ESG Study Questions

Chapter Two

I probably shouldn't title this ESG Study questions. Study Focus might be more accurate.

We’re going to finish the end of chapter one and then dip into Chapter Two and see how far we get.  I think we all decided that we weren’t in a hurry to rush through it and it’s deep enough to sustain conversation for several weeks per chapter.

 We’ll begin by discussing antinomies and paradoxes; how they are related and how they differ. (pg 18-19)

 We’ll look at the examples of paradoxes on pg 19-20 and discuss other examples in Scripture.

 Genesis 50:20

Acts 2:22-23

 Can you think of any other antinomies in Scripture?

 Top of pg 21:

“By contrast, however, and antinomy is neither dispensable nor comprehensible.  It is not a figure of speech, but an observed relation between two statements of fact.  It is not deliberately manufactured; it is forced upon us by the facts themselves.”

We’ll talk about how to handle antinomies (pg 21) “What should one do, then with an antinomy?” Take the rest of page 21 after the statement above and find all the verbs.  We’ll touch on each one of them.

 Pg 22:

“God’s Sovereignty and Man’s responsibility are taught us side by side in the same Bible; sometimes, indeed in the same text.  Both are guaranteed to us by the same divine authority; both, therefore, are true.  It follows that they must be held together, and not played off against each other.”

We’ll discuss the pitfalls of playing the two truths against each other.

We’ll look at Paul’s response in Romans 9. (pg 23).

 If we have any time left, we’ll start looking at our relationship to God as between the Creator and us—His creatures--and how that relates to the question.  I suspect that will be next week.

 Let's concentrate our energies on the materials up to pg. 23.

Comments

[connie]

Silly me! I forgot to put THIS blog on my Bloglines so I just now discovered the recent ESV post--had been longing for it! Won't let THAT happen again!

Had recent opportunity to share Packer's insights on antinomies with my daughter's home school discussion group (Xian worldview primer) as the topic of "contradictions" came up. Am sooooo enjoying Packer's book and your discussion/questions.