And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles… Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word (Acts 7.1,4 ESV). It’s abundantly clear, from the practice of the early church, that ordinary Christians spread the message and not their leaders. While Jesus set … Continue reading You Should be a Teacher by Now
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law … Continue reading Gentile Christians are not Jewish
Review of “Your Father’s L’Abri” by Gregory Edward Reynolds — Douglas Douma Continue reading The Uneven Legacy of Francis Schaeffer
Roger Moore (the late James Bond actor), was seriously ill at age 5. Upon recovery he said: “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.” Actually, “Sonbeam” might be a better term. Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,To shine for Him each day;In every way try to please Him,At home, at school, at play. Refrain A sunbeam, a sunbeam,Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;A sunbeam, a sunbeam,I’ll … Continue reading Jesus Wants Me for a Sonbeam
On most issues, if they are honest, Christians do a good job at addressing the matter and take an appropriate stance. But not on Cannabis. I am speaking of those who will not study the facts and be honest. On an individual, congregant level most Christians are not too fussed with Cannabis unless they hear different from their leaders. The Christian leader who refuses to … Continue reading Christians on the Wrong side of History
The remarkable chronicle of the polymath, Sir William O’Shaughnessy Brooke. Read the chronicle and you will find out why he is forbidden. Why haven’t we heard more about him? Is it because in the 1830’s he demonstrated and affirmed both the medical efficacy and recreational use of Cannabis. Cannabis was a plant whose use sustained physical labor and kept the mind focused. The medical uses … Continue reading The Forbidden Hero
To be a public Christian without really knowing about social issues is a display of willful ignorance. Piper sticks his head in the sand by claiming “he knows nothing” about these issues relying on Wikipedia for answers. Does the call of God not require analyzing social issues affecting society? He frames the issue as one of danger because “upsurge of cannabis-infused drinks on sale for … Continue reading John Piper, Social Justice Dilittante
Read about the scholars who are pursuing archaeology in Israel. If I was younger and less infirm, this would inspire me. What I heard, is that generally, workers have at least 2 sets of work clothes, having one laundered while working in the other. Still, participating in a dig, I would think, would be a great learning experience. Continue reading BAS Scholarship Winners
Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist (1Cor. 8.6 ESV) There is only one (unbegotten) God. Jesus said He was unable to do anything from Himself but what the Father is doing: Truly, truly, I say to you, … Continue reading The Teaching of Love
Don’t let the notion of “editorializing” throw you. What he is speaking about is Mark constructing his account to show context and connections. This analysis is part of a method which is subjected to literature and the author is including the section as part of this investigative method. Tradition has it that Mark used Peter’s preaching Jesus in composing the account for the Romans who … Continue reading Textual Markers Influencing Meaning
The Book That Packed A Punch: 100 Years of Machen’s “Christianity and Liberalism” — Ad Fontes Continue reading Two Religions: Christianity and Liberalism
The Jerusalem Post described Lag B’Omer as, “The springtime holiday became a celebration upon a grave”. Damning words from a Jewish publication, but that is what it is. Every year, bonfires are lit up and down the country and thousands gather to celebrate by the grave of a Kabbalistic rabbi on the eve of Lag… Lag B’Omer: Idolatry in High Places — ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry Continue reading Lag B’Omer: Idolatry in High Places
I was gratified to receive the following message via the Contact form: Sir, I’m a Muslim, and I’ve read the Islam section in your book What’s Your Worldview. However, to say the least, I haven’t found any of the objections therein to be tenable: He goes on to give brief responses to two of the… A Muslim Defends His Worldview — Analogical Thoughts Continue reading A Muslim Defends His Worldview
To see the features of this room we need more light (revelation) not new ways to imagine obscure objects. I thought the author’s “son” analysis with Adam and Israel was spot on. Plenior, Praegnans, or Progressive: Inner-Bibilical Interpretation and Authorial Intent — Southern Equip Continue reading Warfield’s Dimly-Lit Room as Descriptive of The O.T.
