This is a sermon by Peter Hiett, pastor of “The Sanctuary Downtown” Denver CO. It is a response to a video by Dr. Robert Morey which I have posted on my blog titled, “The Shocking Reality of Calvinism.”
Another excellent explanation on this perplexing passage is this article by George Sarris: Jacob I have Loved…
See also my short explanation on this passage on my other blog related to this topic (Scroll down past the video): Shocking Reality of Calvinism
I am working on another short article on this passage I hope to add here soon.
About Peter Hiett
Peter is passionate about the God he believes in – the God who loves each and every single person in the whole world – past, present, and future. Peter is also an author. Philip Yancey, a well known and popular Christian author, writes on the front cover of Peter’s book, “Eternity Now,” published by Integrity Publishers:
“Week in, week out, Peter Hiett is one of the best teachers I have ever heard.”
On Peter’s website he explains a little about his theology. Here is an excerpt:
“Theology comes from two words in Greek; “Theos” (which means “God”) and “Logos” (which means “Word”). So “theology” literally means “God Word” or “Word of God.” Your Theology is your “Word of God.” According to Scripture Jesus is the Word of God….According to Scripture, “The Word of God” became flesh and dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth. Out of jealously and in an effort to control and use Him for our own purposes, we took His life on the tree. And yet, He gave his life on the tree, body broken and blood shed—such that the tree of death (the cross) became the tree of life (the cross). He gave His Life to us and rose from the dead. He is our “theology.”
Your Theology matters. Your “Word of God” matters. Jesus matters. He is God. He reveals God. He is the commandment of God. And He saves you.
Your theology is your picture of God. If it’s dead, you’re dead. If it’s (He’s) alive, you’re alive. Living Theology in you is Christ in you. It’s faith.
Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
He also said, “Love your enemies and do good… and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful as your Father is merciful.”
How is our Father Merciful? …Does He endlessly torture his enemies, the ungrateful and the evil?
How is our Father Merciful? …The answer is to define our every action.
How is our Father Merciful? …That’s a theological question.
How is our Father Merciful? …The answer really matters.
How is our Father Merciful? Answer: “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
Not simply an idea, list or law, but a story, a person, a presence in our lives. He is a risen presence in our lives and His story is recorded in Scripture. Scripture, which He said, “cannot be broken.” And yet it must be “revealed.” Through His Spirit, Christ reveals the meaning of Scripture, just as he revealed it to the disciples on the road to Emmaus that first Easter long ago.
Well you see, our theology tells us what God our Heavenly Father is like. And that faith—the Word of God in us—that Faith in our Heavenly Father, makes us who we are. In other words, Jesus tells us what God is like and Jesus makes us who we truly are. Jesus is the Logos of Theos, the Word of God. Theology matters.
I hope you see that bad theology, (which is really not theology)… bad theology is the crucifixion of Christ; the death of Love; it’s using lists and laws to justify the self and condemn others. But real theology is Worship, real theology is Love, real theology is Jesus… in us.
Little children can “do it.” Egghead theologians can “do it.” We each must “do it.” We each must exercise Faith in our Heavenly Father. That’s how we become who we truly are.
Theology matters.”
Thank you Peter!
For more “theology” about a God who’s love never ends for anyone, read “Hope Beyond Hell.”
