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Kicks and Giggles

6/29/2016

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Apparently, from a young age I aspired to keep a hand-written journal and have always had trouble with it. My old green treasure box (actually a diaper wipe box) was brought in from the truck a few days ago and I'm going through it. Inside, I found this green book with gold lettering diagonally across the front proclaiming: Memoranda.

I've been laughing til I cried looking at the entries. My handwriting was awful (I think I may have written a hunk of it in a vehicle, so that didn't help) but my spelling was atrocious!! All original spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

The very first entry was written in by my mother for me:
1 March 99    2PM
saw an Eastern Bluebird and a Robin
It appears from that, and many of the subsequent scrawls that this was not only my first attempt at journaling, but also my very first bird-book. Apparently, I was a bird-watcher before we moved to Louisiana and began attending birding club...

I kind of like this entry...it's clear I was somewhat agitated, for my lettering is a little big and bolder than most of the other entries:
I Saw a Cotton mouth!
​1999 April 12
I even spelled everything correctly!

Looking at this thing, I find that at age 7, I spelled "saw" correctly part of the time and the other part of the time I spelled it "saol". 

*Nods head wisely*
See, I spelled with a Southern accent!

How about the spelling and capitalization in these? See if you don't laugh. ;)
January 18, 2001
rabins, Bilu Brid, Commen GracKlE

Jan 25, 2001
we're having camanee [company] to night. the cat hisst at me.

Fed 9, 2001
It is a pritty Day. I saw a lot of rodens. 
{Anyone else think I was having problems minding my "b" s and "d"s that day??}

Fed 12, 2001
I scerd the colee awey. I saw a roben, I saw mmommy carenals, and Daddy Cardunals, Swainson's thrush, I saw six rodins.
This next one I actually remember! It was really kinda cool...
APRIL 23, 2001
​I saw a spitr rap up a nat.
I'll NEVER forget this day:
Sep 11 and Sep 12, 01, In New York City & Pentagon the World Trade center was crashed into by tow Hijacked air planes.
Take a minute and let that one sink in. A month shy of ten, I had an inarticulated fear--of the unknown--but more than that, that my Daddy would be going to War. I didn't write it down, but I remember.

Probably my first attempt at poetry here is next:
April 6, 02
I Came up With a pome: M, I, J, A

My aim was sher
I never missed.
Just like,
​Annie Okely!
Right. I never could write poetry. That poor little thing doesn't even rhyme! (And 'never missed'? I must have had a successful day at the range. Other than that, it was just wishful thinking! :D)

By this point, I was writing some of my entries in cursive...but my spelling was still terrible:
April 7, 02
It is Sunday and we did home Cherch, had a ymmy lunch and we are haveing Psizze! Oh, and of cors we are haveing psizza to the glory of God!
Well, I guess I was on the right track there! I'm going to guess we probably had started catechising by this point...

Alright, I just about couldn't talk laughing over this one:
MAY 6, 02
​WE ARE GOING TO SIRT TO FILL UP THE POOL!!
Too bad you can't see the decoration of the exclamation points...(we had a four foot deep above ground pool in Louisiana. I'll bet this is when we first got it. :D)

Look, more nature observations!
June 27, 02
I Saw a black catupiler eating a leaf!

June 28, 02
I saw a spider that Looked like a scoreine! [scorpion]
June/July 2002 we visited Grandma and Grandpa in Indiana, taking the Natchez trace up. I have several rather illegible entries from the trip...I'll spare you those. However, this one shows what even grown men will do when faced with a bunch of insects with stingers....
Sep 6, 02
Daddy ran around the houes because of a huge wasp nest, it was HUGE! It had abuat 20 wasps in it.
This is varied...
Oct 30, 02
I worte Missy and We got a Dish washer and a campurter
Missy, I feel for you. Your handwriting and spelling was always better than mine. I wonder that you could read those old letters!

Skipping along, this next one is from after we moved to Arizona...
Sept' 14, 03
It is time to go to chaple. I miss my church. I spit tea on my sirt. [shirt]
Jimney! I always had a knack for spitting my beverages all over the place!

Anyway, back to birding--my grandparent's came out to see us in early 2004 and that's why Grandpa is mentioned.
March 13, 04
Grandpa and I saw a catus  wren. He know House sparows, as Einglesh Sparrows. Morning Doves as turtle Doves. We saw 3 Mexican Jays.
I can't remember what the Mexican Jay looked like--but I do remember the Scrub Jays. Bigger, duller, and nosier than our eastern Blue Jay.

In between the previous entry and the following one, my grandmother passed away and we made one trip to Florida in April for her funeral--which we missed. This is several months later...
Sept. 3, 04
...Coming back from Fl. Hurricane Charlie went through. Not to much damage.
Looking back, I can see there was actually a LOT of damage in our little town, but our places were blessed to not have any serious structural damage--just a lot of trees down. In fact, you can still see Hurricane Charlie damage 12 years later.

