Timothy Ministry

A Braggadocious Culture

2012-01-16T16:23:00.004-04:00

Today our culture prides itself that it is pluralistic, relativistic and tolerant - that it has cast off the ancient ways of exclusivity, absolutism and intolerance. But is this approach to life really all that it is chalked up to be? Is it truly beneficial? Is it something we should be proud of? The answer to these questions must be a resounding "no". Pluralism is "the concept that two or

Antinomianism

2011-12-06T17:55:00.001-04:00

I believe the whole debate about antinomianism is confused, and has been for a long time. Even in the days of the "Marrow Controversy", when many in the Church of Scotland were attempting to break away from the legalistic doctrines of the Scottish Church and were condemned as antinomians, even then the issue was more confusing than clear. The trouble is that there is a fundamental problem in

The Trouble with "Lordship Salvation"

2011-11-28T18:07:00.004-04:00

I have come to be convinced that the whole point of Christianity is knowing God the Father through Jesus Christ, and in that knowledge we find salvation and rest, peace and eternal life, because through Christ crucified we learn that God is a God of grace. This grace is righteous, and is expressed at the cross where both God's wrath against us and His amazing love for us come to a head. This is

John 17:1-3 - Knowing God through Christ Crucified

2011-10-22T14:07:00.002-03:00

Letter to the Editor (Blood Atonement)

2011-10-06T19:31:00.003-03:00

Last week I featured a quote from LDS prophet Brigham Young on our whiteboard, the doing of which drew forth criticism from a student in the Statesman. I’d like to take the opportunity and respond to his criticism.For those who have observed us preaching on the patio the last nine semesters, we hope that you will have noticed that we have sought to only discuss Biblical and LDS theology and

Thoughts on 1 John: Doing Righteousness

2011-07-18T19:25:00.009-03:00

The following letter was written in reply to a brother concerning the interpretation of "doing righteousness" in 1 John 2:29. The brother had suggested that "doing righteousness" is the works that Christians do as evidence/fruit of their salvation.Dear D---I really do empathize with your attempt to interpret the passage with an appeal to fruit. This is certainly the classic Protestant response to

Does God Exist? Who Is God?

2011-03-28T16:40:00.004-03:00

This sermon was preached on March 27, 2011, at All Saints Church in Logan, Utah. How are we to answer these two infinitely important questions about God in a way that is both satisfying and convincing to the skeptical mind? Most people will be surprised to hear what the Bible has to say about the existence of God, as well as Jehovah's way of proving that He alone is God. And once these two

The God of the Feast

2011-03-28T16:15:00.004-03:00

This sermons was preached on March 13, 2011, at All Saints Church in Logan, Utah. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!" (Isaiah 55:1) What would happen if the God of the universe put on a feast and you were invited? When we understand the gospel, we come to know God as

Heaven, Hell, Resurrection and Judgment

2011-03-21T00:44:00.009-03:00

The following is a reply to someone who asked me some questions regarding the afterlife.I believe the Scriptures are clear that when a person dies they either go directly to heaven or directly to hell, and there they await resurrection and judgment (2 Kings 2:11, Luke 16:19-31, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Philippians 1:23, Revelation 6:9-11, etc). I reject the idea of "soul sleep", the notion that when

A Letter to a Limited Atonement Brother

2011-03-14T18:57:00.021-03:00

My dear brother M---,Thank you so much for your email. I've been wanting to write back to you since I read it, but I thought I would take the time to ponder what you have said and mull over it before replying. I want you to know that I didn't take any of your words as an attack... actually the opposite! I told your dad how much I truly appreciate you, what you wrote, and your gracious brotherly

A Critique of Limited Atonement and the Problem of Double Jeopardy

2011-02-05T19:48:00.062-04:00

The atonement of Jesus Christ is the key of Christianity. Everything about Christianity either moves toward it or comes from it. It is the atonement which binds the entire body of Scripture together and explains every part. Truly, he who understands the cross understands God, for at the cross we come face to face with God in all His awesome attributes. We also come face to face with ourselves -

The Mediator: Part 1 and Part 2

2011-01-19T19:04:00.010-04:00

THE MEDIATORBy Boyd K. PackerAndTHE MEDIATOR: THE SEQUELWith CommentaryBy Eli BrayleyTHE MEDIATOR"There once was a man who wanted something very much. It seemed more important than anything else in his life. In order for him to have his desire, he incurred a great debt.He had been warned about going into that much debt, and particularly about his creditor. But it seemed so important for him to do

A Guide to Buying Books (for Eli!)

