I have just begun to read Red Letters: Living a Faith that Bleeds by Tom Davis, president of Children’s HopeChest. I’ll confess that I’ve only read the introduction so far, but I have a few thoughts that should be communicated regarding the premise with which he opens the book: the letters in red (Jesus’ words) point to the red blood (His sacrifice) and, apart from the cross, you have an empty Gospel. What I mean to refer to is this statement from the introduction:

The only gospel worth living is the one that incarnates love. The only gospel worth giving our lives for is the one that elevates the needs of others above our own. that’s what the “good news” is all about (Davis 14).

The reality is, Mr. Davis, that while the Gospel inevitably has social consequences and that all believers are called to fulfill the royal law (James 2) to love our neighbors as ourselves, the social dimensions are not the gospel. The Gospel is the message of redemption: Jesus Christ and Him crucified, for the redemption of all creation, to redeem it from sin and death. In the cross - and only in the cross - can change come to a broken, fallen humanity that is groaning under the groaning and burdening of sin. We must minister to the oppressed, the orphan and widow of our age, and we are obligated to show them Christ in our actions, to redeem their lives, but that is because of the Gospel, not because it is the Gospel. So, I urge you all, brothers and sisters, to focus yourselves on the cross, and then go - bring whoever you can outside the gate to the Cross of Christ - just be sure you equip them for the journey (James 2).

More to come as I continue to read…

As I write this, we’re in Washington, PA, nearly back home after one absolutely amazing conference experience. The grace of God was abundantly evident in everything that went on, in how the Holy Spirit has convicted me and many other participants that I have had the privilege to fellowship with, worship with, and study with these last few days. This morning, we met in our community groups for the last time and specifically addressed application from the entire week and what God has used New Attitude to speak to our hearts. For myself, I came to realize that I have, for a long time, failed to place myself under the authority of Scripture. Yes, I’ve learned from the Bible. I know a lot about it, a lot in it, and a lot of different views of it, but all that is nothing and useless - because of the simple reality that I was not lovingly submissive to the authority of the Word of God. So, for those of you who have believed things that I’ve said or found my thoughts persuasive, I apologize for not relating to Scripture rightly in that regards. God, in His grace, has kept me - I believe - from teaching things that are unbiblical, but it is most certainly the case that a teacher who doesn’t submit to the Word is failing himself and his hearers.

Application would be a useless concept if there were not tangible things that were being done to live out the Holy Spirit’s leading. For myself, I’m going to be continuing reading the Bible in one year plan offered at YouVersion, and using Rashi’s Commentary on the Tanach with Old Testament passages. Additionally, I will be recommitting myself to the discipline of memorization - particularly the epistle of James. In all of this, by God’s grace, I will endeavor to hear the voice of God in everything regarding His Word - in preaching, in reading, in speaking, and listening.

These musings are disorganized and may not prove helpful to you at all, but I have found that I need to process and will likely continue doing that in the coming days, to seek the Lord’s leading. Thank you, loyal yokefellow, for bearing with me and reading this, and I plead your prayers on my behalf and for everyone who had the privilege to attend New Attitude. For those of you who God privileged to be wherever you were, I commend the messages to you and they will be availble on New Attitude’s website sometime in the near future. Jesus Christ my Lord, son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

Soli Deo gloria!

It has been a phenomenally busy two days, but two days that were extraordinarily edifying. Having heard from five godly men on the Word of God - Mark Dever, Al Mohler, C.J. Mahaney, Eric Simmons, and John Piper - it has just been a day of solid, clear, Gospel-centered preaching and counsel. In addition to the “normalcy” of conference craziness, I had lunch with a good friend from Virginia, following which was C.J. Mahaney’s session.

Following that was the Rebelution meetup with a few of the forum administrators, Honor Roll Members and other members. Anna L, Holly D, Charlie Albright, Mark Hutchins, Hannah Schlaudt, David MacMillan III, Justin DaVito, and Pastor Timothy D - and some others - all showed up to meet one another (for most, the first time face-to-face) and encourage each other and build each other up in the Lord (and debate…David MacMillan and I were talking into the early hours of the morning). I’ve had very brief (but pleasant) run-ins with Brian Whalen, and some other great guys here also.

