For Your Edification is a (bi)weekly set of resources on the subjects of Bible, Theology, Ministry, and Family Life. Let me know what you think or if you have other resources that growing Christians should be aware.
Bible & Theology
The Temple In Jesus’ Day. Take 8 minutes to take a panoramic view of the Temple in Jesus day. It will give you an inkling of the size and layout of the temple.
[This is the most recent “Feeding on the Word” article for our church newsletter].
In most Bibles, Luke’s second book is entitled, “The Acts of the Apostles.” However, as many commentators have noted, a more accurate title would be “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” because it is the Spirit who is responsible for convicting, converting, and creating the church. Yet, even this title is insufficient, because it tempts us to think that the Father and Son are absent. Thus, a better title might be, “The Acts of the Triune God Through the Church of Jesus Christ.” While lengthy, such a title rightly emphasizes God’s work in and through the early church.
With this trinitarian framework in mind, lets consider how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together in Acts to convert sinners and create the church.
For Your Edification is a (bi)weekly set of resources on the subjects of Bible, Theology, Ministry, and Family Life. Let me know what you think or if you have other resources that growing Christians should be aware.
BIBLE & THEOLOGY
Dating the Crucifixion. Joe Carter points to a news report coming from the “International Geology Review” that claims “based on earthquake activity at the Dead Sea near Jerusalem, Jesus was most likely crucified on Friday, April 3, in the year 33.” Carter’s news clipping reminds us that God’s revelation in Scripture and nature are both infallible, and that this new piece of data gives us plausible evidence confirming what the Bible already declares: “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51).
Biblical Allusions. Jeffery Leonard has written an SBL article identifying inner-biblical allusions. In fact, using Psalm 78 as a test-case, he lists eight ways that “shared language” works in the Bible. He also goes one step further to discuss ways to determine how to discern the direction of the influence. If typology, allusions, and echoes are your thing, I encourage you to check out the article: Identifying Inner-Biblical Allusions: Psalm 78 as a Test Case.
Here are the eight evaluations for considering biblical allusions:
FAMILY, LIFE, & MINISTRY
Defending Marriage in a Pluralistic Society. Paul Brewster, a pastor in our local association and author of Andrew Fuller: Model Pastor-Theologian, has written a helpful piece on the difficulty and necessity of defending marriage in our contemporary society. Brewster’s editorial is noteworthy on two accounts: (1) He lives in middle America–Madison, Indiana to be exact–which is not the left coast or a progressive college town. Rather, it is a small town in the heartland of America, and yet it like every other community in our nation has been affected by increasing demand for marriage anyway you like it. (2) He is a faithful, small church pastor. It is easy to point to and depend on the Albert Mohler’s, Tim Keller’s, and John Piper’s to speak up publically; however, in truth, it takes all pastors proclaiming the gospel and the Christian worldview for the effect of Christ’s witness to win the lost to Christ and to preserve the culture from moral decay.
May we who pastor smaller churches follow Paul’s lead and contend for a biblical and traditional definition of marriage, and may we hear his admonition to defend God’s design for marriage so that marriage does not become Silly Putty in the hands of fools.
Charles Spurgeon’s Biography. Here is an hour-long docu-drama retelling the life and labors of Charles Spurgeon. If you are unfamiliar with this powerful minister’s pulpit ministry, this is a good place to begin. If you want to know more about Charles Spurgeon, I would encourage you to check out John Piper’s audio biography, Arnold Dallimore’s biography Spurgeon: A New Biography, or his own two-volume autobiography–The Early Years and The Full Harvest.
For Your Edification is a bi-weekly set of resources on the subjects of Bible, Theology, Ministry, and Family Life. Let me know what you think or if you have other resources that growing Christians should be aware.
BIBLE
Is the Bible Really Living and Active? Imagine a conversation at the end of Sunday service:
Pastor: Fred, did you spend time in the word this week?
Fred: Oh, yes. I spent hours in the word this week. It was refreshing. God says that he gives rest to those who ask, and when I was in the word this week, I felt the comfort of resting in the word.
Wilma, Fred’s wife (driving home later): Honey, I didn’t know that you spent so much time in the Word this week. With your busy schedule, how did you do that?
Husband: Well, what I failed to mention was the fact that I named my Lazy Boy “the word,” so that whether I am watching TV, reading the paper, or reading my Bible, I can “be in the word.”
Wilma: Huh . . . that’s a good idea. Maybe, I’ll try that.
Of course, no one would really say that. Right? But the point is made: The time we spend in the word is as effective as the way we spend it. Jen Wilkin, mother of four, writes about why so many Christians get so little out of the word. She nails down the fact that those who read the Bible, need to use effective means of Bible study, or they will just reinforce unbiblical ideas, and remain unchanged. This is how she begins,
Why, with so many study options available, do many professing Christians remain unschooled and unchanged? Scripture teaches clearly that the living and active Word matures us, transforms us, accomplishes what it intends, increases our wisdom, and bears the fruit of right actions. There is no deficit in the ministry of the Word. If our exposure to it fails to result in transformation, particularly over the course of years, there are surely only two possible reasons why: either our Bible studies lack true converts, or our converts lack true Bible study.
Jen goes on to explain a number of common ways Christians “lack true Bible study.” Read the rest of her helpful article: Why Bible Study Doesn’t Transform Us?
Summer Bible Reading Plan. Here is a 100 day Bible reading plan that would be great to use this summer if you do not currently have a reading schedule, or you have fallen off the wagon since January. It is called E100, which stands for Essential 100 Scripture passages, and it designed to help Bible readers get through the whole of the Bible in a manageable amount of time. It is published by Scripture Union and is designed to help young Bible readers or discouraged Bible readers make their way through the most important parts of the Bible. The E100 website has more details; here is an easy access print-out.
THEOLOGY
Lessons in Ecclesiology. Jonathan Leeman answers a couple important questions about the doctrine of the church. First, he defines what the characteristics of a local church are. Most importantly, in his article, What Is the Local Church?, he defines the difference between a ‘group of Christians’ and a ‘church’ (Hint: They are not the same thing!) Then, he follows up by considering church membership. In his article, What Is Church Membership?, he points out that a church is more than just a ‘voluntary organization.’ For those who want their church reflect the priorities of Christ, these are important questions, and Leeman gives biblical answers.
Additionally, Leeman is finishing his doctoral research on ecclesiology (i. e. the doctrine of the church) and has written a number of helpful resources on the subject, most recently: Church Membership and Church Discipline. His larger work, The Church and the Surprising Offense of the Love of God: Reintroducing Church Membership and Discipline, goes even deeper into the biblical case for reclaiming a knowledge and practice of church health.
Carl Trueman on John Owen. John Owen has been described as the “Redwood of the Puritans” by J. I. Packer, and indeed his exegetical theology stands tall centuries after he has passed into glory. Trueman, a church historian and gifted writer, introduces Owen in this ten minute biographical sketch that is worth watching to know better this great pastor-theologian. For more on Owen, see John Piper’s biographical sermon: The Chief Design of My Life: Mortification and Universal Holiness.
FAMILY, LIFE, & MINISTRY
What Should We Say About Gay Marriage? A few weeks before President Obama made his public declaration to endorse Gay Marriage, Southern Baptist Pastor, Mark Dever, sat down with seminary president, Albert Mohler, to discuss the subject of marriage according to the Bible and in our culture. This discussion recorded at Together For the Gospel, will give you a good handle on a number of the key points in the gay marriage debate, and how Christians can defend God’s design in marriage–one man, one woman, united by law, until death.
Don’t Be a Passive Reader. N. D. Wilson, author of Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl and a handful of other well-regarded fiction books, gives his critical review of The Hunger Games. His review is spot-on and shows that Christians who enjoy the book/movie are in need of reading the book with much greater sensitivity to the world in which we live. His review reminds us that when we read, watch, or listen to any sort of entertainment, we are imbibing a worldview (that is probably not inspired by the Holy Spirit) and thus we need to read pro-actively. Beware of being a passive reader. It may be more dangerous than the hunger games themselves.
