Kyle Claunch

What is most attractive about Reformed theology is its exegesis. In the Reformed tradition, there's an intelligent, and often creative, appropriation of the best of Christian philosophy. But, at the end of the day, a tradition stands or falls on its exegesis of Holy Scripture.

Baptist Ecclesiology 101: Local church membership ≠ New Covenant membership. But a faithful local church strives, by God’s grace and under Christ’s lordship, to mirror the New Covenant as closely as possible in this age. Local church membership is not the same as New Covenant membership. In historic Baptist theology, the New Covenant is made up of all those who are truly regenerated by the Holy Spirit and united to Christ by faith — the invisible, universal church consisting of every genuine believer across time and space. Local church membership, by contrast, is a visible, earthly expression of that reality. It is the gathered community of professing believers who have been baptized as believers and who covenant together under the lordship of Christ in a particular place. The goal of a faithful Baptist church is not to perfectly replicate the New Covenant (which is impossible this side of glory, since only God knows the heart). Rather, the aim is for the local church — through careful membership practices, regenerate church membership, believer’s baptism, and biblical church discipline — to reflect the New Covenant as accurately as possible under the lordship of Christ. In other words: we cannot infallibly know who is truly in the New Covenant. But we are called to make the visible church a faithful, credible witness to the invisible reality. This is why Baptists have historically insisted on a regenerate (or “believing”) membership: only those who give a credible profession of faith and have been baptized upon that profession should be received as members. This distinction protects two vital truths: 1⃣The purity of the local church (unbelievers ought to be a bug not a feature of Baptist ecclesiology). 2⃣The humility that belongs to the church (we do not presume to make final, infallible judgments that only Christ can make at the last day).

I was just revisiting an old book by R. C. Sproul that I read when I was in college, and I came across this line in the first chapter (see attached images). Little did I know 31 years ago how controversial this line would prove to be, and still is. It's one thing to proclaim that Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross and raised up three days later. It's another thing entirely to explain to people what those events mean for sinners, how sinners get connected to this grace, and that the Bible calls the whole thing "gospel." Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, and every other Christian denomination affirm that Jesus was crucified and raised for sinners. But we begin to part ways dramatically when we explain what this means and how individual sinners can receive the grace of Christ. I still believe now what this book helped me to understand 31 years ago. The Bible teaches that we can't make ourselves right with God (Eph. 2:8-9). We can't justify ourselves through good works (Gal. 2:16). We can't even meet God halfway with our good works because we don't have it in us to get off the dime (Rom. 3:12). The good news is this: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree '-- in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:13-14). If you are trying to earn God's favor by being a good person, you can give that up. You'll never make it that way. Jesus has already done all the work to secure your forgiveness from sins and eternal life. All you have to do is to repent and believe. Turn from your sin, and trust in Christ and you will be saved. Salvation is by faith alone (Sola Fide), through grace alone (Sola Gratia), based on the work of Christ alone (Solus Christus), for the glory of God alone (Soli Deo Gloria).

Honored to call Dr. John D. Wilsey a pastor, professor, mentor, and friend. One of the finest men I know.

Death once had a near-Chuck-Norris experience. Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants. Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris. When the Boogeyman goes to bed, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door. Chuck Norris doesn't sleep. He waits. Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. Chuck Norris counted to infinity—twice. When Chuck Norris does push-ups, he isn't lifting himself up—he's pushing the Earth down. Chuck Norris can divide by zero. Chuck Norris can hear sign language. Chuck Norris doesn't wear a watch. He decides what time it is. When Chuck Norris enters a room, he doesn't turn the lights on—he turns the dark off. The flu gets a Chuck Norris shot every year. Chuck Norris can build a snowman out of rain. Chuck Norris doesn't dial the wrong number. You pick up the wrong phone. Chuck Norris has a grizzly bear carpet in his room. The bear isn't dead—it's just afraid to move. Chuck Norris' cowboy boots are made from real cowboys. Fear of spiders is called arachnophobia. Fear of Chuck Norris is called logic. Chuck Norris once kicked a horse in the chin. Its descendants are now known as giraffes. Chuck Norris can cook minute rice in 30 seconds. There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live. Chuck Norris can do a wheelie on a unicycle. Chuck Norris doesn't play hide and seek. He plays hide and pray I don't find you. Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird. Chuck Norris can speak Braille. Chuck Norris can make a Happy Meal cry. Aliens are real. They're just afraid to come to Earth because Chuck Norris lives here. Chuck Norris can strangle you with a cordless phone. Chuck Norris can win a staring contest with his eyes closed. Chuck Norris' roundhouse kick is so powerful it can be seen from space by the naked eye. Chuck Norris once won a game of Connect Four in three moves. Chuck Norris can unscramble an egg. Chuck Norris can drown a fish. Chuck Norris can delete the Recycle Bin. Chuck Norris can clap with one hand. Chuck Norris can make onions cry. Chuck Norris doesn't age—he levels up. Chuck Norris can win at solitaire with real cards. Chuck Norris' calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd. No one fools Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris can start a fire with an ice cube. Chuck Norris doesn't do refunds. You do. Chuck Norris can microwave popcorn by staring at it. Chuck Norris can sneeze with his eyes open. Chuck Norris doesn't vacuum. He scares the dirt away. Chuck Norris can hear sign language over the phone. Chuck Norris doesn't spell-check. Words conform to him. Chuck Norris can cut through a hot knife with butter. Chuck Norris can parallel park in two moves. Chuck Norris doesn't need a GPS. Locations report to him. Chuck Norris doesn't need sleep—he recharges by staring at the sun. Chuck Norris doesn't need food. Food needs Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris doesn't need a belt. Gravity submits to him. Chuck Norris can make a campfire with wet wood and attitude. Chuck Norris doesn't need a parachute. Gravity is afraid to pull him down. Chuck Norris doesn't need Wi-Fi. The internet connects to him. Chuck Norris can solve a Rubik's Cube by staring at it. Chuck Norris doesn't need a map. Maps need Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris doesn't need oxygen. Oxygen needs Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris can make a mime talk. Chuck Norris can make a ghost haunt itself. Chuck Norris doesn't need a mirror. Mirrors reflect what he allows. Chuck Norris can make lightning ask for permission. Chuck Norris doesn't need a shadow. Shadows follow him. Chuck Norris doesn't need luck. Luck needs Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris can roundhouse kick the future into the past. Chuck Norris doesn't tell jokes. Jokes tell Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris doesn't cheat death. He wins fair and square. 👊🏻 RIP, Absolute Legend!

My stomach hurts from laughing so hard 🤣