Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

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.

    Evernote or OneNote?

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    I’m ready to go (almost) completely paperless in a more efficient way, and it seems like these are the top two programs for that:

    1. Evernote

    • I’ve used the free version a bit over the last few years, but I haven’t used it extensively.
    • The premium version costs $45 per year.
    • Michael Hyatt highly recommends it.

    2. OneNote

    • I own OneNote 2010, but I’ve never used it.
    • It seems like an efficient tool.
    • It doesn’t appear to have an iPad app. (Update on 12/12/2011: It now has an iPad app.)

    I’m leaning towards going with OneNote since I already own it. (I wish Google Notebook didn’t stop development.)

    Suggestions?

    Related: I use Zotero to organize my library.

    Cautions about How We Emphasize Social Justice

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    Watch Kevin DeYoung in this video in three particular places:

    1. 31:31–34:55
    2. 40:50–43:50
    3. 55:12–57:39

    (This is from a panel discussion at TGC’s national conference in April 2011.)

    Related:

    1. Kevin DeYoung, “Are Christians Meant to Feel Guilty All the Time?”
    2. Kevin DeYoung, “Getting to the Root of Radical: A Review and Response”
    3. Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert, What Is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission

    Tom Schreiner’s Top Three Commentaries on Each of Paul’s Letters

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    Thomas R. Schreiner, “Select Commentaries on the Pauline Epistles,” in Interpreting the Pauline Epistles (2nd ed.; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011), 163–66 (numbering added).

    Here I list not necessarily the most scholarly commentaries but what I consider to be the three best for students, teachers, and pastors.

    Romans

    • C. E. B. Cranfield. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. 2 vols. International Critical Commentary. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1975–79.
    • Douglas J. Moo. The Epistle to the Romans. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.
    • Thomas R. Schreiner. Romans. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998.

    1 Corinthians [Read more…] about Tom Schreiner’s Top Three Commentaries on Each of Paul’s Letters