​The next one cracked me up...
Nov. 27, 04
We are going back to Fort Bowie today. We're also going to get nuts.
Oh really? Anyway...I think this was probably the day that Daddy fell and sprained his ankle really bad and Mom and Savannah hiked back up the trail at top speed to go get the truck--and Katherine and I wandered in the ruins by ourselves pretending and talking about the Apaches...(I don't know about you, but I kinda made my own hair stand on end a little bit).

There are only two more entries: One in 2007 and one in 2009. Neither are amusing, so I won't share them. 

I wonder, should I start carrying this little green book about again in one of the vehicles to scribble in, or should I just put it back?

Either way, I think I had better finish this job I started (cleaning my desk again)...

      Racheal

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Chapter 22: Appendix #1

6/26/2016

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I planned on reading all of the Appendices to Chapter 22 this afternoon, but as I reading, I glanced up and saw a vehicle pulling in and around back. Turns out it was relatives--one of whom I haven't seen in five years, so perhaps I shall be excused for my negligence! I did go ahead and finish up the first Appendix after eating supper...

Appendix: The Answer to Antinomians, i.e, Those Who Believe There is No Place for Law in a Gospel of Grace 

Dr. Morecraft wastes no time in getting down to business:
We have learned that the believer in Jesus will obey Biblical Law for Jesus’ sake. (645)

Some critics of Biblical Law like to quote Romans 6:14 to defend their viewpoint that the Christian is not obligated to obey the laws of the Old Testament, but simply to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit and to live in a way that is consistent with grace, which is antithetical to law, in their opinion. (645)

We know this is not the correct interpretation [of Romans 6:14] for two reasons: (1) In verse 15 Paul anticipates this error by telling us that we may not “sin”, i.e., we may not break God’s Laws simply because we are under grace: “May it never be!” (2) In the context of Romans 6–8, the Christian life is NOT freedom from the
Law as a rule of life, but freedom from the Law as something that indicts us and condemns us for our sin, and which aggravates our sin as long as we remain in unbelief. (645-646)

What verse 14 IS saying is that, since the believer is under the power of God’s grace in Christ which delivers us from bondage to sin (6:1–2), and enables us to live a new life in Christ, we are no longer under the condemnation (8:1), and the sin-aggravation of the Law (7:9–11), for these reasons: “he who died is freed from sin” (6:7), and “having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness,” i.e., conformity to God’s Law (6:18), because “when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness” (6:20). (646)

Or as Paul said in Galatians 2:19: “I through the Law died to the Law so that I might live to God.” We must notice carefully that it is NOT the Law of God that dies! It is NOT the Law of God that is dead! We, in Christ, are dead to the death sentence of
the Law (Rom. 8:1) but the Law of God is not dead. (647)

According to Romans 7:4, there is a death that releases the bond of condemnation of God’s broken Law...That death to which Paul refers is our death to the claims of
God’s Law against us for our sins in the vicarious death of Jesus Christ, and our union with Him in that death. (647)

Christ died on the cross for one reason: to satisfy the claims of God’s Law against His sinful people. If His people were to be accepted with God, the demands of the Law against them had to be silenced and its just judgment satisfied....The Law as
that which condemned us for our sins is now silenced. Because of the sacrifice of Christ and through faith in Him we are dead to the claims of the Law against us. (648)

Having died to sin and the claims of God’s Law against our sin, we are raised to newness of life in Christ and we are no longer slaves of sin, i.e., habitual Law-breaking; rather we are now “slaves to righteousness,” i.e., habitual Law-keeping. (649)
And there you have it. No more, no less. 

     Racheal

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Turkeyville Civil War Reenactment 2016

6/20/2016

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My lower lip is split. Thankfully, it doesn't hurt like it did yesterday. However, that remark about a split lip means nothing to you, unless you know that for two days (plus some), I spent the majority of my time out of doors, in glorious sunshine, getting a little burnt and dehydrated...
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That's right, Katherine and I felt the call of another reenactment this past weekend and hit the road Friday afternoon after a wild race of a morning (for me). I had to round up and pack everything--which I normally would have done the day before we left--because Thursday had two obstacles to that. Number One: I was single-mindedly focused on finishing up my new underpinnings. I'm pleased to say that I now have enough underpinnings for three days of fresh wear. Number Two: I was not sure I was going to feel well enough to go anyway. I was down and out (still not sure how I managed to sew) all day. 

Katherine minded the shop Friday morning and so I gathered the tentage and sleeping gear out of the hayloft, brought the clothing, bedding, and kitchen boxes up from the basement, ironed the dresses, and scrambled to finish assembling the food. Mom ran to town and picked up a few more items to fill in our cooler before coming home, eating, and heading to the Farmer's Market.

When we did get out, it was someplace near 3 pm, give or take. I stopped just east of our town to see if the smell we were smelling came from our engine--couldn't locate anything off--so we continued. I did actually remember to check the gauges fairly often (I normally forget) and checked the oil at a rest stop further up the road. Everything seemed fine, so I quit worrying.

