Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Irresistible Grace

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Kenneth J. Stewart, Ten Myths About Calvinism: Recovering the Breadth of the Reformed Tradition (Downers Grove: IVP, 2011):

[T]he I in TULIP was actually a caricature of the position championed in the Synod of Dordt. Those who derided the Reformed idea of effectual calling or prevailing grace branded it “irresistible.”[n53] This is the kind of inside information that needs circulating. It should change popular Calvinism’s use of TULIP.

[n53] The “I” of the acronym T-U-L-I-P, far from encapsulating Dordt’s intended emphasis, actually relays the protest of the Dutch Remonstrants against early seventeenth-century Calvinism in a way dependent on Jesuit writers of that time. How is it possible that irresistible, a term intended to besmirch and caricature the concept of a grace that eventually prevails over all opposition, has been taken up and championed by those it was meant to portray unfavorably? See Anthony Hoekema, Saved by Grace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989), pp. 104–5.

“Irresistible” is not an unredeemable term (I love singing “Grace irresistible drew me“!), but it’s not my first choice because it is so easily misunderstood. [Read more…] about Irresistible Grace

Pastor-Scholars and Scholar-Pastors

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John Piper and D. A. Carson teamed up on April 23, 2009 to address “The Pastor as Scholar and the Scholar as Pastor.”

(I live-blogged the event, and audio, video, and manuscripts are available.)

Now it’s been updated as a 124-page book:

John Piper and D. A. Carson. The Pastor as Scholar and the Scholar as Pastor: Reflections on Life and Ministry. Edited by Owen Strachan and David Mathis. Wheaton: Crossway, 2011.

 

 

Gospel Meditations for Men

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Last year my wife blogged about Gospel Meditations for Women by Chris Anderson and Joe Tyrpak.

Chris and Joe wrote a corresponding booklet for men that’s available starting today (in time for Father’s Day if you order soon).

Applying the gospel never gets old because we always need it. These fresh meditations serve men well.

More info:

  • order ($2.50 for 1-9 copies, $2.25 for 10-50, $2 for 51+)
  • sample PDF
  • more info (including endorsements by Phil Johnson, Sam Horn, and Milton Vincent)

Leisure

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Mat Stribling, an elder at my church, served us well with his talk entitled “Rescuing Leisure from the American Dream.”

Here’s the outline:

Introduction: Defending Leisure’s Necessity

I. Definition: What is Leisure?

A. Work-Play Continuum

B. Three-part Definition

  1. Time: discretionary
  2. Activity: intentionality
  3. Purpose: enrichment

II. Problems: Identifying Some Issues with Leisure

A. Axis of Error

B. Five Problems in Leisure [Read more…] about Leisure

iPad Resources

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I shared some iPhone resources in January 2010, and now I’m ready to share some iPad resources.

I bought an iPad 2 when it came out in March (32 GB, black, Wi-Fi only), and I’m glad I did. Here are some resources that may help you use the tool more efficiently.

1. iPad Apps

The iPad comes with several built-in apps, and over 65,000 apps are available through the iTunes Store.

Here’s a screen-shot of my apps (in addition to the built-in apps) as they appear in iTunes (click on the image to enlarge):

1.1. My Favorite Reading Apps

There are many other useful apps that I’ve chosen not to use for various reasons (e.g., PIM, news, sports). I use my iPad primarily for reading, and these reading apps are my favorites: [Read more…] about iPad Resources

Iain Murray on John MacArthur and Fundamentalism

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Iain H. Murray, John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2011), 77–78:

MacArthur has written of Fundamentalism moving apart in two directions after World War II:

One wing, desperate for academic respectability, could not resist the pluralism of the modern age. . . . Another wing of Fundamentalism moved in the opposite direction. They were keenly aware that an obsession with academic respectability had led their brethren to abandon the fundamentals. For that reason they distrusted scholarship or spurned it altogether. This right wing of the fundamentalist movement was relentlessly fragmented by militant separatism. Petty concerns often replaced serious doctrine as the matter for discussion and debate. [N. 9: Reckless Faith: When the Church Loses Its Will to Discern (Wheaton: Crossway, 1994), pp. 95-6.] [Read more…] about Iain Murray on John MacArthur and Fundamentalism

Mirror Reading

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Several years ago I took a class from an expert in Second Temple Judaism who made this argument on the first day of class:

The biblical text is always reacting against a certain set of assumptions, beliefs, or presuppositions, so when interpreting any biblical text, you must always ask, “What is this reacting against in its context?”

I raised my hand and asked follow-up questions to make sure I understood the argument correctly.

I wasn’t convinced then, and I’m not convinced now.

Here’s what three other New Testament scholars have written about this:

1. Bob Stein

Robert H. Stein, A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules (2nd ed.; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011), 205–6:

The Danger of a Mirror Reading of the Epistles

It is immediately apparent in reading the Epistles that their occasional nature assists the reader in reconstructing the situation in life for which they were written. [Read more…] about Mirror Reading

Ten Fatal Dangers of Materialism

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Randy Alcorn, Managing God’s Money: A Biblical Guide (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2011), 47–56:

Beyond the examples in Scripture of many people who are warped and destroyed by greed, and its warnings against idolatry, the Bible also lists various dangers of becoming centered on money and possessions. Warning: Don’t dismiss this as negativism. On the contrary, if we understand the dangers of materialism, it will help liberate us to experience the joys of Christ-centered stewardship.

  1. Materialism hinders or destroys our spiritual lives. . . .
  2. Materialism is a broken cistern that can’t hold water. . . .
  3. Materialism blinds us to the curses of wealth. . . .
  4. Materialism brings us unhappiness and anxiety. . . .
  5. Materialism ends in futility. . . .
  6. Materialism obscures many of life’s greatest blessings. . . .
  7. Materialism spawns independence and self-sufficiency. . . .
  8. Materialism leads to pride and elitism. . . .
  9. Materialism promotes injustice and exploitation. . . .
  10. Materialism fosters immorality and the deterioration of the family.

Related: What We Should Do with Our Money (esp. the resources at the bottom of the post)