I have now moved my blog to a new host at www.andyrobinson.org.uk

I am often asked about bible commentaries or bible study notes. So I have decided to create a page of the commentaries that I use or have used. I will update it as an ongoing project as and when I come across others.

Confrontation, unity, conflict and resolution are ever present in any environment be it a marriage, a family, an office and even a church. The way we manage conflict, determine answers and how we implement resolutions can all have a massive impact on unity.

There is a great example of how a conflict and confrontation in the church at Antioch is resolved and implemented for both the good of the Gospel and the sake of unity within the churches. Acts 15 – the council of Jerusalem gives us great insight into reaching a Godly decision on something by looking at both an “Experiential Arguments” and a “Biblical/Doctrinal Arguments” as well as, for the sake of love not commanding but appealing to the churches to implement their findings in a way that maximised cross cultural and cross church unity.

I have just preached on this and you can listen for FREE online here, or download it as a free MP3 here.

Basic List of Books for a Pastor’s Library

Dr Wayne Grudem … An amazing bible scholar and theologian. His fantastic book “Systematic theology” is a must have reference book for any Christian who wants to understand more of the bible.

A few years ago I was at a conference where Dr Grudem was speaking and I had the pleasure of having dinner with him. As I had just come on staff at Kings Church Horsham we discussed the type of books I should have in my then, nonexistent, reference library. Dr Grudem suggested this list, although a little old now, as I think it was not new at that point either, I would recommend you take a look at it to see if there are any you could/should add to your library.

It really helped me as I wondered which commentary’s to Greek lexicon I should get and I trust It will help you to

Basic List of Books for a Pastor’s Library

Dr Wayne Grudem … An amazing bible scholar and theologian. His fantastic book “Systematic theology” is a must have reference book for any Christian who wants to understand more of the bible.

A few years ago I was at a conference where Dr Grudem was speaking and I had the pleasure of having dinner with him. As I had just come on staff at Kings Church Horsham we discussed the type of books I should have in my then, nonexistent, reference library. Dr Grudem suggested this list, although a little old now, as I think it was not new at that point either, I would recommend you take a look at it to see if there are any you could/should add to your library.

It really helped me as I wondered which commentary’s to Greek lexicon I should get and I trust It will help you to

Financial Crisis or Financial Plan?

Does God Cause Disasters

Today I was speaking in church on Acts 11:19-21 and tackled the question is God surprised by things that happen? I particularly look at the story of the scattering church after the murder and subsequent persecution.

The bible tells us in Amos 3:6 that Disaster (Hebrew word is Evil) comes to a city because God caused it! Job 2:10 says “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil” and Isaiah 31:2 says “He is wise and brings disaster” This is a very strange concept for us to grapple with. Is God behind this evil (Not moral evil) that comes upon a city or indeed upon individuals?

If you are interested I have done a detailed exegesis of Amos 3:1-6 which you can download here.

You can Download my Powerpoint Slides from my talk here.

 

Spectacular Sins

I reference this book by John Piper which is a very interesting read and will assist you in some of the thoughts and questions this talk will raise.

As a leader in a church I often come across people who do not believe they need to get baptised. The come up with many reasons from “I don’t have to, my salvation is not Dependant on it, so i wont” to “I was baptised as a baby”.

Neither of those reasons are in any way valid based on what the bible tells us and whilst I will, in the next day or two, post a written paper on my thoughts on this I thought first I would give you the opportunity to hear me speak on this.

So just click here to listen now, or hear to download it as an MP3

Happy Christmas !

Now that I am waiting for my Christmas Dinner and having just been to a Christmas Morning service I am a little confused by the final line in one of the carols. The line was …

Sav’d by his love, incessant we shall sing

Of angels and of angel-man the King

What perplexed me is what on earth is an “Angel-Man”? Surly it can not be suggesting that Jesus was an Angel!

Christians, Awake! Salute The Happy Morn

The Carol is called “Christians, Awake! Salute the Happy Morn” written as a Christmas poem John Byron and altered slightly to become a Carol John Byron was also the author of “Hark! the herald angels sing“. John Byron was friends with John Wesley but I am aware that they had a “religious sympathy deeper than the differences of their temperaments and theological views” which would suggest that Mr Byron’s theology was different to Wesley’s. That said it would not indicate that these differences were fundamental in their nature.

Fully God – Fully Man

My concern is that the line we are looking at “Of angels and of angel-man the King” is indicating that Jesus was not, as the bible tells us, fully God who becoming flesh (man) but was an Angel who became a man. This is heresy if this is what it saying ! 

“(1)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. (14) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,^[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1,2 & 14 

Have the Words been Altered?

After a little research I have found what I think is the origional by John Byron called “CHRISTMAS DAY FOR DOLLY”. Allegedly written for his daughter, Dolly, the final verse says …

Saved by His love, incessant we shall sing

Eternal praise to heaven’s Almighty King.

