Linked Together: Questions Answered

A little recommended weekend reading.

What If the Worst Happens?
I have to admit it: I’m a “what if?” woman. I do more than my fair share of worrying about what could happen.

Vaneetha Rendall suggests replacing “what if” with “even if.”

In the Bible, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not guaranteed deliverance. Just before Nebuchadnezzar delivered them to the fire, they offered some of the most courageous words ever spoken. “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it … But even if he does not, we want you to know that we will not serve your gods … ” (Daniel 3:17–18).

Even if.

Even if the worst happens, God’s grace is sufficient. Those three young men faced the fire without fear because they knew that whatever the outcome, it would ultimately be for their good and for God’s glory. They did not ask “what if” the worst happened. They were satisfied knowing that “even if” the worst happened, God would take care of them.

Read the rest at Desiring God Blog.

What Does Repentance Look Like?
David shows us in Psalm 51 (R. C. Sproul).

Why Are You Here on Earth?
The answer is in a George Herbert poem (John Piper).

Why Is Propitiation Important?
Because it’s what we need (Kim Shay).

Linked Together: Inerrancy

Some recommended weekend reading on the subject of biblical inerrancy.

Getting It Right
Not all historic church documents are 300 years old. Here’s a short history of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy by Stephen Nichols. 

If one were to lock three hundred evangelical leaders in a room today, it would be surprising if they all came out agreeing on the color of the paint on the walls. Crafting a theological statement with five points and nineteen articles of affirmation and denial would be a miracle. But that is precisely what happened in Chicago in 1978. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy sustained a generation of churchmen, pastors and theologians. It brought this view of inerrancy back to the center of the church, and doctrinally affirmed it—for the life of the church and the life of the Christian.

If you’d like to read the Chicago Statement—and you should—here it is. 

Not Getting It Wrong
Michael Kruger is hosting a new blog series featuring guest posts from evangelical scholars addressing problematic passage in the Bible. The first four posts in this series are linked below. 

• Does the Bible Ever Get it Wrong? Facing Scripture’s Difficult Passages (#1): Greg Beale
• Does the Bible Ever Get it Wrong? Facing Scripture’s Difficult Passages (#2): Craig Blomberg
• Does the Bible Ever Get it Wrong? Facing Scripture’s Difficult Passages (#3): Darrell Bock
• Does the Bible Ever Get it Wrong? Facing Scripture’s Difficult Passages (#4): Andreas Köstenberger

Linked Together: Etymology

Two suggestions for your weekend reading.

Hacking History
How old is the word cough? What about *cough*? Which other words have been used for cough? All your coughing questions answered. (OxfordWords Blog).

Changing Names
If you read Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, you will find numerous examples of people who have one name in one book, and another name in another book. Jesse Johnson gives us the two main reasons for this (The Cripplegate).