This Week's Podcast: Covenant Theology and Romans 9

On today's program, I answered a couple of listener questions. First I talked about the use of the term "consubstantiation" and why Lutherans don't use it, and then I answered a question about covenant theology and the Lutheran law/gospel hermeneutic. I then continued our discussion of predestination, looking at Romans 8 and 9. Listen here.

This Week's Podcast: The NPP and Unconditional Election

On the third episode of the Just and Sinner podcast, I discussed the content of my upcoming book, answered a couple of listener questions, and then continued the discussion of Calvinism with the doctrine of unconditional election. Listen here.

Properly Understanding the Two Kingdoms

Lutheran hour ministries has recently put a series of videos on the distinction between church and state in America. I would advise watching them if you haven't. It is particularly helpful in that the documentary seeks to approach the subject in a balanced way, affirming both the distinction between the two kingdoms, and the necessary interaction between them.

I think this is particularly helpful when looking at some of the more extreme views of supposed two kingdom theology in Reformed churches. Look for example at the following quote from Dr. Joel Beirmann in this documentary regarding the Christian necessity for cultural and political engagement,

"The error of assuming that I don't have a responsibility for this realm is an error. You could even say a heresy. Because if you get the distinction right between the two realms its easy to see that yes I have a responsibility on the left hand and and there's no way I can be quiet; I need to be active."

It becomes clear that Lutheran two kingdom theology is not the same as the American distinction between church and state; I fear that some have conflate the two concepts.

This Weeks Podcast:Depravity and the Sacraments

Episode 2 of the Podcast is out! I took the first half of the program to answer a listener question on the number of sacraments, and then continued the discussion on predestination, defending Luther's view of the bondage of the will.

JustandSinner Podcast: Episode 2

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Podcast now on itunes

My podcast is now available on itunes. Please subscribe.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/just-and-sinner-podcast/id566059976

Is the God of the Bible immoral?

I have been listening to many atheist/Christian debates recently, and one thing I continue to find striking is the continual atheist insistence upon the immorality of the Triune God.

Atheists consistently point to the "immorality" of the Old Testament God. They will point to the conquering of Canaan and the allowance of evil in the world, etc. They also continue to point the immoral acts that Christians have committed in history such as the crusades, the inquisition, etc. (Which doesn't prove anything about the truth or falsehood of the Christian faith; rather it confirms the reality of human sin which the Scriptures testify to).

But in reality, if either the Christian position is correct or the atheist position is correct, the God of the Bible cannot possibly be immoral. Let me explain.

First, take the Christian position. If God exists, he is by nature the standard of moral absolutes. The moral law is a reflection of God's own nature. Since God is by definition the standard of good, anything God does or says is by definition good. Therefore, by definition, God cannot be immoral or do anything wrong or evil.

Second, take the atheist position. According to a purely materialist approach to reality, there is no absolute standard of morality. There are several attempts to identify some type of standard of morality such as the consensus of a certain social group, a utilitarian approach that the greatest good for the greatest number is a moral standard, etc. However one wants to slice it, there is no objective standard of morality inherent in the nature of reality. This being the case, there is no purely objective moral grounds to judge the God of Scripture as immoral. When one argues in such a way, they are arguing with the assumption of an objective moral standard, which is a human presupposition rather than something derived out of the atheistic system.

The only way that one can possibly argue that the God of the Bible is immoral is by admitting that there is another, higher, objective moral standard by which He might be judged. Thus it is possible for someone from another theistic system to argue for the immorality of the Biblical God (much like a Christian would argue for the immorality of the portrayal of Allah in the Quran), but not for the atheist. Of course this would lead to a whole separate discussion of the reliability of the respective authoritative books, etc.

The fact is that an atheist cannot argue for the immorality of the Biblical God without first presupposing an objective moral system, thus acknowledging some form of transcendence and absolute truth regarding morality. Thus one is inconsistent with their own system.

Just and Sinner Podcast

I have been thinking for a while about doing a podcast. I finally decided to do it, so I bought a microphone and began recording. Here is my first episode: Episode 1

I asked what topic should be discussed on my first program, and the overwhelming response I received was for the doctrine of predestination; thus I did my first podcast on the topic. I hope to have a show out once a week. The second program is recorded and will be up next Wednesday. I want this to be primarily based on listener questions, and so if you have any theological questions you would like me to answer, or articles and videos you would like me to respond to, please ask.

The podcast will be on itunes within the next couple of days, and so you will be able to subscribe. All past shows will be on justandsinner.com