One of the great lessons of church history is that God has used theological controversy to corporately sanctify His church as each Christian “contends earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Many crucial doctrines have been clarified and purified through respectful debate in the hermeneutical context of the universal church. Indeed, this is the very reason why God allowed controversy in the church at Corinth: “For there must also be factions (opinions) among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you” (1 Cor. 11:19). Yet to avoid the disunity of the Corinthian church, we must handle our opinions with abundant humility and grace.
— John Thompson (1913–2002), Alttestamentler, biblischer Archäologe und theologischer Autor
Related Bible passage: 1CO.11.19
Topics: Church & Congregation, The Bible & the Word of God, Wisdom & Understanding
Occasions: For Reflection
John Thompson
John Arthur Thompson (1913–2002) war ein australischer baptistischer Alttestamentler und biblischer Archäologe, der an der University of Melbourne sowie am Morling College in Sydney lehrte. Bekannt wurde er durch seine Verbindung von altorientalischer Archäologie und altorientalischer Vertragsforschung mit biblischer Exegese, die sich in maßgeblichen Kommentaren zu Jeremia und Deuteronomium niederschlug. Bibellesern bietet seine Arbeit bis heute historisch fundierte und sprachlich präzise Zugänge zum Verständnis des alttestamentlichen Bundeskonzepts.
All quotes by John Thompson (5)
The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.
Tim Keller
The Church is not a cultural club, but the family of Jesus.
Pope Francis
The Bible in the pulpit must never supersede the Bible at home.
John Charles Ryle
In essential unity; in nonessentials liberty; in all this charity.
Rupertus Meldenius
Henry Ward Beecher
Philip Yancey
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
In a congregation, every person must be able to be as their heart truly is.
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf