Discuss Theology

Louis Parkhurst wrote,
“To answer some of the standard qwuestions abnout the Trinity, Dr. Schaeffer woujld say that belief in the Trinity means that God has always existed in a personal, loving relationship as three Persons. God is whole and complete. God did not need to create in order to have something to love or relate to. God created from his own free will and not from necessity………The Trinity answers the questions modern man poses. Christians didn’t invent the Trinity to answer modern man’s questions, but christians discovered that the doctrine of the Trinity [which they found in the Bible ] answers modern man’s questions and solves his problems.”[Francis Schaeffer, the Man and His Message, p. 147 Louis Parkhurst]

A 1991, University of South Dakota study found that in the 2 years immediately following gaming allowance by the state: bankruptcy filings and small claims increases went up measureably, divorce filings increased 6 per cent. The divorce increase was a 500 per cent jump. [The Luck Business, Robert Goodman] As we read the Bible, our God does not really impact people and families in those ways.

“…while men who reckon the present life of very small worth indeed, and who are conducted to the future life by this one thing alone, that they know God and His Logos, what is the oneness of the Son with the Father, what the communion of the Father wit the Son, what is the Spirit, what is the unity of these three, the Spirit, the son, the Father, and their distinction in unity…” ANF vol. 2, Hedrickson Pub, pg. 134

A Plea for the Christians, by Athenagoras the Athenian (AD 177) to Emperors Marcus Aurelius Anoninus and Lucius Aurelius. In Chapter 10 he discusses, at length, “The Christians worship of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” in defense of Christians being labeled as atheists. He sums up the Christian position with a question. “Who, then, would not be astonished to hear men who speak of God the father, and of God the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and who declare both their power in union and their distinction in order, called atheists?” ANF vol. 2, Hedrickson Pub., pg 133-132.

One study found that a person has less chance winning one of the larger state super lottos than he has at getting struck twice by lightning. The Bible teaches prudent stewardship and sensible risk taking. One in several million is not what Jesus had in mind as far as prudent financial risk taking and investment.

“God, then, having His own Word internal within His own bowels, begat Him, emitting Him along with His own wisdom before all things. He had this Word as a helper in the things that were created by Him, and by Him He made all things. He is called governing principle’ (arche), because He rules, and is Lord of all things fashioned by Him. He, then, being Spirit of God, and governing principle, and wisdom, and power of the highest, came down upon the prophets, and through them spoke of the creation of the world and of all other things. For the prophets were not when the world came into existence, but the wisdom of God which was in Him, and His holy Word which was always present with Him.”

Theophilus of Antioch,To Autolycus (A.D. 181),ANF vol.2 Hendrickson Pub, 1999 pg. 98

Nicholas Kristof writes about journalists seriously covering genocide in the New York Times. I salute him for his honest self-critical evaluation of the media. Having written that, preachers, theologians and politicians all need to seriously discuss this plague-take Sudan for instance. Who talks about Sudan? 500,000 people killed in the last few years.

In 1916, a council contended that the Scriptures taught trinitarianism and any “oneness” adherents were removed from the fellowship-156 of 585 ministers were removed.[Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, p.646]

The Bible states that there are 2 basic qualifications for a judge [1]He must fear God, [2]He must hate bribes. Roberts apparently fits both prerequisites in his nomination for the Supreme Court. My strong suspicion is that he will get very favorable support from both Protestants and Catholics.

“The doctrine of the Trinity, then, sums up the astonighingly rich and hard-won insights of Christian believers down the ages into the nature of God. For the theologian, it is a safeguard against inadequate understandings of God; for the Christian believer, it is a reminder of the majesty and mystery of the God who gave himself for his people upon the cross.”[Studies in Doctrine, McGrath, p.224]