520 results for tag: Brad Jersak

Q&R with Brad Jersak – “Do you think the Bible is authoritative? And why?”

Question Do you think the bible is authoritative? If so, why? Response That's a great question, partly because it's so tricky. I can't be sure what our reader means by "authoritative" so I'll have to supply a definition and work from there. Here's Merriam-Webster's definition: Here we have two different senses. The first would describe how the Bible's authority is derived from its source. In other words, is it authorized and by whom? The second definition includes a subjective side -- is it recognized as having authority and by whom? Let's take each in turn. First, is the Bible authoritative according to its source or sources? Do ...

August 2020

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Greg Albrecht: Destroyed But Not Defeated– pg. 3 Brad Jersak: Grace Is the Real Offense– pg. 7 Blair Baker: Keep Shining – pg. 10 Jonathan Foster: My Soul Is Like a Chiminea – pg. 11 Brad Jersak: With Hope for All, Why Share Our Faith? -pg. 15

Rethinking God’s Prophets (part 3) – Brad Jersak

In parts 1 and 2 of this series, I explored an analogy that compared the Bible and the human conscience to prophets of God, such as John the Baptist or Nathan. I suggested that neither the Bible nor the human conscience should usurp Christ from the throne of grace, but they do have a God-given role in testifying to him. In this final installment, I'll suggest a third prophet-like witness: a category that we might call "these little ones" or the "least of these." God's little prophets My agenda here his two-fold. First, I want to emphasize the nature of God's prophets as Christlike in their humility, when all too often, those who self-i...

Rethinking God’s Prophets (part 2) – Brad Jersak

In part 1 of this series, I compared the Bible to a prophet. Like John the Baptist, the Bible is NOT the Light of the World but is a WITNESS to Christ, the final Word of God. Today, we will consider the human conscience as a God-given inner prophet. The conscience, Nathan & the prodigal sons A conscience trained by grace is a blessed prophet, forever calling us to the Jesus Way into the Father's house. The role of a healthy conscience is to discern right from wrong from the Holy Spirit (not independently, as Adam and Eve dared by eating from that tree). And what constitutes right or wrong? According to the Bible, the 'right' path is the ...

Rethinking God’s Prophets (part 1) – Brad Jersak

Who were God's prophets? What are God's prophets? Are there still prophets among us? How do we discern the true prophet from the false? By what criteria? If they're still around, what is the role of a prophet? In this brief series, I hope to help readers rethink the idea of the prophets a wee bit. I'm hardly going to engage the above questions at all, at least not along standard lines that generally divide charismatics and cessationists, much less those who presume to put "prophet" on their business card or genuflect before their favorite politician and take the Lord's name in vain by spouting partisan talking points in the name of God. Blech!!! ...

Q&R with Brad Jersak – Gritty Love or Syrupy Sentimentalism?

QUESTION: Isn’t your emphasis on “love” really just syrupy sentimentalism? The whole “Love Wins” thing sounds great, but in the real world, I don’t see it working. RESPONSE: To reduce love to syrupy sentimentalism, as I suppose many do, drains love of its gritty power. "True grit" is not defined by gun-slinging cowboys or the actors who played them. "True grit" looks like cross-shaped love. When I say that love is gritty, I’m talking about the type of resilience it takes to engage this hard world, so corrupted by injustice and cruelty.When systems of oppression grind away at our humanity, it is normal—even healthy ...

Q&R with Brad Jersak: What about “God’s wrath” in the NT?

Question Hi Brad, Just bought and read A More Christlike God. I loved the book! I really want to believe your theology of wrath – but how do you explain these NT verses that refer to wrath? Is it all explained by "giving over"? For example: John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.Ephesians 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.Colossians ...

Gospel Before Translation (pt. 3/3) – Brad Jersak

Gospel Before Translation: In parts 1 & 2 of this series, I claimed that the first Christian interpreters established in their hearts the gospel of Jesus Christ before they attempted to translate or interpret the Scriptures. Apart from that gospel, they believed the Bible could not be understood, much less translated, as inspired Scripture. The gospel formed and affected all of their translation work. Sadly, modern translators seem to pretend to be unbiased by their theology (but of course they are). Our first two examples came from Isaiah 53:10, which affects our view of God, and Jeremiah 17:9, which informs our view of humanity. While modern ...

Gospel Before Translation (pt. 2/3) – Brad Jersak

Gospel Before Translation: In part 1 of this series, I claimed that the first Christian interpreters established in their hearts the gospel of Jesus Christ before they attempted to translate or interpret the Scriptures. Apart from that gospel, they believed the Bible could not be understood, much less translated, as inspired Scripture. The gospel formed and affected all of their translation work. Sadly, modern translators seem to pretend to be unbiased by their theology (but of course they are). Our first example came from Isaiah 53:10, where the NIV and KJV depicted God as taking pleasure in crushing the suffering servant (a type of Christ). But ...

Gospel Before Translation (pt. 1/3) – Brad Jersak

Reader's Question: What Translations Do You Prefer? Response: With all the English Bible translations available, most readers tend to pick a favorite based on either readability or accuracy. When reading the Old Testament, I prefer Robert Alter's translation, The Hebrew Bible, as it blends accuracy with style beautifully, and The Orthodox Study Bible, because its OT section is based on the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek version of the Hebrew canon translated before Christ and most popular among NT authors who cite it. When reading the New Testament, I love NT Wright's Kingdom New Testament because of its readability and David Bentley Hart's ...

