As Paul closes out 2 Corinthians, he makes a rather startling command: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Cor 13:5).((Dr. Pratt is Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Plymouth, MN. Of Dr....
Poor translators! It is not an easy job.((Dr. Compton is Associate Professor of NT and Biblical Theology at Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, MN. This essay lightly revises his earlier “Where There’s Not a Will: The Covenant Theology of Hebrews 9,”...
The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation, by Rod Dreher. New York: Sentinel, 2017. 272 pp. $25.00. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Rod Dreher’s much anticipated book, The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a...
Pastoral Identity: True Shepherds in the Household of Faith, by Douglas D. Webster. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2023. 186 pp. $19.99. Douglas Webster (PhD, University of St. Michael’s College; BA and MA, Wheaton College) is Professor of...
Read Part 1 in this series here. Read Part 2 here. Read Part 3 here. Teaching Directly Related to Justification (cont.) The previous post in this series examined what FV has said about the imputation of Christ’s righteousness and the role of works in justification....
Read Part 1 in this series here. Read Part 2 here. Teaching Directly Related to Justification While FV is not centered around soteriology, its proponents still address issues directly related to justification in their writings. Four specific issues directly related to...
I’ve seen several people recently discussing the issue of Federal Vision, a theological movement among Reformed churches that arose in 2002 and was both championed and condemned by various leaders within those churches. Some seem confused as to why some popular...
Paul described how he ran with purpose, “Run in such a way as to get the prize….Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly….No…I make [my body] my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize“ (1 Cor...
Three things excited me about this book. First, it deals with sanctification, a topic central to the Christian life. Second, it is in a series of books called Union, which is edited by Michael Reeves. I reviewed one of the titles in this series before (Rejoice and...
From time to time someone raises a concern about how a particular event, trend, or activity will harm the “evangelical witness.” “Evangelicals” are warned that their “witness” will be damaged because of high-profile scandals from “evangelical” leaders, too much...
This is a really strange time for ministry generally and evangelism specifically. Over the last few weeks, I have been writing a series of short posts designed to aid us in evangelism during this unprecedented time (See Step One, Step Two, and Step 3a). Step 3b: Tell...
I’ve been reading, recently and with great interest, a blog series defending what is sometimes called the “traditional view” of Christian decision-making—the view that (1) God has an “individual will” for believers and (2) that it can be “discovered.” My intent in...
When I was an associate pastor, I remember “Grandma” Audrey, an eighty-year-old woman, asking me why Jesus required His disciples to keep His true identity a secret (e.g., Mark 8:29-30). I was thankful that she had been reading her Scripture in such a way that...
Have you ever noticed that the writer of Hebrews never directly quotes from Jesus?[1] Of course, the New Testament epistles do not contain many quotations directly from Jesus. This is understandable in the case of Paul who probably never met the pre-resurrected...
A few weeks ago I wrote a post about Patrick (c. 389–c. 461). In response to that post, someone asked several questions about Patrick including whether or not he was Catholic. I offered a brief reply, and a colleague suggested that many people might have similar...
When Justin Taylor released a blog entry last Wednesday defending a non-literal use of days in Genesis 1, and thus suggesting at least the possibility that the universe is quite ancient, both Ben Edwards and I sat down, without consulting, to write responses. While...
In August 1998, I ordered some of my first seminary textbooks as a student. That particular semester, one item stood out above the rest. Philip Schaff’s 8-volume History of the Christian Church stood out primarily due to its price. At the time Schaff retailed for...
Many college and seminary students are either preparing for another semester of school to start or have already begun working on classes. For some, this will be their final semester before graduation. Though some may have already determined the next step, others are...
Despite all the jokes about Wikipedia’s SOPA blackout on Wednesday being hard on college students, the truth is many students do need to improve their online research skills. We live in an amazing day. Within seconds one can use the internet to locate an electronic...
25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the...
Last week a friend of mine, Fred Zaspel, offered a case for the typological interpretation of the Scripture. In offering a four-point rationale for typological interpretation, Zaspel made several observations that call for both applause and reflection. I applauded,...
In the latest ed. of the Master’s Seminary Journal (avail. free online), Michael Vlach of The Master’s Seminary reviews Wellum & Gentry’s biblical theology Kingdom through Covenant (KtC). It’s one of the more thorough reviews of the book I’ve seen lately (see...
“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Eph 5:11). We live in a world where too often we hear about the unfruitful works of darkness—the nightly news seems to thrive on ghastly stories of murders, rapes, and violence. Frankly, it...
A couple of weeks ago I suggested that believers would benefit from occasionally reading older books. However, just because a work was written in a previous era does not mean that it’s necessarily worth reading today. In fact, far more old books exist that any one...
A number of recent DBTS graduates are currently involved in theological education abroad, and several more alumni are in the process of deputation with the goal of teaching overseas. This kind of ministry represents a great opportunity for our graduates to help equip...
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...
