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...
“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.”
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...
“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
The Basis and Mandate of Christian Ethics
The simplicity of Paul’s ethical mandate for believers is unmistakable in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whatever then you eat or you drink or whatever you do – all unto God’s glory you are to do.” In that context Paul challenges the Corinthian believers specifically to handle...
The Two Commissions in Matthew’s Gospel
In a now published thesis,[1] James Fazio draws attention to an important component of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life and ministry: specifically, that Jesus commissioned His disciples on two significant occasions, and for two very different purposes. The first,...
An Introduction to Solomon’s Philosophy of Mind and Concept of Self
Solomon uses the Hebrew word leb forty two times in Ecclesiastes. The term is more general than technical, and is typically translated as mind, heart, will, or inner man. It is worth noting that the word indicates a deep connection between the thinking and feeling...
“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)
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...
4 Basic Steps For Growing Biblical Understanding
What Does Romans Say About… (Part 1)
A downloadable PDF presentation on theological topics in the Book of Romans. Part 1 briefly considers the doctrines of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit
Genesis Overview (Synthesis)
A downloadable PDF overview of the Book of Genesis.
Tony Romo: NFL Hall of Famer
I certainly don’t wish to detract from Larry Allen’s well-deserved Hall of Fame moment, as he is inducted this weekend as part of the 2013 Class along with six other worthy NFL personalities. Congratulations Larry, you were the best offensive lineman in the history of...
A Caterpillar, A Snake, Birdpoop?
While working in her garden today, my lovely bride spotted the craziest looking creature with the face of a puppydog, the body of a caterpillar. In an odd sort of way, it reminded me of Revelation 4:7-8 (Four crazy looking creatures proclaiming the holiness of God)....
Top Ten 3:16’s in the Bible, Part 1: The Honorable Mentions
Chapter and verse divisions aren’t part of the original texts of the Bible. The chapter divisions were added around 1227 by Stephen Langton, the Hebrew Bible was divided into verses by Rabbi Nathan in 1448, and Stephanus developed the verse system for the New...
The Emergence of Philosophy, Part 2: Philosophy vs. Theology
While each of these perspectives offers somewhat convincing explanations prima facie, it is perhaps most likely that the justification for the rise in philosophy is not an either/or proposition exclusively, but that instead each of the elements discussed worked...