It was probably about 6-something when we arrived at our destination. We headed into the camp to find registration when we were hailed by a twice-before met acquaintance. I think it's rather safe to say that Hawk and Jill are now friends. :) But anyway, we talked for a bit then went over and registered and then crossed the road to set up.

Wouldn't you know it...we had our modern tent set up and were just starting to bring in the bedding when Hawk comes over and says something like this, "I don't know why I didn't think of this before...but we have an extra A-frame if you'd like to use that...."

​We did and we did. :)
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After Hawk helped us set up (and he was right--an A-frame is easier to set up than a modern tent) we ate us a bit of supper then strolled back across the camp to Hawk and Jill's where we would stay until probably about 11:30 talking...and listening to Hawk tell Bible stories. He has quite a knack for livening them up, staying within the bounds of Scripture. The story of Jonah for instance...well, you'd have had to heard it--even with a ten minute intermission. 

I might add here, we also made the acquaintance of a young man (who reminded Katherine of one brother and me of another, but no matter) named Josh. He has an infectious grin and a sense of humor to match--so between the two men, the ladies had a deal of laughing. No complaining on that front. Anyway, it wasn't until the next day when I saw him in uniform that I realized that Josh was none other than the fella at the Coldwater dance that I had saucily asked if he were dyslexic (not very nice as I realized in reflection). I had actually been going to ask him if he were homeschooled (we have a reputation for getting our left and right mixed up, ya know), but I changed my mind at the last minute because if he hadn't been he wouldn't have understood! Turns out he was "home-teached" as he put it with an ornery look. I got to confess my folly and was forgiven of it after an, "Oh, that was you! I recognize you now..." (I was wearing the same dress and even had my hair the same!!)

Anyway...we finally straggled off to bed and poor Katherine didn't have enough blanket on Night One.

Saturday morning, I woke up and had to ask Katherine for her camera...I had a couple of views out from under the tent edges that I had to shoot.
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After dressing, I fired up the propane single burner (yes, yes...I know, so authentic! But remember--we were planning on modern camping) and made coffee then...scrambled eggs. 

Last time, I forgot the butter and the K's were so gracious as to speedily hand me a stick when I shamelessly asked if I could 'borrow' some. This time, I remembered the butter--but I forgot the spatula to turn the eggs with! Thus, scrambled it was. Can't get anything perfect when you're out of practice, you know...

After breakfast, we then meandered back across to bug Hawk, Jill, and Josh as we would end up doing for the majority of the weekend. Hawk was fixing to make a Celtic knot "thump mat" for a hot pad and I ended up "helping" by pulling the on the rope. Josh pulled out his smart phone (so the things do come in handy from time to time) to get directions. Hawk said he's made a ton of these things, but he just couldn't remember how to get it started because it had been awhile.
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Obviously, Hawk just said something funny...and check out that horridly inauthentic water bottle! (It had ice in it! :) )
There was to be a "wash-day" scenario that devolved (planned) into a water fight in the morning. Well, I got talked into helping out since they had a dearth of ladies to help. (Who am I kidding? I didn't require much by way of arm twisting to get me out there, despite I didn't have another outfit to change into.) I was really only supposed to get mildly damp, but a little girl who joined in the fun didn't know that and dumped a tin cup full of water down my back. Well! I got her back a couple of times. ;) Probably the most disconcerting part of the whole thing was this little boy who had joined in the water fight. He was already quite wet and was soaking other people thoroughly, so I picked up a small bucket of water and snuck up behind him and dumped it on him. I was not expecting the nasty look I got. If he'd have been a dog, he'd probably have growled and bit me. As it was, he took after me with a vengeful air. Some sport, what? (The difference between me going after the little girl and the little boy coming after me was that I was really not upset by the cold water running down my back and the young man was angered by it. That's the difference. I was playful, he was vengeful. I just don't quite understand that.....)
Next on the agenda, after lunch, and more talk, and strolling through the sutlers (I did not purchase anything this time), was the battle!

The event planners split the six-hour battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia into two days. Saturday, "we" were repulsed by the Yankee's on the high ground, but on the Lord's Day, the tyrants were firmly defeated.

