Tim Keller’s The Reason for God: Just Read the Chapter Titles

May 6, 2013 in Apologetics, Recommended Reading with 0 Comments

The Reason for God by Tim KellerRead Keller’s outline for Part I of The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. The chapter titles alone may motivate you to start reading:

  1. There Can’t Be Just One True Religion
  2. How Could a Good God Allow Suffering?
  3. Christianity is a Straitjacket
  4. The Church is responsible for So Much Injustice
  5. How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?
  6. Science has Disproved Christianity
  7. You Can’t Take the Bible Literally

While reading The Reason for God I found myself thinking that I would easily recommend it over C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity. On the one hand, that is not surprising. Mere Christianity was the edited publication of lectures given during World War II. Whereas, The Reason for God was published in 2008. Lewis’s work is dated. On the other hand, it’s quite surprising given Lewis’s stature.

But a comparison of Mere Christianity with The Reason for God is silly in any case because Keller repeatedly acknowledges Lewis’s influence on his writings. Keller shares that it was a combination of three people who shaped his thought:

I also owe a deeper sort of acknowledgement to the three people to whom I am most indebted for the fundamental shape of my Christian faith. They are, in order, my wife, Kathy, the British author C.S. Lewis, and the American theologian Jonathan Edwards.

Lewis’s words appear in nearly every chapter. It would be wrong not to admit how much of what I think about faith comes from him.

Keller isn’t in competition with Lewis. He is standing on his shoulders and taking the discussion forward in the new millennium. If it’s true that Tim Keller advances C.S. Lewis’s thinking, and I think he clearly does, then The Reason for God is must reading.

Having said that, the best way to motivate you to read Keller’s book is to read the chapter titles.

Tomorrow, I’ll share some tips for reading The Reason for God with profit.

Jason Collins’ “Coming Out”: Barnabas Piper Considers a Right and a Wrong Way for Christians to Respond

May 3, 2013 in Sexuality with 0 Comments

Barnabas Piper:

Jason Collins, though not a star, carries great social cachet as an NBA player. Earlier this week he became the first active player to openly come out as gay. Doing so was a brave act. Collins took a risk by declaring his homosexuality in a league full of jocks and overflowing with bravado. He might have been ostracized or even out of a job. In the days since, though, the overwhelming response from players, fans, and the media to Collins’ announcement has been supportive.

But not all responses have been positive. Chris Broussard, an ESPN reporter and analyst, had this to say . . .

Read the rest here.

Bound Together Recommended Reading

May 2, 2013 in Bound Together with 0 Comments

Bound TogetherPeople occasionally ask which authors influenced and help me write Bound Together. Below is the list of recommended reading that is at the end of Bound Together.

For Further Reading on the Principle of the Rope or Corporate Solidarity

This is not an exhaustive list, but it should be helpful in pointing readers to a number of excellent resources.

By listing a source here, I do not mean to imply that I am in complete agreement.  “But test everything; hold fast what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).”

Original Sin

Jacobs, Alan. Original Sin: A Cultural History. New York: Harper Collins, 2008.

Johnson, Marcus. “Union with Adam and Union with Christ: A Way Forward on the Question of the Transmission of Original Sin.” In Evangelical Calvinism: Essays Resourcing the Continuing Reformation of the Church., edited by Robert Grow and Myk Habets. Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, 2012.

Murray, John. Redemption Accomplished and Applied. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955.

Murray, John. The Imputation of Adam’s Sin. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959.

Union With Christ

Billings, Todd J. Union with Christ: Reframing Theology and Ministry for the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011.

Letham, Robert. Union with Christ: In Scripture, History, and Theology. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2011.

Biblical and Systematic Theology

Beale, G.K. A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011.

Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.

Horton, Michael  The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Romans: Exposition of Romans 5, Assurance. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2003.

Regarding the destruction of the Canaanites:

Stanley N. Gundry, Show Them No Mercy: 4 Views on God and Canaanite Genocide. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.

Christopher J.H. Wright, The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.

The Church

Clowney, Edmund P., and Gerald Lewis Bray. The Church. Contours of Christian Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1995.

Dever, Mark. The Church: The Gospel Made Visible. Nashville: B&H, 2012.

Wells, David F. Losing Our Virtue: Why the Church Must Recover Its Moral Vision. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.

On Marriage and the Family

Brauns, Chris. Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2008.

