Barabbas

Mere Discipleship & Cheapening Grace

2012-01-29T13:51:00.000-05:00

"'Salvation,' instead of being construed as the gift of a transformed, abundant life in the now-present kingdom of God, begins to be equated with an otherworldly reward. More crassly put, 'salvation' is increasingly viewed as a fire-insurance policy - rather than the gift of new life in the here and now that stands confident even in the face of death, 'salvation' becomes a 'Get Out of Hell Free Card,' guaranteeing an escape from the fires of torment and ensuring the receipt of treasures in heaven."

"Jesus of Nazareth, the Gospel accounts relate, always comes asking disciples to follow him, not merely 'accept him,' not merely 'believe in him,' not merely 'worship him,' but to follow him."

"A 'disciple' is a 'pupil,' a 'learner,' an 'apprentice,' one who typically follows a master or teach in order to learn how one should live and conduct one's life."

"For Paul, God's grace is always much more than mere legalistic forgiveness of sins; grace is not a mere forensic transaction in which the legal accounts are cleared so we will not be sent to hell in the afterlife. Grace is not merely pardon, but power: for Paul, the gifts of God's love are manifested not merely in forgiveness (thought certainly in forgiveness, which we desperately need), but also in freeing us from lives of 'slavery,' freeing us to be the people God intends us to be, seen most fully in the incarnation of Christ."

"Grace that is merely 'forgiveness' is what Paul calls 'sinning that grace may abound' (Rom. 6:1). Or is is what Bonhoeffer called 'cheap grace.' Grace does not merely provide forgiveness so that we may be forgiven, but empowerment to be the people of God, to be the body of Christ, to continue the work and ministry of Christ in human history."

"The Pauline epistles do not depict a cheap salvation by grace by which w are 'forgiven' by giving mental assent to 'Jesus as my Lord and Savior,' but a gospel that proclaims the power of resurrection working among us and in us, that Christ himself now works in us."

Lee Camp, Mere Discipleship, 22, 23, 105 113, 114, 157.

New Covenant Theology

2012-01-26T15:16:00.000-05:00

Twitter

2012-01-23T15:49:00.001-05:00

Follow me here:

https://twitter.com/#!/ABlakeWhite

Popular as What?

2012-01-22T17:13:00.004-05:00

"Even as our churches enjoy a measure of outward success, we remain the influenced, not the influential, as long as we shift our power-base from the ways of God to the ways of man, from Spirit-anointed biblical truth to human skills and novelties. Operating in a man-centered rather than a God-centered mode, our churches do not necessarily fail. They stand as good a chance of success as any other franchise network. Some even become popular - but popular as what? As a religious pasttime, or as a force for God?

-Ray Ortlund Jr., A Passion for God, 208

Douglas Moo & New Covenant Theology 2

2012-01-16T15:52:00.000-05:00

"We are justified in considering the Christian to be free from the commandments of the Mosaic law insofar as they are part of that system, and perhaps in the sense that whatever commandments are applicable to us come with a new empowering through the 'indicative' of God's grace in Christ. But we cannot conclude from this verse that the believer has no obligation to any of the individual commandments of that law - insofar, we may say, as they may be isolated from the 'system.' Still less does this verse allow the conclusion that Christians are no longer subject to 'law' or 'commandments' at all - for nomos here means Mosaic law, not 'law' as such." (390)

----from his Romans (NICNT).

Josiah Meets Asher for 1st Time

2012-01-15T16:47:00.000-05:00

Asher Is Here!

2012-01-13T10:07:00.001-05:00

Asher White (top) was born yesterday (1/12/12). Josiah was born 3/12/10. They are identical twins separated by 22 months, and we are grateful to God for both of them!

Should We Ever Look "in" for Assurance?

2012-01-09T14:44:00.000-05:00

Many Reformed and Lutheran folks say no. The Bible says yes:

1 John 2:5-6 "But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did" (NIV). How are we assured that we are in him? We must live as Jesus did. Seems pretty clear.

1 John 2:28 "And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming" (ESV). We are to abide in him so that we will have confidence (assurance) at his coming.

1 John 3:18-19 "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him" (ESV). We will know (i.e. have assurance) that we are Christians by loving in deed and in truth and by this we reassure our hearts before him.

2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" In other words, look at yourselves!

2 Peter 1:9-10 "For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall."

Let's strive to follow the New Testament vision of the Christian Life, rather than reducing it to fit our preferred theological model.

Mortification

2012-01-08T18:30:00.002-05:00

"No sin can be crucified in either life or heart, unless it first be pardoned in conscience, because there will be want of faith to receive the strength of Jesus, by whom alone it can be crucified. If it be not mortified in its guilt, it cannot be subdued in its power."

-William Romaine

Waiting on Asher . . .

2012-01-07T22:02:00.002-05:00

Jesus + Nothing = Everything Review

2012-01-05T15:19:00.002-05:00

I appreciated these comments from Patrick Schreiner's review of Tullian Tchividjian's book, Jesus + Nothing = Everything:

"Sometimes I feel as if it takes the teeth out of the imperatives in the Bible. Yes, I agree that the imperatives are fueled by the indicatives. Yes, I agree that if we give imperatives without grace they will never take root. Yes, I agree that we are saved not by what we do, but by Jesus alone.

However…there are roughly 550 imperatives in the Epistles, and therefore it is right and good for our pastors to give imperatives, and us not scream legalism. Tchividjian does put on his helmet, but it is more a protective helmet, in that he gives a nod of approval to the imperatives because he knows it is the right thing to do, but it is only a nod. In addition, justification is only ones of the metaphors for our salvation, and as others have pointed out, when this doctrine gets elevated sanctification gets the burnt edges."

Douglas Moo & New Covenant Theology 1

2011-12-29T09:43:00.000-05:00

"Paul does not depict the Christian as one who is under obligation to the specific stipulations of the Mosaic law. The Christian is no longer 'under the [Mosaic] law' . . . . but under 'the law of Christ." (170)

"As in John 1:17, then, 'law' and 'grace' [in Rom 6.14] contrast the old age of bondage and 'tutelage' (cf. Gal. 3:25) with the new age of freedom and 'sonship' (cf. Gal. 4:1-7; Rom 8:14-17)." (389)

"To be 'under law' is to be subject to the constraining and sin-strengthening regime of the old age; to be 'under grace' is to be subject to the new age in which freedom from the power of sin is available." (389)

--from his Romans (NICNT).

The Gospel Strips Us of our Delusion

2011-12-23T18:24:00.002-05:00

"Thinking deeply about the gospel is both necessary and beneficial because we are all so prone to self-sufficiency and self-reliance. The gospel serves us by stripping away vain-glorious delusion we harbor about our innate goodness and ability to please God though our self-generated effort. When I forget that the only way that God could stand to have me in his family was by crushing the Son he loves - that without the perfect record of someone else I could not stand before his judicious holiness, that on my own I do not have within me either the desire or the power to please God - I am tempted to believe that I'm really pretty good. And although I might need a nip or tuck, if I try hard enough, I can accomplish all he has called me to. It's when we forget the gospel, when we think we're not really all that bad, not so much in need, not so far from Christlikeness, that pride, arrogance, and the inevitable guilt crush hope and faith."

-Elyse Fitzpatrick, Because He Loves Me, 122.

Jesus Plus Nothing Equals Everything?

2011-12-20T10:52:00.000-05:00

I read Tullian Tchividjian's new book, Jesus + Nothing = Everything a month or so ago and was uncomfortable with it. I was intrigued to read it by a sermon he preached with the same title. It was from Colossians 1, but there wasn't much exposition of Colossians 1 in the sermon. It was mostly eloquent waxing on law/gospel type stuff. I experienced similar discomfort when reading Michael Horton's books The Gospel-Driven Life and Christless Christianity, as well as when I read Gerhard Forde. I experienced this same discomfort in Dr. Mark Seifrid's New Testament Theology class. Don't get me wrong, there is lots of good stuff in all of these books and Dr. Seifrid is a phenomenal NT scholar. My discomfort is basically with an over-elevation of justification. Again, I am all about the doctrine of justification! I love this doctrine! But it is not the major emphasis of the NT. In fact, it is really only explicated in two of the 27 letters. I believe justification is foundational, but there is a lot more in the Bible than forensic justification.

It seems to me that this Luther/Forde/Tullian/Horton brand of "gospel-centeredness" is imbalanced. The NT teaching on the transformation of new covenant believers, the empowering presence of the Spirit, the reality that our behavior pleases/displeases the Lord, and genuine warnings to believers are downplayed or muted in their writings. This version of the Christian life doesn't due justice to a lot of the teaching in the NT.

This brings me to the point of this blog post. David Murray has written three excellent and gracious blog posts interacting with Tullian's book:

As this movement gains popularity, I think voices like Murray are greatly needed.

One of the best resources on this whole discussion is a book called Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification edited by Donald L. Alexander. In it, Gerhard Forde represents the Lutheran view. Horton and Tullian love to quote Forde and similar Lutheran theologians. I think Sinclair Ferguson, who does the Reformed view, does a superb job showing the weaknesses of this "Lutheran" view of sanctification. His chapter is much better (though wouldn't agree with all of it since I am not a Covenant Theologian).

Craig Blomberg on the Christian View of Titles

2011-12-19T16:54:00.003-05:00

Here.

Already/Not Yet

2011-12-19T12:20:00.000-05:00

Dane Ortlund shares two excellent quotes on inaugurated eschatology:

-William Manson, 1953:

"When we turn to the New Testament, we pass from the climate of prediction to that of fulfillment. The things which God had foreshadowed by the lips of His holy prophets He has now, in part at least, brought to accomplishment . . .

The supreme sign of the Eschaton is the resurrection of Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Church. The resurrection of Jesus is not simply a sign which God has granted in favor of His Son, but is the inauguration, the entrance into history, of the times of the End. Christians, therefore, have entered through the Christ into the new age . . . What had been predicted in Holy Scripture as to happen to Israel or to man in the Eschaton has happened to and in Jesus."

--William Manson, ‘Eschatology and the New Testament,’ in Scottish Journal of Occasional Papers 2 (Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, 1953), 6

-Joachim Jeremias, 1971:

"There is nothing comparable to the resurrection of Jesus anywhere in Jewish literature. Certainly there are mentions of raisings from the dead, but these are always resuscitations, a return to earthly life. Nowhere in Jewish literature do we have a resurrection to doxa as an event of history. Rather, resurrection to doxa always and without exception means the dawn of God’s new creation.

Therefore the disciples must have experienced the appearances of the Risen Lord as an eschatological event, as a dawning of the turning point of the worlds."

--Joachim Jeremias, New Testament Theology: The Proclamation of Jesus (trans. John Bowden; New York: Scribner’s, 1971), 309

Christopher Hitchens has died.

2011-12-16T10:31:00.002-05:00

I thought these four posts were worth reading:

Tebow mic'd up against Chicago

2011-12-15T22:48:00.000-05:00

Satirical Reading

2011-12-13T11:21:00.000-05:00

If you are Emergent or Reformed, you should read these two books by Ted Cluck and Zach Bartels:

Kinda Christianity: A Generous, Fair, Organic, Free-Range Guide to Authentic Realness

Younger, Restlesser, Reformeder: A Good Natured Roast

Both will have you rolling if you are familiar with these movements. Note that the Kindle editions are significantly cheaper.

If you are a Dispensationalist, you really must read N.D. Wilson's Right Behind.

If you are a general evangelical Christian, Acuff's Stuff Christians Like is hilarious.

If you are not a fan of satire, don't get any of these!

Eschatology Books

2011-12-10T14:11:00.000-05:00

Dr. Moore from Southern Seminary shares his eschatology reading lists here.

Crucified or Magnified?

2011-12-08T10:44:00.000-05:00

"The satanic powers are watching you. They're peering into your life to see what catches your attention, what puffs up your ego. They're evaluating what kind of Babylon you want to build for yourself, and they'll make sure you get it. Satan is as ambitious for your goals as you are, maybe more so. He'll give you the power you want, the glory you crave, as long as you will fall down and obtain it his way. The powers don't care if we are respected or influential or moral or conservative, as long as we'd rather be magnified than crucified. Satan doesn't mind if our values are right side up, so long as our crosses are upside-down."

-Russell Moore, Tempted and Tried, 161.

2012 John Bunyan Conference

2011-12-08T09:54:00.001-05:00

The current issue of Sound of Grace announced the speakers for the 2012 John Bunyan Conference:

John G. Reisinger
Steve West
Blake White
Fred Zaspel
Thomas R. Schreiner

It should be a lot of fun. If you have never sat under Dr. Schreiner's teaching, he is a masterful exegete! I plan to talk about love and new covenant ethics. The date is April 23-25. The location is Reformed Baptist Church in Lewisburg, PA. Come if you can!

Awfully Strange

2011-12-05T11:40:00.001-05:00

"What would it mean if the leadership structures of our churches weren't as predictable as the leadership structures of every other organization in our communities? What would the outside world say if they saw, in the pictures of our Christian publications, people who would be rejected by the advertising industry for being too fat or too pimply or too awkward? What would our neighbors think, to see that our chairman of deacons has Down syndrome or that a minimum-wage janitor is mentoring the millionaire executive of the hotel chain where he cleans toilets? It would look awfully strange. But it would look no stranger than a starving, homeless wilderness wanderer turning down the opportunity to rule the world."

-Russell D. Moore, Tempted and Tried, 160

Pope Don Carson & his Magnum Opus

2011-12-02T10:27:00.001-05:00

I love D.A. Carson's work. Obviously, he is not my pope, but I take everything he says and writes seriously. He is a unique gift to the church. I have learned about Postmodernism, the new perspective on Paul, exegesis in ST, evangelism, biblical theology, and obviously NT studies from him.

One of the ways I have been most helped by Pope Don is the whole area of the NT use of the OT. He himself has taught, preached, and written on this subject often, and he is editor of the Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament along with G.K. Beale. He is also editor of the New Studies in Biblical Theology series. Pretty much every volume in that series is worth reading. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Carson one time in Ohio. Knowing he was busy, I just thanked him for that series. It has been a blessing.

In Andreas Kostenberger's biographical sketch on Carson, he mentions a major volume dealing with the NT use of the OT (p.3). I can't remember who or where, but I recall someone saying that he wanted to do more exegesis in preparation for this volume so he was going to pump out several more commentaries before writing this one.

In a recent article on Carson's theological method, Andy Naselli mentions this volume. He says:

"His magnum opus will be a two-volume ‘whole-Bible’ BT. He explained to me that he needs about twenty more years to do this well. He first desires to finish his commentaries on John’s letters, Galatians,
Hebrews, Revelation, and Ezekiel. Carson is one of those exceptional figures who is equipped to contribute an outstanding integrative BT that would serve as a reliable foundation for ST that is more genre-sensitive
and aware of the Bible’s storyline."

This is exciting! If you care about such things, pray for this project. I think it will be quite significant for the church.

Short NCT Videos

2011-11-30T08:33:00.001-05:00

Here.

Good Lookin' Out: Center Church

2011-11-29T21:07:00.001-05:00

This is gonna be good.

Read the OT in Light of the NT

2011-11-21T10:59:00.001-05:00

My wife and I are following the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan this year and read Amos 9 this morning. Amos 9:11-15 reads:

"In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, 12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name," declares the LORD who does this. 13 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. 14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them," says the LORD your God."

This is one of the passages that Dispensationalists like to grab hold of. "God made these promises to Israel and he will keep his promise to bless just like he kept his promise to curse. Israel has a special future," says the Dispensational theologian. I confess that if all I had was Amos, I might arrive at the same conclusion. Thankfully we have a divine commentary on Amos through the Holy Spirit and James. In Acts 15:12-19, we read this:

"And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 "'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.' 19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,"

So it turns out that James sees this passage in Amos as having fulfillment in the new covenant, the new community of Jews and Gentiles - that is, the church. I think I will go with James over Scofield. I'd encourage you to do the same.

Chrysostom and New Covenant Theology

2011-11-18T16:32:00.000-05:00

"The Law, then, as it was our tutor, and we were kept shut up under it, is not the adversary but the fellow-worker of grace. But if when grace is come it continues to hold us down, it becomes an adversary; for if it confines those who ought to go forward to grace, then it is the destruction of our salvation. If a candle which gave light by night kept us, when it became day, from the sun, it would not only not benefit, it would injure us. And so does the Law, if it stands between us and greater benefits. Those then are the greatest traducers of the Law who still keep it, just as the tutor makes a youth ridiculous by retaining him with himself when time calls for his departure."

-Commentary on Galatians 3:25-26

"What is New Covenant Theology" Book

2011-11-17T11:33:00.001-05:00

I am very excited about a current project seeking to define New Covenant Theology. It seems to me that what is lacking in the NCT movement is a balanced, clear, concise treatment of the essentials of NCT. There is a growing amount of theological literature available that I consider NCT, whether or not they use the label (see this book list).

I am currently about half way finished writing a "layman's guide" to NCT. I am seeking to articulate the core of what NCT is about in an accessible way. It has 7 chapters unpacking 7 essential points. Here they are:

Chapter 1 – OnePlan of God Centered in Jesus Christ

Chapter 2 – The OldTestament Should be Interpreted in Light of the New Testament

Chapter 3 – TheOld Covenant was Temporary by Divine Design

Chapter 4 – TheLaw is a Unit

Chapter 5 – Christiansare Not Under the Law of Moses, but the ‘Law’ of Christ

Chapter 6 – AllMembers of the New Covenant Community Have the Holy Spirit

Chapter 7 – TheChurch is the Eschatological Israel

I hope to be finished by May 2012 and would love your prayers!

