On God, Humanity, and Jesus

In the mirror of this humanity of Jesus Christ the humanity of God enclosed in His deity reveals itself.  Thus God is as He is.  Thus He affirms man.  Thus He is concerned about him.  Thus He stands up for him.  The God of Schleiermacher cannot show mercy.  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob can and does.  If Jesus Christ is the Word of Truth, the 'mirror of the fatherly heart of God,' then Nietzsche's statement that man is something that must be overcome is an imprudent lie.

- Karl Barth, The Humanity of God (Richmond: John Knox Press, 1960)

Ave Redemptor, Sancte Redemptor

Ave redemptor, Domine Jesus:
Cuius ob opus
Superatur mors, enim salvatio
Nunc inundavit super universam terram.

Sancte redemptor, reputata
Fides est nobis peccatoribus,
Nunc et in morte, ad iustitiam.

- Ave Redemptor

On Christology, Union With Christ And Glorification

‎So I hold out my arms to my Redeemer, who, having been foretold for four thousand years, has come to suffer and to die for me on earth, at the time and under all the circumstances foretold. By His grace, I await death in peace, in the hope of being eternally united to Him. Yet I live with joy, whether in the prosperity which it pleases Him to bestow upon me, or in the adversity which He sends for my good, and which He has taught me to bear by His example.

- Blaise Pascal, Pensées, trans. A. J. Krailsheimer (Great Britain: Penguin Group, 1966), #737.

On Election, Joy, Glory, Love And The Supremacy Of Christ

Jesus makes clear the connections between election, glory, love, the joy of heaven and the supremacy of Christ for us. Jesus prayed:

Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

- John 17:24

On Worship And Theology Of The Cross

May the words of Christ be on hearts and on our lips. Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his 1life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16:24f).

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee

E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me

Still all my song would be nearer, my God, to thee

- Sarah F. Adams (1805-1848)

On Jesus, Glory, And Election

God's righteousness is not the enemy of His mercy. His commitment to uphold the worth of His name does not cosign me to destruction, though I have besmeared His name by indifference and distrust. Rather, in the death of his Son, Jesus Christ, god conspired to vindicate his righteousness and justify sinners in one act. Which means His zeal to be glorified and His zeal to save sinners are one.

- John Piper, God's Passion for His Glory (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1998).

On Suffering, Sovereignty And Worship

In heaven will we sing songs about suffering and pain? Piper argues that suffering and sovereignty are at the very essence of worship because they are at the very essence of the cross. Therefore, indeed, there will songs about suffering and pain -especially in heaven.

"Good Friday did not happen to be forgotten..."

- John Piper, "The Supremacy of Christ in Suffering" May 8, 2010

On Grace, Sovereignty, And Grace

Therefore this alien righteousness, instilled in us without our works by grace alone-while the Father, to be sure, inwardly draws us to Christ- is set opposite original sin, likewise alien, which we acquire without our works by birth alone. Christ daily drives out the old Adam more and more in accordance with the extent to which faith and knowledge of Christ grow. For alien righteousness is not instilled all at once, but it begins, makes progress, and is finally perfected at the end through death.

- Martin Luther, Two Kinds of Righteousness, in Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings, ed. Timothy Lull (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989).

On Salvation, Union With Christ, And Imputation

Through faith in Christ, therefore, Christ's righteousness becomes our righteousness and all that he has becomes ours; rather, he himself becomes ours. Therefore the Apostle calls it "the righteousness of God" in Rom. 1:17: For in the gospel "the righteousness of god is revealed...; as it is written, "the righteous shall live by his faith.'" Finally, in the same epistle, chapter 3:28, such a faith is called "righteousness of God": "We hold that man is justified by faith." This is an infinite righteousness, and one that swallows up all sins in a moment, for it is impossible that sin should exist in Christ. On the contrary, he who trusts in Christ exists in Christ; he is one with Christ, having the same righteousness as he. It is therefore impossible that sin should remain in him. This righteousness is primary; it is the basis, the cause, the source of all our own actual righteousness. For this is the righteousness given in place of the original righteousness lost in Adam. It accomplishes the same as that original righteousness would have accomplished; rather, it accomplishes more.

- Martin Luther, Two Kinds of Righteousness, in Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings, ed. Timothy Lull (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989).

On Christus Salvator

quid est veritas?

- Iohnnaes 18:28a

On Sovereignty, Penal Substitution, And Love

I have been preaching through the gospel of Mark for over 4 months, and we have been pushing through the Passion narrative for almost half that period. We have finally arrived at the Trial before Pilate (C.f. Mark 15:1-15). As we have been pushing these texts, the LORD has shown me more and more the bitter-sweet intention of God in Cross.

Indeed, the intentional act of the Cross has shown to me that all the more, the love of the Cross (C.f. Mk. 8:31, 9:31, 10:33f, 10:41-45; 13:27f, 14:8, 14:13-21, 14:48f). Moreover, it has made the words of Isaiah all the richer. Indeed, the intention and purpose of the death of Christ remains literally and clearly and predicted even 750 years earlier:

"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scouring we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that i led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth."

- Isaiah 53:4-7

On The Glory of Christ

1 Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!


Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!


Hail Him! hail Him! highest archangels in glory;


Strength and honor give to His holy Name!


Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children,


In His arms He carries them all day long: 



Refrain:


Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness.


Praise Him! Praise Him! Ever in joyful song! 



2 Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!


For our sins He suffered, and bled, and died.


He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,


Hail Him! hail Him! Jesus the Crucified.


Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,


Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong. 



3 Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!


Heavenly portals loud with hosannas ring!


Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever.


Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet, and Priest, and King!


Christ is coming! over the world victorious,


Power and glory unto the Lord belong.

- Fanny J. Crosby 1869, comp. Chester G. Allen, "Praise Him!"

On Revelation, Relationship And Christology

Reflecting on U2's music. Bono writes:

"I have spoke with the tongue of angels

I have held the hand of a devil

It was warm in the night

I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for"

I suppose this is small, but it seems that in light of biblical revelation such as Colossians 1:13-20; John 1:1-18 that the hook should be changed from an object to a person. The lyrics should be as follows:

"But I still haven't found [who] I'm looking for."

Granted, Bono probably wasn't intending the song to be thought this way -maybe. Regardless when I listen to it, I can't help but say in my head, "person -not thing."

On The Glory Of Christ

Come, Thou long expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s Strength and Consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear Desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

- Charles Wesley (1707-1788), "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus"

On The Fullness of Christ

A humble reflection on the fullness of Christ:

What is the fullness of Christ? What more do I need that Christ has not already given? What more do I want that Christ does not satisfy? What do I lack that Christ has not already given? All I have is in Christ. My salvation is in Christ. My identity is in Christ. Christus Victor, Christus Salvator.

Here Paul's words:

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

- Colossians 2:8-15

On Good Hymns For Jesus, Our Worthy God and Saviour

To God be the glory, great things He hathdone;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life, an atonement for sin,
And opened the lifegate, that all may go in.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer, the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done!

- Fanny J. Crosby, "To God Be The Glory," (1820-1915)

On Perseverance

I need reminders:

Jesus, keep me near the cross,

There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

In the cross,in the cross,

Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and Mercy found me;

There the bright and morning star

Sheds its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day,

With its shadows o’er me.

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand,

Just beyond the river.

- Frances J. Crosby, "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross,"1869.