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Theology Quiz Results

Is anyone who knows me surprised by this? Some of the others who made it on the list are a little bizzare. The questions are not worded in the best possible way. But then again which test questions are? the only other gripe is the Calvin vs. the Calvinists comment on the results. Maybe they should read Muller's books?

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Which theologian are you?

You scored as a John Calvin

Much of what is now called Calvinism had more to do with his followers than Calvin himself, and so you may or may not be committed to TULIP, though God's sovereignty is all important.

John Calvin		87%
Karl Barth		73%
Friedrich Schleiermacher		67%
Jonathan Edwards		67%
Martin Luther		53%
Anselm		47%
Charles Finney		40%
Augustine		20%
Jürgen Moltmann		20%
Paul Tillich		0%

Which theologian are you?
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Classic Wisdom from John Owen

I say, then, that the first thing in mortification is the weakening of this habit, that it shall not impel and tumultuate as formerly; that it shall not entice and draw aside; that it shall not disquiet and perplex the killing of its life, vigour, promptness, and readiness to be stirring. This is called “crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof,” Gal. v. 24; that is, taking away its blood and spirits that give it strength and power, — the wasting of the body of death “day by day,” 2 Cor. iv. 16.

As a man nailed to the cross; he first struggles, and strives, and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; — when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigour and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success. This the apostle describes, as in the whole chapter, so especially, Rom. vi. 6.

“Sin,” saith he, “is crucified; it is fastened to the cross.” To what end? “That the body of death may be destroyed,” the power of sin weakened and abolished by little and little, that “henceforth we should not serve sin;” that is, that sin might not incline, impel us with such efficacy as to make us servants to it, as it hath done heretofore. And this is spoken not only with respect to carnal and sensual affections, or desires of worldly things, — not only in respect of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, — but also as to the flesh, that is, in the mind and will, in that opposition unto God which is in us by nature. Of what nature soever the troubling distemper be, by what ways soever it make itself out, either by impelling to evil or hindering from that which is good, the rule is the same; and unless this be done effectually, all after-contention will not compass the end aimed at. A man may beat down the bitter fruit from an evil tree until he is weary; whilst the root abides in strength and vigour, the beating down of the present fruit will not hinder it from bringing forth more. This is the folly of some men; they set themselves with all earnestness and diligence against the appearing eruption of lust, but, leaving the principle and root untouched, perhaps unsearched out, they make but little or no progress in this work of mortification.

John Owen, The Mortification of Sin

The Pastor in Prayer

“If you are a genuine minister of God you will stand as a priest before the Lord, spiritually wearing the ephod and the breast­plate whereon you bear the names of the children of Israel, pleading for them within the veil…. The preacher who neglects to pray much must be very careless about his ministry. He can­not have comprehended his calling. He cannot have computed the value of a soul, or estimated the meaning of eternity. He must be a mere official, tempted into a pulpit because the piece of bread which belongs to the priest’s office is very necessary to him, or a detestable hypocrite who loves the praise of men, and cares not for the praise of God.... He cannot be one of those who plough deep and reap abundant harvests. He is a mere loiterer, not a labourer. As a preacher he has a name to live and is dead. He limps in his life like the lame man in the Proverbs, whose legs were not equal, for his praying is shorter than his preaching.”

- C. H. Spurgeon

Why People Laugh at the Christian Community

The Irish Calvinist gives an excellent example of Why People Laugh at the Christian Community. This would be hilarious if not for the fact that much of the world thinks this is real Christianity, and many Christians are too quickly deceived by this kind of ridiculously false teaching.

Suffering (pt 4)

The Believer’s Fellowship with Christ

One of the distinctive elements of Paul’s Christology lies in his use of the phrase “in Christ,” and its variants, to describe believers.[1] While this basic concept is also found in 1 Peter and in John’s Gospel, it is Paul who deepens and develops its meaning the most.[2] For him, being “in Christ” is the antithesis of being “in Adam” (1 Cor 15:22). Those “in Christ” are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), and part of the age to come, though living in this present age.

