Here is an interesting take.

That makes for some interesting reading, but I would need to ruminate on that quite awhile to know what he is saying. Some of it sounds nice, but doesn't necessarily ring true to me in a practical way. For example, "[t]hat God is love tends to create...evangelists" and "[t]hat God is love unleashes the impulse of simplicity" do not necessarily go together. The impulse to evangelize often results in complex structures designed for sending the gospel around the world, as well as unending programs designed to teach and evangelize within the church walls. Sometimes "that God is God unleashes" simplicity rather "the impulse of complexity," and those kind of folks react with the mentality that the simple act of preaching the gospel will be worked out by God - no need for complex structures. That's just one example to show that without really understanding what this writer is thinking and what he is getting at, I'm not sure that there is much basis to analyze these statements. I expect other examples could be given to show when and how these statements are true, but they're certainly not universal.

 

Sounds like Neo-evangelical rhetoric. Cute.

 

Sounds like confusion to me.
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simpliclty that is in Christ" 2Co 11:3.

 

So, who is your source PTW, and where did you get the above quote? As you know, it is customary to give the source, otherwise it maybe construed as plagiarism...

 

Interesting. Piper sounds like he is speaking Greek here, or he is taken somewhat out of context?

 

It could only be plagiarism if Preach claimed the quotations as his own.

I'm not sure if the "Brothers, we are not professionals..." saying had anything to do with the original quotations, but it is immenently relevant to the accusation. (Fantastic response, Preach!) In a non-formal setting one is not required to cite sources, and even in a scholarly work, one could preface the quoted material just as Preach did here or in another way as long as the reader understands the material is not original. Of course, that only shields the student from charges of plagiarism. The credibility of unnamed sources is dubious at best and he may flunk the paper, but he certainly could NOT be charged with plagiarism.

I often say and write, "I've heard it said..." or something like that if the wisdom of the words can stand on their own.

 

Absolutely profound statements in regards to the human condition, of the finite seeking to grasp the infinite. We step outside our door, and we can feel the warm sun upon our face, but without the use of darkened glass we dare not gaze deeply into it's brillance.

1 Cor. 13:
11: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.


As His children we come to the blessed assurance, and are surrounded and filled with His unconditional, all encompassing, eternal Love. Yet in our highest levels of intelligence and lauded wisdom we can but feebly grasp a glimmer of the Glory of our God. In our imperfective perception we seek to share our perceptions of He who is and is forevermore.


Exodus 33:
18: And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19: And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20: And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21: And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Exodus 34:
29: And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
30: And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
31: And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
32: And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
33: And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
34: But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
35: And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.


Just a partial view of God's glory was sufficent to transform the countenance of Moses. May the glory of God transform our inward parts, and may we long for that glorious time when we shall see and understand with the Heavenly perfection.


A servant of Christ,
Drew

 

In context, it is. Not a comparison for argument, but a comparison for a proper perspctive.

 

Wonderfully said Caretaker. I agree totally.

Thanks PTW for posting it.