January 2007 New Horizons

An Update from the Fields

by Mark T. Bube

[Note: Due to concerns for the safety of our missionaries around the world, this article is not posted on the Web.] Read more

Incarnation and Open Theism

by K. Scott Oliphint

So-called open theism denies that God has ordained the course of events; rather, he is "open" to the future and adapts to human decisions. But this view undermines the very Christianity that it wants to maintain. This is true for at least two reasons. First, any view that minimizes or reduces God's "God-ness," including his absolute sovereignty over his creation, appeals directly, though subtly, to our sinful hearts. We long to be autonomous. We long to have God at our beck and call, and then to offer him worship once he is domesticated. One of the primary lessons of church history is that to attribute absolute sovereignty to God is difficult, both mentally and spiritually. The view that God has given up his sovereignty for our sakes has, regrettably, been predominant in Christian history. Conversely, it has been unpopular and taxing to hold fast to the teaching of God's absolute sovereignty. Second, behind a mask of concern for biblical truth, a supposed rejection of Greek ideas, and an attempt to ... Read more

Helps for Worship #14: Responsive Readings

by William Shishko

"... speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." (Eph. 5:19) Some students of liturgics (that is, the study of the proper manner of worship) question whether responsive readings are to be used in worship. What is the biblical basis for them? What is their purpose? Our pattern is to use responsive (or unison) readings (usually from the book of Psalms) as we prepare ourselves for the prayer of confession of sin, which follows. The biblical basis for this practice is that the Scriptures themselves tell us that the congregation should use appropriate words in its ministry to one another (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). We usually think of our congregational singing in this regard, but the Scriptures command us to "speak" to one another as well as to sing to one another and to the Lord. In the Old Testament, there is an example of this kind of congregational speaking in Deuteronomy 27. The tribes of Israel were divided between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. The blessings and the curses of ... Read more