Covenant Theology is Not Replacement Theology
Covenant theology is accused of teaching that the New Covenant church has “replaced” Israel; not true.
Despite the abrogation of the national covenant by the obedience, death, and resurrection of Christ (Col. 2:14), the NT church has not “replaced” the Jews. Paul says that God “grafted” the Gentiles into the people of God. Grafting is not replacement, it is addition. Recently I had a question asking whether “covenant theology” is... Continue Reading
Patriarchy on Trial, Part Two
How did homeschooling convention planners and support group leaders come to accept the patriocentric agenda and even help advance it through their events?
Let me share my perspective as to when it did actually begin, how it grew, and how and why patriarchy jockeyed its way into control of Christian homeschooling. (This is so important because, again, some people believe that, in fact, the patriarchs were the founders of modern homeschooling.) In part one of this series, I... Continue Reading
Noah and Real Estate: Or, How Should We Then Read Genesis 6-9?
It is often the case that Old Testament scholars will insist that we need to read the Bible in its ANE context.
I would suggest that the other ANE flood stories are in fact almost no help in understanding Genesis 6-9. The Genesis Flood account is shorter and simpler than the ANE accounts. The fuller context of the Flood (Genesis 1-11 differs in profound ways from the ANE accounts. As noted previously, the ANE accounts are polytheistic.... Continue Reading
6 Types of Grace
It's helpful to know what grace looks like and what it does
You see, God’s grace is the most powerful force in the universe, so I would have to argue that it’s the most beautiful word in the universe. It reaches you where you are and takes you where God wants you to be. It has the power to do something that nothing else can do: transform... Continue Reading
Powerful Motives to Repentance
Thomas Watson’s little booklet on repentance is an excellent resource on confessing sin.
Lack of repentance means a hard heart – and a hard heart is the worst heart. It is called a heart of stone (Ezek. 36:26). Hard-heartedness is a sin that grieves Christ (Mark 3:5). A hard heart is not malleable; it is untuned for every duty. Weep with Peter in repentance, for a hard heart is... Continue Reading
And What About Divorce?
When it comes to debating homosexuality among Christians, the issue of divorce is both a smokescreen and a fire.
For starters, there are no groups in our denominations whose raison d’etre is the celebration of divorce. People are not advocating new policies in our churches that affirm the intrinsic goodness of divorce. Conservatives, in the culture and in the church, keep talking about homosexuality because that is the fault line right now. We’d love to talk... Continue Reading
My Wife Has Tattoos: Marriage, New Birth, and the Gospel
Today is the day of my wedding. And I am not marrying the girl of my dreams.
Many people wouldn’t put Taylor and me together. In high school, we probably would not have been friends. She probably would have thought that I was a nice, boring, judgmental Christian kid; I probably would have thought that she was a nice, lost, party-scene girl that guys like me are supposed to stay away from.... Continue Reading
Saints in Scripture
What does the Bible have to say about saints?
It may surprise you, but in the New Testament there is no process for canonizing saints. To become a saint, you did not have to die, then be nominated, then go through a judicial inquiry, where people look for proof of your worthiness and check to see if you have done miracles. That process came much... Continue Reading
Look Her in the Eye
A real life conversation on taking a pregnancy as a result of rape to term
Me: I have a friend who was conceived in rape. Do you mind if I call her and give you the phone so you could explain why it would be permissible for her be killed just because she was conceived in rape? Her mother is still alive, by the way. I’m sure that her continued... Continue Reading
This Is Why Pastors Should Be Educated in Music and Worship
A church's music either supports or prevents the biblical goals of its service
“We can easily recognize why such an elder must be theologically astute: he is making decisions in song choices concerning what kind of doctrine is taught to the minds of the congregation. So many theological problems have been perpetuated in churches because musicians with no theological education were making all the song choices. But we... Continue Reading