Justin Taylor's Blog, page 301

David Wells on Unchanging Doctrine and Contextualized Theology

Some helpful quotes from David Wells's 1985 essay, "The Nature and Function of Theology."

On biblical revelation as both in and above culture

Biblical revelation was given in a particular cultural context but it is also intended to be heard in our own context. This revelatory trajectory, then, has a point of origination and a point of arrival.

It is the fact of inspiration and the contemporary work of the Spirit which secure a consistency between its terminus a quo [end from which; starting point] and its terminus a quem [end to which; ending point]. The work of the Holy Spirit was such that the responsible human agents who were used in the writing of Scripture were able to employ cultural materials and, indeed, to shape the revelation in terms of their own understanding, but what God the Spirit willed should be revealed was exactly what was written, and the content and intent of this revelation were alike transcultural.

The biblical revelation, because of its inspired nature, can therefore be captive neither to the culture in which it arose nor to the culture in which it arrives. It was not distorted as it was given, nor need it be distorted as we seek to understand it many centuries later in contexts far removed from those in which it was originally given. . . .

On de-contextualizing and re-contextualizing Scripture

It is the task of theology, then, to discover what God has said in and through Scripture and to clothe that in a conceptuality which is native to our own age. Scripture, at its terminus a quo, needs to be de-contextualized in order to grasp its transcultural content, and it needs to be re-contextualized in order that its content may be meshed with the cognitive assumptions and social patterns of our own time.

On the task of theology in making doctrine incarnate

Theology is that effort by which what has been crystallized into doctrine becomes anchored in a subsequent age and culture. It is the work of making doctrine incarnate. God's Word is "enfleshed" in a society as its significance is stated in terms of that cultural situation. . . .

On how theology differs from doctrine

Theology differs from doctrine as what is unrevealed does from what is revealed, fallible from what is infallible, derived from what is original, relative from what is certain, culturally determined from what is divinely given.

Doctrine cannot change from generation to generation, otherwise Christianity itself would be changing.

Theology must change in each succeeding generation, otherwise it will fail to become a part of the thinking processes and life-style of that generation.

The attempt to change doctrine imperils Christian faith; the unwillingness to incarnate doctrine in each age by theology imperils the Christian's credibility.

In the one case Christianity can no longer be believed; in the other, it is no longer believable. . . .

Contextualization is the servant role of theology

Contextualization, then, is but another name for describing the servant role of theology.

The Son of God assumed the form of a servant to seek and save the lost and theology must do likewise, incarnating itself in the cultural forms of its time without ever losing its identity as Christian theology. God, after all, did not assume the guise of a remote Rabbi who simply declared the principles of eternal truth, but in the Son he compassionately entered into the life of ordinary people and declared to them what God's Word meant to them. But in so doing, the Son never lost his identity as divine.

Christian thought is called to do likewise, to retain its identity (doctrine) within its role as servant (theology) within a particular culture.

Reformation as both past event and contemporary experience

. . .[R]eformation should not be seen merely as a past event but should always be a contemporary experience. In every generation the Word of God must be heard afresh and obeyed afresh if the God of that Word is to be accorded our obedience at the places where it really counts.

Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsiblity on the Road to Emmaus

Can your theology account for the consistency of all three of these verses from Luke 24—divine veiling, human culpability, and divine revealing?

v. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

v. 25 And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!"

v. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.

The Paradox of Man

Blasie Pascal (Pensées, #164):

What a figment of the imagination human beings are!

What a novelty, what monsters!

Chaotic,

contradictory,

prodigious,

judging everything,

mindless worm of the earth,

storehouse of truth,

cesspool of uncertainty and error,

glory and reject of the universe.

Who will unravel this tangle?

D.A. Carson (Holy Sonnets, #7):

A paradox, this man: both son of God

And rebel, stellar powers bursting out

Through spirit mean and shoddy, cloaked about

With fine creative genius, yet a clod

Of dirt, compounded equally of sod

And everlasting consciousness, a lout

With moral aspirations, clutching clout

In empty power scrambles, sordid, odd.

Reflecting the Creator, given high

Preferment, ever served by angel hosts,

This son of wrath, preferring darkness, died,

His true paternity a barren boast.

God spoke: in his own image he made man;

And blemished though that image be, it stands.

