Dan Chapa

This election was heartbreaking.     It’s heartbreaking that our best choices were a heretic and an apostate.     It’s heartbreaking to see most Americans vote against biblical morals on abortion and homosexuality.   It’s heartbreaking for me to realize that the “liberal media” is not some loud minority view, but in some cases represents the majority view.    It’s heartbreaking that my kids will inherit socialism and massive debt.   My hope is in Christ alone.   He alone can bring good out of this.   He alone can save America.   He alone makes all things new.  

Brian Flemming's independent documentary, the God who wasn't there, was recently added to Netflix's instant viewing, so I watched it to see what atheists are up to these days. The movie is filled to the brim with blaspemous lies, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone exept perhaps mature Christians who know their bibles well and are interested in defending their faith. One of the many lies that caught my attention was that Paul did not know the historical details about Christ's life, and he doesn't even view Christ as a human being. This is absurd, given Saul dedicated his life to killing Christians, and Paul knew the apostles, traveled with Mark and even met Christ. And while his letters are not focused on giving a historical account of Christ's life, Paul does show he knows many of the details of Christ life. Paul knew Christ was the descendant of Abraham and David (2 Timothy 2:8, Romans 1:3, Galatians 3:16). Cross reference Matthew 1:1. Paul kn...

I was recently pointed to Dr. DeHaan’s teaching on Christ’s blood.   ( link )   Laced into his views of original sin, the virgin birth and the incarnation are the ideas that human blood is sinful and Christ’s blood was not human. Dr. DeHaan states:   While all men from Adam to this day are born with Adam’s sinful nature, and, therefore, are subject to the curse and eternal death, the Man Jesus was without sin and, therefore, DEATHLESS until He took the sin of others upon Himself and died THEIR death. Now while Jesus was of Adam's race according to the flesh yet He did not inherit Adam's nature. This alone will prove that sin is not transmitted through the flesh. It is transmitted through the blood and not the flesh, and even though Jesus was of the "Seed of David according to the flesh" this could not make him a sinner. Jesus Christ died.  He died others death in the sense of the death they deserved, not in the sense of their physical death.  Further, ...

I was recently asked to back up my comments that Steve Hays disagrees with the Nicene Creed as understood and taught by the Church Fathers and the church at large. Specifically, I raised concerns about consubstantiality and eternal generation. Regarding consubstantiality, it seems Steve disagrees that the Father, Son and Spirit have a numerically one and simple divine essence. Regarding 'eternal generation', Steve seems to think it relates only to the roles each member of the Trinity plays and not to their mode of subsistence. Admittedly, I see disagreements with the Nicene Creed as somewhat of a red flag, so it's possible I am jumping to conclusions. Further, I was basing this moreso on what Steve was opposing vs. what he was affirming. So below are a list of quotes from Steve on the subject and if he would like to take this opportunity to clarify his views on consubstantiality and eternal generation and square them with the orthodox position, that would be great. Ste...

Steve Hays' post denying eternal procession in the Nicene creed caught my eye. ( link ) Here's our recent exchange ( link ). 1. I don’t regard Wikipedia as the gold standard of theological discourse. Nor do I, but it is popular and common. 2. ”Consubstantial” simply means “of one and the same substance or essence” (OED). Yes, but in the context of the Arian dispute, it carries an additional connotation, since neither side considered multiple divine essences. 3. At a minimum, the purpose of the homoousios clause was to exclude the notion that the Son is merely of “like essence” with the Father, rather than identical essence. True, that's the core. 4. From what I’ve read, there’s a scholarly dispute over the more specialized question of whether homoousios was also meant to denote generic identity or numeric identity. You appealed to Calvin. Here's what he had to say on the subject: While he proclaims his unity, he distinctly sets it before us as existing in three persons...

Apparently there's a new blogger claiming Calvinism is heresy. http://tothegloryofchristsgrace.blogspot.com/ This individual is just as off based as Outside the Camp; the hyper-Calvinist group who thinks Arminianism is heresy. His post indicates he thinks I am condemned because I don't think of Calvinism as heresy. Well he's not alone. Muslim's think I am condemned because I don't submit to Allah. Trent says I am condemned because I hold to justification by faith. Outside the camp thinks I am condemned because I am an Arminian. In times like this, where oh where can I turn... except to Jesus Christ and Him alone. As a matter of historical record: Dort doesn’t anathematize Arminianism and the Arminian Confession doesn’t anathematize Calvinism.

Of course, Christ's birth is the reason for Christmas. Man fell, God loved us anyway and sent His dear Son into the world to redeem us. But actually, that's not the upcoming holiday I had in mind. Consider this passage from Colossians 1: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him,...