Southern Seminary Magazine (Vol 90.1) The Light of Truth: Apologetics in the 21st Century
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Sou<strong>the</strong>rn</strong> Baptist <strong>The</strong>ological <strong>Sem<strong>in</strong>ary</strong><br />
news & features<br />
<strong>the</strong> ultimate goal <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>ological education<br />
is hol<strong>in</strong>ess, mohler says<br />
at spr<strong>in</strong>g convocation<br />
—<br />
By Jeff Rob<strong>in</strong>son<br />
Study<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ology at <strong>the</strong> deepest<br />
level is not an end to itself but is<br />
ultimately a means to <strong>the</strong> learner’s<br />
hol<strong>in</strong>ess, <strong>Sou<strong>the</strong>rn</strong> <strong>Sem<strong>in</strong>ary</strong> President<br />
Albert Mohler told students<br />
and faculty Tuesday at <strong>the</strong> school’s<br />
annual Spr<strong>in</strong>g Convocation.<br />
Draw<strong>in</strong>g on 1 Peter 1:13-25,<br />
Mohler said study<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Word <strong>of</strong><br />
God is such a high privilege, angels<br />
long to obta<strong>in</strong> such knowledge.<br />
<strong>The</strong> president’s address was titled,<br />
“Prepar<strong>in</strong>g Your M<strong>in</strong>ds for Action:<br />
<strong>The</strong> Means and Ends <strong>of</strong> Christian<br />
Learn<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
“I don’t th<strong>in</strong>k it’s wrong to th<strong>in</strong>k<br />
that <strong>the</strong>re are angels that are envious<br />
<strong>of</strong> you,” Mohler said to students<br />
and faculty, (envious) <strong>of</strong> those who<br />
are go<strong>in</strong>g to be able to dive deeply<br />
<strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> truth <strong>of</strong> God’s Word, to<br />
look deeply <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> truths revealed<br />
<strong>in</strong> Scripture, to know <strong>the</strong> doctr<strong>in</strong>e<br />
and teach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> church deeply,<br />
to understand <strong>the</strong> gospel more<br />
comprehensively.<br />
“Angels long to look <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong>se<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs. Angels—be<strong>in</strong>gs created for<br />
<strong>the</strong> glory <strong>of</strong> God—have a knowledge<br />
certa<strong>in</strong>ly, but <strong>the</strong> knowledge<br />
given to us <strong>in</strong> Scripture is superior<br />
to <strong>the</strong>ir knowledge.”<br />
In 1 Peter and many o<strong>the</strong>r places<br />
<strong>in</strong> Scripture, such as Leviticus<br />
11:44, God commands his people to<br />
be holy because he is holy. Mohler<br />
said this is <strong>the</strong> ultimate goal for all<br />
study <strong>of</strong> God’s Word. He noted that<br />
<strong>the</strong>ological education is merely <strong>the</strong><br />
means to <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> hol<strong>in</strong>ess, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> two must never be confused.<br />
“Books, classes, lectures, teachers,<br />
schools, colleges, universities,<br />
sem<strong>in</strong>aries—even <strong>the</strong> most godly—are<br />
simply means, not ends,” he<br />
said. “Means to what? Means to <strong>the</strong><br />
preach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gospel and <strong>the</strong> fulfillment<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Great Commission?<br />
Yes. Means to <strong>the</strong> edification <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
sa<strong>in</strong>ts and to growth <strong>in</strong> godl<strong>in</strong>ess?<br />
Yes. Means for plant<strong>in</strong>g churches<br />
and feed<strong>in</strong>g churches? Yes. But<br />
even those are penultimate. <strong>The</strong><br />
end is hol<strong>in</strong>ess.”<br />
Mohler encouraged students to<br />
prepare <strong>the</strong>ir m<strong>in</strong>ds for action, to<br />
apply rigorous efforts to <strong>the</strong>ir studies,<br />
prepar<strong>in</strong>g for m<strong>in</strong>istry to <strong>the</strong><br />
glory <strong>of</strong> God.<br />
“It’s a good word at <strong>the</strong> beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>of</strong> an academic term,” he said.<br />
“You can’t just lazily enter Christian<br />
learn<strong>in</strong>g and expect to get learn<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
You can’t lackadaisically enter <strong>the</strong><br />
classroom. You can’t just unenergetically<br />
accept this as <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong><br />
time.<br />
“Someth<strong>in</strong>g explosive is go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
take place. <strong>The</strong> mystery <strong>of</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
is beyond our comprehension—<br />
how is it that God allows our m<strong>in</strong>d<br />
to comprehend his revelation? It<br />
is, <strong>of</strong> course, <strong>the</strong> imago dei, it is his<br />
condescension to us, his grace and<br />
mercy to us.”<br />
four vital truths are<br />
foundational to human<br />
flourish<strong>in</strong>g, anderson<br />
says <strong>in</strong> gheens lectures<br />
—<br />
By Travis Hearne<br />
Important ground on our culture’s<br />
understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> human nature<br />
has been lost <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last decade,<br />
Ryan T. Anderson told <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sou<strong>the</strong>rn</strong><br />
<strong>Sem<strong>in</strong>ary</strong> community dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> annual Gheens Lectures March<br />
16-17.<br />
<strong>Truth</strong>s that were self-evident<br />
summer 2022<br />
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