May God use these resources to grow you in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria, dss
BIBLE
Reading the Bible Through the Jesus Lens. Here is how Michael Williams explains the main emphasis of his new book, How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens. This is one of the books that I am commending for our church to read this summer in our “Summer Biblical Triathlon.” It looks to be a great resource and help for seeing how all the pieces in the puzzle reveal the face of Jesus Christ. Take a listen.
THEOLOGY
Ian and Larissa. Will your view of God sustain you in the face of cancer, heart attack, or brain damage? The story of Ian and Larissa testifies to the power of a vision of God that sees him as good and glorious in all circumstances. The book that they reference is called This Momentary Marriage, and it is grounded on the singular premise that “God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in him” (John Piper), a truth that is wonderfully put on display in John Piper’s book Desiring God. Ian and Larissa’s story is unique because of what God has given to them–yes, given to them (Phil 1:29)–but it is not unique in the sense that every child of God will be given opportunities to suffer and bring glory to God in the process (cf 2 Cor 1). The video is worth watching a couple times and will need a box of tissues.
FAMILY, LIFE, & MINISTRY
May 9, 2012: A Dark Day for Marriage. Albert Mohler provides a very helpful podcast analysis of President Obama’s renewed commitment to supporting “gay marriage” in law and in our land. Mohler is one of many voices who have reacted to our president’s recent announcement. Below I have included Mohler’s written response, as well as, a number of other faithful responses.
Evolution’s End? President Obama Calls for Same-Sex Marriage by Albert Mohler
Five Reasons Christians Should Continue to Oppose Gay Marriage by Kevin DeYoung
How to Win the Public on Homosexuality by Collin Hanson
Marriage and the Presidency by Ryan T. Anderson, Robert P. George, and Sherif Girgis
The Blasphemy of Barack Obama by Joe Carter
President Obama, Same-Sex Marriage, and the Future of Evangelical Response by Ed Stetzer
May these resources serve to edify you this weekend and spur you on towards love and good deeds in Jesus Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria, dss
Yesterday, we looked at Schleiermacher’s theology of God, Sin, Redemption, and the person of Christ. Today, we will examine his views on the church, eschatology, and the Trinity.
The Church
The last section of his systematic theology is on the church. This breaks down into three sections—the origin, existence, and perfection of the church. On the churches origin, he speaks of election and the Holy Spirit. Concerning election, Schleiermacher vacillates. On one hand, from the vantage point of the decree (which he speaks about but doesn’t really fit his system) God is the causal agent of all things in the world and thus he causes the election of those in the church, but on the other, as the one who knows all things, he elects based on future knowledge. Schleiermacher seems confused on this matter, and this is one the stress points of his system. Concerning the Holy Spirit, Schleiermacher denies any deity to the Holy Spirit; instead, the spirit is the common spirit of the church. The shared experience and feeling of Christ unites the church, and thus there is this universal spirit.
On the existence and practice of the church, Schleiermacher lays out six aspects of practice that are organized with the three offices of Christ. So the church focuses on the Word of God and preaching as a means of the prophetic office; the church performs baptism and the Lord’s Supper in conjunction with Christ’s priestly office; and the church is invited to pray in the Lord’s name and exercise the keys of the kingdom in conjunction with Christ’s royal office. In all of these, Schleiermacher reformulates doctrine. So for instance, communion is not an ordinance laid down by Jesus, it is man’s demonstration of need for grace and the expression of his Godward dependence. Likewise, prayer for Schleiermacher is not to a God who is outside of space and time; rather, prayer is the inward longing for God and his kingdom to be exercised in the world.
Eschatology
Finally, on the perfection of the church, there is no true doctrine. It is only an idea. Since doctrines are those things which church communities experience and record, there has not yet been an experience of a perfect church, and thus what the historical theologians have described as eschatology are merely conjectures. He renames these doctrines “articles” and offers very scant evidence for them. Instead, with great agnosticism, he states that we cannot know for sure what the resurrection, intermediate state, and the final judgment will be like. In the end, he qualifies the doctrine of heaven and hell, to insist that in some way, all men will be reconciled and perfected. In this, his view of election and universalism are similar to Karl Barth, who is one of Schleiermacher’s greatest critics.
