Justin Taylor's Blog, page 236

What Unbelieving Pagans Know about God and Why They Are Responsible for It

I am continually amazed at how much dense theology Paul is able to pack into a few lines of a letter. Consider, for example, just four verses: Romans 1:18-21.

 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Paul has just finished exulting in the "good news" of the gospel (Rom. 1:15-17), but he now begins to paint a contrasting backdrop of the "bad news" for those who rebel against their holy creator. Whereas "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith" to all who believe (vv. 16-17), "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven" against all who suppress God's truth (v. 18). Paul piles up the terms in reference to the godless Gentiles: on the one hand, "ungodliness and unrighteousness" describes what they do, and on the other hand "by their unrighteousness" is the way in which they go about their work of suppressing truth. The reality of the redundancy is repulsive: by their unrighteousness they perform unrighteousness.

Paul immediately grounds this programmatic statement with the important insight that "what can be known about God is plain to them" (v. 19). Paul is not saying that these unbelievers, apparently without access to special revelation, know everything there is to know about God, but rather that they know everything that has been commonly or generally revealed to all. That is, they know "what can be known." How does Paul himself know this? How can he claim with certainty what every man knows about God? Has he interviewed them all? In line with his God-centered theology, Paul grounds his own certainty about this universal knowledge in God's act of common revelation: "God has shown it to them" (v. 19b).

Paul now proceeds to explain  in verse 20 how this can be. Note four things.

First, the object of their knowledge is God's "invisible attributes." In particular, Paul points to God as Creator with eternality, power, and divinity ("eternal power and divine nature . . . creation of the world").

Second, he explains the location of their knowledge of these invisible divine attributes: "in the things that have been made." In other words, his invisible characteristics are found in his visible creation.

Third, he explains the duration of their knowledge, to the effect that this has always been the case: "ever since the creation of the world."

Fourth, he points to the quality of their knowledge: it is "clearly perceived," hearkening back to his comment that this knowledge is "plain to them."

Paul adds all of this together and draws the inescapable conclusion (oun, so, therefore) for those who know God but suppress his truth: "they are without excuse." None can plead ignorance, therefore none can excuse their moral responsibility and culpability.

Paul continues to explain what he means in verse 21. Their knowledge of God should lead to two appropriate responses, but instead we see two regrettable reversals: (1) they refused to honor God as God and (2) they refused to thank God for his wonderful gifts.

This then yields the two commensurate results: (1) they became futile in their thinking and (2) their foolish hearts were darkened.

In the remainder of this first chapter Paul unfolds the consequences for this knowledge-suppressing behavior, showing the further descent into the darkness of idolatry in light of God's inaugurated eschatology of judgment.

Studying just these few verses gives us enormous insight into what the pagans know and why they are responsible. May it motivate us to bring the gospel to those who are both near and far.

Goldsworthy on Exploring the Biblical Theology of Wisdom

The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology is one of my favorite journals, in part because each quarterly issue is devoted to a theme, allowing a subject to be examined from multiple angles. You can see a number of samples online.



The most recent issue (Fall 2011) is on the book of Ecclesiastes. One of the articles is by Graeme Goldsworthy, entitled "Wisdom and Its Literature in Biblical-Theological Context."

Here is a brief outline of his methodology:

1. We start with Christ who gives us the theme to investigate.

2. We go back to the key OT places and trace the progression of this theme longitudinally from earliest time down to the NT.

This involves three stages:

i. biblical history;

ii. prophetic eschatology;

iii. NT fulfillment in Christ.

3. On the way through, we think laterally to related concepts that enrich our understanding of the main theme.

Dr. Goldsworthy illustrates this process with the following chart (posted with permission), worthy of close study:

You can read the whole article here.

Are You Suffering from Eternity Amnesia?

It's always interesting to see what the folks at WTS Books get personally affected by and excited about. The latest is Paul Tripp's 5-hour conference DVD that corresponds to his book, Forever: Why You Can't Live Without It.

Here's what they write:

We think so highly of this DVD that we are offering you $5 off ANY order just to watch this segment (even if you choose not to buy it!). We are trusting your integrity to only use the coupon if you have watched this 10-minute video. To use the coupon, enter "forever" into the coupon code field on the shopping cart page. Limit one per customer. Coupon expires February 22, 2012

Here's the video:

Lightening the Ship: Every Resource at Desiring God for $5

John Piper explains a massive inventory reduction for a new trajectory.

The Intolerance of Tolerance

D.A. Carson's latest book, The Intolerance of Tolerance, could not be more timely. It's a good and important book to read. You can read the first 30 pages of it here.

