1 Corinthians 15:3-4
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures..."
I am Reformed Protestant. I lean heavily towards Calvinism but as Mark Driscoll says, "I am a charismatic with a seat belt". I also have a past steeped in Dispensationalism (but am no longer) that tends to "color" my views on eschatology. I was Premillennial but now lean towards Amillennial, and undecided on Tribulation position...I tend towards Pretrib but cannot find any correctly interpreted Scripture to back it up. Mid-Trib is not wholly out of the question then and post-trib is a stretch for me. What I have come to learn from Daniel and Revelation tends to make me believe that there is a high probability that believers will at least be here during some of the Tribulation (See my series on Apocalypse Prophecy). What else have I missed?
I can tell you what I am not into: Liberal Theology, Interfaithism, Easy Believism, Prosperity Gospel, Emergent, Christian Mysticism, Seeker-Friendly, Legalism, Antinomianism, Methodological Naturalism and Evangelical or Militant Atheism. Regardless of a persons presuppositions, I am willing to have conversations with anyone on the topic of God, Religion, Salvation, Sin, Ethics, etc.
I believe that Pentecostals or the more enthusiastic denominations that look down their nose at Calvinists or less lively denominations, and view them as prudes or as being too rigid are missing out on good teaching and fellowship. Likewise, Calvinists that look down their noses at the more "animated" of our brethren are also missing out on a huge portion of teaching and a lot of what the Holy Spirit has to offer. I am not willing to give up on that "still small voice" as the King James has so eloquently put it.
To summarize: You need not be a stoic stick in the mud to be Calvinist and you don't need to be a rodeo clown to be Pentecostal. These are opposite ends and extremes and quite frankly I find them to be unfair stereotypes (usually). Rarely, if ever, are either of them true. I persoanlly am quite willing to get emotional about my God but not at the cost of sound doctrine. I care how people feel after I have run things through a Scriptural filter since our emotions can often lead us astray. We are to discern the spirits. That can only be done by the word or through the word...never against it. God's Word and Holy Spirit move me. We are brethren/brothers & sisters, we should stop acting like the siblings Cain and Abel or Jacob and Esau and act more like James and John (minus thunder) or Moses and Aaron.
Anyone that has heard Paul Washer preach knows exactly what I am talking about. The people I adhere closely too in terms of sermons and teaching besides my own church and school are John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Paul Washer, 9Marks (occasionally), Ravi (apologetics), James M. Boice, C.H. Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, etc.
Oh, I also take the Great Commission from our Lord very seriously:
Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Okay, now that my position is out of the way. Many are probably wondering, "What got under his skin?"
Some folks with poor reading comprehension (or willful ignorance) are confusing me with a site that is promoting doctrinally divergent views as opposed to some of my views. My site is called SoulJournaler because I am attempting wordplay at various levels. I chose this name because of its similarity to other words or allusions that could be drawn from Scripture:
Soul:
Countless references throughout Scripture.
Soldier:
2 Timothy 2:3-4
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Journal/Journaler: (i.e.: scribes, etc) as they were often keepers of legitimate doctrine or teachings unless they had gone AWOL (absent without the Lord). Ezra was a scribe.
Journey/Journeyer: Self-explanatory
The actual word "Sojourner" is also used in Scripture, fifty (50) times in the Pentateuch alone.
Its proper definition in Webster's as it relates to my dual citizenship as a believer on earth acting as a sojourner for the Kingdom. I do not really belong here.
Noun 1. Sojourner: a temporary resident.
John 17:14-19
"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Philippians 3:20
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ...
These are the only other ways I would like the word "sojourner" associated to the SoulJournaler website.
__________________________
Now that I have all that nonsense out of the way.
I am in no way associated with the political/social activist group Sojourners. What I am associated with is social compassion such as soup kitchens and outreaches to the community that are for the destitute and forgotten of society. Donation of time and money to those less fortunate in our neighborhoods. The homeless in Pottstown, Reading...our own communities or in Africa, Haiti or hard hit areas. I do not believe political or social activism is where the Lord is calling me to affect a change for the Kingdom. Although I will say that I am socially conscious and do everything I can to assist in my community and other's as this is a living embodiment of the Gospel and does what Christ told us to do. I just cannot reconcile in my mind a social activist organization with political agendas that entail socialistic policies. It may be a call for others to be politicians, activists or both but I believe my call is to expound on the Word in pastoral ministry or pastoral teaching and let the Word do the work. To me a Pastor should concern himself with the things of God and let the politicians concern themselves with politics. I am not a politician. I am God's man.
What I will admit to is that I saw the comparison early on between the two names and figured, if I siphon off one or two Sojourner followers here or there because they accidentally stumbled into my site thru a typo...**wink wink nudge nudge** ;)
So...that's it. I'll bet that what I have disclosed here is more than most reading this blog will ever care to know about me. 'Nuff said.
Philippians 2:5-11
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Wow - This is powerful - Really enjoyed this. Love reading these posts :) Darrell
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