The Trinity: An Appendix
Finally, in an appendix, Schleiermacher relegates the doctrine of the Trinity. Its position there shows Schleiermacher’s connection with church history—it would be impossible to be a Christian theologian and not talk about this central doctrine. And yet, because of his Kantian presupposition, he decides that the Trinity is neither practical, nor knowable. And thus should be mentioned but not greatly used.
While, all these features of Schleiermacher’s theology mentioned above and over the last few days require a great deal more consideration, it is a start. Tomorrow, we will look at how we should evaluate this theological giant whose shadow still looms until today.
Soli Deo Gloria, dss
Yesterday, we began to review the liberal theological approach of Friedrich Schleiermacher; today we will examine Schleiermacher’s view on theology proper, sin, redemption, and the person Christ.
Theology Proper
For Schleiermacher, God is unknowable. Again, Kant’s influence is most evident in theology proper and cosmology. He states that God is creator, and then defines creation as an ongoing preservation. Because the world is absolutely dependent on God, he becomes the eternal, omnipotent cause of all things. These are the two greatest attributes of God, with omniscience and omnipresence working as corollaries (of omnipotence). John Cooper has described Schleiermacher as a panentheist, and for good reason. He does not make a clear distinction between Creator and creature: man is so dependent upon God, that the boundaries of God and human blur. This is odd because of how Schleiermacher appropriates the phenomenal-noumenal divide.
Sin
Schleiermacher defines sin as a lack of God-consciousness. He rejects a historic fall, and makes sin the product of every single individual. Though a Reformed preacher, he does not address the issues of Covenant theology, and the imputation of Adam’s sin to all the human race because of his federal headship. But he says enough to know that he denies the imputation of guilt to the human race. Instead, he explains that in every man there is both animalisic and sensual desires and also a God-consciousness. Both of these exist in humanity. Sin is the employment of the former and the ignorance or disuse of the latter. In the case of Jesus, he was ‘sinless’ because he was always conscious of God.
Based on his view of God, the cosmos, and sin, Schleiermacher has a hard time explaining the origin of sin. Since God is causal in all ways, he will assert that God is responsible for sin; but then he takes that back to say that evil in the world is the result of sin, and that sin originates with men who do not absolutely depend on God. In the end, he brings an unsatisfactory answer that God caused sin in the world in order to bring about grace, which for Schleiermacher is a large consideration.
Redemption
In time, redemption begins with the conviction of sin which is the experience of pain over a lack of God-conscience. It is not caused by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8), as much as it is encounter with the perfect Christ. Since Christ as a perfect man reveals what true God-consciouness is, the message about Christ reveals to men how men have failed to be God-dependent.
Key for the idea of redemption is regeneration. Like nearly all technical terms in Schleiermacher, regeneration is the corporate idea of regenerating all of humanity. Like a pebble thrown into a pond, Christ, as the first true man, has the effect of bringing regeneration to all the human race. He asserts that regeneration happens one-by-one, but it is more a force that hits the whole world that individuals being converted by God.
Christ himself is a Redeemer, but not as the divine Son who dies on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. Rather, he is an utterly unique man, one who is perfectly God-conscious, who functions much like a charismatic, political figure (or Joel Osteen) who inspires people to live a more God-dependent life.
As it concerns sin and redemption, it is interesting to see the way Schleiermacher selectively chooses to interact with church history. Under this loci, he denies Manicheeaism because sin and evil are not simply perceived; they are a real things. And he also rejects Pelagianism, because man cannot save himself. He needs effectual grace, which is deposited in the soul of a man in his election—which is another convoluted doctrine to be mentioned below.
Christ
For Schleiermacher, the person of Christ is never considered metaphysically. Again, there is nothing metaphysical in his work. He is a functional savior, who is part man, part God. The God-part is simply the God-consciousness that he perfectly exhibits. In this way, his nature just like the rest of humanity. Schleiermacher admits that Christ could have sinned-there is nothing naturally impeccable about him—but he did not sin because he perfectly embodied dependence on God. Schleiermacher is concerned heretical views of Christ—namely Docetism and Ebionism but he does not see how his own views contradict Chalcedonian Christology.