2011-01-16T19:38:00.006-04:00

If you are reading this, it’s probably because you know that I love books, and you are interested in purchasing me a book as a gift for some reason. I hearilty thank you, and commend you for knowing that there are few gifts I like better than books (of course, I do like other things too!). Yet I know for many people, buying a book can be difficult, because there are so many to choose from and you

The Mortification of Sin

2010-12-06T15:01:00.043-04:00

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out

The Love of Christ

2010-12-01T19:14:00.003-04:00

Listen: The Love of Christ (7 min)

Cache Valley Evangelical Statement of Faith

2010-11-26T13:03:00.001-04:00

The Cache Valley Evangelical Statement of Faith was written by a gathering of pastors in Cache Valley from a variety of denominational backgrounds to signify our unity and togetherness in our Lord Jesus Christ:The Bible - We believe that the Bible is the only inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of God, and that God has kept His promise to preserve His Word. Further, we hold that the Bible

True Christianity

2010-11-23T14:41:00.017-04:00

"For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, the Christ is dead in vain." - Galatians 2:19-21

Understanding the Covenants

2010-11-12T14:22:00.012-04:00

Understanding the covenants is of paramount importance to understanding the Bible, and it is the main key in understanding the mystery of Israel in these last days.The confusion arises from not distinguishing between the Abrahamic and the Sinaitic covenants. Many lump these two things together into one when it ought not be. The Abrahamic covenant is a unilateral (one-way) covenant that God made

Toward a Biblical Eschatology

2010-11-12T14:05:00.005-04:00

The following is a letter written to a Christian brother concerning premillennialism and the people of God.Hey M---, I hope all is well with you too, brother. Love hearing from you!When it comes to eschatology, misunderstandings abound. One of the greatest misunderstanding of all is that there are essentially only two views Christians can take on Israel: Supercessionism or Dispensationalism.

How Grace and Works Fit Together

2010-11-11T12:13:00.017-04:00

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-10Notice how works are mentioned three times in this passage. First, we are saved by grace through faith and not of

Grace to Live By

2010-10-27T11:34:00.005-03:00

It is no difficult thing to trust in something once you have confidence in that which you are trusting. What we need is confidence in God's grace - that God's grace is powerful enough to both save us and to live our lives by - and that we don't need to be constantly kept in check by law (rules). This was (and is) the main objection to the message of God's grace: "Shall we continue in sin that

Christology 101

2010-10-11T15:54:00.004-03:00

In Mark chapter 8 verse 27, Jesus asked his disciples a question that would reverberate throughout time and around the world: “Who do men say that I am?” What is incredible about this question is that it has lost none of its relevancy - that today the question is just as important as when it was first uttered from the lips of Jesus. Perhaps the only thing that has changed about it is the amount

Catholics and Protestants: Can There Be Unity? (Part 3)

2010-10-06T22:16:00.003-03:00

Hi H-----,Sorry for the delayed response. I wanted to read through both of those articles you sent me from the Catholic Encyclopedia and then offer my comments. I'm glad you and Mike were able to talk about these things.I'm confused about the double message I'm hearing. On the one hand you yourself are saying (as was Kreeft) that the whole Protestant/Catholic controversy is based on a

Catholics and Protestants: Can There Be Unity? (Part 2)

2010-10-04T17:29:00.003-03:00

Thanks, H-----, for the thoughtful response. I enjoyed Kreeft's article on justification by faith, but I disagreed with him and feel that such a stance sweeps the real issues under the rug instead of dealing with them. I don't believe the difference is merely a matter of terminology or emphasis, but a fundamental difference in thinking, though the common terminology adds to the confusion and

Catholics and Protestants: Can There Be Unity? (Part 1)

2010-10-01T14:44:00.006-03:00

The following is a response to a question I received about Roman Catholics and Protestants putting aside their differences and standing together as one body in Christ. Can it happen?Hey H-----, good to hear from you. It was great chatting with you the other day in the T.S.C.!I believe that Catholic/Protestant disagreement on the peripheral issues of unity (ie. not evangelizing each other;

Could Jesus Have Faked It?

