May 09
Andrew J. NicewanderJournal Thoughts Add new tag, Arminianism, Baseball, Calvinism, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Manny Ramirez, Responsibility, Scripture, Soteriology
(These are written thoughts taken from my journal. Straight from my head to you, uncut, un-edited and totally random)
I am thankful for God’s Standard. In this age especially there are so many ideas and so many beliefs and so many ideologues it gets very confusing. So many people want you to see things their way and attempt with all their ingenuity to get you to do so. There is such a comfort in knowing that God has revealed Himself to us in His Word and through His Son. How gracious of Him to do this for us!
Hyper-Calvinism
No ability => No responsibility
Arminianism
Responsibility => Ability
Calvinism
Responsibility ≠> Ability
No Ability ≠> No Responsibility
News came out today that Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games for breaking MLB’s drug policy. It sucks that baseball is killing itself from within. It’s a common expectation that the players are “juiced” and “dirty” and we’re surprised (and still suspicious) when a player is clean. It womps.
Why is so much in Christianity simply a big personality cult? So much of how Christians operate focuses on Christian leaders and not on Christ. Lord save us from ourselves!
Mar 10
Andrew J. NicewanderReformation Blogosphere, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Calvinism, Christianity Today, Economy, SWBTS
Christianity Today has an article about the recent blogosphere fury over the alleged almost-firings of Calvinists at Southwestern.
Interesting, to say the least.
Check it.
Feb 18
Andrew J. NicewanderReformation, Southern Baptist Convention Baptists, Bible, Calvinism, Charity, Love, SBC
As a seminary student, I am very thankful for men like
Tom Ascol,
Alvin Reid,
Nathan Finn,
Daniel Akin, and
Ed Stetzer (to name only a few) who exhibit biblical charity when dealing with issues that are, quite frankly, secondary.
I am excited then by SEBT’s announcment today on their
Between the Times blog that they will be conducting an “
Exercise in Bridge-Building” over the next few days.
To be honest, I’m tired of the ceaseless shouting-matches by the theological grown-ups. I’m glad some know how to disagree with biblical love and charity.
Nov 10
Andrew J. NicewanderQuotes Arminianism, Calvinism, Christian Unity, Christianity, Octavius Winslow
THE Son of God sustains to us the relation of the Elder Brother. He is emphatically the “Firstborn.” In another place we read, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same.” He is the “Brother born for adversity.” Our relation to Him as our Brother is evidenced by our conformity to Him as our model. We have no valid claim to relationship which springs not from a resemblance to His image. The features may be indistinctly visible, yet one line of holiness, one true lineament, drawn upon the heart by the Holy Spirit, proves our fraternal relationship to Him the “Firstborn.”
And how large the brotherhood!-”many brethren.” What the relative proportion of the Church is to the world-how many will be saved-is a question speculative and profitless. But this we know-the number will be vast, countless. The one family of God is composed of “many brethren.” They are not all of the same judgment in all matters, but they are all of the same spirit.
The unity of the family of God is not ecclesiastical or geographical, it is spiritual and essential. It is the “unity of the Spirit.” Begotten of one Father, in the nature of the Elder Brother, and through the regenerating grace of the one Spirit, all the saints of God constitute one church, one family, one brotherhood-essentially and indivisibly one.
Nor is this relationship difficult to recognize. Take an illustration.
Two brethren in the Lord of widely different sections of the Church, and of much dissonance of sentiment on some points of truth, meet and converse together. Each wonders that, with the Word of God in his hand, the other should not read it as he reads it, and interpret it as he interprets it. But they drop the points of difference, and take up the points of agreement. They speak of Christ-the Christ who loves them both, and whom they both love. They talk of the one Master whom they serve; of their common labors and infirmities, trials and temptations, discouragements, failures, and success; they talk of the heaven where they are journeying; of their Father’s house, in which they will dwell together for ever; they kneel in prayer; they cast themselves before the cross; the oil of gladness anoints them; their hearts are broken, their spirits are humbled, their souls are blended; they rise, and feel more deeply and more strongly than ever, that they both belong to the same family, are both of the “many brethren,” of whom the Son of God is the “Firstborn,” the Elder Brother. Oh, blessed unity! What perfect harmony of creed, what strict conformity of ritual, what sameness of denominational relation, is for a moment to be compared with this? Have you, my reader, this evidence that you belong to the “many brethren”?
- Octavius Winslow
Sep 26
Andrew J. NicewanderSouthern Baptist Founders Conference Southwest Calvinism, Christ, Church Growth, Reformation, The Church
This session was preached by one of my pastors, Pastor Steve Garrick, on the Foundation of the Church, namely Jesus Christ. I’ve provided a few quotes below for your digestion, as well as the video of the sermon and some pictures, like always. :-) Enjoy! Slán go foill!
1 Corinthians 3
Is it acceptable for us as Human Beings to define the Church to begin with?
Your Christology determines your Ecclesiology.
The Church is evaluated on this basis: Have I preached Christ?
Calvinism, if I can use that word, is necessary in understanding the Church.
[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1602628&w=425&h=350&fv=autoplay%3Dfalse]
Jul 24
Andrew J. NicewanderMusic Calvinism, Rap, Shai Linne, Way of the Master Radio
I’ve run across another rapper, Shai Linne. Check out this clip from Way of the Master Radio.
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=GkAoc0eAUNM]
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