"Death By Love" by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears: A Review

Mark Driscoll is a breath of fresh air in the Emerging Church. That is, if you consider Driscoll as still part of the Emerging Church. Driscoll was one of the first major leaders in the movement but has since removed himself from the movement due to where it was going theologically. For that, I applaud Driscoll for standing on orthodoxy and principle. And his latest book, "Death By Love: Letters From the Cross," is a reflection of his Reformed orthodoxy.

Driscoll characterizes himself as being a Reformed Charismatic pastor. At the outset, this sounds like a contradiction. And as someone who considers himself Reformed and a cessationist, this looks initially like a contradiction, but this is a growing movement nonetheless with men like Driscoll and CJ Mahany holding to this theology.

"Death By Love," is a practical look at a Reformed view of the cross. Driscoll covers issues like justification, substitution, propitiation, and other aspects of the cross. But this is not merely a theological book. It is that, but it is more than dry theology. Each chapter consists of someone in Driscolls life that is need of the gospel message. At the end of each chapter, the authors answer common questions regarding the subject at hand.

This is a book that every Christian needs to read. Not only does Driscoll lay out clearly the gospel message and a theological understanding of the cross, but also the practical, everyday importance of the cross. Redemption is a lifelong process, not something that we deal with one day. Furthermore, Driscoll shows why our ultimate need isn't self-help therapy, but the cross of Christ.

Another thing I appreciated about this book was that it was raw and unadulterated. Driscoll does not offer a sissified, feminized gospel. In other words, Driscoll is driven by the text, the hard truths of the gospel, and does not back down from speaking the truth. He is willing to tell people that they are wicked, the worse of sinners, and not deserving of the cross. In fact, at one point, he spends much time explaining to one certain person how he is the worst person who should rot in hell for what they had done. Driscoll is unashamedly hardcore and straight to the point. There is no room for wimps in this book.

The power of this should be obvious, but it is missed too often in our culture today. Most would read some of Driscoll's words and be appalled at his sternness. We are told to play nice and hope for the best. However, by ignoring the ugliness and seriousness of sin, we rob God of his glory, the cross of it's power, and love of it's overflowing magnitude. It is because Driscoll presents the worse of the worse, the undeserving of the undeserving, that we get a bigger and better glimpse at how amazing God is in His justice and yes, in His love.

I highly recommend this book. It is well worth your time. Every Christian should not only understand the depth of the cross, but also it's practical application. Driscoll does that. He expects much, and he gives much. Go buy this book!




For more:
Doctrine by Mark Driscoll
Death by Love  by Mark Driscoll
Religion Saves by Mark Driscoll
The Radical Reformation by Mark Driscoll
Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll 

Driscoll on Abortion
How Much Do You Owe?:  Mark Driscoll on Our New For Redemption
Churches Helping Churches: MacDonald Makes His Plea
The Myth of Adolescence: Mark Driscoll Weighs In
Does Satan Exist? Debate
Driscoll on ABC  
What Creation Reveals About God 
Driscoll Sermon:  God the Creator 
Weekly Recommendation:  "Death by Love"  
The Church as Family    

Mark Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not

Earlier today I posted a section of Mark Driscoll's book Who Do You Think You Are? regarding what forgiveness is. Now we must discuss what forgiveness is not and again Driscoll is helpful here. In my work as a pastor and Christian, it is this question that is rarely given but often asked. "You mean to tell me I have to act like nothing happened?" is one variation of the question that comes when I discuss the radical, gospel-centered notion of forgiveness. This is why I find Driscoll so helpful here.

