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Wyatt Graham

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On the Obligations of the Four Cardinal Virtues and the Grace of the Three Theological Virtues

September 24, 2022 by wagraham 1 Comment

After the assassination Julius Caesar, Cicero wrote “On Obligations” to his son Marcus, who was studying in Athens. He obviously meant it for the public as well, but it has the sense of a father writing to a son.

It might be the most important book on ethics in the West, at least until recent years. Yet it’s recent decline in popularity does not gainsay its classic status or the reason why it become a classic—classics become so because they have a sense of excellence.

[Read more…] about On the Obligations of the Four Cardinal Virtues and the Grace of the Three Theological Virtues

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Cardinal Virtues, Natural, Theological Virtues, Virtue Ethics

Charles Spurgeon on Roman Catholics who love Jesus

September 12, 2022 by wagraham Leave a Comment

In 1859 Charles Spurgeon noted in a sermon, “I have been struck lately, in reading works by some writers who belong to the Romish Church, with the marvelous love which they have towards the Lord Jesus Christ.”

[Read more…] about Charles Spurgeon on Roman Catholics who love Jesus

Filed Under: Life, Theology Tagged With: C. H. Spurgeon, Roman Catholicism

Four Thoughts on Student Loan Forgiveness and the Bible

August 25, 2022 by wagraham Leave a Comment

The Bible teaches forgiveness. It teaches that God sent his only and beloved Son to satisfy the just penalty required of us due to our sin. Using biblical forgiveness as an analogy for student loan forgiveness also requires an explanation for how forgiven loans will satisfy the requirements of the loan (i.e. who foots the bills). [Read more…] about Four Thoughts on Student Loan Forgiveness and the Bible

Filed Under: Culture Tagged With: Forgiveness

Living in an Activist age: Escaping Thought by Turning to Action

August 8, 2022 by wagraham Leave a Comment

The world of the Bible feels far from us. The psalmist claims that the blessed person “meditates day and night” on God’s Torah (Ps 1:2). Paul tells us that growing in the Christian life means not just doing something but standing there, “beholding the glory of the Lord” and so “being transformed” (2 Cor 3:18).

The one thing David yearns for is “to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Ps 27:4). David even looks to the work of the Creator to contemplate his glory: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” The drive to know God and his works, wait and not act, to contemplate spans the Scriptures and is everywhere present in the ancient world.

But not so for us. We live in an activist age, one characterized by escaping thought into action, fleeing thorny problems into political solutions, running from theology to a more practical faith.  [Read more…] about Living in an Activist age: Escaping Thought by Turning to Action

Filed Under: Life, Theology Tagged With: COVID-19

“In him we live and move and have our being”

August 4, 2022 by wagraham 1 Comment

In Christ “all things hold together,” says Paul (Col 1:17). In other words, God “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb 1:3). More specifically, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

What do these Bible verses mean?

[Read more…] about “In him we live and move and have our being”

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Free Will

Calvinists are Uncommonly good at Affirming free will

July 29, 2022 by wagraham 1 Comment

pen on paper

Calvinists are some of the best in class at affirming free will. Granted, things went awry around 1800. But I mean before that. Everyone affirmed free will and free choice. Even Luther in his characteristically bombastic way denied free choice when it comes to matters of salvation, not free choice in civil, moral, mundane matters. 

But I am thinking more of the mainline reformed tradition. For example, Peter Vermigli (1499–1562) wrote, ““God foreknows everything and our freedom of will is retained” (Common Places 2.33).” Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575) in his 1562 Helvetic Confession wrote, “no one denies that in external things both the regenerate and the unregenerate enjoy free will” (Ch 9).  

No one denies that. That’s right. Only the most cage-staged Calvinist in his college dorm room would be silly enough to proclaim, “There is no free will!” 

Everyone agrees that natural necessities limit freedom: disease, death, and so on. And after the Fall, we cannot please God with our works since sin is everywhere. “And without faith it is impossible to please him” (Heb 11:6). So we are not free to do whatever we want—I cannot fly even if I choose to do so. 

But we still have genuine freedom: I can choose red or blue or white or green. I can do one thing, but I might have done otherwise. I am not constrained by any external thing but my mind judges and my will chooses.

A Calvinist affirms all this. Yes, some like to nuance things in various ways. Calvin himself was not very clear on how to put the pieces together (click here to learn more). His contemporary Peter Vermigli was though. I wrote an article on him and free choice, which you can read by clicking here. 

Later reformed theologians like William Perkins really found the language to speak about human freedom and divine freedom concurring. (To learn more about Perkins’s view, click here). And it is this idea of concurrence that makes Calvinists—or better Reformed Theologians—thinkers really skilled at affirming free will. 

Here is how. [Read more…] about Calvinists are Uncommonly good at Affirming free will

Filed Under: Theology Tagged With: Free Will, Nature of God

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Wyatt is the Executive Director of The Gospel Coalition Canada. He enjoys his family and writing. You'll generally find him hiding away somewhere with his nose in a book.

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