INTRODUCTION: The gospel changes lives. Not only does it do this, but it has this impact on every aspect of our lives, which includes our sexual identity, our sexual lives. This fixes a number of problems, but if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit it also creates some new problems, some new …
Declaration and Doing
Chapter Six of Piper’s book is about whether or not justification determines our standing with God, or whether, as Wright argues, it is God’s formal declaration that this standing has already been established. According to Wright, the declaration of the gospel of Christ’s kingship is “very much the means” that God uses to transform individuals, …
Random Political Musing II
In the thread on my random political musing of a few days ago, someone asked who I was supporting in the race for president. It would be easier to say in the first place which candidates I couldn’t support, and then, second, what scenario could reasonably be expected to make me happy. In the interests …
Random Political Musing
Mike Huckabee makes me nervous. He gives me the willies — to wit, the fantods. Other than all the potential fun games we might have with his name — Huckaboom, Huckabust, and after the first great scandal of his administration, Huckagate — the whole thing gives me cold duck bumps all over. The first round …
What Are the Rules For?
“While reactionaries seek rules that would ban change and technocrats want rules that will control outcomes, dynamists look for rules that let people forge new bonds, invent new institutions, and find better ways of doing things” (Virginia Postrel, The Future and Its Enemies, p. 112).
Disciples of Jesus Haven’t Changed That Much
In the clean-up preparations for Christmas services at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, fisticuffs broke out between rival factions of priests. At least the original disciples of Christ had their squabbles on the road before the resurrection.
Good News, Lord Caiphas!
N.T. Wright sometimes overstates his case. By this I mean that he says things like “X is not Y” when it would perhaps be more helpful to say “in addition to Y we must also be careful to say X.” For example, he maintains that the gospel is not about how to get saved, but …
A Little Cyber-Anarchy
“The Net not only managed to become big and important before any would-be regulator noticed, it evolved both software rules and social norms without official direction” (Virginia Postrel, The Future and Its Enemies, p. 36).
Ken Doll Republicans
So despite warnings from the judicious, our nation continues to careen toward Iowa and New Hampshire. And, given the lay of the land, and what the possibilities are, it appears that the American people will once again get what we deserve, good and hard. Ron Paul is the one doctrinal anomaly in the race — …
The Judge in the Dock
In chapter three, John Piper continues to interact with N.T. Wright’s take on the law-court aspect of justification. At the center of the discussion is this now famous section from What Saint Paul Really Said, which needs to be quoted at length. “The result of all this should be obvious, but is enormously important for …