In the 2017 G3 Conference, D.A. Carson spoke on the subject of “Soli Deo Gloria.” You will find this sermon encouraging to your soul.
The Shack — As you may know, the new movie based on William Young’s book The Shack is set to premiere next week. It may be good to be prepared to give an answer to this movie since many who never knew of the book or didn’t read it will certainly flock to the movie. Below I’ve included several links on the subject that you will find helpful.
- A Look at The Shack— Albert Mohler talks about the theological problems in Young’s book.
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The Shack — The Missing Art of Evangelical Discernment — Albert Mohler gives a full review of the heretical problems contained in Young’s book.
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“The Shack” by William P. Young — Tim Challies provides a thorough review of William Young’s book and points to the dangerous doctrines that must be avoided. You might find his other articles on The Shack helpful too.
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Why I Won’t Be Seeing (or Reviewing) The Shack Movie — Tim Challies provides a theological understanding on his personal conviction for not seeing and reviewing the upcoming movie based on Young’s book.
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Why Papa of The Shack Is not Aslan of Narnia — Tim Challies answers an important question about the differences between Papa and Aslan as he directs his attention between the two genres of allegory and didactic fiction.
- The Shack: Biblical Discernment Is Key in Evaluating Any Book or Movie — Randy Alcorn looks at the need for biblical discernment.
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“The Shack” and What It Says about Evangelicalism — I wrote this article back in December of 2016 as the movie was just starting to be pushed in online advertisements. I focused on the need for discernment in the evangelical church.
What Are Worldviews? Why Do Worldviews Matter? How Does One Change Worldviews? — Justin Taylor links to a video from a Ligonier conference where James Anderson—associate professor of theology and philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC addresses the subject of worldview.
Three Questions: Spiritual Growth — Melissa Kruger writes, “I like to be asked thought-provoking questions. However, in our busy lives it is difficult to take time to still our minds and follow Paul’s simple instruction to Timothy, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (1 Tim. 4:16).”
How Can Our Church Reach Out to the Gay Community? — Kevin DeYoung provides some helpful and biblical suggestions on reaching out to gay people in our community.
Soli Deo Gloria: To God Alone Be the Glory — R.C. Sproul writes, “Soli Deo gloria is the motto that grew out of the Protestant Reformation and was used on every composition by Johann Sebastian Bach. He affixed the initials SDG at the bottom of each manuscript to communicate the idea that it is God and God alone who is to receive the glory for the wonders of His work of creation and of redemption. At the heart of the sixteenth-century controversy over salvation was the issue of grace.”
Wanted: Burdened Preachers — Conrad Mbewe provides a helpful article on what’s needed in the church today.
In Wacky Seeker-Sensitive Publicity Stunt, John MacArthur Skydives Into Baptismal — If you’ve ever wanted to see John MacArthur engaged in one of the wildest pragmatic stunts ever, you will want to see where the Babylon Bee caught Dr. MacArthur.
Theology Word of the Week: Grieve (λυπέω — as used in Eph. 4:30)
λυπέω 1 aor. ἐλύπησα; pf. λελύπηκα. Pass.: 1 fut. λυπηθήσομαι; 1 aor. ἐλυπήθην; pf. λελύπημαι (fr. λύπη ‘pain, grief’; Hes.+) gener. ‘grieve, pain’.
① to cause severe mental or emotional distress, vex, irritate, offend, insult, act. τινά someone (Test Abr A 8 p. 86, 9 [Stone p. 20]; Dio Chrys. 28 [45], 3; BGU 531 II, 18 [I a.d.], freq. in the sense vex, irritate, offend TestSol 2:3 D; Herodas 5, 7, 3; Ar. 15:7) 2 Cor 2:2a; 7:8ab. The object of λυπεῖν can also be a deity (Diod S 1, 65, 7; 8 τὸν θεόν; schol. on Apollon. Rhod. 2, 313 λ. τὸν Δία; cp. τοὺ ἀγγέλους μου ApcSed 14:10) μὴ λυπεῖτε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τοῦ θεοῦ Eph 4:30; Hm 10, 2, 2; 10, 3, 2ab; cp. 10, 2, 4. χάριν Dg 11:7. In εἴ τις λελύπηκεν 2 Cor 2:5 λ. used abs. is certainly more than cause pain or vexation. In Polyaenus 8, 47 it is used of the severe humiliation or outrage experienced by a king who has been deposed by his subjects.