I bought a book - Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. We’re heading back for Pittsburgh after the final session tomorrow, and if this seems rushed or random, it has to do with the fact that conferences are notorious for the lack of sleep they allow their attendees. God has been gracious and I fully expect Him to continue that, so praise Him for that happy day, when all our sins were washed away. Soli Deo Gloria.

Note: I have decided that, until [Re]Connected is back up, “The Account” will do nicely to publish some material and basic thoughts - but this is not a replacement by any stretch. To begin with, it’s more journal like for the next week or so.

We left Pittsburgh bright and early (6:45 AM) and arrived in Louisville, KY around 2:15 PM…in other words, making good time for a trip that had two meal stops and another unexpected break along the way. We are staying at the Galt House, just two blocks down form the Kentucky International Convention Center, where the New Attitude Conference actually takes place. After checking in both the hotel and for the conference, I attended a meeting for Family Group Leaders (for those who aren’t familiar with Na, “family groups” are basically small groups that are designed to discuss and encourage application from what was being preached during the sessions). Following that, I ran into (quite literally), David MacMillan for the first time in real life, EVER (wish I had a picture for that moment…). We spoke for a moment and then I tracked down my church group before the Session began.

Following a welcome from Eric Simmons, Bob Kauflin and some other wonderful Gospel-centered worshippers led worship for the entire set of conference attendees, which was a wonderful encouragement to us and led our souls right where they needed to be: in awe of God. Following this, we had a first challenge from Josh Harris rooted in Jeremiah 15 - dealing with how we approach and respond to the Word of God. Do we receive it (”eat it” - Jeremiah) or reject it (”burn it” - Jehoiakim)? We met in our community groups, then, for the first time (community groups are a combination of many family groups under the leadership of a local church pastor. My assistant pastor is my community group leader, thankfully) and shared and discussed the challenges that came to us through Josh’s preaching.

Tomorrow holds promises of being a good day, having the privilege of hearing from Mark Dever and Al Mohler as we do, and then lunch with a good friend, a pizza party with my church for dinner, and then the Rebelutionary meetup late in the evening after all the sessions finish up. So, in other words, one heck of an update for tomorrow.

In the Gospel,

David

Since I first launched The Account in September 2004, I have had a great chance to learn a great deal, to grow in Christ, and to be challenged in my faith and I know that many of you have had the same opportunity. Yet, times change and needs change and God’s calling on our lives continues. The time for The Account as great as it has been (although rather sporadic and inconsistent in the last year or so), has come to an end for me. I will, however, leave it up for the reading and exploration of any and all who come here.

To all the readers, I want to thank you for reading and challenging me, and being challenged. I trust that God has grown your faith through The Account in one way or another and pray that He will continue to do so. It’s been quite the blast working here with this project and I’ve no doubt that God has used it.

But this is not the last of David Ketter, never fear. I’ll still be writing and podcasting from Regenerate Our Culture as well as working with The Rebelution. Yet, as of this very moment, [Re]Connected is now officially opened. This is a site devoted to a passion in my life: discipling community for Christ. Rather than focusing on strictly doctrinal issues, my hope is to encourage discipleship among believers and raise a community devoted to serving Christ wholeheartedly, growing together to be of one mind in the Spirit of peace. Grace and Peace to you from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The word “father” occurs over 1,000 times in the Scriptures (don’t believe me? Check this page out) in many contexts: lineage, promises, God’s relationship with His people,  and the human fatherhood that God has ordained in creation for the heads of households and leaders of the Church.  The Apostle Paul makes a point to deal directly with this relationship many times - the most prominent of these being found in Ephesians 6:1-4 (ESV):

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The Proverbs of King Solomon the Wise also shed light on this matter, stating:

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.  (Proverbs 15:20, ESV)

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. (Proverbs 17:6, ESV)

Dads are something that God takes very seriously - a role that the Most High Himself has chosen to use as the representation and understanding of His love and grace and how He desires to relate to us.  Dads are designed to be the human demonstration of God’s fatherly character and, in His grace, He has blessed many of us with fathers who raise us, care for us, provide for us and protect us as we mature.  I myself have been blessed by God in this way to have my Dad.

He isn’t like most dads these days, actually  My dad is of the old way of thinking (a way that I myself support on many fronts): working hard to provide for his family and doing work for and with his family at home.  Yard work, house work, office work, car work (we’ve been doing quite a bit of that lately), he is always prepared to “get ‘er done” so things can keep going as they should.