The Cross of Christ
On the Atonement, Schleiermacher advocates a moral exemplar view. His work is prophetic not priestly. Jesus shows the world his great love for God and his willingness to die in order to show how far he was willing to show his love for men. However, he rejected Catholicism’s “wounds-theology” which focused too much on the suffering of Christ. He also denied vicarious substitution (penal substitution), because it made God look like the one who ordained the death of his Son (which he did, Isa 53:10; Acts 2:23), and because it required retributive justice—something that Schleiermacher opposed, as is evidenced again in his assertion of eventual, universal salvation.
Schleiermacher’s doctrine of salvation is also reworked. While maintaining language like justification by faith and union with Christ, his understanding of faith is not belief in some objective work done by God in Christ. Rather, it is the subjective appropriation or (self-generated) feeling that one is a child of God. Once again, Schleiermacher shows incredible consistency in wrapping every doctrine around the personal subject. Likewise, sanctification for Schleiermacher is never positional. It is only progressive. In one section, he makes a Romans 7-like case for an interior struggle for Christians, but this struggle is not the flesh and the Spirit (aka Paul), but the wrestling between God-consciousness and sense-experience.
Tomorrow, we will look at Schleiermacher’s view on the church, eschatology, and the Trinity
Soli Deo Gloria, dss
Yesterday, we looked at the life of Friedrich Schleiermacher; today we will begin to explore his aberrant theology as articulated in his 760-page The Christian Faith.
The Christian Faith
The Christian Faith is the mature expression of Schleiermacher’s theology. Published in 1831, it showcases his views on every major doctrine of orthodox Christianity, but what is apparent from start to finish is that Schleiermacher has created from the recesses of his own experience a version of Christianity that is different in every area of theology. In this way, reading his theology is much like approaching the thought-world of J.R.R. Tolkien. In Middle Earth, much of the language and experiences are similar to our world, but the place, the people, and the story is yet distinct;; likewise, in Schleiermacher, much of the language is the same but the whole project is something other than Christianity. As J. Greshem Machen will say a century later, when Schleiermacher’s liberal theology had come into full blossom: Liberalism is not another kind of Christianity, it is another religion.
To get a handle on Schleiermacher’s doctrine, the rest of this essay will outline a number of his key doctrines and give commentary along the way.
Prolegomena
Like many systematic theologies today—which ironically take their shape from Schleiermacher’s work—Schleiermacher begins with a lengthy prolegomena. In this section, he lays out his central organizing principle that religion is one of absolute dependence on God. Against the likes of Descartes, he denies religion based on intellectual rationalism; and against the likes of Kant, he rejects religion as simply an ethical imperative. Instead, following his pietistic roots and Romantic presuppositions, he calls for a religion that is based purely on feelings and experience. He qualifies that this is not an individual experience, but a shared experience among those who have found absolute dependence and God-consciousness through the man Jesus Christ.
Schleiermacher explains the relationship of Christianity with the other world religions. Prefiguring the history of religions school, he articulates a view of Christianity that arose from other previous religions that also experienced God-consciousness. He contrasts Christianity with Islam and Judaism, which he likens to fetishism (or idolatry). While recognizing the fact that Jesus was a Jew, he strongly divides Judaism and Christianity. By the end of his work, he makes an exclusive claim for Christianity, but one that will engulf the whole world. One wonders what today’s pluralistic culture would think of this liberal theologians exclusivity? It is equally shaming that so many evangelicals today are gladly inclusivistic, when the father of liberalism is blatantly Christ-centered.
