Approximately 16 million people died in World War I, and between 50 and 70 million in World War II. It’s easy to see why the UN was thought necessary.

But between 1945 and 2000, approximately 40 millon more people died in war. That’s around 2000 people per day. The UN has evidently failed in its aim, despite the billions of pounds that have been spent in pursuit of its objectives.

Fortunately, the Bible not only tells us why the UN (and every other human attempt to promote unity without acknowledging the living God) has failed, but also explains where a true and lasting solution to human conflict may be found. In a nutshell, here it is.

The more trouble you’re in, the bigger mess you’re in, the more likely it is you’re being drawn to Jesus.

The gospel is basically hospitality. It’s the hospitality of God.

Everyone with a problem comes to Jesus’ house.

The Kingdom of God is the upside-down kingdom.

Some audience comments: “Riveting,” “moving,” “outstanding,” “challenging.”

Athanasius, On the Incarnation

Chapter I

1. What does Athanasius believe would have happened to Adam and Eve if they had not sinned (section 3)? Do you agree?

2. How does Athanasius argue that humanity was returning “to non-existence” as a result of Adam’s sin (sections 4-5)? What explicit biblical support could Athanasius have adduced for this teaching?

Chapter II

3. What was “the divine dilemma” (section 6)?

4. Why would repentance have been an inadequate remedy (section 7)?

5. How did the incarnation solve “the divine dilemma” (section 8-9)?

Chapter III

6. What further reason for the incarnation does Athanasius identify in sections 11-16?

7. What “paradox” does Athanasius discuss in sections 17-18?

Chapter IV

8. How has the experience of death been transformed for those “who believe in Christ” (section 21)? What are the pastoral implications of this transformation?

9. Why, according to Athanasius, did Jesus die a public rather than a private death (section 21)?

10. Do you agree with Athanasius that Christ’s body “did not see corruption” (section 21)? Why? What implications, if any, does this have for Jesus’ human nature?

11. On what basis does Athanasius conclude that there is “no excuse … for those who would divide the church” (section 24)? What significance does Athanasius perceive in the outstretched arms of the crucified Christ, and in the fact that Jesus was “lifted up” on a cross (section 25)? What does the structure of this argument tell us about Athanasius’ exegetical method? How do you react to Athanasius’ approach?

What you need is to start rebuilding from the ground up. When you’ve neglected something for so long, the best way forward is to start from scratch. Actually, you’ve forgotten most of what you used to know, and what you can remember is probably wrong anyway.

I call it rusty bike syndrome.

Imagine: you used to have a bike, when you were a kid. Used to ride it all the time. But then one winter you put it away in the shed, and the following spring you never got it out again. There it lay, gathering dust and accumulating rust for years on end. If people asked you whether you had a bike, you’d say, “Yeah, sure I do.” You just never rode it.

Then, one day, you really needed a bike for something, so you went to the shed to fetch the old two-wheeler. But when you finally managed to haul it out, the tyres were flat, the chain was broken, and the handlebars were so rusted that you could hardly turn them. Besides this, it was about 15 inches too small for you.

What are you going to do? A drop of oil here, lick of paint there? Hardly. Get off down to the shop and get one that’s more your size.

Or: open up a Bible and start at the beginning.

With great privilege comes great responsibility. God’s Old Covenant people had heard his voice and received the Law that was given to Moses through angels, and they were required to humble themselves before him.

We have received a far greater revelation – the gospel of Christ. We have far greater privileges  – access to the holy places through our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, whose one sacrifice covers all our sins. How much more, then, must we take care to confess our sins and repent before him.

Please tread carefully this week. Listen to Calvin: “We must so cherish moderation that we do not try to make God render account to us, but so reverence his secret judgments as to consider his will the truly just cause of all things” (Institutes, I.xvii.1).

Berkhof, Systematic Theology, pp. 165-178

1. How does Berkhof define providence? What are the three elements of it? How do they relate? (pp. 166-167)

2. Why might it be useful to distinguish between these three elements of divine providence? Can you give any examples to illustrate the relationship between them?

3. How (apart from by direct appeal to explicit biblical texts) would you argue against the thhree misconceptions Berkhof describe, namely (i) prescience / prescience plus foreordination; (ii) the deistic view; (iii) the pantheistic view? (pp. 167-168)

4. How is the doctrine of preservation related to the doctrines of God and creation? (p. 170)

5. How is concurrence distinct from preservation? (p. 171-172)

6. What is wrong with illustrating the concurrence of divine and secondary causes as “a team of horses pulling together” (p. 172)?

7. How does Berkhof reply to the claim that his view of divine concurrence “makes God the responsible author of sin” (p. 174)? Is his defence adequate?

8. What perspective upon providence does divine government emphasise? (p. 175)

Calvin, Institutes, I.xvi-xviii

9. Why, according to Calvin, do some adopt a “distinction … between doing and permitting”? What does Calvin think of this distinction? What biblical data does he adduce to support his view? (I.xviii.1)

10. How does Calvin believe God’s will is related to human actions? (I.xviii.2)

11. “But even though [God’s] will is one and simple in him, it appears manifold to us” (I.xviii.3). Why does Calvin feel it necessary to make this clarification? What does he mean by it?

12. What point does Augustine make in the lengthy quote with which Calvin believes “all godly and modest folk agree” (I.xviii.3)?

13. What point is proved by the example of “the choice of king Jeroboam”? (I.xviii.4)

14. How, if at all, do you think Calvin would advise preachers and teachers to approach the subject of divine providence? (I.xviii.4) Do you agree?