“Preach the Word [Logos!]” Brad Jersak

"Preach the word..." —2 Timothy 4:2 How many times was I exhorted as a Bible College student to "preach the word"? My memories are admittedly reconstructive but here's how I recall those instances. I'm hiding in the balcony of the old chapel, trying to sneak in an extra 30 minutes sleep. One of my highly skilled Evangelical instructors is beseeching us with booming preacher's voice, waving his (always a "him") well-worn, leather-bound Study Bible before us. And he's nearly shouting, "Preach the word!" That is, when you preach, always preach from the Bible. Whatever you say must be found in and founded on this book, the inspired ...

Q&R with Brad Jersak – A Nonviolent God with Violent Prophets?

Question: In a talk I saw you give at an Open Table discussion, you cited 1 Sam. 15, the genocide of the Amalekites, and your conversation with a mentor. You seemed to be okay interpreting the story metaphorically.  That explanation is a big stretch for me. How can verse 3 (the command to slaughter) be a metaphor? Samuel was a bona fide OT prophet... and yet in verse 33, he kills Agag, hacking him to bits! God is good, is not destructive, but are we to believe his prophets are? Sure, they can have their faults, but a metaphor? I need help... lost in translation..." Response: Now you are seeing the reality of the Bible as a "text ...

June 2020

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Greg Albrecht: Tear Down This Wall– pg. 3 Brad Jersak: Practicing Matthew 18 without a Bludgeon– pg. 7 Steve Crosby: Script-torturing Matthew 18 – pg. 10 Jeff K. Clarke: The Gospel of Sin Management – pg. 12 Richard Rohr: The Mystery of Suffering – pg. 14 Greg Albrecht: Politically Charged Conversations -pg. 15

Q&R “What’s the Deal with Hosea’s Angry God?” Brad Jersak

Question I'm working through Romans right now because I want to understand Paul's theology. I am also reading through Wright's simple "For Everyone" commentary and John Stott's commentary. In all of my reading, I am trying to step outside of my human, 21st century, North American understanding of justice (and justification), instead looking at the text as God's plan for setting the world back to the way he designed it to function, which will ultimately culminate in a new heaven and a new earth.  In reading Stott on Romans 2:6, "God will give to each person according to what He has done," I was directed towards Hosea 12:2. I was instan...

Q&R with Brad Jersak – Is suffering “necessary”?

Question I have often read Christian authors (especially the great "saints" of history) who say that suffering is necessary. Is it? Or is that a superstition? Response Good question. The difficulty is what "necessary" means.  If it means, God needs you to suffer, no. Not any more than I need my children to suffer. But if it means, the structure of the universe and the nature of humanity in a fallen world is that suffering is inevitable, but remarkably, these challenges can become occasions for growth and that without them, we seem to atrophy, okay. In that case, "necessary" is descriptive of our reality and only prescriptive of ...

Q&R: “Saving Grace Appeared to All People”: Offer or Gift? (Titus 2:11) Brad Jersak

When ideology presses you to change the Bible to dumb down salvation: NIV - For the grace of God has appeared that *OFFERS* salvation to all people. – Titus 2:11 *OFFERS* appears nowhere in any manuscripts. Not anywhere. Why add it? NT Wright lays out what's actually there in the Greek: God's saving grace, you see, appeared for all people (NTE). See? There's nothing there at all about it being offered. Christ IS the saving grace who appeared to everyone.But surely "offered" is "understood." Is it? How about context? Why not instead of "offering," use David Bentley Hart's suggestion, "Giving": For the grace of God appeared, *GIVING* ...

Q&R with Brad Jersak – “Eternal Destruction” in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10

Question:  Flikr|Timmy Please explain the meaning of 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. Does it mean that those who were disobedient and did not know God are going to punished with everlasting destruction?    6 ... since it is just, on God’s part, to pay back with suffering those who inflict suffering on you, 7 and to give you, with us, respite from your sufferings.This will come about when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 in a flaming fire, meting out punishment to those who don’t know God and those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction ...

Q&R with Brad Jersak: What happened to souls before Christ conquered death?

Question "What was happening to all those (During their incarceration) who died prior to Christ’s descent and deliverance of the so-called captives?" Response That's quite easy to answer! I don't know. It really is a mystery.  But I suppose we can say a little bit in ignorance. I think we can say a little bit why it's a mystery: One reason: Nobody who experienced it directly and came back ever described it. (Namely, Jesus and the people he raised from the dead). Modern descriptions from near-death experiences are so completely personal that I would regard them as saying very little about the nature ...

May 2020

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Articles: Grace Is the Gospel of Christ – pg. 1 The Narrow Door – pg. 2 Want to Hear a Good Story? – pg. 5 Franny and Bonnie – pg. 7 Quotes & Connections – pg. 8

Conspiracy Theory: How & Why Christians Perpetuate the Tomb Soldiers’ Cover-up – Brad Jersak

     Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’      “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and 1keep you out of trouble.”      And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread ...