And now for today's topic: Trinitarianism.
I have spent a few months now, focused on the reality of grief before joy, sorrow before happiness, and destruction before construction. We are made low, so that we may see Jesus be raised high, and, being in Him, therefore, be raised with Him. Now I wish to dwell on the subject of the Trinity. I do not wish to defend the topic, but I have written a pamphlet in defense of the doctrine, and will post it after some revision.
This doctrine is of supreme importance and relevance. The beauty of the Trinity is the idea of the one and the many. If you look for it, you can see how this is woven into all of created order. This is why anarchy is just as evil as tyranny; it is why biblical freedom is also a form of slavery*. This is why justice, mercy and humility (Micah 6:8) are all needed in the singular pursuit of holiness. This is why holiness is not of ourselves, nor is it of our will that we are saved by faith and that not of ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9), yet "whosoever believes...will be saved." (John 3:16, of course)
*I wish to be clear, and I know that the word slavery has with it the worst connotations possible, due to the War between the States. I contend there is a biblical slavery, and it is only a matter of time before I delve into the subject. For now I will leave you with Titus 1:1: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness"
I hope this post wasn't too boring, but I felt the need to post a little more something than just, "I changed my blog hope you liked it! Bye now!" If you didn't care, fine. It made me feel better! But, really, I hope you do like it. Tell me if you don't.
A parting gift, from J.C.Ryle's Holiness:
I have spent a few months now, focused on the reality of grief before joy, sorrow before happiness, and destruction before construction. We are made low, so that we may see Jesus be raised high, and, being in Him, therefore, be raised with Him. Now I wish to dwell on the subject of the Trinity. I do not wish to defend the topic, but I have written a pamphlet in defense of the doctrine, and will post it after some revision.
This doctrine is of supreme importance and relevance. The beauty of the Trinity is the idea of the one and the many. If you look for it, you can see how this is woven into all of created order. This is why anarchy is just as evil as tyranny; it is why biblical freedom is also a form of slavery*. This is why justice, mercy and humility (Micah 6:8) are all needed in the singular pursuit of holiness. This is why holiness is not of ourselves, nor is it of our will that we are saved by faith and that not of ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9), yet "whosoever believes...will be saved." (John 3:16, of course)
*I wish to be clear, and I know that the word slavery has with it the worst connotations possible, due to the War between the States. I contend there is a biblical slavery, and it is only a matter of time before I delve into the subject. For now I will leave you with Titus 1:1: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness"
I hope this post wasn't too boring, but I felt the need to post a little more something than just, "I changed my blog hope you liked it! Bye now!" If you didn't care, fine. It made me feel better! But, really, I hope you do like it. Tell me if you don't.
A parting gift, from J.C.Ryle's Holiness:
How should you know who are true Christians, if following Christ was the way to be free from trouble? How should we discern the wheat from the chaff, if it were not for the winnowing of trial? How should we know whether men served Christ for His own sake or from selfish motives, if His service brought health and wealth with it as a matter of course? The winds of winter soon show us which of the trees are evergreen and which are not. The storms of affliction and care are useful in the same way. They discover whose faith is real, and whose is nothing but profession and form.
How would the great work of sanctification go on in a man if he had no trial? Trouble is often the only fire which will burn away the dross that clings to our hearts. Trouble is the pruning-knife which the great Husbandman employs in order to make us fruitful in good works. The harvest of the Lord's field is seldom ripened by sunshine only. It must go through its days of wind, and rain, and storm.
If you desire to serve Christ and be saved, I intreat you to take the share of crosses and sorrows, and then you will not be surprised. For want of understanding this,many seem to run well for a season, and then turn back in disgust, and are cast away.
If you profess to be a child of God, leave to the Lord Jesus to sanctify you in His own way. Rest satisfied that He never makes any mistakes. Be sure that He does all things well. But fear not, "He is leading you by the right way, that He may bring you to a city of habitation" (Ps. 107:7).
