Jeremiah speaks of God’s judgment - “I’m bringing disaster and
widespread destruction ...” (Jeremiah 4:6). This message comes to us as a
word of warning, a plea to the people to return to the Lord and find
His mercy - “So put on sackcloth, mourn and cry because the Lord’s
burning anger hasn’t turned away from us” (Jeremiah 4:8). This is the
call to repentance. We read of God’s burning anger, and we wonder,”Is
there still the hope of God’s blessing?” God is speaking of His judgment
- “Nation of Israel, I’m going to bring a nation from far away to
attack you,declares the Lord, I won’t destroy all of you” (Jeremiah
5:15,18). God’s Word concerning the threat of judgment is a call to the
people to honour Him as God: “Pay attention to My warning, Jerusalem,
or I will turn away from you. I will make your land desolate ...”
(Jeremiah 6:8). The ministry of Jeremiah differs from the ministry of
the false prophets. They say, “Everything is alright!” He says, “It’s
not alright! (Jeremiah 6:14). Jeremiah calls upon the people to make a
new beginning with God - “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask which
paths are the old reliable paths. Ask which way leads to blessings. Live
that way, and find a resting place for yourselves” (Jeremiah 6:16).
In this post, I will draw comparisons between Arminius and Berkouwer. * Bangs points out that the historical situation in Holland was not a simple one - Calvinism coming in, Arminius nearly ruining it and the Synod of Dort restoring it: “The earliest Dutch Reformed leaders don’t seem to be Calvinists at all. They rise out of the soil, here and there, nurtured by the old Dutch biblical piety, not seized by dogmatic insights, but steadily pressing toward a purified life of faith according to Scripture” (p. 21). This emphasis is similar to Berkouwer’s insistence that election is not a special gnosis for the theological elite. Rather, it is a confession of faith, arising from the hearts of those who have come to know the grace of God ( Divine Election (DE), p. 216). * Bangs observes that Arminius’ theological method is “practical and through faith”: “For the Theology which belongs to this world, is practical and through faith: Theoretical Theology belongs to the o...
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