What I'm Reading -- How About You?

JustAsIam77 said:

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, otherwise known as The Christian Manifesto and also The Constitution of Christianity.

I never get enough of the book of Romans.

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Where specifically, though?

Anoetos said:

Where specifically, though?

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Justification, the imputation of righteousness, 1:18-5:21

Justification and the law, 3:27-31

Justification by faith alone, 3:31

Justification and the OT, 4:1-25

The certainty of Salvation, 5:1-11

Guarantee for the future, 5:5-11

Oy, it gets better and better..

The new power in sanctification: the work of the HS, 8:1-17

The Glory which shall be revealed to us, 8:28-39

I cannot pick one area that is not profound in Pauls Epistle to the Romans.

Chapter 8, 9, 10..rightiousness is by faith in Christ.

All concluding with 16:25-27 Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasing God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Oh, I thought you were saying that Romans specifically says God "is not the author of sin".

Here's what I'm reading:

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Isaiah 45:7

Osage Bluestem said:

NCAA College Football Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings, Rumors - College Football - ESPN

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If LSU gets past Georgia this week,(a certainty absent a miracle), it's on, the rematch, LSU vs Bama. My prediction for what it's worth: Bama takes the whole enchilada second time around for the National Championship, revenge for the earlier defeat against LSU will be the motivating factor.

I am currently reading Knowing God by J I Packer. I read it way back in the 70s and have decided to reread it. It is a great book.

Currently reading Milton's Paradise Lost. It's worth the effort. It's a powerful expression of the providence of God in history.

Aside from nursing texts, I am trying to read "The Silmarillion" for the first time.

(Shameful, I am the biggest Tolkien nerd I know and I've never read the whole thing...)

I've never read Tolkien. When the first movie in the series came out I went to see it but I don't remember what it was about...strange.

In Tolkien's cosmology, Iluvatar, or Eru (the One), corresponds to God, the Valar and Maiar to the angels, and Melkor (a fallen, selfish Valar) to Satan. It's fascinating, Tolkien was informed by Christian presuppositions about God and creation (he really was a devout Catholic).

Here is a quote from the Silmarillion which I found interesting:

‎"Yet the lies that Melkor...sowed in the hearts of Elves and Men are a seed that does not die and cannot be destroyed; and ever and anon it sprouts anew, and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days."

Right I'm only reading the bible, other than school material.

Rylick said:

Right I'm only reading the bible, other than school material.

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"On the bondage of the will" by Martin Luther

JM said:

Here's what I'm reading:

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Isaiah 45:7

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I read...

ISA 45:7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.’ - NKJV

from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, pertaining to the word "calamity" I read...

ka-lam'-i-ti ('edh, "a load" or "burden" under which one is crushed, hence, "misfortune"; hayyah, hawwah, "fall," "ruin," the latter word used only in the plural; ra`, "evil in essence" hence, "adversity," once only, Ps 141:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "wickedness"): Purely an Old Testament term, signifying adversities--natural, but more often those that result from wickedness or moral evil. Various kinds:

(1) folly, "a foolish son" (Pr 19:13);

(2) disease, poverty, bereavement, as in Job's experience (Job 6:2; Job 30:13);

(3) persecution (2Sam 22:19; Ps 18:18);

(4) Divine retribution and judgment (De 32:35); compare ruin of the wicked (Pr 1:26, also Pr 1:27 the Revised Version (British and American) for "destruction" the King James Version);

(5) the devastation of war (Jer 46:21);

(6) adversities of any kind (Pr 27:10).

Dwight M. Pratt

Personally, I think the word "adversity" fits the context better than "evil", at least so far as modern notions of the terms. In the verse, there is a contrast between light and darkness, what then would be the contrast between peace? Adversity.

"Not a Fan". The book, not a comment about another post.

Merry Christmas!

Anoetos said:

In Tolkien's cosmology, Iluvatar, or Eru (the One), corresponds to God, the Valar and Maiar to the angels, and Melkor (a fallen, selfish Valar) to Satan. It's fascinating, Tolkien was informed by Christian presuppositions about God and creation (he really was a devout Catholic).

Here is a quote from the Silmarillion which I found interesting:

‎"Yet the lies that Melkor...sowed in the hearts of Elves and Men are a seed that does not die and cannot be destroyed; and ever and anon it sprouts anew, and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days."

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The books were written long before the movie trilogy, but I've been a huge Tolkien/Lord of the Rings fan, ever since 2001. With every film, I found myself wanting more, anticipating the next film, and none disappointed me. To be honest, the LOTR trilogy became and remain my personal favorite film(s). Here is a case where the movies sparked interest in the books and other related things. At heart LOTR is another classic good against evil story, but there is so much more going on, so many other messages, and with a sprinkle of knowledge about Tolkien, the Christian symbolism and imagery is easily revealed. Thanks for sharing the quote, brings back good memories.

BrotherBob said:

"On the bondage of the will" by Martin Luther

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Every Calvinist should own a copy in my opinion. Why? Historically it's an important book for Theology, and it is important in the context of the Protestant Reformation and the issues considered important to the Reformers. I like to quote from Luther's Bondage of the Will, when engaging in the Arminian/Calvinist debate, because 1.) Luther is not a Calvinist, and 2.) yet there is agreement among Calvinists and Lutherans concerning the issue of "free will", and 3.) I think it should be difficult for any halfway open minded Protestant to simply overlook or gloss over this.

Martin Luther had a way with words...