The last footnote in Caneday’s critique is surely wrong. Nevertheless, he exposes fallacies in Richard Hay’s two works: Reading Backwards, and Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Since, in a post, I have featured Hay’s publication (Echoes) and have affirmed its contents, I also need to offer a second word of critique. Revealed Forward: Figural Revelation of the Messiah’s Suffering and Glory in Israel’s Scripture … Continue reading Opening Eyes is Revelatory Not Hermeneutical
Pascal Quignard’s The Hatred of Music is impossible to summarize. It’s divided into ten “treatises” with titles like “It So Happens That Ears Have No Eyelids,” “The Song of the Sirens,” and “To Disenchant.” He examines music from historical, mythical, phenomenological, and every other conceivable angle. But the treatises aren’t really treatises; they’re more like… Music in the Death Camps — First Things RSS Feed – … Continue reading Christian Hope: Anticipating The New Song
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Christian Nationalism — The Gospel Coalition Continue reading Christian Nationalism?
Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Mt. 13.52 ESV) Peter Williams demonstrates some of the ways Christians are to harmonize the Testaments. He discusses implicit and inherent allusions in the parable of The Prodigal Son[s]. Of course, the N.T. … Continue reading O.T. Allusions in the Parable of the Prodigal Son
When it comes to knowing yourself, social psychologists speak of the “looking-glass self,” a term coined in 1902. It refers to our tendency to understand ourselves by perceiving what others make of us. In other words, the self is the result of learning to see ourselves as others see us.1 The great Scottish poet Robert Burns is credited with saying: “Oh would some power the gift … Continue reading Finding One’s Self-Brian Rosner
Summary: A rare, almost 2,000-year-old, detailed paycheck of a Roman soldier, who took part in the siege at Masada, reveals he wasn’t in it for the money. Roman Soldier’s Detailed Paycheck Found at Masada — Patterns of Evidence Continue reading Roman Soldier’s Detailed Paycheck Found at Masada
Many are familiar with the James Ossuary, which hit the news to great fanfare in 2002, followed by the ensuing controversy regarding its authenticity. The limestone ossuary (bone box) dates to the first century and bears an inscription reading, “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” It was quickly disputed and declared a forgery by […] Weighing the Evidence: Is the James Ossuary Authentic? — Bible … Continue reading Weighing the Evidence: Is the James Ossuary Authentic?
I think we can all safely say there were no actual dragons involved, but what is the real story behind St George? Who was he and how did he become so famous? The flag of St George, now the flag of England, is enthusiastically flown by English football fans but George was actually from Lod,… St George and the Holy Land — ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry Continue reading St George and the Holy Land
Paul views Israel’s temple as an essentially human structure, fulfilled in believers on earth as they worship the God of heaven. Yet Paul’s theology isn’t an NT innovation; it’s deeply rooted in the Hebrew Bible, most particularly in the book of Chronicles. IntroductionChronicles is few people’s favourite book. The index to Walter Moberley’s ‘Old Testament… The Theology of the Chronicler — Thoughts on Scripture Continue reading Genealogical Enrollment is Personal and Intimate
Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne (Zech. 6.12-13 NIV). … Continue reading The High Priest on His Throne
Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches (Mt. 13.32 NIV). The same birds that Greg Morse speaks about in Mt. 13.4 who pluck the sown word along the path are the same ones who perch in the mustard tree … Continue reading The Devil Goes to Church
The resurrection of Jesus is the center of Christian faith. If Christ is not raised, Paul says, our faith is worthless and we’re still in our sins. Unless he’s raised, Jesus’s life and death were utterly fruitless. If his body decayed in the tomb, Death won the battle with life and remains on the throne… Easter Bodies — First Things RSS Feed – Web Exclusives | … Continue reading The Last Enemy to be Destroyed is Death-1Cor. 15.26
Hiding behind what we only thought as useful, math, it turns out, helps cognition. Mathematics Teaches Us How to Think — First Things RSS Feed – Web Exclusives | Daily Writings From Our Top Writers | First Things Continue reading Metaphysical Math
Triablogue: Life After Our Resurrection Continue reading Do We Have “Eyes on the Prize”?