1. Forgiveness is not denying that sin occurred or diminishing its evil. In forgiving someone, we don't say, "Nothing happened," or that something was "no big deal." Instead, we say sin happened and that it was such a big deal that Jesus died for it.
2. Forgiveness is not enabling sin. To forgive is not to allow offenders to remain stuck in their cycle of sin, thus being complicit and enabling their continued transgression. We can forgive while still being truthful about someone's behavior.
3. Forgiveness is not necessarily a response to a repentant apology. Sometimes sinners will acknowledge their wrong and ask for forgiveness. Sometimes they don't. sometimes we don't even know who the offender is or how to locate him or her; other times the person is deceased. Either way, we're to forgive whether there is an admission of guilt or not. Christianity is unique in this way, as other major religions teach that you cannot forgive someone who hasn't apologized.
4. Forgiveness is not covering up sin committed against us. in fact, if a crime is committed, we can simultaneously forgive someone and seek legal action.
5. Forgiveness is not forgetting. It's commonly believed that we should "forgive and forget," which is impossible. When God said, "I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more," he didn't mean he has no recollection, as that is impossible, because God is all-knowing. Instead, it means that God doesn't begrudgingly hold our sin against us and keep it as the basis of our identity and interaction with him. Furthermore, when we forgive someone, we're remembering the sin so that we can forgive it. To demand that someone completely forgive without remembering that he or she was beaten, raped, betrayed, or any other array of sinful actions is to demand the impossible and add burden.
6. Forgiveness is not trust. Forgiveness takes a moment, but trust is built over time. And once trust is lost through sin, it can take much time to be rebuilt.
7. Forgiveness is not reconciliation. It takes one sinner to repent and one victim to forgive, but it takes both to reconcile. Therefore, unless there is both repentance by the sinner and forgiveness by the victim, reconciliation can't occur, which means the relationship remains continually broken until reconciliation does occur. Your forgiveness is the beginning of potential reconciliation but not in and of itself reconciliation. (165-166)

For more:
Mark Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is
Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not
"Death By Love" by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears: A Review
Doctrine by Mark Driscoll
"Real Marriage" by Mark & Grace Driscoll
Religion Saves by Mark Driscoll
The Radical Reformation by Mark Driscoll
Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll 

Driscoll on Abortion
How Much Do You Owe?:  Mark Driscoll on Our New For Redemption
Churches Helping Churches: MacDonald Makes His Plea
The Myth of Adolescence: Mark Driscoll Weighs In
Does Satan Exist? Debate
Driscoll on ABC  
What Creation Reveals About God 
Driscoll Sermon: God the Creator 
The Church as Family     

Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not

"God's Hand in Our Suffering" by Mark Driscoll

Mark Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is

From Mark Driscoll's book Who Do You Think You Are: Finding Your True Identity in Christ. In it, Driscoll dedicates an entire chapter to the subject of forgiveness beginning with the truth I Am Forgiven! There he clarifies what forgiveness is and is not. First, what forgiveness is:

1. Forgiveness is canceling a debt owed to you. When someone sins against you, a wrong is committed and a debt is accrued. In forgiving others, you relinquish your right to make them repay that debt.
2. Forgiveness is removing the control your offender has over you. So long as your offenders remain unforgiven, they continue to loom large in your life by maintaining an emotional presence. through forgiveness, you not only free them from their debt to you but also emotionally free yourself form them.
3. Forgiveness is giving a gift to your offender and yourself. Forgiveness includes the physical benefits of reduced anxiety, stress, and blood pressure; and the mental benefits of no longer obsessing over a person or act, freeing you up to move on with your life. Forgiveness also allows you to move from a life centered on pain to one centered on God and others as you regain emotional health, empathy, and perspective. This improves all of your relationships and is a gift to you, your friends, and your family.
4. Forgiveness is forsaking revenge. Romans 12:19 says, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." When we seek revenge, we place ourselves morally alongside our offenders. When we forgive, we rise above them by grace and leave them to a perfect and holy God. Revenge may temporarily placate our rage, but it can never undo a wrong. By feeding rage, we become like the person who hurt us - self-interested and dangerous. This is why one ancient Chinese proverb says, "He who seeks revenge should dig two graves."
5. Forgiveness is leaving ultimate justice in God's hands. Sometimes forgiveness is difficult because it violates our sense of fairness and justice. But the Bible promises that god will deal with everyone's sins justly. For those who repent of sin and come to faith in Jesus Christ, justice came at the cross of Jesus, when our Savior suffered and died in our place for our sins. those who don't repent of sin and come to faith in Jesus Christ will have justice in the punishment of conscious eternal torments of hell. In forgiving, we don't neglect justice, but rather, we trust God for perfect justice and get out from between the sinner and God.
6. Forgiveness is often an ongoing process. In Jesus's time, a rabbinic teaching said that you only had to forgive someone three times, and after that no more. In Matthew 18:21-22 we read, 'then Peter came to [Jesus] and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.'" A noted Bible commentator says of this, 'It is a way of saying that for Jesus' followers forgiveness is to be unlimited."*
7.  Forgiveness is wanting good for your offender. In forgiving our offenders, we change from wanting them to suffer and pay to wanting them to repent and change by God's grace. (164-165)