Keller, Timothy, and Kathy Keller. The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God. New York: Dutton, 2011.

Kostenberger, Andreas J., and David W. Jones. God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation. 2nd ed. Wheaton: Crossway, 2010.

Miller, C. John, and Barbara Miller Juliani. Come Back, Barbara. 2nd ed. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 1998.

Wilson, Douglas. Federal Husband. Moscow, Idaho: Canon Press, 1999.

Sociology and Political History

Bellah, Robert N., Richard Madsen, William M. Sullivan, Ann Swidler, and Steven M. Tipton. Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008.

Berger, Peter L. The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion. New York: Anchor, 1990.

Fea, John. Was America Founded As a Christian Nation?: A Historical Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press, 2011.

Hunter, James Davison. To Change the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Kidd, Thomas S. God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution. Basic Books, 2010.

Smith, Christian, Kari Christoffersen, Hilary Davidson, and Patricia Snell Herzog. Lost in Transition: The Dark Side of Emerging Adulthood. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Smith, Christian, and Melinda Lundquist Denton. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Smith, Christian, and Patricia Snell. Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Tocqueville, Alexis de. Democracy in America. Translated by Arthur Goldhammer. New York: Library of America, 2004.

Dan Phillips: Porn and Paper Pastors

May 2, 2013 in Church, Leadership with 0 Comments

Dan Phillips writes about a different sort of pornography problem:

Decades ago, I read a disturbingly candid essay by a pastor about his struggles with pornography. It was in Leadership magazine. Years later, two of his realizations still stand out to me.

The author came to see (as I recall) that he was attracted to these images because they were unreal. The women in the pictures never had bad days, were never crabby and demanding, never disrespectful and demeaning. No mood swings. They always suited his mood, his needs, his wants. They were unreal.

He came to see that he had no actual relationship with these women whatever. If (he named a female celebrity) had sat down next to him in an airplane, she wouldn’t know him from Adam. Whatever may have happened in his sinful fantasies, the two of them had no relationship in the real world.

Of course, this is why so many women resent actresses and models. It isn’t catty pettiness or smallness. It is that they know how visually-tempted men can be, and they know that they can’t compete with a fantasy — if their man is fool enough to chase one.

And they’re right, in a way. They can’t compete with these women. Because these women don’t exist in the real world! They may not even look like their pictures! Thanks to computer wizardry, the pictures we see may actually bear only the slightest resemblance to the actual women.

Nobody can compete with a fantasy.

And this post is not about pornography, men, women, nor marriage.

It is about people with paper pastors.

Read the rest here.

The Message of the Bible in 221 Words

May 1, 2013 in biblical theology with 0 Comments

D.A. Carson:

God is the sovereign, transcendent and personal God who has made the universe, including us, his image-bearers. Our misery lies in our rebellion, our alienation from God, which, despite his forbearance, attracts his implacable wrath.

But God, precisely because love is of the very essence of his character, takes the initiative and prepared for the coming of his own Son by raising up a people who, by covenantal stipulations, temple worship, systems of sacrifice and of priesthood, by kings and by prophets, are taught something of what God is planning and what he expects.

In the fullness of time his Son comes and takes on human nature. He comes not, in the first instance, to judge but to save: he dies the death of his people, rises from the grave and, in returning to his heavenly Father, bequeaths the Holy Spirit as the down payment and guarantee of the ultimate gift he has secured for them—an eternity of bliss in the presence of God himself, in a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

The only alternative is to be shut out from the presence of this God forever, in the torments of hell. What men and women must do, before it is too late, is repent and trust Christ; the alternative is to disobey the gospel (Romans 10:16;2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17).

For Such a Time as This: Perspectives on Evangelicalism, Past, Present and Future, ed. Steve Brady and Harold Rowdon (London, UK: Evangelical Alliance, 1986), 80.

Shouldn’t We Have Just Left the Dolphins on the Beach?

April 29, 2013 in Apologetics with 1 Comment

ap Dolphin Stranding jt 120204 wblog Hundreds of Dolphins Stranded on Cape Cod Beach

Credit: Julia Cumes/AP Photo

Why not just leave the dolphins on the beach? Has anyone asked that question? Isn’t it awfully presumptuous for human beings to forcibly throw dolphins into the water?

You may recall that last year hundreds of dolphins were stranded on the beaches of Cape Code. The International Fund for Animal Welfare worked tirelessly to return the dolphins to the ocean. Rescue workers were especially excited to learn that they had rescued one dolphin in her third trimester of pregnancy.