That’s definitely one of the main things I appreciate most about my dad.  For as long as I can remember, he has worked day and night to give us a home, a living and to constantly make sure his family is provided for.  Day after day for years, he has dealt with a particularly stressful occupation (property management for non-profits) to do that.   To top it off, rarely has a weekend gone by when he hasn’t done work around the house or with the car, or maybe helping others in the family, etc. with their needs in that respect too.

It’s an amazing commitment to family, a value that he is teaching me (I’m a slow learner) more and more.  By the grace of God, I have in him an example of committed loyalty to family and to providing for that family - both immediate and extended.  “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family” is a frequent saying of his and I’ll confess that it was often received by me with a sort of resentment at the truth of that fact.  Yet, God has worked in me and in many ways, I’m beginning to see the wisdom of God in choosing both our family and friendships for us - He knows best.

Dad: Thank you for your loyalty, sacrifice, hard work, and demonstrated love time and time again.  I couldn’t ask for a more committed father than the one that God has given me in you.  I love you, Dad.  Happy Father’s Day!

This poem was authored by a relative of mine, who is an extremely-gifted poet and has often blessed me with his writing. As Memorial Day approaches, I thought this gem would be well worth your reading and reflection:

CROSSES

Pale white crosses….row upon row;
Silent monuments to those who lay below.

Symbols of the greed and inhumanity of man.
The consequence of war since time began.

They went off to war and did their best.
Gave up their lives and now lay at rest.

Fallen warriors who left home to fight,
For their country’s honor…to make things right.

In the futility of war, they lost their lives;
Leaving parents, siblings, children and wives.

They knew not whether the battle was won,
But they were heroes…each and every one.

We owe our freedom to those who lay below,
Those pale white crosses….row upon row.

Vance Oliphant
© June, 2001

The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29, ESV)

The joy that John the Baptist must have felt upon seeing Jesus pass by him! John’s entire life had been built on waiting for his Lord to come and be revealed to Israel. Had had lived 30 years the life of a Nazirite, never tasting wine, never cutting his hair, never eating certain types of food. For some time, John had been preaching a message of repentance - a message of judgment and fire - that had prepared the way for the coming of Jesus the Messiah. But was John’s joy in the fact that everything he had worked for (by God’s grace) was finally coming to the point of results?

Not at all. In fact, John makes it quite obvious that his joy is in Christ - and in His mission. Who is Christ? The Sacrificial Lamb of God! What does He come to do? To take away the sins of the world! How wonderful that this Lamb’s ministry is not some past event or a future event, but a present event. Even as Paul quotes the Prophet Isaiah [49:8, ESV], “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you…” NOW is the day of salvation! Christ’s ministry of reconciliation, that which we who believe have come into, is the present active work of the Lamb, slain before the foundations of the earth were laid.

How great is the love that the Father has lavished upon us! In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:7-10, ESV). What have we to do but be faithfully grateful? What have we to do but faithfully worship? What have we to do but acknowledge how He has faithfully kept us?

Nothing! Emptiness! If we are not living in response to our Lord’s sacrifice, ever-present as it is, then we live for nothing! Abba, let not our hearts seek after vain things. Only let them live faithfully in response to You, for Your glory and honor. Let Your Spirit enable us to bow our knee and confess “Jesus is Lord.” In the Power and Name of Your Son, Whose own blood was spilled for us, amein.

Rabbi Jacob Emden (d. 1776) was a famous Rabbi for his day and is highly regarded in the Orthodox Jewish tradition, particularly among the Chasidic Jews. This epistle, I think is quite a challenge and a revelation that Christians today (like their predecessors in Europe) need to hear. Read this with and open mind and a heart tuned to the Spirit of God, rather than our own “comfort zone” of theology.

Rabbi Jacob Emden’s Letter (Seder Olam Rabbah Vezuta)

For it is recognized that also the Nazarene and his disciples, especially Paul, warned concerning the Torah of the Israelites, to which all the circumcised are tied. And if they are truly Christians, they will observe their faith with truth, and not allow within their boundary this new unfit Messiah Shabbetai Zevi who came to destroy the earth.

But truly even according to the writers of the Gospels, a Jew is not permitted to leave his Torah, for Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians (Gal. 5) “I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, the Messiah will do you no good at all. You can take it from me that every man who receives circumcision is under obligation to keep the entire Torah.” Again because of this he admonished in a letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 7) that the circumcised should not remove the marks of circumcision, nor should the uncircumcised circumcise themselves.

