ECCLESIASTES 3:9\u201322<\/b><\/p>\n
I thought in my heart, \u201cGod will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
(Ecclesiastes 3:17)<\/i>.<\/p>\n
In the ancient world the primary concern of philosophers was the nature of reality and the essence of things. We call this \u201cmetaphysics.\u201d Since the ancient pagans rejected the truth that God created the world out of nothing, they sought to understand the world in terms of itself. Eventually this investigation broke down, since no one could explain how the presumed oneness of all things could be reconciled with the evident diversity of things in the world.<\/p>\n
When pagan thought revived in the modern world, it shifted its attention to the problem of knowledge, a concern we call \u201cepistemology.\u201d How is it possible to know anything?\u2014was the question. The biblical answer is that God designed the mind of man to understand Him and the world, and that the Spirit of God works with our minds to give us knowledge. Rejecting this answer, the early humanists tried to imagine ways in which data from the world \u201centered\u201d the mind of man. Eventually this investigation also broke down, since there seemed no way to explain how man knows anything, and in fact it may be that all our knowledge is mere illusion and insanity.<\/p>\n
Thus nineteenth-century philosophers shifted their attention to the question of the philosophy of history. Under the influence of Christianity, they accepted the notion of linear time and destiny, but they rejected the idea that history was an unfolding plan of God. Eventually their investigation broke down, because they had no reason to assume the truth of linear time and destiny.<\/p>\n
Thus twentieth-century philosophy returned to the concerns expressed in the book of Ecclesiastes: What is man and what is the meaning of human life? Martin Heidegger, in his book Sein und Zeit<\/i> (Being and Time)<\/i>, said that man experiences a sense of having been thrown into life, not knowing where he came from or where he is going. He lives in a meaningless and terrifying here and now. Jean-Paul Sartre carried forward this notion in his book Being and Nothingness<\/i>.<\/p>\n
By way of contrast, the biblical view is that time is moving toward a final judgment when God will evaluate every single thing that has ever happened. Thus, everything in history has meaning.<\/p>\n
CORAM DEO<\/b><\/p>\n
Jeremiah 29\u201330<\/p>\n
Titus 1<\/p>\n
Review the truth in last Friday\u2019s study (October 25) that each person has a destiny. Not only is our end significant, but all experiences of life leading to that end are similarly significant. Nothing\u2014nothing\u2014in your life lacks meaning. Share this profound truth with someone today who could use encouragement in the faith.<\/p>\n
For further study: John 4:35 \u2022 Romans 12:15 \u2022 1 Corinthians 9:19\u201327 \u2022 2 Timothy 4:2\u20135<\/i><\/p>\n
TABLETALK<\/p>\n
from ligonier ministries and teaching and encouraging believers \u2022 november 1991<\/p>\n
HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT<\/p>\n
Daily Studies From The Teaching Fellowship Of R. C. Sproul<\/p>\n
publisher<\/b> Ligonier Ministries<\/i> editor<\/b> Robert F. Ingram<\/i> assistant editor<\/b> Michael S. Beates<\/i> art director<\/b> David K. Freeland<\/i><\/p>\n
editorial assistants<\/b> Mike Renihan, R. C. Sproul, Jr.<\/i> marketing<\/b> Gordon Busteed, Gretchen L. Suskovic<\/i> production<\/b> W. David Fox, Melissa A. Prichard, Dawn Sanders<\/i><\/p>\n
circulation<\/b> Brenda M. Worden<\/i> writing consultant<\/b> Sharon J. Anderson<\/i><\/p>\n
Published by Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, Inc. under license granted by Ligonier Ministries, Inc. Copyright 1991, Ligonier Ministries, Inc. The Bible studies are based upon teaching material by Dr. R. C. Sproul. Unless noted, all Scripture quotations in this publication are from the<\/i> Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers.<\/i><\/p>\n
member evangelical press association<\/p>\n
Cover Photo by Phil Fewsmith<\/p>\n
robert f. ingram \u2022 editor<\/p>\n
Coram Deo<\/p>\n
One cannot read far in Scripture before being confronted by words such as evildoers, condemnation, everlasting torment,<\/i> and retribution.<\/i> We don\u2019t often use words like these. Instead, we replace them with euphemisms. People talk about an unmarried couple \u201cmaking love\u201d when, in fact, the Bible terms it \u201cfornication.\u201d Or we negate a pleasant-sounding word rather than use the raw biblical terms. For example, we speak of the nonbeliever rather than the wicked; of the person who is not blessed rather than the cursed.<\/p>\n
Two particularly striking examples are the words love<\/i> and hate.<\/i> Although the Scriptures describe God as a lover of His people and One who displays perfect hatred for the wicked (Psalm 139:22), we shrink from ever attributing the word hate<\/i> to the character or work of God. It is anathema to some that God would hate<\/i> those who spurn the grace freely offered by His own dear Son.<\/p>\n
In this issue of Tabletalk<\/i> we have dared to ask, Does God really love the world, and if so, in what manner? If He doesn\u2019t truly love the world as we typically define it, then what is His posture toward the lost?<\/p>\n
Might it be that we are not able to tolerate undiluted biblical language? I think so. Our euphemisms and bland vocabulary have impeded the Word of God from being \u201cliving and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow\u201d (Hebrews 4:12).<\/p>\n
Perhaps this is also the reason for lackluster worship and a loss of zeal for God. We seldom use rich words like delight, passion,<\/i> and beloved.<\/i> By reducing our vocabulary we are reducing our capacity to be moved by the Scriptures. Our language has become technical and antiseptic; by contrast, the Scriptures are intense with vivacious language. Our life with Jesus is impoverished, and it becomes difficult to live life Coram Deo<\/i>.<\/i> To live Coram Deo<\/i> involves bringing all of life, including our vocabulary, before Him, subject to His authority, and unto His glory, even when we face as difficult a question as, Does God really love the world?<\/p>\n
table of contents<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ECCLESIASTES 3:9\u201322 I thought in my heart, \u201cGod will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed\u201d (Ecclesiastes 3:17). In the ancient world the primary concern of philosophers was the nature of reality and the essence of things. We call … Continue reading “EVERYTHING HAS A PURPOSE”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11579\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}