Here's the first day in pictures:
And the second (Katherine's camera battery died before the end of the battle):
Anyway...back to Saturday. After the battle, we ended back up at Hawk and Jill's and a couple of us pulled our guitars out and singing and playing commenced for a bit. We had a little visitor who just loves music and really didn't care how bad or beautiful any given person sang, just so long as they sang!
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Miss Jill has a lovely voice--she's a voice teacher!
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Introducing--Josh! See...he's got a goofy-side...
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And a less goofy-side. (And an awesome pair of boots...)
While this was going on, suddenly, firing broke out from the battlefield! It's too bad that Katherine didn't get a picture of Josh dashing through the line of tents, rifle in hand. 
We ladies ended up by the battlefield where we observed the impromptu skirmish--and a bit of an anomaly: 
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Time Travelers??
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Later that evening, Hawk would prepare some fish in one of the neighbor's fires...Rainbow trout. It was good. :) Katherine took a few more interesting pictures before we headed off to bed.
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Sunday's church service was the best attended reenactment church service I have ever been to. There were even a number of spectators who participated. I was pleasantly surprised to see the entire seating area was full. Hawk and Jill guesstimated somewhere between 45-50 people. More importantly than numbers however, was the spirit of the thing. While definitely not what my Reformed Presbyterian self it used to, the atmosphere was reverent (more than what I can say for some "reformed" churches I have been to). But all the elements where there--singing, prayers, and teaching from the Word of God. (Josh asked me in a half-scold, "You didn't bring your guitar?" I wasn't quite sure how serious he was the night before when he asked me what I wanted to play next morning...I guess whenever next time is, I'll help him accompany the singing!) The message, while not long or deeply "theological", was both informative and edifying. Katherine and I had actually already heard the body of it Friday evening, but it didn't hurt to hear it again. :) Did you know that in the first verses of John 14 (Passover), that Christ was quoting the Hebrew marriage ceremony? Let that sink in....

Shortly after the church service, the event planners had scheduled another "washing" scenario--only this time, it was giving a couple of soldiers a bath! (We did not participate. And the men were still fully clothed, by the way--just so's you know.)

At roughly the same time, a young man showed up at Hawk and Jill's tent in nothing but his undershorts--because he was supposed to get into Hawk's long red underwear and be paraded around in the barrel that proclaims "Do not Drink or Gamble". Well, it became apparent after a bit that he was too large for the red flannel underwear--so he crawled into the barrel in just his shorts (with a little help from Josh):
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He was then summarily paraded through the camp, Jackie ringing the bell to declare the way before him and the rowdy crowd of his pals. He was such a great sport about it, even offering to do it again next time...At the end of the line, he got an admonishment from Hawk (I really have no idea what was said)... 
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It wasn't too long after this that we ate our lunches and converged on the battlefield. This time, Katherine and I sat up by the Union artillery (why? Dunno...) and watched the battle as it unfolded and the Yankees got wiped out. I do admit though, that only two or three "dead" Confederates was a little unrealistic.

After the battle, we sat around with Jill and Hawk for a bit, discussing church and such things, said "adios" to Josh, who left almost immediately, and then went and broke down camp ourselves. Returning the tent to Hawk, we said our farewells (we would have stayed and helped them breakdown, but I actually think we would have been more in the way than help because when one knows where everything goes and how things get taken down, having to stop and give directions slows them down), and hit the road. I think I munched most of the way home to keep myself alert. I'm also glad we stopped and got a cup of coffee north of FW. I needed it.

Upon arriving home, we unloaded the stuff that came into the house and I forthwith slid into my bee gear to do some unplanned and unusual for Sunday bee-work. The bees were bearding bad enough to get attention. I think they were simply hot, but I went ahead and added a super on to each hive since both colonies were quickly running out of room.

Thus far is the story of the Turkeyville Civil War reenactment....

      Racheal

And I suddenly realized--I don't have that lovely picture of Katherine up!! (I am not bragging on my photography skills--snapping pictures has nothing to do with the photogenic-ness of your subject...)
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Girl looks gorgeous in my hat! (Better'n me probably. :D )
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One for the Records...

6/8/2016

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(Looks like my blog has been hacked today and we have a "guest" post... ;P ~~Racheal)
One for the Record Books

My Dear Readership,

The protagonists of today's story is my twin sister. Yes, you dolts, I do have a twin sister. You just can't see her--just like her audience cannot see me. Odd the way invisibility works, that's what.

Now, before you get on to me for sounding like the delightful, yet fictitious character Rachel Lynde, I will continue. As I said, today's protagonist is my twin sister.

I decided to drop in at home after a long and arduous journey to--oh. Wait. If I told you where, I would be constrained to sever your head and lock it in a safe for the next seventy years. (Don't worry if the "joke" went over your cranium--it's somewhat obscure in most circles.)

Anyway, as I was saying, I decided to swing by and visit the family. Racheal and our youngest sister were busily cleaning strawberries, clicking right along like regular old professionals at this topping and spot-removal business.

None of my sisters like spiders. Perhaps you already knew that. But it is very much the truth. Granted, they normally do not screech, scream, go pale, or faint upon sight of the eight-legged creatures. The result is typically a very dead spider.


Well, along and along, Racheal glanced down, only to spot a rather innocuous gray garden spider--sitting on her left middle finger!

So far, nothing record breaking about this situation--not even the bit of an "OH!" she let out.

However, that "Oh" morphed into something more akin to a yell of pain and the next thing I know, the girl had blood running off her hand! 

This, my friends, is where the record-breaking enters the picture.

In her haste to "keel" that spider, she struck out at it with her knife with a downward, scraping motion. Only problem was, the blade was down not up!

The resultant slice in her finger is roughly one-half to three-quarters of an inch long and how deep I was not allowed to see. 

