Re: [TruthTalk] The Eternal Sonship of Christ

[Judy Taylor]

I find it interesting that MacArthur compares himself to Augustine and that he has this struggle Jonathan. I don't and I can't see that MacArthur gives any scriptural evidence upon which to base his epiphany.  All I can see are semantic gymnastics and that he now calls scriptures in Psalms and Hebrews that speak of God's "ONLY begotten Son" figurative and a mystery.   I don't believe this is either but can understand why some must change the obvious meaning to protect their doctrine which is shameful. How very sad that we can not allow the scriptures to speak and the Holy Spirit to give us understanding without incessantly wading through what Augustine, MacArthur, Polyani, Barth, Baxter Kruger, and Torrance et al think about it giving their words more deference than the Word of God.   What is man whose breath is in his nostril.....?     On Fri, 24 Dec 2004 08:17:10 -0500 "Jonathan Hughes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Hi Judy,   What follows below is an article/sermon by John MacArthur.  He used to hold the position you espouse below but after much study changed his mind and affirmed what scripture says about Jesus Christ.  I think you will find it interesting.   REEXAMINING THE ETERNAL SONSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST by John F. MacArthur 1939 - present Near the end of his life, Augustine of Hippo meticulously reviewed everything he had ever published. He wrote an entire catalogue of his own works, a painstakingly annotated bibliography with hundreds of revisions and amendments to correct flaws he saw in his own earlier material. The book, titled Retractationes, is powerful evidence of Augustine's humility and zeal for truth. Not one of his earlier publications escaped the more mature theologian's scrutiny. And Augustine was as bold in recanting the errors he perceived in his own work as he had been in refuting the heresies of his theological adversaries. Because he reviewed his works in Chronological order, Retractationes is a wonderful memoir of Augustine's relentless, lifelong pursuit of spiritual maturity and theological precision. His forthrightness in addressing his own shortcomings is a good example of why Augustine is esteemed as a rare model of both godliness and scholarship.