Tips for Tightwads

Being frugal, a penny-pincher, a tightwad—like anything—can be a form of idolatry, leading to pride and judgmentalism. But it can also be an expression of stewardship, a means of generosity, and a way to swim upstream against consumerism and materialism. And for many in this economy, this is less about a "lifestyle choice" and more about a necessity.

The best practical guide is probably The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced like "decision"). If you do everything in this book, you're likely imbalanced. (Like the "Extreme Couponers" who are able somehow to buy 300 cans of tomato sauce for a dime.) But if you do even a fraction of the suggestions, you'll more than justify the price of the book and save a good chunk of change.

For those who want to read but can't afford to buy new books, here are some good suggestions from Trevin Wax.

If you can afford books (and other items) but want to pay the least amount possible, the benefits of Amazon Prime are hard to beat. The only problem is that it's $79/year. If you order a lot of books, this may be worth it. You don't pay any extra for two-day shipping (no minimum size order, no limits to the number of times you can use this, can be used for sending gifts), you can get one-day shipping for $3.99, and you get access to instant movies at no additional charge.

But, there are a few ways to get around the annual fee, at least for a season.

You can get a trial membership and cancel it at the end of the trial.
If you are responsible for caring for a baby or young child, you can get Prime for free for three months by signing up for "Amazon Mom" (even if you're a dad, grandparent, etc.). Then for ever $25 you spend in the Baby Store, you earn an extra month of free Prime shipping benefits, up to a year.
If you are a student, you can get Prime free for six months.

Hopefully at least some of these tips can save you a little bit of money in the months ahead.

True Christian Romance Novels

Russell Moore:

I think fiction is good, necessary, and God-glorifying. I teach my theology students to read good fiction for the sake of their preaching, if for no other reason. Those without the imagination to read fiction usually lack the imagination to hear the rhythm and contours of Scripture, much less to peer into the mysteries of the human heart. I just think schlocky fiction does just the opposite of all of that. I also think human love is a more than worthy subject of writing, including Christian writing. I just think it should be done with authenticity and honesty, and should look at love, not the hormonal utopia our culture has taught us to long for. I can think of no better contemporary example of doing this well than Hannah Coulter.

You can read his summary and recommendation of the book here.

The audiobook is available as a free download for the month of August from Christian Audio.

A Center without Boundaries?

"A center without a circumference is just a dot, nothing more. It is the circumference that marks the boundary of the circle. To eliminate the boundary is to eliminate the circle itself. The circle of faith cannot identify its center without recognizing its perimeter."

—Thomas C. Oden, The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity (HarperOne, 2002), p. 131

HT: Matthew J. Milliner

John Calvin at His Gospel-Saturated Best

From a stunningly gospelicious preface John Calvin wrote for Pierre Robert Olivétan's French translation of the New Testament (1534)

"Without the gospel everything is useless and vain; without the gospel we are not Christians; without the gospel all riches is poverty, all wisdom folly before God; strength is weakness, and all the justice of man is under the condemnation of God. But by the knowledge of the gospel we are made children of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, fellow townsmen with the saints, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, heirs of God with Jesus Christ, by whom the poor are made rich, the weak strong, the fools wise, the sinner justified, the desolate comforted, the doubting sure, and slaves free. It is the power of God for the salvation of all those who believe …" (66)

"It follows that every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For, he was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us; he was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; he died for our life; so that by him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal. In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune.

For all these things which were to be the weapons of the devil in his battle against us, and the sting of death to pierce us, are turned for us into exercises which we can turn to our profit. If we are able to boast with the apostle, saying, O hell, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? it is because by the Spirit of Christ promised to the elect, we live no longer, but Christ lives in us; and we are by the same Spirit seated among those who are in heaven, so that for us the world is no more, even while our conversation [life] is in it; but we are content in all things, whether country, place, condition, clothing, meat, and all such things. And we are comforted in tribulation, joyful in sorrow, glorying under vituperation [verbal abuse], abounding in poverty, warmed in our nakedness, patient amongst evils, living in death. This is what we should in short seek in the whole of Scripture: truly to know Jesus Christ, and the infinite riches that are comprised in him and are offered to us by him from God the Father." (69-70)

Edwards: Loving God

Guest Post by Dane Ortlund

Thanks so much, Justin, for letting us carry the Between Two Worlds baton for a few days as you got away to rest. I know I speak for your many readers when I express my thankfulness for what this blog contributes not only to blogdom but, indeed, to the Christian church.