2010-09-22T11:15:00.009-03:00

It is often argued that Jesus might have been a self-fulfilled Messiah. That is, that He could have been an imposter who sought to fulfill the Messianic prophecies and so make Himself out to be the Messiah, or that perhaps He was a delusional man who truly believed He was the Messiah and went about to fulfill the Messianic imperatives. Could that be true? Let us consider the evidence.

Repentance and the Covenants

2010-09-20T15:44:00.008-03:00

The following is a response to a question I received from an LDS student on the nature of repentance in the Bible.Hi K----, thanks for the excellent question and for putting it so well.Whenever we study the Bible we have to understand that there is more than meets the eye, because for one, we are told very explicitly that we are dealing with mystery (1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:3-4, 9; Col. 1:26, 2:2;

Husbands and Wives

2010-08-17T20:13:00.002-03:00

This message was preached on August 18, 2010 at All Saints Church in Logan, Utah. As part of the Ephesians series entitled Grace in the Heavenlies, "Husbands and Wives" answers the questions: How are Christians to live suitably in light of the fact that they are saved by grace and not by their works? How does grace effect our relationships, including marriage?God's grace does not only save us, it

Counterfeit Grace

2010-08-17T14:23:00.021-03:00

"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." - Jude 1:4GRACE VERSUS COUNTERFEIT GRACE"Brent, what is the gospel? Can you tell me?"Brent, a 40 year old business man with a pleasant and talkative personality suddenly began

About Eli

2010-08-17T07:38:00.004-03:00

Listen to my story: USU Religious Studies Club with Q&ARead the Cache Valley Evangelical Statement of FaithEARLY LIFE My name is Eli Brayley and I was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada on Nov. 5, 1985. I was born into a Christian family, having parents who are both sincere believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. My earliest memories of life are filled with lots of church meetings and

Penance vs. Grace

2010-04-29T14:39:00.015-03:00

Repentance is a word that has picked up baggage over the centuries and today many Christians use the word without ever asking whether they even know what it means. The common idea of repentance today actually has its root in Roman Catholic penance rather than in the New Testament. Penance is the idea that one must show God they are sufficiently sorry for their sins by confessing, feeling remorse,

Romans 8:12-13 - Living By the Spirit

2010-04-11T20:08:00.009-03:00

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Romans 8:12-13)Hello P---! It's great to hear from you. Great question.Those two verses, Romans 8:12-13, have troubled many Christians due to the fact that the terms "flesh" and "Spirit" have

Redemption, Forgiveness, and the Riches of His Grace

2010-03-16T19:17:00.006-03:00

This message was preached on March 14, 2010 at All Saints Church in Logan, Utah. Part of a series on Ephesians entitled Grace in the Heavenlies, this message explores the glory of the grace of God in the redemption we have through the blood of Jesus Christ. Christianity does not end with forgiveness, it begins with it, and God is forming a people for Himself who have known His forgiveness and

The Key to the Olivet Discourse

2010-03-09T14:50:00.008-04:00

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." (Matthew 24:9)"But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake." (Luke 21:12)When we examine the Olivet Discourse as recorded in

Hector and Christianity

2010-03-05T12:46:00.003-04:00

Hello M---, it's been quite a while since we've last communicated, but that doesn't mean I haven't thought much about you, and I hope I can see you again sometime before school is out. How are you?Besides just wanting to reconnect, the main reason I am writing to you is because there's something I've been wanting to write to you since last year. As the subject title suggests, it concerns

Parallels Between Galatians and Romans: A Reply

2010-02-18T16:22:00.004-04:00

The following is a reply written to an L.D.S. Institute of Religion teacher who gave me a paper on parallels between Galatians and Romans from a Mormon perspective. The five points in bold are from the Mormon point of view.1. Inadequacy of Jewish Law (Gal. 2:16; Rom. 3:28)The argument is a common one, not only put forth by the L.D.S. Church, but by many who misinterpret the meaning of “the law”

