It Is Not a Complimentary Gospel
Body
“the true gospel is not complimentary. It is not admiring or flattering. Rather, it describes humanity in all our sinfulness and depravity, all our hopelessness and lostness.” - Challies
As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“the true gospel is not complimentary. It is not admiring or flattering. Rather, it describes humanity in all our sinfulness and depravity, all our hopelessness and lostness.” - Challies
“Some things are nearly impossible to explain, but easy to demonstrate. In these cases, learners require observation and mimicry more than well-articulated explanations of reality.” - Common Good
“I first shared this on my blog after the 2020 election. It’s as true now as it was then.” - Randy Alcorn
“In The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign, Stephen G. Dempster… invites us to explore the grand narrative of God’s sovereign rule over a kingdom that has been unfolding since the beginning of time and that will continue long after the political landscapes of our age have faded.” - TGC
Read Part 1.
Interpretation is the process of understanding 1) what a Biblical text means and 2) how the text was meant to be applied. Once you have gathered the necessary information to discover what a passage is saying, you can then begin to understand its meaning through careful study of the book’s historical context, literary context, and actual content.
“Defenders of exclusive use of the King James Version… frequently appeal to Psalm 12:6-7 as a proof text for their doctrine that God promised perfectly pure preservation of the Hebrew and Greek texts of Scripture.” - Mark Ward
“When Lambert’s post was released, it was met with responses ranging from resounding approval to astounding appalment…. some biblical counselors appreciated Lambert putting into words the uneasiness they were feeling concerning different developments within the BCM. On the other hand…” - London Lyceum
Through nearly 40 years in the conservative evangelical world, I’ve heard many sermons about America. Often the point is to compare America with ancient Israel.
The problem is the Bible explicitly tells us that there is no other nation that is comparable to God’s chosen people and nation of Israel (see 2 Sam. 7:23; Ps. 147:19-20; Amos 3:2). In that regard, she is entirely unique—a direct creation of God, fashioned through Abraham out of the chaos and godlessness at Babel (see Isa. 43:1-15).
“You have a psychologist and a scientist, an emphasis on myths and symbols versus an emphasis on facts and data” - Gavin Ortlund
There was nothing remarkable about that day in October, 1517, when a Roman Catholic priest by the name of Martin Luther fastened his now famous ninety-five theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenburg, Germany. He certainly did not expect to ignite a religious revolution. As a loyal son of the established church, Luther merely wished to engage his university town in theological discussion about certain church doctrines that troubled him. His goal was to try to rein in some of the most grievous abuses of the Church by discussing them openly.
Little did he know that his theses would be copied, printed, and distributed across Europe within days. In the providence of God, Luther’s modest debate propositions ignited a fire that is still burning today. On this five-hundredth anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, it is fitting to remember how it all began, and more importantly, why.
There are some today who question the validity of this great schism with Rome. They believe that the Reformation, though probably warranted in its day, is no longer necessary. They assure us that the abuses of Luther’s day have been addressed, and it’s time to acknowledge the mistakes of the past and join hands as fellow members of Christ’s body.
Discussion