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 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.”
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...
“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
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...
“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)
John’s Gospel Through Three Lenses
A downloadable PDF highlighting some important themes in John's Gospel, from three vantage points (synthesis, exegesis, analysis).
Matthew 18:15-20 The Purpose and Nature of Correction in the Church
Introduction Because of its detail and sequence, Matthew 18:15-20 has long been recognized as a central passage in dealing with sin, conflict resolution, and discipline in the church. In these verses Jesus provides His disciples a pattern for dealing with a sinning...
Hebrews Overview (Brief)
A brief overview of the Book of Hebrews.
Freedom From What?
It’s a great day to think about freedom. In Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the concept of freedom is emphasized (free and freedom are mentioned seven times). In 5:1, Paul explains, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not...
Do We Value God’s Communication?
God has communicated to us in three ways. First, in creation itself – in nature: David describes the function of the heavens, for example, as declaring His glory (Ps 19:1-6). Paul adds that, “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power...
The Book of Revelation is Not Apocalyptic Literature
It may seem odd to suggest that the book entitled Apocalupsis does not belong to the genre of literature commonly referred to as apocalyptic, nonetheless that is my suggestion here. The term employed in the title of the book denotes a revelation or disclosure.[1]...
Common Myths About Spiritual Gifts – Myth #2: Speaking In Tongues is a Needed Evidence That We Have the Holy Spirit
With over 40,000 members, Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas is the largest church in the United States. For better or for worse, Lakewood and its leader Joel Osteen are profoundly influential. One significant area of influence is in the realm of spiritual gifts. A...
Five Lessons From the Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman Tragedy
It is fascinating how our society is sometimes captivated by the judicial process. George Zimmerman’s murder trial illustrates that our nation seems to welcome the opportunity to focus on the plight of an individual or small group of people. Public trials, as...
Common Myths About Spiritual Gifts – Myth #1: We Need a Second Work of Grace
The great Inigo Montoya once famously said, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” That line is apropos for many occasions, but it especially fits how we often understand spiritual gifts. Instead of recognizing spiritual gifts as...
Celebrating Life, Liberty, and Responsibility
“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that people started out inherently good, but through conventions of society they became ensnared (and thus, were in chains). In his view, people are free at first, but enslaved in the...