The Final Epilogue - The Mad Theologian's Last Post

This week, Wednesday, July 19th, 2017, just a little after noon, the Mad Theologian's faith became sight. 

Mike Erich passed away at home after a long battle with cancer with his wife at his side. Mike was a brilliant man that will truly be missed at home, at church, and by all those who knew him. Mike was man of deep conviction about the things of the Lord and particularly God's Word which he diligently studied and wrote about. For Mike it has always been about the love of God shown to us in Christ's death on the cross and resurrection where we can find salvation. This is salvation offered freely. The Grace of God in Christ says come give me your sins and I will give you my righteousness. It has never been about what we can do to please God, but rather what God has done to save us. Mike's deepest desire for all people would be that they find salvation in Christ.

Now Mike is with the Lord and I think he would want us to be of good courage. In fact, if he could, he would probably tell us about his move from earth to heaven with A Touch of Humor. I know he would definitely want us to "see" the Bible to understand his absence. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 "6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

Since becoming a believer in Christ Mike has had it as his highest value to follow and please Christ. And he has done well. Mike is now with the Lord, -and that is a good thing. If you are a follower of Christ then be of good courage, the absence is painful and yet short. Soon we all will get a chance to join Mike and please the Lord. Yesterday Mike's faith became sight.

Finally, if you are not a believer in Christ, Mike would tell you "Come." Come and follow Christ today.

Mike, we love and miss you and look forward to our reunion with you in heaven standing in the Grace of Christ.

Jared Jenkins

The Epilogue

After prayer and consideration I have decided, at least for the present, to discontinue posting at this blog due to lack of traffic. It is my intent to re-post and continue to post the ideas presented here on my other blog Mike Erich the Mad Theologian in an attempt to present them to a larger audience. I intend to leave this blog intact and would ask anyone interested in learning more about what is presented here to visit my other blog.

Now the point of this blog was to explore the possibility of connecting Calvinism and Charisma. Based on that I would like to summarize what I have tried to say here.

We need to realize that God is in control and we can trust Him with the problems in our lives. see, see, see

Growth in Christ is a process and not the result of following a particular formula. see, see, see


God does do miracles today, but He does them according to His will. see, see, see

There is demonic influence in the world today, but it must be put in perspective. see, see, see

The miraculous spiritual gifts still exist today, but they are given according to God's will. see, see, see

I would conclude that, while the supernatural still happens today, it is dependent on God's will and is not, in the final analysis, something we can control.

Blame It on Satan

There is a tendency in some circles to blame every sin and every disease on demonic activity. There is also the opposite extreme that denies or minimizes demonic involvement in anything. Now there is a Scriptural basis for believing demonic powers are involved in leading us into sin (1 Corinthians 7:5; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Timothy 3:7). But we are also informed that the primary source of our sin is our own sin nature (James 1:14,15; Romans 7:18; 8:8). Also, there are diseases in Scripture attributed to demons (Matthew 12:22; Luke 13:16; 2 Corinthians 12:7). But the fact that casting out demons is one item on the lists of things Jesus did that also include healing of various diseases suggests that all diseases are not explained this way (Matthew 4:24; Mark 1:32-34; 6:13). Now I do believe there is a place today for dealing with demonic forces (nor do I find any basis in Scripture for teaching otherwise). But I am convinced it is not the sole approach to dealing with every problem, and when used that way it can become a gimmick that leads us away from dealing with the issues on a more appropriate basis, giving full consideration to other factors.

Biblical Musings - Colossians 2:8

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8 (NIV)

What is the philosophy described here? How can we avoid it?

Biblical Musings - Isaiah 41:10

"'Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I  will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" Isaiah 41:10 (NASV)

What does this statement mean for our lives? Why should we live differently because of it?

When We Are Not in Vogue

We live in a culture in which Christianity is no longer respected. How should we respond to this? We could respond in anger, demanding the respect we think we deserve. Or we could react in desperation, trying frantically to return to a place of respectability. Or we could trust God. God never promised that society would always be on our side; in fact He predicted the opposite (John 15:18-21; 16:1-4; Matthew 10:16-39). But God also tells us that He will accomplish His purpose in the world in spite of this opposition (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 3:6,7). God also promises us that we can trust Him to face what we need to face in our lives (Proverbs 3:5,6; Psalms 127:1,2; Romans 8:28). But God never promised that we would always be admired by the world around us. That was never His intent.

Biblical Musings - John 3:18

"He who believes is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18 (NASV)

What does this imply? How should it affect the way a believer lives?

Biblical Musings - 1 Corinthians 3:18

Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 1 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

What does this statement mean for us? How do we avoid the danger spoken of ? 

The Goal

What is God trying to do in our lives? And why does He bring trials into our lives to accomplish it? Part of our problem is we see God as trying to make us nice moral people. And we tend to see ourselves as perhaps not quite there, but close. Therefore, we can start to wonder why we face real difficulties in our lives. We can ask if this is really necessary. Why use the chisel when a little sandpaper will do? But God's goal is to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:10). Given this, we still have a long way to go (see Matthew 5-7). Now God does work in us through His power to produce this change (Colossians 1:29; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Peter 1:3). But He also uses external circumstances to bring this about (James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 1 Peter 1:6,7). Considering how far we have to go, is it surprising He sometimes uses the chisel?

