Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
“And it shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land,” declares the Lord, “they shall say no more, ‘The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.’ And it shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they miss it, nor…
Elsewhere, I have argued that there is grace in the so-called covenant of works (see, e.g., my colloquium essay, “A Response to ‘The Biblical Plan of Salvation,’” in The Auburn Avenue Theology: Pros and Cons , edited by Calvin Beisner (pages 118-148). It may be equally surprising to find justice…
Years ago, as a layman, I had the privilege of attending a Bible study led by a gifted teacher. His story was interesting: back when he was a student he had been severely sanctioned for affirming that one must repent in order to be saved, that one must trust Jesus…
Believing that God really exists Defining “faith” is sometimes made too complicated. The theologian, Louis Berkhof, for example, distinguishes “faith in general” from “faith in the religious sense and particularly saving faith.” Berkhof’s core definition of saving faith is not so bad. He says that it is “a certain conviction,…
It is generally acknowledged that when Paul wrote letters to churches, he expected his letters to be read in the worship service to the congregation. It is interesting, then, that when Paul wrote letters to a congregation he could feel free to address children and tell them to obey their…
Book 4 of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion is a classic work of ecclesiology. This book is the longest section of the Institutes , showing Calvin’s deep interest in and love for the church. Among its many salutary features is a full scale exposition of those ecclesiastical leaders Calvin…
Showing page 224 of 309
Showing page 1 of 43
Rosenstock-Huessy offers this synopsis of the beliefs of Dewey’s pragmatic followers: 1. God is immanent in society. 2. “Hman speech is merely a tool, not an inspiration; a set of words, not a baptism by fire.” Dewey exhorts us to find a new set of words to formulate a new…
The first 6 verses of 1 John 4 are organized in a roughly chiastic pattern: A. Test spirits, v 1 B. Confession, vv 2-3 C. From God/the world, vv 3b-4a D. We overcome them, v 4b C’. From God/from world, vv 5-6a B’. Hearing (AKOUO), v 6b A’. Spirits, v…
A friend, Jim Rogers of Texas A&M, sent along a rejoinder to my post summarizing Rosenstock-Huessy’s views on grant-supported research. He points out that grant support in science and social science is not intended to provide revolutionary break-throughs, but to support the empirical research necessary to confirm or deny theory-driven…
INTRODUCTION As Jesus predicted, false prophets arose in the first century, misleading many believers (Matthew 24:24; 1 John 4:1). Christians have to be on guard; not everyone who claims to speak for God does speak for God. But how can we tell? THE TEXT “Beloved, do not believe every spirit,…
Luke 22:18: Jesus said, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He was looking forward to a future kingdom and a future feast. That is a central theme of this meal: It…
As we’ll see in our sermon this morning, time is a good creation of God, and a good gift to us. Since that’s true, we are stewards, not owners, of our time. As stewards, we will have to give an account of how we use the time that God gives.…
Showing page 1744 of 2212
Your weekly digest for all things Theopolis.
