Blog - Page 312 of 318 - John H Armstrong

Teacher or Reproducer?

By John Armstrong|2005-07-12T19:51:42-05:00July 12th, 2005|Categories: Personal|

My dear friend and pastor, Wilbur Ellsworth, cited a marvelous quote on July 3 that I had never previously heard. He didn’t tell us where it came from originally so I can’t give you the proper credit for the quote. It does sum up a great deal of what I have learned through considering carefully the ancient-future dimensions of Christian faith.

The saying is this: "We can teach what we know, we can reproduce who we are."

I have taught a great deal for nearly forty years now. I wonder at times how much I have reproduced. I remain deeply committed to teaching. I am even more committed to reproducing with every passing year.

David Bahnsen on the New Perspective, N. T Wright and Auburn Avenue

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:24:58-05:00July 11th, 2005|Categories: Biblical Theology|

I wrote a blog several days ago about the resolution of the Mississippi Valley Presbytery (PCA) presented to the General Assembly in their June meeting (“The New Perspective and the PCA, July 2, 2005). This resolution sought to put the entire denomination on record as opposed to the "heresies" of the New Perspective on Paul and related matters. I expressed my joy that this measure failed. Last week my friend David Bahnsen, the son of the late theologian Greg Bahnsen, wrote a piece that summed up a great number of my own thoughts on this controversy quite well. With David’s permission I share his comments as follows (you can reach David’s web site directly at www.dlbthoughts.com):

(1) I affirm justification by faith alone in the most traditional and historical way possible. I believe I am saved by "Christ, plus nothing". I feel no need to "update" my position, alter its vocabulary, or confuse those who are listening/reading. My position on justification is […]

The Gospel and Culture

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:24:58-05:00July 8th, 2005|Categories: Culture|

The proper balance between evangelism and social concern has troubled the church for centuries. The very existence of such a problem should make anyone who advances a particular partisan cause humble. The sad fact is that it does not in most cases. It seems that we have never been more divided as Christians than we are right now about the proper role of the kingdom of God in its relationship to the kingdom of man.

How, for example, do economics and politics relate to the gospel? How is the kingdom realized through these spheres? A privatistic evangelicalism (with its stress on personal piety as the end of all Christian faith in this world) and an acculturated liberalism (where everything is reduced to existential experience) are both guilty of divorcing the kingdom of God from the messy business of life in the economic and political realms. This is the kind of emphasis I grew up with as a Christian in the South. This emphasis told me to not get involved in the Civil Rights struggle, to give but one example.

The […]

The UCC Now, Who Next?

By John Armstrong|2005-07-06T08:13:00-05:00July 6th, 2005|Categories: The Church|

On Sunday, July 3, to the surprise of no one who watches these things closely, the United Church of Christ became the largest Christian denomination in the United States to fully and openly endorse same-sex marriage. The action came about through the recommendation of about 80% of the General Synod voting favorably for the decision. On Sunday a panel of about 50 UCC representatives then approved the resolution of the General Synod.

This decision has been coming for years. The UCC long ago departed from any meaningful expression of orthodoxy. Those who believe the gospel within her borders have been faithfully protesting these directions for years. These evangelicals will now face even more difficult challenges as they decide what is required of them in the face of this denominational apostasy. Because the UCC is congregational in government individual congregations will not be required to endorse this decision or to follow the counsel of the General Synod. Many will continue to withhold support for the UCC while they battle from inside the structure of their fallen church. Others will finally decide to leave […]

C. H. Spurgeon Still Speaks

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:24:58-05:00July 5th, 2005|Categories: Personal|

I took a drive over to Pasadena, Texas, this morning. (I am in Houston for three days.) My purpose in going to Pasadena was to see Bob L. Ross, the man who began Pilgrim Publications back in the 1960s for the explicit purpose of getting the sixty-three volumes of the sermons of Charles H. Spurgeon in print for a new generation. I have known Bob for many years and always enjoy seeing him and catching up. This was my first visit, however, to Pasadena.

When Bob published his first volume of Spurgeon’s famous sermons in 1969 most were highly skeptical that he could ever complete this project without losing his shirt in the process. No one would buy sermons, they told him, and even fewer would read them. Now these volumes are sold all over the world and the Internet has only made Spurgeon even more accessible. Bob did not loose his shirt and the legacy he has given is substantial. Only heaven will really and truly reveal the fruit of Bob’s faithful efforts.