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 4

2011-11-08T16:31:00.000-05:00

"Christians today often have difficulty understanding their faith vis-a-vis the Mosaic law. Legalism is not too difficult to define and renounce. But nomism continues in large measure within the Christian church generally and the lives of many believers in particular. Galatians, however, sets out a mandate for freedom, not only with regard to access before God but also with regard to a Christian lifestyle." (219)

"Most often Galatians is viewed as the great document of justification by faith. What Christians all too often fail to realize is that in reality it is a document that sets out a Christ-centered lifestyle - one that stands in opposition to both nomism and libertinism. Sadly, thought applauding justification by faith, Christians frequently renounce their freedom in Christ by espousing either nomism or libertinism, and sometimes (like the Galatians) both. So Paul's letter to the Galatians, though directly relevant to the Galatian situation, speaks also to our situation today." (235)

--Taken from his Galatians

ESV 2011 Update

2011-11-07T17:39:00.003-05:00

Crossway has provided a complete list of the changes made for the 2011 Text Edition here.

Halloween Candy Joke

2011-11-04T11:38:00.000-05:00

Spurgeon Bio Rap

2011-11-02T10:26:00.000-05:00

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 3

2011-10-28T16:30:00.000-05:00

But while Paul holds to the eternal validity of God's law as the standard of righteousness that condemns sin and thereby brings us to an intelligent and realistic act of repentance, he sees that revelatory standard as having reached its zenith in the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. So later he tells his Corinthian converts that though he is 'free' and 'not under the law,' yet he is 'not free from God's law' because he is 'under Christ's law' (1 Cor 9:19-21)." (176)

"But unlike the prophets and all forms of Judaism, Paul also denounces their nomism (so 2:17-21 and 3:19-4:7). For life controlled by law was instituted by God only for the period of his people's spiritual minority and until Christ should come. Now God's own 'in Christ' are to live as mature 'sons of God' and not in slavery to legal prescriptions." (177)

"It is for this reason that Judaism speaks of itself as being Torah centered and Christianity declares itself to be Christ-centered, for in Christ the Christian finds not only God's law as the revelatory standard preeminently expressed but also the law as a system of conduct set aside in favor of guidance by reference to Christ's teachings and example and through the direct action of the Spirit." (177)

--Taken from his Galatians

Awesome Marriage Song & Vid

2011-10-25T13:50:00.000-05:00

Packer on Why We Need the Puritans

2011-10-21T11:54:00.002-05:00

"The answer, in one word, is maturity. Maturity is a compound of wisdom, goodwill, resilience, and creativity. The Puritans exemplified maturity; we don’t. A much-traveled leader, a Native American (be it said) has declared that he finds North American Protestantism man-centered, manipulative, success-oriented, self-indulgent, and sentimental, as it blatantly is, to be 3,000 miles wide and half an inch deep. The Puritans, by contrast, as a body were giants. They were great souls serving a great God. In them clear-headed passion and warm-hearted compassion combined. Visionary and practical, idealistic and realistic too, goal-oriented and methodical, they were great believers, great hopers, great doers, and great sufferers."

From "Why We Need the Puritans"

(Props: J Starke)

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 2

2011-10-18T16:29:00.003-05:00

"Likewise in reading Galatians for spiritual profit, we need to recognize that both 'legalism' and 'nomism' [i.e. living by the law] are being dealt with - mainly the latter, though with implications for the former - and not assume only the former (as is usually done). Otherwise, we fall into the trap of being 'half-Judaizers' in practice and possibly worse in theory." (96)

"As given by God to supervise the lifestyle of his people Israel, its function as a supervisory custodian has come to an end with the work of Christ. To go back, then, to living a life regulated by law, even though motivated by a fervent piety, is to live a sub-Christian life - in effect, to renounce Christ in our actions."

"Being 'in Christ' is the essence of Christian proclamation and experience. One may discuss legalism, nomism, and even justification by faith, but without treating the 'in Christ' motif we miss the heart of the Christian message. Likewise, Christians may live conscious of being 'justified by faith' apart from legalism, but without being conscious of living 'in Christ'; consequently, they often revert to some form of nomistic lifestyle. The climactic focus of Paul's Galatians argument (the probatio) is on being 'in Christ,' just as it is in the argument of his Romans letter, moving from justification-type arguments in 1:18-5:11 to incorporation-type arguments that climax with the 'in Christ' motif in 5:12-8:39. And so the focus of Christians seeking to live out their commitments in a truly biblical fashion should be on being 'in Christ,' without reverting to some nomistic experience. Christians today can applaud Paul's antilegalist polemic of 3:1-18. Yet by ignoring his antinoist presentation of 3:19-29, which climaxes in the 'in Christ' motif of vv 26-29, they may actually find themselves reproducing the Judaizers' error, despite protestations of piety and earnestness." (159)

-Taken from his Galatians

Given the Spirit & Taught by God

2011-10-17T06:30:00.000-05:00

For Paul, as well as for all learned 1st Century Jews, Ezekiel 36 and Jeremiah 31 were very important passages. They are two key new covenant passages and Paul sees these as having been fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ and the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost. Notice that the tense of the verb “give” is future in Ezekiel 36. When Paul quotes it in 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul uses a present participle. I want to point out the similarities between the promises given in Ezekiel 36-37 and what Paul writes here. Note that didonta and dōsō are from the same verb didōmi:

· 1 Thess 4:8 - God who gives (didonta) his Holy Spirit (to pneuma autou) to us (eis hymas)

· Ezek 11:19 - I will give (dōsō) them an undivided heart and give (dōsō) a new spirit (pneuma) in them (en autois); I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

· Ezek 36:26 - I will give (dōsō) you a new heart and a new spirit (pneuma) in you (en hymin)

· Ezek 36:27 - And I will give my Spirit in you (to pneuma mou dōsō en hymin) and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

· Ezek 37:6 - I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will give my Spirit to you (dōsō pneuma mou eis hymas), and you will come to life.

· Ezek 37:14 - I will give my Spirit to you (dōsō to pneuma mou eis hymas) and you will live.

Now notice the similarities between 1 Thessalonians 4:9 and Jeremiah 31 and Isaiah 54:

· 1 Thess 4:9 – Because you have been taught by God (theodidaktoi)

· Isa 54:13 - All your children will be taught by the LORD (didaktous theou), and great will be their peace.

· Jer 31:34 - No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. (38:34 LXX) (kai ou mē diaxōsin hekastos ton politēn autou. . . . hoti pantes eidēsousin me)

Notice that what Jeremiah and Isaiah saw as a future has become a present reality for the Thessalonians. They have been taught by God.

Female Deacons

2011-10-13T11:06:00.001-05:00

There are two main passages dealing with female deacons. Both are debated, but as I hope to show, are actually quite clear. The first passage is Romans 16:1-2, which says, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon [diakonos] of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help (parastete) she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Here is a list of other translations who translate the verse similarly:

There are five main reasons to take this verse to mean that Phoebe was a deacon:

1. Paul names her office to strengthen her commendation.

2. The phase “of the church in Cenchreae” points to the fact that she held an office there.

3. Paul never uses the noun diakanos to refer to the service of Christians in general. In Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:8, and 1 Timothy 3:12, he uses it to refer to the office of deacon.

4. The wording Paul uses points to an office. Literally, it reads, “I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, being (ousan) [or ‘who is’] a deacon of the church in Cenchrae.” As Dunn points out below, “deacon” plus the present active participle of eimi points to a recognized office.

5. In verse two, Paul describes “deacon work.” She was a benefactor to Paul and many others.

It is also important to note that every major commentator on the book of Romans agrees that Phoebe was a deacon. Let’s let them speak for themselves: F.F. Bruce, Douglas Moo, James Dunn, N.T. Wright, Charles Cranfield, and Tom Schreiner.

Early evidence suggests that deacons were primarily charged with visiting the sick, helping the poor and perhaps financial oversight. Phoebe would have no doubt excelled in hospitality since she lived in a port city.

1 Timothy 3.11

First Timothy 3:11 reads, “In the same way, the women (gunaikas) are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.” The main question here is, “Should gunaikas be translated wives or women?” I want to make the case for women, but it is vital to point out, as Tim Keller does, that “either way, the text is teaching that women can and should do diaconal work alongside the deacons and in a way recognized by the congregation (after all, they are screened and selected). These may have been female individuals selected to do diaconal work with the deacons or wives appointed to do it together with them. But either way they were doing it.”[1]

There are three primary reasons for seeing this verse as referring to female deacons. First, the most natural reading is “women.” If Paul meant deacon wives, he could have made this very clear (with diakonon or auton). The ESV and NKJV inexcusably add “their” to the Greek text. Unless context makes it clear that Paul is talking about wives, the word gunaikas should be translated “women” (so NIV, NRS, YLT, NAS; e.g. 1 Cor 5:1, Eph 5:22, Col 3:19). By simply using “women” without qualification, he is referring to women in general, not the wives of deacons.

