Declaration of Faith. A Precise One.

Declaration of Faith
Read every 100th line in the link above. The one that says "Declaration of Faith". Or just read every 500th line. Or if you're in a big hurry, just scroll up and down it a couple of times with your cursor. Marvel at the time that went into this man's amazing web page.

I like to think that I'm getting more open-minded as I get older, despite a tendency to go off on rants when typing.

But this guy isn't giving himself much wiggle room, is he?....If he learns that there's a mistake on that web page, does that make the whole structure crumble? And what about the incredible precision displayed in this Confession of Faith....I declare that the false teachers most threatening to pastors, students, and scholars today are those who call themselves evangelical but denigrate the biblical teaching about God, the Bible, and salvation. Chief among these are David Basinger, Gregory Boyd, Stanley Grenz, Bob Gundry, Robert K. Jewitt, Bill Leonard, Clark Pinnock, Jeff Pool, Richard Rice, John Sanders, and generally the faculties of Wake Forest and Mercer Universities (including Smyth & Helwys Publishing).

Good Lord, we're not just theologizing about good and evil here, we're making creedal statements about freakin' Publishing Companies !

(Disclaimer: This guy attacks a friend of mine on a different Rogue's Gallery-type page of his website. I'm not just picking on a random witch doctor)

So where do we need to stand on The Infield Fly Rule? Designated Hitters from the American League during The World Series? Pass Interference less than five yards from the line of scrimmage?

I declare that the Bible, while written from a pre-scientific perspective, is truthful in all its assertions that have a bearing on the sciences.

Those are some strong words. Someone could easily back him into a corner, and force him to start making silly qualifying statements.

I declare that the "days" of Genesis 1 are of indeterminate length according to normal biblical usage of the word, and that the Bible contains numerous evidences that the "days" of Genesis 1 were long periods of time.

There we go. I bet some wily geologist backed him into a corner and forced that one out of him....

I declare that all preaching should be expository preaching, which consists in proclaiming the meaning of a biblical text and communicating its specific applications to the lives of the congregation.

What about the old "make three good points and then tell a deathbed story" sermons that I grew up hearing? ? Have those been declared an abomination?

Good. They were getting predictable.

I declare that the use of elements other than bread and the fruit of the vine diminishes the symbolism of Christ's body and blood.

Ahhh. The fruit of the vine....the fruit of the vine....we can't just say JESUS DRANK WINE, can we? No. Jesus wouldn't dare drink wine....

I declare that the drink used in the original Lord's supper was common diluted wine, whose content was much more similar to grape juice than to any wine produced today

Now we're getting somewhere. The fruit of the vine means grape juice, not wine....hey, wait a minute....did they have refrigeration in 33 A.D. Jerusalem??? If not, I bet everything was fermented enough to knock you down....

This whole exercise has grown tiresome, but I could do it all night.

I declare that it's almost midnight, and I'm going to sleep.