Oh, and as to the spider? He did die, but only from the butt of her hand as she threw the knife down, and went to milk the blood from her finger a little harder. The poor creature died with one fell swoop.

Poor spider.

And now you see--it's not safe living with my twin sister.

Farewell until the next time I reemerge...

​Nate 

P.S. My dear Racheal,
I am extremely hurt that you always categorize my scribblings under "Nonesense"! Fie on you!
Aw, quit complaining Nathan! You're the one who hacked me!! Besides, you know you don't really mind--or why else would you write with an eye to the humorous??

Anyway, where have you been?
Don't ask. You know very well that I cannot answer that question.

And really, you are the nonesensical one. Cutting yourself wide open over a spider!! Goose.
Rooster.
Whatever.

​*winks*

​I like picking on you.
Don't I know it! :D 

Don't be gone so long next time, ya hear?

Nate?

Nathan??

NATHAN NATHANIEL??

Shucks. Gone. Just like that. Ornery stinker. Ol' cowlicked curly top gets harder to hang on to the older he gets. I wonder what kinds of adventures he'll get into between now and next time he pops up to scribble on my blog...he never does tell me much. Top Secret...bah. I think he likes to pretend he's a spook.

     Racheal

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Chapter 22: Biblical Law, Part 4

6/5/2016

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Not feeling well this morning, I opted to remain home from church with Mama (who is still broke out on her face and itchy). In addition to catching Dr. Raymond's live-stream, I read (second day in a row I was able to read!!) the remainder of Chapter 22, Volume 3, Authentic Christianity. I decided that I couldn't get through the Appendices...but was pleased to have read as much as I did!

The rest of the chapter then, springboards off LC questions 96 and 97.

Ninty-six first: What particular use is there of the moral law to unregenerate man?
A.: The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their consciences to flee from the wrath to come, and to drive them to Christ; or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave them inexcusable, and under the curse thereof.

Dr. Morecraft first identifies the unregenerate for us:
The unregenerate are those unbelieving people who are still in rebellion against God, dead in their trespasses and sins, who have not been born of God (John 1:13), and to whom the Holy Spirit has not applied the benefits of redemption. (587-588)
What follows is essentially a breaking out of the catechism, addressing first the use of law to awaken the conscience.
The Law of God is used by the Holy Spirit in the lives of unregenerate (but elect) people convicting them of their sin and misery, awakening their conscience to flee from the wrath of God by repentance and faith in Christ, giving them the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of (their) sins,
as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God, moving them to apprehend God’s mercy in Christ and to grieve for and hate their sins as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavouring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments (WCF, XV, ii). (588)

When the Holy Spirit convicts unregenerate (but elect) people, he awakens their consciences to the profound awareness of their necessity to flee from the wrath of God which abides on their sin. He convinces them that: (1) The Law of God is good; (2) The Law must be used for the purpose for which it was intended, i.e., to condemn our sin and drive us to Christ; (3) When the Law is used properly it condemns us for our specific transgressions against the Ten Commandments and against “whatever else is contrary to sound teaching;” (4) It condemns us for our unbelief in “the glorious gospel of the blessed God,” which unbelief is inexcusable disobedience to God’s command (588-589)

Two words in the Catechism’s statement must be clearly understood, when it tells us that in unregenerate people the use of the Law of God is to awaken their consciences to flee from wrath to come…
First, the word consciences. God has placed a conscience in all human beings (Rom. 2:15) with “the work of the Law written in their hearts,” to which that conscience bears witness, “and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending themselves.” The conscience functions as a Law, prescribing the path of duty, and as
a Judge, in pronouncing sentences against transgressions, “a conscience which impresses every man with a sense of right and wrong, and which often visits the sinner with the inward pangs of conviction and remorse.”  105
However, the conscience, while it serves many beneficial purposes, is not sufficient in its present condition, corrupted by sin, to awaken the heart and soul of a person to a full sense of his true condition before God, although it is able to render that person responsible to God as his Judge. The reasons the conscience cannot awaken the soul of a person to a due sense of his own depravity are: (1) The conscience has been affected, as has every other human faculty, by the ruinous and degenerative effects of man’s fall into sin; and the spiritual blindness and darkness caused by sin prevents the conscience from seeing its own moral corruption. (2) The tendency of habitual sin to sear and deaden the conscience, whereby the conscience becomes weaker as sin grows stronger in a person, until the sinner may arrive at the point of depravity at which God gives him over to a reprobate mind. (3) It is most difficult to focus the human mind on any proper consideration of the wickedness and danger of sin. Hence the sinner’s conscience needs
to be, not only convicted, but enlightened and awakened from its spiritual darkness and sleep of spiritual death in sin. 
Second, we need to understand the Catechism’s use of the word awaken....He awakens the unconverted to the EVIL of his sinful state and to the DANGER the sinner is in because of his sin, therefore, it is really an awakening to sin itself, as well as to the danger of sin.

