John Stevens recently shared my article about John Calvin”s views on Concupiscence (desire) via Social Media. Oddly, at the time of writing, I haven’t seen anyone come back either directly to me or via John’s Facebook page to argue that I’ve got the case wrong. instead, a couple of people were very quick to complain… Continue reading “They’re only words”: temptation and confusion in a debate about desire
Category: ethics
More reformed perspectives on sin, temptation and desire
We’ve had a look at what John Calvin has to say about desire (concupiscence). It is worth widening out our look at the Reformed tradition. The Westminister Confession The Westminster Confession’s 6th chapter is all about sin. I note that in the version I’ve got in front of me, the term concupiscence doesn’t appear in… Continue reading More reformed perspectives on sin, temptation and desire
Is creation care a Gospel issue?
This was a question posed in Evangelicals Now, back in December by John Samuel and Richard Buggs. The question was prompted by a statement in the 2011 Cape Town Commitment from the Lausanne Movement which also found its way into the 2024 Lausanne Congress. It reads: If Jesus is Lord of all the earth, we… Continue reading Is creation care a Gospel issue?
Desire: What is the concupiscence debate all about?
I’ve been starting to dip my toe into a little theological debate about something called “concupiscence”. I’ve so far focused on highlighting what Scripture has to say about desire and temptation. It’s probably worth saying a little bit more about what the debate seems to be all about. In the new volume, Ruined Sinners to… Continue reading Desire: What is the concupiscence debate all about?
Jesus, desire and temptation
We cannot talk about desire and temptation without looking at Jesus’ experience of temptation. We can see this exemplified in the temptation he experienced in the wilderness from Satan and secondly in the Garden of Gethsemane. Remember that Jesus’ experience of temptation is different to ours, he was without sin and so his nature was… Continue reading Jesus, desire and temptation
Thank you for telling me what I think
Evangelicals Now have published a couple of articles responding to Trump’s inauguration, one from a concerned Evangelical. The other from someone seeking to explain why Trump has evangelical support. Unfortunately most of the article is given over to telling us UK Evangelicals what we think about Trump and why we are mistaken. We are also… Continue reading Thank you for telling me what I think
“Temptation comes from our own desires” What does James have to say about sin, desire and temptation?
James 1:13-14 says: Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire (ESV). The NIV translates epithumia as “evil desires”, although whilst… Continue reading “Temptation comes from our own desires” What does James have to say about sin, desire and temptation?
Heads, submission and BDAG -my response
Andrew Bartlett has kindly responded with some comments on my most recent article in our conversation series. As I noted then, I sent him an advanced draft copy and I made a couple of amendments prompted by his comments. I left his response as is because I thought it still helped to prompt a few… Continue reading Heads, submission and BDAG -my response
Heads, bodies, submission and BDAG: Andrew Bartlett’s response to my article on Ephesians 5
Heads, bodies, submission and BDAG: Andrew Bartlett’s response to my article on Ephesians 5 Below is Andrew’s response to my latest article. I try to send Andrew an advanced draft of what I’m about to say and keen-eyed observers will notice that I amended the first comment he picks up on, prompted by his comment. … Continue reading Heads, bodies, submission and BDAG: Andrew Bartlett’s response to my article on Ephesians 5
Marriage at work in Ephesians
In my detailed engagement with Andrew Bartlett’s book, “Men and Women in Christ, we’ve got to the bit where he engages with Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3. You will probably have picked up that I think he should have made this his starting point Now, you might think that maybe this reflects my own bias,… Continue reading Marriage at work in Ephesians
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