Recently I had lunch with a very kind and gracious man in our community. This man is a committed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In short, my friend is a Mormon. He was respectful, gracious, and I enjoyed our conversation very...
Many Christians don’t contend for the faith because they don’t know why they should. Like a football team who hits the gridiron without a rally cry, the church can often be overtaken by naysayers who demand silence in the name of tolerance. This tends to rattle...
Several years ago, Justin Taylor linked to a moving and encouraging account of a pastor coming to grips with the fact that his second child, like his first, would be born with spina bifida. Amazingly, this man has found great comfort in rejecting the common notion...
Christians must talk about predestination, and the Bible provides us with certain ground rules to do so. In addition, we’ve also considered how predestination relates to why some believe in Jesus Christ and some don’t. But how often have you heard from pious and...
First there was dark matter, then came dark energy, then dark photons and now there is talk of dark stars, dark planets and even dark intelligent life, in a whole dark galaxy within our Milky Way galaxy. In an article musing on such claims,1 where the van Gogh...
The goal of the web is to engage you, to get you to click, scroll, double tap, laugh, cry, and share, to get you to stay up late online and then wake up in the morning and do it all over again. And I would be dishonest if I said I didn’t want the articles on...
Prayer changes things. You find plaques promulgating this notion everywhere. You may have one in your home. Countless sermons have been preached, countless prayers prayed, under this assumption: “Prayer changes things.” Or does it? If prayer changes things, how can...
As we observed in our previous post in this series, for many readers of Genesis 6–9 the account of Noah’s Ark contains deep mystery. Which animals boarded the Ark with Noah? Did any of them fail to make it? Could millions of animals really have squished themselves...
At a PGA Tour tournament in October 2015, Ben Crane disqualified himself after completing his second round. He did so at considerable financial cost. No matter — Crane believed the personal cost of not doing it would be greater (encouraged by a devotional article...
Exposure to sexual content is inevitable in today’s society. In addition to this reality, if you have any desire to raise your child in a Christ-honoring way, then it is necessary to deal with the cultural issues that could cause stumbling and result in long-term...
In my last article I discussed that the puritans believed that good works are more than the fruit of faith, justification and salvation in that they are the way to eternal life and an antecedent condition of glorification. The minority of puritans labelled as...
Can faith damn us? The Dutch “Puritan” theologian Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635-1711) argued that the first sin of Adam and Eve was unbelief. To state this differently, they exchanged faith in the Word of God for faith in the word of the Serpent (The Christian’s...
The expository preacher aims to preach both single books of Scripture and the canon as a whole. He may turn to Proverbs for the summer because it’s practical, fills a unique slot in the canon, and suits months when people come and go, making self-contained messages...
The pushback has been swift and strong against Target’s unsafe bathroom policy, along with the Obama administration’s demand that all public schools adopt pro-transgender policies for showers and locker rooms. But for long-term success against these impositions,...
“And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David. And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If you have come peaceably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you: but if you have come to betray me to my...
Time Wasted? We believe...in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father. —The Nicene Creed You might have...
The Origin of Life: What Are the Possibilities? The origin of life has been debated for a long time. Basically, there are four possible explanations for the existence of life on earth: Life on earth arose spontaneously. Life on earth has always existed. Life on...
I remember as a child reading numerous books in the Choose Your Own Adventure Series. This collection of books has a variety of options for the reader. At certain points, there is a choice to be made – choose option one and you get to go to page twenty-three. If...
After the abolition of apartheid, under the new ‘broom’ African National Congress Government, in 2006 South Africa became one of the first countries in the world to legalize the ‘mirage’ of same sex marriage. As Creator, God has the right to, and has already...
If you are Christ’s, no one in this world can ultimately harm you. They can only serve God’s good purposes for you and bring you greater blessing. In this lab, John Piper talks through the most difficult line in 1 Peter, explaining the role of pain in the Christian...
