It's good to see reformed theology is beginning to wake up to supernatural influences. The question now is, What are you going to do about it? Excellent discussion.
The idea that the lower case g gods really do exist and that they are the rebellious powers of darkness in heavenly places that St Paul writes about in Ephesians 6 is one of the major factors in the development of my faith and my eventual baptism into The Faith. It validated and reinforced my experiences with spiritual creatures throughout my life. I had always thought of them as being largely harmless. They sort of feed on your reaction to them. Until my stepson started seeing them and how their unchecked entry into our home was becoming an issue. I think I've finally landed on a way to turn the tide in this spiritual war that plagues my household without having to demand my family be in lock step with me and that's to make my home fit for worship. The cooler weather coming up will be perfect for switching over into indoor projects, and no one in my family would dare try to stop me because I do exercise a level of authority in my home. Please pray that God's grace will prevail over our home.
"I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power." - St. Paul. (1 Cor 2:3-5) We don't _just_ need water-tight systems of theology, we need the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us, even while we steadfastly affirm and defend Sola Scriptura and accordingly that there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved [than Jesus]. The Devil hates it when truth and spiritual unction team up for the cause the gospel. But if truth and God's power are only found in separate denominations, the threat is much reduced!
Cotton Mather worked extensively on the topic. And he hasn't been taken as seriously as, say, Edwards. But it's Cotton Mather!! We do well to read the late reformers. They had to deal with it, because it was something they had to do, just as Dr. Sunshine said we have now. And there was more vigorous work done by them at the time. So, the West had more that was dealt-with, while Sub-Saharan Africa and India didn't have the same degree of gospel work occur. Now, we're experiencing what they've had to deal with for a while, because secularism opened that up.
Ideology is a key word here. Too much exegesis is ideological and not grounded in history, as the bible shows. Therefore, passages that do not fit ideological constructs are omitted. Once kids mature and enter a higher academic environment, they are pointed to these disconnects and need answers. For that reason, churches are forced to fit their exegesis into dominant cultural narratives. Otherwise, young people will ignore them and eventually wither. And as generations progress, churches continue in the downward spiral. Ideological constructions of reality are simplified and, therefore, false. As long as we present ideologies instead of life and wisdom, we will always struggle. This is a deep problem in the modern church, starting with medieval scholasticism and continuing today. Protestants may think that they have nothing to do with medieval scholastics, but they do. It is a metaphysical structure of reality, as presented by Plato and Aristotle.
It's good to see reformed theology is beginning to wake up to supernatural influences. The question now is, What are you going to do about it? Excellent discussion.
Cotton Mather worked extensively on the topic. And he hasn't been taken as seriously as, say, Edwards. But it's Cotton Mather!
I really like this conversation. Thanks
Great show. I've been impressed--and frightened!--by the work of Dr. Iain McGilchrist on right-left brain science. Good stuff. Thank you, Gentlemen.
Glen as always 'puggish', and reminding us to continue on being faithful witnesses and suffer 🤗
Different subject, but I would love to hear you guys discuss and assess the Great Awakening.
The idea that the lower case g gods really do exist and that they are the rebellious powers of darkness in heavenly places that St Paul writes about in Ephesians 6 is one of the major factors in the development of my faith and my eventual baptism into The Faith. It validated and reinforced my experiences with spiritual creatures throughout my life.
I had always thought of them as being largely harmless. They sort of feed on your reaction to them. Until my stepson started seeing them and how their unchecked entry into our home was becoming an issue. I think I've finally landed on a way to turn the tide in this spiritual war that plagues my household without having to demand my family be in lock step with me and that's to make my home fit for worship. The cooler weather coming up will be perfect for switching over into indoor projects, and no one in my family would dare try to stop me because I do exercise a level of authority in my home.
Please pray that God's grace will prevail over our home.
"I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power." - St. Paul. (1 Cor 2:3-5)
We don't _just_ need water-tight systems of theology, we need the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us, even while we steadfastly affirm and defend Sola Scriptura and accordingly that there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved [than Jesus]. The Devil hates it when truth and spiritual unction team up for the cause the gospel. But if truth and God's power are only found in separate denominations, the threat is much reduced!
Cotton Mather worked extensively on the topic. And he hasn't been taken as seriously as, say, Edwards. But it's Cotton Mather!! We do well to read the late reformers. They had to deal with it, because it was something they had to do, just as Dr. Sunshine said we have now. And there was more vigorous work done by them at the time. So, the West had more that was dealt-with, while Sub-Saharan Africa and India didn't have the same degree of gospel work occur. Now, we're experiencing what they've had to deal with for a while, because secularism opened that up.
Michael Heiser's work would be of interest to you.
Ideology is a key word here. Too much exegesis is ideological and not grounded in history, as the bible shows. Therefore, passages that do not fit ideological constructs are omitted. Once kids mature and enter a higher academic environment, they are pointed to these disconnects and need answers. For that reason, churches are forced to fit their exegesis into dominant cultural narratives. Otherwise, young people will ignore them and eventually wither. And as generations progress, churches continue in the downward spiral.
Ideological constructions of reality are simplified and, therefore, false. As long as we present ideologies instead of life and wisdom, we will always struggle. This is a deep problem in the modern church, starting with medieval scholasticism and continuing today. Protestants may think that they have nothing to do with medieval scholastics, but they do. It is a metaphysical structure of reality, as presented by Plato and Aristotle.
Very good comment!!!