Justin Taylor's Blog, page 175

Paul Was Preaching Bad News, Not the Gospel, at Mars Hill

Daniel Strange of Oak Hill College, speaking at the Evangelical Alliance’s “Confidence in the Gospel” initiative, argues that Paul’s Mars Hill speech in Acts 17 is not actually gospel, but the necessary context for understanding the gospel.

In this 10 minute talk, he gives a nice overview of Paul’s attitude, approach, and appeal:

Here is a summary from Dr Strange:

Paul’s speech to the Areopagus (Acts 17) is bad news. It doesn’t talk about God’s love or grace, it talks about judgement. Then, when he does talk about the resurrection, it’s to point to the coming judgement! It doesn’t mention the cross and neither does it mention the name Jesus—only ‘he’ at the very end.

Actually, Paul’s speech is not expounding the gospel, rather it is commending the gospel; drawing attention to its ultimacy and urgency. The point is this: you will not understand the good news of Jesus and his resurrection unless there is a context to it. This is what Paul provides to the Athenians.

Paul’s attitude: He is repulsed by what he sees of this city submerged by idolatry. He is provoked and he is distressed. The whole of Luke / Acts is about the New Exodus and the theme of that is an anti-idol polemic. What we see in Acts 17 is the climax of this and it acts as the discursive framing for Acts 18; the anger toward idolatry frames the gospel message.

Paul’s approach: There is a comparison and collision of worldviews. Paul recognized that in order for the resurrection to be understood he needed to set the context. He introduces who God is, what he is like and the Christian view of history. It’s only in the context of the Christian worldview that the gospel makes sense. Worldview thinking has to be part of gospel proclamation.



Paul’s appeal: It’s not just a call to repentance; it’s a command to repentance. Again, it’s quite negative; it’s bad news—The Day of the Lord, a day of wrath is coming and the resurrection is used as proof that judgement is coming and that Jesus is the judge. This should be our appeal because idolatry has consequences and we have to take seriously the prospect of an eternity in hell.

But, of course, it’s also good news, because we can turn from these things toward the living God.

All Glory Be to Christ

New lyrics to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, from the album Joy Has Dawned by Kings Kaleidoscope:

Should nothing of our efforts stand

No legacy survive

Unless the Lord does raise the house

In vain its builders strive

To you who boast tomorrow’s gain

Tell me what is your life

A mist that vanishes at dawn

All glory be to Christ!

All glory be to Christ our king!

All glory be to Christ!

His rule and reign will ever sing,

All glory be to Christ!

His will be done

His kingdom come

On earth as is above

Who is Himself our daily bread

Praise Him the Lord of love

Let living water satisfy

The thirsty without price

We’ll take a cup of kindness yet

All glory be to Christ!

All glory be to Christ our king!

All glory be to Christ!

His rule and reign will ever sing,

All glory be to Christ!

When on the day the great I Am

The faithful and the true

The Lamb who was for sinners slain

Is making all things new.

Behold our God shall live with us

And be our steadfast light

And we shall ere his people be

All glory be to Christ!

All glory be to Christ our king!

All glory be to Christ!

His rule and reign will ever sing,

All glory be to Christ!

credits
from Joy Has Dawned, released 27 November 2012

Words by Dustin Kensrue, arrangement by Kings Kaleidoscope / © Dead Bird Theology (ASCAP), It’s All About Jesus Music (ASCAP)

HT: Dan Huff

A Conversation with J. Budziszewski on Natural Law and Natural Revelation

One of the most helpful writers on natural law today is J. Budziszewski (pronounced BOOjee SHEFski). His books on natural law include Written on the Heart: The Case for Natural Law (InterVarsity, 1997), What We Can’t Not Know: A Guide (Spence, 2003), Natural Law for Lawyers (Blackstone Fellowship, 2006), The Line Through the Heart: Natural Law as Fact, Theory, and Sign of Contradiction (Intercollegiate Studies Institute Press, 2009). You don’t have to agree with every jot and tittle to benefit from his work. (In my opinion, the most helpful introduction remains C. S. Lewis’ Abolition of Man.)

Here is an hour-long conversation Budziszewski had with Doug Wilson on these issues:

An Interview with Zack Eswine about Life and Ministry as a Human Being

I really enjoyed this conversation with Pastor Zack Eswine, author of the important book Sensing Jesus: Life and Ministry as a Human Being. I would encourage you to watch it, especially if you are in pastoral ministry or hope to be (though it is applicable to all of us).

We talk about burnout—for example, the world’s definition of greatness as “large, notable, and now” vs. Jesus’ teaching of “small things, slowly, over a long period of time,” along with the temptation of pastors to pretend as if they are omniscient (know it all), omnipotent (fix it all), or omnipresent (be everywhere at once).

I tried to draw out why he thinks remembering our humanity is important, and one thing he said stood out to me: “When I’m holding the Bible to pray with someone, I’m doing it with coffee breath. Even if we have a revival . . . and it went into the night, at some point we still have to go to the bathroom.”

You can watch the whole conversation here:

How the Lord of the Rings Helps George Marsden Explain a Christian View of History

George Marsden, in the second edition of his magisterial work on Fundamentalism and American Culture (Oxford University Press, 2006), pp. 259-260, comments on a Christian view of history:

The awareness that God acts in history in ways that we can only know in the context of our culturally determined experience should be central to a Christian understanding of history. Yet the Christian must not lose sight of the premise that, just as in the Incarnation Christ’s humanity does not compromise his divinity, so the reality of God’s other work in history, going well beyond what we might explain as natural phenomena, is not compromised by the fact that it is culturally defined.

The history of Christianity reveals a perplexing mixture of divine and human factors. As Richard Lovelace has said, this history, when viewed without a proper awareness of the spiritual factors involved, “is as confusing as a football game in which half the players are invisible.” The present work, an analysis of cultural influences on religious belief, is a study of things visible. As such it must necessarily reflect more than a little sympathy with the modern mode of explanation in terms of natural historical causation. Yet it would be a mistake to assume that such sympathy is incompatible with, or even antagonistic to, a view of history in which God as revealed in Scripture is the dominant force, and in which other unseen spiritual forces are contending.

I find that a Christian view of history is clarified if one considers reality as more or less like the world portrayed in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. We live in the midst of contests between great and mysterious spiritual forces, which we understand only imperfectly and whose true dimensions we only occasionally glimpse. Yet, frail as we are, we do play a role in this history, on the side either of the powers of light or of the powers of darkness. It is crucially important then, that, by God’s grace, we keep our wits about us and discern the vast difference between the real forces of good and the powers of darkness disguised as angels of light.

The entire Afteword, “History and Fundamentalism,” is worth reading for Marsden’s understanding of the Christian historian’s role as chronicler and interpreter of “observable cultural forces” which complements the theologian’s task of interpreting God’s ways in the world.

A Biblical Theology to Look Forward to in 2013

Perhaps it’s been done before, but I can’t think of anyone offhand who has pulled of the trifecta of writing a fullscale Pauline theology, New Testament theology, and whole-Bible biblical theology. But with the forthcoming publication of The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Baker Academic, July 2013), Tom Schreiner will have done just that.

These may not be the only books you need to read in their respective categories, but I would recommend them as the first. Schreiner writes clearly, winsomely, insightfully, and doxologically.

Baker briefly describes this new work: “Schreiner emphasizes three interrelated and unified themes that stand out in the biblical narrative: God as Lord, human beings as those who are made in God’s image, and the land or place in which God’s rule is exercised. The goal of God’s kingdom is to see the king in his beauty and to be enraptured in his glory.”

Here are some early reviews:

“Schreiner’s one-volume biblical theology is a bountiful bonanza of biblical storytelling. In a time when biblical studies has become partitioned between Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament, Schreiner reminds us that there is one God, one book, and one story. A story about God the king, his kingdom, his people, and the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. A nuanced and much-needed book to help Christians understand what the Bible is about and how it all hangs together.”

Michael F. Bird, Crossway College, Brisbane, Australia

“A wonderfully clear and faithful account of biblical theology. This book is both intellectually compelling and honoring to God and so deserves to be widely read.”

