Scattered Thoughts on Theology and Ministry…
This week I’m preaching on Romans 1:18-32 – probably one of the most culturally offensive passages of scripture – but also one of the most important for it shows us the reality of God’s wrath against sinful humanity. One of the more “offensive” parts is that God is a God of wrath. Culture hates this.Continue reading “Views on God’s Wrath in Romans 1”
No one in the entirety of Europe from the years 1200-1750 had any idea what temptation, or torsos, were. I just came across this hilarious piece of religious-art history. You NEED to look at the whole thing, but here are a few highlights… Just to get this out of the way, I am aware thatContinue reading “The – Not So Tempting – Temptations of St. Anthony”
Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. 10 For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are aContinue reading “Fear & Loathing In… God?”
Yesterday we took a brief look at a quote from Edwards that has been spun into a rather interesting theory of atonement (namely one that Edwards would never had agreed to). Today, I felt like we should look at what Edwards really believed about atonement. Here is Edwards in his own words: If it beContinue reading “Jonathan Edwards Week – Edwards and Atonement (Pt. 2)”
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. – Paul in his Letter to the Galatians At Soma (the college group I lead) we are currently in a series on Relationships – Where’s Your Heart. It’sContinue reading “Two Concepts of Freedom in Galatians”
What is the meaning of Christmas? Its quite simple – Matthew expresses it in just a couple of sentences in his gospel: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins…they will call him “Immanuel” which means, “God withContinue reading “They Shall Call His Name “Immanuel””
Yesterday we talked about “Masks” and how we put them on to hide from ourselves, from God, and especially from other people. In a sense Everyday is Halloween. So over the next few days I am going to offer you three things you need to do to get past the fear of taking off yourContinue reading “Exposed – We Are All Messed Up!”
This past week in my class on Romans and Galatians my students answered the following prompt: Who do you believe Paul is talking about in the famous passage in Romans 7:7-25? Provide reasons and evidence for your answer (see Kruse commentary, 314-21). This weekend, Preston Sprinkle (Professor & Vice-President of Eternity Boise) addressed this sameContinue reading “Who is Paul Talking About in Romans 7?”
When it comes to atonement theologies people often break them up into classic, satisfaction, and subjective categories. However it might be better to classify atonement theories according to whom the atonement is directed towards. For instance, Patristic atonement theories tend to say that Christ’s work aims at achieving something in regard to the “powers.” AnselmianContinue reading “The Direction of Atonement in Luther’s Theology”
In a recent blog I posted I summarized Oliver Crisp’s recent argument that there is significant room within some key reformed confessions for one to hold on to a doctrine of atonement that excludes limited atonement and is open to universal atonement. I.e. that Christ died no just for the sins of the elect, butContinue reading “Universal Atonement & The Sin of Unbelief”
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 