Friday Files, 10 Nov 17

Once again it’s time for The Friday Files, our weekly stack of links.

We highlight older SEA posts of interest, and posts some of the latest from Arminian and non-Calvinist blogs. Names in green indicate SEA members. Inclusion isn’t necessarily endorsement. Blame K.W. Leslie for the brief summaries.

From the SEA archives:

Brian Abasciano: “Acts 27 and the possibility of apostasy.” [9 Feb 12] Some of the things Calvinists consider certain, are really conditional. Perseverance included.

B.P. Burnett: “A very brief explanation of Jacobus Arminius’ doctrine of the twofold will of God.” [6 Feb 12] To Calvinists, God has two wills, revealed and private; and they’ve no trouble with the idea the wills might contradict. Arminius disagreed—and preferred the idea of a twofold will.

God Is My Judge: “Ephesians 1: Chosen ‘in him’.” [9 Feb 12] God’s election our salvation is entirely based on Christ and his work.

Scot McKnight, Jesus Creed: “The five conundrums of Calvinism.” [26 Dec 11] Some ways Calvinism calls into question God’s good name.

Roger E. Olson, My Evangelical Arminian Theological Musings:

• “Where I have a problem with Calvinism.” [1 Feb 12] Olson had no problem with Calvinism till it started calling him heretic.

• “Some thoughts about my conversation with Michael Horton.” [4 Feb 12] The struggles with Arminians and Calvinists talking past one another—but we have to dialogue and understand one another.

J.C. Thibodeaux, Arminian Perspectives: “The transfer of nonsense principle.” [16 Apr 10] If we can’t change the past, and the past contains accurate predictions of the future, can we change the future? How does foreknowledge work again?

D.V. Wayman:

• “The Westminster Confession of Faith: Handwaving.” [27 Jan 12] God isn’t the author of sin, but per the Confession, he’s the author of all. Except sin, somehow.

• “Calvinist doctrine leads to the conclusion that there is no sin in the world.” [30 Jan 12] Per Thomas Taylor: If God’s the author of all, yet doesn’t sin, then sin must be an illusion, right?

• “Does God repent? Bible Answer Man clarifies.” [1 Feb 12] “Repentance” is kind of an anthropomorphism projected upon a perfect God.

Biblical exposition:

Ron Blake, IronStrikes: “We have worked hard all night.” [3 Nov 17] The fishermen worked all night, but at Jesus’s command they caught fish. When we’re spinning our own wheels, we should bear this in mind. [Lk 5.1-5]

K.W. Leslie, Christ Almighty!: “Jesus stops the weather.” [7 Nov 17] Weather is too often seen as an act of God. Jesus rebuking a storm proves it’s not. [Mk 4.35-41, Mt 8.18, 23-27, Lk 8.22-25]

Calvinism:

K.W. Leslie, Christ Almighty!: “The ungracious ‘doctrines of grace.’ ” [9 Nov 17] The six points of Calvinism: Gracious they’re not.

Lifestyle and sanctification:

Nelson Banuchi, By the Tree:

• “Devotion #29: We need revival!” [3 Nov 17] “God of second chances?” What about these one-strike-you’re-out passages?

• “Devotion #30: ‘The holy ones.’” [8 Nov 17] How you know you’re holy: You love one another.

Scot McKnight, Jesus Creed: “The marks of a Christian’s mind.” [5 Nov 17] When Christians respond to an idea, their civil, wise, and fruitful behavior (or not) indicates how Christian they truly are.

Bud Robinson, IronStrikes: “The tree that is dead at the top.” [5 Nov 17] The American church is perishing for lack of faith-filled leadership.

Stacy J. Ross, Ramblings from Real Man’s Land:

• “The need for repentance.” [6 Nov 17] The culture comes apart when they reject God, and it’s not coming back together till the church repents.

• “We must repent of our pride.” [7 Nov 17] There are no human solutions to the culture’s problems. We humble ourselves by recognizing we can’t fix things; God can.

• “We must repent of our prayerlessness.” [8 Nov 17] America’s problem isn’t a lack of time to pray, but a lack of will. Hence an anemic prayer life, and apathetic church.

• “We must repent of our personal sin.” [9 Nov 17] The church can’t be salt and light when we justify our own bad behavior.

Theodicy:

Michael L. Brown, Ask Dr. Brown: “A time to mourn.” [6 Nov 17] Be with those who mourn. Debate politics later.

Phil Lytle, Rambling Ever On: “We have this hope.” [9 Nov 17] Our answers may be insufficient, but we have God we can—and should—turn to.

Kirsten Powers, Washington Post: “Why ‘thoughts and prayers’ is starting to sound so profane.” [6 Nov 17] If “thoughts and prayers” aren’t followed by action, they’re hypocrisy.

Theology and history:

Michael L. Brown, Ask Dr. Brown:

• “Does God bless those who bless Israel?” [28 Oct 17, VIDEO] Balaam blessed Israel even though that generation was under condemnation. It’s a recognition that God’s hand is still at work in Israel.

• “Has Christianity ‘replaced’ Judaism?” [4 Nov 17, VIDEO] Jesus didn’t come to establish a new religion, but bring God’s kingdom to earth—and take it from the wrong-headed leadership of his day.

Roger E. Olson, My Evangelical Arminian Theological Musings: “Does God change?” [10 Nov 17] Looks like, when he interacts with us, he does.

Evan Minton, Cerebral Faith:

• “Q&A: Did Jesus really sacrifice anything since he was resurrected?” [2 Nov 17] Since Jesus’s death was undone over the weekend, was it actually a sacrifice?

• “A response to Vexen Crabtree: God does have free will.” [5 Nov 17] Replying to a blogger who thinks he doesn’t, because perfection, morality, timelessness, and his plan have him locked into stasis.

• “Reasons to accept the gospels’ traditional authorship.” [7 Nov 17] Not that rejecting it changes the validity of Christ any.