In short, live the gospel that saved you. Freely forgiven. Freely forgive.

I would also add that forgiveness is a one way street. Reconciliation, another aspect of the gospel, is a two way street. We are called to forgive and work towards reconciliation.


* Leon Morris, Matthew, 472.


For more:
Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not
"Death By Love" by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears: A Review
Doctrine by Mark Driscoll
"Real Marriage" by Mark & Grace Driscoll
Religion Saves by Mark Driscoll
The Radical Reformation by Mark Driscoll
Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll 

Driscoll on Abortion
How Much Do You Owe?:  Mark Driscoll on Our New For Redemption
Churches Helping Churches: MacDonald Makes His Plea
The Myth of Adolescence: Mark Driscoll Weighs In
Does Satan Exist? Debate
Driscoll on ABC  
What Creation Reveals About God 
Driscoll Sermon: God the Creator 
The Church as Family     

Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not

"God's Hand in Our Suffering" by Mark Driscoll

Boys Who Shave: Driscoll on Perpetual Adolescence

Last Sunday I mentioned briefly the myth of adolescence. While getting ready for this weeks message (on Luke 1:57-80), I came across the following sermon clip from Mark Driscoll who discusses perpetual adolescence in "men" - or as he calls it "boys who shave."

Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not

I found this to be helpful and wanted to pass it along.

Now in saying this, let me tell you what forgiveness is not, because again, this is very important. Gracie and I put in the book, “Forgiveness is not denying, approving, or diminishing sin that is committed against us.” “Oh, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s no big deal. It’s in the past. I forgot about it.” It’s saying, “You know, I appreciate you recognizing that. It really bothered me and it was a big deal to me.” And sometimes people will feel awkward when they’re repenting. “Ha-ha-ha,” they’ll try to make a joke of it. Say, “You know what? I really appreciate you bringing that up, but how about if we just take the awkward laughter out? This really was a problem.” Make it more awkward, that’s what I’m suggesting. Right?

Forgiveness is not naivety and ignoring sin. It’s not saying, “I’m not going to look. I’m not going to ask. I’m just going to pretend that I don’t even see it.” No, that’s not forgiveness. Forgiveness is eyes open, knowing the truth, and choosing to simply forgive it. That’s forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not naively ignoring the sinful condition of people ‘cause sometimes we’ll say, “Well, yeah, you did a bad thing, but you’re a good person,” or, you know, “You’re amazing and you just had a bad day,” or, you know, “You have a good heart.” No, you know what? Sin is down in the roots. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you need to pretend that everything’s fine and they’re really good and this was an aberration, that sin is a condition down in the roots.

Forgiveness is not enabling sin. It’s not, “Well, I forgive you and I’ll keep helping you,” because that might be enabling. I’ll give you an example that I see some occurrences of. A wife in the name of submission sometimes will just forgive her husband over and over and over and over and over and over and over for some sin, but he’s not really repenting, he’s not putting it to death. And she’s just enabling him, okay. . . .