There is a huge difference between a servant and a slave. Paul was saying he was servant of God not a slave. A servant can choose to serve or not serve someone. He was saying he chose to serve God, not that he was forced into it with no other choice. A slave cannot choose to serve or not serve someone. They are forced to, often against their will. So that verse isn't saying what you are saying it is saying.
ReplyDeleteMyra who is also xmasgirl
the original text reads δουλος. What can you tell me about that word?
ReplyDeleteJust googled it, looks like servant is a bad translations. You should have used a translation that made it more clear. Not all of us have studied Greek. But to be honest, what sort of God do you serve that He has to force people to serve Him, He doesn't want them to choose? He wants slaves, not people who willingly serve Him.
ReplyDeleteAnd I guess this is why you would be okay with my ancestors still being slaves. And why you admire a guy who thinks that they were wrong for escaping on the underground rail road.
Myra
The true and living God. If you don't like it, then that's too bad for you.
DeleteYou put words in my mouth. I can't swallow.
You are a slave to either one of two things: 1)sin/Satan or 2)God. There is no 3rd option.
ReplyDeleteRomans 6:16 "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?"
John 8:34 "Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."
I looked up the word slave on dictionary.com, and the first definition is this: "a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a bond servant." This aptly describes what a Christian is - someone who is the property of God, and who is wholly subject to Him. Based on this description, I think it is definitely possible to choose to be a slave.
I find it interesting that some of the slaves who were freed after the War Between the States chose to stay on, serving their masters the same way they had before. They did it because they loved their masters, and their masters treated them right, like real people. (I, of course, do not agree with human slavery. Every person is an individual, not to be treated as someone else's property.)
I am, essentially, choose to be a servant/slave to God when I accept His gift of salvation. He loves me, and treats me like I matter. God wants us to be willing slaves, and He promises to be a just Master.
How can we expect to get salvation, but do nothing different in our lives? We must give up a certain level of freedom - freedom to indulge in lusts and sins, the freedom to act however we want. When we claim to be saved, people look at us as representing Christ in a way. That's why we must be 'above reproach' - not 'holier than thou', but just living in such a way that no one has justification for accusation. In addition, "So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12) It costs you something, and in essence, your relationship with God rules your life - HE rules your life.
Just my take on it in light of the Bible.
Josiah, the blog is a little wider, to where I have to scroll to the side to see the whole thing. (But that's on my teeny laptop. If I was on our big computer, it'd probably be fine.)
Hi Carrie, thanks for the support, it has been giving me great encouragement. It is definitely appreciated. I would not cast out entirely the idea of human slavery, as there is a form of slavery that is biblical.
ReplyDeleteI have been in quite a discussion with these people about it, and mainly my reasoning, although I have begun studying it more in depth, is that Paul gave instructions to slaves and masters, without condemning either. He also said if you are free you should not seek to be enslaved, and if you are enslaved you are to be content. More later
I'm glad it was encouraging. This topic is very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI guess my view is that you shouldn't try to have a slave, and I agree, that if you are free, then you shouldn't try to be a slave. (In the physical sense.)
However, in the spiritual realm, of course, you are already a slave - and you always will be a slave. You just have to choose your master.
The only sort of physical slavery I agree with is when someone becomes a bond servant to pay a debt. That sort of thing doesn't seem to be used nowadays, though.
There is also the slavery that comes from prisoners of war. Not sure how that applies though right now. Still studying it. How does the blog look now on your laptop?
ReplyDeleteI also forgot about apprenticeships (like in colonial America). Though not technically called slavery, it seems like a form of it, since the apprentice is bound to the craftsman for x number of years.
ReplyDeleteIt's still a little wide, but I don't think the post section needs to be any skinnier. It could be because of the sidebar (having 1 column, and then 2 below that) that it's wider.
yep yep. I think it will go back to what it was before exactly. Ever read that "dr. Seuss" Old Hat/New Hat book? it's like that. :)
ReplyDelete