CHAPTER 1 The Excellency of Faith: (Heb. 11:1-3) Ere we take up the contents of the 11th chapter of Hebrews, let us very briefly review the Epistle itself. Chapters 1 and 2 are more or less introductory in their character. In them the wsondrous Person of the...
We live in a world where people love to talk. Studies suggest that the average American adult speaks approximately 16,000 words per day. Multiply that by a lifespan of 70 years, for a total of nearly 409 million words, and suddenly Christ’s warning in Matthew 12:36...
Evolutionists often misrepresent biblical creationists, saying that we claim that one species cannot change into another—that we believe in the ‘fixity of species’. They then present undeniable evidence that species can change and argue that they have shown us to...
Since the letter to the Hebrews specifically urges Christians to “fix your thoughts on Jesus” (Heb. 3:1, NIV; cf. 12:2), it should not surprise us that the author describes Him in more than a dozen different ways. Jesus is “Son” (Heb. 1:2); “Lord” (Heb. 2:3);...
When we share evidences for creation, we can get so caught up in obscure details that we miss the obvious. God made his handiwork so clear that even a child can see it (Romans 1:18–20). The beauty of His work is inescapable—and an undeniable witness to His...
1 Corinthians 15: Adam and the Gospel Introduction: Greek Philosophy and the Rejection of Adam The Apostle Paul often found himself in a cultural context in which he had to deal with many objections to the Christian faith. In 1 Corinthians 15, for example, the...
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets...
The Creation movement has increasingly caused many to face up to the powerful, Biblical arguments for such things as: All living things were created (about 6,000 years ago) in six literal Earth-rotation days. There was no death, bloodshed or suffering before Adam’s...
The first chapters of Genesis leave us in no doubt whatsoever about how God created the universe. On the six successive days of creation, God spoke and what He said happened. That is to say, the means that God used to create the universe and all things in it was...
1. They describe how God is not like us. His incommunicable attributes belong to him alone. They are true of him and no other. His immeasurability, incomprehensibility, self-existence, self-sufficiency, eternality, immutability, omnipresence, omniscience,...
The human mind has the uncanny ability to fill in details that simply don’t appear on the page. While this skill helps us digest information quickly and fill in gaps, it has a downside. We can miss important details or see things that aren’t there. That’s why...
The Problem with Preaching That Fails to Prescribe In 2014, victims of medical malpractice received $3,891,743,050. Such a monetary figure cannot even begin to compensate for the untold number of victims who suffered painful and sometimes fatal consequences by...
How would you describe the core of the Christian faith? Do you have a place you would turn in the Bible? In this lab, John Piper walks us through two verses that give us the good news, showing us all that God does when he brings us to...
“The Beatles said all you need is love,” Larry Norman sang. “Then they broke up.” Love is the thing we all know we need. And yet love is the thing we struggle so much to get right. We think of it largely in terms of feelings, of “being in love” or “falling in...
John Piper, author of Living in the Light: Money, Sex, and Power, answers this question in this short video:
Evidence of our Creator is all around us—from the miracle of the atom’s intricate internal structure, to the design of the most complex piece of matter in the universe, the human brain. Scientists have found God’s greatness even in one of the most minute...
All Christians agree that their ultimate authority is God. But to the question, “How is this ultimate authority mediated to men?” various answers are given. Broadly speaking, these reduce to three according as most weight is given to the authority seen within the...
As the book of beginnings, Genesis has much to say about a multitude of topics, many of which revolve around this year's Evangelical Theology Society conference theme of marriage and family. The purpose of this paper is to discuss seven timeless principles for...
In Gethsemane, after agonizing prayer, Jesus came looking for his friends whose prayerful attentiveness would have been such a comfort to him. But he found them sleeping. What he said to them was gracious but firm: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into...
Introduction: This short letter is famous for its instructions on “the tongue,” as well as for its emphasis on practical religion, visiting widow and orphans. There are a number of practical instruction on showing no partiality between rich and poor, as well as a...
