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SF Tucker's avatar

The scriptures reveal what? Christ only-ism per this interview. The scores of references to God the Father in the NT are ignored as is the Pentecost of God the Holy Spirit. We behave ethically by the power of our own gratitude for Christ’s imputed righteousness is what this interview concludes with. I get this is a Reformed theology blog but really a not helpful post.

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SF Tucker's avatar

What this interview discussion speculates is as flawed as a biography failing to mention its subject was child of beloved famous father, married 45 years to a powerful and loving person. It over-claims the Christ for such great Presence and powers and purpose, the Father and Spirit are usurped into irrelevance. I support this blog with my two mites. However, I question the christomonism present in this post. Ephesians 3:14-21

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Shane Rosenthal's avatar

While this conversation clearly emphasized the work of the Second person of the Trinity, I don't think it's fair to say that we presented a "Christ-only-ism." For example, we specifically discussed the implications of both Jn 1:14 and Jn 1:18 in which Jesus is presented as one who is "from the Father" and who "reveals the Father." We then went on to discuss the language found "on the lips of Jesus throughout the fourth gospel...where he says, 'I am the one sent by the Father'" (cf. Jn 5:23, 36-37, 6:44, 57, 8:16, 18, 10:36, 12:49, 17:25, 20:21). We also referenced 1Pet 1:11 which says that Spirit revealed Christ through the writings of the prophets.

The point of our conversation was to take Jesus at his word that the OT is about him (Jn 5:39), and that it spoke of his suffering, death and resurrection (Lk 24:444-46). So, in order to demonstrate this, we searched the OT looking to find Christ. Finally, as part of our discussion of the implications of Jn. 1:18, we suggested (rather than asserted) that whenever we find God presented in human form in the pages of the OT, "perhaps" we should see that as a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. If this is not so, how might you interpret the words of Jn 1:18?

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SF Tucker's avatar

Thank you for the clarification. Mr Rosenthal is a fine Christian scholar who welcomes questions and doesn’t then ad hominem whilst grilling the questioner. I question the christmonism in this post - e.g. that our own gratitude for Christ’s imputed atonement is the power for ethical behavior.

Respectfully, let us review rhetorical device “suggests” “might” “could even mean” does little to moderate the strong yet wrong image described repeatedly at length, and, worse, leads others astray. Also suggest a Google search “christocentrism” to review. Of course, the Reformed folks at the Gospel Coalition simply double-down. Blessings. Finis

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John Bauman's avatar

Terrific interview. Not a wasted word.

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