Hēmas (meaning “us”): this word is far more than a simple debate for amusement amongst Greek scholars. Let’s dig into Ephesians 1:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

… Continue reading Ephesians 1

Did all of the early church fathers really agree on the idea that man had the ability to choose God? Remarkably — yes. In all of the known writings before Augustine in 411 AD, I have yet to find a single one that believed that God preordained salvation.

Justin Martyr has entire chapters dedicated to this, and he speaks as if he’s speaking on behalf of all of the Christians at the time (“we hold it to be true ,etc”), and doesn’t even consider that his fellow church members might believe in something different: 

Justin Martyr’s Defense of Free Choice

“But lest some suppose, from what has been said by us, that we say that whatever happens, happens by a fatal necessity, because it is foretold as known beforehand… We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions…. For if it be fated that this man, e.g., be good, and this other evil, neither is the former meritorious nor the latter to be blamed…. For not like other things, as trees and quadrupeds,

… Continue reading Early Church Fathers on Free Will and Predestination

Calvinism is one of the most controversial theologies in the modern Protestant era. Many pastors and theologians don’t even touch it, and those that do often feel very strongly about their side, fueling further division. Another unfortunate aspect, is that Calvinism seems to creep into many seminaries and Christian higher learning, often creating a perceived division amongst Christian authority figures, and the layman. It’s for these reasons that I have felt not just a desire, but a compulsion to write this blog, despite the daunting nature of the task. My hope is that this offers some clarity, peace, and understanding to those who may believe one side or the other, but aren’t sure they know enough about it to feel confident.

In order to stay accessible, I will be splitting up this blog up into several sections, with this overview explaining the top-level arguments, and expanded sub-blogs on the topics that call for more steelmanning or exposition. That way you can choose how deep you want to go on each topic. If any of what I’m writing raises alarm bells or makes you bristle, I encourage you to click on the links and I’ll have much more room in the sub-blogs to flesh out everything I’m saying.

… Continue reading Calvinism

Romans 9 is one of the more controversial chapters in the Bible. I’m going to be breaking down the entire chapter, offering a steelman for Calvinism, as well as (hopefully) a fresh take on what Paul was saying, and perhaps more importantly, what he wasn’t saying.

In my experience, Calvinists bring up Roman’s 9 as their most cited chapter for their theology, and the confusion is understandable. However, I believe there’s a reason the early church fathers were never swayed by this chapter, and a lot of it comes down to translation. Let’s unpack his words:

Paul’s audience

First, for context. Paul writes to a mixed Jewish-Gentile church in Rome, addressing tensions over God’s promises. Paul is clearly torn up for his fellow Jews, going so far as to say that he wishes he could trade places with them and be damned himself on their behalf:

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,

… Continue reading Romans 9

Skubalon. This word is far more than a simple debate for amusement amongst Greek scholars. This word encompasses lifestyles and a general understanding about the kinds of people the Apostles were, and poses a certain threat, or comfort, depending on which side of the isle you happen to be on.

A little context: Paul and I seem to have some connecting points. I was raised in an incredibly conservative home, and we grew up under the pretext of always seeming to want to outdo the purity index. My mom’s constant phrase was, “don’t water down your faith”. In her perspective, “water down” could probably be seen as “not profitable” as a hail to the verse, “all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable”. The mistake that I think happened, was that my mom with golden intentions, translated that verse in her head as, “if it isn’t profitable, it isn’t lawful”. The issue with that, is that the term “profitable” should be relative, while “lawful” should be black and white.

Consequently, I grew up with a constant push to be more “lawful”. If music wasn’t Christian, or if it was too rocky, it wasn’t lawful.

… Continue reading Skubalon