Many have asked that Paul appears to contradict himself here. In the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16), it is mentioned that Paul circumcised his disciple Timothy. And they found this very puzzling, for this act seems to contradict the later text which seems to indicate that he considered circumcision a temporary commandment until the Messiahs arrival; but this took place after the time of the Nazarene! Therefore you must realize–and accept the truth from him who speaks it– that we see clearly here that the Nazarene and his Apostles did not wish to destroy the Torah from Israel, God forbid; for it is written so in Matthew (Mt. 5), the Nazarene having said, “Do not suppose that I have come to abolish the Torah. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. I tell you this: So long as heaven and earth endure, not a letter, not a stroke, will disappear from the Torah until it is achieved. If any man therefore sets aside even the least of the Torahs demands, and teaches others to do the same, he will have the lowest place in the Kingdom of Heaven, whereas anyone who keeps the Torah, and teaches others so, will stand high in the Kingdom of Heaven.” This is also recorded in Luke (Lk. 16). It is therefore exceedingly clear that the Nazarene never dreamed of destroying the Torah.

We similarly find Paul, his disciple, in a letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5), accusing them of fornication, and condemning one who had lived with his fathers wife. You may therefore understand that Paul doesnt contradict himself because of his circumcision of Timothy, for the latter was the son of a Jewish mother and a Gentile father (Acts 16), and Paul was a scholar, an attendant of Rabban Gamaliel the Elder, well-versed in the laws of the Torah. He knew that the child of a Jewish mother is considered a full Jew, even if the father should be a Gentile, as is written in the Talmud and Codes. He therefore acted entirely in accordance with the Halakha by circumcising Timothy. This would be in line with his position that all should remain within their own faith (1 Cor. 7). Timothy, born of a Jewish mother, had the law of a Jew, and had to be circumcised, just as he was enjoined to observe all commandments of the Torah (Pauls condemnation of the man who lived with his stepmother is similarly understandable, as such an act is also forbidden to Noahides), for all who are circumcised are bound by all the commandments. This provides a satisfactory reply to the question.

This will also solve the apparent contradictions in the Nazarenes own statements. Christian scholars have assumed from certain passages in the Gospels that he wished to give a new Torah to take the place of the Torah of Moses. How could he then have said explicitly that he comes only to fulfill it? But it is as I have said earlier–that the writers of the Gospels never meant to say that the Nazarene came to abolish Judaism, but only that he came to establish a religion for the Gentiles from that time onward. Nor was it new, but actually ancient; they being the Seven Commandments of the Sons of Noah, which were forgotten. The Apostles of the Nazarene then established them anew. However, those born as Jews, or circumcised as converts to Judaism (Ex. 12:49; one law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger) are obligated to observe all commandments of the Torah without exception.

But for the Gentiles he reserved the Seven Commandments which they have always been obligated to fulfill. It is for that reason that they were forbidden pollutions of idols, fornication, blood, and things strangled (Acts 15). They also forbade them circumcision and the Sabbath. All of this was in accord with the law and custom of our Torah, as expounded by our Sages, the true transmitters from Moses at Sinai. It was they who sat upon his seat (as the Nazarene himself attested [Mt. 23]). It was they (the Sages or Pharisees) who said that it is forbidden to circumcise a Gentile who does not accept upon himself the yoke of (all) the commandments. The Sages likewise said that the Gentile is enjoined not (fully) to observe the Sabbath. The Apostles of the Nazarene therefore chose for those Gentiles who do not enter the Jewish faith that instead of circumcision they should practice immersion (for truly immersion is also a condition of full conversion), and a commemoration of the Sabbath was made for them on Sunday. — But the Nazarene and his Apostles observed the Sabbath and circumcision as mentioned earlier, for they were born as Jews. They observed the Torah fully, until after a period of time a few of them decided to give up the Torah among themselves completely. They said that its observance was too difficult for them and agreed to remove its yoke from their necks (Acts 15).