The Bible
For Schleiermacher, the Bible is not divinely inspired; rather is was written by inspired men—much like Bach, Beethoven, or Shakespeare were inspired composers/authors. And it is not an authoritative source for theology. The Bible is simply a recollection of the church’s experience with Christ. This explains why the OT is unimportant. Nothing of value is found in it that is not contained in the NT. And since Judaism was a parochial religion, it is more akin to idolatry that a universal religion of Jesus Christ. In Scripture, he delineates three types of speech: poetic, rhetorical, and descriptive didactic. Only the last is good for theology; and the last is little used in Scripture. Thus, Schleiermacher relegates all NT exegesis to biblical studies. In his classroom, Schleiermacher taught through all the NT numerous times, but in The Christian Faith, biblical exegesis is absent. This is comes about because of his views of how to do theology—doctrines are simply the articulate description of Christian experience, and thus they do not depend on Scriptural exposition or appeal.
In the end, Schleiermacher’s view of Scripture encapsulates the deistic views of his era. Since God cannot speak across the phenomenal-noumenal divide, we do not have a verbally inspired Bible. Experience becomes authoritative, but because experiences differ, the doctrines will shift over time. In this way, Schleiermacher prefigures the postmodern mood of the contemporary church. His theology is worked out today in all sorts of parochial theologies (e.g. black, liberation, feminist, etc).
Stop back tomorrow when we will look at Schleiermacher’s view on theology proper, sin, redemption, and the person Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria, dss
For Your Edification is a weekly set of resources on the subjects of Bible, Theology, Ministry, and Family Life. Let me know what you think or if you have other resources that growing Christians should be aware.
BIBLE
The Case for Adam and Eve. In case you haven’t noticed, the historicity of Adam is once again under attack. Groups like BioLogos and books like The Evolution of Adam (both of which are led or authored by Peter Enns) have recalled the question of Adam’s historical reality. Since evolution is still a topic promoted in schools and assumed in the media, this is an important discussion. Thankfully, scholars like C. John Collins have given compelling evidence–biblical and otherwise–to help us see how Adam’s historicity is possible and why it matters. In this interview, Professor Collins answers some important questions. See also his recent book, Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?
The Whole Bible For Our Whole Lives. Our Presbyterian brother, Stephen Um interviews Richard Lints, asking him to discuss how biblical theology helps us read the Bible. For me, reading Lints book, The Fabric of Theology, was revolutionary. He introduced me to the idea of reading each passage of Scripture in light of the textual, epochal, and canonical horizons. In other words, he gave me terminology (which he got from Edmund Clowney) to describe how each text fits into the larger network of texts, chapters, books, and testaments known as the Bible. Every week, when I preach, I am looking to see the “micro-context” (trees) and the “macro-context” (the forest). Why? Because men like Richard Lints showed me how to read the Bible as one unified story. I encourage you to listen in on their six minute conversation.
THEOLOGY
The Old Testament and Providence. Kevin DeYoung provides a helpful overview of God’s purposeful providence in the history of Old Testament Israel. It is a lengthy read, but one that is filled with strong biblical insights.
Jonathan Edwards of Typology. Douglas Wilson (pastor, theologian, author, and all-around literati) and Joe Rigney (Bethlehem College and Seminary) sit down to discuss Jonathan Edwards. In this video they discuss his spiritual and sometimes speculative view of the two books of God–Scripture and Nature.
Take a look.
FAMILY, LIFE, & MINISTRY
Know Your Evangelicals. Joe Carter has begun to give short bios on evangelicals that every gospel-loving Christian should know. In the first week, he has highlighted prison minister Charles Colson, cultural warrior Francis Schaeffer, and slave emancipator William Wilberforce. Another, short book that provides similar information is Warren Wiersbe’s 50 People Every Christian Should Know: Learning from Spiritual Giants of the Faith.
Speaking the Gospel in an Age of Intolerance. Ron Brown, assistant football coach at Nebraska, has come under fire for his opposition to a recent ammendment to a local ordinance in Omaha, Nebraska. As the city seeks to add a clause protecting homosexuals, Brown stood up and spoke against it. He has received great criticism for his stance and may face censure by his employer. His public witness is bold, but his rationale is what makes the story so important. As a bondslave to Christ, he wants to be found faithful to his master, and more than seeing homosexuals become heterosexual; he wants unbelievers to trust in Christ. He states,
It is not all about seeing homosexuals become hetereosexuals. This is not the message of the gospel. The gospel is about all types of sinners (like me) who are unbelievers becoming believers. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not discriminatory, it is all inclusive: we are all sinners. I am pretty consistent in talking to all types of people about Christ. This is the thing that encourages me in this whole thing: the gospel of Christ is being presented. God will forgive people. He will give a clean-slate to all who turn from sin and trust in Jesus.
