Howdy Y’all,

I hope you are enjoying your classes this semester. I just wanted to update everyone that I’ve transitioned the reading list over to an actual bookstore with Amazon.com. This means that you can actually read some information about the book you want and buy it right from our class web site. Please take a look at the store and, note this… if any of you buy things from Amazon.com on a regular basis, make sure that you buy your stuff through this store from now on.

If there is anything that you want that is not in the book store, you can always search for it on the same page and browse for what you want without going to Amazon.com. Just make sure that you click on the item you want while you are browsing on this page so that the bookstore gets credit for the referral. Everything will work exactly the same as a regular Amazon.com purchase. Enjoy your browsing!

Here is the link: FC Bookstore

Hello Everyone,

I cannot tell you how important this book is for every Christian in the world today. If you guys are looking for a commentary to help you as you study, teach, or preach the Scriptures… this is the first, main, and most important one you could ever have in your possesion. Next to the Bible, this book could be canon too! ONLY kidding! But you get my point. Here is some more information about it as well as a link to where you can buy it the cheapest:

Book recommendation by James Hamilton

The link above is Jim’s review and promotion of the commentary. If you want to know more about it, read that article. Also, WTS Books has it for 40% off the cover price of $54.99. That means it only costs $32.99. Here is the link to purchase it from WTS.

If any of you guys get it before I do, please bring it to church one Sunday and let me “behold” it in all its beauty. Anyway, enough of the idolatry… I really hope that God blesses this book and that the wider Christian world comes to better understand the New Testament use of the Old Testament!

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to pass along some articles about the doctrine of the Trinity. Over the years I have come to be very cautious about how I try to explain the doctrine simply because the doctrine defies explanation in many ways. All too often the analogies that most people offer result in heresy once they are taken to their ultimate conclusions.

Take the “water can be ice, liquid, vapor” analogy. This one says that God’s trinitarian existence of Father, Son, and Spirit is like ice, water, and vapor. Unfortunately, when one pushes this analogy to the end it results in the heresy of Modalism, which teaches that God reveals Himself in different modes (Father, Son, or Holy Spirit) at different points in history. In other words, God is both one in PERSON and one in BEING.

Given this definition we can now see that the water analogy results in Modalism because the substance of water cannot be ice, liquid, and vapor at the same time. Water has three different MODES of ice, liquid, and vapor…

But the orthodox and Biblical doctrine of the Trinity says that God is one God, yet he exists as three distinct, indwelling persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Let me put it to you this way… if we are going to take the Biblical doctrine seriously and affirm what Scriptures teaches, we must ultimately realize that all physical/material analogies to the doctrine of the Trinity fail in some way or another. This means that we must uphold the simplest form of the doctrine (one God, three Persons) with all the mystery that accompanies it.

Okay, enough of my advice. I know that I promised articles, so here they are:

The Athanasian Creed

The Nature of God – The Tri-Unity of God

Trinitarian Analogies by John Frame

History Behind of the Creed

Athanasius: Select Works and Letters

The first article above simply contains the historic, orthodox creed that all Christians everywhere have confessed at some point or another since after the time of the Arian controversy. The “history behind the creed” article deals with the Arian controversy and background to why the creed needed to be written in the first place by Athanasius. Second, “the nature of God” article was written by Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries. It includes a clear, Biblical defense of the doctrine and much more. Third, and very helpful, is an article by Dr. John Frame of Reformed Theological Seminary on how we should approach the issue of giving analogies for the doctrine of the Trinity. This one should definitely be read.

Also, I’ve provided a general link to the life and works of Athanasius for anyone who wants to know more about him and what he did during his lifetime. Athanasius is a true blessing from God to the entire Church!

Please note that there is a distinction between the Eastern Christian churches and the Western Christian churches. The Eastern churches tended to approach God from the emphasis of three persons and then sought to show their unity. The Western churches have historically emphasized God’s unity and sought to show the diversity within the Godhead. I do not believe that either approach leads to heresy, but it is important to know that over one thousand years ago the East and the West thought that the other’s approach did lead to heresy. Here is what Dr. Frame says in a footnote:

“The westerners, saying that God had “one substance (substantia), three persons (personae), (originally “masks”) sounded Sabellian to the easterners, who said God had “one being (ousia)” and “three substances (hypostaseis).” And the easterners sounded tritheistic or Arian to the westerners.“

Last, but not least, here is a suggested reading list for anyone interested in reading a book or two on the doctrine…

Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship
by Robert Letham

God the Holy Trinity: Reflections on Christian Faith and Practice,
edited by Timothy George

The Forgotten Trinity: Recovering the Heart of Christian Belief
by James White

Trinity and Reality: An Introduction to the Christian Worldview
by Ralph Smith

Just in case some of you have yet to check out the links on our class web site, I thought I would make a quick post out of them for everyone to browse through. These web sites and blogs are very helpful.

I encourage everyone to spend some time looking through them and getting to know the ones that catch your attention. Enjoy!

• Between Two Worlds
• Bible Bulletin Board
• Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• Christian Persecution Blog
• Church Matter
• Concord Baptist Church
• Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood
• Denny Burk
• Desiring God
• Desiring God Blog
• Enjoying God Ministries
• FC Google Group
• Fixed Point Foundation
• Girl Talk
• New Testament Gateway
• New Testament Theology
• Nine Marks Ministry
• Promise and Pleasure
• Solo Femininity
• The Resurgence
• Tim Keller Resources
• Titus 2 Talk
• Together for the Gospel
• Westminster Bookstore
• Worship Matters