In a recent interview with John Starke he explained the difference between the "old tolerance" and the "new tolerance":

The old tolerance presupposed another system of thought already in place—Christianity, communism, Naziism, Buddhism, secularism—whatever. The issue then became how much deviation from that system could be tolerated before coercive force is applied. To the extent that one allowed deviation, one was tolerant; correspondingly, where one judges that deviation has gone too far (e.g., almost everyone agrees, even today, that pedophilia goes beyond the pale), then coercive force—in short, intolerance—is a virtue. It was quite possible to disagree strongly with what a person was saying, but still tolerate the opinion that was perceived to be aberrant, on the ground that it was better for society to allow such opinions than to coerce silence from those articulating them.

But invariably, tolerance has its limits. The new tolerance (1) tends to insist that those who merely disagree with others, at least in several spheres, are intolerant, even if no coercive force is applied; (2) tends to make such tolerance the supreme good, independently of surrounding systems of thought; and (3) tends to be remarkably blind in regard to its own intolerant condemnation of everyone who disagrees with its own definition of tolerance. The result is that in many domains, in many discussions, the question is rarely "Is this true?" but "Is anyone offended?" Rigorous discussion of content soon shuts down; truth is demoted; various forms of class warfare are encouraged; in some domains it becomes wrong (supreme irony) to say that anyone is wrong.

See also these MP3s, part 1 and part 2, where Carson addresses these issues.

Common Grace and the End of the World

John Murray's definition of "common grace" is perhaps the most concise and helpful one available:

every favour of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God (Collected Works, II:96).

Sam Storms has written a very helpful overview of the doctrine, originally written in light of Hurricane Katrina and its damage. He summarizes the biblical evidence under four headings:

God exercises restraint on sin and evil.
God freely suspends the immediate manifestation of his divine wrath due unto sin.
God holds in check the destructive tendencies that are part of the curse of sin upon nature.
God bestows upon both nature (see esp. Ps. 65:9-13; 104:10-30; 145:1-16; 136:25) and humanity manifold blessings both physical and spiritual that fall short of redemption itself.

At the end of the essay, he looks at what this means for the end of the world. If you've ever been confused about the way in which the Bible seems to talk about things getting worse and worse, while also talking about things getting better, here is an introduction to what Storms thinks is the biblical perspective:

As we approach the second coming of Christ, whether that be one year or one-thousand years in the future, I believe the presence and power of common grace will progressively diminish. The restraining power of the Spirit on the sinful souls of men and women, as well as on the natural creation, will incrementally weaken. The manifestation of human sin and wickedness and unbelief will therefore expand.

Common grace is much like the emergency break on a car that is parked on a steep incline. The weight of the car, together with the force of gravity, would naturally result in its descent down the road and its eventual crash. But the emergency break resists and impedes this otherwise natural inclination. So, too, with human sin. The Holy Spirit is like an emergency break on the human heart. But one day, perhaps imperceptibly and certainly in gradual fashion, the restraint on the sinful and depraved inclination of the human soul will be removed.

But here is the good news. I also believe that together with the progressive withdrawal of common grace will be a corresponding increase of special grace! The people of God will experience fresh and ever-increasing manifestations of divine favor and power and blessing and anointing simultaneously with the withdrawal of the Spirit's common grace work of curbing the sinful impulses of the lost. This is why there will be an increase of wickedness and persecution (and, yes, martyrdom) in the world at large at the same time there is an increase of righteousness and perseverance in the church in particular.

My "theory" (which I do believe has Scriptural support) is that the Church will experience great revival, ever-increasing impartations of supernatural power, unprecedented expressions of love and unity, all the while she is being oppressed and persecuted and increasingly hated by the unbelieving world. Special grace will intensify even as common grace will diminish.

I should also point out that this process will culminate eternally in what we know as heaven and hell. Heaven is the unabated overflow of special grace. Hell is the utter absence of even common grace. Forever.

So what should be the Christian's response to Katrina and the devastation she wrought? We should, no pun intended, flood the people who are suffering with expressions of kindness and compassion and generosity, knowing that such devastation could as easily fall on us (cf. Luke 13:1-5). As the Spirit's provision of common grace diminishes, may the recipients of his special grace overflow in the goodness of Jesus to the glory of God the Father.

Three Kinds of People, Or Why It's Disastrous to Divide the World into Good and Bad

C. S. Lewis's short essay, "Three Kinds of Men":

There are three kinds of people in the world.

The first class is of those who live simply for their own sake and pleasure, regarding Man and Nature as so much raw material to be cut up into whatever shape may serve them.

In the second class are those who acknowledge some other claim upon them—the will of God, the categorical imperative, or the good of society—and honestly try to pursue their own interests no further than this claim will allow. They try to surrender to the higher claim as much as it demands, like men paying a tax, but hope, like other taxpayers, that what is left over will be enough for them to live on. Their life is divided, like a soldier's or a schoolboy's life, into time "on parade" and "off parade", "in school" and "out of school".

But the third class is of those who can say like St Paul that for them "to live is Christ". These people have got rid of the tiresome business of adjusting the rival claims of Self and God by the simple expedient of rejecting the claims of Self altogether. The old egoistic will has been turned round, reconditioned, and made into a new thing. The will of Christ no longer limits theirs; it is theirs. All their time, in belonging to Him, belongs also to them, for they are His.

