We are starting to get thoughtful disagreements to our latest edition of Credenda, particularly on the issue of “owning the curse.” There is much to clarify and discuss, and after that, to debate, but allow me to head off one misunderstanding that I see developing right now. “Owning the curse” does not mean capitulation to …
Time Zones
Had a wonderful visit to Atlanta, and the ACCS conference was one of the best yet. Anyhow, being out of town precluded posting to this thing, which accounts for my uncharacteristic silence. But there it is. I’m back, anyhow. But it is a strange thing waking up in Georgia and going to bed in Idaho.
Natural Selection and Sin
Dear visionaries, Susan tried to saddle Christians with believing in some form of natural selection by pointing out that God once used a flood to get rid of some people who weren’t quite up to scratch. To this I reply that the issue is not whether God can inflict suffering as a judgment for sin. …
Crossroads
This is the beginning of all spiritual wisdom. Among the sons of Sarah, we find sons of both Sarah and Hagar. Among the Jews, we find Jews and Gentiles. Among the regenerate, we find the regenerate and the unregenerate. Among the elect, we find the elect and the reprobate. Until the resurrection, why do these …
Audio Reading of Post
A Perennial Problem
But these pockets of “unregeneration” have caused more than a few theological headaches. How can a part of the whole not have what the living whole has? Moreover, how can a part of the whole not really have what that part, as part of the whole, has?
Pockets of Death
It should not surprise us to find pockets of “unregeneration” in this world made new. The yeast works through the loaf gradually. But the yeast is alive, and brings life to the whole. Thus we find creatures who hate the new creation around them. Thus we find baptized covenant members who inexplicably hate the church …
Dress Ups
Once there was a little girl named Molly, and she had a very close friend named Susan. Every day after school they would get together at one of their houses, and they would play with their toys, but one of their favorite games was dress ups. One day when they were playing dress-ups, they went …
Discussions with Dragons
Once there was a man who lived in a beautiful garden, and his wife lived there with him. The Lord of the garden had given it to him for his use on the condition that he guard and tend it. But in order to guard and tend it, there had to be a particular thing …
Yelling At My Windshield, Part Two
Maybe this doesn’t count as yelling at my windshield, because I would like to respond to something from the Westminster conference that was reported in Christian Renewal. That means my windshield wasn’t anywhere near when I read this. Dr. Hywel Jones was reported as saying this: “Justification is the realization that one is pardoned of …
Just Like Magic
“Apologetics in the Void” are repostings from an on-going electronic discussion and debate I had some time ago with members of our local community. The list serve is called Vision 20/20, and hence the name “visionaries.” Reading just these posts probably feels like listening to one half of a phone conversation, but I don’t feel …