Ethnic Harmony as An Undeniable Effect of the Gospel and the Proper Pursuit of Gospel People
Jesus comes to purchase a people from every tribe and tongue.
Because we love God and love our neighbors, we walk into the hard conversations with the gospel on our lips. Whether the issue is politics, or gender identity, sexual orientation, raising children, international war, the death penalty, or racism, Christians prayerfully and carefully show how the good news of Jesus addresses the issues of the... Continue Reading
What’s Left When Everything’s Taken Away? (2 Timothy 1:8-12)
When everything’s stripped away, those who trust Christ still possess a complete transformation initiated by God, and a deposit that can never be taken because it’s guarded by God.
You learn a lot about someone when you take everything away from them. I’ve been learning a lot about myself lately, and I haven’t even lost that much compared to Paul. One day all of us have to face the question: what’s left when everything is stripped away? It’s happening to all of us in... Continue Reading
Ethics in Flux
As hope for a rational justification for Christianity as a divinely revealed religion crumbled, confidence in the existence and knowability of a rational moral order remained high.
Early in the modern era, some rational theologians seemed sure that they could justify belief in the main tenets of Christianity on narrow rationalist premises (e.g., William Chillingworth, John Tillotson). But by the end of the century, even John Locke, the would-be rational defender of the faith, could not see his way through to justify... Continue Reading
Man and Woman: A Biblical Systematic Anthropology
With regards to creation, Paul believes that the husband stands in the “Adam” role, while the wife stands in the “Eve” role.
The Apostle Paul employs two primary paradigms for understanding men and women. He points backwards to the original creation and the figures of Adam and Eve, and he points forwards to Jesus Christ and the Church in their soteriological-eschatological state. The former approach can be seen in 1 Cor. 11:8-12 and in 1 Tim. 2:12-15.... Continue Reading
Myth and Archetype: Response to Steven Wedgeworth
Mr. Wedgeworth misses both the purpose and the logic of the Apostle’s teaching here.
Much of the modern controversy over men and woman centers on the interpretation of one text in the Pauline corpus. 1 Timothy 2:1-15 gives us the Apostle’s teaching on the contribution of men and women in the church. In verses 9-15, the Apostle deals with women and restricts their function in the church based upon... Continue Reading
From Christ to Creed: Did Theology Grow?
The Spirit continued to mature the church through its engagement with the world and the continuing need to define its worship.
You cannot read 1 Cor 8:6-7 in which Christ the Lord is inserted into the Shema and think, “Gee, this is just some human that Paul and his churches worship.” Being baptized into the singular name of the three (Matt 28) meant that early Christians already worshipped God via their baptism and confession. The... Continue Reading
Knowledge of God in Practice (part 1)
Theology is to be grounded in the Word and correctly understood from Scripture, which is why it’s vital for the health and growth of the Church.
Theology is concerned with knowing God as He is revealed in the Word of God. Studying theology helps the people of God to know God as He has revealed Himself as the Creator, sustainer, Judge of all things, Alpha and Omega, and the beginning and end of all things. Theology is the study of... Continue Reading
What We Need to Know
Horror. Chaos. Sorrow. That’s what seemed to lay ahead for Betsie ten Boom.
Betsie is aware, well aware, that this life is not devoid of hardship or “bad times.” She is embracing the fact that there may be worse times ahead than she–or the world–has ever experienced. For the unbeliever that alone is enough to send one into frantic fear and panic, but not for God’s beloved. ... Continue Reading
A Review of David Bentley Hart’s “That All Shall Be Saved”
At the heart of his argument lies, from his point of view, the moral hideousness of hell.
I am friends with at least two people who have been influenced by Hart’s book (and I know of many others). What strikes me is that Hart’s book has launched at the perfect time in terms of the cultural zeitgeist. Everyone wants a more inclusive culture, and many desire non-punitive correction (except for those who breach... Continue Reading
Justification and Union with Christ
When the Christian becomes saved, they become a partaker in Christ and all the benefits of Christ.
Our union with Christ began before the foundation of the world as the individual is elected in Christ (Eph. 1:4). He has predestined us to adoption in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5). Although elect from before the world began, we enter into creation as condemned sinners (Eph. 2:1-3) and need to experience the grace of God... Continue Reading