But I wonder if there wasn’t a question which could have saved people a lot of effort. “Isn’t it confining to dolphins to throw them back in the ocean?”

Think of all the things a dolphin cannot enjoy once it is in the ocean. A dolphin in the ocean cannot skateboard. It cannot join a marching band or play golf. It can never climb a mountain. A dolphin in the ocean cannot even go to church! Given all these restrictions, and many more, what right do people have to presume that dolphins should be confined to the ocean?

No one raised the question of whether or not it is right to confine a dolphin to the ocean because it is a ridiculous one. Even a four year old who sees a dolphin gasping for air on the beach  knows that it needs to be back in the water. Dolphins were made for the ocean.

But if no one asks why it is not wrong to confine dolphins to water, there are many who do complain that Christianity is confining. Our culture objects, “To call people to follow Christ is like asking them to enter prison? Think  of all the things which we would no longer be free to do if we gave our lives to Christ.”

The objection that Christ is too restrictive is raised, yet all the while, people lay gasping on the beaches of life: angry, broken, addicted, grieving, quickly running out of time. As much as dolphins are made for the ocean, we are made for Christ. In Him, we have the eternal ocean of joy and adventure before us. It makes no sense to suffocate on the beach.

Tim Keller explains that disciplines and constraints liberate us when they fit with the reality of our nature and capacities:

A fish, because it absorbs oxygen from water rather than air, is only free if it is restricted and limited to water. If we put it out on grass, its freedom to move and even live is not enhance, but destroyed. The fish dies if we do not honor the reality of its nature. Tim Keller, The Reason for God, page 46.

The reality of our nature is that we need Christ. So Jesus said:

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
(John 8:31-32 ESV)

Accept Christ’s invitation to enter into the vast ocean of rest in Him. Let’s immerse ourselves in his greatness for all of eternity.

It beats gasping for air on the beach.

And, yes, I know, dolphins are mammals.
****************************************
 

You can watch the trailer for, The Reason for God, below.

 

Introduction to The Reason for God from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

Russell Moore: George Jones Was Not a Hypocrite

April 27, 2013 in Culture with 0 Comments

Russell Moore reflects on the death of country music singer George Jones:

George Jones has died, and I am afraid a lot of people will think he was a hypocrite. George Jones was no hypocrite. He was the troubadour of the Christ-haunted South. The raw emotion, and even whispers of torture, in his voice can teach American Christianity much about the nature of sin and the longing for repentance.

Jones is easy to caricature as a hypocrite, to be sure. He performed some of the greatest songs in country music history. I would fight anyone, metaphorically speaking, who denies that “He Stopped Loving Her Today” is the greatest country song of all time, but Jones was known for more than his songs. His failed marriages, most notably from fellow country music star Tammy Wynette, and his life-long skirmish with substance abuse, were always in the headlines. Few people knew of George Jones who did not immediately think of the anecdote of his riding a lawn mower to the liquor store after the authorities, and his long-suffering wife, took away his freedom to drive a car.

Read the rest here.

What is God?

April 26, 2013 in Doctrine with 0 Comments

From the New City Catechism:

Q2: What is God?

God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his will.

Knowing the Truth Interview Available On-Line

April 25, 2013 in Bound Together with 0 Comments

You can listen to Kevin Boling’s (Knowing the Truth) interview me about Bound Together online here.

Reviews of Bound Together

April 25, 2013 in Bound Together with 0 Comments

Special thanks to Shaun Tabatt of Cross Focused Reviews for his help. Here is a summary of a number of reviews:

 “Those desiring to understand how to love God and love others, two actions which Jesus said is what all of the Torah and the prophets meaning all of Scripture is based on, will find Bound Together to be an enchiridion, an extremely timely, helpful, and holistic guide for understanding what it means to relate to one another in a godly manner as outlined throughout Scripture. Our actions have repercussions and it is high time we all understand what that means!”

“Bound Together explores the Principle of the Rope, the truth that we are bound together in surprising ways. I had never though about this before. Once I read a little of this book I saw that this truth was foundational to the world and my life.”

“Brauns is on the right track and I loved the gospel focus of this book. This could be a good book for personal study or for a small group study”

“Brauns touches on so many appropriate topics throughout this book, and ties everything in so well with our spiritual lives… You won’t be disappointed in this read. It’s easy to read because it’s interesting, and full of information.”

