Okay, I posted the Friday Files on Saturday again. Sorry. Technical difficulties. So it’s the St. Spiridon’s Day edition instead of the St. Lucia’s Day edition; nothing for or against either ancient Christian. Besides which, you’d rather get to the articles.
The Friday Files is our big pile of not-so-ancient links and articles of interest to SEA and its members, whose names are indicated in blue. The views expressed therein are sometimes those of SEA, but not always; be wise. Articles are from the second week of December…
Last year! (2018)
- Evan Minton, “Addressing Calvinist Responses to 2 Peter 3:9.” Here’s how some Calvinists have chosen to interpret Peter’s statement God wants all to come to repentance.
- Roger E. Olson, “Can a Calvinist Honestly Say ‘God Loves You’ to Everyone?” Not without redefining “loves” to something unique and idiosyncratic.
- The Remonstrance podcast, “The Dangers of Perfectionism” in two parts, Episode 53 and Episode 54. How the dangerous popular concept of perfectionism differs from John Wesley’s “Christian Perfectionism”—that we’re both sinners and justified by faith.
Five years ago! (2014)
- Justin Taylor, “A 20th Century Classic: The Master Plan of Evangelism.” An appreciation of Robert E. Coleman’s book in which he analyzed Christ Jesus’s evangelism strategy.
- Craig L. Adams, “The Gospel’s Freedom: Colossians 1:13, 14.” God rescued us from darkness and brought us into his kingdom. No surprise, a lot of pagans believe freedom works the other way round.
- Roger E. Olson, “When I Say ‘Calvinism’….” Olson regularly gets accused of creating Calvinist strawmen, but he’s describing Calvinism as defined by John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and the usual consensus of historical and present-day Calvinist leadership; not by how individual self-described “Calvinists” think it goes.
- Anonymous, “Child Evangelism and Calvinism.” Children who grow up thinking Calvinism is the gospel, tend to develop nihilistic and negative views towards those who share it, and those who might receive it.
- Roy Ingle, “God’s Sovereign Choice.” God chooses to save those who believe. It’s not about human belief, but his choice.
Ten years ago! (2009)
- Brian Abasciano, “On Calling.” [PDF] What Paul meant in saying the children of promise are reckoned (λογίζεται) as God’s offspring in Romans 9:8.
- Brian Abasciano, “On the Corporate Perspective of Paul and His Culture / The Translation of Romans 9:6b and Corporate Election in Romans 9.” [PDF] Two excerpts from Abasciano’s dissertation; the corporate orientation of Paul and his culture, and how Romans 9:6 is interpreted in contrast with John Piper’s individualistic view.
- Ben Henshaw, “Does the Gospel According to Calvinism Offer Salvation to Anyone At All?” It’s not really offering salvation to anyone, ’cause they reckon if you’re utterly dead in your sins, you’re in no position to repent and believe.
- Kevin Jackson, “Two New Audio Resources Added to Links and Books.” They’re not new anymore, but by all means check ’em out: Michael Brown’s radio show The Line of Fire, and Xenos Christian Fellowship’s podcast page.
- Kevin Jackson, “The Calvinists Who Became Arminians at Dort.” An interesting bit of history which tends to get skipped: A Calvinist who switched positions before the proceedings, and two who switched during.
- Kevin Jackson, “The Jealousy of God and Calvinism.” If humanity is doing exactly as God predetermined, what point is there to his jealousy? It can’t be genuine.
- Christopher Skinner, “The Simplicity of Salvation.” God has provided salvation for us. It’s like when the Israelites looked at the bronze serpent; salvation is just that easy to accept.
Today: Links!
Whenever you get a break from all the busyness of this season, SEA has a page full of reading material which can keep you occupied a good long time. Have at it.