Being “in Christ” means that one has been united in the death and resurrection of Christ. In Romans, Paul says that those who believe “have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection” (6:4-5). Speaking eschatologically, with Christ’s death the old age has passed away and new age has begun.[3] This new age is characterized by an increasing conformity of believers to the image of Christ.[4] Paul also develops the theological truth of being “in Christ” with the concept of suffering.

In the Thessalonians epistles, Paul speaks of the believers in Thessalonica imitating him and Christ despite much suffering (1 Thess 1:6). In his next letter, Paul mentions the suffering again, but also goes on to give a theological reason for the suffering (2 Thess 1:4-5). Paul tells them that God is working out his righteous purposes through their suffering.[5] The ability of the Thessalonian believers to continue in their faith despite suffering demonstrates that God’s “judgment is right” and that they will be considered “worthy of the kingdom.”[6] Those “in Christ” will experience suffering as a means to shape and mold their faith and character after the pattern of Christ, resulting in their future glory.[7]

In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of sharing the sufferings of Christ (1:5), and extends that sharing to the Corinthians believers (1:7). Here, though, Paul’s point seems not to emphasize that the Corinthians will suffer so much as he tries to encourage them with an assurance of comfort. Just as Paul experienced the suffering of Christ, he also experienced the comfort of Christ (1:4). Since he has been comforted in his suffering, he can now comfort others in their suffering (1:6). Paul wants to assure the Corinthians that as they share the sufferings of Paul they too will share in his comfort.[8] By implication, those that are “in Christ” who experience suffering, are then equipped to comfort others who go through suffering.[9] Believers are enabled to do this because suffering drives them to trust in God (1:9).

As is evident from Paul’s writing, to participate “in Christ” is also to participate in his sufferings – Paul says that believers are called to it (1 Thess 3:3). This not only refers to the spiritual aspects of putting of the “old man” but also involves experiencing physical suffering. Paul does not say that all believers are called to suffer in the same way, as he was an apostle.[10] Rather, he simply recognizes that Christians will endure suffering as a natural result of being “in Christ.”[11] One who is “in Christ” is to follow the example of Christ and this means a denial of self to serve others. Since this attitude is so contrary to that of the world, ridicule and even persecution is to be expected.[12]

Conclusion

This paper has attempted to provide an overview of the theology of suffering Paul presents in relationship to his ministry. It has seen Paul’s teaching as being divided into four major grouping: the suffering and death of Christ, the essence of Paul’s ministry, Paul’s defense for his ministry, and the believer relationship with Christ.

In the first section, it was shown that Paul frequently speaks of the sufferings of Christ (e.g. Gal 6:17; Col 1:24; 2 Cor 1:5; 4:9), and that in his writings, the sufferings of Christ are both unique and sufficient for salvation (Gal 1:4; 1 Cor 1:18-31; 2 Cor 5:16-21). For Paul, the sufferings of Christ were typified in the cross. He saw the cross as vital for Christian reflection and life, for Paul tells us that on the cross God made Christ to suffer in order that He might become a propitiation for our sins (Rom 3:25), and thus reconcile men to God (2 Cor 5:19). There cannot be enough emphasis placed on the cross in the reading of Paul.[13] For him, this was the central act of God in all of human history.

In the second section it was shown that Paul frequently links his own sufferings to the suffering and cross of Christ. For Paul, his sufferings are directly related to those of Christ. Luke even picked up on this in Acts by relaying that Paul’s ministry will also be marked by suffering (9:15-16). Paul himself saw his sufferings as a means by which the gospel could be furthered as well as a corollary to the sufferings of Christ (Col 1:24-25). Paul saw himself as replicating the cross through his suffering. And while the cross and the sufferings of Christ served as the archetypal birthpang of the coming age, Paul’s suffering helped filled up what was lacking in the afflictions that are to be expected during this time of transition. He helped to complete all the sufferings, (birthpangs, Rom 8:22) that must occur until Jesus, the Messiah returns.