“I have my own opinions about things in the Bible.” This was a statement my daughter noted to me in a recent chat. At first, this took me a bit by surprise. What did she mean by having her own opinion? Doesn’t she believe what the Bible says is true? Or is she...
This paper will look at two examples of design language in the Old and New Testaments that speak of God’s creative activity in terms of human craftsmanship. Given the approach of the Intelligent Design movement, which seeks to find evidence of divine intention as...
A. TRANSITION TO THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. As already intimated in the preceding, in passing from Christology to Soteriology, we pass from the objective to the subjective, from the work which God accomplished for us in Christ and which is in its sacrificial...
Introduction: There are seven Old Testament passages quoted in the first chapter of Hebrews alone, and five of those seven passages have to do with the submission of the nations to Christ. That is what the entire book is about—and we are taught this through the...
If God chooses some for salvation, why do we risk our lives to share the gospel? God’s sovereignty does not replace human effort in ministry; it fills it with power. In this lab, John Piper pulls at the tension and draws several conclusions about our personal...
When Paul says the word of God is not bound, what does he mean? Can the word work and spread apart from workers willing to suffer for it? In this lab, John Piper talks about the power of the gospel and the power of suffering to spread and confirm the...
To “change one’s mind,” in the New Testament means to repent. When the Bible speaks of my repenting or your repenting, it means that we are called to change our minds or our dispositions with respect to sin—that we are to turn away from evil. Repent is loaded with...
Why Read the Old Testament? Before commencing to build our bridge, we must ask a more basic question: why bother bridging the gap in the first place? For many Christians, the problem is not how to read the Old Testament but why it should be read at all. Why Some...
Man was created upright and therefore with the character that constituted him for, and endowed him with the ability to perform, righteousness. Such a position is demanded by the fact that he was very good and was created in the divine image. If he was very good, he...
Introduction: In the New Testament, God highlights and empowers a new principle of identification. This identification is called koinonia or fellowship, and by it God intends to transform the world. And we are given a small glimpse in microcosm of how this is to...
Anatomist, biologist, and creation scientist Dr. David Menton responds to popular YouTube video "Proof of Evolution That You Can Find on Your Body" (posted by VOX) from a biblical and scientific worldview. Are certain features like goosebumps, of the human body...
In his denial of the deity of Christ, Arius was arguably the most notorious heretic of the early church. Though Arius’s heretical views were soundly condemned by the Council of Nicaea (in A.D. 325), the controversy he sparked raged for another fifty years...
Reformed theology affirms that Scripture and its teaching on grace and faith emphasize that salvation is solus Christus, “by Christ alone”—that is, Christ is the only Savior (Acts 4:12). B.B. Warfield wrote, “The saving power of faith resides thus not in itself,...
2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof for correction, for instruction in righteousness. THE next head which falls to be touched is the holy scripture, the rule which God has given to direct us how...
This week’s TIME magazine features a cover story on a new initiative against Internet pornography. These anti-porn activists, though, aren’t the caricatured pursed-lip moralists. They are instead young men who say that pornography has compromised their ability to...
In every believer there remains the liability to sin. The new birth is not, as so many suppose, a change of heart, nor the removal of the carnal nature, but is the reception of an entirely new nature. The new birth is neither the elimination nor the transformation...
One of the Apostle Paul’s great preoccupations in both of his letters to the church at Thessalonica is the second coming of Christ. He was not only concerned with getting the doctrine “right” but also with the great pastoral implications of such teaching. In 1...
Most of us would indignantly resent the suggestion that we bear any resemblance to the notorious Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde of Stevenson's famous novel - the man who, though a respected and competent physician by day, committed fiendish crimes by night. However much we...
The question of the nature of history has been raised in a recent article inBulletin which demands further discussion.! In this article the present writer was quoted because he refuses "to accept the resurrection as objective Historie." "The New Testament does not...
