Monthly Archives: June 2011

Friday Round Up

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(1) With the technical help of a gentleman named JJ, the two recent one hour radio programs I hosted on the theme of Divine election are now posted. You can access them by clicking I’ve been putting some thoughts together and posted an updated article here earlier this morning.

(3) Ligonier has some SUPER deals today in this week’s $5 Friday sale here. I especially recommend the Far West Area Conference 2008 DVD series. It was my privilege to attend this Conference and for today only (starting at 8 AM EST), the normal price of $44 is slashed to $5. Remember, if you decide to purchase material, you can claim a further 10% discount on these and on ALL Ligonier products (as a reader of this blog) by using the coupon code EGRACE10.

(4) Please keep our evangelistic outreach to Kerala, India in your prayers. Update here.

(5) “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” If every soccer goalkeeper would take a class in physics, they would all know that a penalty kick isn’t over until the ball has come to a complete stop or is safely cleared from the vicinity of the net. The latest goaltender to learn this lesson was Loris Angeli of Italian seventh division club Dro. During a shootout in a playoff game against Termeno to decide which club would be promoted to the sixth division, Termeno’s Michael Palma watched his shot ricochet square off the crossbar and land several meters in front of the net. But after falling to his knees in disbelief and watching the opposing goalkeeper run to his teammates in celebration, the ball took a wicked bounce backwards and slowly rolled past the goal line. The referees watched it all transpire and after having a few words with each other, they decided it was a good goal. Termeno’s goalkeeper stopped the following shot, sealing the victory and their club’s promotion to the sixth division.

1 John 2:2 (Revisited)

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You say that Christ died for His people, His sheep, His friends, for His Church and yet 1 John 2:2, speaking of Jesus, states, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” How do you explain that?

I can certainly see how someone would use this verse to undermine the reformed doctrine of Particular Redemption, yet Scripture, I believe, is not contradictory to itself. There is one Divine Author of Scripture and He does not contradict Himself. So how are we to understand 1 John 2:2?

I have written elsewhere about the principles of correct interpretation of scripture. There is only one correct interpretation of scripture. Though there may be many applications of a verse, it only means what it was intended to mean when it was written.

In my article entitled “Playing Marbles with Diamonds” I refer to a number of principles of biblical interpretation (hermeneutics), three of which would apply here:

1. Consider the Author – who wrote the book? (what was his background, language, culture, vocation, concerns, education, circumstance, what stage of life?)

2. Consider the Audience (why was the book written? who was the audience? what would these words have meant to its original recipients?) Continue reading →

Election and Predestination: Adrian Rogers v. James White

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Dr. Adrian Rogers is now in glory. He has left a wonderful legacy in the cause of Christ. Without question, speaker and author in the Body of Christ. I have a great deal of respect for him. That does not mean I always agreed with him.

On the subject of Divine election and predestination, I and many others would have loved to see Pastor Rogers engage in a publicly moderated debate which allowed for cross examination. I believe it would have been incredibly helpful for people to see the two sides represented in a respectful and formal setting, where rhetoric can be examined and arguments evaluated in the light of Scripture. Alas, Pastor Rogers was never interested in such an exhange. However, all is not lost and the next best thing is for someone to take Dr. Rogers’ own words on the subject and then provide a point by point response or rebuttal. Some years ago (while Adrian Rogers was still with us) Dr. James White did exactly that. I remember finding the “interchange” extremely useful.

I am glad to see this exchange now available on youtube video. If you can carve out an hour and a half to view this (below), I believe you will find this to be a fruitful use of your time. I recommend this highly. It is so important we examine our traditions in the light of Scripture.