Choosing a Bible - Leland Ryken

2010-02-17T18:04:00.003-04:00

This is a short, excellent pamphlet on the differences between Bible translations by Leland Ryken that I encourage everyone to read. It is greatly worth reading for the short time it takes. Many blessings!Choosing a Bible - Leland Ryken

Thoughts on Christian Unity in the Theological Realm

2010-01-26T12:17:00.021-04:00

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." - 1 Corinthians 1:10There are few statement I like less than "agree to disagree". It is a declaration of one's value of truth. I am not saying that we should not agree

How We Should Respond to the Haitian Crisis

2010-01-18T17:33:00.038-04:00

As the world witnesses the horror of human suffering in the wake of the earthquake that decimated the Haitian capital early this year, we must not naively turn away from asking the hard questions, nor settle for the easy answers.There is something about a natural disaster that leaves us feeling helpless - in fact, that is what they are intended to do. A natural disaster cannot be controlled or

The Pleasure of God in the Gospel of His Son

2009-11-19T19:33:00.005-04:00

This message was preached on September 6, 2009, at the Guinavah Campground amphitheater. "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has

Acts 8:26-38 - A Baptism Message

2009-11-10T20:34:00.010-04:00

This is the transcript of a message that was given at the baptism of a dear friend of mine."And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all

7 Arguments Atheists Can't Use

2009-09-21T15:19:00.013-03:00

"The fool has said in his heart, there is no God." - Psalm 14:1An atheist, as the wordsmith Noah Webster so aptly defined, is one who disbelieves in and denies the existence of a God, and every now and again a person will find himself in the company of one or more of these kinds of people. Of atheism, here is the outrageous thing: there is not one viable argument which can be given by the atheist

The Wrath of God

2009-08-31T15:55:00.002-03:00

This message was preached on August 30th, 2009, at Valley Church in Smithfield, Utah. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." (Romans 1:18) Foundational to the gospel as well as to the whole Bible, the reality of the wrath of God has almost become a thing of embarrassment for many Christians, but if we do not know God as the God revealed

Rejoice in the Lord!

2009-07-22T14:29:00.004-03:00

This message was preached at Cache Valley Bible Fellowship in North Logan, Utah, on June 28, 2009. "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord!" (Philippians 3:1) As Christians we are commanded to rejoice in the Lord, and it is not only right and fitting to worship God for the marvelous things He has wrought for us in Christ, but it is also "safe." Because false teachers abound who would seduce us

The God of All Grace

2009-06-23T19:31:00.013-03:00

Eli, I've been really struggling to come to grips with my own salvation and what it means to be saved by grace through faith and not of ourselves. Scripture on one hand talks as if we're saved entirely by God and we can be entirely passive while God amazingly saves our souls. On the other hand though, it talks as if it's dependent on us and our salvation is gained by us. I just can't come to

Does Baptism Wash Away Our Sins?

2009-06-16T17:09:00.008-03:00

The following letter was written to a sister in Christ who asked me a question concerning a teaching she had heard: that baptism washes away sins.Hello M-----,No, I strongly disagree with that statement. God has forgiven us of our sins, and yet we still need to bury them? By baptism? That's absurd. If what he says is true, that we, as Christians, carry sins around like garbage and need to put

The Potter's Power Over the Clay

2009-06-01T15:29:00.006-03:00

This message was preached on October 5, 2008 at Valley Church in Smithfield, Utah. "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?" Delivered with much "fear and trembling", this sermon is an exegesis of Romans 9:14-29 and an examination of the God's sovereign election in salvation. There is so much misunderstanding and

Come Unto Me, All Ye That Labor

2009-05-21T11:37:00.007-03:00

The following is a response to an article entitled, "Keeping the Commandments and Enduring to the End" which quoted Matthew 11:28-30 after teaching that a person must "retain the remission of sins" by persistent obedience to the law and commandments of God. It cried for an answer.Hi Ben, my name is Eli. I have a few comments about your article.You quoted Matthew 11:28-30:“Come unto me, all ye

Sonidos Extranos Del Campamento Pretribulacional

2009-05-07T19:19:00.003-03:00