As we saw in Parts 1 and 2, Israel’s understanding of Yahweh as the Creator of the universe was foundational for their understanding of who He is and fundamental to how they worshipped Him, and this is the case even when explicit creation references are not...
Introduction Is the Bible true? I am not asking if there is truth in it, say, the way there is truth in Moby Dick, or Plato’s Republic, or The Lord of the Rings. Aspects of truth can be found virtually everywhere. What I am asking is this: Is the Bible completely...
Although in the preceding chapter I have anticipated some of the thoughts which will be expressed here, yet the subject of this chapter is of such inexpressible importance that I cannot forbear considering it by itself. After the Apostle Paul had, in the third...
'And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it.'— Luke 19:41 The Charm of Jerusalem In every age, the memory of Jerusalem has stirred the deepest feelings. Jews, Christians, and Mohammedans turn to it with reverent affection. It almost seems as if...
The next attribute is, 'God is eternal.' 'From everlasting to everlasting thou art God' (Ps. 90:2). The schoolmen distinguish between aevun et aeternum, to explain the notion of eternity. There is a threefold being. 1. Such as had a beginning; and shall have an...
When considering how creation is used in the Psalms, it is not enough to only cite the places that are obviously retelling the creation account, because the psalmists use the fact of God as Creator to spur Israel on to worship and trust God in all sorts of other...
Expository apologetics — the practice of answering objections with the power of God’s Word—is for everyone. First, it’s for unbeliever. This is the person both ignorant of and antagonistic toward the gospel. This audience requires an evangelist. Second, it’s for...
CHAPTER 1 THE OVERSIGHT OF OURSELVES SECTION 1 — THE NATURE OF THIS OVERSIGHT Let us consider, what it is to take heed to ourselves. 1. See that the work of saving grace be thoroughly wrought in your own souls. Take heed to yourselves, lest you be void of that...
In Proposition 106, George Peters states: "Our doctrine of the Kingdom sustained by the temptation of Christ." When Jesus was led to the wilderness to be tempted, the enemy purposefully chose his tactics thinking they would trip and trick Jesus into sinful...
hen asked which verse best summarizes the whole of Scripture, Edmund Clowney famously pointed to Jonah 2:9, “Salvation belongs to the LORD.” I’ve heard Bryan Chapell answer a similar question with the same verse. In terms of one verse standing on its own, I doubt a...
In Proposition 105, George Peters states: "The Lord's Prayer, is indicative of the fact that the Church is not the covenanted Messianic Kingdom." How many times have we prayed this prayer and overlooked the meaning of "Thy Kingdom come". What is this Kingdom we are...
The Stakes Are High Wisdom does not come automatically with age (Job 32:8–9). You’ll find plenty of foolish old fogies out there. For many aged saints, gray hair and a good head go hand in hand. But for others, far too many others, length of life only entrenches...
In Proposition 104, George Peters states: "The Christian Church is not denoted by the predicted Kingdom of the Prophets." Peters dives a bit further into Scripture by noting the church is not denoted in the prophetic writings as the predicted, covenanted, promised...
In Proposition 103, George Peters states: "This Kingdom is not a Kingdom in the third heaven." As has been repeatedly demonstrated, the promised Kingdom is a visible earthly kingdom. While there is no doubt our Lord rules from heaven, the covenanted Kingdom is an...
The traditional literal interpretation of the opening chapters of the book of Genesis is under assault from within and outside the church. In this session, Dr. William VanDoodewaard explains why the “quest for the historical Adam” is essential for understanding...
Biblical creationists interpret Genesis as a historical record of creation because that is what the Bible does, over and over. We have shown both the Old Testament and New Testament teachings rely on Genesis as a historical record of creation in six normal-length...
If Jesus loved Lazarus enough to let him die, what can we learn from this story about true love? John Piper looks at Jesus’s love and unfolds three important principles for how we should love one...
