Christian Joe

Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

I would encourage you to read John Stott’s book The Cross of Christ.  This is one of Stott’s classic works and its thorough substantive handling of the atonement by Christ is worthy of perusing on a regular basis.  One chapter that challenged my thinking (which I thoroughly enjoy when an argument is thoughtfully and fully laid out) is chapter six titled “The Self-Substitution of God.”  In this chapter, Stott, suggests there is grave theological danger in making Jesus Christ out to be a third party in regards to the atonement.

We must not then, speak of God punishing Jesus or of Jesus persuading God, for to do so is to set them over gainst each other as if they acted independently of each other or were even in conflict with each other.  We must never make Christ the object of God’s punishment or God the object of Christ’s persuasion, for both God and Christ were subjects not objects, taking the initiative together to save sinners. Whatever happened on the cross in terms of “God-forsakeness” was voluntarily accepted by both in the same holy love that made atonement necessary. It was ‘God in our nature forsaken of God.’ (Stott, pp. 151)

At first glance, this might seem trivial, but Stott explains himself further in the chapter and it becomes clear that he is fighting the tendency of many throughout history to adjust the penal substitution of the atonement for a more “acceptable” view.  It has been the atonement, the death of Christ on the cross, that has contributed to the heretical view of the Triune nature of God called modalism.  And it has been the penal atonement truth that has caused some to err on the other side denying the deity of Christ.

It is my belief that our human, fallible minds and hearts have difficulty connecting the truth that Christ died in our place for our sins. And this is why some well-meaning souls do err when it comes to the atonement. Some complain that penal (penalty) view makes God the Father a violent judge and Jesus must step in as a third party to appease his wrath. This is the error Stott is arguing against, hence Jesus is either being violently punished by His masochistic Father or else He is soothing the wrath of the Father and persuading a reluctant Father not to punish.  This faulty understanding of the atonement is why some have scoffed at the penal, substitutionary atonement as illogical or “evil.”

I agree with Stott when he says,

We strongly reject, therefore, every explanation of the death of Christ that does not have at its center the principle of ‘satisfaction through substitution,’ indeed divine self-satisfaction through divine self-substitution.  The cross was not a commercial bargain with the devil, let alone one that tricked and trapped him; nor an exact equivalent, a quid pro quo to satisfy a code of honor or technical point of law; nor a compulsory submission by God to some moral authority above him form which he could not otherwise escape; nor a punishment of a meek Christ by a harsh and punitive Father; nor a procurement of salvation by a loving Christ from a mean and reluctant Father; nor an action of the Father which bypassed Christ as Mediator.  Instead, the righteous, loving Father humbled himself to become in and through his only Son flesh, sin and a curse for us, in order to redeem us without compromising his own character.  The theological words satisfaction and substitution need to be carefully defined and safeguarded, but they cannot in any circumstances be given up.  The biblical gospel of atonement is of God satisfying himself by substituting himself for us.

So what do you think?  Is this biblical?

Reading is a discipline that I have no problem with. On the other hand, finishing a book before starting another is a major problem. It is simply an ADD thing. I get to reading a good book and then I find another one and pick it up and before long, I have got a half dozen books stacked up. It wouldn’t be so bad except that I don’t have the discipline to read a portion of each every day, and so I finish a book in an agonizing amount of time. Sometimes when I finally get back to the first book I was reading, I have forgotten what I had already read.

I thought with this post, I would give a list of books I am currently browsing and what the are about (at least as much as I have read from them). Maybe you would like to chime in with what you have been reading too. Anything is fair game, although mine will be all theological/religious.

Stories with Intent by Klyne Snodgrass (pen name)–Not technically reading for enjoyment (although I am enjoying it), but rather reading it for a sermon series on the Parables of Christ. Snodgrass does a great job giving reference material for each parable of Christ. I don’t always agree with his decisions or interpretations, but it has loads of reference info, cultural info, and at least discusses the hard questions about the parables.

Spiritual Depression by D. Martin Lloyd Jones–This book was given to me by a friend and it is the first book of this nature that I have seen written by a pastor such as Jones. For more info see my previous post Christian Depression.

When People Are Big and God Is Small by Ed Welch–I know that this book has been around for a while, it was just one of those that I have intended to read, but haven’t done so yet. Great synopsis (so far) is that people either fear man or fear God, and the penetrating question I have been wrestling with is “Who do I fear?”

The Cross of Christ by John Stott–Another one I should have read long ago, but just now getting to it. I love the way Stott emphasizes the superiority of the cross. This one I have a hard time putting down (until something shiny catches my attention. . . I do have ADD).

Redeeming Science by Vern Poythress–Our view of science is a result of our view of God. Poythress focuses mostly on the creation issue, but also delves into the broader realm of science to the glory of God. Fascinating read (so far) but come prepared to engage the brain!

As I look on my book shelf, I am ashamed to admit that I could list a whole host of books that have only had the introduction read before being cruelly cast aside. Not by any fault of their own, but because of the poor attention span of their reader. Well, maybe tomorrow I will start them. . .