With Gratitude To The Guys on the Fence Line

Andrew Wilson with an intriguing post about courage.  Here is a portion:

But there is something very wrong with a lack of courage which masquerades as nuance, a rhetorically (even cynically) motivated dig at our friends to appear more palatable to our opponents. You can say what you like about Mohler, Driscoll, Wilson and the rest, but they don’t lack courage. In fact, our nuanced positions are only possible because they are out there on the fence line, since if they weren’t, we’d have to be. As Jack Nicholson famously put it in A Few Good Men, “Deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall.” Many of us know what that feels like.

Read the rest.

Grudem on the Incarnation

Wayne Grudem:

“[The incarnation] is by far the most amazing miracle of the entire Bible – - far more amazing than the resurrection and more amazing even than the creation of the universe. The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join himself to a human nature forever, so that infinite God became one person with finite man, will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe.”

(HT:  Chris Brauns)

Grudem on Young Earth vs Old Earth

How old is the earth then? Where does this discussion leave us? [Davis] Young’s arguments for an old earth based on many kinds of scientific data from different disciplines seem (to the present writer at least) to be very strong.

Although our conclusions are tentative, at this point in our understanding, Scripture seems to be more easily understood to suggest (but not to require) a young earth view, while the observable facts of creation seem increasingly to favor an old earth view. Both view are possible, but neither one is certain.

Given this situation, it would seem best (1) to admit that God may not allow us to find a clear solution to this question before Christ returns, and (2) to encourage evangelical scientists and theologians who fall in both the young earth and old earth camps to begin to work together with much less arrogance, much more humility, and a much greater sense of cooperation in a common purpose.

Progress will certainly be made if old earth and young earth scientists who are Christians will be more willing to talk to each other without hostility, ad hominem attacks, or highly emotional accusations, on the one hand, and without a spirit of condescension or academic pride on the other, for these attitudes are not becoming to the body of Christ, nor are the characteristic of the way of wisdom, which is ‘first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity,’ and full of the recognition that ‘the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace’ (James 3:17-18).

- Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 307, 308

Politics According To The Bible - A Review

Scott Klusendorf reviews Wayne Grudem's new book, Politics - According to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture.  I found this section of his review enlightening:

Grudem begins by challenging five wrong views regarding Christians and government: 1) Government should compel religion. 2) Government should exclude religion. 3) All government is evil and demonic. 4) Do evangelism, not politics. 5) Do politics, not evangelism.

Most helpful to the pro-life cause is Grudem’s refutation of #4—namely, the faulty view that Christians should do evangelism not politics. Sadly, well-intentioned leaders like John MacArthur and Cal Thomas have discouraged pro-life Christians from engaging the culture. They essentially claim that we should just preach the gospel because that is the only way we can change people’s hearts and change our society. As they see it, the church is only called to preach the gospel, not preach about politics. True, each of these authors allows for limited political involvement (what that looks like is never quite spelled out), but the general message to pro-life Christians is clear: Only preaching the gospel will reform culture. Everything else is largely a waste of time.

Unborn humans are at risk because of this faulty view and I’ve challenged it myself elsewhere. Meanwhile, Joe Carter has debunked the idea that Christians spend too much time on politics. Grudem, however, nails the core problem with MacArthur, et al: They wrongly take one of the ways that God restrains evil in the world (changing hearts through the gospel) and assert it is the only way that God restrains evil (thus rejecting the role of civil government). Truth is, God gave both the church and the government a role to play.

Read the rest.

Q and A with Randy Alcorn and Wayne Grudem

This is rich stuff.

Trent Hunter:

Over the last two months we’ve sprinkled the blog with videos from Ryan Kelly’s question and answer session with Randy Alcorn and Wayne Grudem from Clarus 2010. Below are links to the videos under the major headings we used for our recent Clarus 2010 Q&A blog series.
Questions about Creating Money

• How does the doctrine of depravity fit with an optimistic view of human productivity?
• Are we responsible for the potential use of what we create?
• How should the Christian think about marketing?
• How did previous generations speak about the nobility of work? How do we instruct the coming generation?

Questions about Spending Money

• Do Christians have a responsibility to avoid certain businesses?
• How should Christians spend money on entertainment and leisure?

Questions about Giving Money

• Where can we go to learn about radical sacrificial love? How much should Christians give?
• How should Christians speak with one another about giving habits?

Questions about Investing Money

• How should Christians think about investing? Can money management become a distraction?
• How can young people plan for the future?
• What is the nature of heavenly treasures and rewards?

Questions about Slavery, Poverty, and Evangelicalism

• Does the Bible implicitly endorse slavery?
• Randy, What are your thoughts about Wayne’s lecture on the economics of poverty?
• What is encouraging and concerning in American evangelicalism?
• What do you think about Boyd’s, The Myth of a Christian Nation?

Questions about Gender Issues, Dividing Issues, and Parenting

• What has been the effect of your writing on Gender issues?
• What issues should Christians divide over?
• What would you say to young families about parenting?
• What is your typical day like?

If you missed the plenary sessions (or want to re-listen), the audio to this, as well as the previous year’s conference weekends, is on the DSC/Clarus website.

What Was The Greatest Miracle?

Chris Brauns:

Suppose I asked you to name the greatest miracle that ever took place? If you know the Bible you have lots to choose from. God rescued three from a blazing furnace. He closed the mouths of lions and demolished the walls of Jericho. Blind men saw; lame men walked. God parted the Red Sea and the children of Israel walked through on dry ground. But, none of these are the greatest miracle. Even God speaking creation into existence is not the greatest miracle.

The incarnation is the greatest miracle that ever took place.

The incarnation was when Jesus, though God Himself, was born as a baby in Bethlehem. God became humanity without in any way ceasing to be deity.

According to theologian Wayne Grudem,
“[The incarnation] is by far the most amazing miracle of the entire Bible – - far more amazing than the resurrection and more amazing even than the creation of the universe. The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join himself to a human nature forever, so that infinite God became one person with finite man, will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe (Grudem, 563).”

Paraphrasing John Murray, “The incarnation means that God who never began to be . . . as God, began to be what he eternally was not (Murray, Vol. 2, 132). It is the most amazing, the most incredible miracle that will ever happen.

And, the reason Christ became humanity was that He might win the victory and deliver His people from sin.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. . . Amazing.

C.J. Mahaney Interview With Wayne Grudem

C.J. Mahaney just finished a four part interview with Dr. Wayne Grudem. You can find this very insightful discussion below:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Mark and Wayne

Mark Driscoll reports on a recent conversation with Wayne Grudem. Mark writes:

In my time with Dr. Grudem I asked him a few questions that I thought would be worth sharing. (I informed him that I would blog his answers to ensure that he was respected.) I asked him which doctrines he would encourage young Christian leaders to devote themselves to studying as they prepare for what potentially lies ahead theologically. He said that for such a weighty question he would prefer to thoughtfully craft an answer, but did give two recommendations in the moment.

Read his blog post for the answers.