Second, the structure of the verse suggests that Paul is thinking of three categories: male overseers, male deacons, and female deacons. Notice that Paul introduces the women here in the same way he introduced the men in 1 Tim 3.8 with “in the same way” (hosaoutos). Paul lays out the qualifications for male elders in 3:1-7. In 3:8 he says “in the same way” there are similar qualifications for male deacons. In 3:11, he says “in the same way” and says the same qualifications for men who are deacons also apply to women deacons as well. Verses 8-10 are about male and female deacons. Verse 11 lists a couple more for female, while verses 12-13 list additional requirements for male deacons. The verb “are to be” or “must be” (ESV) (dei) in 3:2, 3:8, 3:11 shows there are three categories:

3:1-7 - Male Overseer Is To Be

3:8-10 - In the same way Male Deacons Are to Be

3:11 - In the same way Female Deacons Are to Be

Third, if Paul were referring to the wives of deacons, why did he not include qualifications for the wives of elders? As Mark Driscoll writes, “It would be absurd to believe male deacons are held to a higher standard than male elders, who hold the highest position of authority in the church. Therefore, the verse cannot logically be accepted as an additional requirement for the wives of male deacons.”[2]

Paul does not mention women under elders because elders are to be male only. This is not the case with the office of deacon. The qualifications of 3:12 are very similar to those required of deacons. Deacons organize other servants. They, under the leadership of the elders, give themselves to practical service to the needs of the congregation (Acts 6), not teaching (1 Tim 3:2) and not managing the church (1 Tim 3:5). Elders lead and teach; deacons serve.

It is sort of funny to me how some of those who are so critical of female deacons have youth ministers, ministers of education, nursery assistants, or ministers of music. Where in the Bible do you find such offices? And what about licensing and ordination? As Driscoll notes, “Every church does have women in positions of leadership, even if their roles are restricted to administration, women’s ministries, and children’s ministries. Unless a church calls such women by the biblical title of deacon and hold them accountable to the biblical qualifications for their leadership, they are forced to invent titles like director and such. This is problematic because it has no biblical precedent. Therefore, a church should have only male elders who are the senior leadership in the church but who are free to appoint both male and female deacons as assistant leaders as needed. Indeed, some churches will disagree with us, and our only response would be a loving request that they reconsider the Scriptures on this point.”[3]

--For more evidence, documentation, and historical support, go here.

[1] Keller, “The Commissioning (Not Ordaining) of Deaconesses.”

[2] Mark Driscoll, Vintage Church (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008), 76.

[3] Driscoll, Vintage Church, 76-77.

There is a Problem with Celebrity Pastors

2011-10-13T09:04:00.002-05:00

From Carl Trueman:

"The issue is that there is a real problem -- in fact, many real problems -- to which some are trying to draw attention. There is a problem with the yob aesthetic, the arrogant stage swagger, the stand-up routines, the obsession with talking about sex in sermons which puts some of these conference headlining pastoral role models about as far from Paul's vision of leadership as possible; there is a problem with pastors who tell their people they will only visit them in hospital once they have been placed in a body bag; there is a problem with pastors who make videos which ape the aesthetics of the mainstream media and focus on the pastor, not the pastor's God; there is a problem with churches of thousands of people, few of whom ever get to meet an elder, let alone the pastor; there is a problem with church planting strategy that is so wedded to the cult of the one man that he has to be skyped in to the community; there is a problem when a man has to phone the librarian at Westminster Seminary with a pastoral issue because nobody at his home church of thousands has the time to speak to an ordinary church member about his crisis of faith."

Read the rest here.

NIV 2011 & HCSB

2011-10-12T16:59:00.001-05:00

Here is a helpful piece on the NIV and the HCSB from Matthias Media.

(propas: Rilo)

Courageous Review

2011-10-11T14:16:00.004-05:00

I haven't seen the movie yet, but this was an interesting review. Here is an excerpt:

"Courageous rejects nuance and the cross-bearing pilgrimage of the Christian life for artificially neat resolutions to the prayers of its one-dimensional characters. Sherwood continues to make films with God functioning primarily as a tool for our lives—whether he’s helping us win football games, repair our struggling marriages, or helping us find a job within seconds of a cry to the heavens. Brief, passing references to the gospel are only seen useful to convert a skeptic, who in a few tearful seconds somehow embraces the faith. Despite all the sermonizing dialogue—the story’s form and emphatic message has all of its focus on us and our accomplishments, not Christ and his work for us. In what could be page out of a John Elridge book, the “manly” vocation of police officer is used as the icon of fatherhood. Violent shootouts and car chase stunts ensure being a godly dad also looks as glorious as possible. Even the poster image calls to mind the slow-motion hero shot popularized by Michael Bay. As for the women, they are given little to do than look on approvingly."

**************Update***************

I have been told that this review is unfair and inaccurate. Go watch the movie for yourself!

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 1

2011-10-11T09:58:00.001-05:00

To my knowledge, NT Professor does not use the label 'New Covenant,' but his exegesis sure lines up with NCT. If you have read any of my books, you will quickly notice that I go overboard with footnotes. I do this to show, that although they may not use the label NCT, there are many OT and NT scholars that are putting the Bible together the same way NCT does. Now to the excerpts:

"My own understanding of Paul at this point is that Paul directs his attack not just against legalism, which the Old Testament prophets and a number of rabbis of Judaism denounced as well, but against even the Mosaic religious system, for he saw all of that as preparatory for and superseded by the relationship of being 'in Christ.'" (85-86)

"To revert to the Mosaic law as a Christian is what really constitutes breaking the law, for then the law's true intent is nullified." (91)

"(1) the law's purpose was to work itself out of a job and point us beyond itself to a fuller relationship with God; (2) Christ's death on the cross and our spiritual identification with his death effects freedom from the jurisdiction of the Mosaic law; and (3) the Christian's focus is to be on Christ, who lives within us and to whom we look for direction in life. In effect, while Jews and Christians deny the validity of a legalistic use of the law, Jews hold to a nomistic or Torah-centered lifestyle in expressing their faith and Christians are to be Christ-centered in expressing theirs." (91)

--Taken from his Galatians.

Good Lookin' Out: Union with Christ

2011-10-07T14:05:00.003-05:00

I love the doctrine of union with Christ (I hope to have a short book published on this topic soon). I also love the work of Robert Letham. Combine these two and boom! Good stuff. His book is now listed at Amazon but is not yet available (also see WTS). Add it to your wish list and wait patiently. Here is the Table of Contents and here are some sample chapters.

God is at Work

2011-10-07T12:01:00.001-05:00

"God is at work, through scripture (in other words, through the Spirit who is at work as people read, study, teach and preach scripture) to energize, enable and direct the outgoing mission of the church, genuinely anticipating thereby the time when all things will be made new in Christ. At the same time, God is at work by the same means to order the life of the church, and of individual Christians, to model and embody his project of new creation in their unity and holiness."

--N.T. Wright, The Last Word, 138

The Love of Christ

2011-10-07T10:04:00.000-05:00

Gospel Experience

2011-10-06T14:13:00.000-05:00

"It is one thing to understand the gospel but is quite another to experience the gospel in such a way that it fundamentally changes us and becomes the source of our identity and security. It is one thing to grasp the essence of the gospel but quite another to think out its implications for all of life. We all struggle to explore the mysteries of the gospel on a regular basis and to allow its message to influence our thinking."

-J.D. Greear, Gospel, xv.

Inclusive Language Debate

2011-10-03T12:47:00.003-05:00

Translation is very complex work. Sadly, many think its black and white, especially regarding gender. If you are interested in learning more about translation philosophy, I highly recommend D.A. Carson's The Inclusive Language Debate. You can now access the book for free here. If you are one to critique gender accurate translations, you really ought to read this one.

The Christian Life for Paul

2011-09-28T16:51:00.002-05:00

"The Christian life in Paul's teaching is (a) based upon the fact of a new creation 'in Christ,' (b) directed through the correlation of the 'law of Christ' and the 'mind of Christ,' (c) motivated and conditioned by the 'love of Christ,' (d) enabled by the 'Spirit of Christ,' and (e) expressed in a situation of temporal tension between what is already a fact and what has yet to be realized. Although they can be spoken of separately, all these elements must be combined and merged in our consciousness if the apostle's thought is to be rightly understood and the Christian ethic truly exhibited."

-R. Longenecker, The Ministry and Message of Paul, 100-01.

Growtivation

2011-09-26T08:39:00.000-05:00

3 Killer Keller Articles

2011-09-23T10:41:00.003-05:00

I have learned more about gospel centrality from Tim Keller than I have from any other teacher. Here are three great articles by him that I first read in 2005 that are worth your time:

For more Keller resources, see Steve McCoy's page.

The Essentials of NT Ethics

2011-09-21T16:42:00.002-05:00

1. A sense of the advance of redemptive history from an abrogated Old Covenant economy to an abiding New Covenant economy (John 1:17; Heb. 10:9; 13:20).

2. Moses himself pleads for us to listen, not to himself, but to the Prophet of whom he wrote (Deut. 18:15, 18; Acts 3:22-23; 7:37).

3. God himself has spoken from heaven and has commanded us to listen to the Son of whom Moses wrote (Heb. 1:1; Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Acts 7:37).