② to experience sadness or distress, pass.
ⓐ aor. λυπηθῆναι become sad, sorrowful, distressed (BGU 1079, 9 [41 a.d.]; Esth 2:21; Ps 54:3; 2 Esdr 15:6; TestJob, Test12Patr, GrBar; Jos., Ant. 8, 356) Mt 14:9; AcPl Ha 7, 17; J 16:20; 2 Cor 2:4; 7:9a; 1 Pt 1:6; Dg 1. W. σφόδρα (Da 6:15 LXX; 1 Macc 10:68; JosAs 8:8 al.) Mt 17:23; 18:31; GJs 1:3; 2:4; AcPl Ha 7, 15; w. λίαν 1 Cl 4:3 (Gen 4:5 Cain took offense). W. ὅτι foll. become distressed because (cp. En 102:5) J 21:17. λυπηθῆναι εἰς μετάνοιαν become sorry enough to repent 2 Cor 7:9b. λ. κατὰ θεόν as God would have it vss. 9c, 11.
ⓑ pres. λυπεῖσθαι be sad, be distressed, grieve (La 1:22) 1 Th 4:13. λυπῇ; are you grieved or hurt? Hv 3, 1, 9b. λυπούμενος (being) sad, sorrowful Mt 19:22; 26:22; Mk 10:22; Hv 1, 2, 2; 3, 13, 2 (TestAbr A 7 p. 84, 9 [Stone p. 16]; Jos., Vi. 208). (Opp. χαίρων as Dio Chrys. 50 [67], 5; Philo, Virt. 103) 2 Cor 6:10. λυπουμένου (μου) ὅτι because Hv 3, 1, 9a. ἤμην λυπούμενος 1, 2, 1. ὁ λυπούμενος the mournful man (Ael. Aristid. 46 p. 404 D.) m 10, 3, 3. ὁ λ. ἐξ ἐμοῦ 2 Cor 2:2b gives the source of the pain or sadness. ἤρξατο λυπεῖσθαι he began to be sorrowful Mt 26:37; cp. Mk 14:19. λ. διά τι because of someth. (schol. on Apollon. Rhod. 4, 1090; JosAs 24:19 διʼ Ἀσενέθ; ParJer 4:11 διὰ σέ): εἰ διὰ βρῶμα ὁ ἀδελφὸς λυπεῖται if a member’s feelings are hurt because of food Ro 14:15 (but λ. can also mean injure, damage: X., Mem. 1, 6, 6, Cyr. 6, 3, 13). μὴ λυπείσθω ὁ εὐσεβὴς ἐάν the godly man is not to grieve if 2 Cl 19:4. λ. ἐπί τινι at someth. (X., Mem. 3, 9, 8; Lucian, Dial. Mort. 13, 5, Tox. 24; Artem. 2, 60; PGrenf II, 36, 9 [95 b.c.]; Jon 4:9; ApcMos 39 p. 21, 1 Tdf.; Philo, Abr. 22; Just., D. 107, 3) Hm 10, 2, 3; cp. Hs 6, 3, 1. ἐλυπεῖτο περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς οὐ μικρῶς (Hieronymus) was quite upset with his wife, who had displayed interest in Paul’s message AcPl Ha 4, 16f (w. περί as Da 6:18 LXX; ApcMos 18 p. 9, 13 Tdf.).—Impf. ἐλυπούμην I was sad GPt 7:26; cp. 14:59 (TestSol 2:2 D; TestSim 4:3; ParJer 7:30); w. σφόδρα (JosAs 24:1) GJs 1:4 (aor. v.l.).—DELG s.v. λύπη. M-M. TW. Spicq. [1]
- William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 604.
