Changing Times . . . and Shorter Posts

If you have been following this blog, you may have noticed that the posting rate has been slowing down. Here's why: I have a new job with a longer commute and different scheduling requirements. I like the job quite a lot, but it allows me less personal time for activities like blogging. I guess if I have to choose between blogging and feeding my family, I'll always choose the latter.

I want to continue to write God-honoring content on THEOparadox, so I'm going to try to shift away from the dense, deeply researched articles I've been writing and go for brevity, profundity and perhaps a little wit. We'll see how well that works. There are still some longer articles in the queue that might show up from time to time as well.

Most of the new posts will be written on my phone, and I'll try to add original photographs as a bonus for those of you who continue to read. I may also be a little slower in responding to comments, but will do my best to respond within a day or two when appropriate. Interaction with readers has been one of my favorite aspects of blogging. Don't hesitate to leave a response, even if it's a challenge to what has been written in a post. Iron sharpens iron!

A hearty thanks goes out to all who have read, followed and commented on this blog. I hope you will enjoy the changes.

The picture is a sunrise on the St. Johns River, taken one block from where I now work. Our God has created such magnificent things! But none of them are as glorious as Himself.

Looking for a New Job

For the last 5 years, I have worked as a marketing manager for a great company. Due to circumstances beyond my control, today will be my last day at this job. As this turn of events was somewhat unexpected, please pray that God will open my eyes to the direction He is leading.
 
I'm looking forward to a new opportunity. God is good.
 
Soli Deo Gloria!

Thank You

THEOparadox recently passed the 3 year mark, and I want to take a moment to say a sincere "thank you" to the folks who read, comment, and link to this blog.

First, to all of you who read this blog, THANK YOU. It is an honor to have these articles and resources considered thoughtfully and used for the glory of our great God. Even if you read with skepticism or to disagree, I am grateful that God uses anything here for your good and blessing.

Second, to those who take the time to comment, THANK YOU. It is always encouraging to know that a post has edified a brother, or sparked further thought. It is even encouraging to be corrected and challenged. Commenting requires real thought, and your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.

Third, to those who link here . . . THANK YOU! THEOparadox receives many visits from search engines, and your links are part of the reason for that. My hope and prayer is that God will use the site to help spread the knowledge of Christ, and to encourage solid Biblical theology, inspiring deeper delight in Christ and stronger service for Christ.


Here is a quick sampling of some sites that link here:

An Open Book - deep thoughts by Matt Rose
aprilNandy - April and Andy Miller will encourage you
Baptism and the Big Picture - Matt Viney explores baptism, apologetics, culture, and all things Biblical

God Does Exist, All Know it - presuppositional apologetics by Mike A. Robinson

Ma's Blog - the musings of a child of God by His Sovereign Grace, wife, homemaker, homeschooler, and mother of six
Pericope de Adultera - defending the canonicity of John 8:1-11


Many others could be added. However, I don't think I've previously mentioned any of the sites listed above.

All of the thanksgiving and praise ultimately go to God alone. How immeasurable is His grace! How unfailing are His mercies! Soli Deo Gloria.

Testing 1, 2

This is a test to see if I can really post from my new Android phone. If it works, I might just write a note or two while I'm on vacation next week. Just for fun, here are a couple of pics of the kids.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.9

Site Changes

If you've been here before, you have probably already noticed there are now two sidebars, and a brand new header graphic.

On the right side of the header, we have the open Bible indicating divine revelation as the source of Truth, and our commitment to the study of Scripture.

On the left side of the header, we have the balances indicating our thoughts weighing and wrestling with the Truth revealed in Scripture, and our commitment to good theology.

There are some additional page links just below the header on the left side. The FAQ page contains all of the updated background material for THEOparadox. And there is a completely new Thesis page, which is a condensed outline of the basic ideas underlying the site. Included there as a footnote is a brief discussion of moderate/mainstream Calvinism and its relation to the atonement debate.

