Have any of the figures associated with CBN or the Founders raised a cry about ESS, or any way close to the prophetic doom they herald about CRT and women preachers? 1/4
I'm not suggesting they go after Bruce Ware (they shouldn't!). For 1,700 yrs, Christianity said doctrines about God's nature are of highest importance for which councils, creeds, & excommunications are necessary. But the self-appointed defenders of orthodoxy have no interest. 2/4
My point is that these "defenders" are not behaving in ways that Christians have always said defenders of orthodoxy should react when faced with matter such as ESS. Why is that? 3/4
I've little interest in ESS itself, even if I disagree with it. Perhaps I'm slightly interest in how it's used to justify complementarianism. I'm far more interested in how different people have reacted to it. 4/4
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An attempt at balance. Far better than the vitriol that characterized SBC leadership in the past. 1/5 swbts.edu/news/an-open-l…
For me, this is the most important part. This is an exceptionally vague characterization & justification. Of course, both sides of this issue have lacked specificity. 2/5
Scripture may be the "spectacles through which our own experiences must be evaluated", but 1) our own inherited Western worldview is an inescapable lens through which we interpret both life and Scripture ... 3/5
As expressed in Rom 13, government is a power created by God to fight, punish, & hold back evil, particularly thru violence (though not to defeat it). Government executes vengeance b/c it receives that authority from God (Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30; Deut 32:35). 1/12
Initially, God did not want Israel to have a king (1 Sam 8:7). He was to be the king over Israel while the other nations had their gods (Deut 32:8 LXX, DSS). But sin and Israel's accompanying desire to be like other nations brought this about. 2/12
In permitting a king, God warned Israel of the corruption & oppression that would follow (1 Sam 8:11-18). Noting a king would be Israel's choice (Deut 17:15; 28:36), God set rules to limit the power of the king to oppress (17:14-20). 3/12
"['The world' (cosmos)] refers to the order of society and indicates that evil has a social and political character beyond the isolated actions of individuals." Order (cosmos) "that which is assembled together well."
"Evil exists in the society outside the individual and exerts an influence upon him or her."
Mott (1982) explaining the Hellenistic view of power, "Abstract power without a concrete attachment was inconceivable." This is close to the view of Wink (1984) who popularized the view that spiritual Powers have a physical basis. 1/2
McAlpine notes Berkhof argued the weapon the Powers wield is ideological: claims to legitimacy. After self-proclaimed guardians of truth/justice crucified God, false claims were exposed. I've yet to find this argument fully satisfactory, though it points in the right direction.
Wink delves into the above significantly, noting Étienne de la Boetie in his Discourse on Voluntary Servitude. The latter argued tyrants have power b/c the people give it to them. I de-flesh that out a bit myself for how idolatrous Powers enslave humans in *part*.
Don’t allow politics to distract from the Faith. We do build the Kingdom. Here's the Scriptural evidence for this: 1a) The Satan is a ruler of earth (Matt 4:8f; 12:25f; Mark 3:24ff; Luke 4:5f; 11:17; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Acts 28:18; Eph 2:2; Col 1:13; Rev 2:13). 1/4
1b) Casting out of the demonic relates to the coming of the Kingdom (Matt 12:28; Luke 11:20; Col 1:13). 1c) We are called to cast out the demonic (Matt 7:22; 10:1; 10:8; Mark 3:15; Acts 16:18; 26:18; Eph 6:10-20; Col 4:11). 2/4
2a)Jesus victory on cross over Powers, enters the Kingdom (Phil2:5-16;Heb12:2;Col2:14ff;John13:3-14;Matt20:20-28;Mar10:37-45;1Pet3:18-22). 2b)We do the same(Phil2:5-16; Matt10:38;6:24;Mar8:34;Luke9:23;4:27;John13:36ff; 1Pet2:21;John13:15;Matt20:25-28;Mar10:42-45;1Pet3:14-4:2) 3/4
Heiser put special emphasis on Psalm 32 as fundamental to his thinking. Others on this subject also note it. It's Yahweh in council w/ other elohiym, not human rulers. Two points of interest: 1) These elohiym are being criticised by Yahweh in his presence.
However we understand the "mythological" analogy, it's interesting these bad elohiym ("angels"?) are in his presence ("heaven"?). But in Job 1-2, the elohiym, including the Satan, appear before Yahweh. Not unlike the Green Knight appearing before Arthur or Loki before Odin.
2) Even more interesting (and significant), Yahweh holds the elohiym responsible for the social injustices carried out by the gentile states. With this psalm, experts frequently note Deut 32:8, in which the original document read "sons of God" instead "sons of Israel" (LXX, DSS).