105 James Buchanan, The Holy Spirit (London: The Banner of Truth Trust, [1843] 1966), 59. (589-590)
The Law also serves to drive them to Christ:
Conviction of sin by the Law in the power of the Spirit has good results when it incites those who experience this conviction to flee from the wrath of God their sins deserve to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, their only refuge from the wrath of God, resting in Him alone for salvation. (594)

"Whenever the preaching of the law is positively objected to, and the preaching of the gospel is proposed in its place, it will be found that the “gospel” means that good-nature and that easy virtue which some mortals dare to attribute to the Holy
and Immaculate Godhead! He who really, and in good faith, preaches the Cross, never opposes the preaching of the law." 112 W. G. T. Shedd, Sermons to the Natural Man (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1886), vii. (598)
And leaves them inexcusable:
Those people who continue in their unbelief, impenitency and rebellion against God are completely inexcusable for all their sinful thoughts and actions, and if they die in that condition their judgment will be just because it is deserved. (598-599)

Romans 1:18–32 tells us that persistent rebels against God are all inexcusable for their sinful way of life. (1) They deliberately are working to suppress what they know is true in unrighteousness, to deceive themselves into believing that they do not believe what they do believe. (2) The will and glory of God are clearly evident in their conscience and very constitution as human beings made in the image of God. (3) The glory of God is clearly and unmistakably revealed in every atom of this universe, so that if a person does not see it or understand it through this creation, he is “without excuse.” (4) Although the unbeliever “knows” God, he suppresses what he knows to be true so as not to “honor Him as God or give thanks.” (5) All human beings have been made in the image of God with consciences that “know the ordinance of God.” (6) They also know that those who break the ordinance of God are “worthy of death.” (7) And yet they are not content to damn themselves, they want to damn others along with themselves. (599)

"We like to think of a God who blesses rather than of a God who curses. Some people have tried to escape the dilemma by pointing out that Paul writes not of the curse of God, but of “the curse of the Law” (verse 13). It is very doubtful, however, if the Biblical authors would have recognized this distinction. The Law can never be isolated from God, for the Law is God’s Law, the expression of His moral nature and will. What the Law says, God says; what the Law blesses, God blesses; and what the Law curses, God curses." 113. Stott, The Message of Galatians, 79. (600)
Dr. Morecraft then briefly goes into the relation between the Law and the Holy Spirit in the context of sinful men's hearts.
Jesus promised His disciples that He would send His Holy Spirit to “convict the world of sin” (John 16:8–11)....Since that time He has been active, convicting, enlightening, liberating and transforming people, and His power has not in the least diminished.
Biblical Law by itself cannot bring conviction of sin without the work of the Holy Spirit of God....The Holy Spirit takes the Law of God and opens up to us the sinful pollution of our lives, so that we may come to deep conviction, humiliation and grief for our sin, and may see our great need of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
By God’s Law, the Spirit convinces us of sin’s presence, criminality, danger and deserved consequences (Rom. 7:9–10). (601)

The awakening of the conscience to the peril of sin is the work of the Holy Spirit using the Law of God. (603)
The next catechism question addresses the uses of God's Law for the regenerate.

Q. 97: What special use is there of the moral law to the regenerate?
A.: Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works, so as thereby they are neither justified nor condemned; yet, besides the general uses thereof common to them with all men, it is of special use, to show them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good; and thereby to provoke them to more
thankfulness, and to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience.

Once again, Dr. Morecraft begins by identifying who is spoken of:
Regenerate people are those who have been “born of God” (John 1:13), given new heart (Ezek. 36:26), passed from death to life, and who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and who are therefore believers in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. (604)

In fact, believers not only remain under the obligation to obey the Law of the Creator, as do all human beings, but their obligation is increased by God’s grace, not diminished by it. Although we are freed from the curse of the Law, we are not freed from obedience to it. Now with new hearts and the indwelling Spirit we have the desire and ability to obey God from the heart, because His Law is written
on our new hearts (Ezek. 36:26; Jer. 31:33)... (604-605)
The breakdown continues: the regenerate is delivered from the Law as a Covenant of Works:
"The moral law is to be considered in two respects, as a rule of life, and so no one is delivered from it [as such]; or as a covenant of works, in the same sense in which it was given to man in innocency [before the Fall], the condition of which was his
performing perfect obedience, in default whereof he was liable to a sentence of death. In the latter respect a believer is delivered from it." 134. Ridgeley, Commentary on the Larger Catechism, 2:304. (411-412)

