Sam Waldron | Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary (original) (raw)

Papers by Sam Waldron

Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evang... more Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evangelical obedience to be more and more closely related in some quarters. Scott Hafemann, for instance, in his The God of Promise and the Life of Faith speaks not simply of "the inextricable unity of faith and obedience," but proceeds to speak of "the unity of faith and obedience as the two aspects of our one response to God." 1 By the end of the chapter in which he makes these statements, he is speaking of "faith-obedience." 2 This stress on the unity and inseparability of saving faith and evangelical obedience finds its mirror image and contrast in the complete severance of faith and obedience in the so-called "Free Grace Movement" and its polemic against "Lordship Salvation." 3 This view denies that saving faith finds its necessary expression or inevitable fruit and vindication in evangelical obedience. Thus, at one and the same time there are tendencies in evangelicalism both to separate and to identify saving faith and evangelical obedience.

Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evang... more Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evangelical obedience to be more and more closely related in some quarters. Scott Hafemann, for instance, in his The God of Promise and the Life of Faith speaks not simply of “the inextricable unity of faith and obedience, ” but proceeds to speak of “the unity of faith and obedience as the two aspects of our one response to God.”1 By the end of the chapter in which he makes these statements, he is speaking of “faith-obedience.”2 This stress on the unity and inseparability of saving faith and evangelical obedience finds its mirror image and contrast in the complete severance of faith and obedience in the so-called “Free Grace Movement ” and its polemic against “Lordship Salvation.”3 This view denies that saving faith finds its necessary expression or inevitable fruit and vindication in evangelical obedience. Thus, at one and the same time there are tendencies in evangelicalism both to separate...

In any examination and application to our circumstances of a biblical text we must be careful to ... more In any examination and application to our circumstances of a biblical text we must be careful to allow the text to speak for itself first and ask first what its natural sense is. There is a place to re-examine our interpretation of a biblical text on the basis of our practical concerns with regard to the way in which it raises questions or seems to contradict other parts of biblical revelation. Yet we must not allow such concerns too quickly to mold or influence our interpretation of a text lest we read our own systematic theology into every text of the Bible and never learn anything which expands or refines our views.

T.S. Eliot once expressed a profound irony concerning those things with which we are most familia... more T.S. Eliot once expressed a profound irony concerning those things with which we are most familiar. He said, “We shall never cease from exploration. ” “And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. ” Perhaps this truth is nowhere more clearly reflected than in the progress of dogmatic development. Though

King James Version. Some footnotes in this edition are from Chapel Library. These are usually dis... more King James Version. Some footnotes in this edition are from Chapel Library. These are usually distinguished from the author's comments with bold entries and definitions. Chapel Library does not necessarily agree with all the doctrinal positions of the authors it publishes. Chapel Library sends Christ-centered materials from prior centuries worldwide without charge, relying entirely upon God's faithfulness. We therefore do not solicit donations, but we gratefully receive support from those who freely desire to give. Worldwide, please download material without charge from our website, or contact the international distributor as listed there for your country.

This paper will argue that, in spite of widespread objections on the part of evangelicals, a prop... more This paper will argue that, in spite of widespread objections on the part of evangelicals, a proper reading of Scripture supports the historic doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son. The argument will proceed as follows. First, the meaning of the doctrine and the propriety of describing it as "historic" will be set forth. Second, through a survey of modern, evangelical responses to eternal generation, the objections to it will be identified. Third, in light of the previous two points the ways in which a proper reading of Scripture supports this doctrine will be shown.

Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evang... more Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evangelical obedience to be more and more closely related in some quarters. Scott Hafemann, for instance, in his The God of Promise and the Life of Faith speaks not simply of "the inextricable unity of faith and obedience," but proceeds to speak of "the unity of faith and obedience as the two aspects of our one response to God." 1 By the end of the chapter in which he makes these statements, he is speaking of "faith-obedience." 2 This stress on the unity and inseparability of saving faith and evangelical obedience finds its mirror image and contrast in the complete severance of faith and obedience in the so-called "Free Grace Movement" and its polemic against "Lordship Salvation." 3 This view denies that saving faith finds its necessary expression or inevitable fruit and vindication in evangelical obedience. Thus, at one and the same time there are tendencies in evangelicalism both to separate and to identify saving faith and evangelical obedience.

Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evang... more Recent tensions, debates, and currents in evangelical theology have caused saving faith and evangelical obedience to be more and more closely related in some quarters. Scott Hafemann, for instance, in his The God of Promise and the Life of Faith speaks not simply of “the inextricable unity of faith and obedience, ” but proceeds to speak of “the unity of faith and obedience as the two aspects of our one response to God.”1 By the end of the chapter in which he makes these statements, he is speaking of “faith-obedience.”2 This stress on the unity and inseparability of saving faith and evangelical obedience finds its mirror image and contrast in the complete severance of faith and obedience in the so-called “Free Grace Movement ” and its polemic against “Lordship Salvation.”3 This view denies that saving faith finds its necessary expression or inevitable fruit and vindication in evangelical obedience. Thus, at one and the same time there are tendencies in evangelicalism both to separate...

In any examination and application to our circumstances of a biblical text we must be careful to ... more In any examination and application to our circumstances of a biblical text we must be careful to allow the text to speak for itself first and ask first what its natural sense is. There is a place to re-examine our interpretation of a biblical text on the basis of our practical concerns with regard to the way in which it raises questions or seems to contradict other parts of biblical revelation. Yet we must not allow such concerns too quickly to mold or influence our interpretation of a text lest we read our own systematic theology into every text of the Bible and never learn anything which expands or refines our views.

T.S. Eliot once expressed a profound irony concerning those things with which we are most familia... more T.S. Eliot once expressed a profound irony concerning those things with which we are most familiar. He said, “We shall never cease from exploration. ” “And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. ” Perhaps this truth is nowhere more clearly reflected than in the progress of dogmatic development. Though

King James Version. Some footnotes in this edition are from Chapel Library. These are usually dis... more King James Version. Some footnotes in this edition are from Chapel Library. These are usually distinguished from the author's comments with bold entries and definitions. Chapel Library does not necessarily agree with all the doctrinal positions of the authors it publishes. Chapel Library sends Christ-centered materials from prior centuries worldwide without charge, relying entirely upon God's faithfulness. We therefore do not solicit donations, but we gratefully receive support from those who freely desire to give. Worldwide, please download material without charge from our website, or contact the international distributor as listed there for your country.

This paper will argue that, in spite of widespread objections on the part of evangelicals, a prop... more This paper will argue that, in spite of widespread objections on the part of evangelicals, a proper reading of Scripture supports the historic doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son. The argument will proceed as follows. First, the meaning of the doctrine and the propriety of describing it as "historic" will be set forth. Second, through a survey of modern, evangelical responses to eternal generation, the objections to it will be identified. Third, in light of the previous two points the ways in which a proper reading of Scripture supports this doctrine will be shown.