Misunderstandings of the Trinity

Monergism has a helpful entry from the ESV Study Bible.

Common Errors:

• Tritheism: Overemphasizes the distinction between the persons of the Trinity and ends up with three gods.
• Modalism:(also known as Sabellianism, named after its earliest proponent, Sabellius, 3rd century), which loses the distinctions between the persons and claims that God is only one person. In this view, the appearance of the three persons is merely three modes of existence of the one God. For instance, God reveals himself as Father when he is creating and giving the law, as Son in redemption, and as Spirit in the church age (found in the teaching of Oneness Pentecostalism).
• Arianism (after a teacher named Arius, c. a.d. 256–336), and it is held today by Jehovah’s Witnesses: to deny the full deity of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and to say that they were at some time created. This is the heresy of

Practical Implications of the Trinity

1. The doctrine of the Trinity makes definitive revelation of God possible as he is known in Christ:

(John 1:18). (Ex. 33:20; 1 Tim. 6:16)

2. The Trinity makes the atonement possible.

(Heb. 9:14).

3. Because God is triune, he has eternally been personal and relational in his own being, in full independence from his creation.

(Acts 17:25).

4. The Trinity provides the ultimate model for relationships within the body of Christ and marriage (1 Cor. 11:3; 12:4–6; Eph. 4:4–7).

From the Summary:

The doctrine of the Trinity is well beyond human ability to ever fully comprehend. However, it is central to understanding the nature of God and the central events in the history of salvation, in which God is seen acting as, in effect, a tripersonal team. Biblical Christianity stands or falls with the doctrine of the Trinity.

Sermon Outline: Romans 12:1-2. “Give Worship”

1) Our Souls have been given to God:

Romans 12:1a

· Romans 5:20-21

2) Our Bodies should be given to God:

Romans 12:1b

· Romans 7:5, 22

3) Our Minds should be given to God:

Romans 12:2a

· Ephesians 4:17-24

· 2 Corinthians 3:18

· Philippians 2:12-13

4) Our Wills should be given to God:

Romans 12:2b.

"How Should Calvinists Deal with Arminians?" (James White)

How should Calvinists deal with Arminians? Is it possible to stand firm for Reformed theology without causing offense? If you're a Calvinist now but were an Arminian before and a Calvinist caused offense against you in explaining the theology, would you have been as apt to lay hold to the doctrines of grace? Dr. James White answers a call on The Dividing Line show regarding this subject and offers some great advice.

http://www.aomin.org

12 Ways to Love Your Wayward Child

Abraham Piper provides 12 Ways to Love Your Wayward Child

From the Introduction:

Many parents are brokenhearted and completely baffled by their unbelieving son or daughter. They have no clue why the child they raised well is making such awful, destructive decisions. I've never been one of these parents, but I have been one of these sons. Reflecting back on that experience, I offer these suggestions to help you reach out to your wayward child.

Each point is followed up with an explanation:

1. Point them to Christ.

2. Pray.

3. Acknowledge that something is wrong.

4. Don't expect them to be Christ-like.

5. Welcome them home.

6. Plead with them more than you rebuke them.

7. Connect them to believers who have better access to them.

8. Respect their friends.

9. Email them.

10. Take them to lunch.

11. Take an interest in their pursuits.

12. Point them to Christ.

John Piper - What is it to believe?

Behold, Believe, Be Raised
John 6: 27-40

Assorted Attacks on the Bible (Romans 1:18-32)

Gods Word. Inspired. Inherent. Infallible. You love this book because it represents the source of eternal life. It contains the truth that pointed you towards Jesus Christ.

But not everyone sadly loves the scriptures. The enemy of your soul knows its power to save as well as you do and he constantly wages war against it. Scripture has always stood in the crosshairs and Christians have always labored to defend it. The first step, recognize those attacks in every form. From the overt frontal assault to the covert inside job we must never be caught off guard.

Todays message from Jon MacArthur, Attacks on the Bible, is designed to prepare you for that battle. It will help you thwart the attacks before they thwart you.

SERMON OUTLINE: Ephesians 4:25-32. “Give Grace”

1) Give Grace in Truth (Ephesians 4:25),

• Revelation 21:8

2) Give Grace in Anger (Ephesians 4:26–27),

• Romans 12:17-21

3) Give Grace in Possessions (Ephesians 4:28),

• Luke 14:13-14

4) Give Grace in Words (Ephesians 4:29-30)

• James 3:6-8

5) Give Grace in Virtue (Ephesians 4:31-32).

• Colossians 3:1-17

Greg Koukl - on the Charge: "The Bible's Been Changed"

Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason answers the question "The Bible has been translated many times over, so how can it be reliable?"

Christianity: How Jesus Is Different

Pastor Mark Driscoll examines Luke 2, where an angel announces the birth of Jesus, Christ the Lord, to shepherds in a field. The angel reveals how we are to see Jesus. We are not to insert him into a false ideology (e.g., atheism, deism, pantheism/panentheism, or theism) that offers no hope, no good news, no savior. Rather, we are to praise Jesus like the angels, Mary, and the shepherds did.

Christianity: Good News For All People

Pastor Mark Driscoll examines Luke 2, where an angel announces the birth of Jesus, Christ the Lord, to shepherds in a field. The angel reveals how we are to see Jesus. We are not to insert him into a false ideology (e.g., atheism, deism, pantheism/panentheism, or theism) that offers no hope, no good news, no savior. Rather, we are to praise Jesus like the angels, Mary, and the shepherds did.

Parenting Our Kids: a parenting model

Buckle up for this fast paced seminar on parenting kids. This training video is an abbreviated version of CounselingSolutions workshop on parenting. Rick explains a good concept idea from Paul's model given in Ephesians 6:4 as well as four poor parenting models and how they adversely impact our kids.