The Thesis page does not allow comments, but you may feel free to post any reactions or thoughts here.

Grace & peace,
Derek

Blogging: Good, Bad & Ugly

Blog writing is an interesting paradox.

I enjoy blogging immensely. This particular blog allows me the privilege of interacting with folks from all different places concerning topics related to the Gospel, the Christian life, and Biblical thinking. The theological and philosophical dimensions of God's self-revelation are thrilling to explore, and I learn from others along the way. I'm growing and I sense that others are growing as we explore these foundational, life-changing matters. We're asking great questions and discovering sound, Biblical answers. That's the GOOD.

Unfortunately, time is a limited commodity. It's frustrating to have so many posts in draft mode, not quite finished, and so many ideas for articles that are just waiting to be brought to life. If you blog, you probably know where I'm coming from. It's frustrating to want to do more than you can do. It's difficult to enjoy something so much, and yet find it always a little out of reach. That's the BAD.

What's the UGLY? Well, at this moment I have three distinct threads in process, but none of them are moving very quickly.

1. First, there is the "current series" on Isaiah 53. It's been a few weeks since that was touched upon, although it's all been mapped out for a long time.

2. Second, there is a mini-series on "Needs & Neediness," comparing psychology and nouthetic counseling. The final post is turning out to be very long and detailed, and it probably isn't far from publishing. If I could just find two hours to get it finished.

3. Third, there is the ongoing chapter-by-chapter review of James Anderson's book, "Paradox in Christian Theology." We're on chapter 3, but it's been awhile since I looked at either the book or the next part of the review.

Hard as I try, I'm not much of a juggler, so progress is slow . . .

The point of this post is to say, "Be assured, if you are anticipating the continuation of  the discussions mentioned above, I have not forgotten." Little by little, they will come back into focus. In the meantime, I may post short meditations on the usual topics, just because they're interesting and they're ready to post. The other stuff is still cooking - and we all know good cooking takes time.

THEOparadox has some very faithful readers. I'm grateful that God has led some like-minded, Gospel-centered people to this blog, and quite a few who are just curious. We get lots of visitors from search engines. People who want to learn about Biblical paradoxes, Calvinism and related matters typically find their way here via Google or Yahoo - at a rate of 20 or more per week. And there are lots of others who find us while searching for other topics. They come from all over the world. It would appear that our mission statement is being accomplished - in spite of the lag time between posts.

So I want to thank you again, dear reader, for your patience and continued interest in this humble blog. Whatever it is or isn't, it's here to glorify Jesus Christ and magnify His work on the cross. Soli Deo Gloria!

Grace & peace,

Derek

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Programming . . .

I don't know if I keep much of a schedule here, but if I do it's been blasted to smithereens this week. I'm in the middle of MOVING (which means my home is in a state of temporary chaos). Oh, and did I mention my in-laws are in town? I'm a little distracted at the moment, so I won't be able to write blog posts for a few days. I'll be back soon.

Thanks,
Derek


I wish things looked this organized at my house right now!

Happy Birthday THEOparadox!

It's been one year since THEOparadox first launched with the post, "What is THEOparadox?" Since that time, there have been almost 120 posts added. Here are some of the highlights from the year:

• The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart (2 Parts)
• The Relationship Between Divine and Human Goodness (4 Parts)
• Repentance and Amazing Grace in Psalm 32 (15 Parts)
• The Impossible Sayings of Jesus (10 Parts)
..... • You Must Be Born Again (3 Parts)

..... • The Rich Young Ruler (3 Parts)

..... • The Sermon on the Mount (4 Parts)
• The Free Offer of the Gospel (3 Parts)
• The Paradoxes of Prayer (3 Parts)
• The Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 (In Progress)

We also discussed the defining characteristics of the Gospel
We started a review of James Anderson's "Paradox in Christian Theology"

..... (I'll finish it at some point, but I'm a slow reader, so please be patient)
We followed (and participated in) some controversies about theological paradox
We articulated a theology and philosophy of paradox
We distanced ourselves from false forms of theological paradox

We defined our terms
We offered up 8 "PARADOX FILES" as examples of the basic thesis behind the blog
We formed a team of 4 like-hearted (if not always like-minded) members.


And we had a little Reformed fun, too . . .

I want to extend a hearty thanks to the following people, each of whom has significantly contributed to this blog in some way . . .

• My Precious Wife (the AMAZING woman!) - for putting up with late-night study sessions when I just can't let go of those tricky theological questions, and for helping me stay focused and God-centered. And for her forgiveness. LOTS and LOTS of forgiveness.
• Dr. Chris DeVidal (who is not a "real" doctor and who no longer blogs, unfortunately) - because he's one of my best friends, a godly example, a good thinker, and a challenging "hold-you-accountable" kind of brother in Christ. And he loves his wife. (his blog is still available for viewing, and the old articles are still really good).
• Pastor Craig Bowen of Lakeside Community Church - for being a true disciple-maker, a fearless preacher of the Word, a faithful example and a brother in Christ.
• Tony Hayling of "Agonizomai"- for his friendship and lots of great discussions (when you suggested I write a blog, did you ever think it would come to this? Me, either).
• Barry Wallace of "Who Am I?" - for his friendship and TONS of encouragement.

• Dr. John Piper - for loads of great sermons that help me remember how wondrously great God is!
• Dr. Curt Daniel - for helping me to understand historic Calvinism in its beautiful balance (his 75 lectures are super and well worth your time - trust me on that).
• David Ponter of "Calvin & Calvinism" - for helping me better understand the strengths of the moderate wing in Reformed theology.

• Dr. James Anderson - for brilliantly laying out the historical and philosophical case for theological paradox (you may want to check out his blog).
• Phil Johnson of Pyromaniacs - for a brief, but very helpful, conversation about theological paradox. And a pride-bashing, grace-empowered sermon. I'm still chewing on that!
• My Dear Daughter (a.k.a. GirlWhomGODloves) - for her excellent and insightful guest articles.

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who has linked to this site, re-published THEOparadox articles, commented on the posts, faithfully followed the progress of this blog, or simply stopped by on occasion. I pray the God of all grace will meet you powerfully in His boundless love and mercy through what you have found here - and that His glorious truth may always renew our minds so that we are conformed to the image of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

For God and the Gospel!

Grace & peace,
Derek Ashton

More Background Material on Biblical Paradoxes

For those of you who are interested in the deeper stuff, I have added a fairly extensive article to the background material of the site. It can be accessed from the FAQ section of the sidebar, or by clicking on the link below. This article is an attempt to lay out some Biblical justifications for a theology that embraces paradox, mystery, and a Biblical sense of irony.

Biblical Foundations of THEOparadox

As always, hold my feet to the fire and let me know if you find anything that doesn't jive with Biblically orthodox, historic, Reformed Christianity. One of the great benefits of blogging is that we get to test our thinking and learn from others. Readers of this blog have proven themselves to be astute Biblical thinkers and have contributed many helpful insights. Iron sharpens iron.

Blessings,
Derek

A Note To My Readers

I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who reads this blog. Considering the myriad of great blogs and websites available today, it's an honor to have your attention and interest here. I pray you will be blessed through these studies. I hope that the Word and wisdom of God come alive to you in new ways, or at least in ways that help to keep your thoughts focused on His greatness.

You won't typically find a new post everyday, mostly because my time is limited. Instead, I strive to offer one or two quality posts a week. More when I can manage.

It's almost impossible to say anything original. Yet each Christian's words uniquely express the gracious way that God has worked in a particular soul. I am only one of many whom He has poured mercy upon, and I gratefully acknowledge the Blessed One for Whom this blog exists. Its ultimate purpose is to bring glory to Him, but its temporal purpose is to edify YOU, the reader. And you, also, are for His glory.

Grace & peace,
Derek Ashton