4. Christ's death on the cross ratifies his New Covenant and establishes an authoritative basis for his New Commandment (1 Cor 11:25; John 13:34-35; 15:12-13).

5. Paul's ethical orientation was centered, not in the Law of Moses, but in the 'law of Christ' (Gal. 6:2; 1Cor 9:21).

6. When the New Testament draws ethical instruction and example from the Old Testament, it is always qualified by redemptive historical realities (1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 3:7-4:11; Col. 2:16-17; Acts 10:14-15; 15:10-21; 2 Tim. 3:15).

-Jon Zens, This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!, 90-91.

VeggieTales v.s. Christianity

2011-09-20T16:11:00.005-05:00

From the creator of Veggie Tales:

After the bankruptcy I had kind of a forced sabbatical of three or four months of spending time with God and listening to Him. I looked back at the previous 10 years and realized I had spent 10 years trying to convince kids to behave Christianly without actually teaching them Christianity. And that was a pretty serious conviction. You can say, "Hey kids, be more forgiving because the Bible says so," or "Hey kids, be more kind because the Bible says so!" But that isn't Christianity, it's morality.

Read the whole interview here.

Good Lookin' Out: New Gospel Centered Books

2011-09-19T11:54:00.006-05:00

The Holy Spirit is at work in the American church. We could point to all sorts of places and be pessimistic, but Christians should be encouraged by the renewal of interest in Christ crucified. Here is a sampling of new books that I am eager to read:

Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian
Gospel by J.D. Greear
Note to Self by Joe Thorn
Gospel-Centered Ministry by Keller and Carson
Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson
The Gospel Commission by Michael Horton
The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler
What is the Mission of the Church by DeYoung and Gilbert
For Calvinism by Michael Horton
Defiant Grace by Dane Ortlund

Be thankful for the vast amount of resources available to us.

Did I miss any?

Loraine Boettner & New Covenant Theology

2011-09-15T16:39:00.002-05:00

"The old order died when Christ died. No requirements from the Old Covenant are binding upon the Christian except the moral principles that are repeated in the New Covenant. The Old Testament is our history book. It is not our law book."

-"Response to Dispensational Premillennialism," in The Meaning of the Millennium, 98.

Sandra McCracken - Thy Mercy My God

2011-09-11T16:20:00.000-05:00

Mutual Love & Mission

2011-09-10T16:33:00.003-05:00

"By this shall all men know you are my disciples" [John 13.35 on loving one another]

"The importance of this love perspective is further reinforced by Christ's words in 13:35. The one characteristic that he isolates as bearing testimony to the world about the reality of the Christian faith is brotherly love. Not right doctrine, nor denominational creeds, nor persuasive preaching, nor impressive sanctuaries, nor elaborate social programs, nor vast numbers, but genuine and discernible love between believers. In the Reformed tradition the historical 'marks' of a 'true church' are identified as: (1) the Word preached, (2) the ordinances properly administered, and (3) discipline practiced. But we can have all these 'marks' and yet miss the one identifying 'mark' that Christ says is the only one that matters. Without love, all else is in vain (1 Cor. 13:1-3). As his followers, we need the love of our Lord as described in John 13:34 more than anything else."

-Jon Zens, This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!, 13

False Worship

2011-09-08T09:21:00.000-05:00

A Comedian's View on Postmodernism

2011-09-07T12:32:00.000-05:00

Reading List

2011-09-07T09:38:00.007-05:00

More often than not nowadays, this blog ends up being about books. My reading list is taller than me, but here is the 'short list' of books I am currently reading or hope to read in the near future:

Colossians Remixed by Walsh and Keesmaat - I plan to teach through Colossians soon.
God Without Religion by Farley - Interested in this one because of an interview I read of the author.
New Covenant Morality by Deidun - Because I have seen this thing footnoted by everyone and their dog.
Apostle of the Crucified Lord by Gorman - Gorman is an exegetical beast.
Covenant and Community by Klassen - I think I have lots in common theologically with Pilgram Marpeck and hope to learn from him and about him.
Progressive Dispensationalism by Blaising and Bock - Re-reading this one to make sure I represent them fairly.
Sheet Music by Leman - Because sex is extremely important in marriage and I want to continually learn to serve my wife better in the bedroom.
Introducing Paul by Bird - I really like Michael Bird's "via media" between the Reformed tradition and the new perspective.
Jesus & the Victory of God by Wright - I'm 500 pages into this gem. I think all pastors should work through the "Christian Origins and the Question of God" series. It is that important.
Counterfeit Gods by Keller - Because who doesn't love Keller?
Rediscovering the Church Fathers by Haykin - I didn't get much exposure to the Fathers in seminary and am seeking to remedy that. Plus, the Fathers are awesome.
The Israel of God by Robertson - Since Israel is so important in biblical theology
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tripp - Cuz parenting is hard and I want all the wisdom and insight I can get.
Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by Carson - I am long overdue on this one.
Anabaptism in Outline by Klassen - I wasn't exposed to much Anabaptism in seminary either. I have been slowly delving in, and am loving it. This one looks wonderful.
The Cross and the Spirit by Cosgrove - Galatians is my favorite NT letter. I hope to read several of the major monographs eventually.
The Anabaptist Vision by Bender - Same as Klassen above. I find I resonate with them big time.
The Courage to be Protestant by Wells - because the air we breath is pomo & pragmatic.
A Primer on Postmodernism by Grenz - Wanting to see a pro-pomo perspective.
The Reformers and Their Stepchildren by Verduin - More Anabaptism

Have you read any of these? Thoughts? What are you hoping to read soon?

Plummer on New Covenant Theology

2011-09-04T16:57:00.003-05:00

"Covenantal theology, a common Reformed approach to the Scriptures, attempts to view all post-fall relationship between God and his people under the canopy of a covenant of grace. Nevertheless, the old covenant-new covenant distinction present in Scripture would lead us to eschew the term 'covenant of grace' in favor of more explicit biblical categories. Conceptually parallel to the distinction between old and new covenants, the apostle John writes, 'For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ' (John 1:17). One should not understand the old covenant stipulations as intending to save or transform (and thus not subsumed under a covenant of grace) but primarily as intending to prophesy and prepare for the necessity of the new covenant instituted by Messiah Jesus. The theological system that attempts to systematize the Bible through the lens of old and new covenant, especially focusing on the 'newness' brought in Jesus, is called 'new covenant theology'."

-Robert Plummer, 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible, 155.

Gangsta???

2011-09-03T11:08:00.004-05:00

(Fundy Friends: this is in no way an endorsement of Lil Wayne's music, lyrics, theology, worldview, beverage preferences, narcotic usage, misogyny, immorality, dress, hair, or any thing else. Just thought it was funny. Please no hating in the comments)

Jesus is Alive - Shai Linne

2011-08-28T10:43:00.000-05:00

Tim Chester Review of Horton

2011-08-27T14:08:00.005-05:00

Tim Chester posted a short review of Horton's new systematic theology, The Christian Faith. I have thought about plowing through it, but haven't committed myself just that. I resonated with Chester's comment concerning the difference between Grudem and Horton:

"Grudem's book is a good reference book, but it tends to involve 'doing theology by making lists' with proof texts. Horton is 'doing theology by telling a story' - the story of the Bible and the story of the church wrestling with the biblical record. This makes it a far more engaging read."

Looking backward, forward, and outward.

2011-08-22T14:51:00.001-05:00

"The lives of the people of Israel look backward to creation; they embody God's original creational design for the whole of human life. Their lives look forward to the consummation; they are a sign of the goal to which God is taking redemptive history: the restoration of all human life to its original blessing in the context of a restored creation. Their lives are to face outward to the nations; they are to be a contrast community, leading lives that differ from those of the peoples around them."

Goheen, A Light to the Nations, 193.

Dikaiosune Theou

2011-08-20T12:03:00.001-05:00

Patrick Schreiner has a helpful summary of a series of blogs by Nick Nowalk on the phrase "righteousness of God" in Paul. Check it our here.

Until That Day Arrives

2011-08-18T14:41:00.002-05:00

"The confidence of the early Christians rests on their certain knowledge that Jesus is alive and has risen from the dead. Alive again from the dead, Jesus has become the firstborn into the resurrection life to come, and the future of cosmic history is settled. But before he ascends to take his rightful place of authority as Lord of all creation and history, he meets his little group of followers, those whom he has gathered, and commissions them as the renewed Israel, the new humankind charged to continue his mission of making known the good news of the kingdom and gathering in the nations until he returns. He then takes his place at the right hand of God the Father to reign in love, justice, and power over all creation and history. He pours out his Spirit on this little community of restored Israel to make known his healing and comprehensive rule in and through his people, as they embody and proclaim the good news to the ends of the earth. He leaves them with a promise: one day he will return as judge of all to finish his work of restoration. Every knee will bow to him and every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus is Creator, Redeemer, and Lord. But until that climactic day arrives, the members of his church are taken up into the Spirit's work of making known in their lives, deeds, and words the good news of what God has done for the world in Jesus."

Goheen, A Light to the Nations, 18.