Now that I am happy with, Mr Byron you are forgiven … not that it would seem you need to be as someone else changed your words. So who was this heratic that decided to change the line to be “Of angels and of angel-man the King” rather than “Eternal praise to heaven’s Almighty King”?

According to the “An Annotated Anthology of Hymns by J. R. Watson, Timothy Dudley-Smith” the origional has been altered many times for various hymn books. It seems that this may have been where this heresy has crept in.

Can You Help?

In the limited time I have before the Turkey appears I have not been able to find the culpret. Do you Know ? If you do let me know in the comments below.

Other Examples of “Dodgy Carols”

Do you know any other carols where the text is less than theologicaly sound? If so, let me know.

In the meantime let me wish you all a ver happy Christmas and a blessed new year! Merry Christamas.

Read The Previous Articles

Read Part 1
Read Part 2 
Read Part 3 

The Shack – Part 4

This is my final write up on the shack and concludes all that I am wanting to convey regarding this book. I have had much feed back, some I can publish and have done so. Having read the book I think that there are many good aspects of it. It tackles some very difficult issues very well, it has, as I have outlined it has some major doctrinal errors in my opinion there are other areas that I believe that could easy be taken wrongly, but if you look hard enough you can see the deeper meaning if you look for it. For example it is very easy to read The Shack with a critical eye, looking for error, and believe that it is saying that everyone is forgiven.

(Page 192) Papa: “Honey, you asked me what Jesus accomplished on the cross; so now listen to me carefully: through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world”. Mack: “the whole world? You mean those that believe in you, right?” Papa: ” The whole world Mack. All I am telling you is that reconciliation is a two way street, and I have done my part, totally, completely, finally. It is not the nature of love to force a relationship but it is the nature of love to open the way”.

It might appear that Papa (God) is saying that everyone is forgiven, but I am not convinced that is what is being said. God is saying that everything that needed to be done on his part to reconcile us to himself is done in Jesus. That is true! It then takes us, the sinner, to do our part and believe, repent and follow him. He has made away, our part is to take the opportunity offered to us!

I am keen not to go on a witch hunt here, but to simply name the theological errors that I saw as I read the book. I have not re-read the book looking for more errors in order to condemn it or the author. My goal was to simply review the book and determine if there was a basis for me being able to recommend the book or not. My answer is not. That Said, if you want to read it … then read it, but read it knowing that it is not theologically sound throughout.

So in concluding this next section of the book casued me to take a look at my electronic bibles to do a search and the results brought a smile to my face !

Just for Fun!

Papa: “My words are alive and dynamic-full of life and possibility; yours are dead, full of law and fear and judgment.  That is why you won’t find the word responsibility in the Scriptures. “

English Standard Version:            1 Occurrence

New King James Version:             5 Occurrences

New International Version:         13 Occurrences

New American Standard Bible:     4 Occurrences

The Message:                              26 Occurrences

King James Version:                       0 Occurrences

Clearly God only reads the King James Version !

Read The Previous Articles

Read Part 1
Read Part 2 
Read Part 3 

The Shack – Part 4

This is my final write up on the shack and concludes all that I am wanting to convey regarding this book. I have had much feed back, some I can publish and have done so. Having read the book I think that there are many good aspects of it. It tackles some very difficult issues very well, it has, as I have outlined it has some major doctrinal errors in my opinion there are other areas that I believe that could easy be taken wrongly, but if you look hard enough you can see the deeper meaning if you look for it. For example it is very easy to read The Shack with a critical eye, looking for error, and believe that it is saying that everyone is forgiven.

(Page 192) Papa: “Honey, you asked me what Jesus accomplished on the cross; so now listen to me carefully: through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world”. Mack: “the whole world? You mean those that believe in you, right?” Papa: ” The whole world Mack. All I am telling you is that reconciliation is a two way street, and I have done my part, totally, completely, finally. It is not the nature of love to force a relationship but it is the nature of love to open the way”.

It might appear that Papa (God) is saying that everyone is forgiven, but I am not convinced that is what is being said. God is saying that everything that needed to be done on his part to reconcile us to himself is done in Jesus. That is true! It then takes us, the sinner, to do our part and believe, repent and follow him. He has made away, our part is to take the opportunity offered to us!

I am keen not to go on a witch hunt here, but to simply name the theological errors that I saw as I read the book. I have not re-read the book looking for more errors in order to condemn it or the author. My goal was to simply review the book and determine if there was a basis for me being able to recommend the book or not. My answer is not. That Said, if you want to read it … then read it, but read it knowing that it is not theologically sound throughout.

So in concluding this next section of the book casued me to take a look at my electronic bibles to do a search and the results brought a smile to my face !

Just for Fun!

Papa: “My words are alive and dynamic-full of life and possibility; yours are dead, full of law and fear and judgment.  That is why you won’t find the word responsibility in the Scriptures. “

English Standard Version:            1 Occurrence

New King James Version:             5 Occurrences

New International Version:         13 Occurrences

New American Standard Bible:     4 Occurrences

The Message:                              26 Occurrences

King James Version:                       0 Occurrences

Clearly God only reads the King James Version !