Biblical Musings - John 15:5

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NIV)

What are the implications of Jesus' statement here? How do we remain in Him?

Biblical Musings Colossians 2:19

and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. Colossians 2:19 (NASV)

What does this tell us about the body of Christ? How does it apply to our lives?

The Army

The King's army went forward, marching in line, shields locked together ready to face the foe. But there were problems. Ofttimes the leaders marched out far ahead of the column and bore the brunt of the attack. Some claimed that some leaders preferred it that way so they would get the greatest honor. Some claimed that they were not given an adequate station, given the nature of their abilities. (Others might question whether their abilities existed or were as valuable as they claimed.) And there was the continual complaint against the members of the army who refused to bear their fair share of the burden. While there might be debate in any particular case, that there were such problems seemed unquestionable. Also, the army had long been divided into different platoons, each objecting to the methods and discipline of the others. But in spite of this, the army moved forward, accomplishing the purposes of the King.

Then one day there came consultants among the troops who pointed out the problems of the current system. They said if the army would listen to them, they would fix the problems. So they suggested new marching patterns that lacked the old interlocking row of shields and took much more practice to make work. And they put the leaders behind the army, where it was harder for the ranks to see where they were directing them. They issued softer and gentler weapons and shields in the hopes of doing less harm to the enemy and making it more likely that the enemy would join their side. Many started making forays on their own or with a few trusted companions, rather than staying with the army. Some even stayed at home to watch the action through a telescope. And there grew more divisions in the army, as groups fought over which of the new methods to adopt. These new methods did cause some inconveniences and the occasional unnecessary wound due to lack of a firm shield wall. But in spite of this the army moved forward, accomplishing the purposes of the King.   

Biblical Musings Romans 4:4,5

Now the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.  Romans 4:4,5 (NASV)

What does this tell us about salvation? How should it affect how we live afterward?

Biblical Musings Revelation 5:12

saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" Revelation 5:12 (NKJV)

What things here are ascribed to Christ? What difference does this make to us?

The Ebb and Flow of Miracles

One argument that has been used against the continuing of the miraculous spiritual gifts is whether the gifts exhibited at the present time stack up to the miracles at the time of the apostles. It is claimed that we do not see the same degree of blatant miracles that were seen in New Testament times. All spiritual gifts are given according to the will of God (1 Corinthians 12:11) and are used within the will of God (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Now there do seem to times that God is particularly blatant in His outpouring of miracles.  The times of the Exodus, of Elijah and Elisha, and of the New Testament are examples of these. These seem to happen at times God is instituting some new thing. But this does not mean that all miracles or miraculous gifts vanish in the times in between. There are miracles seen in those periods (Judges 15:14-19; 2 Kings 19:35; 1 Kings 13:3-5). Therefore, just because God is not working in as blatant a way does not mean He has stopped working miracles or giving miraculous gifts in the times in between. Now we do need to test a particular miracle, whether it is from God or is a coincidence or is some kind of placebo effect (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22). But we cannot say because we do not see the dead raised or the Red Sea parted that no miraculous gifts exist at this time.    

Biblical Musings Philippians 3:13,14

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13,14 (NKJV)

What things are involved in running the race? How do we carry them out?

Biblical Musings 2 Corinthians 10:4,5

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4,5 (NIV)

What are these weapons? How do they accomplish the purposes stated?

Following Our Impulses

There is a danger in seeing all our impulses as the leading of God. We are sinners (Romans 3:23); our heart is deceitful and cannot be trusted (Jeremiah 17:9). Also, we are called to trust in God, not our understanding, (Proverbs 3:5,6) and to test whether something is from God (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22). Now the temptation here is to totally reject any impressions as being from God. But then we are left to rely totally on our human wisdom (1 Corinthians 3:18). The problem with this is we can end doing things based on what makes sense to us rather than acting in faith (Hebrews 11:13-16). Sometimes God called people to do things that did not obviously make sense from the human perspective (Joshua 6:1-5; Acts 8:26-40; 16:6-10). But there is a danger here. It is easy to jump to the conclusion that some impulse is God speaking, when it is really only us. This is not always easy to figure out. We must, of course, reject anything that is contrary to Scripture (Isaiah 8:20). The problem comes when we meet something of a serious nature where there is no clear-cut   Scriptural command. This takes careful consideration, prayer, and, ideally, seasoned experience. But we need to remember that God is in control of our lives to accomplish His purposes in  them (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11; 2:10). And we need to live our lives with our trust in Him, not our impulses (Psalms 127:1,2).

Biblical Musings John 3:18

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." John 3:18 (NIV)

What are the implications of this statement? How should it affect how we live?

Biblical Musings 2 Timothy 2:3,4

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3,4 (NASV)

What do these verses say about how we should live? What does it mean to live as a soldier?