May we all be so bold.
For Your Edification is a weekly set of resources on the subjects of Bible, Theology, Ministry, and Family Life. Let me know what you think or if you have other resources that growing Christians should be aware.
BIBLE
A Smoking Fire Pot and a Flaming Torch. Matthew Barrett, editor behind Credo Magazine, has given a brief overview of Genesis 15 and the significance of the covenant made by God with Abraham. He argues that the conditions of the Abrahamic covenant are fulfilled by God himself, thus making the covenant (un)conditional. For more on the (un)conditional nature of the Old Testament covenants see the forthcoming book, Kingdom Through Covenant by two Southern Seminary professors, Stephen Wellum and Peter Gentry.
‘Covenant’ or ‘Will’ in Hebrews 9. For the aspiring biblical interpreter (with a little Greek knowledge), Bill Mounce has provided a helpful commentary on Hebrews 9:16-17, and why it should be translated “covenant” (NASB, KJV) and not “will” (ESV, NIV, etc). He questions,
The standard argument is that the author is arguing by analogy. Having mentioned an inheritance, he talks about human wills not being valid until there was a death. “For where there is a covenant, it is required that the death of the one who made it be established. For a will takes effect only when a person has died; it cannot possibly be valid so long as the one who made it is still alive” (vv 16-17, NIV). The will belongs to “the one who made it.” Hence, the translation “will” and not “covenant.” (There are of course other reasons, but you can read the commentaries for yourself.)
The problem, though, is that it is hard to see how an analogy of a will helps the argument. The overall argument is certainly about the covenants. And just as importantly, the next verse draws a conclusion from vv 16-17. “Therefore (ὅθεν) not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood” (v 18, NIV). So are we still are talking about covenants?
Check out the rest at The Koinonia Blog.
THEOLOGY
Are Mormons Christian? Joe Carter has taken the time to answer a few important questions that distinguish Christians and Mormons. Since public religious figures (I don’t want to use the word pastor) like Joel Osteen have dropped the ball on rightly answering this question, we need to be better equipped to offer insight into what Mormon’s believe–after all, in a few months our country will probably be voting for or against a Mormon. So here is a fast and friendly guide to understanding some of the main teachings about Mormons, and the false views they hold. I would encourage you to print this out and keep it near the front door for the next time they come by.
FAMILY, LIFE, & MINISTRY
Ten Narnia Resources. Andy Naselli, theologian, author, and librarian of all things Carson, has provided the ultimate Resource Guide for The Chronicles of Narnia. If you are reading or will read C. S. Lewis’s series of children’s books to your children, be sure to check out his cautions as well as his commendations.
Chuck Colson (1931-2012). In the NY Times, Michael Gerson has provided a warm, personal, and Christ-honoring reflection of the passing away of his mentor and friend, Chuck Colson. Chuck Colson was indicted in 1974 in his role in Watergate. In prison he was converted, and over the last three and half decades, he has powerfully witnessed to the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. For a list of his important books, see Tom Gilson’s article on Colson’s life.
The Ugly American – Sex Trafficking and Our National Humiliation. In light of the recent Secret Service scandal in Colombia, Albert Mohler writes an eye-opening piece on something that most Americans are willfully or ignorantly blind to–sex trafficking! He cites two recent reports in USA Today and the NY Times that chronicle the sex trafficking America (not just Americans) finances. Mohler’s articles displays how far sin has taken us, and how sexual sin has an insatiable appetite for more and more perversion. For a ministry that fights sex trafficking and promotes purity, see PureHOPE website.
May God use these resources to help you walk in a manner worthy of the gospel.
Via Emmaus 