Forgiveness is not forgetting about the sin that is committed against us. Forgive and forget is foolishness. You can’t forget. You can’t forget. Some of you have had horrendous evil committed against you, it’s not like, “I forgive them and I don’t even remember.” You do. When the Bible says that God remembers our sin no more, which it does in the Old Testament, one of the prophets, it doesn’t mean God’s in heaven going, “I don’t know. I don’t know what they did. I don’t know where my car keys are. I’m very absent-minded,” right? Instead, it means that he chooses not to interact with us based upon our sin, but his grace if we’re believers in Jesus. It furthermore means that he does not establish our identity based on our transgression, but Jesus’ salvation.

But it doesn’t mean you forget. I mean, religious people just make up these stupid little bumper sticker–isms that are very discouraging. Now the Bible does say in 1 Corinthians 13 that love keeps no record of wrong. So you’re not, you know, like an archaeologist trying to always dig up history. But it does mean you’ll remember. That’s what it means. But you choose not to interact on behalf of that person based upon the sin and transgression. It means that you want good for them, that you love them, that you pursue good for them. And even if it hurts emotionally, you’re still willing to continue to seek good for them. But it doesn’t mean you forget. It doesn’t mean you forget.



Mark Driscoll - Luke 17:1-10:  How to Fight to the Glory of God 

Originally published January 16, 2012.

For more:
Sermon - June 13, 2010 - Matthew 6:14-15 - The Forgiven Forgive: The Inseparable Reality of the Gospel of Forgiveness 
Sermon - November 13, 2011 | Psalm 51: The Lord is My Salvation
GBC - Some Light Reading:  On Prayer and Forgiveness  
GBC - Wax on Forgiveness  
GBC - Colson on Forgiveness
GBC - Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not
Reviews - "The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness"  
GBC - "Forgive Them, For They Know Not What They Do" - A Lesson on Forgiveness  

Did Jesus Go To Hell After He Died?

Mark Driscoll says no.  I'm not there yet, but I sure am close.  One thing I do know for sure is that the belief that Jesus descended into hell between His crucifixion and resurrection has led to some very dangerous, wrong, and even heretical beliefs.  There are two I just want to mention.

1)  Post-mortem evangelism - Many have unfortunately taken this event and made the argument that everybody gets a second chance to either reject or accept Jesus after death.  Prominent theologians like Dr. Molly Marshall-Green affirms this and I have written on the subject previously.

2)  Ransom Theory of the Atonement - Popular among Charismatics, many argue that at the cross Jesus paid a ransom to Satan.  I have huge problems with that.  Regardless many see Jesus' descent into hell as part of that ransom where Satan, demons, and the powers of hell tortured Christ.  Although this is not the traditional teaching on this subject, many have taken it and corrupted it.  Turn on TBN (which stands for Twisting the Bible Nightly) and you will see what I mean.

So though these are just two extremes one could point to when it comes to this subject, this isn't the best reason for rejecting the belief that Jesus descended into hell.  However, one must admit that taken to its logical end, these two wrong ideas are reasonable, though clearly misguided and wrong.




For more:
Theology - Be Wary of Dangers:  The Descent of Christ and Postmodern Salvation
Molly Marshall-Green - He Descended into Hell
Wayne Grudem - Did Jesus Descend Into Hell?
Russell Moore - Evangelical Feminism Lurches Leftward:  Is Molly Marshall an "Evangelical" Feminist?  
Theology - Piper:  Did Jesus Spend Saturday in Hell? 
Theology - Allison:  A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement

Driscoll: Why Jesus Creates Sex

This is one of the most helpful talks on marriage, sex, relationships, and dating I have come across in some time. Its from Mark Driscoll.






For more:
GBC - Driscoll on Neither Feminism or Chauvinism  

GBC - Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not
GBC - Driscoll on Consumers vs. Worshippers 
GBC - Driscoll on Trinitarian Heresies and Living the Trinitarian Life
GBC - What Creation Reveals About God  
GBC - Driscoll Sermon:  God is Creator 
GBC - How Much Do We Owe?:  Discoll on our Need for Redemption 
GBC - The Church as Family

Driscoll on What Forgiveness Is Not

I found this to be helpful and wanted to pass it along.

