Don’t be confused by the spelling. I am not talking about DEI. If you know your Latin I am also not referring to Imago Dei. This is a simple Greek word which is usually translated as “must”.
I have expressed my frustration with the Five Sola’s of Reform theology. The popular reading and understanding of them is shallow and misses the point. If you spend time nuancing and tweaking the discussion you can make sense out of five different things modified by the “alone”. In the world of reason and logic it doesn’t make sense to say, “Faith alone” alongside “Grace alone.” It is possible for both to exist but not “alone.”
The foundational point is that all five sola’s are necessary. We are saved by grace. We are saved through faith. That faith is in Jesus alone. The scripture is our ultimate authority. All is for God’s glory. Well and good, but not a logical structure and I have a feeling that we serve a God of logic, not slogans or bumper stickers.
So I have a suggestion. We need to substitute the concept of necessity for the idea of isolation. I am suggesting the Greek word “dei”. It is used 106 times in the NT and 58 times as “must”. For example,
John 3:7 (KJV) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.Notice it is not optional.
You might even reverse the word order so that instead of “Grace alone” you would have “not without Grace.” This would be much more accurate and keep non-thinkers from getting confused.
As the preacher’s wife told him, “KISS.”
homo unius libri
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.