This morning I have a little free time before my first class and chapel so I do want to post a little something. I want to express some of my thoughts about this semester so far.
First of all, I just want to begin by saying that I never could have imagined that I would be attending a seminary that is absolutely infatuated with the inspired Word of God. The verse for the whole campus is 2 Timothy 3:14-17 which says, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man or woman of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Southeastern believes and holds this verse dearly to them. They quote it often and esteem the Bible as it truly is, the inspired, inherent, infallible, and authoritative breathed out word of God.
Secondly, I would have never thought that I would be attending a seminary that cared so much for the great commission. For those of you that do not know what the great commission is, it is stated in Matthew 28:18-20 saying, "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Every professor that has spoken in front of me so far has talked about the great commission. The first chapel of the semester was dedicated to the great commission. Southeastern is eager and yearns to glorify God by sending out the people of God to the unreached people groups of the world that they may believe upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ and sing praise to the glorious grace of God.
Thirdly, I would have never even considered that I would be attending a seminary that holds marriage in such high esteem. The president of the seminary held a marriage seminar for all the new students that were married. He spoke on the importance of the institution of marriage. He made it clear that marriage was given by God to a woman and man and proved it clearly from the teaching in Genesis, the teaching of Jesus, and the teaching of the Apostle Paul. Dr. Akin spoke on his love for his own wife and how much his marriage has meant to him and it was beautiful. He also said that the goal of Southeastern is this, not that we come to seminary loving our wife and we leave from seminary loving our theology while our marriage fails, but rather that we come to seminary loving our wife and we leave the seminary loving our wife more because everything that we have learned has not gone straight to our head but rather to our spirit leading us to look more like Christ which in turn leads us to love our wife like Christ loves His Church (Ephesians 5).
Lastly, I never believed that I would come to a seminary that loves the Bride (Church) of Christ so very much. Day after day this week we have been going through the syllabi for our classes. Each time it is handed to me I am in shock at the work load that the seminary gives. This is not going to be easy but there is a reason that it is not going to be easy. You see, for far to long, churches have been field with unequipped and unprepared ministers that are just flat our not ready. These professors love the church too much to not do something about that. This is why they give us a course load like they do. They want to send out preachers, missionaries, church planters, teachers, doctors, lawyers, carpenters, and many other types of professionals that are deeply passionate about the Gospel of Jesus Christ that are able to "equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"(Ephesians 4:12-13).
In conclusion, pray for seminary students. It is dangerous to be in seminary. You hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ every day. Pray that we will not lose the awe of the Gospel. Pray that every time we hear, sing, or learn about the Gospel of God's immeasurable grace given to us through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ that we would have our breath taken away.
Psalm 115:1
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of you steadfast love and your faithfulness."
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