Delivered at the 2021 Freed-Hardeman University Scholars Day Athanasius in On the Incarnation 54.3 said, “God became man that man might become God.” God the Son assumed or took on a human nature so that humans could see and be saved by the divine nature leading to their sanctification. Gregory of Nazianzus described the … Continue reading The Necessity of the Human and Divine Natures in Christ: Christology, Soteriology, and Doxology
If God Does Not Change, What About the Incarnation?
Most modern Christians assume that at the incarnation: 1) the Son of God left Heaven, 2) the Son of God limited his deity, and 3) the Son of God was physically separated from the Father. These assumptions should be clarified by Scripture and the Christian tradition can help that clarification. God is Immutable First, it … Continue reading If God Does Not Change, What About the Incarnation?
Did God Limit Himself?
Often we hear people describe God as having limited himself during the incarnation. Did the Son of God stop being omniscient, omnipresent, or fully God? Although it is common today to hear people speak of the Son of God limiting himself, this is actually not accurate. God’s nature is defined by boundlessness or infinity (infinitude). … Continue reading Did God Limit Himself?
The Revelation of the Son of God in the Old Testament
reprinted with permission from the Gospel Advocate Donnie L. DeBord, M.Div., ThM. Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com When Scripture describes Jesus as the Son of God, we are not being told that Jesus was created by the Father or that the Father begat the Son in the same way that human children are … Continue reading The Revelation of the Son of God in the Old Testament
How do we go from son of man to Son of Man??
Daniel 7 The phrase “son of man” refers to those who are human. Just as the phrase “Son of God” refers to the Word who is of the same nature with the Father. But in Daniel 7, the phrase “son of man” becomes the “Son of Man.” The Setting of the Vision Breaking the chronology … Continue reading How do we go from son of man to Son of Man??
THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE GOD FOR INCOMPREHENSIBLE PROBLEMS
When we try to imagine what God is like, we will always create an image that we can understand. This creation of our imagination is far below the reality of God. In fact, it may be that one reason God forbade the creation of images to represent him for worship is that God is, in … Continue reading THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE GOD FOR INCOMPREHENSIBLE PROBLEMS
NEO-APOLLINARIANISM?
Should Apollinarianism be revised? The hypostatic union will remain a mystery, but Chalcedonian Christology provided a reliable safeguard to understand the nature of the union of the divine and human natures in Christ. J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig have argued that Apollinarianism could be revised and then become the appropriate Christological model. Despite … Continue reading NEO-APOLLINARIANISM?
JUSTICE AND THE IMAGE OF GOD
GENESIS 1:26-27 Justice, at its root, has to do with treating others rightly. But the noble goal of justice demands we ask why people should be treated justly. Why should you be treated justly and why should you treat others justly? Why do you deserve fair treatment? All people deserve to be treated with justice … Continue reading JUSTICE AND THE IMAGE OF GOD
THEOLOGICAL PREPAREDNESS: PERSONAL SANCTIFICATION
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Before focusing on systematic theology, it is important to focus on personal sanctification. Calvin began his Institutes with the reality that our knowledge of God is tied to our knowledge of our self. If we would pursue God, we must pursue a true knowledge of ourselves and what we should be like. … Continue reading THEOLOGICAL PREPAREDNESS: PERSONAL SANCTIFICATION
The Grass Isn’t Always Greener On the Other Side
What would it take for your life to be better? What would have to change? Sometimes, if not most of the time, we think that our lives would be tremendously better if only we could have….that one thing or that one place. Sadly, we learn far too late that the grass is not always greener … Continue reading The Grass Isn’t Always Greener On the Other Side
Donnie's Dogmatics 