In Proposition 102, George Peters states: "Neither the visible nor the invisible church is the covenanted Kingdom." This proposition is really a summation of the preceding few arguments made by Peters. Here, he concludes his thoughts on the visible and invisible...
Life Lewis Bayly (1575-1631) was born around 1575 at Carmarthen, Wales, where Thomas Bayly, who probably was his father, was serving as curate at that time. Bayly secured the living of Shipston-on-Stour, in Worcestershire, in 1597, and three years later was...
In Proposition 101, George Peters states: "The invisible Church is not the covenanted Kingdom of Christ." If the visible Church is not the covenanted Kingdom of Christ, then the question must also be asked if the invisible Church can be construed to be the...
Jesus loved Lazarus, and Jesus let Lazarus die. Is that possible? In this lab, John Piper applies some basic principles for reading the Bible to the story about Lazarus’s death. In the end, we see that love does not always look like what we...
If two students hand in an assignment containing exactly the same mistakes, their teacher will rightly suspect that one (or both) has been copying the other’s work. This is because the chance of them independently making the same mistakes is very small. Similarly,...
In Proposition 100, George Peters states: "The visible church is not the predicted Kingdom of Jesus Christ." If the early church and the pages of Scripture do not teach that the church is the predicted Kingdom of Christ and if that was a later insertion into church...
Introduction Thessalonica was a principal city in Macedonia, the region that was the home of Philip and the great Alexander. This letter was written around 50 A.D. which would make it, with the exception of Galatians, the earliest record of Paul’s writing. While...
In Proposition 99, George Peters states: "The opinion that the church is the predicted Kingdom of Christ was of later origin than the first and second centuries." If it was not being taught in the NT or in the early church that the Kingdom of God was equated to...
In Proposition 98, George Peters states: "That the church is not the Kingdom promised to David's Son was the belief of the early church." If it often declared and rightly so that in order to best understand the writings of something, one must understand what was...
Something happened in Genesis 3 that shifted the course of history and impacted the entire universe. It seemed like such an innocent or unimportant action as after all, what is the big deal with eating something? We all need to eat right? Shouldn’t we as humans be...
In Proposition 97, George Peters states: "The various forms of Church government indicate that the Church is not the promised Kingdom." One King and one form of government is the construct predicted in the coming Kingdom. We certainly do not see that as the current...
The New Testament letters are some of most straightforward books in the Bible to interpret and apply. Should we read the other parts of the Bible, like the stories, differently? In this lab, John Piper begins a short series on how to read narrative parts of the...
In Proposition 96, George Peters states: "The differences visible in the Church are evidences that it is not the predicted Kingdom of the Messiah." Evidence is always an important point to consider when comparing two entities such as in this case the church and the...
In Proposition 95, George Peters states: "If the church is the Kingdom, then the terms "church" and "kingdom" should be synonymous." This is a simple yet true statement from Peters. In order for the church to be the kingdom and vice versa, then both terms should be...
In Proposition 94, George Peters states: "The overlooking of the postponement of this Kingdom is a fundamental mistake, and a fruitful source of error in many systems of Theology." I give this proposition a hearty amen and amen. Why? I give it an amen because we...
Impossible to Believe: The Endgame of Secularism In his important Massey Lectures delivered in 1991, Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor spoke of The Malaise of Modernity. The Modern Age, he argued, is marked by two great intellectual moves. The first intellectual...
In Proposition 93, George Peters states: "The Covenanted Kingdom is not the Christian Church." If the Jewish Church is not the Kingdom, then it has to be stated (and it has repeatedly thus far by Peters either by Proposition or observation), that the Christian...
Introduction In his first epistle, Peter is equipping his readers for the persecution that will soon be upon them. In this letter, he is equipping his readers to deal with the problem of licentious false teachers. The Text: “According as his divine power hath given...
In Proposition 92, George Peters states: "This Kingdom is not what some call "The Gospel Kingdom." The application of the term gospel seems to be one of the latest buzz words in theological circles. Check out your local Christian bookstore and note the number of...
