Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
John the Baptist says, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me . . . will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Mt. 3:11).” Much debate surrounds the nature of this statement and what exactly it prophesies. Sacramental, baptistic, and charismatic Christians…
First Corinthians is not considered one of the Pastoral Epistles, but there is much to learn from Paul about pastoring a congregation by the way he writes to the Corinthians. Briefly, 1 Corinthians is an exposition of the cross and resurrection. In the first fourteen chapters, Paul gives an exposition…
Fredrik Hagglund ( Isaiah 53 in the Light of Homecoming After Exile (Forschungen Zum Alten Testament) ) argues against the common notion that Isaiah 53 is about the atoning suffering of Yahweh’s Servant. The Servant’s suffering is vicarious (i.e., he suffers for the sins of others) but it is not…
With the inheritance of Canaan and the dividing up of this priestly territory among the tribes, Israel became a microcosm of the nations of the world. This division between Israel and the nations as a substitutionary “land and sea” would prevent another global rebellion, and thus another global judgment. ((For…
One of the more revealing aspects of Paul and James’ soteriology is the different ways they both use Genesis 15:6 (“And Abraham believed God and it was counted for him as righteousness,”) as a proof text to defend their comments about the gospel. The key observation to make is that…
The disintegration of the EU is not the end of the world. It is a sign that the end of the world is anything but nigh. Western culture as we know it is dying at the hands of usurpers, traitors and prodigals. Even the worst rulers throughout Christian history at…
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In Spirit, John ascends to the sky and steps through an open door into the throne room of God (Revelation 4). Like the hovering Spirit of Genesis 1:2, the Spirit that carries John unveils a sevenfold scene: 1) A throne and one sitting on it, Revelation 4:2b-3a. 2) An emerald…
Donald Trump's position paper makes the case for strong borders: “A nation without borders is not a nation. A nation without laws is not a nation. A nation that does not serve its own citizens is not a nation.” Pat Buchanan calls it an “invasion” and says that the issue…
In a classic 1962 paper, “The Denomination,” David Martin challenged the prevailing idea that a denomination is an “advanced stage in the development of a sect.” As a sect becomes wealthy and well-established, it softens its rigor, becomes more tolerant and less perfectionist, and eventually settles in comfortably as a…
“This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded that you do, that the glory of Yahweh may appear to you,” Moses tells the assembled Israelites (Leviticus 9:6). What is that thing we must do to see glory? The following verses answer that question. Aaron comes near to the altar, offers…
My colleague James Jordan likes to say that the tabernacle is made out of hearts. He cites Exodus 25:2: “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; every man whose heart moves him shall raise my contribution.” And Exodus 35:21: “Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone…
In their study of evangelicals and race, Divided by Faith , Michael Emerson and Christian Smith found that white evangelicals attribute American race problems to three causes: “prejudiced individuals,” “other groups - usually African Americans - trying to make race problems a group issue when there is nothing more than…
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