Theological Term of the Week

relativism
“[T]he view that “there is no objective truth,” but rather, what is called truth “is always relative to something else”;1 

• Scripture that argues against relativism: 

“You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:45 ESV) (God is the objective standard of what is morally right or holy—or the objective standard of moral truth.)

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:11-13 ESV) (There is one judgment for everyone and everyone will be judged by the same objective standard of moral truth.)

Click to read more ...

Linked Together: Two Kinds of Perfectionism

 and the gospel is the solution to them both.

False Expectations
Today at Out of the Ordinary Staci Eastin reviewed and recommended Picture Perfect: When Life Doesn’t Line Up by Amy Baker—and she’s giving away a copy of the book, too. You can read the review and enter the book giveaway here.

False Doctrine
Stephen Nichols on B. B. Warfield on Protestant perfectionism: “[P]erfectionism promotes a deficient view of what Christ accomplished on the cross. In the victorious life teaching, Christ’s death is looked upon as merely saving us from the guilt of sin; the salvation from the corruption of sin comes later.” 

Heidelberg Catechism

This is an explanation of “he descended into hell” in the Apostles’ Creed that I’ve never seen anywhere else. What do you think of it?

Question 44. Why is “he descended into hell” added [in the Apostles’ Creed]?

Answer: So that in my greatest temptations, I may be assured and comforted in this: my Lord Jesus Christ, by his unspeakable anguish, pain, terror, and agony, which he endured in all his sufferings, (a) but especially on the cross, has delivered me from the anguish and torment of hell. (b)

(Scriptural proofs after the fold.)

Click to read more ...