Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Vol 5) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence a 'Treatise of Novatian concerning the Trinity' by reading up to Chapter XVII.
My summary
This week we begin reading the work of Novatian, particularly his work on the Trinity.
Firstly we learn about the attributes of God, including his:
(i) omnipotence;
(ii) supremacy;
(iii) creation;
(iv) goodness;
(v) immutability;
(vi) wrath;
(vii) anthropomorphisms;
(viii) providence.
Then Novatian moves to defending the divinity and humanity of Christ from both the Old and New Testament.
What grabbed me
I enjoyed the clear statements about the full humanity and full divinity of Christ: 'For whatever principle be adopted on one or the other side, will be found to be maintained. For there will be a risk that He should not be shown to be man from His sufferings, if He could not also be approved as God by His powers. We must not then lean to one side and evade the other side, because any one who should exclude one portion of the truth will never hold the perfect truth. For Scripture as much announces Christ as also God, as it announces God Himself as man. It has as much described Jesus Christ to be man, as moreover it has also described Christ the Lord to be God. Because it does not set forth Him to be the Son of God only, but also the Son of man; nor does it only say, the Son of man, but it has also been accustomed to speak of Him as the Son of God. So that being of both, He is both, lest if He should be one only, He could not be the other. For as nature itself has prescribed that he must be believed to be a man who is of man, so the same nature prescribes also that He must be believed to be God who is of God; but if he should not also be God when he is of God, no more should he be man although he should be of man. And thus both doctrines would be endangered in one and the other way, by one being convicted to have lost belief in the other. Let them, therefore, who read that Jesus Christ the Son of man is man, read also that this same Jesus is called also God and the Son of God.'
Amen!
Next week's reading
Conclude a 'Treatise of Novatian concerning the Trinity'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
2 comments:
Hi Joel,
Praise God for Godly books. I only came across your site now, as I was looking for - 'Richard Sibbes saw it when he wrote: “God is glorified in making us happy, and we enjoying happiness, must glorify God.” '
I listen to John Piper, lots. I thank God for His encouragement, that I have received through Piper and the many Puritan books that I have been reading in the last few years. HE, is so good and I know that I have hardly begun to know, how good.
I read http://reformedbookclub.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/reformed-book-club-closing.html, where you mentioned closing the book club and that not many have commented, so, though I haven't really used the club, I sense I could have received great value through it. Mind you, I am often all over the place, but hopefully and trustingly, only Godly places. I am probably lonely even though I am at least somewhat involved at church. Church is in desperate need of healing which goes right down to us individual living stones.
God enable you and yours and me, to sense more acutely, His indwelling presence; and experience sharing Him with all our hearts and minds and strength. For His glory (and our happiness).
philwithJesus
Thank you for your encouraging remarks Phil.
It reminded me to announce that I'm not closing the club. It will live on, although at a subdued pace. I've made the post letting people know and linked it to the home page.
Wonderful hear of your love for the Lord, and I hope you will grow in your love for the church which Christ bought with his own blood (Acts 20:28).
God bless,
Joel.
Post a Comment