The Ethics of God
Joel Osteen, the comedian?
I don’t know how many of you know who Joel Osteen is and his “health, wealth, prosperity gospel.” But I found this video at FIDE-O in which someone comments on one of Osteen’s sermons. It is kinda funny, yet kinda sad. Pay particular attention to the verse cited on the screen and compare it with [...]
Observations from the Pagels Lecture.
See here
Social Gospel and God’s Truth
I often hear people discuss the need to “speak God’s truth.” This is often done in a way that is in contrast to meeting the physical needs of a person, which is often referred to as the “social gospel.”
I have seen this on friends’ blogs who have said that we meet the [...]
Touchy topic.
Wonders For Oyarsa :: In Defense of Genocide (Numbers 31)
In the continuation of blogging the Bible, WfO comes to Numbers 31 and wrestles with the Israelites committing genocide.
This is one of those passages I just wish weren’t in the Bible. What can be said about this? How on Earth do those of us [...]
The Sovereignty of God
Here is how Jonathan Edwards defined the sovereignty of God in his sermon, God’s Sovereignty in the Salvation of Men.
The sovereignty of God is his absolute, independent right of disposing of all creatures according to his own pleasure.
Sunday Morning Thoughts
Here are a couple of posts that are worth your time for this Sunday morning:
Calvinism and Philosophers by Parableman
Jeremy looks at some preliminary issues involving Christian philosophy and how Calvinism might be a better approach to certain problems rather than a Libertarian or Arminian approach.
I’ve always thought Calvinism had far better resources to respond to [...]
The Problem of Evil… for Atheists
Much has been made about the problem of Evil for theists. How can a good God allow evil? This is a problem, one that can be looked at in a variety of ways (see here and here). The problem of Evil is usually then seen as a proof for the non-existence of [...]
Grace in Reformed Theology
This is the second post in my response to Henry Thomas’ post asking what Grace was. My first post tried to look at how Catholic theologians looked at grace. Like that post, this one draws off of Gareth Reese’s book, New Testament Epistles:Romans.
In a nutshell, in Reformed theology, grace is something that God [...]
What is the sword?
Paul says in Romans 13:1-7,
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror [...]
Puritan Wisdom and Sin
Here are two quotes from the great Puritan preacher and teacher, John Owen.
The mortification of indwelling sin remaining in our mortal bodies, that it may not have life and power to bring forth the works or deeds of the flesh is the constant duty of believers.
The vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life [...]
Biblical Manhood
This past week on the Albert Mohler Program that I get by podcast, he has been addressing gender issues. At the start of the week he was discussing stay-at-home moms and one feminist’s beliefs that say those moms are “letting down the team.” Thursday, he was discussing plagiarism in the pulpit and how [...]
No bones about it.
Is there anyway to escape consequentialism? Don’t the consequences of our actions matter? I don’t think there is. I don’t think there is a way to get around plain issues of right and wrong either. So, should we meld the two?
Please, take a look at what I am talking about here and [...]
The Mother of all Theological Questions in a Christian Mind
I have a question that I would like to throw at you guys. As a Christian, this question is one of the most important ones you can ask yourselves as all of Christianity hinges on this question, as well as other questions. But here it is:
What is grace?
Intro to “To Simplician ” On Various Questions”
This post looks very briefly at Augustine’s letter “To Simplician ” On Various Questions,” with the hope of gaining some insight on Augustine’s turn away from a libertarian view of salvation. I am not trying to set forth an all-inclusive view of TULIPS, but instead to simply get a view of the development of [...]
can we beat the odds?
A relevant text to our current discussion from John Piper:
John Piper
January 23, 2006
desiringgod.org
There are several lines of biblical evidence for the historic Christian doctrine that we are all born into the world with sinful natures, due to the sin of Adam.
Scripture says that we are born sinners and that we are by nature sinners
Psalm 51:5 [...]