But even here they did correctly as far as the Gentiles were concerned, for they were not commanded to observe it. Nor is it proper to make it difficult for them, since they did not receive (accept?) the Torah and are not enjoined to ob serve the 613 commandments. However, it is completely different as far as the Jews are concerned, for they became obligated to fulfill the Torah because God delivered them from the iron furnace (Egypt) to be the people of his possession. Therefore they and their children became subject to it forever. This, their covenant, will not be forgotten from their mouths, nor be discontinued from their children. For it they have given their lives throughout the generations, as the Psalmist has recorded (Ps. 44:18): All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten Thee, neither have we been false to Thy covenant.

Certainly, therefore, there is no doubt that one who seeks truth will agree with our thesis, that the Nazarene and his Apostles never meant to abolish the Torah of Moses from one who was born a Jew. Likewise did Paul write in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 7) that each should adhere to the faith in which each was called. They therefore acted in accordance with the Torah by forbidding circumcision to Gentiles, according to the Halakha, as it is forbidden to one who does not accept the yoke of the commandments. They knew that it would be too difficult for the Gentiles to observe the Torah of Moses. They therefore forbade them to circumcise, and it would suffice that they observe the Seven Noahide Commandments, as commanded upon them through the Halakha from Moses at Sinai.

It is therefore a habitual saying of mine (not as a hypocritical flatterer, God forbid, for I am of the faithful believers of Israel, and I know well that the remnant of Israel will not speak falsehood, nor will their mouths contain a deceitful tongue) that the Nazarene brought about a double kindness in the world. On the one hand, he strengthened the Torah of Moses majestically, as mentioned earlier, and not one of our Sages spoke out more emphatically concerning the immutability of the Torah. And on the other hand, he did much good for the Gentiles (provided they do not turn about his intent as they please, as some foolish ones have done because they did not fully understand the intent of the authors of the Gospels. I have recently seen someone publish a book, and he had no idea about what he was writing. For if he had understood the subject, he would have kept his silence and not wasted the paper and ink. There are also found among us foolish scholars who know not their right from their left in the Written and Oral Torahs and cause the people to err with their pompous pronouncements. But there are true scholars among the Christians, just as there are the chosen few among Torah scholars; and there are few of the truly great.) by doing away with idolatry and removing the images from their midst. He obligated them with the Seven Commandments so that they should not be as the beasts of the field. He also bestowed upon them ethical ways, and in this respect he was much more stringent with them than the Torah of Moses, as is well-known. This in itself was most proper, as it is the correct way to acquire ethical practices, as the philosopher (Maimonides) mentioned. We have written similarly in our Siddur. However, it is not necessary to impose upon Jews such extreme ethical practices, since they have been obligated to the yoke of Torah, which weakens the strength of the (evil) inclination without it. They have taken the oath at Sinai and are already trained in proper practice and nature. These are clear words that will not be rejected by a clear-thinking person.

If certain Christians who consider themselves scholars would understand this secret, who believe that they are commanded to abolish the Torah of Moses from the seed of Israel, they would not engage in such foolishness. The people listen to their self-conceived words, something which was never intended by the writers of the Gospels. Quite the opposite, they have written clearly that they intended the contrary.

Because of these errant scholars, hatred has increased toward the Jews who are blameless of any guilt and proceed innocently to observe their Torah with all their heart, imbued with the fear of God. They should instead bring their people to love the ancient Children of Israel who remain loyal to their God, as indeed commanded to Christians by their original teachers.

They even said to love ones enemies. How much more so to us! In the name of heaven, we are your brothers! One God has created us all. Why should they abuse us because we are joined to the commandments of God, to which we are tied with the ropes of his love? We do this not to enjoy the pleasures of the (evil) inclination and emptiness of a passing world. For truly (Ps. 44) we have become a byword among the nations, and with all this (ibid.). In God have we gloried all the day, and we will give thanks unto Thy name for ever. We pray for the good of the entire world, and especially for the benefit of these lands in which we reside, protecting us and our observance of the Torah…

You, members of the Christian faith, how good and pleasant it might be if you will observe that which was commanded to you by your first teachers; how wonderful is your share if you will assist the Jews in the observance of their Torah. You will truly receive reward as if you had fulfilled it yourselves-for the one who helps others to observe is greater than one who observes but does not help others to do so–even though you only observe the Seven Commandments. I have written similarly in my pleasant work Torat Ha-Kenaot– that the Jew who observes the Torah, but doesnt support it, is considered among the cursed; and the Gentile who does not observe the 613 commandments, but supports it, is considered among the blessed.

Translated by Harvey Falk