Rick originally learned this teaching concept on parenting during his MA program at The Master's College in Santa Clarita, CA.

Sermon Outline: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. “Give Hope”

1) Giving Hope (2 Cor. 1:3-7)

· Isaiah 51:9-12

· Exodus 3:7-8

· 2 Corinthians 11:29

· Romans 8:18

· Philippians 3:10-11

· Romans 5:1-5

2) Getting Hope (2 Cor. 1:8-9)

3) Praise for Hope ( 2 Cor. 1:10-11)

· 2 Timothy 4:16-18

Ten Effects of Believing in the Five Points of Calvinism – John Piper

John Piper outlines the Ten Effects of Believing in the Five Points of Calvinism

1. These truths make me stand in awe of God and lead me into the depth of true God-centered worship.

Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14

Romans 11:36

2. These truths help protect me from trifling with divine things.

3. These truths make me marvel at my own salvation.

Ephesians 1

4. These truths make me alert to man-centered substitutes that pose as good news.

1 Timothy 3:15

5. These truths make me groan over the indescribable disease of our secular, God-belittling culture.

6. These truths make me confident that the work which God planned and began, he will finish – both globally and personally.

Romans 8:28-39

7. These truths make me see everything in the light of God’s sovereign purposes – that from him and through him and to him are all things, to him be glory forever and ever.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Ephesians 1:11

8. These truths make me hopeful that God has the will, the right, and the power to answer prayer that people be changed.

Ezekiel 11:19

Deuteronomy 30:6

Ezekiel 36:27

2 Timothy 2:25-26

Acts 16:14

9. These truths reminds me that evangelism is absolutely essential for people to come to Christ and be saved, and that there is great hope for success in leading people to faith, but that conversion is not finally dependent on me or limited by the hardness of the unbeliever.

John 10:16

10. These truths make me sure that God will triumph in the end.

Isaiah 46:9-10

5 Ways Sin is Serious

John Piper reflects on the nature of sin and Psalm 51, as David laments and repents of his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah. David confesses at least five ways that his sin is extremely serious.

1. He says that he can’t get the sin out of his mind.

It is blazoned on his conscience. Verse 3:

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

2. He says that his exceeding sinfulness is only against God.

Nathan had said David despised God and scorned his word. So David says in verse 4,

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.

3. He doesn't justify himself.

David vindicates God, not himself. There is no self-justification. No defense. No escape. Verse 4:

…so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

4. He intensifies his guilt by drawing attention to his inborn corruption.

Verse 5:

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

5. He admits that he sinned not just against external law but against God’s merciful light in his heart.

Verse 6:

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

From the conclusion:

God had been his teacher. God had made him wise. David had done so many wise things. And then sin got the upper hand. For David, this made it all the worse. “I have been blessed with so much knowledge and so much wisdom. O how deep must be my depravity that it could sin against so much light.”

So in those five ways at least David joins the prophet Nathan and God in condemning his sin and confessing the depths of his corruption.

Excerpted and adapted from the sermon "A Broken and Contrite Heart God Will Not Despise."

Veterans' Week Message

Video greetings from Canadian Forces troops overseas in Kandahar were played at the launch of the Veterans' Week 2009 Vignette.

9 Ways to Know the Gospel of Christ Is True

John Piper lists 9 Ways to Know the Gospel of Christ Is True @ www.desiringgod.org.

Brief explanations follow the points:

1. Jesus Christ, as he is presented to us in the New Testament, and as he stands forth from all its writings, is too single and too great to have been invented so uniformly by all these writers.

2. Nobody has ever explained the empty tomb of Jesus in the hostile environment of Jerusalem where the enemies of Jesus would have given anything to produce the corpse, but could not.

Matthew 28:13

3. Cynical opponents of Christianity abounded where claims were made that many eyewitnesses were available to consult concerning the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:6

4. The early church was an indomitable force of faith and love and sacrifice on the basis of the reality of Jesus Christ.

5. The prophesies of the Old Testament find stunning fulfillment in the history of Jesus Christ.

6. The witnesses to Jesus Christ who wrote the New Testament gospels and letters are not gullible or deceitful or demented.

7. The worldview that emerges from the writings of the New Testament makes more sense out of more reality than any other worldview.

8. When one sees Christ as he is portrayed truly in the gospel, there shines forth a spiritual light that is a self-authenticating.

2 Corinthians 4:6

9. When we see and believe the glory of God in the gospel, the Holy Spirit is given to us so that the love of God might be "poured out in our hearts" (Romans 5:5).

Moralizing: How to Destroy Scripture & Cultivate Pride

Pastor Mark Driscoll continues his teaching in the book of Luke. This clip is taken from part 6 of the Luke series from the sermon entitled: The Birth of John the Baptizer

Free Audiobook of the Month: "Desiring God" by John Piper

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	When I Don't Desire God (Unabridged) by John Piper
	What do you do when you discover that you're not satisfied in God the way he wants you to be? Joy is more than an afterthought of the Christian life; it is the sustaining fruit of a relationship with God. With a radical passion for Christ's glory, John Piper helps you find the joy God wants you to have.	Download $14.98 $4.98 MP3 CD $19.98 CD $26.98 Add to My Wish List

	The Pleasures of God (Unabridged) by John Piper
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	A Hunger For God (Unabridged) by John Piper
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Greg Koukl - Biblical "Mistakes"?

Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason answers the question "Didn't people write the Bible, then how can it be reliable since men make mistakes?"

Is God Punishing Me?

Pastor Mark Driscoll discusses the question of whether God causes bad things to happen to us as punishment for sin.