Many are confused about these terms. RSV is one that uses expiation. KJV, ESV, HCSB and a few others use propitiation. Others like NRSV and NIV will use sacrifice of atonement or atoning sacrifice and NET uses mercy seat. You’ll have to go somewhere else for the latter. This quote below seems to be the simplest way to put it, although I think propitiation is more complex than stated, as I’m sure N.T. Wright would know. If you want to be even more confused, read Moo’s commentary on Romans (library book)! I’m not knocking him, I just couldn’t make much sense of it. But he did make a case for using ‘sacrifice of atonement’ because propitiation might not quite cover it. Propitiation used to be a shibboleth for me but I’ve loosened up on that.

I hope this simple explanation helps people who don’t know what these words mean to get a basic idea.

In his explanation of Romans 3:21-26 in the NIB Romans commentary, Wright states,

Dealing with wrath or punishment is propitiation; with sin, expiation. You propitiate a person who is angry; you expiate a sin, crime, or stain on your character. Vehement rejection of the former idea in many quarters has led some to insist that only ‘expiation’ is in view here. But the fact remains that in Romans 1:18-3:20 Paul has declared that the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and wickedness and that despite God’s forbearance this will finally be meted out. (p. 476)

Sorry I forgot who to give the Hat Tip (HT) to.

The kingdom of God is not of the people, by the people, or for the people. It is a kingdom ruled by a King, and God does not rule by the consent of His subjects but by His sovereign authority. His reign extends over me whether I vote for Him or not.

–R.C. Sproul, The Prayer of the Lord

When the solemn and blessed subject of Divine foreordination is expounded, when God’s eternal choice of certain ones to be conformed to the image of His Son is set forth, the Enemy sends along some man to argue that election is based upon the foreknowledge of God, and this “foreknowledge” is interpreted to mean that God foresaw certain ones would be more pliable than others, that they would respond more readily to the strivings of the Spirit, and that because God knew they would believe, He, accordingly, predestinated them unto salvation. But such a statement is radically wrong. It repudiates the truth of total depravity, for it argues that there is something good in some men. It takes away the independency of God, for it makes His decrees rest upon what He discovers in the creature. It completely turns things upside down, for in saying God foresaw certain sinners would believe in Christ, and that because of this, He predestinated them unto salvation, is the very reverse of the truth. Scripture affirms that God, in His high sovereignty, singled out certain ones to be recipients of His distinguishing favors (Acts 13:48), and therefore He determined to bestow upon them the gift of faith.

–A. W Pink, The Attributes of God

Read a larger quote at Twisted Crown of Thorns

D.A. Carson writes a chapter in his book How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil about firm structures to establish in helping Christians before suffering comes. I think this is the most important.

Above all, we must help people know God better. Too many answers we give are merely intellectual, merely theoretical, merely propositional. We must so teach and counsel and pray with people that we deepen their experiential knowledge of God. We must so get them into meditative and rigourous reading of the Word of God that they draw vast comfort from its pages. At the deepest level, men and women must learn, with Job, that God is very great, and it is an inexpressible privilege to know Him, to be satisfied with Him, even when – especially when! – we do not have all the answers. Then men and women will learn to rest in His love, and will return again and again to the Cross, where their vision of that love will be constantly renewed.

–D. A. Carson, How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil, pg. 224

Also see:
When You’re Too Tired To Pray

Normally these would be called Twitter Quotes but two of them came via Facebook.

God does not dwell on your sin the way you do. Relax and rejoice.

–Tullian Tchividjian

This was retweeted like crazy. He added this Scripture in another similar quote. I use ESV because he would.

2 Cor 5:19 ESV
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Modesty is rarely seen in this generation of Christians. Many who claim Christ are as uncovered, lewd, and brazen as the world.

–Paul Washer
HT: Alondra on FB

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life, and you will save it.

–C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, quoted by Randy Alcorn on Facebook

Me writing:
I’ve noticed that sometimes when a Christian non-fiction author tries to be original, they’re probably going off the track of “mere Christianity” and trying to come up with something that’s neither Scriptural or in agreement with the gifted scholars and thinkers in the church throughout the ages. Not that there isn’t anything to be uncovered and/or discovered through anthropology, advances in linguistics, etc.

On a much smaller level, it can apply to something like photography. If I’m only trying to be original and impress others with that and not just shooting what I love “in it’s best light” as I put it, then I may be aiming for the wrong thing. Just doing what I love within what little talent God has given me will produce results that end up being the most satisfying.

From the Twittersphere – Week Ending Jan 15 from @NWBingham

Christian faith does not grant immunity from sadness and sickness, from bereavement and disappointment. At least not now! Those who suggest that it does mean the present enjoyment of health and wealth and peace and prosperity appeal to the general desire for wellbeing that marks our culture. But such a story is neither true to the Bible nor to human experience.

–Alistair Begg

HT: Michael Acidri via Facebook

John 16:33 HCSB
“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Proverbs 25:2a GW
It is the glory of God to hide things

We want to figure everything out. We want to know everything. Transparency is a big buzzword regarding business, government and even the military.