Simon Gathercole, senior lecturer in New Testament, University of Cambridge; editor, Journal for the Study of the New Testament

“Having written major volumes on Pauline theology and New Testament theology, Tom Schreiner places a remarkable capstone on his work by tackling a biblical theology of the entire canon of Scripture. And he is up to the task, clearly and consistently tracing the theme of God as king and the ultimate triumph of the kingdom of God from Genesis through Revelation. Few volumes have dealt so comprehensively and so well with the grand narrative of Scripture from beginning to end.”

Mark L. Strauss, professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary San Diego

“A book that wonderfully unites all the books of the Bible. Few authors have the command of learning, the gift of teaching, and the heart for God that this volume reflects. Digest this book to elevate your grasp of the Bible and to find your soul riveted like never before to the king in his beauty.”

Robert W. Yarbrough, professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri

“From the garden of Eden to the garden of Paradise, Tom Schreiner deftly takes the reader through the entire narrative of the history of redemption. Giving attention to every part of the canonical scriptures, Schreiner shows how the Bible coheres under the theme of the kingdom or rule of God. The payoff is a virtual feast of theological, practical, and devotional insights. In a simple, direct, and non-technical way, this book will bring Christians to a new understanding and appreciation of the entire Bible.”

Donald A. Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

Two Free Pro-Life Books

Later this month we will observe the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court that effectively legalizes abortion on demand—the taking of a human life at any stage of a pregnancy for any reason.

Here are a couple of free resources, and some new ones to know about.

The Kindle version of R. C. Sproul’s Abortion: A Rational Look at An Emotional Issue is free today at Amazon. See also this interview and teaching series with Dr. Sproul. He writes:

I’ve written over 70 books. The book that had the shortest shelf life of all of my books was my book on the case against abortion. I talked to pastor after pastor and sought to understand why they weren’t using this material (for which we also made a video series). They told me, “Well, we agree with it but we can’t do it in our church.” And I said, “Why?” They responded: “It will split the congregation.” And I said, “So be it!” A million and a half unborn babies are slaughtered wantonly in the United States of America every year in the name of women’s rights. If I know anything about the character of God after forty years of study, I know that God hates abortion.”

Christian Audio is making available for free this month the audiobook for Roger Resler’s Compelling Interest: The Real Story behind Roe v. Wade. It provides a lot of documentation regarding the case, the history, the manipulation of language, and other things you likely won’t hear elsewhere.

If you are looking for inexpensive equipping resources for your church or student ministry, here’s a resource you might want to take a look at: Stand for Life: A Student’s Guide for Making the Case and Saving Lives, by John Ensor and Scott Klusendorf. You would be hard pressed to find two guys more articulate, compassionate, wise, thoughtful, and gospel-centered on this great moral crisis of our time.

D. A. Carson on 5 Ways to Prepare Kids for Attacks on Their Faith

An exchange in Ligonier’s Tabletalk interview with Don Carson:

TT: What is the best way for parents to prepare their children for the attacks on their faith they may face in college?

There is no formulaic answer and no guarantee. For a start, our children themselves are extraordinarily diverse. Many will be tempted by postmodern assumptions. Others will feel far greater threats from biologists, cosmologists, or psychologists who operate under the assumptions of raw atheism or, worse, functional atheism. All I can do is enumerate some values and practices in the home that seem to me to be wise, biblically faithful, and useful in mitigating the dangers. These are exemplary, not exhaustive.

First, the home should encourage vigorous Christian understanding. The most dangerous seedbed for intellectual rebellion is a home where faith is sentimental and even anti-intellectual, and where opponents are painted as ignorant knaves, because eventually our children discover that there are some really nice people who are atheists and agnostics, and they can present arguments in sophisticated, gentle, and persuasive fashion.

Similarly, the local church with young people who are heading off to college should be doing what it can to prepare them—first with a solid grasp of Christian essentials, and second with the rudiments of responsible apologetics.

At the same time, both the home and the church should be living out a Christian faith that is more than intellectually rigorous. It should be striving for biblically-faithful authenticity across the board: genuine love for God and neighbor, living with eternity in view, quickness to confess sin and seek reconciliation, a concern for the lost and the broken, faithfulness in praise and intercessory prayer, a transparent delight in holiness, and a contagious joy in God. Even if our children are sucked into intellectual nihilism for a while, over the long haul it is important that they remember what biblically-faithful Christianity looks like in the home and in the church.