In the third section, it was demonstrated that Paul defended his apostolic ministry on the basis of his suffering. Despite the culture of the Corinthians, Paul boasted in his weakness, knowing that the frailty of his life was simply the means by which the power of God was revealed (2 Cor 4:7-15; 12:7-10). Paul too had a unique role of suffering to play in that he stood between God and the first-century believers, ministering to the Spirit of God.

The final section examined Paul’s teaching on the relationship suffering and being “in Christ.” While Paul suffered in a unique way as an apostle of Christ, all believers will nevertheless suffer, though not necessarily to the same extent (Rom 8:17; 2 Tim 3:12). There it was reveled that those who are “in Christ” are in fact called to suffer. Believers are to follow the example of Christ and lead a life of selfless love towards others. Following this servant lifestyle will invariably bring about ridicule and persecution.

In the end, it is clear that for Paul suffering and salvation are closely linked together. This must give us pause as Christians in the twenty-first century. For while we might expect our culture to shy away from suffering, it is surprising that the western church does so as well. Like the Corinthians so many years ago, we tend to boast in what we have accomplished – lots of wealth, big cars, and large numbers in our church, to name a few. Unfortunately, the theology of Paul in the area of suffering seems not to have made a great impact upon our thinking. And yet all over the world, in at least forty-four countries,[14] Christians are persecuted, made to suffer, and killed everyday. This does not include all of the “small” trials that Christians all over the world goes through. Too many times we as believers fall into the trap of the “health and wealth” gospel, shirking from suffering or hardship of any kind. Paul tells us that God actually uses the pain of this age to make us look more like the image of His risen Son (2 Thess 1:4-5), and to trust in Him more fully (2 Cor 1:9). That is why Paul can say with confidence that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposes” (Rom 8:28).

NOTES

[1]Ben Witherington “Christology,” in the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, ed. Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1993), 114.

[2]Ibid.

[3]James D. G. Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 403.

[4]Ibid.

[5]Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 196.

[6]Morris, Thessalonians, 197.

[7]Ibid.

[8]Ralph P. Martin, 2 Corinthians, WBC 40 (Waco: Word, 1986), 11-12.

[9]Ibid.

[10]Hafemann, “Suffering,” 920.

[11]Belleville, “Imitate Me,” 140.

[12]Ibid.

[13]Dunn, Theology of Paul, 213.

[14]According to the Voice of the Martyrs website; available from http:// www.persecution.com/country/index.cfm.

Suffering (pt 3)

A Defense of Paul’s Ministry

Much to his disappointment, Paul is forced to defend his ministry as an apostle to the Corinthians. Because of the immaturity of the Corinthians and the influence of Paul’s opponents upon them, the theologically-driven missionary is forced to become an apologist for his own ministry.[1] The defense that he gives would have been radically counter-culture to the ears of the Corinthians. They had failed to understand the “Christian way” of evaluating one’s worth and instead adopted that of their culture. The standards used for evaluating one’s social status and the significance of religious belief in everyday life can be summarized in one word: boasting.

Timothy Savage has developed five key principles of this so-called evaluation process: 1) a valuing of self-sufficiency; 2) wealth as the key to status; 3) the boasting of one’s accomplishments to earn praise for oneself; 4) one’s ability to boast about victories of honor; and 5) boasting in the display of one’s wealth from where they lived.[2] These values formed a society that placed an emphasis on boasting in one’s accomplishments and social status. Ultimately, “self-appreciation became the goal and self-gratification the reward”[3] for everyone in this society.

