Sunday's Hymn: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

—Charles Wesley

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday:

• Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent at The Happy Wonderer 

Selected Reading, November 26, 2021

 

It’s been so long since I’ve done one of these, so some of these links are a bit already. Still, here are a few theologically rich recommendations for your weekend reading.

In the Beginning

Does It Really Matter Whether Adam Was the First Man?
Yes, it does, and it matters a whole lot. 

The historical reality of Adam is an essential means of preserving a Christian account of sin and evil, a Christian understanding of God, and the rationale for the incarnation, cross, and resurrection. 

This is a very thorough argument, and outstanding piece. (I might have one very minor quibble, but it doesn’t take away from his argument at all.) 

The Word Became Flesh

A Glorious Doctrine with a Silly Name
If that title doesn’t make you want to check out this article, nothing I add here will, either.

Apollinarianism
When I update the Theological Term for Apollinarianism (it’s on my to-do list), I’ll link this from Simply Put. But you don’t have to wait. You can read it right now.

Theological Term of the Week: Adoptionism

adoptionism
A heresy “which held that although Jesus was essentially nondivine, he was adopted by the Father—perhaps at his baptism or even at his birth.”1 Also called dynamic monarchianism.

• Scripture refuting adoptionism:
  

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1: 1-3)
  

• From the Nicene Creed, refuting adoptionism:
  

  I believe in … one Lord Jesus Christ,
  …very God of very God,
  …who for us men and for our salvation
  came down from heaven,
  and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
  of the Virgin Mary,
  and was made man….

• From Christological Controversies in the Early Church by Coleman Ford:
  

  Theodotus of Byzantium (fl. late 2nd cent.)—called “the Tanner” or “Shoemaker”—taught that the Father and Son were distinct but Jesus, being an exceptionally virtuous man, became God’s son through adoption at his baptism. The descriptor “dynamic” [as in dynamic monarchianism] comes from the Greek dynamis (power) to describe the means by which Jesus became God’s son. Theodotus brought his views to the church in Rome and was soon excommunicated, though his teaching continued through others into the third centuries. Paul of Samosata (fl. mid-to-late 3rdcent.) was the most prevalent of the adoptionists.

Learn more:

1. GotQuestions: What is adoptionism?
2. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: Adoptionism
3. Ligonier Ministries: Early Christian Heresies
4. Coleman Ford: Christological Controversies in the Early Church
5. Tony Costa: Was Adoptionism the Earliest Christology?

Related terms:

• Arianism
• docetism 
• modalism

Filed under Defective Theology and Trinity

1The Christian Faith by Michael Horton, page 471.

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