Now in saying this, let me tell you what forgiveness is not, because again, this is very important. Gracie and I put in the book, “Forgiveness is not denying, approving, or diminishing sin that is committed against us.” “Oh, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s no big deal. It’s in the past. I forgot about it.” It’s saying, “You know, I appreciate you recognizing that. It really bothered me and it was a big deal to me.” And sometimes people will feel awkward when they’re repenting. “Ha-ha-ha,” they’ll try to make a joke of it. Say, “You know what? I really appreciate you bringing that up, but how about if we just take the awkward laughter out? This really was a problem.” Make it more awkward, that’s what I’m suggesting. Right?

Forgiveness is not naivety and ignoring sin. It’s not saying, “I’m not going to look. I’m not going to ask. I’m just going to pretend that I don’t even see it.” No, that’s not forgiveness. Forgiveness is eyes open, knowing the truth, and choosing to simply forgive it. That’s forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not naively ignoring the sinful condition of people ‘cause sometimes we’ll say, “Well, yeah, you did a bad thing, but you’re a good person,” or, you know, “You’re amazing and you just had a bad day,” or, you know, “You have a good heart.” No, you know what? Sin is down in the roots. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you need to pretend that everything’s fine and they’re really good and this was an aberration, that sin is a condition down in the roots.

Forgiveness is not enabling sin. It’s not, “Well, I forgive you and I’ll keep helping you,” because that might be enabling. I’ll give you an example that I see some occurrences of. A wife in the name of submission sometimes will just forgive her husband over and over and over and over and over and over and over for some sin, but he’s not really repenting, he’s not putting it to death. And she’s just enabling him, okay. . . .

Forgiveness is not forgetting about the sin that is committed against us. Forgive and forget is foolishness. You can’t forget. You can’t forget. Some of you have had horrendous evil committed against you, it’s not like, “I forgive them and I don’t even remember.” You do. When the Bible says that God remembers our sin no more, which it does in the Old Testament, one of the prophets, it doesn’t mean God’s in heaven going, “I don’t know. I don’t know what they did. I don’t know where my car keys are. I’m very absent-minded,” right? Instead, it means that he chooses not to interact with us based upon our sin, but his grace if we’re believers in Jesus. It furthermore means that he does not establish our identity based on our transgression, but Jesus’ salvation.

But it doesn’t mean you forget. I mean, religious people just make up these stupid little bumper sticker–isms that are very discouraging. Now the Bible does say in 1 Corinthians 13 that love keeps no record of wrong. So you’re not, you know, like an archaeologist trying to always dig up history. But it does mean you’ll remember. That’s what it means. But you choose not to interact on behalf of that person based upon the sin and transgression. It means that you want good for them, that you love them, that you pursue good for them. And even if it hurts emotionally, you’re still willing to continue to seek good for them. But it doesn’t mean you forget. It doesn’t mean you forget.



Mark Driscoll - Luke 17:1-10:  How to Fight to the Glory of God 


For more:
Sermon - June 13, 2010 - Matthew 6:14-15 - The Forgiven Forgive: The Inseparable Reality of the Gospel of Forgiveness 
Sermon - November 13, 2011 | Psalm 51: The Lord is My Salvation

GBC - Some Light Reading:  On Prayer and Forgiveness  
GBC - Wax on Forgiveness  
GBC - Colson on Forgiveness 

Driscoll on Consumers vs. Worshippers

As I work on Sunday's message from John 2:12-22 on Jesus cleansing the Temple, I came across the following section from Mark Driscoll's very helpful sermon Angry Worship.

