Jesus and the Spirit

From Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware:

[W]hy did Jesus have the Spirit of God upon him since he was fully God and could have done all he did by the power of his own divine nature? Answer: even though Jesus was fully God, he did not live his life through his divine power as God, because he came to live a real human life, completely as a man. He came to live as one of us, to experience the limitations and struggles of our life, to undergo the temptations we encounter. But to do this, he could not live truly as a man while also using power that he alone would have as God. To live by his power as God, he would not and could not live as one of us. So instead, as a man, he relied on the Spirit of God to grant him all that he needed to live life faithfully and to carry out everything that the Father sent him to do. As a man, empowered by the Spirit, he fulfilled his calling. And before he left he told his disciples the most amazing thing. He said that the Spirit who had been on him would also be on them. (John 14:16-17; 15:26-27; 16:5-15). They, too, would have the same Spirit empowerment Jesus had used. In this way, Jesus lived a truly human life and really is an example for how his followers should live. As he lived by the Spirit, they are called to live by the Spirit. We are rightly called to “follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). As we trust in Christ and receive his Spirit, then, may we look to Jesus and live more and more like him.

What say ye? 

Round the Sphere Again

If I Blogged from the United States,
I’d be taking advantage of this, because I really like The Jesus Storybook Bible.

Here’s the scoop: If you blog about The Jesus Storybook Bible, you could win 16 copies (a case) of The Jesus Storybook Bible Deluxe Edition! This sweepstakes leads up to the October release of The Jesus Storybook Bible Deluxe Edition, a new edition that includes

the narrative on three CDs so children can read along. Experience all the emotion and drama as award-winning actor David Suchet’s narration brings this storybook Bible to life.

I’ve listened to sample stories from the audio and I’d say they’re quite engaging.

If you want to enter, you’re going to have to hurry. The deadline is tonight, September 10, at 11:59 EDT. If you miss this one, don’t worry. There will be new sweepstakes coming and you can subscribe by email (bottom right corner) to receive updates with the details.

What would I do with a case of these books? I’d donate a couple to the church library, I’d give others as gifts, and maybe I’d give some away here on the blog.

This Is An Adoption-Friendly Blog,
so here’s a link to the details of this years Together for Adoption conference. Speakers and topics include

• Michael Easley, Topic: Orphan Care and Jesus, the Great Servant of the Poor
• Russell Moore, Topic: Adoption and the Renewal of Creation
• Scott Roley, Topic: Adoption and the Pursuit of Racial Reconciliation
• Scotty Smith, Topic: The Freedom of Adoption
• Ed Stetzer, Topic: The Gospel, Social Justice and the Missional Church

You’ll find the latest news from Together for Adoption here.

And while we’re on the subject, check out the web page for ABBA Fund. ABBA Fund

provides interest-free covenant loans to Christian couples who are called by God to expand their families through adoption and who need help with the “cash flow crunch” posed by adoption expenses.

ABBA Fund also has a blog with Christian adoption related news.

Because We Seem to Have a Kid Thing Going,
why not vote for your favorite cartoon theme song? (DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed)

Theological Term of the Week

righteousness
That perfection of God whereby he conforms to his own holiness; his attribute of moral purity by which he always thinks and does what is right.

• From scripture:
  

  …to declare that the Lord is upright;
  he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. (Psalm 92:15 ESV)

  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! (Romans 9:14 NKJV)

• From A Body of Doctrinal Divinity: Of the Justice or Righteousness of God by John Gill:

   Concerning this attribute of God, I shall,

  1. First, Show that it does belong to him, and is natural and essential to him. The scriptures do abundantly ascribe it to him; all rational creatures, angels and men, good and bad, acknowledge it in him, (Rev. 16:5; Ex. 9:27; Jer. 12:1; Dan. 9:9; Ps. 145:7) and remove all unrighteousness from him, and affirm there is none in him (Ps. 92:15; Rom. 9:14). And, indeed, without this attribute, he would not be fit to be the Governor of the world, and the judge of the whole earth; his government would be tyranny, and not yield that pleasure and delight to the inhabitants of it, it does; the reason of which is, because “righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne” (Ps. 97:1, 2). And from his love of righteousness, and constant performance of it, it may be concluded it is natural to him; as what is loved by men, and constantly done by them, shows it to be agreeable to the nature of them, (Ps. 11:7, 9:4) and, indeed, it is originally and essentially in God; it is in and of himself, and not of another; it is his nature and essence, and is not derived from another. Adam was righteous, but not of himself, God made him upright, or righteous; saints are righteous, not by their own righteousness, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them. But God is righteous in and of himself; his righteousness is essential and inderivative, and is incommunicable to a creature; it is not that by which men are made righteous, as Osiander dreamed; for though he who is Jehovah is their righteousness, yet not as he is Jehovah; for then they would be deified by him: the righteousness of God being his nature, is infinite and immutable; the righteousness of angels and men, in which they were created, was mutable; Adam lost his, and many of the angels lost theirs; but the “righteousness” of God is “like the great mountains”, as high, firm, and stable as they, and much more so (Ps. 36:6). Righteousness in creatures, is according to some law, which is the rule of it, and to which it is conformed, and is adequate so the law of God, which is holy, just, and true, is a rule of righteousness to men; but God has no law without himself, he is a law to himself; his nature and will the law and rule of righteousness to him. Some things are just, because he wills them, as such that are of a posture kind; and others he wills them because they are just, being agreeable to his nature and moral perfections. This is an attribute common to the three Persons in the Godhead, as it must be, since it is essential to Deity, and they partake of the same undivided nature and essence: hence the Father of Christ is called by him “righteous Father”, (John 17:25) and Christ, his Son; is called Jesus Christ “the righteous”, (1 John 2:1) and no doubt can be made of its being proper to the Holy Spirit, who convinces men “of righteousness and of judgment” (John 16:8). But,

Learn more: 

1. Blue Letter Bible, Don Stewart: Is God Righteous?
2. Bob Deffinbaugh: The Righteousness of God
3. Fred Zaspel: Four Aspects of Divine Righteousness
4. From my attributes of God posts: God’s Righteousness

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it.

I’m also interested in any suggestions you have for tweaking my definitions or for additional (or better) articles or sermons/lectures for linking. I’ll give you credit and a link back to your blog if I use your suggestion.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms organized in alphabetical order or by topic.