The Surprising God

This post begins an eight-part series exploring Raising Adam, Why Jesus Descended into Hell  by Gerrit Dawson.  For other posts in the series, click a number: 2 , 3 ,  4 , 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 . A few years ago, I had the distinct pleasure of reading Jesus Ascended, the Meaning of Christ's Continuing Incarnation in which pastor and Trinitarian theologian Gerrit Dawson unpacks the vital gospel truth that when Jesus the incarnate Son of God ascended to the Father after his resurrection, he did so bearing our humanity. Jesus, Gerrit reminds us, remains forever fully God and fully human ( click here for key points in this powerful book). Having been blessed by  Jesus Ascended, I was pleased to learn of Gerrit's newest book, Raising Adam, Why Jesus Descended into Hell.  It unpacks the profound implications for our salvation of Jesus'  descent  -- from heaven to earth via the incarnation, in his suffering throughout the course of his ...

This post concludes a series presenting "The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit" by Dr. Gary Deddo, President of Grace Communion Seminary . For other posts in the series, click a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , 5 , 6 . Last time  we noted various aspects of the Spirit's ministry to us both corporately and individually. As we now bring this series to a close, let's look at a primary aspect of the Spirit's ongoing ministry which involves enabling us to make a full and proper response to the truth and reality of who God is, and what he has done, is doing and will yet do in our world, church and individual lives. The nature of our response to God The Holy Spirit works actively in our lives, both individually and corporately, to unbind our wills, unscramble our minds, and refashion our affections so that we can more fully respond with all that we are to all that God is. The Spirit frees us to be receptive at every level of who we are. However, it sometimes ...

This post continues a series presenting "The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit" by Dr. Gary Deddo, President of  Grace Communion Seminary . For other posts in the series, click a number:  1 ,  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 . In thinking about the Holy Spirit and how he works in our lives, it's important to understand that he is a personal agent  -- as personal as the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit works in sovereign grace  according to his nature. Perhaps we're clear as to his grace, but what about his sovereignty? Don't overlook the Spirit's sovereignty When we overlook the Spirit's sovereignty, it's easy to think of him as under our control, as though he is a vending machine, electricity, or genie in a bottle. Such misguided thinking places us in a position of sovereignty over an impersonal power, seeking to control it -- focused on what steps to take, what techniques to use, what conditions to fulfill in order to get the Holy Spirit to work as we wa...