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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Paul’s discussion of Adam and Christ (Romans 5) is chiastically arranged: A. Sin enters the world and death through sin, vv 12 B. Sin before Law, but sin not imputed where there is no law, v 13 C. Transgression of Adam v free gift vv 14-16 D. Death reigned/reign in…
Romans 4 has been a central text in historic debates about justification. Naturally so, since here Abraham is presented as the model believer, who is reckoned righteous because he believes God’s promises. That’s accurate. Despite some denials from New Perspective commentators, Romans 4 does speak of Abraham as a model…
In a brief discussion of Genesis 1 in his Reading Genesis Well , C. John Collins summarizes the "illocution or rhetorical force" of the passage. What's the author trying to persuade his readers about? The narrative, he says, "shapes for Israel their vision of the good human life, as participating…
Alessandra Bocchi writes about the fate of Hong Kong's Christians at FirstThings.com . The freedom struggle there is about Hong Kong's independence. It's also a struggle for the freedom of the churches. Bocchi writes that "Hong Kong citizens fear that this extradition bill would give the Chinese government power to…
In Romans 3:21-22, Paul writes, "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe." Paul has already mentioned the righteousness of God. It's…
David French writes that the civil rights movement should give beleaguered Evangelicals hope in the current cultural malaise. He's partly right, partly wrong. He's right that white Christians have much to learn from the history of African American Christianity. Once Protestants formed the American elite. Nowadays, though theologically conservative Protestants…
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