The Law is the same but the Covenants differ. In the Covenant of Grace in which the believer lives, God’s Law is as lasting as God’s Grace, and the believer not only has the work of that Law written on his conscience by virtue of his creation, nor does he only have that Law “written on tablets of stone,” but he also has that Law written on his new heart by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 36:26; Jer. 31:31). (412-413)
They are not justified by Law:
No one can earn forgiveness of sins and acceptance with God by obeying God’s Law. Doing the right things does not “make points” with God. We are justified by faith in Christ alone and not by the works of the Law. The Law has no power to justify, only condemn when it is transgressed....Salvation is by grace through faith and not by works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8–9). (613)
Neither are they condemned by it:
Christ’s perfect obedience to the Law of God secures our release from the necessity
of personally keeping the Law as a condition of justification....His righteousness is credited to us so that we will be accepted in Him with God and no longer condemned by Him. (614-615)
Special uses of the Law for the regenerate in addition to the common uses for all people:
[1] The more convicted a believer is of the remaining wretchedness of indwelling sin in him, the more he recognizes and rejoices in his total dependence upon Jesus Christ and in His active and passive obedience to God as the basis of his eternal salvation. Jesus obeyed all the “jots and tittles” of God’s Law in our place so as to credit his
life of perfect righteousness to our account with God, because all our righteousness is as filthy rags. Jesus died on the cross in our place to bear the full penalty of the Law our sins deserved, and to satisfy God’s Law and God’s justice as our Substitute and Redeemer. (616)

[2] Consciousness of the perfection of God’s Law and its fulfillment in Christ’s life and satisfaction in His death for all who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior moves (provokes) the believer to more thankfulness for he has greater inducements to gratitude than any other human beings. (618)

[3] Believers’ awareness that salvation is by sheer grace and not by the works of the Law and that they are eternally secure in Christ not only provokes intense gratitude in them, but that gratitude stirs them to greater care, greater determination, consecration, diligence and perseverance in conforming themselves—inside and outside—to God’s Law as the rule of their obedience, for when Christ became their Savior He did not cease to be their Sovereign, whom now they love with all their hearts and whose glory is the chief end of their lives....“The Law does not cease to be the Law now that the Christian has come to love it.” 144 Kevan, The Grace of Law, 217. (621)

Those who have received the saving mercy of God in Christ are enabled and motivated to present themselves in the entirety of their being to God as “a living and holy sacrifice.” In doing so they are not to be “conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of [their] mind, that [they] may prove what the will of God is.” In other words, the reception of mercy in Christ and our consciousness of being recipients of that saving mercy should motivate believers to submit to Christ out of gratitude, and to separate from the pressures to sin in this evil culture. (623)

A person thankful for God’s mercy in saving him from the condemnation of God’s Law in Christ, will continually be in the process of transforming himself in a Christian direction, in his outlook, dispositions, worldview, habits, preferences, priorities, behavior, relationships and forms of self-expression. This spiritual
and ongoing transformation grows out of the Spirit’s thorough conforming of us into the image of Christ, as God’s goal for all Christians (Rom. 8:29). (623)

The means of this continuing transformation in the believer, which are pressed on us here as a duty which we perform in the strength of God are: (1) The renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:3–8), and (2) The renewal by the Bible (Rom. 6:17). The point is that believing Bible study, put into practice, does something to us. It shapes and molds our lives and minds in more ways than we can count. (624)

Biblical Law guides our sanctification. God’s Law offers positive, infallible, and specific direc tions for Christian living. (625-626)

[4] Some have said that Christians should only obey the laws of the New Testament; others have said only the laws of the New Testament after the Day of Pentecost; others say only the Ten Commandments have to be obeyed in the Old Testament along with the principles of the New Testament, while others want only
nine of the Ten Commandments, excluding the Sabbath commandment as ceremonial and not moral in nature. (626)

The Christian is to take seriously all the laws of God found anywhere in the Bible. The entirety of Biblical Law is to be studied, interpreted and applied in different ways, but all of the laws of the Bible are to be taken seriously. The ceremonial laws
are to be studied to grasp their underlying gospel-principles, although, as we have seen, their literal observance is no longer obligatory for us. The Ten Commandments are the foundation of Biblical morality and Christian ethics. Every case-law, proverb, exhortation and ethical principle in the entire Bible is based on
them. The case-laws of the Old Testament, being practical applications of the Ten Commandments to every day life, are also to be included in the moral law of God to which Christians, and all mankind, today are responsible. (626-627)

This book [De Regno Christi] presents a strategy whereby human society can be genuinely Christianized by the gospel and the application of God’s Law, including the Old Testament case-laws, in the power of the Holy Spirit. It shows how Biblical Law deals with everything from the reform of the church to the reform of marketing, from the celebration of nuptials to the care of public inns. (627-628)

The general equity of the Old Testament case-laws that we are still required to obey refers to
"the underlying moral principle which is illustrated by the particular cases mentioned in the judicial laws.… For the Westminster Puritans, the substance of the judicial laws was just as binding as the Ten Commandments. The judicial laws
served to give definition to the Ten Commandments; to invalidate the former would therefore be to invalidate (or alter) the [latter].… Notice, next, that the writers of the Westminster Confession were quite precise in their declaration about the judicial laws of Moses. According to them these laws were not “abrogated,” which is the language used of the ceremonial law (19.3), which was set aside due to the change of covenantal administration from Old to New Covenants, (7.5–6). The Confession teaches us, not that the judicial laws were abrogated, but rather that they “expired” due to the expiration of Israel as a “political body.” When the particular political body for which they were worded passed away, the literal wording or specific form of the judicial laws was put out of gear. Only the underlying principle (“equity”) of those historical illustrations continues to be obligatory. “Expired” cannot mean, in Confessional context, that modern Christians
are free from obligation to the judicial laws.… Their equity was taken to be perpetually binding. 151 Greg Bahnsen, “The Westminster Assembly and the ‘Equity of the Judicial
Law,’” Penpoint, Vol. 4, No. 7 (Southern California Center for Christian Studies, CA: October, 1993).
(629-630)

