Posted on 04/10/2015 4:15:28 PM PDT by RnMomof7
from R.C. Sproul Mar 27, 2015 Category: Articles
Emil Brunner, the twentieth-century Swiss theologian and one of the fathers of neoorthodox theology, wrote a little book titled Truth as Encounter. His thesis was that when we study the things of God, we are not studying truth in the abstract. We want to understand theology not merely so that we can make an A on a theology exam. We want to understand the doctrine of God so that we can understand God, so that we can meet the living God in His Word and deepen our personal relationship with Him. But we cannot deepen a relationship with someone if we do not know anything about him. So, the propositions of Scripture are not an end in themselves but a means to an end. However, they are a necessary means to the end. Thus, to say Christianity is not about propositions but about relationships is to establish an extremely dangerous false dichotomy. It is to insult the Spirit of truth, whose propositions they are. These propositions should be our very meat and drink, for they define the Christian life.
Recently I read some letters to the editor of a Christian magazine. One of them disparaged Christian scholars with advanced degrees. The letter writer charged that such men would enjoy digging into word studies of Christ’s teachings in the ancient languages in order to demonstrate that He did not really say what He seems to say in our English Bibles. Obviously there was a negative attitude toward any serious study of the Word of God. Of course, there are scholars who are like this, who study a word in six different languages and still end up missing its meaning, but that does not mean we must not engage in any serious study of the Word of God lest we end up like these ungodly scholars. Another letter writer expressed the view that people who engage in the study of doctrine are not concerned about the pain people experience in this world. In my experience, however, it is virtually impossible to experience pain and not ask questions about truth. We all want to know the truth about suffering, and specifically, where is God in our pain. That is a theological concern. The answer comes to us from the Scriptures, which reveal the mind of God Himself through the agency of the Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of truth. We cannot love God at all if we do not love His truth.
It is very sad to me that in today’s sophisticated Western culture, people are more familiar with the twelve signs of the Zodiac than with the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve Apostles. Our world likes to see itself as sophisticated and technological, but it remains filled with superstition. Christians are not immune to this. We, too, can succumb to the new-age desire for the power to manipulate our environment. We do not have to go as far as accepting the foolish idea that the courses of the stars determine our destinies, our prosperity, our achievements, and our successes. However, it is equally superstitious to equate our feelings and inclinations with the leading of the Holy Spirit. It seems so much more exciting to live with a freewheeling openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit rather than practicing the laborious discipline of mastering His Word. This is exceedingly dangerous ground. If we want to do the will of the Father, we need to study the Word of the Father—and leave the magic to the astrologers.
Oh yes, so you would like to try your hand at “internet theologian” against a theologian of Benedict’s stature whose books and writings are studied by faculty and students in all the major theological departments of just about every college and university.
The point of absurdity is “Jesus Christ expects us to believe him like a little child. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.”
So why then did Christ command Peter and His successors:
“And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven,” and “Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Just believe like a little child, no need to teach and no need to teach as part of ONE Church, and no need to teach as only ONE truth. In fact no need to teach at all.
This explains why every Foursquare Church pastor and congregants of Osteen, Graham, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jim Jones, David Koresh, all believe their contradictory and conflicting versions, sometime with lethal consequences, as a little child.
What doesn’t get simpler is that Bible Christianity is so shallow that as it has been said even a paper boat will have trouble keeping afloat.
Is,
You mentioned the Will of God.
The new testament has at least 12 places where the Will of the Father is noted..
Mathew 18:14- that none of the little ones should perish
Mathew 21:28-31- that All His children will work in His vineyard
John 4:34- that we finish and accomplish the Work He Gives us
John 6:40- everyone that beholds the Son and believes on Him. Shall have eternal life
Romans 12:1-2- make our body a living sacrifice , be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds
Ephesians 5:17-18- be filled with The Spirit
Colossians 4:12- stand perfect and mature and fully assured in His will
1 Thesa 4:3- to be holy and keep away from sexual immorality
1 Thesa 5:18- in everything, Give Thanks
1 Peter 2:15- by doing well (well doing) we would silence the ignorance of foolish men
1 peter 3:17/4:19- that sometimes we should suffer for doing good and not evil.
2 Peter 3:9- that none should perish but that all should come to repentance.
If the supposed Bride would read His Love Letter more, they would know much of what is debated in the world is settled..
And could do what the Bridegroom did when He was confronted by Satan... It is written...
Well said. Those “Ah ha” moments are exciting when in His word.
Are you saying the word is translated incorrectly or the wrong Greek word was used in the KJV???
“Yada Yada Yada...”I don’t need no word of God..the church will tell me what to think and what to believe.. ....””
Of course, there is no need to have the Catholic Church “tell me what to think.”
Christ should NOT have said “Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
And again, Christ should NOT have said: “And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. “
“Yada Yada Yada.” Exactly, keep posting stuff that shallow Bible Christians like congregants of Joel Osteen and Rev. Shaprton, will lap up.