Do you guys see what’s happened here? Do you guys know what the difference is between a consumer and a worshipper? This is exactly what the difference is: A consumer is someone who believes that the entire world exists to service their needs, and that they have a certain amount of money that they are now going to place in some particular business. Therefore, all the businesses should compete for their dollar. And then whoever wins, right – I’ll just show it to you. This is how it works: Here’s my buck. I’m a consumer. Now, I want some things. Now, what I’m trying to figure out is who will give me the most for my dollar. And so I start to look at competitors, and then people rise up against each other to compete for this. And then what I try to find out is where can I place this and get the maximum return with the least amount of inconvenience? Who will do for me the most and charge me the least? That is a consumer.

Now, a worshipper is just the opposite. A worshipper looks at this and says, “Where can I give this so that the most number of people are benefiting? Where can I give this so that I don’t get anything from this, but that someone else gets God’s love, grace, mercy extended to them in some tangible way?” A worshipper looks at it and says, “It is not about me. It is about God and those people that don’t yet know God.” A consumer looks at it and says, “It’s all about me. I’m the customer. The customer’s always right. The customer is king. Whatever the customer wants.” We live in a world that is governed and dominated by consumerism. And when consumerism creeps into our spirituality, what happens then we look at church and brothers and sisters in Christ and God and the work of the Gospel as something that is to compete for our interest. “What will it take for me to get as much as I can and give as little as I can? How can I have some sort of transacting relationship in which I win?” That’s exactly what is happening. “How can I get the biggest bang for my buck?”

And a consumer views church and view God and views religion as the place where they can get all of their needs met without making any sacrifices, without being inconvenienced, without having to carry any responsibility for anyone else. The worst of it is when men don’t look at it and say, “Well, gosh, what can I do for women, children, single moms, widows, orphans, the poor, the handicapped, the neglected, those in need?” If I am an able-bodied male, that means “How can I take what I have and invest that so that they are blessed and that they are loved and that they have an opportunity to worship God as well? How can I pay the bills for them so that they can come to know God?” That’s an attitude of a worshipper, but a consumer it is not.

A consumer takes every single dollar and hour and interest and invest them – invest that in themselves. And what that is, is it’s idolatry. It’s self-worship. It is giving what belongs to God to myself. It’s self-glorification. We also call that things like self-esteem or self-actualization. We got a whole language for pride. Jesus is confronting the heart of this kind of worship. The disciples look at it and they say, “You know, he has zeal for his father’s house.” What always happens then is the religious professionals that are making a good income off of this sort of transaction they get angry because they’re losing market share. They’re losing income. And if people believe what Jesus has to say, then the whole thing is going to come undone.


For more:

Repost | The Church as Family

I thought this video was really good.  Its a portion of a sermon delivered by Mark Driscoll who serves in Seattle, WA.  Driscoll goes into detail into why the local church is a family and what that means.  It would be important that we see our church in the same way.  Though we are perfect, we are still a family . . . not a business.





HT: Andrian Warnock







For more:
Sermon - August 7, 20 | The Story of the Church
Sermon - July 24, 2011 | 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 - I Pray, Therefore I Am: The Emptiness of a Privatized Faith & Why Comfort Is Meant to Be Shared
Sermon - July 31, 2011 | Ephesians 2:11-22 - Brown & Black Don't Make Gray: Art, The Gospel, and Church Unity
Sermon - September 27, 2009 - Matthew 16:13-21: Don't Just Stand There. Do Something!
Sermon - Ephesians 4:12: How God Grows His Church  
GBC - This is Who We Are: What a Baptist Is and Believes - The Church
GBC - The Church As Family  
GBC - Do We Want a Museum or a Movement?
GBC - Cool Churches Are Empty Churches: The Wall Street Journal Wakes Us Up
GBC - Are We Contemporvant? 
GBC - "Christ, Christ Baby!":  Why I Do Not Seek to Be Relevant 
GBC - How To Grow a Church and Fill It With Unconverted Believers: A Humorous But Sad Video
GBC - Will They Stay?: Rainer on Returning Guests
GBC - Me Church  
GBC - A Divine Kick in the Pants: Jim Elliot and the Call to Go Out  
Blogizomai - Accomodationism Breed Irrelevancy:  Why Liberalism Fails and the Transcendent Gospel Triumphs  
Reviews - "Do Hard Things"  
Theology - Mohler:  Youth Ministry in a New Key?  Substance Over Sugar-Coating 
Theology - Lets Get Back to Ministry:  When Entertainment Creeps into the Church 
Theology - Old Enough to Know Better. But I'm Still Too Young To Care 
Reviews - "Start Right Here"
Reviews - "Already Gone" 