When He used the phrase, “the Law or the Prophets,” He was focusing on the ethical stipulations contained in the entire Old Testament....As He begins His Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7), He is defining the relation of the Old Testament Law to His own doctrine, to His teaching ministry. In other words, He will not teach anything that will have the effect of abolishing the ethical stipulations of “the Law or the Prophets,” i.e., the Old Testament. (634)

The Bible presents us with one system of morality—the “jots and tittles” of Biblical Law. (635)
What follows is a quick outline of Old Testament case-laws and their relation to the New Covenant:
First, the foundational laws, i.e., the Ten Commandments, are always applicable and are to be obeyed in every situation (Ex. 20:1– 17).
Second, the underlying principles of righteousness, i.e, the general equity, of the case-laws are always applicable, since they are practical applications of one or more of the Ten Commandments (Deut. 25:4; 1 Cor. 9:9, 10, 14; 1 Tim. 5:17, 18). This point is the central one in interpreting case-laws. When the Christian today interprets Old Testament case-laws, his primary concern is not the literal law itself, but the underlying principle of righteousness which the case-law was meant to apply and illustrate. ....
Third, where the historical, cultural context of the interpreter is similar to the historical, cultural context of the case-law, the literal case-law itself is applicable. ...
Fourth, the ceremonial laws and rituals have reached a termination point in Jesus Christ, therefore they are not to be literally observed in the Church.
Fifth, the underlying gospel truths of the ceremonial laws still remain in full authority and are to be believed (Heb. 9:2–10).
Sixth, in some instances even these ceremonial laws illustrate moral principles of abiding authority (Lev. 2:1–16; 1 Cor. 5:7).
Seventh, the case-laws are to be applied wisely and progressively as the historical situation allows. ....
Eighth, the case-laws are “often illustrations of the extent of the application of the law; that is, by citing a minimal type of case, the necessary jurisdictions of the laws are revealed [1 Cor. 9:9–14].” 159 Rousas J. Rushdoony, Institutes of Biblical Law, 11. (637-640)

...since God’s holy character is unchanging, His Law, which is a written revelation of His holy character, is holy and perpetual. (640)

...when the Divine Lawgiver (Isa. 33:22) issues a law, only He may dictate the duration or termination of our duty to obey it....Only God may set the boundaries of His law, and unless He has clearly done so in His written Word, we must assume His laws continue in force....Jesus Christ expressly states that the coming of the New Testament dispensation (the Christian era) in no way abrogated the Biblical morality of the Old Testament (Matt. 5:17–19); rather, Christ came to confirm Biblical morality and to put it into effect. (640)
Finally, the relation of the Christian to the Old Testament ceremonial law:
Ceremonial law is comprised of all those rituals and regulations that had as their purpose to teach the covenant people what to believe about redemption from sin and reconciliation with God and how it is accomplished in Christ. These laws are highly symbolic, figurative, and “typical;” in one way or another, they taught the people about Christ and His salvation. (641)

It is not always easy to distinguish ceremonial laws from moral laws in the Old Testament. One reason is that there are moral principles to be found among some ceremonial laws (Lev. 2:1–16). But one principle of interpretation which may be helpful in identifying ceremonial rituals is this: if a law or regulation, such as those laws involving the release of blood or bodily fluids, is meaningless apart from the sacrificial system, it must be viewed as a part of that system. (641)

The ceremonial laws of the Old Testament were “shadows” that pointed God’s covenant people to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is the “substance” or reality symbolized by all these Old Testament ceremonies and rituals....As the apostle Paul describes the relation of the Old Testament ceremonies to Christ: they are “things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance
[literally, “the body”] belongs to Christ” (Col. 2:17). (641)

"With Christ’s obedient life, sacrificial death, and the accomplishment of salvation under the New Covenant, the ceremonies have been finally observed for all God’s people." 162. Bahnsen, Theonomy and Christian Ethics, 207–10. (643)
Next time, I will hopefully cover all the several appendices at the end of this chapter.

      Racheal

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    New post on The Bee Project! 04/26/18
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    The Middle Kid

    I chose to title this blog "The Adventures of a Middle Kid" because that is exactly what I'll be detailing (mostly). I chose 'kid' over any other word, like 'girl' (I am the middle girl so it also would have worked) or 'child'
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    I am a middle kid and I will always be a middle kid--even when I'm 80!

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