Author Archives: MikeB

Simply Jesus: Our Hero and King is Alive

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WrightThis post is part of the series  blogging through Simply Jesus.

In the last chapter the question was: Why did the Messiah have to die? In this chapter, Wright wrestles with the meaning of the Resurrection, Ascension, and Second Coming.

Wright sees all of these events as essential to God’s great restoration project in which He is ‘putting the world right‘.

The power that has tyrannized the old creation has been broke, defeated, overthrown. God’s kingdom is now launched, and launched in power and glory, on earth as in heaven.

In this chapter, Wright is challenging those Christians who look forward to going to heaven as a new place without focusing on living fully for Christ now.

To have this kind of view, Wright contends, is to miss out on what God is doing. Continue reading →

The $64,000 question and presuppositions

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R.C Sproul, the popular Reformed pastor, author, and founder of Ligonier Ministries, asked the following question in his book: Chosen By God.

The $64,000 question is, “Does the Bible teach such a doctrine of prevenient grace? If so, where?”

And Tom Schreiner in his critique on prevenient grace (chapter 9 in Still Sovereign)  summed it up like this:

Prevenient grace is attractive because it solves so many problems, but it should be rejected because it cannot be exegetically vindicated

sproul_podium_actionBefore continuing I want to make three important observations:

1. Reformed and Arminian views both hold to the concepts and doctrine of original sin/total depravity. In summary that means that people, because of our fallen nature, cannot initiate a relationship with God or come to faith without God’s help.

2. Reformed and Arminian views both hold to the need for prevenient grace – a grace that precedes faith. This grace is given by God to restore our fallen nature and enable a person to come to faith.

3. The primary difference between Reformed and Arminian theologies is whether prevenient grace is resistible or not. Continue reading →

Book Review: Now That I’m a Christian

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Now-that-im-a-Christian-406x600C. Michael Patton (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary) is the creative founder of Reclaiming the Mind ministries an organization dedicated to building informed disciples of Jesus Christ. Their mission is to train Christians so that they can love God with their whole mind as well as their heart and soul (Matt 22:37).

Through the blog Parchment and Pen, Credo House – a theological coffee house, and excellent theology and discipleship courses, C. Michael Patton (or CMP for short and how he is often referenced in comments on his blog) has worked hard to make theology accessible to everyone.

It was his blog and first theology courses (then offered through NET Bible) that helped me develop a passion for theology and blogging. Needless to say I am a major fan of Reclaiming the Mind and what C. Michael Patton is working to accomplish. I was very excited to be able to receive a copy of his latest book – Now That I’m a Christian – to read and review (available at Amazon).

What is this book aiming to do and why was it written?

Have you ever gotten a new computer, camera, or other complex consumer product. Continue reading →