E-pistle for August 26, 2005
Posted by: info <info@...>
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President
FreeWay Foundation August 26, 2005
"One of King Arthur's Knights"
Dr. Curt Scarborough
From Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe to Prince Valiant in the Sunday
Comic strips,
my childhood daydreams often turned to the "Days of Chivalry." I imagined
myself as
one of King Arthur's noble knights, sitting at the Round Table between Sir
Lancelot
and Sir Galahad . . . honor-bound to Queen Guinevere and apprenticed to
Merlin the
Magician. Sir Curtiss of Scarborough, a full-fledged knight at the age of
nine!
NOBILITY! It sings of upper-class births, high ranks, and grand titles. It
speaks
excellence of character, goodness of mind, and purity of heart. Nobles of
old were
characterized by dignity, courtesy, bravery, generosity, and gallantry.
Philippians 4:8 instructs us to "think about those things which
are noble." The
opposite of noble is common or vulgar. What do we Christians feast our eyes
on and
fill our minds with? What magazines do we read; what shows do we see on TV
or at
the movies? And what about porn on the internet? As computer geeks say:
"GARBAGE
IN; GARBAGE OUT!"
"The noble man makes plans, and by noble deeds he stands."
(Isaiah 32:8) Jesus
described such a man in His seed/soil parable. The "good soil" represents
persons who,
"having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit."
(Luke 8:15)
Similarly, the Christians at Berea were called noble because "they received
the word
with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily." (Acts 17:11)
Paul says that not many of us were noble (in the sense of being
wealthy, upper-
class citizens) when God chose us. (I Corinthians 1:26) However, he does
encourage us
to strive for nobility: "If anyone cleanses himself . . . he will be a
vessel for noble
purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good
work."
(II Timothy 2:21)
Christians bear a noble name, as James 2:7 reminds us. As we
meditate on the
noble things of life, and on the Nobleman whose name we bear, we will grown
into His
likeness. (II Corinthians 3:18) John says it this way: "We shall be like
Him, for we shall
see Him." (I John 3:2) Meditation includes "SEEING" Jesus.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY: Lord, help us to focus on the noble things
of life,
realizing that as members
of the Royal Family of
God, our nobility is on
public display.
Reflections on Rock Throwing
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration and Meditation: on the truths contained
in John 8:2-11
1. This passage is not about forgiveness; it is about taking or
relinquishing
the "right" (authority) to execute a person without a fair trail; it is
about
mob justice or a lynching. A fair hearing would have included both the
adulterers (Leviticus 20:10).
2. Only one person who ever lived was without sin . . . Jesus Christ;
by His
criteria, no INDIVIDUAL alive is qualified to execute capital punishment.
(Vigilante justice is illegal, but capital punishment by a just government
according to law is permitted by God, according to Scriptures.)
3. Jesus knew that the woman was guilty of adultery, but He also knew
the
guilt of every man there carrying a stone; in the presence of the sinless
Son of God (Who may have written personal indictments against each man)
their consciences condemned them (v.9), and they dropped their stones
and left the scene.
4. The men in the mob did not "forgive" the woman her sins; rather,
they fled
to escape giving an account for their own sins (which probably also carried
the death penalty). In fact, these men did not have the authority or the
power to forgive the woman's sin of adultery . . . only God (Jesus) can
forgive sins.
II. Revelation: on then spiritual implications seen here
1. Abandoning one's intention to seek revenge (dropping the stones) is
not
the same thing as offering forgiveness; it does not clear the air nor
does
it settle the matter.
2. Forgiveness is not a long-distance transaction; the Bible teaches
that it
requires a frank face-to-face confrontation about the breach in a
relationship/fellowship. After the confrontation, forgiveness includes
(from the offender) an acknowledgement of his heart-felt regret for the
hurt caused, a specific confession of the wrong-doing, a freely-given
apology for the wrong committed, and (from the offended person) a truly
sincere statement that the transgression is now forgiven and forgotten.
3. Sinless perfection is not a necessity before God moves to grant a
believer
spiritual discernment as a "fruit inspector," but God does require that we
repent and confess our sins in order to receive His forgiveness and
cleansing . . . and enlightenment.
4. Jesus' teachings about "not judging" and about "removing a beam
from
one's own eye" remind believers to (1) examine our own glaring
imperfections first, (2) avoid pride and self-righteousness, and (3)
realize
that those who condemn others may expect to be condemned by others
with the same mean-spirited vindictiveness.
III. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Realize that mob justice is injustice, and refuse to participate in
it.
2. Recognize that Jesus is sinless, but that I certainly am not!
3. Repent of my own sins, including my sin of trying to usurp God's
position
as the Judge . . . condemning others and punishing them for their
sins.
4. Confess my own sins and receive God's forgiveness; then offer
forgiveness to others for their sins against me personally
(recognizing
that I am not in the position to forgive others for their sins against
Jesus
Christ and His church . . . because that spiritual transaction is
between
them and God alone.)
Pillsbury College & Seminary
Statement of Faith
Pillsbury College & Seminary subscribes to the following
Statements of Faith of the National Association of Evangelicals
WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE TO BE THE INSPIRED, THE ONLY INFALLIBLE,
AUTHORITATIVE WORD OF GOD.
WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ONE GOD, ETERNALLY EXISTENT IN THREE
PERSONS: FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.
WE BELIEVE IN THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, IN HIS VIRGIN
BIRTH, IN HIS SINLESS LIFE, AND HIS MIRACLES, IN HIS VICARIOUS AND
ATONING DEATH THROUGH HIS SHED BLOOD, IN HIS BODILY
RESURRECTION, IN HIS ASCENSION TO THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER,
AND IN HIS PERSONAL RETURN IN POWER AND GLORY.
WE BELIEVE THAT FOR SALVATION OF LOST AND SINFUL PEOPLE,
REGENERATION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
WE BELIEVE IN THE PRESENT MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BY WHOSE
INDWELLING THE CHRISTIAN IS ENABLED TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE.
WE BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF BOTH THE SAVED AND THE LOST;
THEY THAT ARE SAVED UNTO RESURRECTION OF LIFE AND THEY THAT
ARE LOST UNTO THE RESURERCTION OF DAMNATION.
WE BELIEVE IN THE SPIRITUAL UNITY OF BELIEVERS IN OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST.
TUITION FEES FOR 2005
Christian Doctor of Philosophy (C.PH.D.) or Doctor of Christian Counseling
(D.C.C.)
NCCA: 60 credit hours - $5,400
Terms: $900 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 30 months
Christian Master of Arts (C.M.A.) or Master of Christian Counseling (M.C.C.)
or Master of Christian Psychology (C.Psy.M.)
NCCA: 45 credit hours - $4,050
Terms: $750 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 22 months
Doctor of Christian Psychology (C.Psy.D.) (Second Doctorate Only)
NCCA: 48 credit hours - $4,320
Terms: $870 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 23 months
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
in Biblical Counseling, Expository Studies, or Christian Theolory
48 credit hours - $4,320
Terms: $870 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 23 months
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