The first volume of this reprint edition […]

Celebrating July 4

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:24:59-05:00July 4th, 2005|Categories: Personal|

Like so many I have conflicted opinions about patriotism at times. My first loyalty is not to my country, but to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. At the same time I love my country and have always had deep feelings about her, most of which are positive. Today’s email brought a wonderful letter from my good friend David Bahnsen. His thougths about this great country parallel my own. In one portion of this letter David aptly writes:

I wish Christians would quit taking these things [freedom and liberty] for granted; it is disheartening to see their lack of patriotism so clearly flaunted by many professing believers, including some from the pulpits … We are a nation rich with heritage, yes. We are a nation that as recently as 50 years ago did not have many of the social ills that are such a source of heartache, yes. But even now and today we are a nation that allows and encourages religious liberty; we are a nation that allows and encourages the freedom of speech; we are a nation that allows and encourages unlimited […]

The New Perspective and the PCA

By John Armstrong|2005-07-02T19:14:28-05:00July 2nd, 2005|Categories: The Church|

A formal overture from the Mississippi Valley Presbytery, made to the General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church in America in their June meeting, created considerable interest among those of us who are interested in the present debates surrounding justification and the thought of N. T. Wright. This overture was "Answered in the negative without prejudice to its content." The overture was actually motion to distribute to all Presbyteries the MVP’s "Report on the New Perspective on Paul, the Theology of N. T. Wright, the Theology of Norman Shepherd, and the Theology of the so-called ‘Federal Vision’ in the PCA."

There is little doubt in anyone’s mind that the purpose of this overture was to silence this type of discussion in the PCA by treating adherents to various parts of this theology as false teachers. A group of teaching elders, within a particular presbytery, wanted to make a test case out of a particular church, namely Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church in Monroe, Louisiana. Since I know the pastor of this church well, and since I spoke at the annual pastor’s conference at Auburn […]

Certitude Can Be Idolatrous

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:24:59-05:00June 30th, 2005|Categories: Postmodernity|

The most dangerous directions taken in history were undertaken by people who had a high level of certitude for both their views and choices. This is true of dictators and tyrants, as well as religious zealots, including some Christians.

There are several ways that we seek to justify what we believe. One is by using what we think is a reliable process. Another way is to show that the world is a more coherent place because of what I believe than it is without the truths that I believe. A third way, and the one I often question in my teaching, is to argue that what I believe is inferred from previous beliefs about how things seem to be right now. This is the approach of classic foundationalism. Foundationalism seeks to build one’s beliefs upon a basic stucture that is foundational for everything else. It understands that there are indubitable beliefs from which further propositions can be inferred to produce a superstructure of known truths. Traditionally foundationalism forms beliefs about our sensory experience and then these beliefs are used to provide the […]

Knowing What You Believe in the Light of Postmodenrnity

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:24:59-05:00June 29th, 2005|Categories: Postmodernity|

During my college years the late InterVarsity staff member Paul Little wrote his little classic book, Know Why You Believe. It was a vintage, simple, and basic apologetic for the time. The idea was that there were a few (seven as I recall now) questions that any Christian should (and could) have a grasp of and through that grasp be equipped to respond to common objections made against the faith. This very simple approach freed many of us to feel confident that we could talk about the Lord openly, and with much more confidence, on the college campus.

Paul Little later wrote a book, far less well-known, titled Know What You Believe. The same idea prevailed. All of us should know the simple basics that Christians must believe if they are to understand and defend the faith.

Christians who truly believe the faith should plainly know what they believe. They should know what they believe about God, about Jesus, and about the Holy Spirit. They should know what they believe bout faith, about heaven and hell, and about the Bible. […]

Strategic Laziness

By John Armstrong|2005-06-28T15:43:42-05:00June 28th, 2005|Categories: Personal|

There are a host of new terms and motivational sayings that regularly get created in, and passed through, the world of business. I do not spend a lot of time in that world. When I do converse with business leaders I often learn something that is quite useful to the world that I do live in, a world of theology, philosophy, culture and writing. Today was such a day.

My nephew is a first-rate businessman, who conducts his work and life with real integrity for the glory of God. He also knows the literature and thought of his vocation very well. He meets with me periodically to offer counsel about the business and development side of this ministry. Today was such a day. Toward the end of our time together Brad said to me, "You need to write this down. Put it on a sticky note and look at it every day until it sticks and then works its way into your planning and living." I dutifully followed orders.

The counsel was that I should plan to be more "strategically […]