I almost never publish links to other articles, but this one is unique, and I won't be able to express it as clearly. The United States is currently overrun with theologians with good degrees, who are unemployed or underemployed. Here's some food for thought. Click "Are PhDs Necessary for Theological Education on the Mission Field?"... Continue Reading →
Have I discovered a new version of the book of Acts?
Remember that whole ‘invaders from Mars’ radio show that got Orson Wells into hot water, for panicking the cattle and stampeding the humans? In was back in '38, but you may have learned about it in school or seen it on the History channel. Well, on advice from the boys down in legal, let me... Continue Reading →
Christian prophecy and canon in the second century: a response to B. B. Warfield
This was originally published in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 40/4 (December, 1997): 609-626. TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE, CLICK HERE. Here is a summary of our conclusion: Many of today’s cessationists rely on Warfield’s decision to tie the end of prophecy to the completion of the canon (with or without the help... Continue Reading →
The Book of Acts: Do the apostles always do right?
Does the book of Acts intend to tell us a historical narrative, or does Luke tell us how we should be living? In other terms, is it principally or simply descriptive, or is it also prescriptive? One approach is that we should follow what Acts says - or follow it more confidently - only when... Continue Reading →
Does ‘Abba’ mean ‘Daddy’?
In short, no, the evidence suggests that in the first century AD and beyond, it just meant "father". Here are the three uses of the term in the New Testament: For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry,... Continue Reading →
The Passion Translation (TPT) of the Bible – Beware!
I was only recently alerted to this new edition, which seems to have become all the rage in some ministries, especially Pentecostal ones. As is often the case with one-person translations, its author promotes it as the very epitome of Bible translation! I will depend here on the extensive and careful analysis of the Psalms... Continue Reading →
Jesus goes to a wedding – and has fun!
This is the homily I gave at the wedding of our daughter Vikky to Chris, on June 29, 2019 John 2 says that “There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding.” In John’s gospel, Jesus’ first miracle... Continue Reading →
Does anyone read the Bible “unfiltered”?
So I hear: "I GET MY DOCTRINE FROM THE BIBLE AND WITH NO HUMAN INFLUENCE." While I of course respect the intent of the claim, and while I have a robust belief in the Spirit's guidance, I have to qualify it: EVERY CHRISTIAN IS INFLUENCED BY MERE HUMAN TEACHERS, AND EVERYONE READS THE BIBLE UNDER... Continue Reading →
What does it mean to ‘confess’ our sins? 1 John 1:9
This morning I read a portion of 1 John and happened to remember a rather odd teaching I heard a long time ago. It ran like this: Everyone knows 1 John 1:9, ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ However... Continue Reading →
