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Paul's Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief

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Paul's Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief 3. Jahrgang MARTIN MBS TEXTE 63 BUCER 2006 SEMINAR Thomas K. Johnson Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief BUCER IN S T E M R A I N M A R 2 1 : E P 4 H TheologicalTheologische Accents Akzente TableInhaltsverzeichnis of Contents Romans 1:16–32 (original translation) ..................................... 4 The Human Condition before God: An Exposition of Themes from Romans 1 ................................ 4 General Revelation, Christian Learning, and Gospel Proclamation ......................... 9 Annotations ............................................................................. 16 The Author .............................................................................. 16 Impressum ............................................................................. 17 1. Aufl. 2006 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief: The Advantage of Grasping General Revelation Thomas K. Johnson The Apostle Paul was one of the most the whole range of Jewish and Gentile courageous men who ever lived. He was worldviews, beliefs, and cults. This able to overcome all sorts of fear, anxi- makes an important question unavoid- ety, and doubt in a vast array of situ- able: Where or how did Paul attain this ations. When he was beaten, stoned, high level of intellectual courage? The or shipwrecked, he found courage to answer, as given in Romans 1, seems to continue on to the next city or vil- be that Paul attained this intellectual lage, even though his next encounter courage from his understanding of the with pain might be worse than the last. human condition before God, a condi- When he faced distortions of the faith, tion characterized by the repression of unbelief, and gross immorality in the God’s general revelation. In the follow- new churches, he responded firmly but ing, in a way that should not be very patiently, calling his people to live con- technical or very original, we will try to sistently in light of the core of the New gain an overview of Paul’s understand- Testament proclamation and teaching. ing of the human condition of reject- And running in, through, and under ing God’s general revelation, which his other types of courage was an over- includes parts of a theory of knowledge. powering intellectual courage: he had This will be in three parts: an origi- complete confidence in the truth and nal translation of Romans 1:16-32; an importance of his message, in spite of exposition of selected themes in this the fact that the massive majority of text; and some theological/philosophi- his neighbors thought his message was cal reflections inspired by Paul’s method simply foolish nonsense. This becomes of thought. The goal of this study is to more striking when one sees that Paul assist believers in understanding the did not live in a spiritual ghetto, sepa- condition of the unbelieving world, rated from the various religions and thereby increasing our intellectual and philosophies of his day. The New Tes- practical courage in communicating tament portrays a man who carried the biblical message in the midst of a on a living, continual dialog, with the secular world.1 literature, ideas, and representatives of THEOLOGISCHE AKZENTE 3 Thomas K. Johnson Romans 1:16–32 ever. Amen. (26) Therefore, God gave (original translation) them over unto dishonorable passions; for example, the women exchanged I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is natural sexual relations for those which the power of God intended for salvation are contrary to nature, (27) as also the for each person who believes, first for the men left natural sexual relations with Jew and then for the Greek. (17) In it women and burned in their desires for the righteousness of God is revealed by each other, man for man, contrary to faith and unto faith, as it is written, the scheme of nature; and thereby they ... The righteous will live by faith ... receive in themselves the repayment which was necessary for their delusion. (18) For the wrath of God is being (28) And since they did not recog- revealed from heaven against all the nize the knowledge of God that they godlessness and injustice of men who had, God gave them over to a confused suppress the truth by means of injus- state of mind, to do those things which tice, (19) since the knowledge of God are inappropriate. (29) They are full of is plain in them; for God has made envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. himself known to them. (20) His invis- They are gossips, (30) slanderers, God- ible characteristics are received into haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful; consciousness through the creation of they invent ways of doing evil; they dis- the world, namely his invisible power obey their parents; (31) they are sense- and divine nature, so that people are less, disloyal, lacking in normal affec- without an apology. (21) Although they tions, and merciless. (32) They know knew God, they did not glorify him or the requirement of God that those who give thanks to him, but became worth- do such things are worthy of death, but less in their thoughts and their senseless they not only do these things, they also hearts were darkened. (22) Claiming to approve of those who do them. be wise, they became foolish and (23) exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the image of the likeness of The Human Condition before mortal man, birds, animals, and rep- God: An Exposition of Themes tiles. from Romans 1 (24) Therefore God gave them over by means of the covetous desires of To understand Paul’s conception of their hearts unto uncleanness to dis- human nature before God, one has to honor their bodies among themselves, be ready to see human knowledge and (25) particularly the very people who life as filled with contradictions and ten- exchanged the truth of God for a lie and sions. At the center of these contradic- deified and worshipped the creation in tions stands the problem that all people place of the Creator, who is blessed for- have knowledge of God, even though MBS TEXTE 63 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief people often do not want to accept or As Paul describes this general revela- acknowledge that they have a knowl- tion, it is important to notice that it has edge of God. Though Paul did not very significant content. It is not only give us precise terminology to use, he a vague feeling or awareness of some- assumes some type of contrast between thing higher or holy, though this is two types of knowledge of God, some- surely included. At least three distinct thing like a contrast between a deficient aspects of the content of general rev- knowledge and a proper knowledge, or elation are specifically mentioned: the a contrast between a rejected knowledge power of God, the deity of God (vs. and an accepted knowledge. The first 20), and a very significant portion of type of knowledge is what all people the moral demands of God’s law (vs. have by virtue of creation, whether it is 32), which fits closely with a natural called deficient or rejected knowledge scheme or pattern for life (vs. 27). This of God. The second type of knowledge, content is much of what has often been whether it is called proper or accepted, called “ethical monotheism;” in Paul’s comes only by the gospel. way of thinking, ethical monotheism Paul claims that God really is reveal- is the pattern of truth proclaimed by ing himself through creation to all God through creation (as well as in the people on earth, and the language he Scriptures). uses is in the present tense, meaning As a result of this general revelation, this is an active, ongoing work of God there is a very important sense in which through all of human history. God all people in all times and places know did not merely create the world and go God. Paul says the knowledge of God into retirement (as some Deists seem to is plain to all people and in all people think); he is currently speaking to all (vs. 19) and this knowledge is taken men, women, and children, whether or into the consciousness of all people (vs. not they want to listen to God or believe 20). Of course, there is also an impor- in God. To avoid misunderstanding, tant sense in which many people do it may be wise to notice that Paul sees not know God; this is what makes the this activity of God as coming before gospel so important. One of the deep- any human interest in knowing God or est self-contradictions or paradoxes of asking about God. This activity of God human experience is that in at least has often been called general revelation, one area, lack of knowledge is based on natural revelation, or creational revela- knowledge, namely in relation to God. tion by followers of Paul. Each of these How can this be? terms has certain strengths, since this People generally do not like knowing revelation of God is general (to all peo- God. And for this reason this knowl- ple), coming through nature (including edge is suppressed or repressed, with human nature), which is always under- the result that people can easily say they stood to be God’s creation. do not know God, while, at the same THEOLOGISCHE AKZENTE Thomas K. Johnson time, they really do know God in an very similar is happening all the time in important sense. They know a lot about relation to God. People say they do not his power, his deity, and his moral law. know God, when they do know God.
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