Classic Cash

2011-08-17T18:05:00.000-05:00

Spiritual Productivity

2011-08-13T14:38:00.002-05:00

"The last thing you and I want to do is waste our lives on religious activity that is devoid of spiritual productivity - being active in the church but not advancing the kingdom of God. We don't want to come to the end of our days on earth only to realize that we have had little impact on more people going to heaven. Yet if we are not careful, we will spend our lives doing good things in the church while we ultimately miss out on the great purpose for which we were created."

-Platt, Radical Together, 8.

Cheap Grace

2011-08-09T12:09:00.000-05:00

"The Bible therefore warns us about those who teach 'cheap grace,' which downplays our need for faithful obedience, turns God's forgiveness into a license to sin, and pits the life of the Spirit against God's Law. Instead of calling for moral transformation (2 Cor. 3:18), cheap grace says, 'Don't be so hard on yourself; after all, you're only human! Relax! The Cross and Spirit mean that judgment is over for you!' Cheap grace despises God's authority to judge, winks at sin among God's people, and offers false comfort to those living in sin, rather than summoning them to repentance in the fear of God . . . . The Cross and the Spirit do not free us from judgment, bur provide for us the ground (i.e., God's forgiveness) and means (i.e., God's power) to live lives pleasing to God in preparation for judgment (2 Cor. 5:9-10; Phil. 1:10-11; 2 Pet. 1:3-11)."

--Scott Hafemann, The God of Promise and the Life of Faith, 182.

Trying in a New Way

2011-08-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

“To trust Him [Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you."

Lewis, Mere Christianity, 121.

False Advertisement

2011-07-30T10:21:00.001-05:00

Alicia and I have found this to be the norm so far. Pretty frustrating.

NIV Reviews

2011-07-29T11:24:00.002-05:00

Rodney Decker has written a 39 page review here.

Dan Wallace has a 4 part review:

A few excerpts from Wallace:

" Although ‘over 100 scholars’ seems like overkill for a good translation (a much smaller group could do as good a job if not better), the NIV’s multinational and multidenominational workforce removes it from any charges of sectarian bias."

"The primary focus of the NIV 2011 is an accurate translation (more on this later), and one has to admit that they have accomplished this objective admirably."

"The scholarship behind the NIV 2011 is probably as good as it gets."

"The NIV is strong on readability and somewhat strong on accuracy, while the ESV is strong on elegance and somewhat strong on accuracy and, less so, on readability. The NET is strong on accuracy, somewhat strong on elegance (though this is patchy), and semi-strong on readability."

"In sum, what can we say overall about the NIV 2011? First, it is a well-thought out translation, with checks and balances through rigorous testing, overlapping committees to ensure consistency and accuracy, and a publisher willing to commit significant resources to make this Bible appealing to the Christian reader. The commitment of the CBT, Biblica, the NIV translators, and Zondervan is truly stunning. A serious investment of money and manpower has produced this translation. And why? To encourage the believer in Jesus Christ to seek his face in the scriptures, and to grow in grace because of what he or she sees. The obvious dedication of all the principals to the Bible as God’s Word must not go unnoticed. This is a translation by believers for believers. And precisely because the translators represent various denominations and countries, as well as positions about the role of women in the church, the NIV 2011 has an incredibly strong foundation. The unity that is the NIV produced from such diversity speaks well for the health of the Church today. The translators model what believers are to be like.

Second, the scholarship that produced this version is excellent, both in text and translation decisions. The textual basis and rendering of difficult expressions in the original are bold features that warrant our gratitude. This is no fly-by-night operation. Unspeakable effort has gone into the production of this version of the Bible, with thousands of decisions being made by individuals and committees, all under the purview of the prime mandate of the CBT. For this, believers everywhere can and should thank God for the NIV, because it is what it purports to be: the eternal word of God in the language of English-speaking people today.

Third, there are problems with this translation, of course. But there are problems with every translation. Not a single one is perfect, though some are significantly better than others. The New World Translation, because of its strong sectarian bias and downright impossible renderings of the text in many places where the original text contradicts the core beliefs of this group, is far and away the worst translation in English dress. On the other end of the spectrum are some gems, and the NIV 2011 is one of them. Although it is easy for people to become pseudo-informed about Bible translations through the Internet, a far more valuable exercise would be to find a good version and read it. And for readability, the NIV 2011 has no peers. Debates over which translation is better ultimately are a major distraction whose fire the Enemy loves to stoke. As with the handful of other exceptional translations, the NIV 2011 definitely should be one that the well-equipped English-speaking Christian has on his or her shelf, and one that they consult often for spiritual nourishment. Tolle lege!"

(Dem Propas: Andy Naselli)

Always Reforming

2011-07-27T11:57:00.002-05:00

"Of one thing we may be absolutely sure. If the Reformers could return and address us today, they would not say, 'We got it all right; you must follow our exegesis and theology and implement it precisely as it stands.' What they would say is, 'You must follow our method: read and study scripture for all it's worth, and let it do its work in the world, in and through you and your churches.' They would not be surprised if, as a result, we came up at some points with different, or differently nuanced, theological and practical proposals. They would encourage us to go where scripture led, using all the tools available to us, and being prepared to challenge all human traditions, including the 'Reformation' traditions themselves, insofar as scripture itself encourages us to do so."

--N.T. Wright, The Last Word, 77

5 Minutes After You Die

2011-07-18T10:38:00.003-05:00

"Five minutes after we die, it will be too late to go back and redo our lives. Gazing into the eyes of the Christ we treasure, we'll know exactly how we should have lived. God has given us his Word so we don't have to wait to die to find out how we should have lived. And he's given us his Spirit to empower us to live that way now. Ask yourself: Five minutes after I die, what will I wish I would have done with the money and possessions God entrusted to my care: What will I wish I'd given away while I still had the chance? When you've come up with an answer, why not do it now? Why shouldn't we spent the rest of our lives closing the gap between what we are doing and what we'll wish we would have done for his glory?"

-Randy Alcorn, "Dethroning Money to Treasure Christ Above All," in For the Fame of God's Name.

Recklessly Abandoned Senders: Giving to Missions

2011-07-13T10:24:00.000-05:00

Read this blog post by A.J. Gibson, then write a fat check or donate online to To Every Tribe Ministries, all for the glory of God.

One to One Bible Reading

2011-07-12T09:22:00.003-05:00

The authors of the wonderful book "The Trellis and the Vine" write this:

"Imagine if all Christians, as a normal part of their discipleship, were caught up in a web of regular Bible reading - not only digging into the word privately, but reading it with their children before bed, with their spouse over breakfast, with a non-Christian colleague at work once a week over lunch, with a new Chrsitian for follow-up once a fortnight for mutual encouragement, and with a mature Christian friend once a month for mutual encouragement."

I want to point you to a fantastic resource to that end: David Helm's "One to One Bible Reading." It is short and simple, but helpful. What is the best way to share the gospel with an unbeliever? Read the Bible. What is the best way to disciple new Christians? Read the Bible. What is the best way to encourage mature Christians? Read the Bible. This little book gives you a plan for reading the Bible with another person. Do it!

A Book for Grown-Ups

2011-07-08T16:11:00.001-05:00

"There is no need to worried by facetious people who try to make the Christian hope of 'Heaven' ridiculous by saying they do not want 'to spend eternity playing harps'. The answer to such people is that if they cannot understand books written for grown-ups, they should not talk about them. All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc.) is, of course, a merely symbolical attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentioned because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share His splendor and power and joy. gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of Heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it. People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like does, He meant that we were to lay eggs."

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 114.

Walking

2011-07-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

J-Ham's Top Ten on Biblical Theology

2011-07-05T07:04:00.002-05:00

Dr. Jim Hamilton shares his top ten books on biblical studies here.

Bock Defends NIV

2011-07-02T10:37:00.002-05:00

Here.

Kanye, a Mavs fan??

2011-07-01T06:48:00.000-05:00

(Props: Basketball Jones)

Justification, Sanctification, and Moral Effort

2011-06-29T12:40:00.001-05:00

There is a brand of "gospel-centeredness" that makes me nervous. I know that sounds bad, for who does not want to be gospel centered? There is a view in Evangelicalism that we grow in sanctification primarily through deepening our understanding of justification. As a Luther guy, I resonate with this and agree in part. But more than a Luther guy, I strive to be a New Testament guy, and I feel that this brand of gospel-centeredness does not due justice to the teaching of the New Testament on the necessity of moral instruction and moral effort. Generally speaking on this topic, I tend to side with Platt/Chan/Hood/DeYoung over against Horton/Tullian/Ortlund/Keller and their followers. Here are a round-up of links that I think are helpful on this topic:

Make Every Effort - DeYoung
Gospel Driven Effort - DeYoung
Is Sanctification by Faith Alone? - DeYoung
Holiness is Indicative and Imperative - DeYoung
Heresy is Heresy, not the Litmus Test of Gospel Preaching - Hood
The Cross in the New Testament - Hood (I think this is a very important article)
We Who Have the Spirit Have the Power to Change - Hood
Christ-Centered Interpretation Only? -Hood (I cannot find this excellent article online, but have linked to Patrick Schreiner's summary. If you live near a seminar, go find this article!!)
Christ-Centered Cautions - Hansen
Ethics, Preaching, and Biblical Theology - Frame

A Peculiar Irony

2011-06-28T12:05:00.000-05:00

"(It is a peculiar irony that in the modern - and 'postmodern' - world, Christianity has come to be regarded as narrow and moralistic. Originally, it was quite the reverse: figures such as Jesus and Paul were widely regarded as rebels, antinomians, disturbers of decency.)"