And because there are three classes, any merely twofold division of the world into good and bad is disastrous. It overlooks the fact that the members of the second class (to which most of us belong) are always and necessarily unhappy. The tax which moral conscience levies on our desires does not in fact leave us enough to live on. As long as we are in this class we must either feel guilt because we have not paid the tax or penury because we have. The Christian doctrine that there is no "salvation" by works done to the moral law is a fact of daily experience. Back or on we must go. But there is no going on simply by our own efforts. If the new Self, the new Will, does not come at His own good pleasure to be born in us, we cannot produce Him synthetically.

The price of Christ is something, in a way, much easier than moral effort—it is to want Him. It is true that the wanting itself would be beyond our power but for one fact. The world is so built that, to help us desert our own satisfactions, they desert us. War and trouble and finally old age take from us one by one all those things that the natural Self hoped for at its setting out. Begging is our only wisdom, and want in the end makes it easier for us to be beggars. Even on those terms the Mercy will receive us.

How Did Valentine's Day Begin?

Short answer: who knows?

A longer answer from Maggi Dawn:

There were at least three Valentines, and we don't know all that much about any of them. Whether the day is attributed to one or all of them, who knows – but the most popular story centres around a priest who performed illegal marriages. The story goes that the Roman Emperor Claudius II imposed a ban on marriages in order to boost his army. Only single men had to enter the army, and too many men were dodging the draft by getting married. Valentinus, though, in an effort to protect the sacramentality of Christian marriage, performed secret marriages, and when he got caught he was sentenced to death. While he awaited execution, he was showered with notes from young couples extolling the virtues of love over war. (Looks like John Lennon didn't invent the slogan "Make love not war" after all.) These notes, if they ever existed at all, were supposedly the first Valentines. Poor old Valentinus was executed in February 14th, 269, a bloody end for the saint of love.

A second priest named Valentinus also found himself in prison for helping Christians, and according to legend he fell in love with the daughter of his jailer and sent her notes signed "from your Valentine".

The third St Valentine, the Bishop of Terni, was also martyred, and yet another Valentinus – a second-century Gnostic Roman teacher – although not a Christian himself, argued that sex and marriage were central to Christian teaching.

It was 469 when "Valentine" was given a feast day, in the hopes of replacing February's pagan feasts of love and fertility with a theme of Christian love and martyrdom. Judging by today's customs I'd say the scheme wasn't altogether successful.

2012 Band of Bloggers at Together for the Gospel

Registration is now open for the 2012 Band of Bloggers fellowship. It's a nice time at the biannual Together for the Gospel conference to connect with fellow brothers and sisters, many of whom we may only know online.

Here are the details:

What: '12 Band of Bloggers: An Underestimated Resurgence

When: Tuesday, April 10th, 11:00AM

Where: Legacy Hotel (on campus of Southern Seminary)

Who: Tim Challies | Justin Taylor | Kevin DeYoung | Collin Hansen | Tim Brister | Owen Strachan

Food and Books: Lunch is provided. There will also be a book giveaway from various publishers.

Cost: Registration is only $15 this year. Seated is especially limited. Register early because they will likely have to shut down registration before the event.

Description:

Six years ago, two movements began to gain significant traction-blogging and the young, restless, and reformed. Additionally, 2006 was the inauguration of the Band of Bloggers fellowship, and since that time God has brought gospel rental in many ways to evangelical life, including the development of organizations like Together for the Gospel and The Gospel Coalition, the upsurge of gospel literature in publishing houses, the growth of church planting and revitalization networks, and continued reformation in local churches. Throughout this period, the role of the internet, blogging, and advances in technology have played no small role. At the 2012 Band of Bloggers gathering, we will take a look back at the past six years and consider the impact-good and bad-of blogging and technology in the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement. We hope you'll join us as we look forward to how we can best leverage our lives and steward the resources for the advancement of the gospel!

 

The New D.Min Program from Ligonier Academy

Ligonier's new D.Min. program looks excellent for pastors and ministry leaders who want to take intensive theological classes taught by world-class scholars:

The Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) degree program emphasizes the application of theology and the means of grace to ministry. This program is for men who desire a deep knowledge of and greater competence in the practice of ministry and consists of eight required courses and a major written project. Each course is a one-week module focusing on a topic in theology or the practice of ministry.

Here's an overview:

Courses on the Practice of Ministry:

1. Reformed Philosophy of Ministry (3 credit hours)

2. Preaching (3 credit hours)

3. Worship (3 credit hours)

4. Missions and Evangelism (3 credit hours)

5. Pastoral Care (3 credit hours)

Courses on Theology:

1. The Doctrine of Justification (3 credit hours)

2. Issues in Theological Studies (3 credit hours)

3. Issues in Biblical Studies (3 credit hours)

Go here to see their upcoming classes being offered.

Dr. Letham's class on the Trinity—syllabus here—looks especially good!