In Proposition 91, George Peters states: "The Kingdom of God is not the Jewish Church." Just as Peters has made the case that the Kingdom of God is not what is understood as the NT Church, he also makes the proposition that the Kingdom of God is also not the Jewish...
The Bible has a lot to say about suffering. I think we can all quote or reference any number of passages that speak to the suffering we face in life. We all know the story of Job. We've probably memorized Romans 8.28. We might even have a list of go-to passages...
In Proposition 90, George Peters states: "Members of the Church, who are faithful, are promised this Kingdom." Faithfulness should be a hallmark of the ekklesia. Faithful to what is the obvious question. If we are in a peculiar and special relationship with Jesus...
When I do campus evangelism, I often start the conversation this way: “What are two reasons you stopped going to church?” I’ve asked hundreds of students that question, and the most common responses make me think that church youth groups have failed dramatically. I...
In Proposition 89, George Peters states: "Christ in view of this future Kingdom, sustains a peculiar relationship to the Church." As a peculiar people, it should be understood that our Savior has a special relationship with those who have been called by the Father...
“He was a martyr for a good cause.” A person may be put to death (often quite brutally) because he refuses to recant his beliefs and teachings when he is demanded to do so by angry opponents. So we have Muslim martyrs, Jewish martyrs, communist martyrs, Christian...
In Proposition 88, George Peters states: "The Church is then a preparatory stage for this Kingdom." This statement is a natural extension of the previous proposition. It the ekklesia is not the promised Kingdom, it must serve another purpose within the doctrine of...
In Proposition 87, George Peters states: "The postponement of the Kingdom is the key to the understanding of the meaning of this dispensation." To understand where we presently are in salvation history, it is always vital to look back in time and to the future,...
In Proposition 85, George Peters states: "Neither Abraham, nor his engrafted seed have as yet inherited the Kingdom; hence the Kingdom must be something different from "piety", "religion", and God's reign in the heart." Peters walks down the through process one...
‘Prove to me that God created everything!’ Have you had anyone say that to you? Or ‘Prove to me that God exists’? Have you ever tried to do that, but encountered a brick wall of resistance where the challenger dismisses anything you have to offer? Your friend might...
I am not at all sure exactly when or why the topic of persuasion began to preoccupy my thoughts. I am sure that there must be a number of influences in my past that, cumulatively though somewhat subconsciously, were catalysts in my own thinking. The one event that...
In Proposition 84, George Peters states: "As this Kingdom is specially given to the Son of Man as the result of his obedience, sufferings, and death, it must be something different from His Divine nature, or from "piety", "religion", "God's reign in the heart",...
Biblical theology helps us get our arms around the big picture that ties together everything from Leviticus to Esther, and we see how Amos, John, Romans, and Revelation fit, too. Knowing what the forest looks like enables understanding of the individual trees. If...
In Proposition 83, George Peters states: "This Kingdom is given to the Son of Man by God, the Father." This is no small statement. The Son of Man will be given the Kingdom by God the Father. This statement, based on the facts previously investigated regarding the...
Western society, as it slips inexorably into greater unbelief and alienation from God, has created new laws--both written and unwritten--concerning what is and what is not permissible to say in public. “Hate speech," as it is called, seems to be the only...
In Proposition 82, George Peters states: "This Kingdom is a complete restoration in the person of the Second Adam or Man, or the dominion lost by the First Adam or Man." The gospel in a nutshell - restoration and redemption of what was lost under the First Adam....
Who's to Say? Let’s say moral value is just whatever we say it is. If this were true, we would have to give up the way we normally think about morality. Say you had a disagreement. Let’s say 50% of the people on the planet thought that lying was OK and 50% thought...
In Proposition 81, George Peters states: "This Kingdom, thus covenanted, belongs to Jesus as "the Son of Man." The title of Son of Man is a fascinating study that all should embark upon and understand. The covenanted Kingdom is promised to the seed of David. Jesus,...
