The Doctrine of Election Brings Humility and Meaning

By Brett W. Avants

I have just finished reading Michael Horton’s book Putting Amazing Back into Grace, and have to say that he did just that for me.  It is refreshing to read a book that focuses so much on God and the work of the Trinity in the world and in salvation, rather than on helping me to live the my best life now or how to find my purpose and meaning in life.  God does provide meaning for my life, but not in the typical American way that is normally portrayed in most Christian self-help books on the market today.  More than meaning, God provides reconciliation between His people and their God, through the savior, mediator, and Son, Jesus Christ.  Meaning is given to us through the adoption as sons and daughters into the family of God through the work of Jesus.  Pop psychology doesn’t provide meaning; it is only through the work of Christ that we receive meaning.  This is where doctrine meets the street, where theology meets life application. 

Bored to Death in a World of Stimulation

Observations on Culture in February 07 By Brett W. Avants

Well, the Super Bowl is over, and it was nice to see both coaches given praise to Jesus for their successes.  On Monday morning back at work, I asked one of my friends about the game, and we wound up getting into a deep discussion about human nature and culture.  I found it interesting that God can bless unbelievers with incredible powers of perception about culture and human nature that are completely in line with the Bible.  This just goes to show that while every human being is totally depraved in terms of our sin nature and our desire to know God, God still through his common grace allows people to have some sense of right and wrong, and some sense of God even though “religion” means nothing to them, as it does with my friend.  Remember, Paul writes in Romans 1 that God has made known his invisible qualities and divine nature to man through creation, and even the Psalmist writes that only a fool believes in his heart that there is no God.  People know, but our sin nature drives us away. 

My friend and I were talking about a number of issues, but I would like to touch on one observation that we both felt strongly about.  My friend’s younger daughter, in her mid-twenties, came over to their house to visit during the game.  As with most young people, she seemingly multitasks very well.  My friend told me she fiddled with her cell phone constantly, watched a DVD on a portable player with her headphones, and also watched the game, all at the same time.  However, there was one thing that she did not do – interact with her parents!  And herein lies the situation that we face today with many people.  We are in a position where we are overstimulated, yet starved for significant personal relationship. 

Theology Determines Your Outlook on Life

By Brett W. Avants

The way you view God determines how you live your life. It is that simple. Yet most people look at theology and doctrine as something that is taught and stays in seminary or a dry academic book. Theology is either boring, or divisive, or only for scholars. Why study theology? After all, most people just want to live their life according to the Bible. It’s all in the application. But if we want to do that, we have to study theology. We must understand who God is, His character, His work, His Son, and His Spirit. If not, we stand the chance of living our lives in a miserable state where we try to work ourselves to death hoping to please God.

My first blog…

So what is Theology and Steak?  It is a Jesus Christ-centered blog from a person whose heart is burdened more and more by a need to evangeize those actually in the church.  This blog was born out of two things that have happened in my life, one positive and one negative, so to speak.  One was the frustration at chuches, at least that I have attended and even ministered in, that are light on doctrine and theology and big on entertainment, felt needs, and fluff.  Don’t get me wrong; we have to communicate the gospel in such a way as to actually be understood by our audience.  But many times King James English just doesn’t do the trick.  And Jesus and his apostles ministered to people’s needs out of love and compassion. However, the message is king, and theology is what differentiates Christians from other attempts to “seek God.” Yes, theology divides, because truth divides. Truth also unites.  God’s Word should reign in churches, not some pop-psychology nonsense.  God’s Word points to salvation in Christ; pop psychology felt-needs marketing points to man. 

The second thing was a discovery of the doctrines of grace and the five solas of the Reformation.  Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, and to the Glory of God alone.  I have been a professing Christian for 25 years, but it was only recently that the Holy Spirit used these doctrines and a few close friends to literally revolutionize my life.  Through Bible study that was illuminated by the Spirit, I have made the journey from Semi-Pelagian Pentecostal (ordained Assembly of God minister) to Reformed non-cessationist Calvinist.  And very limited non-cessationist at that.  I am pursuing a ThD at Whitefield Theological Seminary because I still feel the call of ministry and need a strong Biblical education.  It’s as though my eyes have been opened to the truth for the first time. 

 Much of this blog will come from my experiences, analyses, and thoughts.  Please feel free to comment.

Soli Deo Gloria 

Brett