Patterns in Exposition: Biblical Dynamics for Preaching and Teaching
Biblical Rationale for Dynamics in Communication Just as we seek to discover our hermeneutic method from the pages of Scripture, and just as we seek to apply those principles consistently, we also need to recognize that Scripture has much to say regarding how we...
The Hermeneutic and Exegetical Implications of Descriptive and Prescriptive
The short-form process of discerning and appropriating the meaning of a Biblical passage includes the four basic steps of (1) observation, (2) interpretation, (3) correlation, and (4) application. The more detailed process exegetical process includes nine steps: (1)...
The Biblical Difference Between Preaching and Teaching
The Greek New Testament uses many different words to describe distinct methods of communicating. There are thirteen hundred and twenty-nine references in the Greek New Testament using forms of the word lego, which is to say or speak. Two hundred and ninety-six times...
“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.”
Epistemology’s First Task: Identifying the Source of Authority
In any worldview there is a necessary first step of establishing the source of authority. Simply put, our first step is a step of faith in determining who or what we will trust in order to answer the questions of life. This is the first task of epistemology. For Hume...
The Bible on Clark Pinnock’s Open Theism, Part 2
Other Passages Answer Clark Pinnock’s Open Theism Genesis 6:6 – God is sorry, and grieves. The LXX uses the word enthumeomai, which is simply to consider or think about, not to “be sorry” (See Mt 1:20). The Hebrew nachem is to have sorrow or to console oneself....
The Bible on Clark Pinnock’s Open Theism, Part 1
Exodus Answers Clark Pinnock’s Open Theism The problem of evil presents a challenge for philosophers and theologians who hold to the existence of God. Simply stated, the problem includes three conditional premises and a concluding question: If God is all powerful, all...
“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
What Kind of Literature is Genesis 1?
The Bible contains four basic genres of literature: historical narrative, poetry, prophetic, and epistolary. The genre classification of Genesis 1 is very important for our understanding of the overall message of Scripture, because the chapter deals with so many...
3 Ways to Understand and Communicate the Gospel
Sometimes it seems difficult to communicate the love of Christ to others. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer weight of Biblical data and become tongue-tied when trying to share how one can know Christ. Here are three ways to share God’s plan for salvation...
Psalm 90: New Year’s Resolutions For Every Day
Of the 150 psalms that constitute the largest book in the Bible, Moses penned only one, so we approach Psalm 90 with particular interest. What was so significant about the prayer of this one who spoke face to face with God (Exodus 33:11), that his prayer would later...
“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)
Hell No?
Satan’s encounter with Eve in the Garden is fascinating and very important for us to understand. His temptation of Eve, recorded in Genesis 3, represents several firsts: It is the first instance of an epistemological alternative to God’s design. Satan offers to Eve a...
A Dialogue on the Relationship of Apologetics and Philosophy to Evangelism
Biblical apologetics is a form of evangelism (1 Pet 3:15), and not a form of polemics. Also, Biblical apologetics technically has nothing to do with philosophical argument. However, in practice, the term apologetics is traditionally used to refer to principles and...
Why I am Not a Calvinist…Or an Arminian (Synopsis)
Presented to the Free Grace Alliance, National Conference, October 15, 2014 Introduction While we often desire to align with particular historical theological views, it is usually the case that historical perspectives are not fully adequate in explaining the...
An Interview on the State of Contemporary Dispensationalism
Interview conducted 10/07/2014 by Adrian Isaacs, M.Rel., Th.D (Cand.), for dissertation research at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. Isaacs: In your estimation, how would you describe the current level of scholarly, academic discussion regarding...
A Biblical Response to Difficulty in Life
Trials are inevitable. Every now and then we get a break, but in many ways life is a daily challenge. How does the Bible prescribe that we deal with these difficulties? James 1:2-4 exhorts believers to consider it all joy when we go through various kinds of...
Biblically Derived Premillennialism as a Necessary Condition for a Biblical Socio-Political Model
Presented to the Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics, 9/17/2014 at Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. Dispensationalists have been accused of, among other things,[1] being pessimistic (as by Marsden and Bube)[2] and anti-semitic...
Spiritual Gift Myth #4: I Can’t Help…I Don’t Have That Gift
Romans 12:6-8 describes eight gifts: prophecy, serving, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and mercy. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 lists nine manifestations of the Spirit: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of...
Top Ten 3:16’s in the Bible, Part 2: The List
While chapter and verse divisions aren’t part of the original text (we discussed last time how the divisions were added), they can be helpful if we don’t depend on them too much. In the last installment we considered the Honorable Mentions of 3:16 verses. This time we...
Desmond Tutu’s Rejection of “Homophobic God” Illustrates a Deeper Theological Problem
Promoting gay rights in South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu recently was outspoken on his prioritization of gay rights issues: “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place…I would not worship a...
Should My Blog Allow Comments?
Comments allow readers to be challenged further by engaging and synthesizing complementary and opposing views. Allowing comments aids greatly in the development of a readership community. Readers have opportunity, by their comments, to participate in the discussion...