Why the Doctrine of the Love of God Must Be Judged Difficult There are at least five reasons. He does a good job of explaining cultural definitions of love over against the Bible's definition of love. Just who is God? There were some things I really liked about this book, in particular how he talked about five aspects of God's love, and the danger of absolutizing any one of them. "God is light"; "God is Spirit"; "God is love." D. A. Carson has written a decisive rebuttal to those who make the mistake of. Dr. Carson did a good job of making sure the reader was sober in their understanding of God’s love in multiple facets, and defended essential truths of God’s love such as His immutability, wrath, holiness, etc. The Trinity is a difficult doctrine to understand - impossible even. Because pop culture has so distorted and secularized God’s love, many Christians have lost a biblical understanding of it and, in turn, lost a vital means to knowing who God is. ” The Bible says, “God is love”. Amazing Grace Ephesians 2:1-10. This is a theological book that will need to be read slowly by those who are not used to such wri. Carson is an outstanding exegete, in my opinion, and this study of God’s Love displays this for all to see. What I liked: D.A. There is much more that he could say on the subject, and I wish he had. I will definitely be looking for other books by Dr. Carson. Carson sets forth in this book to outline how Christians should proceed toward an understanding of this great doctrine. Carson is just a short book (96 pages) that is drawn from four lectures Carson delivered in 1998. This book isn’t long but it isn’t light reading either. Here is the bottom line on love: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. User ratings. D. A. Carson. Welcome back. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God. I borrowed a copy and read it through quickly. Inter-Varsity Press, 2010 - God - 112 pages. His ideas here could be extended with some synthesis of the doctrine of union with Christ. I will summarize the direction and purpose of the book and then point out some startling statements made by Carson himself in relation to his perspective on the love of God. A short book that is long on challenging doctrinal thoughts and clarifications on the love of God. A God of Many Understandings. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God John 15:9-17 If most people in our country were asked to name a characteristic of God, I believe the most common answer would be “love.” The Bible says, “God is love”. "The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God" is a brilliant book, slim and eminently readable, and examines the tension between different aspects of God's character. I’d recommend the book as a good primer to obtaining a foundation for this doctrine. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God seeks to restore what we have lost. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. in all its fullness to as many people as possible. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love is a great read and it’s available for free as a pdf download… God is love, God's wrath is only a functional quality of His holiness; if there is no sin, there will be no God's wrath, and God will still be God. A Brief Instruction on the Eternal Approval & Disapproval of the Divine Mind, & for Explaining the Nature of so Difficult a Thing Robert Rollock The Value of Scripture People who have embraced modernism will have problems with it. In his book. While God's love is God's essence - i.e. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God seeks to restore what we have lost. Nottingham: Inter-Varsity Press, 2000. Is Anything Too Hard For God? God loves the world because God is a loving God. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God D. A. Carson Paperback published March 2010 in United Kingdom. If “God is love,” then “Love is God.” So say virtually all of the founders of the “metaphysical” or “mind science” sects, along with many Eastern and New Age teachers. Certainly, God loves and is love; toddlers and adults alike can taste this truth with ease. intra-Trinitarian love,love for the world, and love for the elect). “The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God” is the title of a book by prolific author D. A. Carson, professor of New Testament studies at Trinity Evangelical Seminary. In fact, the Bible says that “love is of God” and “God is love” (1 John 4:7–8); in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is. He has served as assistant pastor and pastor and has done itinerant ministry in Canada and the United Kingdom. God loves because He loved. Love is the expression of his personality corresponding to His nature. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to dig deeper into Christian faith-based studies. Most useful is the way he delineates between the love God has for his Church and the love he has for all mankind, such that the gospel is som. Carson who can handle the Bible with care, intelligently yet with real feeling, and who are brave enough to hold to the difficult doctrines of word of God. At first thought, understanding the doctrine of the love of God seems simple compared to trying to fathom other doctrines like that of the Trinity or predestination. 1 Herman Bavinck calls the doctrine of creation “the starting point of true religion.” It thus divides the world into believers and unbelievers. Everything God does is impelled and influenced by His love. (A Call to Spiritual Reformation and How Long, O Lord are next on my list.) His discussion of how the wrath of God relates to the love of God is legitimately thrilling. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God seeks to restore what we have lost. I've really enjoyed going through these lectures each week, and despite having read the Bible many times, there is plenty that I have missed. People who love Gods word will love this book. Start by marking “The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God” as Want to Read: Error rating book. But here there is more: in eternity past, the Father loved the Son, and the Son loved the Father. Truly, the love of God is difficult to understand. The Next 500 Years: 2017 National Conference. There has, See 1 question about The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God…, Readers' Most Anticipated Books of January. Did God love Pharaoh? Carson blends his … Nice and punchy read. That is precisely what makes this doctrine so difficult. Donate Now. Exegetical Fallacies, Second Edition . D.A. I will summarize the direction and purpose of the book and then point out some startling statements made by Carson himself in relation to his perspective on the love of God. There were some things I really liked about this book, in particular how he talked about five aspects of God's love, and the danger of absolutizing any one of them. A helpful and thought-provoking analysis of the part love plays in God's character, Carson's careful exegesis and insight provide food for thought in a context where the love of God is taken for granted, set in opposition to any idea of wrath, and caricatured easily. New this month: Scandal rocks an elite British boarding school in The Divines. The Hebrew language phrase ruach ha-kodesh (Hebrew: רוח הקודש, "holy spirit" also transliterated ruacḥ ha-qodesh) is a term used in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish writings to refer to the spirit of YHWH (רוח יהוה). DA Carson does a good job breaking the topic into distinct portions. The only reason it is 4 stars instead of 5 stars is due to the length. Donald A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Carson came to Trinity from the faculty of Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he also served for two years as academic dean. 5 stars: 5: 4 stars: 2: 3 stars: 0: 2 stars: 0: 1 star: 0: User Review - Daniel DiGregorio - Christianbook.com. New books! The content of The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God is no exception. The world is not the recipient of God’s love because it is so worthy. This book is classic Carson. God is love; and we are the friends of God. In this treatment of many of the Bible's passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin but loves the sinner," but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. Can He be described? Carson does what Carson does best by taking on some of the common, unbiblical, but wildly popular views of God's love and clears away all of the false notions to help the reader come to a more accurate understanding of this critical doctrinal issue. This will make us all better exegetes as we follow Carson's example and properly clarify what we mean when we discuss the Love of God for us in Christ. The eternal nature of God - that is another difficult or impossible one. Add to Basket. The Ligonier Ministries site requires Javascript, but you’ve got Javascript disabled. Carson shows that the word 'love' has semantic range, but I found his way of categorizing texts to be fairly subjective and strongly guided by Reformed presuppositions. He has served as assistant pastor and pastor and has done itinerant ministry in. It would have helped me understand the love of God in a time when I was wrestling with various aspects of his love (I.e. I will definitely be looking for othe. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God John 15:9-17. What is God like? Carson, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God (Wheaton Illinois: Crossway Books, 2000), 23. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God seeks to restore what we have lost. Publication date 2000 Topics Christian mission & evangelism, Nature & existence of God, Religion, God, Theology, Doctrinal Publisher Leicester, England : Inter-Varsity Collection inlibrary; printdisabled; internetarchivebooks; china Digitizing sponsor intra-Trinitarian love,love for the world, and love for the elect). Great Is Thy Faithfulness Lamentations 3:22-25. In this treatment of many of the Bible’s passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as “God hates the sin but loves the sinner,” but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. The only reason it is 4 stars instead of 5 stars is due to the length. I've really enjoyed going through these lectures each week, and despite having read the Bible many times, there is plenty that I have missed. Yet the “love picture” of God our society holds today bears little resemblance to the picture we see in the Bible. They focus on some of the superficial paradoxes of God's love. 7 Reviews. 9781844744275-grouped. 2010. Share. D.A. Buy The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God from Kogan.com. I recommend this for everybody interested in learning more about the Old Testament. Carson (PDF) $2.99. Paul says, "He hardens whom he desires" (Rom 9.18). In some ways I felt like he had things just a bit too well figured out though - as though he had God and God's love and wrath figured out so that it fit his theological viewpoint. Most useful is the way he delineates between the love God has for his Church and the love he has for all mankind, such that the gospel is something that may be extended freely to all persons in good conscience. LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE James Moore tells about a man named George. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. We’d love your help. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. By Don A Carson In stock. In this treatment of many of the Bible's passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin but loves the sinner," but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. A short review of this book by DA Carson: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God. There was a small amount of editing performed, but the conversational nature of the speech carries through the … In this treatment of many of the Bible's passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin but loves the sinner," but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. Author: Todd Miles. Especially since the overwhelming majority of those who believe in God view Him as a loving being. Carson addresses the fact that we water down the word love and lose the nuance and thus lose the power of God’s love. Carson addresses the fact that we water down the word love and lose the nuance and thus lose the power of God’s