Seriously, we don’t need any of this shallow stuff. The Catholic Church that authenticated what is the true written word of God and has within it the sacred oral tradition that existed before the written word was put down has a a vast treasure trove of writings enough to fill a thousand university libraries.
Spare us the forbearance of this nonsense.
I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!Peace,
(Psalms 119:102-103)
So “you” know exactly what it says as opposed to Joel Osteen, Billy Graham, Rev. Wright? And what about those eminent Protestant theologians who after a lifetime of study and teaching followed this “spiritual instruction book” and converted to Catholicism?
I do know exactly what the bible says...And I believe every word of it...But I never said I understand all of it or even suggested I understand more than anyone else...
There are far, far, far, more men who are equally educated and knowledgeable in the scriptures than your few examples who have NOT joined your religion...
I suspect Rev. Wright and Joel Osteen are far more Catholic than they are Protestant...
This is ridiculous nonsense at its most absurd level. There was NO book given by Christ, at least not until the fourth century when the books were infallibly assembled by the Catholic Church. That infallible teaching did not evaporate eleven centuries later with the Reformation. So for fifteen centuries the followers of the Catholic Church, its theologians, saints, and martyrs all got it wrong on this “spiritual instruction book”?
Really??? Did you learn that from one of your eminent Protestant theologians???
Heb_10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Rev_1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Well shucks, who am I going to believe, you or God???
**The point of absurdity is “Jesus Christ expects us to believe him like a little child. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.”**
I was responding to your implication that the resurrection in NOT simple to believe. Tell that to Jesus.
Jesus Christ, Peter, John, and Paul give ample teaching on the resurrection, the spiritual aspects, the changing of our vile bodies, etc. Benedict puts it in his own words, and that makes him a theological Einstein?
**What doesn’t get simpler is that Bible Christianity is so shallow that as it has been said even a paper boat will have trouble keeping afloat.**
One can’t get much shallower than embracing all the man-made traditions the RC church teaches, some of which were pointed out in my previous post, and ignored.
**This explains why every Foursquare Church pastor and congregants of Osteen, Graham, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jim Jones, David Koresh, all believe their contradictory and conflicting versions, sometime with lethal consequences, as a little child.**
Like your organization, they also use the unscriptural phrase ‘God the Son’. So why the hate towards them?
**Solomon prior to hearing the request says that he will not refuse his mother.**
Well, he shorr enuff did refuse his mother in the end. As I said: Adonijah could have gone direct in his request, if he knew it was legit, with no need of an intercessor.
Likewise, we, and as many other fellow mortal believers, that make a request individually, or in unity of faith, can go direct to the ‘King’.
**With Mary, Mary can intercede for us with Christ;**
Don’t you believe that Christ can ‘hear’ your request before it even leaves your lips?
Leaving aside your backtracking, Benedict was not referring to believe in the Resurrection. He was explaining the theology OF the Resurrection. This is just as much or more profound of a distinction that escapes Bible Christians who wade in shallow theological discourse.
You cannot swipe away as “man-made traditions” of a Church founded by Christ with the divine authority extended to Peter and his successors, the very Church that assembled the books in the Bible in the early fourth century checking and crosschecking the writings it chose for inclusion in the Bible with what you call “man-made traditions.”
Of course Bible Christians are welcome to put together their own written word of God, but it would be quite a leap to untether the written word of God from the unwritten Word.
For four centuries before the written word of God was assembled, the early Church relied on the sacred oral traditions.
You don’t have to take the word of Augustine, Aquinas, Newman and Benedict. In fact their works are so profound in thought that its the stuff for discussion in theological departments of colleges and universities.
Instead, you may go ask your eminent Lutheran and Episcopalian theologians why they converted to the Catholic Church after a lifetime of serious study, scholarship, teaching, and preaching?
True. But this serpent has a way of spreading falsity and this is why Christ established One Church to each One infallible truth for ALL time.
Do you or don't you agree that loving God also means loving His word? Can you answer that or not?
Right over their heads.
His Word convicts us all - it’s natural to be conflicted and He designed us that way. Way too much guilt for those who (as was called out in Romans) have fallen from Grace.
Wow! Where does on start with that statement?
"Freewheeling openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit? Without an earnest desire to search the scriptures that is simply not possible. Without scripture that's an invitation to deceptive spirits. There can be no "freewheeling openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit" without an equal and ardent desire to know the word of God.
The statement "practicing the laborious discipline of mastering His Word" says to me that there is no "leading of the Holy Spirit". How could someone say that it's "laborious discipline" when led by the Holy Spirit? It's not "laborious discipline" but an eager and overwhelming desire when led by the Holy Spirit.
Being led by the Holy Spirit is inseparable from a desire to search the scriptures daily.
Relationships are not laborious and disciplined.
Perhaps this guy should read Song of Solomon sometime.
And you know what? He is right in a way. It IS way more exciting living with a freewheeling openness to the Holy Spirit. And I’d take that any day over the cold, formalism of laborious study and discipline.
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