Holiness

I am reading John Webster's book "Holiness" for my theology class this semester. The following is an excerpt that really changed my perspective on some of what it means for God to be "holy."

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"And so, once again, God's utter separation from wickedness is to be understood within the scope of God's dealings with humankind. Holiness is not the antithesis of relation - it does not drive God from the unholy and lock God into absolute pure separateness.

Rather, God's holiness is the quality of God's relation to that which is unholy; as the Holy One, God is the one who does not simply remain in separation but comes to his people and purifies them, making them into his own possession.

Talk of God's holiness indicates the manner in which the sovereign God relates. As the Holy One, God passes judgement on sin and negates it. Yet the holy God does this, not from afar, as a detached legislator, but in the reconciling mission of the Son and the outpouring of the sanctifying Spirit.

That is, God's destruction of sin is accomplished in his triune acts of fellowship with humanity, in which he condemns [God the Father], pardons [God the Son] and cleanses [God the Holy Spirit] by taking upon himself the situation of the ruined creature, in sovereign majesty exposing himself to our peril and only in that way putting an end to our unholiness. God's 'active opposition to sin' is thus known in the economy of salvation as a 'unity of judgement and grace.'"

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Thanks be to God for His judgment and grace!

Surface Scratches

The problem is not the government. The problem is not the structure. The problem is us. The problem is me. The solution is Christ in us. The solution is Christ transforming us. The solution is Christ transforming me. The solution is going from autonomous to co-laboring with Christ. It is not about the agenda of man, but God's agenda and His original purpose for what He created. What is freedom? What is "for the good of society"? What is "good"? No one is good but God alone. God's presence is for the good of society.

"Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.'" John 8:34-36

The problem is not external. The problem is internal. Both external and internal are valuable, but one must be healed before the other can be healed.

Untitled

"We in the West are well trained to do jobs. We are not skilled in building relationships. Yet the fruit of the Spirit are expressed in relationships, and relationships are at the heart of all lasting evangelism." Paul Hiebert

"Both dogmatic scientism and extreme relativism had disastrous consequences. In one case the point of departure was the utter reliability of unaided reason; in the other it was personal preference or experience. In both instances it was purely self-referential; its criteria were immanent. Both models celebrated freedom; but people were unprepared for the freedom they have arrogated to themselves: they cannot handle it." David Bosch

"It is not enough that we should understand others (this can be a subtle form of patronizing); they must also understand us." Eugene Nida

"Christ did not teach and suffer that we might become, even in the natural loves, more careful of our own happiness...We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armour. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it." C.S. Lewis

Scholar on Fire

Just recently I found a treasure trove of GCTS videos that some talented folks at my school made concerning the seminary. Some of the more interesting ones for me have been the alumni videos that briefly look at what GCTS alumni are doing now. The following is a video of the adjunct professor for the OMP course prior to my trip last summer. He is one of my favorite personalities on campus and radiates a genuine Christ-like character. I am truly blessed by the global perspective he and other professors give with their lives.

Alumni Profile: Dr. Paul Borthwick from Gordon Conwell on Vimeo.