“great substance and practical value, giving hope to the hurting and encouragement for all those struggling with sin.”

“Pastors may want to include this book in their counseling tool kit. But anyone who wants to understand original sin and the relationship we have in Christ after our salvation would find this book helpful in unlocking some of the mysteries.”

“I  found “Bound Together” to be a wonderful, eye-opening perspective on life, especially for generations like mine that have been raised in such a self-centered culture. To view our union with Christ and other Christians as a desired treasure should help us overcome disappointment in our relationships and be more intentional about building unity in our local church families.”

“I encourage you to read this book for a clear understanding of “original sin” and the best understanding of our “union with Christ”. For me, Chapter 7 alone is well worth the price of buying the book because my wife noticed that I had done something I had not done in our 14 ½ years of marriage, which was taking a week off to do Spring Cleaning.”

“This book is well-written, interesting, and will give the reader a far better understanding of Adam’s sin and how it affects all of us in a bad and good way. By the time you get to the end of the book, you realize the good far outweighs the bad regarding the principle of the rope, and how that applies to your relationship with Jesus Christ.”

“It is a book for a time such as this. I highly recommend it.”

“The book was thought-provoking, and written in a comfortable, readable way. I could tell it was written by someone with a pastor’s heart for people. I highly recommend it, and I would love to see it handed out to both teenagers and young adults.”

“This book will not disappoint you. It is easy to read yet contains powerful principles. May we learn that our actions & choices have lasting affects on ourselves & those we journey with.”

“Brauns writes with grace to urge readers to help lift up the rope with decisions that will benefit us all as we are tied to the rope for the glory of God and each other’s good. ”

“This book has impacted me because I have thought of things this way before in reading the Bible or thinking through my personal choices, however I needed to be reaffirmed that no matter what choices I make God works them all out to fulfill His greater plan… Over all it is an interesting read.”

“This is a helpful, thought-provoking, valuable book, particularly the definitely recommended first five chapters.”

“If you are looking for a well thought out book about original sin and God’s grace through Jesus to save us from it, Brauns does an excellent job of laying the background and then showing an application of those truths. Although our ties to Adam doomed us, our ties to Jesus saves us.”

“On balance, this is an excellent book: well organized, theologically Reformed (in Baptist mode), engaging. Since I am a critical, glass-half-empty sort, and since I’m writing this review in the midst of assorted life problems and annoyances, I will attempt to offer some criticisms. Don’t let these criticisms mislead you; this is one of the better books I’ve read recently and I highly recommend it.”

“I give Bound Together 5 stars. Like Unpacking Forgiveness, I’ll refer to it often and highly recommend it to others.”

“Brauns takes a user-friendly approach to the doctrines of original sin and union with Christ which I am thankful for. This is a must read for any believe especially those who are not familiar with these two doctrines. This is also a good resource for small group discussions and also a aid in preaching.”

“This book is a must read. If you have a problem understanding how we are accounted sinners because of something Adam did or righteous because of what Christ did, this book has the best explanation I have found. He uses many real life illustrations to prove that we are all connected. I highly recommend it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.”

“Bound Together is a unique work in that it touches on several critical issues of today. Apart from just sharing the gospel with you it is a guided tour through the follies of contemporary culture and the hope and truth of being bound with others and by others to Jesus Christ”

“I hesitate to tell you that this book tackles with verve the theological ideas of original sin and union with Christ. I can hear the groans–another theology tome. Please reroute your thinking as this volume is so much more than academic exercise… This is a great book.”

“In a western culture that introduces self dependence to children early on, it is a book that is culturally relevant and fairly courageous in its intent to delve into topics such as these.”

“This is a book I wish I could hand to every family. As someone who works with children each day, I wish parents could see the effect their decisions have upon their children. Somehow some parents have managed to delude themselves into thinking their divorce will have no effect on their children since both parents plan to remain active. Yet, they fail to recognize their selfishness is not only seen by their children but in many ways is imitated by their children. Likewise, I wish children saw how their actions affect their siblings and even their parents.”

“Bound Together is a welcome addition in this renewed understanding of an essential truth: We are one body with many parts and we only work as we should when we’re together. I trust it will be a great encouragement to you as you read and apply it.”

“I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to have a better understanding of how original sin, mankind and the cross of Christ bind us together.”

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