Some people think that God is being sneaky by hiding certain things from us or trying to fool us, so we fill in some areas with human logic.

This verse has always been a little bit puzzling. I looked at the old commentary by Bridges, which I mentioned in a previous post, in addition to Waltke on this one. I love this quote and wanted to post it. I’m thinking about getting this commentary in book form. See the end of the quote for a link to a PDF file. I will be writing a post on the various editions soon.

[I]s not this shade of mystery our highest joy, as the dwelling-place of our adorable God and Saviour? Are not the clouds of his concealment the effulgence of his glory (Habakkuk 3:4), as the most simple, yet the most incomprehensible Being, whom the mightiest intellect can never “by searching find out to perfection?” (Job 11:7) ‘As there is’–says Bishop Hall–’a foolish wisdom, so there is a wise ignorance. I would fain know all that I need, and all that I may. I leave God’s secrets to himself. It is happy for me, that God makes me of his court, though not of his council. O Lord! let me be blessed with the knowledge of what thou hast revealed. Let me content myself to adore thy divine wisdom in what thou hast not revealed.’*

Thus it is the glory of God to conceal a thing–to do many things, of which the full development of their great end is far beyond our sight.The highest glory of earth is at an infinite remove–God conceals. For who could bear his full irradiation?¹

–Charles Bridges, A COMMENTARY ON PROVERBS (PDF File)

1. Exodus 33:20; Daniel 10:5-8, 17; Revelation 1:12-17

* Bp. Hall, viii. 5; xi. 8-1. This glorious concealment is however no precedent for the Tractarian principle of Reserve, which at once eclipses the freeness and fulness of Gospel, and paralyzes the energy of Christian life and hope. Blessed be God! “The that belong to our peace are brought to light by the Gospel.” The doctrine of the atoning cross is “delivered first of all” (en prwtoi; 1 Cor. xv. 3)–the primary truth in the fore-front of the Gospel. With self-abasing humility we acknowledge, that “secret things belong to the Lord our God.” But guilty indeed is the presumption of casting a cloud of concealment on “the things that are revealed, and which belong to us and to our children for ever”–not only as the foundation of our hope, but as the principle of our obedience. Deut. xxix. 20. Yet do not some of us need to be drawn further from the “secret things”and nearer to the things that are revealed?

Calvin was not naive about the apparent discrepancies in Scripture, nor did he expect biblical numbers to be exact. He accepted that Scripture uses phenomenological language and figures of speech. He often probed the difficult issues stemming from mistakes in translation and transmission. All that to say, he made the same sort of distinctions careful modern-day inerrantists make.

More to the point, however, he held to the same view of verbal, plenary inspiration. Calvin never rejected the truthfulness of any Scriptural affirmation. He believed the Bible to be the Word of God and without error. He argued on many occasions that to disagree with the Bible was to disagree with God himself. Conversely, those submissive to God, he maintained, would submit themselves to the Scriptures. They would never be led by the Spirit away from the Bible, for the Bible is the Spirit’s book.

–Kevin DeYoung, Did John Calvin Believe in Inerrancy?

I added emphasis to part of the quote that I’ve always believed but haven’t been able to articulate very well.

Also see:
What Inerrancy is Not
What Good is Inerrancy If We Don’t Have the Original Manuscripts?

Here are some quotes from Twitter that I like. Most of these were Retweeted by people I follow (not a lot) and were originally Tweeted by the author except the book quote. I’ve filled out words that were truncated. I hope you don’t mind some commentary.

Comments always welcome.

Jesus Christ is greater than the Bible. But diminishing the Bible for the sake of Christ always loses Christ.

–John Piper

Why does it take so much stuff (lights, instruments, good singers) for us to be excited about Christ?

–David Platt

Our willingness to make others a success is a great measure of the purity of our ambitions.

–Dave Harvey, Rescuing Ambition – Looks like a good book; interview with author at link. I have a friend who has this attitude towards me. When he first expressed it I was at a loss. This is a good model for our marriages.

We know it’s wrong to worship immorality—but it’s also wrong to worship morality.

–Tullian Tchividjian

Resting on God’s grace does not relieve us of our holy obligations; rather it should enable us to fulfill them.

–Bryan Chapell

So many pastors guilt their congregation into doing good (like “tithing” 10% to the church they attend, which I just heard Charles Stanley say), which only makes for a temporary commitment, and always making the right decisions (which he also said, but it is part of being obedient) but leave out the grace part which is the work of the Holy Spirit helping us to want to do good in the first place (Phil 2:13) whether it’s serving or spiritual disciplines, and then enabling us to do it (2 Cor 9:8). It’s our job to pray for this (John 16:24) and to be obedient (1 Pet 1:15-16). (I’m sure there’s a better one than John 16:24 for this application.)

The pursuit of holiness must be anchored in, and motivated by, the grace of God; otherwise it is doomed to failure.

–Tullian Tchividjian, quoting Jerry Bridges?

To say something good about Charles Stanley–I heard him explain the Gospel in a very straightforward, Biblical way and was mesmerized. It was great.

Many Churches:

“Oh, please, approve of me”–the usual message of modern Christian churches

–William Murchison, retired senior columnist for the Dallas Morning News and committed churchmen, writing in Mortal Follies

HT: Kevin DeYoung

This goes along with “accepting Christ”. We don’t accept Him, He accepts us! We may accept the gospel, but as we believe and boldly turn away from the world and to Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit and Jesus becomes our Lord and Savio[u]r. God is sovereign over salvation and Jesus is the only way to Him. We are are wholly devoted to that or not.

Especially relevant for bloggers.

The wise do not react rashly out of heated passion but speak and act deliberately in full control of their emotions, aiming to restore the erring friendship, not to defend themselves.

Bruce Waltke, Proverbs

Proverbs 17:27-28 HCSB
The intelligent person restrains his words,
and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,
discerning, when he seals his lips.

Job 13:5
If only you would shut up and let that be your wisdom!

I can’t find any politicking or anything political in a societal sense in the New Testament yet I read people writing about how Jesus was political. Maybe their definition of political is different than mine.

Here is part of the description of David Black’s (yes, our dear Greek professor and blogger friend) book, Christian Archy.

In Christian Archy, Dr. David Alan Black examines the New Testament to find the truly radical and all-encompassing claims of God’s kingdom. In doing so, he discovers that the character of this kingdom is widely different from what is commonly contemplated today. Its glory is revealed only through suffering[—]a point that Jesus’ disciples, then and now, have been slow to understand. This truth has tremendous implications for church life. The kingdom of God is in no way imperialistic. It has no political ambitions. It conquers not by force but by love. It is this humble characteristic of the kingdom that is a stumbling block to so many today. Christ’s claim to our total allegiance is one we seek to avoid at all costs. But there is only one way to victory and peace, and that is the way of the Lamb.

Hopelessness is the doorway to hope. You have to give up on you before you will be excited about the hope that is yours in Christ Jesus.

–Paul Tripp, via Twitter

1 Cor 15:19-22 HCSB
If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

As the evangelical community turns to CBMW for trusted counsel on contemporary Bible translations that are faithful and accurate in their rendering of gender-language,

–CBMW

Really? Are you sure?

1. Many don’t know what translation they’re reading.
2. Those who do don’t know much at all about translations/translation philosophy etc. or other translations (which is fine)
3. Hardly anyone knows who the CBMW is.

There is an error to avoid, the danger of seeing the loving obedience of Christ as primarily and exclusively for the sake of man, when in fact, it was primarily out of love for God that He accepted the cross.

–Frederick S. Leahy, The Cross He Bore

“We rise from the Bible …with a knowledge of the character of God. There is a real analogy here to our relation with an earthly friend. How do we come to know one another? Not all at once, but by years of observation of one another’s actions… So it is, somewhat, with the knowledge of God that we obtain from the Bible… by what we see we learn to know Him.”

–J. Gresham Machen, via Randy Alcorn on Facebook

“The fear of the Lord” is closely equivalent to what R. Otto labeled “the idea of the Holy.” Upon encountering the Holy One, one is filled with both fear and trust and gives expression to that awe by submitting to the ethics entailed in the purity of the Holy One. Wisdom consists in transcending the fallen human world and participating in the divine, the holy.

–Bruce Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, pg. 441-442

Proverbs 9:10 HCSB
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

St. Augustine writing to St. Jerome:

“For, I admit to your Charity that it is from those books alone of the Scriptures, which are now called canonical, that I have learned to pay them such honor and respect as to believe most firmly that not one of their authors has erred in writing anything at all. If I do find anything in those books which seems contrary to truth, I decide that either the text [particular copy] is corrupt, or the translator did not follow what was really said, or that I failed to understand it.”

This simplifies things which I think is helpful and describes what I’ve always believed and still do after reading other points of view.

Zacharias Ursinus, principal author of the Heidelberg Catechism, commenting on Q/A 21, describes “the man who truly believes,” the man with “justifying faith,” saying:

He believes that every thing which the Scriptures contain is true, and from God. (Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism, 111 [pagination may not be the same]).

In a nutshell, this is what I mean by inerrancy. There is nothing false in Scripture, no errors in fact or doctrine, no mistakes in history or theology. Everything in the Scriptures is true, because it is all from God. This is what our confessions teach, the Reformers taught, and how the overwhelming majority of Christians throughout history have understood the Scriptures. It’s also how Jesus and the apostles approached the Old Testament.

–Kevin DeYoung, Inerrancy and the Reformers (blog post)

I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love.

–Charles Spurgeon

HT: Randy Alcorn via Facebook

As an aside, for what it’s worth, I think the “doctrine of election” should be narrowed down because everyone believes in it unless they don’t believe the Bible. It’s what type of election. Spurgeon of course is talking about Calvinism’s/Reformed limited atonement type, which I agree with.

I feel the same way about what Calvinists refer to as “the doctrines of grace” as if they have it cornered. Everyone except maybe Pelagians believe that we are saved by grace in some fashion whether prevenient (sp?) or just grace alone without the person relying on their own ‘decision’ to be saved. I wonder if Calvin used that term in his language.

I must sound like a curmudgeon.