Sweet Tea & Theology

Book Review: Knowing God

I recently had the opportunity to write a book review for our church newsletter.  I was very appreciative to be asked do so.  And a big thanks my wonderful wife for being editor who helped me condense the review from 1,200 words down to less than 800.  Below is the review.

Knowing God by J.I. Packer
InterVarsity Press, 1993, 286 pages.

Overview

Do you know God or just know about Him? Do you seek to know God through Scripture or through personal experience? Are you skeptical about the Bible being divine revelation from God?

Wisdom of Solomon, Obama and Abortion

Obama and Solomon

There has been much past discussion about Obama concerning his stance on abortion.  This discussion is not going to end anytime soon and rightly so.  I’ve made the point and so have two other bloggers recently that as Christians we must pray that Obama seeks God’s direction and changes his position on abortion.  The wisdom Obama has shown thus far is what he said at a Planned Parenthood event earlier this year.

“The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act” (source)

A Calvinist Helping Missions?

Dear Readers,

I still need your help in being sponsored and this is the last week!

This Friday, November 21st, I will be joining 30 other men to help raise money for the Sandy Springs Mission in Atlanta, GA.  I found out last week that this mission will most likely run out of money in March 2009.

What this mission does

Sandy Springs Mission ministers to children in our community by:

• after-school programs (designed to help increase the literacy rate among low-income families)

A Lord’s Day Reflection: Richard Baxter

This is a wonderful poem to meditate upon.  It reminds me of how short I fall and how great a Savior we have in Jesus!

Lord, it belongs not to my care

Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve thee is my share,
And this thy grace must give.

If life be long, O make me glad
The longer to obey;
If short, no labourer is sad
To end his toilsome day.

Christ leads me through no darker rooms
Than he went through before;
And he that to God’s kingdom comes
Must enter by this door.

A Calvinist Missionary and Other Notables

When it comes to missions and evangelism in the Southern Baptist Convention today’s hot button is Calvinism and it’s resurgence among younger Southern Baptists.  Is the concern that Calvinism does and will stifle missions and evangelism in the SBC valid?  The answer seems to depend on who you ask.  Regardless of theology, it’s a Gospel issue and  a sin problem.  One of my dead horses is a concern of pelagianism which I’ve mention recently.

So what does Calvinist missionary Kevin L. Howard say ON BEING A SBC CALVINIST (& MISSIONARY)?

A Seminary Student’s Thoughts on the John 3:16 Conference-Update

Update: Todd Burus shares a great letter written prior to the conference.
Read it: Calvinism in the SBC- An Open Letter to Johnny Hunt and Jerry Vines

One of the people I was at the John 3:16 Conference with is a seminary student working towards an M.Div.  He attends an SBC seminary and was asked to give his thoughts on the conference for one of his classes.  He’s allowed me to post his brief thoughts below.

Southern Baptist Pastors: A Must Read Letter

Open Letter to All Pastors of Churches in the SBC

Dear Pastor,

Let me first clarify that this letter is for Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) pastors in general. I am well aware that what you are about to read does not include all pastors - at least not in totality.

…What is really so remarkable about the question of SBC decline is not the decline itself, but rather the simple answer that is so obvious no one will talk about with any seriousness openly in the SBC.

Read the whole thing!

John 3:16 Conference 60 minute Q&A

John 3:16 Conference live blogging links in order
Welcome
Part 1
Part 2 (T)
Part 3 (U)
Part 4 (L)
Part 5 (I)
Part 6 (P)
Part 7

And the downloadable handout from Dr. Allen with updated cleaner charts thanks to Tony Byrne.

UPDATE: James White and Phil Johnson have answered David Allen concerning the charge that James White is a hyper-Calvinist according to Phil Johnson’s definition.

—————————————————————————-

Paige Patterson had to leave early so Malcom Yarnell is sitting in for him on the panel.

The format is one question for TULIP from a Calvinist and a non-Calvinist.

John 3:16 Conference Charles Stanley - John 3:16 to the World

Dr. Stanley starts telling that he grew up in a pentecostal holiness church.  He wasn’t raised with the belief that we can have assurance of salvation.  He then came to understand in the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.

Stanley doesn’t like this new move of talking about raising up “leaders” and such.  Instead we need to grow godly men.  He tells the story of his salvation and that he just loved Jesus.  He didn’t have a theological description.  He asks, how can you be saved and be lost?  Referencing those who don’t believe in eternal security.

John 3:16 Conference Ken Keathley - Perseverance of the Saints

Quote from I.H Marshall
- 2 Tim. 1:12 - Two components
- One is presently saved - you can know that you are saved
- One who in a state of grace will remain in the state of grace –>This is the perseverance

What is the basis for assurance?

Asahel Nettleton says “I think it possible I may get to heaven.”

- Quotes D.A. Carson WTJ. 54. 21.
- “Arminianism and Calvinism meet in strange and sad ways.”

Three views on knowing if we are genuinely saved?

John 3:16 Conference Steve Lemke - Irresistible Grace

Desires to go forward in unity. Those these discussions are appropriate.

References Dordt and it being a response to the Remonstrance.

Reads some long quotes of God’s grace that man has not saving grace within himself, etc. that we can’t do anything that is good. All good deeds must be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ.  Then, tells everyone that this was the Remonstrance and what the Calvinists were reacting against.

We should not confuse hyper-Calvinists and Calvinists just as we should not call Arminians pelagian.  We should all do better with these labels.

John 3:16 Conference David Allen - Limited Atonement

Dr. Allen starts with John 3:16.  He plans on quoting only Calvinsts to prove his case against limited atonement.  Calvinists are going to be “shocked.”

What two things to these men have in common - Calvin, Bunyan, Bullinger, Watts, Brainerd, Hodge, Edwards, Shedd, Barnes, Strong, etc. etc.? (I couldn’t get them all)  Dr. Allen wants to be firm but fair.  Answering the questions of must a Calvinist hold to the L, did they all hold to it and does Scripture teach it.

He mentions Tony Byrne at theologicalmeditations.com  who is a four-point Calvinist.  Dr. Allen gave a six page hand-out.  (I’ll see if I can upload it tonight.)

John 3:16 Conference Richard Land-Unconditional Election

Dr. Vines starts the morning explaining that disagreeing is not a bad thing. He has many Calvinist friends with whom he disagrees. He claims man can still make a choice and that though depraved not so much to as to say our capacity to chose is ruined. He does not mention God’s grace and how He acts in our “choice” in salvation.  (He mentions that Ergun Caner might be here.)

Dr. Land
Congruent Election: Understanding Salvation from An Eternal Now Perspective

John 3:16 Conference Paige Patterson-Total Depravity

The most hated doctrine in the world today is the exclusivity of Christ.  The second is total depravity.

He says thank God that our Calvinistic brethren for preaching the word of God. We have so much total depravity in our churches today because the word of God is neglected in preaching today.

Dr. Patterson starts with reading Romans 1 through 3:26.  He says you won’t hear this preached in this post-modern world.

What does depravity mean?

1. There is not a single human being on the face of the earth that is right with God.  None, not one regardless of religion or morality.

John 3:16 Conference Jerry Vines-John 3:16

Dr. Vines, as far as I can tell, is preaching the same message on John 3:16 that he preached at SBTS chapel earlier this year.  You can listen here: “The Inexhaustible Love of God” (John 3:16).  Since you can go and listen I may not say too much on this.  We’ll see.  From what I remember there is nothing contrary to what a Calvinist would believe in Dr. Vines sermon.

God’s love is global.  If you’ve not heard this sermon Vines goes through the greek and some historical understandings of love, world, God, etc.