Fourth, wisdom in shaping our kids demands more structure when they are young; more discussion, carefully monitored controls, and a safety net as they grow older; and a willingness, in most instances, to wait to be asked for advice when they have genuinely left the nest and are no longer dependent on our roof or our wallets.

Finally, pray for them. Pray for them especially diligently when you recognize, as you repeatedly will, that unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor do so in vain.

* * *

You can read the whole interview here.

2013 Christianity Today Book Awards

Here are CT‘s books of the year, by category, judged by their panelists.

Congratulations in particular to Crossway authors Kevin DeYoung (The Hole in Our Holiness) and Gerald Bray (God Is Love) for awards of merit in their respective categories of Spirituality and Theology/Ethics.

Reading the Bible in 2013

Do you want to read the whole Bible?

If the average person reads 200 to 250 words per minute, and if there are about 775,000 words in the Bible, then it would take less than 10 minutes a day to read the whole Bible in a year.

Audio Bibles are usually about 75 hours long, so you can listen to it in just over 12 minutes a day.

But a simple resolution to do this is often an insufficient. Most of us need a more proactive plan.

Stephen Witmer explains the weaknesses of typical plans and offers some advice on reading the Bible together with others—as well as offering his own new two-year plan. (“In my opinion, it is better to read the whole Bible through carefully one time in two years than hastily in one year.”) His plan has you read through one book of the Bible at a time (along with a daily reading from the Psalms or Proverbs). At the end of two years you will have read through the Psalms and Proverbs four times and the rest of the Bible once.

The Gospel Coalition’s For the Love of God Blog (which you can subscribe to via email) takes you through the M’Cheyne reading plan, with a meditation each day by D. A. Carson related to one of the readings. M’Cheyne’s plan has you read shorter selections from four different places in the Bible each day.

George Guthrie’s “Read the Bible for Life Chronological Bible Reading Plan” is a semi-chronological plan, placing the prophets and the NT letters in basic chronological order. You read in four different places each day, along with a daily psalm (so you end up reading the Psalter twice in a year). You can also download a printable booklet.

For those who would benefit from a realistic “discipline + grace” approach, consider “The Bible Reading Plan for Shirkers and Slackers.” As Andy Perry explains, it takes away the pressure (and guilt) of “keeping up” with the entire Bible in one year. You get variety within the week by alternating genres by day, but also continuity by sticking with one genre each day. Here’s the basic idea:

Sundays: Poetry

Mondays: Penteteuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy)

Tuesdays: Old Testament history

Wednesdays: Old Testament history

Thursdays: Old Testament prophets

Fridays: New Testament history

Saturdays: New Testament epistles (letters)

There are a number of Reading Plans for ESV Editions. Crossway has made them accessible in multiple formats:

web (a new reading each day appears online at the same link)
RSS (subscribe to receive by RSS)
podcast (subscribe to get your daily reading in audio)
iCal (download an iCalendar file)
mobile (view a new reading each day on your mobile device)
print (download a PDF of the whole plan)




Reading Plan
Format


Chronological

Through the Bible chronologically (from Back to the Bible)
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Daily Light on the Daily Path

Daily Light on the Daily Path – the ESV version of Samuel Bagster’s classic
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Daily Office Lectionary

Daily Psalms, Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospels
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Daily Reading Bible

Daily Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


ESV Study Bible

Daily Psalms or Wisdom Literature; Pentateuch or the History of Israel; Chronicles or Prophets; and Gospels or Epistles
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Every Day in the Word

Daily Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, Proverbs
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Literary Study Bible

Daily Psalms or Wisdom Literature; Pentateuch or the History of Israel; Chronicles or Prophets; and Gospels or Epistles
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan

Daily Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms or Gospels
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Outreach

Daily Old Testament, Psalms, and New Testament
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Outreach New Testament

Daily New Testament. Read through the New Testament in 6 months
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email


Through the Bible in a Year

Daily Old Testament and New Testament
RSS
iCal
Mobile
Print
Email

You can also access each of these Reading Plans as podcasts:

Right-click (Ctrl-click on a Mac) the “RSS” link of the feed you want from the above list.
Choose “Copy Link Location” or “Copy Shortcut.”
Start iTunes.
Under File, choose “Subscribe to Podcast.”
Paste the URL into the box.
Click OK.