Humiliation & Exaltation: Christ’s Resurrection
Through the apostolic preaching about Jesus, the resurrection power possessed by the exalted, reigning Lord Jesus is present and given to those chosen for eternal life.
It might surprise some Christians that the Bible places a great importance on the relationship between Jesus’ bodily resurrection, his exaltation and the effectiveness of the preached word of God, and not merely the content of what is preached. Jesus’ exaltation hinges on his bodily resurrection from the dead. The conquering of death by... Continue Reading
A Black-And-White Proposal
Farewell To Fuzzy Thinking
I hear what Don Miller is saying and I suspect that he’s concerned with Christ-followers who demonstrate less than loving behavior. He would be right to be concerned. Indeed, Christ is the most loving person that ever existed or will ever exist. But Christ was also a black-and-white thinker. The prophets were black-and-white thinkers. The... Continue Reading
Context Matters: Jesus Came to Give Abundant Life
Having an abundant life means having a good shepherd!
Plenty of employees can perform simple tasks for the sheep, but they don’t care for the sheep at all. They will save their own skin when the wolf howls. But Jesus is so, so different. He is the good shepherd. He knows his sheep, and he lays down his life for his sheep. Notice that... Continue Reading
Identity Politics and the Bondage of the Will
The only route to salvation is a work of God’s free grace coming not from within but from without.
It has been argued above that CT is, at its root, diametrically opposed to historic Christian beliefs about the nature of man as the imago Dei. The appropriate and effective response is to reassert with vigor and conviction the truths of the Bible, the historic Protestant confessions and ecumenical creeds, and catholic orthodoxy. Introduction [M]an’s... Continue Reading
One of the Most Misused Words Today
Biblically, the heart refers to the whole person, including our capacity to think.
The Scripture presents the heart not just as a unity but also as a trinity of spiritual functions: the mind, the desires, and the will. To put it another way, the heart includes what we know (our knowledge, thoughts, intentions, ideas, meditation, memory, imagination), what we love (what we want, seek, feel, yearn for), and... Continue Reading
Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch
Paul was able to derive a Christology from the OT itself, even one that included the Messiah’s suffering, death, and resurrection.
In the ongoing debate over the meaning of the OT, let me succinctly state my view: the central message of the OT is its Messianic vision. It is breathtakingly beautiful—because he is. May you see it, and may he capture your heart. For over two millennia, the Old Testament has been a heavily contested... Continue Reading
When the Church Apologizes for Its Beliefs
Perhaps we owe an apology to the world not for saying what we believe, but for not really believing what we say.
I understand why Christians today may feel blindsided by the backlash to even the barest statement of traditional teaching on sexuality. The plausibility structures of society have changed. The norms are different. Fornication is “normal” and “purity” strange. The first headline from The Guardian surprised me—“Sex is for married heterosexual couples only, says Church... Continue Reading
How Do You Witness to Those in Cults and Other Religions?
While they know they are sinners, they believe their sin is not so bad that they cannot earn their own way out of it and “merit” heaven.
Let’s say there are a couple of cult members at my door. I warmly ask for their names, and then say, “I have a knife in my back. I am dying and have only three minutes to live. What do I need to do to enter heaven/paradise/the kingdom of God?” They look concerned. One says,... Continue Reading
Humiliation & Exaltation: Christ’s Second Coming
Yes, the Lord is coming again and when He does what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we turn to the first letter to the Thessalonians we find Paul offering some good theology to a church in need. In chapter four we learn that some have died. Perhaps in the riot that had broken out weeks before or perhaps not. Regardless, the Thessalonians had a load on their mind and Paul... Continue Reading
On Cracking the Code
While we lament that there must be a grave, we also anticipate that it marks the end of all sorrow and the beginning of true, lasting, uninterrupted joy.
I understand the desire for a long life, and especially for those who have no firm hope for life beyond. The grave yawns dark and cold and terrifying for those who approach it with uncertainty. But for those who approach it with confidence, we understand that, in its unique way, death is a release. ... Continue Reading