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Logical Errors of Affirming a Disjunct in John 10
The formal structure of a fallacious argument affirming a disjunct looks like this: A or B, A, Therefore not B. This is not a valid form of argument, yet it is a commonly utilized fallacy. Let’s look at two examples often inferred from John 10. John 10:11 reads, “I am...
9 Steps for Bible Exegesis and Exposition, Step #3: Identify Structural Keys
After verifying the text and translation of the passage we are considering, and after examining the background and context, we need to identify the structural keys – or building blocks – of the book so that we can recognize shifts in thought or argument, and...
The Tithing Myth
I recall once visiting a church, and on that morning the pastor said, “If you don’t tithe before you pay your electric bill, then you are sinning against God.” As I eagerly awaited the Biblical evidence, not surprisingly he produced none. On the contrary, a simple...
“The most effective leadership, management, and efficiency models share traits common with each other, and traits that are ultimately traceable to the pages of the Bible. While these models are often not intentionally rooted in Biblical concepts by those that promote the models, the models illustrate how applying Biblical principles can set a trajectory of success in enterprise and in life. Led By a Lion is designed to introduce some of these leadership, management, and efficiency models, but goes a step further in identifying the Biblical genesis of many of the core traits that fuel the success of these models.”
Comfort in the Midst of Tragedy
It surrounds us constantly. We can’t escape it, though sometimes we brush up against it without realizing how near it really is. The imminence of tragedy and heartache is a cold and unwelcome reality for all of us, as we were reminded by the awful flooding in...
Pope Francis: Belief in God Not Necessary?
On September 11, 2013, Pope Francis wrote a Letter to Those Who Do Not Believe, responding to Eugenio Scalfari, in answer to several questions, including whether or not God forgives and saves those who don’t believe in Him. Francis writes with admirable goals to...
Seth Godin, Star Trek, and the Meaning of Life
Seth Godin recently made the point that as more and more people have equipped themselves with cellphones and digital cameras, UFO’s have stopped visiting. His point is to illustrate that our increasing ability to debunk myth has had a somewhat rationalistic impact....
“This approach has the advantage of seeking to view all knowledge through the lens of Scripture, and to subject all knowledge to the authority of Scripture. It encourages science and research within the field of psychology. It offers a Biblical balance of description and prescription. Of course, if the Bible is unreliable, then the refractive power of Scripture is distortive rather than corrective, but the epistemological premise of this approach is that God’s word is authoritative and sufficient for our understanding, for our equipping, and for our practice. There are many extra-biblical resources that we can employ, but in seeking out how and when to do that, we mustn’t lose sight of the one reliable constant that God has provided for us – the Bible.” –Chapter 9
9 Steps For Bible Exegesis and Exposition Step #2: Understand Background and Context
Once we have established the boundaries of the passage we are studying, and are confident that we have the best reading, we can march ahead in our exegesis. In the second step, we seek to understand the background and context of the passage. First, we need to identify...
Paying God Back Is A Bad Idea
He was a man’s man. He was a fighter with a checkered past. He was kicked out of his family’s home by his half-brothers because he was not the son of their mother, and they wanted him to have no part in the family inheritance. He became a thug, associating with other...
What B.B. King Taught Me About Public Speaking
As an aspiring guitarist I would devour every bit of information I could get my hands on, and I listened to anyone who had skill beyond my own. I remember reading about an accomplished guitarist recounting how he had learned to tastefully play blues guitar. He...
“The Green Tree is an exceptional work…provides a vital tool for every Bible interpreter…Just as the root system is the foundation of a tree and directly impacts the health of a tree, hermeneutic method is at the root of one’s worldview. This illustration demonstrates that the hermeneutic method that an interpreter of the Bible employs will significantly affect the outcome. The tree will either be healthy, or it will not be healthy…The authors provide a unique examination of Revelation, Genesis, and Job that demonstrates that the LGH hermeneutic is derived from within Scripture, something that other hermeneutical methods fail to demonstrate. This is perhaps the most crucial principle demonstrated in The Green Tree, and it effectively demonstrates that the LGH hermeneutic is also the Biblical hermeneutic.” – Andrew Friend (Amazon Review)
9 Steps for Bible Exegesis and Exposition, Part 1: First Things First
Bible study is not the exclusive possession of pastors or seminary professors. All believers are called to know God – in fact, Jesus explains that knowing God is the very core of eternal life (Jn 17:3). Consequently, if we want to live well, we need to allow His word...
John MacArthur: “Jesus Didn’t Pay For The Sins of Judas or Hitler”
John MacArthur holds to Calvinism’s five points, including limited atonement (the “L” in TULIP). He departs from his generally literal hermeneutic in handling 1 John 2:2, arguing that ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου does not refer to the whole world “Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of...
Spiritual Gift Myth #5: There Are Individual Gifts of Pastoring, Apostleship, and Evangelism
In discussing the unity and maturing of believers, Paul describes in Ephesians 4 how God’s comprehensive and unified work results in grace for each individual believer (Eph 4:7). Each of us can rejoice, knowing that God has given us individually the grace we need,...
Is God a Jerk?
Ananias, you sold property to give money to the church. But then you kept some and said you didn’t. Dead. Sapphira – you did too? Dead. Uzzah, you reached out to protect God’s ark of the covenant from falling on the ground. Dead. Gehazi, you wanted some kickback for...
Why Social Media Makes Us Unhappy
A recent study from the University of Michigan showed that “Facebook use actually predicts declines in a user’s well-being.” While the study quantifies that Facebook use in young adults “may undermine” well being, the study doesn’t go so far as to attempt to explain...
The Importance of Rational Disinterestedness For Critical Thought and Civil Discourse
Loyalty is a beautiful thing. Loyalty to loved ones, family members, and even noble ideas, for example, is generally perceived as admirable. But loyalty to unworthy ideas is unbecoming, and even destructive. While not all belief systems are particularly concerned...
Q & A: Does the New World Translation accurately render John 1:1?
Q: John 1:1 in the New World Translation (NWT) reads, “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” This clearly references Jesus as divine but not God, Himself. Is this an accurate translation? A: The Greek transliterated is as...
Q & A: What is the problem of evil?
Q: What is the Problem of Evil? A: One questioner asks "Why do kids get cancer? Why are little girls raped and abused? Why does God allow the innocent to suffer? Why doesn't He stop the suffering if He can?" Before resolving a problem such as this one, it can...
Q & A: Does John 3:16 teach that we have eternal life right now?
Q: Does John 3:16 emphasize that "the believing one...has eternal life" from the point of salvation? It seems that some disagree that this passage teaches that, on grounds that in John 3:16 both final verbs are subjunctive, μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ᾽ ἔχῃ. A: For three basic...
Q & A: Sexuality, Christian Ethics, and the State
I received this question from a philosophy professor who was seeking to get a Christian perspective on this controversial issue: Q: In a moral issues class, during a discussion of same-sex marriage, a student stated, “I am a Christian. I would vote to deny marriage...