Driscoll on Neither Feminism or Chauvinism

I'm studying for tonight's Bible study on the doctrine of man and I came across the following quote from Mark Driscoll on the creation of Eve from Genesis 2.

“So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up that place with flesh.” This is beautiful. Everything is created by God’s word. The man is created from the dust of the earth by God’s metaphorical hands. And the woman is created from the rib, the side of the man. This shows that the woman is not to be out ahead of him, as feminism would teach, or behind him, as chauvinism would teach, but alongside of him as an equal image-bearer of God, as the Scriptures teach.

I like the language here.  Feminism and chauvinism is nothing more than an extreme reaction to the other that fails to solve the real problem.  Complementarianism balances these two.  Men and women aren't better than each other, but different and unique.  Furthermore, biblical marriage is a picture of the Trinity where there is a unified diversity.  Men and women are different, though unified.  This is why intimacy (not just sexual, though certainly including it) is critical.  It one out of two. 

It is critical to remember that every time fallen man tries to fix a certain extreme, it inevitably goes to the other all the while missing the point.  The turn from chauvinism to feminism perfectly illustrates this tendency. 


To watch the sermon the above quote is taken from, view below.





Here's the audio:





For more:
Driscoll on Trinitarian Heresies and Living the Trinitarian Life  
What Creation Reveals About God  
Driscoll Sermon:  God is Creator 
How Much Do We Owe?:  Discoll on our Need for Redemption 
The Church as Family 

Driscoll on Trinitarian Heresies and Living the Trinitarian Life

I though the following video from a sermon delivered by Mark Driscoll was helpful in understanding what the Trinity is not.  Today we will be discussing this important topic.  Driscoll spends a lot of time criticizing the book The Shack by William Paul Young.  Though a little unnecessary, he is able to draw out some contemporary examples as to why understanding Trinitarian heresies remains important.




Also consider the following regarding the practicality of the doctrine of the Trinity:





For more:
DeYoung on the Trinity  
MacArthur on the Comfort of the Spirit 
The Nicene Creed 
November 20, 2010 - God is Triune:  God the Father
November 28, 2010 - God is Triune:  God the Spirit
This is Who We Are  What a Baptist Is and Believes - God the Father
This is Who We Are:  What a Baptist Is and Believes - God the Son  
This is Who We Are:  What a Baptist Is and Believes - God the Spirit 
Shai Linne:  Triune Praise 

What Creation Reveals About God

All week I have been studying the doctrine of Creation and specifically God as Creator and why that matters.  Though we won't have time to discuss everything, I do want to pass along somethings that are important.  In his wonderful book Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe (RE: Lit) Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears identify a list of things that creation reveals about God.  I found this helpful:

    1.    God is the only God
    2.    God is Trinitarian
    3.    God is eternally uncaused
    4.    God is living
    5.    God is independent
    6.    God is transcendent
    7.    God is immanent
    8.    God is personal
    9.    God is powerful
    10.    God is beautiful
    11.    God is holy
    12.    God is a prophet
    13.    God is gracious
    14.    God is a sovereign king

We don't have time to explore each of these right now, but reflect on these and more could be added to this list.  It is important to note that behind each of these revelations is practical application.  All theology is practical.

