Wednesday
Apr272011

Round the Sphere Again: Christ's Work

Like His Brothers In Every Way
D. A. Carson on the theological significance of Jesus’ humanity in Hebrews 2 (For the Love of God). I learned something new when Carson pointed out that Hebrews 2:17 presupposes something:

If he was to serve as mediator between God and human beings, “he had to be made like his brothers in every way” (Heb. 2:17—which presupposes that he already was like God in every way).

Able to Save to the Uttermost
Charts are my favorite thing and this one shows the differences between Jesus and the Levitical High Priests (Between Two Worlds).

Laying Down His Life
I’m rather fond of lists, too: Six things Christ accomplished by his death (Matt Perman).

Tuesday
Apr262011

Called According to Paul: Summary

This is another repost of an old post in the Called According to Paul series. I’ve been reposting them, one per week (sort of), so I can link to them in the sidebar under Favorite Posts. This post is the final post in the series and a summary of all the post series. What I’ve done is make a list of the ways Paul uses the word call or called in regards to God’s call and the things he most often associates with it. An explanation of this series can be found here, and the already reposted pieces are here.


Places where Paul uses called as a word of divine power—as something that brings sure results. I’ve also included all the times that the word called is used as a metonymy for saved, since the reasoning behind this use of the word seems to be that the call, in these cases, always brings salvation. Given how many times Paul clearly uses the word called as a word of divine power, it’d be reasonable to conclude that he always (or usually) uses the word like this, and so this meaning ought to be understood in all the other instances as well. On this list, however, I’ve only included those times where the power in the call is unmistakeable from the language of the context.


Places where Paul uses called as a summons or appointment. I consider these to be a subset of the divine power category, since there is forcefulness in the idea of summons or appointment.


As a summons to apostleship:

As a summons to holiness, Christlikeness, sainthood, etc.


 Places where Paul has the call originating in God’s choice/purpose/will.


Places where Paul has the call originating in God’s love/grace/mercy:


Places where Paul stresses the insignificance or “nothingness” of who/what is called:


Places where Paul stresses the personal/individual nature of the call. Included with this list should also be the instances found above where the call is to apostleship:


Tuesday
Apr262011

A Catechism for Girls and Boys

Part I: Questions about God, Man, and Sin

31. Q. What is meant by transgression?
      A. Doing what God forbids.
(Click through to read scriptural proofs.)

Click to read more ...