Monday, November 17, 2008

Christus Victor - Looking at the Atonement


Un/limited Atonement or Multiple Intentions View (Four Point Calvinist Position)

1. Statement of the Position
God’s intentions in the death of Christ are complex not simple, multiple not single: 1) Christ died for the purpose of securing the sure and certain salvation of his own, his elect. 2) Christ died for the purpose of paying the penalty for the sin of all people making it possible for all who believe to be saved. 3) Christ died for the purpose of securing the bone fide offer of salvation to all people everywhere. 4) Christ died for the purpose of providing an additional basis for condemnation for those who hear and reject the gospel that has been genuinely offered to them. 5) Christ died for the purpose of reconciling all things to the Father.

"Extent of the Atonement: Outline of The Issue, Positions, Key Texts, and Key Theological Arguments"; Bruce A. Ware, Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, page 3


About a month ago I came across the above article by Dr. Bruce Ware. I have to confess a certain sympathy for some of the points he makes regarding how we view the atonement. Please read the whole article to set what I say below in context.

The one primary purpose in the atonement is the glory of God. Any other purpose, including the salvation of the elect, is secondary to that. The atonement has purpose that includes more then just individual salvation. There is a cosmic purpose relating to the whole created order. As another writer put it:

"As this story illustrates, we need both penal substitution and Christus Victor to properly understand Christ's atonement. Penal substitution explains the heart of Christus Victor--how exactly Christ defeats the Devil, and Christus Victor supplies the larger context for penal substitution.

Christus Victor informs us that salvation aims not merely at individuals but is for the entire world. God intends through Jesus "to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Our personal salvation is part of something larger than ourselves. We belong to the church, the body of Christ that extends the Kingdom of God in the world."

"Don't Stop Believing", Dr. Michael Wittmer, (Zondervan, 2008) page 96


I also confess a certain sympathy for a view of the atonement that does not force me into performing exegetical gymnastics to defend either a particular redemption view or a universal redemption view. Both sets of passages can be allowed to say what they say.

Am I saying that now I am now a 4.0 point Calvinist? No, I'm only reiterating what I said a few years ago about calling myself a 4.95 point Calvinist in order to deliberately irritate those on both sides of that issue. What I'm finding is there is more then that at stake. In looking back, I see just how some areas of Reformed theology are actually anthropocentric in spite of the claim to be theocentric.

Jesus reigns!

~ The Billy Goat ~

Sunday, November 09, 2008

The Hymn of Post-modern Paganism


The lyrics below are from the 1969 Rock Musical HAIR. This song epitomized the hopes of the Anti War/Hippie movement of the time. It was at this juncture the Marxist utopia dream was merged with astrological millenealism; the “Age of Aquarius” with its false hopes and empty dreams. Those popular cultural expectations never entirely faded as the 1960's hippies became stock brokers, college profesors, and "community organizers". As I listen to the "messianic" rehtoric of the left wing demagogues of our day, I hear the echos of those earlier days. But the Age of Aquarias will not arrive on the wings of Air Force One. The false promise of the Age of Aquarius will end in dashed hopes and shatterd dreams just as all other 20th century messianic secularism has ended.

~ The Billy Goat ~


Aquarius

When the moon is in the Seventh House
and Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius! Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius! Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
and Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius! Aquarius!

As our hearts go beating through the night
We dance unto the dawn of day
To be the bearers of the water
Our light will lead the way

We are the spirit of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius! Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
Angelic illumination
Rising fiery constellation
Travelling our starry courses
Guided by the cosmic forces
Oh, care for us; Aquarius

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Why we need to pray for President-elect Obama


The admonition to pray for Kings and rulers and those in authority was given to a 1st century church living under a Cesar who claimed deity, and killed Christians in the arena. (1 Timothy 2:1-3)

The challenge many Evangelical professing Christians face is to be Christian in an Obama administration. We may not feel like it. We may detest and hate some of his policies, but we are not relived of the obligation to pray for OUR president even as 1st century Christians were obligated to pray not to, but for THEIR Cesar...

I do not agree with Christians that voted for Obama, but the fact that they did does not damn them to hell, or make them any less of a brother in Christ....

God is still sovereign. God still rules the history of this kosmos. Obama's election is from our Sovereign God's hand and as such we better be very careful what we say about it.... The question is not "Why?" The question is "Why not?" Are we so much better then those 1st century Christians? I think not.

Shalom,

~ The Billy Goat ~