Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 387
February 23, 2012
Immanence, Transcendence and Assumed Knowledge
Today, I had the pleasure of filling in for my friend Matt Svoboda (one of the pastors at The Bridge in Spring Hill, TN) in his Theology Thursday series. Here's an excerpt:
There was a time when if you used the term "God," the vast majority of people would know who and what you were talking about. Generally speaking, the West was "Christian;" people had at least a passing familiarity with the Bible and the majority of the population went to some form of Christian church (it was, after all...
Making Assumptions
Generally speaking, it's unwise to make assumptions about a person or situation. While on occasion, our assumptions turn out to be correct, they most typically wind up being hurtful or creating an unrealistic expectation.
And about no one is it more critical to not assumptions than God.
Yet, we do it all the time.
When we understate our sin, we make an assumption about God—that being, that He doesn't really care all that much.
When we do what God commands out of obligation or fear of punishment, ...
February 22, 2012
Sheer Madness
I have committed many sins in my life. Not one of my sins has ever made me happy. None has ever added a single ounce of happiness to my life. Quite the contrary. Sin has added an abundance of unhappiness to my life. I stand amazed at those famous personalities who, in the course of television or magazine interviews, declare that if they had their lives to live over, they would do nothing differently. Such foolishness staggers my imagination. There are multitudes of things I would love to...
February 21, 2012
Book Review: A Cross-Shaped Gospel by Bryan Loritts
The last several years have seen numerous books asking the same question: What is the gospel? Some maintain a clear distinction between the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and how the gospel works itself out in our lives, where others wind up confusing the gospel with those implications. Given how important this question is, it's no surprise that another author would attempt to offer an answer. In this case, it's Bryan Loritts with A Cross-Shaped Gospel: Reconciling Heaven and Earth...
Book Review: A Cross Shaped Gospel by Bryan Loritts
The last several years have seen numerous books asking the same question: What is the gospel? Some maintain a clear distinction between the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and how the gospel works itself out in our lives, where others wind up confusing the gospel with those implications. Given how important this question is, it's no surprise that another author would attempt to offer an answer. In this case, it's Bryan Loritts with A Cross-Shaped Gospel: Reconciling Heaven and Earth...
February 20, 2012
The Problem with Labels and the Need for Clarity (and Charity)
Last week I wrote a post about reasons for not continuing to follow "celebrity" pastors and what to do instead. Little did I know that it was going to start spreading around to the degree it has. And, in all honesty, if I'd thought about that possibility, I'd have said a few things differently because there are a few things that are a tad ambiguous or confusing. So I want to take a moment and clarify a couple of issues that have been brought to my attention.
1. The problem with labels. In the ...
February 19, 2012
Around the Interweb
"O God, deliver us from this coldness!"
Ray Ortlund:
The problem is not reformed theology per se. Inherent within that theology is a humbling and melting and softening and beautifying tendency. The problem is when that theology is not allowed to exert its natural authority. Instead, in the name of reformed theology, our own native religiosity creates a culture at odds with that theology. And our religious culture, whatever it is, reveals what we really believe as opposed to what...
February 18, 2012
The True Morality of Which God Approves
The principal duties of love to God above all, and to each other for His sake, from whence all the other duties flow, are so excellent that I cannot imagine any more noble work for the holy angels in their glorious sphere. They are the chief works for which we were at first framed in the image of God, engraven upon man in the first creation, and for which that beautiful image is renewed on us in our new creation and sanctification by Jesus Christ, and shall be perfected in our...
February 17, 2012
Unworthy of Assistance?
The Law drew a distinction between God's people and the surrounding nations, even in matters of economic compassion. God's expectations for interactions between Israelites are entirely different. This does not mean, however, that those outside the covenant community could be conveniently ignored—only that concern and care for those within the covenant community takes precedence. (It is the same way today within the Church.) Indeed, the Law included a radical concern for the "sojourner," the f...
February 16, 2012
The Gospel and Marriage Explain One Another
Among the many books I'm reading right now is The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Tim and Kathy Keller and (as I'm sure will be surprising to exactly no one) I'm finding it to be tremendously helpful. Here's one reason why:
In Ephesians 5, Paul shows us that even on earth, Jesus did not use his power to oppress us but to sacrifice everything to bring us into union with him. . . . If God had the gospel of Jesus's salvation in mind when he...