Driscoll Sermon: God is Creator

I have found pastor and author, Mark Driscoll of Seattle, WA an insightful voice in modern Evangelicalism.  Though he is controversial (and at times wrongly so), I find many of his writings and sermons very helpful and needed to be heard.  His series on Doctrine is an important series.  The third installment of that series regards creation.  This upcoming Sunday we will discuss and look at God as Creator and why it matters.  So in preparation consider some of the things presented in this sermon by Driscoll.



Here is the audio:



I will add to all of this that I am personally a young earth creationists ("I knew it, he was one of those!").  Driscoll and I disagree on this issue, but I will agree with Driscoll that one does not have to affirm young earth creationism (that the earth and universe is no more than 10,000 years old) to be a believer and affirm the gospel, but I would say that many of the other options (and Driscoll mentions many of them) are antithetical to the gospel.


For more:
Commentary - Causation and the Existence of God:  How Scientists Continues to Prove Aquinas's Point 
Commentary - Creation or Manipulation:  The Limits of Man and the Evidence for God
GBC - Has Science Buried God?  A Helpful Video 
GBC - Lewis on the Accident of Evolution 
Commentary - Natural Morality:  The Disconnect Between Darwinism and Morality  
Commentary -John Lennox: The New Atheism and the Gospel
Commentary -D'Souza: Are Atheists Cultural Christians
Commentary -Survival of the Moral: Can Man Be Moral Without God?
Commentary - Re: Survival of the Moral: Can Man Be Moral Without God?
Commentary -Freud's Wish Fulfillment: Why Atheism Can't Explain Atheism
Commentary -The Atheist Debates
Commentary -Atheism Is Not Great - The D'Souza and Hitchens Debate
Review -"Atheism Remix" by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Review -"The Delusion of Disbelief" by David Aikman
Review -"The End of Reason" by Ravi Zacharias
Review -"Friedrich Nietzsche" by George Burma
Review -What's So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D'Souza
Shortblog -The Conversion of Francis Collins

How Much Do You Owe?: Mark Driscoll on our Need for Redemption

Today has been a crazy day to say the least.  A roller coaster ride from sun up to now sun down.  I am reminded that no matter who I meet, the situations I find myself in, or the confusions I have it is the following message found in the video below that must motivate and move us.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is our only hope.  Let us not forget that.

The following video is a sermon clip from Pastor Mark Driscoll who ministers in Seattle, WA.  One of the most secular and unreached cities in America.  It is good to hear the gospel being preached in such a dark place and we desperately need it in our Bible-belt town.




For more:
Weekly Recommendation:  "Death by Love"  
The Church as Family   
Review -"Religion Saves"
Review - "The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World"
Review - "The Radical Reformission"
Review - "Vintage Jesus"
Theology - Churches Helping Churches: MacDonald Makes His Plea
Theology - The Myth of Adolescence: Mark Driscoll Weighs In
Theology - Does Satan Exist? Debate
Theology - Driscoll on ABC

The Church as Family

I thought this video was really good.  Its a portion of a sermon delivered by Mark Driscoll who serves in Seattle, WA.  Driscoll goes into detail into why the local church is a family and what that means.  It would be important that we see our church in the same way.  Though we are perfect, we are still a family . . . not a business.



HT: Andrian Warnock

Weekly Recommendation: "Death By Love"

Last night during Bible Study, we discussed Christus Exemplar and I reference one of my favorite books, "Death By Love: Letters From the Cross" by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Beshears. I highly recommend this book and have written a full review of the book some time ago. In fact, I was listening to this book the day I got hired at Goshen. So it is especially important to me.

Review - "Death By Love"



For More:
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 1 - Introduction
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 2 - This regards the doctrine of sin and depravity
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 3 - Here is a discussion on the historicity of the doctrine
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4 - Here is a discussion on Humility
Review -"Religion Saves"
Review - "The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World"
Review - "The Radical Reformission"
Review - "Vintage Jesus"
Theology - Churches Helping Churches: MacDonald Makes His Plea
Theology - The Myth of Adolescence: Mark Driscoll Weighs In
Theology - Does Satan Exist? Debate
Theology - Driscoll on ABC