Paul now begins the body of his letter as a defense of his personal behavior (1:12-22). He first explains that his conscience is clear in how he treated the Corinthians, especially concerning his travel plans (1:12-17). He moves onto a theological aside, explaining that his word to the Corinthians can be trusted because it is…
2 Corinthians 1:1-11 (Paul’s Greeting & Meditation on Suffering)
Paul opens 2 Corinthians by greeting the church he is writing to (1:1-2) and then moves into a meditation on suffering that serves as the theological foundation for the rest of the book (1:3-11). Paul demonstrates that true power is manifested in weakness, not in the glory of human ingenuity espoused by the "super-apostles" (cf.…
2 Corinthians Intro & Background
Ever have a complicated relationship with someone? A relationship where you love the person so much but they also drive you crazy? A relationship where you want what's best for them, but they look at your advice suspiciously? If so, you're in luck, because the apostle Paul also had some complicated relationships, especially with the…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.2.1 | Two Wrong Responses to Total Depravity
The dominion of sin not only extends to all humanity but also dominates every individual soul. Because of the utter pervasiveness of sin, do people have any freedom of the will? If there is any freedom for people, how far does its power extend? To find the answer, we need to consider the dangers that…
10 Things I’ve Learned about Parenting in 10 Years
Inspired by this post, I wanted to reflect on things I've learned over the years about parenting so far. Your marriage is most important. What inspired me to write this was ultimately Bryan Caplan's statement that "you can't be a good parent and a bad spouse." Yes and amen. Marriage is God's design for human…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.11 | Was Humanity Flawed from the Beginning?
Humanity is corrupted by a natural viciousness. However, this corruption did not come from within our human nature. When I say that it didn't come from nature, I mean that it was an event from outside of humanity that caused man to fall rather than an inner flaw given to humanity from the beginning. I…
2024 in Books
Losing Our Religion by Russell Moore (January - 4 out of 5 stars) The Lord's Work in the Lord's Way; No Little People, No Little Places by Franic Schaeffer (January - 5 out of 5 stars) Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (January - 5 out 5 stars) The Lord's Prayer by Kevin DeYoung (January…
The Kids Are (Sort of) Alright (Part 1)
"I just want my kids to be happy." How did that statement become the dominant parenting philosophy today? Author Andrew Root briefly tours history to answer that question. He explores the answer to that question in his provocatively titled book, The End of Youth Ministry?. The Shift to Happiness In the book, Root traces how…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.10 | God is Not the Author of Sin
We cannot attribute to God the vices of humanity. Some people believe that God made people sinful. Instead, they should look for God's handiwork in Adam's nature when it was still whole and uncorrupted. The blame of our ruin rests solely upon us, not with God. The only cause of our sinful conditions comes from…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.9 | Depravity Affects All Parts of the Soul
Ever since Adam revolted against God, all parts of the soul were possessed by sin. Not only did the appetites of the body entice Adam, but also a damnable impiety siezed his mind. Pride penetrated his innermost heart (Romans 7:12). Therefore, it is foolish to confine the corruption of sin merely to bodily desires. It…
Raising Lazarus 