love. This is essential and it is the foundation to an intimate walk with God by which we can learn to personally relate to the who and what of God. He dwells always in the atmosphere of love. There is a real need for preachers to make the necessary qualifications here so that the gospel can be understood. In this treatment of many of the Bible's passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin but loves the sinner," but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. Donald A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. In The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God Carson tackles what is perhaps the most difficult issue for Reformed thinkers to grapple with: if the God of the Bible is sovereign, can he really be loving? Add To Cart Add To Wishlist. Buy The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D A Carson in PB Large Format format at Koorong (9781844744275). This was my 2nd reading of this little book, and it was even better this time around. Brand: Inter-Varsity Press Dimensions: 0.9 × 13.9 × 13.9 centimetres. For us there was no other name fitting for this child of God’s sovereignty than to name her “grace”. The love of Allah is providential, which, as we saw in the first chapter, is one of the ways the Bible speaks of God. But having read this book I believe it now. ignoring the variance in the Bible's presentation of the love of God. In this treatment of many of the Bible's passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin but loves the sinner," but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. This is a theological book that will need to be read slowly by those who are not used to such writings, but it would be thoroughly worth you effort. George was a peacemaker with a big heart and wonderful sense of humor. For "God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom.5:8). Psalm 107:1. What does the Bible teach about God's love? Carson shows that the word 'love' has semantic range, but I found his way of categorizing texts to be fairly subjective and strongly guided by Reformed presuppositions. Carson Format: Paperback Number of Pages: 93 Vendor: Crossway Publication Date: 2000: Dimensions: 8 1/2 X 5.50 X 1/4 (inches) Weight: 4 ounces ISBN: 1581341261 ISBN-13: 9781581341263 Stock No: WW41263: Related Products. Spirit and Light are expressions of God's essential nature. Peter said that many are "appointed" to doom (1 Pet 2.8). Be the first to review “The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by carson” Cancel reply. Because it is based off of a lecture series, it is easy to read, while still including deep theological content. I read this book basically a page at a time, and it still felt short. It is easy to read right past the title, for it seems like God's love would be one of the easiest of doctrines to grasp. DA Carson is one of the clearest and deepest thinkers in the Reformed evangelical world. God desires the salvation of all men (1 Tim.2:4). In today's world, however, it is a theme that has been taken for granted and treated as easily understood. "We have been incalculably privileged not only to be saved by God's love, but to be shown it, to be informed about it, to be let in on the mind if God. Immanence. I wouldn't have believed it. To me this was a frustrating read because I take Carson to be a brilliant expositor, but his generalizations and inconsistencies seemed fairly patent. A dark secret spans several... At first thought, understanding the doctrine of the love of God seems simple compared to trying to fathom other doctrines like that of the Trinity or predestination. I recommend this for everybody interested in learning more about the Old Testament. 9781844744275 There are no discussion topics on this book yet. This book was originally lectures given at a variety of seminaries, so his vocabulary is not basic, and many parts will over the head of laymen, but Carson has a beautiful way of communicating deep truths with comedy and levity, and then in the next sentence, solemn seriousness and pastoral care. For example, the guiding principle of his book was to nuance the word 'love' (agapao), yet when juxtaposing John 3:16 with 1 John 2:15-17 he failed to do that for the word 'world' (kosmos) [pp 79-80], which changes the meaning considerably between the two texts. Those pieces also made it easier for me to understand the concepts. ISBN: 9781844744275. God’s love generates within Himself. The difficult doctrine of the love of God. Highly recommended. There was a small amount of editing performed, but the conversational nature of the speech carries through the text. In this treatment of many of the Bible''s passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin but loves the sinner," but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. Very good reminder of God's love for us, though undeserving. This is one of the greatest books that I have ever read. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God seeks to restore what we have lost. This esoteric interpretation of 1 John 4:8 and 16 allows them to argue that God is an impersonal principle rather than a personal being. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. My Growth Group at church has, for this year, been going through Cedarville University's Old Testament Literature course by Dr. Chris Miller. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by carson quantity. However, D. A. Carson has masterfully displayed that the doctrine of God’s love is indeed difficult, and as such, is worthy of careful attention. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God seeks to restore what we have lost. The Bible uses several different words for “love” in the Hebrew and Greek, interchanging them depending on context. The title of D.A. 9 The force of this utterance is not diminished by observing that it is addressed to the house of Israel, for not all in the house of Israel are finally saved ; in Ezekiel’s day, many die in judgment . My Growth Group at church has, for this year, been going through Cedarville University's Old Testament Literature course by Dr. Chris Miller. To see what your friends thought of this book. 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