2008-11-27

White continues with this post on the SBC/Allen hypercalvinist accusation. Now apparently Allen has chided Calvinists for not reading the original sources, and yet he has attempted to quote Edwards (from a secondary source, ironically) to the effect that Edwards denied particular redemption. Now, the quote provided actually says the opposite, and White provides a few more. [As someone who actually reads the primary source material of Jonathan Edwards, I am struck by the absolute lack of any intellectual credibility behind the claim that Edwards rejected particular redemption. This is, once again, a sad statement on the state of the SBC's Arminian wing. Why have Allen's fellow Arminians not come out and corrected him for this egregious error in calling White a hypercalvinist and the blatant misuse of Edwards? One wonders.] http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?itemid=2994

Phillips reminds us that we are commanded to give thanks to God for hard times and suffering and tribulation. After all, you can read certain things in a book, but God afflicts us to truly teach us. Phillips says that he has a long string of bitter regrets from his first senior pastorate. So how have you been blessed in affliction? Giving hard thanks

Bayly responds to the claim that imposing the morality of the true God upon people in law is not pharisaical. The balance of power is predicated on the truth of human depravity. "The Christian has loved his neighbor and has sought to use our civil law to lead him away from sickness and poverty; from cruelty and oppression of his animals; from betrayal and abuse of his wife and children; from death and Hell. This is not bigotry, but love. We don't desire our neighbor's destruction here in this life or eternally in Hell." "God-haters deny and defy God's law, seeking to use the laws of the civil authority to aid them in their rebellion and to enforce that rebellion on their neighbors (you will rent to fornicators or else). But theirs is a morality every bit as moralistic, dogmatic, and religious as Western Common Law or the laws against sodomy, pederasty, and bestiality Christians seek to pass and enforce. The difference is only what morality, what dogma and god we serve." Christians pursue to true good and freedom of society and limited government - "Christians serve the Only True God revealed in Jesus Christ, and we seek to bind all consciences, not to His worship, but to the minimal aspects of His revealed Law that alone will assure that our civil society is civil, and that it is a society." The blind intolerance, moralism, and dogmatism of pagans

Yep, pagans don't even know what to do with 'thanksgiving.' My favorite holiday (part deux)

Proud people don't give thanks. People who recognize that God has given us everything, that we have sinned against Him, and that He sent His Son to die for sinners, do. 3 Truths to Induce Thanksgiving

Michael Bird's paper is available: "This study argues that historical Jesus research needs to pay greater attention to the field of textual criticism and study of early Christian manuscripts. It is accordingly argued that the field of textual criticism impacts historical Jesus studies in at least three ways: (1) the textual integrity of the New Testament and the possibility of historical Jesus research; (2) the significance of the agrapha; and (3) text-critical contributions to historical issues in life of Jesus research." Historical Jesus and Textual Criticism

Sola Panel: Strapped for time? Tall list of unread books? Get on with reading the Bible. You must read this book

Engwer quotes John Chrysostom here, who argues that there is much unknown, that there is much unknowable, and that God in His infinite wisdom has blessed us with many things unfathomable, and we should therefore give Him the thanks and the glory and cease to question His wisdom as He does His work for the good of mankind. Grateful When Some Questions Aren't Answered

Piper begins this tribute to gratitude by arguing that we do not do good works out of gratitude for Christ, although this is the reason many give, but 'that in the Bible "faith in future grace" not "gratitude for past grace" is the primary focus in motivating acts of love. ("You had compassion on those in prison...since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one" Hebrews 10:34).' But gratitude is great, and it is incompatible with many sins, and it feeds faith and is fed by faith. Only a true living faith can look back and thank God for all things. A Tribute to Gratitude

Mohler: Ingratitude is one of the main marks of unbelief (cf. Romans 1:21). On the other hand, gratitude and thanksgiving are natural to the believer who has experienced the grace and mercy of Christ. http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=2828

"A fool denies the existence of God; [Isaac] Newton denied that anything could come into existence apart from God." http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v3/n1/majesty-of-god

Interesting summary of a presentation at SBL boston on Vaticus and the presence of Umlauts as indicators of textual variants. SBL Boston, Payne on the Umlauts in Vaticanus