For
The Holy Spirit's Covenant
Contrary to popular opinion, it isn't enough to just "read the Bible" and make a decision. One has to struggle to identify their own paradigms and lens. Everyone has them and it is always hard to break away from them (even if they are correct) to evaluate the Scriptures afresh.
The importance of “and you” here cannot be lost within the context of this epistle. This is the designation of Gentile converts (Eph 1:12; 2:11; 3:1; 4:17). Paul’s discourse here is first and best applied to Gentiles.
Musings on the Heidelberg Catechism
Are we in fact willing to confess that the children of covenant parents can utter these words without lying? If not, then the children should not learn them.
I've given up trying to type out all my notes for my reviews. Instead I'll turn them into some audio My Takes that let me express a little bit more fluidly. Or perhaps more confusingly. You decide.
Multiple symbolic events occur in the conclusion of this covenant making with Abram that it is fitting to focus on each of them briefly. Adam too was put into a deep sleep in the creation of his wife (Gen 2:21). This event ultimately looks forward to the burial of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of His body which is the church (John 11:25; Eph 1:22-23).
This psalm is different from the rest in that it does not have a portion about the unrighteous. Instead this psalm begins in a strongly covenantal way. The word “preserve” is used early in the OT with reference to covenant obligations (Gen 2:15; 17:9-10; 18:19). Here the request is from man to God to keep us within His covenant. Similar statements can be found even within the New Testament (John 10:29; Jude 1:24).
So do kids fall away? Of course. They fall away from lack of faith. But the Bible is so full of promises that God honors His faithful that we must ask why this is so common in our day and age. The answer is obvious: we don't live in faith of God's promises and we don't raise our kids as if they are the recipients of that promise.
The second important lesson is that evil is specific. The devil is the adversary of God. And thus the devil is the adversary of God’s people. He looks to destroy us but our faith in Christ delivers us (1 Pet 5:8-9).