I think this diagram represents how I think of our salvation.
I want to use it to explain a few things in future posts if I get the time. For example:
- The differnce between how contemporary Evangelicals and the Reformers view the marks of the church/Christian
- How in the 'law' God works in an sub-Trinitarian way (will have to be careful with that one)
- How Stuart Olyott, and not Luther, got it wrong (with all due respect)
- How the cross both is and isn't where Christ is glorified, and why weakness is and isn't where Christians are strong
- Where we should find our assurance
- The dangers of ritualism, and anti-ritualism
But firstly I'll just throw my big-picture out there for you to point out my heresies.
As a bit of clarrification, what I'm trying to communicate in the diagram is a whole range of things, such as:
- How all three persons are at work in our salvation, at every stage
- How Christ and the Holy Spirit are inseperable
- The Father's initiative
- The centrality of the cross and resurrection
- How the humbling of the Son was both going in the opposite way to getting glory, but also the way to glory
- The ultimate end of salvation being the glory of God
- That works come from faith which comes from the external word which comes from Christ's death and resurrection. They are all of an ordered piece.
- and probably a load of other random things I've forgotten
I like.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm now so looking forwarding to your subsequent posts.
One thought - does the diagram capture the sense that the Spirit is sent by the Father, you could take it as it is as saying that he simply came. Picky maybe, but a thought nonetheless.
Well that's encouraging.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I ought to get in that the Spirit is sent by the Son as well though. Do you think it is a correct summary to say that the Spirit is given by the Father to the son in the downward part of the arrow, and then given by the Son to his people following his resurrection?
It's all very broad brush-strokes of course. Important details are in danger or being lost.
Just to warn you though now. I am always saying "I must blog about that", or "I will blog this", but never seem to get the time - or at least I'm too ill-disciplined. We shall see. I've got a fair amount of study to do over the coming weeks.
Not sure. I think perhaps the Spirit is given by the Father through the Son. That fits better somehow with the general pattern of everything God does as being from the Father through the Son by the Spirit. Plus, Jesus says that he will ask the Father to give the Spirit once he's ascended back to the Father.
ReplyDeleteOn the discipline thing - c'mon, there are at least three or four of those potential posts that are a must (Luther v Olyott, the law one, and the ritualism one especially).
You're right about everything.... what can I say.
ReplyDeleteJust to add re. potential posts, I'm still looking forward to your summary of the Anscombe essay ;)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to it. Sounds a good blogging recipe to my ears:
ReplyDeleteDiagrams, trinity, critiquing famous evangelicals...
;-)
... ok I'm feeling the presure now.
ReplyDeleteAnscombe... oh my goodness. Just the name makes my brain tired at this time of night. There was also one on revelation and creation that I promised and seriously intended to write, but never did.
I feel like I've done a little too much critiquing recently to be honest. When I set up this blog over 500 posts ago, part of my intention was to avoid too much critique. I don't think its good for my soul. Still I think I know what I want to write for the Luther v. Olyott one, and it includes more diagrams, so I will at least write that one - in a postive and constructive way hopefully.