The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how he relates to us, and how we should relate to him. But it also raises many difficult questions. How can God be both one and three? Is the Trinity a contradiction? If Jesus […]
Why is Theology Central to the Christian Life?
Because, as J. Gresham Machen said so well, Christianity is not just — or chiefly — an ethical code, but rather “a way of life founded on a message.” Christianity is based on news. On something outside of us. On truth. And that’s theology. Since Christianity is a way of life founded on a message, you can’t uphold the […]
Freedom in the New Testament
A great post over at The Institute for Faith Work and Economics by Art Lindsley. He begins: The predominant note of the New Testament is not political freedom but freedom in Christ from bondage to sin, the Law, Satan, the old man, and death. It is not that political freedom or freedom from slavery was unimportant, but […]
Do All of God’s Blessings Really Come to Us on the Basis of the Infinite Merit of Christ?
In his excellent book The Gospel for Real Life, Jerry Bridges writes: We need to learn and remind ourselves every day that God’s favor — His blessings and answers to prayer — come to us not on the basis of our works, but on the basis of the infinite merit of Jesus Christ. Is this right? What about, […]
The Overstatement of NT Wright
In the upcoming book The Lost World of Adam and Eve, NT Wright has a chapter called “Paul’s Use of Adam [in Romans 5; 1 Cor 15] is More Interested in the Effect of Sin on the Cosmos Than in the Effect of Sin on Humanity and Has Nothing to Say About Human Origins: Excursus on Paul’s […]
Understanding Christian Freedom
It is incredibly important for Christians to understand the doctrine of Christian freedom. John Calvin said that if you don’t understand the doctrine of Christian freedom, it shows that you don’t understand the doctrine of justification either. For the doctrine of justification necessarily leads to the doctrine of Christian freedom. Here is a great initial summary […]
God's Immediate Authority
I was reading recently some of Ludwig Ott’s Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, because I seek to understand other theological traditions (in this case, Roman Catholic) from their own primary sources and best teachers. In the section on the nature of the authority of the Pope, he states that the pope has immediate authority. “[The authority of the pope is] […]
How Do Paul and Jesus Fit Together?
In contrast to those who argue that Paul’s theology and Jesus’ teaching are at odds, the answer to the question is this: Paul is showing us how to interpret Jesus — especially Jesus’ hard sayings. Consider one example: Jesus’ command to the rich young ruler to sell all that he has. “One thing you still lack. […]
Why Christian Bale is Wrong About Moses
Christian Bale, the actor who plays Moses in the upcoming Exodus: Gods and Kings, reportedly said this of Moses: “I think the man was likely schizophrenic and was one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life.” That is quite something to say about one of the greatest figures in […]
What Does the Reformation Mean for Today?
I believe the need for the Reformation, which began on this day in 1517 when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Church of All Saints, continues today. It continues on at least two fronts. First, the need for the Reformation continues because the Roman Catholic church has never turned from […]
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