Paul’s counter-culture defense of his ministry was the antithesis of what the Corinthian society valued. Paul defended his ministry by appealing to the relationship between suffering and the power of the Spirit in his apostleship.[4] Rather than focus on his ability and sufficiency as an apostle, Paul emphasized his weakness. He argues that his “suffering is the revelatory vehicle through which the knowledge of God manifest in the cross of Christ and in the power of the Spirit is being disclosed.”[5]

Perhaps the passage that epitomizes this theme the most comes in 2 Cor 2:14. This passage is also a controversial one. The controversy is focused on the meaning of the Greek word, thriambeuo. The meaning of this word has been debated, not on lexical grounds, but on theological grounds. For the usual meaning seems to be impossible theologically in the context of this passage.[6] The usual meaning of this word (as in Col 2:15) harkens back to the days of the Roman Empire and its triumphal processions.[7] The procession itself consisted of an elaborate parade held to celebrate Roman victories where by the strongest and most important of the defeated armies were “led in triumph” as conquered slaves.[8] Moreover, those that were led were publicly disgraced by being dragged before the chariots of the victors.[9] For one to be led in this triumphal procession was ultimately to be led to one’s death.[10] The Romans would sacrifice all, or a sampling of those “led in triumph,” selling the rest into slavery.[11] The construction of the sentence is such that Paul himself is the object of the triumph.[12] Herein lies the problem – Paul is praising God for what He is currently doing in and through his life and that which God is doing is described with this gruesome imagery of the triumphal procession.

Centuries ago, Calvin understandably struggled with Paul’s language and imagery and desperately sought to reconcile the two. His solution to the problem was to conclude that when Paul used the term, thriambeuo, he must have meant to convey something different than its usual meaning.[13] Specifically, Calvin understand the verb in a ‘factitive’ sense – that is, he saw Paul as meaning to convey the meaning “cause to triumph.”[14] Thus, Paul did not praise God for putting him to death, but rather allowing him to participate in God’s victory.

While Calvin’s influence has been felt through many commentaries and translations of the Scriptures, by the end of the nineteenth century, many scholars observed that such a meaning was “‘philologically impossible.’”[15] Thus, scholars were left with the seemingly troublesome language of the triumphal procession. Many could not reconcile Paul’s statement with his other teachings that seemed to endorse a “triumph in Christ” view of his ministry as an apostle.[16]
Recently, Scott Hafemann has produced a work, which seeks to integrate Paul’s language of the triumphal procession within the larger framework of his teaching about suffering and his apostolic ministry.[17] The following is a summary of his interpretation of 2 Cor 2:14-16a.

Hafemann asserts that Paul’s imagery of being “led in a triumphal procession” reflects the role of those in the Greco-Roman world who were led in triumph and publicly executed to reveal the glory of the conqueror.[18] Paul uses this imagery to say that God is leading him in triumphal procession, ultimately to his death. Hafemann understands this to show that “as the enemy of God’s people, God had conquered Paul at his conversion call on the road to Damascus and was now leading him, as a “slave of Christ” … to death in Christ, in order that Paul might display or reveal the majesty, power, and glory of God, his conqueror.”[19]

Hafemann explains that Paul uses such gruesome imagery in 2 Corinthians in conjunction with the other suffering and ‘death’ phrases within the Corinthian correspondence (e.g. 1 Cor 4:9; 2 Cor 1:9; 4:10; 6:9). Paul uses the imagery of death and dying as vivid expressions of his suffering as an apostle, since death is “suffering’s crowing achievement.”[20] This is most evident when, in speaking of the hardships he faced in Ephesus, Paul says that he dies “every day” (1 Cor 15:31).[21] All of this again shows that the sufferings of Paul served as a corollary to the sufferings of Christ; they served to replicate the sufferings of Christ (1 Cor 1:18-25). Paul’s life matched the gospel he was preaching (1 Cor 4:8-13). The sufferings he experienced were the embodiment of his message of the cross of Christ, and that was the very thing that God uses to make Himself known (cf. Gal 6:17; 1 Cor 2:2-5).