Todd Wilson declares that the expression “law of Christ” continues to “bedevil interpreters.”by Paul Hartog((Dr. Hartog is Professor of Theology at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary in Ankeny, IA.)) ((Todd A. Wilson, “The Law of Christ and the Law of Moses:...
Christianity has always encouraged the translation of the entire Bible from its original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into new languages as Christianity spreads to new civilizations, and this is equally true for musical expressions of biblical truth. ((Dr. Aniol is...
In the winter of 398, the newly appointed bishop of Hippo traveled on an ecclesiastical mission to the Numidian capital of Cirta. ((Dr. Williams is Provost and Executive Vice President at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Plymouth, MN.)) En route near Tibursi...
The goal of this brief article is to articulate the nature of saving faith in the theology of James. Andrew Chester argues that “James does not independently choose to introduce faith, and he does not set out any real theology of it either. ((Dr. McFadden is Professor...
Introduction Interpreters of the Levitical cult have long speculated over the rationale for and difference between Israel’s sin offering and guilt offering. ((Dr. Dunham is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary.)) In spite of the...
The Fundamental Concepts of Caregiving: Caregiving is More Than a Career; It Is a Process of Building a Relationship, by Murphy V. S. Anderson. Eugene, OR: Resource Publications, 2024. 254 pp. $31.00. Murphy Anderson is the CEO of Save...
Judgment & Salvation: A Rhetorical-Critical Reading of Noah’s Flood in Genesis, by Dustin G. Burlet. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2022. xxxv + 268 pp. $40.00. As a corollary to debates about the age of the earth, discussions about Noah’s...
American Colonial History: Clashing Cultures and Faiths, by Thomas S. Kidd. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016. 329 pp. $20.00. Astonishing changes took place on the continent of North America between the years 1492 and 1763. Prior to Columbus a state of constant...
Advances in the Study of Greek: New Insights for Reading the Greek New Testament, by Constantine R. Campbell. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015. 253 pp. $34.99. For a “dead language,” Koine Greek is getting a lot of attention. Current research and discussion is occupied...
Understanding Affections in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards, by Ryan J. Martin. London: T&T Clark, 2019. xiv + 304 pp. $122.00. Ryan Martin is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Granite Falls, MN. He recently completed his PhD at Central Baptist Theological...
Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage,by Gavin Ortlund. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020. 163 pp. $17.99. This book, whose title blends two metaphors to create the image of urgency as applied to Bible doctrine, is the kind of a book that...
Reenchanting Humanity: A Theology of Mankind by Owen Strachan. Ross-shire, UK: Mentor, 2019. 418 pp. $39.99. Owen Strachan, associate professor of Christian Theology and Director for the Center for Public Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has...
The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians, by N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2019. 980 pp. $59.99. Several years ago, Michael Bird (Academic Dean and Lecturer, Ridley...
Contemplating God with the Great Tradition: Recovering Trinitarian Classical Theism, by Craig A. Carter. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2021. xviii + 308 pp. $32.99. In 2018, in his Interpreting Scripture with the Great Tradition (Baker), Craig Carter argued that the academy,...
40 Questions about Arminianism, by J. Matthew Pinson. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2022. 400 pp. $27.99. J. Matthew Pinson is the president of Welch College, formerly Free Will Baptist College. He is a self-confessed “Reformed Arminian.” When...
Discovering Dispensationalism: Tracing the Development of Dispensational Thought from the First to the Twenty-First Century, edited by Cory M. Marsh and James I. Fazio. El Cajon, CA: SCS Press, 2023. x + 386 pp. $29.95. ...
1 Peter: A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching, by Timothy E. Miller and Bryan Murawski. Kerux Commentaries. Grand Rapids: Kre-gel, 2022. 296 pp. $32.99. Kregel’s Kerux series carves a niche in the world of commentaries by offering a selection designed...
Many theologians believe that there is an obvious connection between circumcision and baptism. ((Dr. Goeman is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at Shepherds Theological Seminary in Cary, NC. This article is adapted and abbreviated from the...
The book of Proverbs has, for me in recent years, become a most faithful friend. It encourages and edifies my soul as I meditate on it. I keep one of those ESV journal books with me as a helpful way to read through it and meditate on it. Considering recent events...
This past April, Andrew Naselli’s new volume, How to Read a Book: Advice for Christian Readers, was released by Canon Press. Over the past few months, six of my kids have read it. Most of them had already read Adler’s book with a similar title.[1] They thought...
Recently, I came across a Reddit thread with a provocative title: “The Bible’s God-inspired book of Proverbs is plagiarized from the Egyptian Teachings of Amenemope.” The thread was of interest because I had recently finished working through the section that allegedly...
This post was originally published here on January 21, 2014. Many college and seminary students are either preparing for another semester of school to start or have already begun working on classes. For some, this will be their final semester before graduation. Though...
I’ve decided to start a mini-series of blogposts on historically freighted phrases/clauses/mantras that have been detached from their moorings and have become cliché in contemporary Christian-speak. Most of the time these lines are intrinsically innocuous (i.e.,...