Dr Paul Allen

BibleSPaoloFol188vFrontProv (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.” ( Job 5:17 ) One of the fascinating paradoxes of Scripture (and of human life) is the oft-repeated principle that true parental love requires appropriate chastening, and chastening rightly received generates blessing and happiness. “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes” ( Proverbs 13:24 ). This is effective child psychology , assuming that the chastening is remedial rather than vindictive and is applied in love rather than anger. But the main teaching of such passages goes beyond parental child-training methods to the grand theme of God’s spiritual training of His children for eternity. This thought is often expressed in the Psalms (94:12, etc.), but it is especially clear in the Proverbs . “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correcti...

From a painting of Immanuel Kant (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) 1 Chronicles 29:11 “Yours, O Lord , is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty…. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all” (v. 11). Theological controversy did not end at the Council of Nicea , and in the following centuries the church had to deal with errors regarding the humanity of Christ , the authority of Scripture, justification, and others. Despite the various positions taken on these issues, however, most theologians still insisted on the transcendence of God . That all changed in the nineteenth century. Our Creator ’s transcendence is affirmed throughout Scripture and is reflected in the passage of 1 Chronicles 29:11. When we say God is transcendent, we mean that He is separate from His creation and not dependent on the created order in any way.  The Almighty made the universe and He is therefore its sovereign ruler (Gen...