I close out my contribution with a word from my all-time favorite sermon (so far) by my dear friend, Jonathan Edwards. It's a one-way friendship for now; it will not always be so.

In the 1730s Edwards preached a sermon on 1 John 4:16, entitled "The Spirit of the True Saints Is a Spirit of Divine Love." Here's a bit from the end. Best read slowly. The last sentence, in light of what precedes it, is wonderfully confrontational.

Consider what Christ has done for you. He died for you. O what did he bear for you. If you knew the pains, the distress, and the agonies the glorious Son of God underwent for you, how would the thoughts of his kindness and love to you overcome you. . . .

God in Christ allows such little, poor creatures as you are to come to him, to love communion with him, and to maintain a communication of love with him. You may go to God and tell him how you love him and open your heart and he will accept of it. You may be familiar in your expressions of your love to Christ, as little or unworthy as you are, for he is near to you. He is come down from heaven and has taken upon him the human nature on purpose, that he might be near to you and might be, as it were, your companion. . . . You may place yourself in his divine embraces.

Therefore don't let your unworthiness discourage you. Let it heighten your surprise and cause you to express your love in the most humble manner possible. But let it not keep you at a distance or change the expressions of your love. You may want humility in your love, but you never can be guilty of any excess in the joys of divine love. . . .

Let these considerations influence you to the love of God and Jesus Christ, to love them with a superlative love and love nothing contrary to them, and love nothing above them, and love nothing equal to them, and love nothing along with them with any parallel love. And express your love by doing for them by being willing all your days to labor and suffer for the glory of God. Can you think of living so as to dishonor God and to be a stumbling block to others and a disadvantage to religion without the utmost dread of it and being sick at the thought of it?

–Jonathan Edwards, "The Spirit of the True Saints Is a Spirit of Divine Love," in The Glory and Honor of God: Volume 2 of the Previously Unpublished Sermons of Jonathan Edwards (ed. Michael McMullen; B&H, 2004), 338-41

Packer's Sermon at Stott's Memorial Service

Guest Post by Dane Ortlund

Dr. J. I. Packer preaches on Hebrews 13:7-8 at a recent memorial service in Vancouver for John Stott.

Toward the end, Packer remarks–

It's a wonderful privilege to start something that goes on and grows after you have given to it all that you are able to give. I believe that the kingdom zeal–if I may use that phrase–of evangelicals all around the world, and most certainly Anglican evangelicals, has been greatly increased through John's ministry. I think that his vision for a renewed church, which was there right from the very start of his ministry–that vision has been picked up and is being maintained and is still exciting people just as it began to excite people when John expounded it.

Yes, John, by the grace of God, started something. Something wonderful, something rich and comprehensive and evangelical to its fingertips. And now it's for us to pick up the torch and in our own situations–our own churches, our own districts, our own homes, and wherever we go–it's for us to carry on what John began.

HT: TGC

A Prayer Celebrating Jesus' Nuptial Love for Us

As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isa. 62:5

Most holy and loving Jesus, we realize we're not the primary focus, point or end of anything. We're thrilled history is irrepressibly heading toward the glorious Day when your redeemed people and the restored creation will finally give you honor, praise, and glory you deserve. All things are being summed up in you, made new by you, and prepared for you. That day cannot come too soon.

That being said, it's shocking to realize how much you love us—how much you actually make of us, Lord Jesus. Knowing you've forgiven all our sins is more than enough reason to praise you for eternity. Knowing you've covered us with your perfect righteousness is reason to praise you for ten eternities. But to see and believe you've made us your cherished Bride is staggering… thrilling… and ever so liberating. We're not just going to heaven when we die, we're entering a bridal chamber when you return.

How can this be, Lord Jesus? How can this possibly be? You've made us, a most unlikely and unworthy people, your bride, wife and queen for all eternity. This isn't the story of Cinderella we're in. There was nothing about us, or in us, that made us attractive to you. We're the mean stepmother and the two conniving stepsisters—completely ill-deserving of your pursuit and affection. But such is the measure of your mercy and grandeur of your grace. You loved us in your death and now you serve us by your life.

One Day we'll be radiant with your beauty and filled with your joy, Lord Jesus, for we'll see you as you are and we will be made like you. Hasten that most longed for moment. But on that Day, our wedding day, your rejoicing won't be any greater or your singing any louder than it is in this day. All of this is true because the gospel is true. We believe this, free us from our unbelief. So very Amen we pray, in your matchless name and endless affection.