Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
5/10/17
Maas, Korey D., and Adam S. Francisco, eds. Making the Case for Christianity: Responding to Modern Objections. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2014. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 5, “The Scandal of Christian Particularity.” by John Bombaro, Loc. 2098-2493.
Bombaro considers “Christian particularity, the doctrine that salvation is found in Christ alone with the consequence that some are not saved but damned . . . “ (Maas 2014, Loc. 2102). This is a tenet which is often discounted out of hand as unfair. Pluralistic thinkers are quick to demand that a sovereign and righteous God not be exclusive. Bombaro discusses this under the rubric of a “fairness doctrine” (Ibid., Loc. 2128). He interacts with the objections Richard Dawkins made to the exclusive claims of Christ. “Dawkins identifies three inherently scandalous things about Christianity: the sinfulness of humanity, the righteousness of God’s judgment, and the cross of Christ as the means of redemption whereby some but not all are saved” (Ibid., Loc. 2146). His insistence is that Christianity must change these unenlightened ideas. Dawkins considers that Christianity is based on internal and subjective ideas. However, Bombaro cites Michael Horton in defense of the Bible being primarily about facts and events (Ibid., Loc. 212). He further states, “The entire Bible stands and falls with the phenomenological manifestation of God in human reality, which is why stories of the Bible are bound to verifiable . . . events” (Ibid., Loc. 2189). Bombaro observes that the “kingdom” paradigm is the metanarrative for the Bible (Ibid., Loc. 2250). He goes on to discuss some of the texts which establish God as the sovereign ruler. As the king God is able to require whatever he might wish (Ibid., Loc. 2276). While Dawkins sees God as petty, if we consider the kingdom motif rather than a fairness doctrine to rule, we find that sin requires punishment (Ibid., Loc. 2300). Salvation then becomes an escape from God’s righteous judgment (Ibid., Loc. 2330). This rescue can then be seen as gracious when we see that Jesus, the king, lays his own rights down to rescue others from required destruction (Ibid., Loc. 2355). In this light, the call to evangelism becomes especially important (Ibid., Loc. 2390).This is the way the king has made for people to receive his forgiveness. In the end it is human failure, treason against God, which has brought all evil upon us. “The issue at play in the biblical narrative is not fairness but righteousness” (Ibid., Loc. 2435).
5/10/17
Maas, Korey D., and Adam S. Francisco, eds. Making the Case for Christianity: Responding to Modern Objections. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2014. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 5, “The Scandal of Christian Particularity.” by John Bombaro, Loc. 2098-2493.
Bombaro considers “Christian particularity, the doctrine that salvation is found in Christ alone with the consequence that some are not saved but damned . . . “ (Maas 2014, Loc. 2102). This is a tenet which is often discounted out of hand as unfair. Pluralistic thinkers are quick to demand that a sovereign and righteous God not be exclusive. Bombaro discusses this under the rubric of a “fairness doctrine” (Ibid., Loc. 2128). He interacts with the objections Richard Dawkins made to the exclusive claims of Christ. “Dawkins identifies three inherently scandalous things about Christianity: the sinfulness of humanity, the righteousness of God’s judgment, and the cross of Christ as the means of redemption whereby some but not all are saved” (Ibid., Loc. 2146). His insistence is that Christianity must change these unenlightened ideas. Dawkins considers that Christianity is based on internal and subjective ideas. However, Bombaro cites Michael Horton in defense of the Bible being primarily about facts and events (Ibid., Loc. 212). He further states, “The entire Bible stands and falls with the phenomenological manifestation of God in human reality, which is why stories of the Bible are bound to verifiable . . . events” (Ibid., Loc. 2189). Bombaro observes that the “kingdom” paradigm is the metanarrative for the Bible (Ibid., Loc. 2250). He goes on to discuss some of the texts which establish God as the sovereign ruler. As the king God is able to require whatever he might wish (Ibid., Loc. 2276). While Dawkins sees God as petty, if we consider the kingdom motif rather than a fairness doctrine to rule, we find that sin requires punishment (Ibid., Loc. 2300). Salvation then becomes an escape from God’s righteous judgment (Ibid., Loc. 2330). This rescue can then be seen as gracious when we see that Jesus, the king, lays his own rights down to rescue others from required destruction (Ibid., Loc. 2355). In this light, the call to evangelism becomes especially important (Ibid., Loc. 2390).This is the way the king has made for people to receive his forgiveness. In the end it is human failure, treason against God, which has brought all evil upon us. “The issue at play in the biblical narrative is not fairness but righteousness” (Ibid., Loc. 2435).
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