of His own goodness, that He chose a people to be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.  The reason resides wholly in Himself and proceeds from the determinations that are peculiarly His as the "I am that I am."  The atonement does not win or constrain the love of God.  The love of God constrains the atonement as the means of accomplishing love's determinate purpose.

 Next:  What was the reason for the atonement?  Why is it necessary?

Inquiring Minds want to Know

Pam, of a rustling of leaves, posts an interesting survey.  Here are my answers.  Why don't you share yours?  If you do, leave a note for Pam in her comments on the post so we can all find them.

Inquiring minds want to know --

1. What Bible is your preference?

I prefer the NKJ version.  I love the beauty and familiarity of the phrasing.  Most of my early scripture memorization was in KJV, so the NKJ still "sounds" best to me. 

a. Do you care whether it is a red-letter or not?

No, not really.  Mine has red letters, but it wouldn't bother me if it didn't.

b. Study Bible with notes or do you prefer a Bible with no notes?  

I have a Reformation Study Bible with notes, however, when I study a passage, I only read the comments after I have read the text for myself and examined it in it's context.

c. Hard-cover, leather, metal?  

Hard-cover.  I'd love to have a leather Bible but it's out of my price range.

d. Wide-margin?

No, but that doesn't keep me from taking notes!  : )

e. Versions?

My primary Bible is NKJ but I always read the ESV and NASB as well when I am studying.  Our church uses the ESV and so I have really taken a liking to it, too.

f. Do you carry the same Bible to Church as you use to study with?

Yes, but I don't carry them all.  I carry my Reformation Study Bible.

2. What is your Bible marking method?

Oh, dear.  That would be telling, wouldn't it?  I don't think I could explain it to another person.  I am a book marker, but I mark my Bible differently than regular books because I also mark during sermons.

3. What Concordance do you like?  

Strongs.

4. Do you use Bible Study software and if so, what? 

I use the ESV online Bible extensively.

5. Do you use a Palm or other device to transport Study helps & notes?

Yes, I have a Bible on my Palm and use it for study. One of the things I like best about having a Bible on my Palm is that when I am studying or doing lesson preparation, and my table is spread with lots of books, I can have one less book on the table.  Also, when I am reading along in a book and there is a Biblical reference, it is very easy to pull up the verse and then make a note of it.

a. Do you then carry this along to Church or other places?

Yes, I do take it with me, but I don't use it during the sermon because I can take hand written notes faster.

b. What program works best for your needs?

I use "Bible with You" ESV with concordance on my Palm.

c. What device do you currently use?

I have a Palm Tungsten E.

6. Do you study alone or with a friend or friends or both?

Both.  I study alone, with my husband, with a Ladies Small Group and with a Couples small group.

7. How much time do you spend a week in Bible Study?

That's hard to say.  I spend 4 or 6 hours per week just preparing for the study that I lead.  Not all of that is strictly Bible Study, though.  It also involves reading sermons and preparing with the use of systematics.  I use Berhof's Systematic Theology and Reymond's New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith.  If you add it all together, it would add up to ten or twelve hours a week, I would guess.

8. What are you currently studying? 

This year I started reading through the books of the Bible 20x.  I have finished Jude and 3rd John.  Right now I am (still) in 2 Peter.  Our small group Bible Study is going through the book of Ephesians, so I am studying a passage each week and also reading the entire book at least once a week.  I am also beginnning to prepare some lessons in the book of Esther for my Sunday School class of 4th and 5th graders.  And the study of "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God" has me in and out of many books.

9. What is your favorite Bible Study help?

Hmmm.  That's hard to pin down.  I guess I'd have to say the ESV online because I can search and copy and paste and print my studies.  I do a lot of my study online--more and more all the time.

10. Do you have more than one Commentary set?

Yes, I have Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary and D.Martyn Lloyd-Jones 8 volume commentary on the book of Ephesians.  My husband and I also like Sinclair Ferguson's commentaries.

11. What online study aid do you use? 

I guess I've already answered that in one way.  I use several websites; The Highway and Monergism extensively, as well as the Christian Classic Ethereal Library (CCEL).  I also use a free download program, Reformed Confessions.  Once you download it, it's right there on your computer. 

12. Are you an Inductive Study method person?

To a degree, but I think that there are weaknesses in the methodology so I don't use it exclusively.

13. What method works best for you?  

Mine.  : )

14. Do you refer to Hebrew/Greek in any form to help you clarify what you are studying?

Occasionally, but not as much as I used to.  I learned that without a working knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, my ideas about what I think I am gleaning from the Greek or Hebrew words are frequently just that--my ideas, and so I leave it up to those who know what they are doing to inform me instead.  I do use my Strongs when I do a word study, though, because it helps me to compare passages that actually use the same word in the Hebrew or Greek.  Beyond that, I have learned not to try to do too much. . .

15. Do you have a file system of past studies, notes, etc.

Yes, I do.  Here's a picture of it.  (click to enlarge)  Or at least what is currently filed.  There's another stack that needs to be filed.  Which reminds me, I need another milk carton. .

16. Do you have a special place where you study?

Yes. My whole house.  (But especially my leather chair)