Book 2/Chapter 2 Refusing to rob God (section 10) 1. When a man is utterly cast down in himself, what has he gained? 2. What is the problem with a man retaining to himself some of the honor found in “free will”? 3. Who may receive God’s blessings? True humility (section 11) 1. What did …
Last Call
Nate is finishing up his book tour today in Dayton, Ohio. He will be at BOOKS & CO. at 7 pip emma. The address is: The Greene, 4453 Walnut Street, Dayton, OH. Meantime, here is another fun interview, along with a story about an entire town that is reading Nate’s Leepike Ridge.
Paul Right Off the Grill and Still Hot
In the next section (pp. 185-190), I continue to be edified by what Wright affirms, and mystified by what he denies. This is the section where he discusses the surrounding context of Romans 3:28, which says, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Describing the run-up …
The Phrase “Free Will” As Stumbling Block
Cooperation with grace (section 6) 1. What is necessary before men can do good works truly? 2. What ambiguity does Calvin object to in the teaching of Lombard? Absence of compulsion (section 7) 1. What does Calvin think about “contentions about words”? 2. So why then does he reject the words free will so strongly? …
A Little Theological Stir Fry
I got some questions on this N.T. Wright business last night that made me think of a couple things, things that should be tossed into the theological hopper. So here goes. The first is that the theological criticisms I have made of the “union with Christ” model as a stand-alone model for imputation are criticisms …
The Fathers and Free Will
Book 2/Chapter 2 Church fathers on free will (section 4) 1. Does Calvin believe that the church fathers handled the idea of free will scripturally? 2. What was the reason for this? 3. What two things were they concerned to avoid? 4. Which of the fathers was an exception to this? Different kinds of freedom …
Tea Kettle Charges of Heresy
One of the things I appreciated about John Piper’s critique of Wright was that he didn’t go straight to tea-kettle charges of heresy just because he encountered something in Wright on the subject of justification that he thought was unclear, for whatever reason. And after looking at it closely, Piper concluded that Wright was a …
A Lot of Expectant Whispering
The wonderful thing about living through four seasons is that just when one of them is threatening to overstay its welcome, and you are frankly tired of it, a natural desire is born that longs for the signs of the next approaching season. Snow was met with great excitement and laughter in November, but by …
Replace Them All With Diamonds
I said last week that God provides for His people. Open your mouth, God says through the psalmist, and “I will fill it.” As parents and grandparents, it delights us when a child in a high chair sees the spoon and dutifully opens his mouth. God delights to feed us. He delights to provide for …
Reduced to Grazing
Our Father and God, You have established Your Church as a royal priesthood in this world, and so we intercede for the nations of men now, confessing on their behalf so that the grace of Your forgiveness will soon be extended to them all. Our Father God, we confess to You that our rulers have …