-Richard Hays, The Moral Vision of the NT, 37

Literal Drug Commercial

2011-06-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

Zaspel Review of Perspectives on the Sabbath

2011-06-23T17:28:00.001-05:00

Speaking of Perspectives on the Sabbath, Fred Zaspel has a nice review here.

Blake Griffin vs Knicks: Just Dirty

2011-06-23T10:07:00.000-05:00

Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl Movie

2011-06-22T13:05:00.002-05:00

If this movie is as half as good as the book was, it will be well worth $8.80. Buy it and throw a party inviting your fellow church members. I plan to. Here is more info.

Almost Cool

2011-06-21T13:38:00.000-05:00

N.T. Wright on Discontinuity

2011-06-21T11:46:00.002-05:00

"Obvious examples of discontinuity are all over the place. The ancient Jewish purity laws are seen as no longer relevant to a community in which Gentiles are welcome on equal terms (Mark 7; Acts 15; Galatians 2). The Temple in Jerusalem, and the sacrifices that took place there, are no longer the focal point of God's meeting with his people (Mark 12:28-34; Acts 7; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 8-10); indeed, there will be no Temple in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22, the more remarkable since that passage is built on the Temple-centered climax of Ezekiel). The sabbath is no longer mandatory (Romans 14:5-6), and indeed if people insist on such observances they are cutting against the grain of the gospel (Galatians 4:10). There is now no holy land: in Paul's reinterpretation of the Abrahamic promises in Romans 4:13, God promises Abraham not just one strip of territory but the whole world, anticipating the renewal of all creation as in Romans 8. Perhaps most importantly, the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile has been abolished (throughout Paul, and summarized in Ephesians 2:11-22). These conclusions were reached by the early Christians, not by a cavalier process of setting aside bits of the Old Testament which they found unwelcome, bu through a deep-rooted sense, worked out theologically and practically, that all of that scripture had been summed up in Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:17, itself summing up the message of much of the book; Romans 3:31, 2 Corinthians 1:20) and that now God's project of new covenant and new creation had begun, necessarily taking a new mode. . . . Precisely because of the emphasis on the unique accomplishment of Jesus Christ, the Old Testament could not continue to have exactly the same role within the Christian community that it had had before."

-The Last Word, 55-56

What is New Covenant Theology?

2011-06-16T05:38:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to a one hour class I taught attempting to answer this question. Here is the handout I used:

I. 3 systems

a. Covenant Theology

i. Emphasis on Continuity

ii. Mostly Presbyterian

b. Dispensationalism

i. Emphasis on Discontinuity

ii. Mostly Bible Churches

c. New Covenant Theology

i. Both Continuity & Discontinuity

ii. Believer’s church traditions. Rooted in Anabaptism.

II. 5 Distinctives of NCT

a. One Plan of God Centered in Jesus Christ

i. Eph 1.8-10

ii. No Covenant of Grace

b. Read OT in light of NT

i. Heb 1.1-2

c. The Old Covenant was temporary by divine design

i. Not Under Law

ii. Gal 3.19-21, 23-25

iii. Old Age

d. There is no tripartite division of the law

i. Exod 19-24

ii. Heb 7.11-12

iii. 10 Commandments

e. We are not under the law of Moses, but under the Law of Christ

i. Gal 6.2, 1 Cor 9.20-21

ii. Purpose is God’s Glory, Pattern is Jesus, Principle is Love, and the Power is the Holy Spirit

f. All in the New Covenant Community Have the Holy Spirit

i. Ezek 36-37, Joel 2, Isa 32, 44

ii. Israel/Church

1. Gal 3.7, 29, 6.15-16, Rom 2.28-29, Phil 3.2-3

Good Lookin' Out: Perspectives on the Sabbath

2011-06-10T08:03:00.002-05:00

The Sabbath is a very important topic in biblical and theological studies. It is a major hermeneutical test case for how one lets biblical theology inform systematic theology. The differences between the theological systems of covenant theology and new covenant theology in many ways revolve around the Sabbath. It is an important topic to think through.

Having said that, I want to recommend Craig Blomberg's chapter in a recently published book called Perspectives on the Sabbath: 4 Views ed. Christopher John Donato. Blomberg advocates the "Fulfillment view." Although he does not use the label, this is the New Covenant view of the Sabbath, and he does a fantastic job interpreting key passages and responding to opposing views. Here is an excerpt from his section on Hebrews:

"Because Jesus fulfilled the Law, and thus fulfilled the Sabbath commands, He, not some day of the week, is what offers the believers rest. We obey the Sabbath commandment of the Decalogue as we spiritually rest in Christ, letting Him bear our heavy burdens, trusting Him for salvation, and committing our lives to Him in service, then remaining faithful in lifelong loyalty to Him rather than committing apostasy."

He then quotes Everett Ferguson as a fitting summary of his view:

"The view that the Sabbath is binding on Christians rests on no explicit text in the NT or early Christian literature. It is surpassingly strange that a supposedly central Christian religious duty depends on the interpretation of an OT text. Rather than seeing a continuing validity of the Sabbath, which was changed from Saturday to Sunday, whether legitimately by the apostles in the first century or illegitimately by the church in the second (or by Constantine in the fourth), it is better to see the Sabbath command as a part of the superseded Mosaic institution and the Lord's Day as a different type of day, a day of assembly and worship."

(For several helpful resources on the Sabbath, see here)

1st Time Biker Kid Gives Speech to the Nation

2011-06-07T16:49:00.000-05:00

1st Time Biker's Inspirational Speech

2011-06-07T16:48:00.000-05:00

God's Goal in Marriage

2011-06-04T07:57:00.002-05:00

"It is God who designed change to be a process and not an event. It is God who chose to put flawed people together in the intensity and close proximity of the intimacy of marriage. It is God who designed marriage to expose your heart, to take you beyond the borders of your own strength and wisdom, and to mature and grow you as you quit relying on yourself and begin to seek the help that only God can give. It is God who created marriage as a workroom to form you into a person who loves as you have been loved and finds joy in giving the same kind of grace that you have been given. It is God who knew that the messiness of marriage would be productive in advancing the work that he began in us when he adopted us as his children. . . . God's goal is that you marriage would be a major tool in his wise and loving hands to rescue you fro claustrophobic self-worship and form you into a person who lives for nothing smaller tan his kingdom, his righteousness, and his glory. God's goal is to transform you at the causal core of your personhood - your heart."

-Paul Tripp, What Did You Expect?, 243-44

Great Commercial

2011-05-31T07:54:00.000-05:00

Good Lookin' Out: Deep Church

2011-05-23T08:25:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading Jim Belcher's Deep Church, and highly recommend it to all pastors, church leaders, and seminary students. It is a great introduction to the emerging church movement. Belcher is very balanced and fair in presenting the views of various leaders. I think emerging folks and traditional folks have much to learn from this "third way." Here is are some good reflections by Steve McCoy. Notice the diversity of the endorsements all saying the same thing:

"Jim Belcher shows that we don't have to choose between orthodox evangelical doctrine on the one hand, and cultural engagement, creativity and commitment to social justice on the other. This is an important book."
—Tim Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City

"Many have written critiques of the emerging church, and some have attempted 'third way' books that attempt to describe a possible best-of-both path between traditional and emerging mindsets and practices. But I think Jim Belcher's book is the first to be truly gracious to both of these oft-contentious perspectives, suggesting a fair and honest critique of both. Belcher has clearly done his homework, and lives--as a lead pastor of a church plant--with one foot in the Reformed, traditional camp, and one foot in the emerging church. This is a great read for any who are tired of straw man arguments and polarization."
—Mark Oestreicher, president, Youth Specialties

"Deep Church takes us beyond just the surface with what is emerging, emergent or traditional and gives us some wonderful insights toward an alternative future."
—Dan Kimball, author of They Like Jesus but Not the Church

"Working out his ideas in the crucible of pastoral ministry, Jim Belcher proposes fascinating new ways to arbitrate today's disputes by appealing to the Great Tradition. Read it and learn how your church can go deeper."
—Collin Hansen, editor-at-large, Christianity Today, and author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists

"Viewing Christianity and culture through the lens of the Reformed--and reforming--tradition, Jim Belcher judiciously assesses the divide between liberal and conservative factions of evangelicalism. Lucidly analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the emerging church as well as of the traditionalists who critique it, Belcher offers an inspirational 'third way,' the 'deep church,' that synthesizes the best of both."
—Crystal L. Downing, professor of English and film studies, Messiah College, author, How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith

"Jim Belcher's Deep Church calls our attention to the pressing issues of our day to create a 'third language' conversation between the traditional and emergent church movements. Deep Church provides a healthy theological wrestling full of pragmatic wisdom, bringing a renewed perspective of birthing a church today. I highly recommend this book to pastors and lay leaders alike, to consider what the church, God's artwork, is called to become in the coming days."
—Makoto Fujimura, artist and author of Refractions: A Journey of Art, Faith and Humanity

"As Christians enter the third millennium, they are in the midst of a great reconsideration. They are asking if the forms of church they have inherited are the right forms for the mission in the future. For some, they believe the forms must be rejected and deconstructed. Others seek to defend and restore them. Jim Belcher points a way that ties orthodox theological moorings with creative thinking and missional engagement, providing a helpful guide to thinking about church."
—Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, www.edstetzer.com

"Smart, passionate, thoughtful, hopeful and Jesus-centered--this is the Jim Belcher I used to hang out with in the early nineties (like it was so long ago!) at the Huntington--and this is the Jim Belcher in this book. Lots of people are going to find this book very helpful."
—Rob Bell, pastor, Mars Hill Bible Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, author, Velvet Elvis

"Rising above the usual shallow, facile critiques of the emergent church movement, Jim Belcher has written for us a book that, indeed, goes deep. Jim took the time to listen to emergent voices, and as a result, he appreciates the movement for what it is. And, further, his admonitions ring true. While Jim and I have theological differences, I can heartily recommend Deep Church as an invigorating study of and healthy corrective to both the emergent and traditional church."
—Tony Jones, author of The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier (http://tonyj.net)

"Deep Church is a thoughtful, helpful and practical addition to the growing field of missional church thinking."
—Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church, Seattle, president, Acts 29 Church Planting Network, president, Resurgence

"Deep Church is the book we need--it's a genuine third way. Jim Belcher is poised like no other to evaluate the emerging movement...There are only two or three really good books about the emerging movement, and this is the best analysis I've seen."
—Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University

"A marvelously reliable guide--indeed I know of none better--for our much-needed efforts to go deeper as churches by mining the depths of the gospel for creative and faithful ministry in the strange and exciting new world of the twenty-first century."
—from the foreword by Richard J. Mouw, president, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Deep Church is a carefully balanced and helpfully critical analysis of the emerging church and the numerous negative reactions against it. It is a fair-minded, truly gracious undertaking that speaks the truth in love and charts a clear third way that I sincerely hope will be embraced by a multitude of younger Christian leaders. Only a thoughtful pastor who knows Scripture, the Christian tradition and the modern challenges to mission in our present context could write such an excellent book."
—Dr. John H. Armstrong, president, ACT 3, and author of Your Church Is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ's Mission Is Vital to the Future of the Church

"Deep Church is a narrative of one man's journey of spiritual discovery involving at core a search for a place to stand. Whether you can fully agree with Jim's findings or not, you will find this book to be an accessible, well-articulated, deeply personal and (thankfully) theologically irenic apologetic for the emerging church."
—Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways, and founder of Forge Mission Training Network and Shapevine.com

What is the Bible Basically About?

2011-05-16T12:01:00.000-05:00

Piper Festschrift

2011-05-09T07:54:00.004-05:00

Today I received the recent book in honor of John Piper, For the Fame of God's Name. It is a beast. 542 pages of God-centered goodness. Mark Noll's blurb made me eager to dive into this one:

“It would be strange if a book that honors a dynamic, intelligent, pious, God-centered, learned, kind, devoted, influential, far-traveled, widely published, and hyper-conscientious pastor like John Piper did not occasionally slip into hagiography. And this book does, but only occasionally. Far more, its authors offer the best sort of tribute by seriously engaging the Scriptures to which Piper is committed, earnestly expounding the classic Calvinistic doctrines into which Piper has breathed such life, and zealously promoting the glory of God to which Piper has devoted his ministry. Here is a volume full of thoughtful reflections on central scriptural themes, Jonathan Edwards, the life of prayer, Christ-honoring preaching, pastoral disciplines, pastoral privileges, Christian hedonism, and more. In the end, it is a tribute that, by stressing the themes John Piper has stressed, draws attention away from him to God.”

Here is the full table of contents:

A Note to John Piper Sam Storms and Justin Taylor

Part 1: John Piper

1. A Personal Tribute to the Praise of God’s Infinite Glory and Abounding Grace David Michael

2. Three Doors Down from a Power Plant David Livingston

3. Who Is John Piper? David Mathis

Part 2: Christian Hedonism

4. Christian Hedonism: Piper and Edwards on the Pursuit of Joy in God Sam Storms

5. When All Hope Has Died: Meditations on Profound Christian Suffering Mark R. Talbot

Part 3: The Sovereignty of God

6. The Sovereignty of God in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards Donald J. Westblade

7. Prayer and the Sovereignty of God Bruce A. Ware

Part 4: The Gospel, the Cross, and the Resurrection of Christ

8. What Is the Gospel?—Revisited D. A. Carson

9. Christus Victor et Propitiator: The Death of Christ, Substitute and Conqueror Sinclair B. Ferguson

10. The Role of Resurrection in the Already and Not-Yet Phases of Justification G. K. Beale

Part 5: The Supremacy of God in All Things

11. A Biblical Theology of the Glory of God Thomas R. Schreiner

12. The Kingdom of God as the Mission of God Scott J. Hafemann

13. The Mystery of Marriage James M. Hamilton Jr.

14. Pleasing God by Our Obedience: A Neglected New Testament Teaching Wayne Grudem

15. The Glory and Supremacy of Jesus Christ in Ethnic Distinctions and over Ethnic Identities Thabiti Anyabwile

16. Dethroning Money to Treasure Christ Above All Randy Alcorn

17. “Abortion Is About God”: Piper’s Passionate, Prophetic Pro-Life Preaching Justin Taylor

18. A God-Centered Worldview: Recovering the Christian Mind by Rediscovering the Master Narrative of the Bible R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Part 6: Preaching and Pastoral Ministry

19. Proclaiming the Gospel and the Glory of God: The Legacy of Jonathan Edwards for Preaching Stephen J. Nichols

20. The Pastor and the Trinity C.J. Mahaney

21. The Pastor as Worshipper Ray Ortlund

22. The Pastor as Shepherd Mark Dever

23. The Pastor as Counselor David Powlison

24. The Pastor as Leader John MacArthur

25. The Pastor and His Study William D. Mounce

Part 7: Ministries

26. The Vision and Ministry of Desiring God Jon Bloom

27. The Vision and History of The Bethlehem Institute Tom Steller

Barabbas

Mere Discipleship & Cheapening Grace

New Covenant Theology

Twitter

Popular as What?

Douglas Moo & New Covenant Theology 2

Josiah Meets Asher for 1st Time

Asher Is Here!

Should We Ever Look "in" for Assurance?

Mortification

Waiting on Asher . . .

Jesus + Nothing = Everything Review

Top 10 Reads of 2011

Douglas Moo & New Covenant Theology 1

The Gospel Strips Us of our Delusion

Jesus Plus Nothing Equals Everything?

Craig Blomberg on the Christian View of Titles

Already/Not Yet

Christopher Hitchens has died.

Tebow mic'd up against Chicago

Satirical Reading

Eschatology Books

Crucified or Magnified?

2012 John Bunyan Conference

Awfully Strange

Pope Don Carson & his Magnum Opus

Short NCT Videos

Good Lookin' Out: Center Church

Read the OT in Light of the NT

Chrysostom and New Covenant Theology

"What is New Covenant Theology" Book

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 4

ESV 2011 Update

Halloween Candy Joke

Spurgeon Bio Rap

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 3

Awesome Marriage Song & Vid

Packer on Why We Need the Puritans

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 2

Given the Spirit & Taught by God

Female Deacons

There is a Problem with Celebrity Pastors

NIV 2011 & HCSB

Courageous Review

R. Longenecker & New Covenant Theology 1

Good Lookin' Out: Union with Christ

God is at Work

The Love of Christ

Gospel Experience

Inclusive Language Debate

The Christian Life for Paul

Growtivation

3 Killer Keller Articles

The Essentials of NT Ethics

VeggieTales v.s. Christianity

Good Lookin' Out: New Gospel Centered Books

Loraine Boettner & New Covenant Theology

Sandra McCracken - Thy Mercy My God

Mutual Love & Mission

False Worship

A Comedian's View on Postmodernism

Reading List

Plummer on New Covenant Theology

Gangsta???

Jesus is Alive - Shai Linne

Tim Chester Review of Horton

Looking backward, forward, and outward.

Dikaiosune Theou

Until That Day Arrives

Classic Cash

Spiritual Productivity

Cheap Grace

Trying in a New Way

False Advertisement

NIV Reviews

Always Reforming

5 Minutes After You Die

Recklessly Abandoned Senders: Giving to Missions

One to One Bible Reading

A Book for Grown-Ups