Very brief on themes in Romans

Richmond, rush hour, heading home, but I was not listening Rush; it was Mahavishnu Orchestra and Christian radio that day. See, I have a problem. I know from past history that vehicle CD players can scratch disks (many in my case), so I am only going to use doubles scratched already or copies. I have a limited library in that case. CD's scratched by a previous car stereo and copies. My off-road focus is iTunes at present. Not CD's.

Encountering page 262.

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

I continue with a review of the 'Encountering' text, focusing on discussing the theological teaching from the images.

Other very important points from the text:

The Apostle Paul states that the righteousness of God has been revealed (Romans 1). (260). The atoning and resurrection, gospel work of Jesus Christ applied, provides salvation and legal justification by grace through faith (alone). In particular my words,  with a Reformed slant, but based on 260).

Romans reasons that those in Jesus Christ, receive God's righteousness (262). The righteousness of Jesus Christ, infinite God and perfect man. Works and the law could not guarantee human righteousness and therefore could not justify (Romans 4). Abraham too was justified as righteous by faith, not works. (Romans 4).

Those in Jesus Christ receive the imputed righteousness (Romans 1-2, 3) of Jesus Christ and therefore are legally justified by God. This is instead of facing God's wrath and through Christ's death on the cross, human sin is atoned for. (262). This leads to everlasting life and a sanctification (Romans 6-8) of the sinful human nature toward the perfect human nature of Jesus Christ. To be completed at resurrection (1 Corinthians 15).

Romans 6: 22

English Standard Version

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

New American Standard Bible

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

King James Bible

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Salvation (justification, sanctification, my add) is by grace through faith, not works, and human beings can do nothing to merit God's acceptance. (263). Sanctification (6-8) is to increase obedience in the Lord. (263). Sin should be diminished, not promoted. (263).

Epistles, Romans & Church Fathers

Encountering p. 257

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

Although I can appreciate dividing Pauline texts from non-Pauline texts; chronological listings with authors is more useful in my opinion than what is presented (257). I provide an archived link below.

Chronology/Authorship March 19 2013

The more useful second graphic (258) historically connects the New Testament era Book of Romans to the Church Fathers era.

Encountering p. 258 

Very Brief on Repentance (PhD Edit)

Parma: Facebook/Google+

For clarity and openness, I realize that within my PhD focus on the problem of evil and theodicy, my reviews of Reformed, Evangelical, Liberal and Critical perspectives meant that concepts of regeneration were dealt with more than concepts of repentance. But in review, I did mention human repentance in the context of human regeneration via God as primary cause.

If compatibilism did actually equate with hard determinism, as some incompatibilists claim in error (And some hard determinists, perhaps claim in error), and not soft determinism, why would God as primary cause will for a human secondary cause in Jesus Christ to embrace, for example, repentance? Again, a regenerated person in Christ, does not just wake up one morning accepting the atoning and resurrection, gospel work for self, justification and sanctification and having no understanding why that is the case. Repentance is a continual process in a believer's life, as in confessing sin in 1 John.

I have discussed repentance within this website’s archives.

PhD, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter, 2010

As persons were regenerated they would hear the call of salvation, repent and believe in Christ.[1]  I would view conversion as an aspect of regeneration, which is the beginning of the Christian experience.[2]  Regeneration was to encompass the entire divine plan of recreation from the initial change in persons to the ultimate culmination of a new heaven and new earth.[3]

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

FRANKE, JOHN R. (2005)  The Character of Theology, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

MURRAY, JOHN (1937-1966)(1977) Collected Writings of John Murray, Vol. 2:  Select Lectures in Systematic Theology, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust. 

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[1] Bavinck (1918)(2006: 53).

[2] Franke notes that the Scripture explains that the Holy Spirit continued to guide the earliest Christians. Franke (2005: 132). The Spirit continues to work in regenerated/converted believers that embrace the gospel.

[3] Bavinck (1918)(2006: 53).

Philosophy: Deny being comic art nerd, but watch the animated and drama series

DC

I have a small but impressive comic book collection (see Kingpinned website). I have never been significantly interested in the stories or character development.

I have never followed monthly stories.

In agreement with my good friend and friendly neighbor, Walter Thomas Franklin, I mainly buy these books for interesting, vibrant covers, often with intriguing super-hero and/or super-villain battles.

Sort of like if I was a trillionaire, I would attempt to purchase painting works of the master's, such as Bob Ross.

I have some friends, that due to age and work, state they are past collecting the comic art. And yet while in discussion they know far more about the modern storylines than I do because they watch routinely, the latest animated series and/or the drama series like the Flash and Gotham, for example.

So, philosophically, which kind of interested person is the bigger nerd?

a) The one that collects for the covers?
b) The one that is concerned about the drama?

Hmmmm...what would be true?