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 Trinitarianism And Islam

Whenever I hear people say, "Christians and Muslims worship the same God," I think to myself:

This not only offends me but it should also deeply offend Muslims.

I am tired of hearing this claim. And anyone who tries to throw this out is simply lazy or ignorant. Christianity, in its very essence, is Trinitarian. A Muslim should be extraordinarily offended that Christians believe in one God in three persons. Namely while Christians sing praises, "God in three persons -blessed Trinity." Muslim's should be shouting, "Shirk!"

On Holiness, Glory And The Trinity

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,

Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,

Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;

Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,

Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;

Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

- Reginald Heber, "Holy, Holy, Holy," 1826.

On The Trinity And Creeds

"[We believe in] one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a Virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His future manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father 'to Gather all things in one,' and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, 'every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess' to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all..."

- Irenaeus of Lyon (115-190), Against Heresies X.I

On the Faith, Hope, Love and Joy

Paul explains that our peace is grounded in our justification. Our justification is a result of faith in Jesus. Moreover, we are extremely joyful in the hope of the glory of God. I am guessing that means sanctification in that the next verse then discusses the relationship between: tribulations and perseverance, perseverance and proven character, proven character and hope. More specifically, this hope is grounded in grace (similar to our faith) in that, the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (notice the passive verbs).

The text simply strikes me as amazing for four reasons:
1) Faith in Christ is the cornerstone. Everything is grounded in faith and is by grace.

2) Sanctification, tribulation and love are related. Sanctification (tribulation) is the result of the very love of God.

3) Worship and joy is not absent from these key doctrines. Let it be said that the word exult is mentioned twice: once in relation to the hope of sanctification and the next time in relation to tribulation. It seems then reasonable to draw a connection between: sanctification and joy, and also tribulation and joy. Moreover, by extension it also seems reasonable to draw a connection between justification and joy and also the love of God and joy. In my opinion, this only makes sense to draw a connection between God's sovereignty and joy -but that's another blog entry.

4) And finally, where justification comes through Christ, sanctification, it seems, comes through the Holy Spirit. I am no Dr. Earle Ellis, but this seems like a quasi-Trinitarian text (assuming that God the Father is the source).

"1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith in this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

- Romans 5:1-5

On Moltmann and the Trinity

       "If... we have to recognize the unity of the triune God in the perichoretic at-oneness of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, then this does not correspond to the solitary human subject in his relationship to himself; nor does it correspond, either, to a human subject in his claim to lordship over the world. It only corresponds to a human fellowship of people without privileges and without subordinances."

 - Jurgen Moltmann, The Trinity and the Kingdom of God (London: SCM Press, 1981).

       If I understand this correctly, basically, the Perichotic unity of the three divine persons is a non-hierarchical fellowship of open love -the image of the trinity is based on relationship. Moltmann's thesis is that love and relationship are the axiom of the Trinity and not distinction based on hierarchy in relationship. Hence, Moltomann is trying to avoid hierarchy (and "domination" in distinction) and bring to light "human freedom" found in a relationship of love. Further, a "person" takes part in this relationship by grace and thus one's understanding of the immanent Trinity comes from relationship. Moreover, our relationships in the world should reflect the image of God and therefore, one should focus on love and a non-hierarchical distinction in relationships. Fair enough, however, Moltmann is mistaken in five ways.

1. First, in the Trinity, there is indeed equality and love; however, there is indeed distinction and hierarchy. Jesus does the work of the Father and the Spirit is also in clear subordination to both the Father and the Son (John 5:30; 8:42; 12:49; 14:10; 16:13).
2. Second, a person does not relate equally to each person of the Trinity. Namely, one does not relate to God the Father the same way one relates to God the Son (I am too lazy to tease this out more).
3. Richard Bauckham supports the second point and also adds a third criticism: "[this view] encourages us to apply to the term 'person' as univocally to the three divine persons as we do to human persons. But this is precisely what Moltmann himself warns should not be done in his useful section on 'trinitarian principle of uniqueness' (TKG, pp. 188ff; quoted at pp 189f)."
4. Fourth, along with criticism three, Moltmann appears to focus too greatly on the subjective man-centered view of the Trinity. As if, a finite, sinful person should dictate the ontological reality of the transcendent God. The relationship that Moltmann presents is far too flexible. The distinction between immanence and economic is muddied by the rhetoric of socialism and relationship grounded in community.
5. Fifth, Moltmann's trinitarian framework is founded in unbiblical axioms. The trinity does provide freedom. However, freedom isn't found in liberation from hierarchy. Instead, freedom is found in Christ, it is found in obedience to Christ and freedom from slavery of sin (Rom. 6:20; 8:1f). If one wants to discuss oppression, focus on sin; if one wants to discuss freedom (and the Kingdom of God for that matter), focus on the Cross of Christ (Lk. 9:23-27 cf. Mt. 10:40ff).

Here are Christ's sobering words:

       And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and the holy angels. But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."

Luke 9:23-27