Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Andy Naselli

The Myth of Mutual Submission

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“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21).

This 11-page chapter (available for free as a PDF) concisely and convincingly explains why the phrase “mutual submission” is unhelpful at best:

Wayne Grudem, “The Myth of Mutual Submission as an Interpretation of Ephesians 5:21,” in Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood  (ed. Wayne Grudem; Foundations for the Family Series; Wheaton: Crossway, 2002), 221–31.

Outline: [Read more…] about The Myth of Mutual Submission

Why Some Reject the Godness of God

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Paul Kjoss Helseth, “Response to William Lane Craig,” in Four Views on Divine Providence  (ed. Dennis W. Jowers; Counterpoints; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 113 (formatting added):

While Reformed believers are persuaded that faithfulness to the God of the Bible requires us to affirm and really believe that God “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11), they acknowledge that many evangelicals find it difficult to swallow what Reformed theologians like Douglas Wilson call “the Godness of God” for reasons having to do with something other than exegesis. [Read more…] about Why Some Reject the Godness of God

Sin Is Suicidal

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Tim Keller preached on the exodus-story at The Gospel Coalition’s 2011 National Conference: “Getting Out.”

Here’s the sermon’s basic outline:

  1. Salvation is about what we’re getting out of: bondage with layers.
  1. Christians were objectively in bondage to the law but are now freed from it.
  2. Christians are subjectively in bondage to the law, and they default to works-righteousness.
  3. Christians are in bondage to their sin nature.
  4. Christians are in bondage to idols.
  • Salvation is about how we’re getting out: crossing over by grace.
  • Salvation is about why we can get out: the mediator.

    • The following adapts what Keller says re §1.3 (from 17:38 to 19:25): [Read more…] about Sin Is Suicidal

    Resources on Church Planting

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    This 121-page paperback came out in March:

    Graham Beynon, Planting for the Gospel: A Hands-on Guide to Church Planting. Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2011. [Endorsements]

    Beynon recommends six books on the church and church planting (pp. 119–20):

    1. Timothy J. Keller and J. Allen Thompson. Redeemer Church Planter Manual. Available from Redeemer Church Planting Center.
    2. Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008.
    3. David Stroud. Planting Churches, Changing Communities. Milton Keynes: Authentic, 2009.
    4. Steve Timmis, ed. Multiplying Churches: Reaching Today’s Communities through Church Planting. Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2000.
    5. Mike McKinley. Church Planting Is for Wimps: How God Uses Messed-up People to Plant Ordinary Churches That Do Extraordinary Things. IX Marks. Wheaton: Crossway, 2010.
    6. Graham Beynon. God’s New Community: New Testament Patterns for Today’s Church. Leicester: IVP, 2005.

    Five Arguments for the Deity of Christ

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    In this chapter Robert Peterson marshals five arguments for the deity of Christ:

    Robert A. Peterson, “Toward a Systematic Theology of the Deity of Christ,” in The Deity of Christ  (ed. Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson; Wheaton: Crossway, 2011), 193–227.

    (You may preview the book at WTS Books [click the Google Preview button] or Amazon [click on the book cover to “Look Inside”].)

    1. Jesus is identified with God.

    • Jesus’ name is divine.
    • Yahweh passages are applied to Jesus.
    • Jesus is interchangeable with God.
    • Jesus is called God.

    2. Jesus receives devotion due God alone.