After Paul uses the imagery of the triumphal procession, he moves to another analogy; one that would be more familiar to his Jewish readers (vv. 14b-16a). He uses the imagery of an “aroma” and a “fragrance” to describe “the knowledge of God” and himself, respectively. Through his suffering, Paul is able to spread the knowledge of God everywhere (v. 14). Christ is pictured as the sacrifice and Paul shows himself to the fragrance that flows up from it. Therefore, to “encounter Paul in his suffering on behalf of his churches is to encounter a picture of the crucified Christ, who died for his people” (cf. Col 1:24).[22] It is obvious to Paul that those who are “being saved” as a result of his suffering find them to be an aroma of life, while those who reject him and the sufferings of Christ, find the aroma to be offensive (v. 15b-16a).

Thus, one sees that Paul could truly offer thanks to God for the sufferings he experienced as an apostle (v. 14a). For Paul saw the reality of his situation: the sufferings he experienced vividly portrayed to others the sufferings of Christ, and thus demonstrated the powerful truth of the gospel. God used the hardships Paul faced as a means to further his kingdom.

Paul later argues that the frailty of his life was simply the means by which the power of God was demonstrated to the Corinthians (4:7). Paul says the treasure they have is stored in earthen vessels (a metaphor for his weakness), so that God may be seen as powerful, not Paul. He goes to say “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in out mortal flesh” (4.9-11). Hafemann comments that in “his preaching and suffering, Paul stands between the glory of God and the life of his congregation as an instrument in God’s hand to bring about new life among his people.”[23]

Paul uses the role of suffering to play a central role in his defense of his apostleship to the Corinthians. Paul points to the hardships and sufferings he has endured as his commendation to them (2 Cor 3-10). Paul makes clear the idea that “weakness” and a Spirit-filled ministry cannot co-exist is not a correct understanding of the Christian life or his ministry.[24] It is through Paul’s weakness that the strength and power of God is revealed (2 Cor 12:7-10). Paul suffers so as to be an embodiment of the cross of Christ, while simultaneously being an agent by which the power and Spirit of God are being manifested.[25] This is the heart of Paul’s defense to the Corinthians. It was a defense that ran against the teaching of the culture and his opponents in Corinth. But it was also a defense that could not be rejected by the Corinthians, for to reject his defense, was to reject Paul as an apostle, and do reject Paul was to reject God Himself (2:14; 2:17b; 3:5f).[26]


NOTES

[1]Hafemann, 2 Corinthians, 19-34.

[2]Timothy Savage, Power Through Weakness: Paul’s Understanding of the Christian Ministry in 2 Corithians, SNTSMS 86 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 19-53.

[3]Hafemann, 2 Corinthians, 25.

[4]Ibid., 34.

[5]Ibid.

[6]Scott Hafemann, Suffering and Ministry in the Spirit, Paul’s Defense of His Ministry in II Corinthians 2:14-3:3 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), 16.

[7]Karl Dahn and Hans-Georg Link, “thriambeuo,” in New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 1:649.

[8]Hafemann, 2 Corinthians, 107.

[9]John Calvin, The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians and the Epistles to Timothy, Titus and Philemon, trans. T. A. Snail (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964), 33.

[10]Hafemann, Suffering and Ministry, 22.

[11]Hafemann, 2 Corinthians, 108.

[12]Ibid., 17.

[13]Calvin, Second Epistle, 33.

[14]Hafemann, Suffering and Ministry, 17.

[15]Ibid.

[16]Ibid.

[17]Laid out in a technical manner in Suffering and Ministry in the Spirit, Paul’s Defense of His Ministry in II Corinthians 2:14-3:3, and in a more popular format in his NIVAC commentary on 2 Corinthians.

[18] Hafemann, 2 Corinthians, 109.

[19]Ibid.

[20]Hafemann, Suffering and Ministry, 46.

[21]Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 769.

[22] Hafemann, 2 Corinthians, 111.

[23]Ibid., 186.

[24]Hafemann, Suffering and Ministry, 227.

[25]Ibid.

[26]Ibid., 228.