An Offer We Can’t Refuse?

Can man resist the grace of God? Yes. We do it all the time. In fact, as a result of the Fall (Genesis 3), we are by nature inclined away from God’s grace…and everything else about God. Our desires are contrary to God and we act according to those contrary desires. Necessarily.

So what do we mean by the phrase “Irresistible Grace,” the I in TULIP? Simply speaking, it means that God can and does override our resistance to his grace with his grace in order to change us from being enemies of God to being children of God. In fact, if we are to become children of God, it is necessary that he overcomes our deadness and hatred of him.

Who Put the “L” in TULIP?

I know a lot of people who would say, “I’m a 4-point (or a 4 ½-point) Calvinist.” The point that hangs them up is the “L” which stands for Limited Atonement. This point is the most disputed of the doctrines that comprise the TULIP, even amongst Calvinists. In this post I will attempt to give a brief synopsis of Limited Atonement, provide some alternative language that may be more helpful, present a logical defense of the doctrine, and point to some of its limitations — all in fewer than one thousand words. Here goes.

On What Grounds?

The word “election,” or some form of it, is all over the Bible. God’s people are often spoken of as “chosen,” “foreknown,” “called out ones” (or saints), and “elect.” To argue against God’s choosing a people for himself is simply to deny what is plainly presented in Scripture.

Just How Bad Is It?

We often think of our need for a Savior in terms of our own sins. What I mean by this is that we tend to recall the “bad things” we’ve done and see this collection of misdeeds as the reason we need forgiveness. It isn’t that we don’t need to be forgiven of these things (we certainly do!) but there is something deeper, something more wicked than the sum of all of the worst things we’ve done. In fact, it isn’t our “sins” that are our primary problem. Something darker, deeper and deadlier is at work in us.

Implications

Oscar Wilde said, “An idea that isn’t dangerous has no business being called an idea at all.” Ideas are dangerous things, and this is certainly no less the case when the ideas are about God. As we think through some of the implications of Calvinistic ideas, some questions naturally emerge. These are good and proper questions to ask. Whenever I hear people ask these questions, regardless their conclusions,

Houses Divided (or…More Theological Jackassery)

Being a Southern Baptist who holds to Reformed theology is messy. I am connected to a denomination (more accurately, a convention) that is either largely unaware of or antagonistic toward this theological perspective. I don’t really talk about Reformed theology much outside a smallish group of friends, because my main objective in life is not to convert people to a Reformed perspective, but to see and reveal the glory of Christ. I find I can do that without mentioning Calvin, the TULIP or the Protestant Reformation. In some ways, in fact, I would consider myself (to take advantage of the parlance of our time) post-Reformed. By this I mean

Driscoll on Humility

State of the Pulpit - The Pursuit of Humility

Speaks for itself. Watch it.

[HT: JT]

The New Fundamentalism?

This quote has been gladly robbed from the Boar’s Head Tavern. It will be incorporated into a larger post I’m working on, but for now it is just to good too not consider.

Tim Keller, An Incomprehensible God, Hard Knox and The End of Time

Darryl at DashHouse.com summarizes one of Tim Keller’s talks at the 2007 EMA conference. This point stood out:

It is necessary to draw boundaries. What really matters is how we treat the people on the other side of those boundaries. People are watching. We’re going to win the younger leaders if we are the most gracious, kind, and the least self-righteous in controversy. The truth will ultimately lose if we hold the right doctrines, but do so with nasty attitudes and a lack of love.

Read Darryl’s entire summary here. It is a worthy investment of time to read it.

Theological Jackassery

R.C. Sproul taught me to think.

Warren Gage taught me to see Christ in the whole Bible.