4 Jul 2012

Is Prayer a Skill Worth Seeking?

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The title may be a question you have not considered before. With all of our good focus on learning life skills—whether they be vocational, athletic, musical, or academic-—we sometimes fail to cultivate some of the skills which will profit us most in life and in the ministry. Prayer is one of those skills. I was greatly...
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2 Jul 2012

Luther on Social Reform and the Human Heart

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I recently came across an interesting quote from Martin Luther about the prospect of social reform. He wrote, To be sure, the world sees evil acts, nay, it is amazed at them and complains about the great wickedness of people; but it does not know how it happens. It does see the water flow and...
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1 Jul 2012

Should We Pray for God to Save the Lost?

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Most, if not all, Christians would answer that question with an unqualified “Yes.” But in a recent couple of blog posts, well-known Arminian theologian Roger Olson says “No.” In his own words: “In a recent post I said Arminians should not pray for God to save their friends and loved ones.” While this may be...
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29 Jun 2012

Could Paul Grant Spiritual Gifts to Christians?

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The answer to that question might seem to be “Yes,” if we look at what Paul says in Rom 1:11, “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.” The idea of imparting a spiritual gift is found in most translations (ESV, HCSB, KJV, NASB,...
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27 Jun 2012

The Lost Practice of Recognition Councils

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Baptist churches are by definition autonomous in their polity. It’s one of the “distinctives” by which they are known. This does not mean, however, that they are obliged to eschew all confessional, conciliar, or associational relationships with other churches. The early Baptists observed a robust variety of such “connections,” some of which have been lost...
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26 Jun 2012

Has Dan Wallace Made a Big Mistake?

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This is the provocative title of a post by Stan Porter, well-known NT scholar, challenging Dan Wallace’s claim that a 1st century copy of Mark has apparently been discovered. We reported on Dan’s claim in a series of posts here, here, here, and here. You can read Stan’s reasons for questioning the 1st century dating...
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24 Jun 2012

The Holy Spirit’s Indwelling Ministry in the Old Testament

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Were Old Testament believers, as a necessary part of their sanctification, permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit? In this post I will respond to this question by initially providing a few resources that treat this subject and then provide a brief theological argument for OT indwelling (this blog post is based upon my journal article...
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24 Jun 2012

Does the Nation of Israel Have a Distinct Role in the Future Plan of God?

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Many people do not believe so. Bruce K. Waltke says, “no clear passage [of Scripture] teaches the restoration of national Israel” because “the Jewish nation no longer has a place as the special people of God.” Matt Waymeyer believes that Waltke is wrong and explains why in a post titled “Acts 1:6–7 and the Restoration of Israel.”...
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22 Jun 2012

Some Observations on the Most Famous Verse in the Bible

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We discussed the Nicodemus narrative in my Greek refresher course last Friday. While I was preparing for the class, I was struck by John 3:16. It’s such a clear statement about Jesus’ mission and God’s character. Sometimes it just takes reading a passage in a different translation or language to see familiar terrain in a...
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20 Jun 2012

The Amazing Righteousness of God: Romans 1:17

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According to common lore, Henry David Thoreau, the American philosopher, poet, and naturalist, was asked on his deathbed if he had made his peace with God. Thoreau supposedly replied, “I did not know we ever quarreled.” Most people, however, are probably not so confident or flippant as Thoreau. They naturally sense something of their own accountability before...
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