In Proposition 76, George Peters states: "This Kingdom of covenant promise and prediction, is to be distinguished from the Sovereignty which Jesus exercises by virtue of His Divine nature." Just as there is a need to differentiate between the universal sovereignty...
The biggest issue confronting evangelicalism today is not over homosexuality and marriage, but whether or not these are “agree-to-disagree” issues. The question takes various forms: Can progressive evangelicals who advocate same-sex marriage share a measure of...
Every Christian must be a theologian. In a variety of ways, this is something I tell my church often. And the looks I get from some surprised souls are the evidence that I have not yet adequately communicated that the purposeful theological study of God by lay...
In Proposition 79, George Peters states: "The Kingdom of God, promised by covenant and prophets, is to be distinguished from the general and universal Sovereignty of God." God is Sovereign and His Kingdom is eternal. These are basic theological facts that cannot be...
In Proposition 76, George Peters states: "The early church doctrine was revived after the Reformation." We should be thankful for the individuals who recognized what was taking place and who bravely rejected the mandates presented by the Papacy in favor of getting...
In Proposition 77, George Peters states: "The doctrine of the Kingdom, as held by the early church, was finally almost exterminated under the teaching and power of the Papacy." I am not the most astute student of church history. With that said, it can rightly be...
In other words, Theology is practical: especially now. In the old days, when there was less education and discussion, perhaps it was possible to get on with a very few simple ideas about God. But it is not so now. Everyone reads, everyone hears things discussed....
In Proposition 76, George Peters states: "The doctrine of the Kingdom was changed under the Gnostic and Alexandrian influence." This is a huge and important statement that I hope Peters digs into deeper as the propositions go along. If you are not familiar with...
In Proposition 75, George Peters states: "The doctrine of the Kingdom, as held by the churches established by the Apostles, was perpetuated." When it comes to discussing the perpetuation of a doctrine within church history, it is not enough to simply trace back a...
It has become increasingly common in Reformed circles, as it has long been in Lutheran circles, to say that the distinction between law and gospel is the key to sound theology, even to say that to differ with certain traditional formulations of this distinction is...
In Proposition 74, George Peters states: "The belief in the speedy Advent of Christ, entertained both by the Apostles and the churches under them, indicates what Kingdom was believed in and taught by the first Christians." The very fact that there was an...
The next attribute is God's goodness or mercy. Mercy is the result and effect—of God's goodness. So then this is the next attribute, God's goodness or mercy. The most learned of the heathens thought they gave their God Jupiter two golden characters when they styled...
In Proposition 73, George Peters states: "The doctrine of the Kingdom preached by the Apostles and Elders, raised up no controversy with the Jews." Peters continues to make note of the acceptance of the doctrine of the Kingdom by the Jews as promulgated by the...
In Proposition 72, George Peters states: "The doctrine of the Kingdom, as preached by the apostles, was received by the early churches." This is a simply yet important proposition. Since it has been established on a recurring and ever expanding basis by Peters that...
In Proposition 71, George Peters states: "The language of the Apostles confirmed the Jews in their Messianic hopes of the Kingdom." Given that we can clearly affirm the Apostles did not teach anything different than what had been declared for centuries in the Old...
Two dear friends of mine reject the God of the Bible because of passages like this one. It don’t blame them. Over the years I too have grown fatigued with callous doctrinal academics or simplistic Christian clichés. I feel like a child trying to describe mysteries,...
Every human institution and society has its own list of sins and virtues that contradict the law of God. With the rise of the Millennial generation in evangelical churches, a vice is creeping up into the realms of acceptance, indifference, or at least resignation:...
First, let’s distinguish between the old tolerance and the new tolerance, which is a form of intolerance. And I am going to point people to Don Carson’s book on tolerance, on the new form of intolerance. But the old tolerance is the kind I want to defend. The...
In Proposition 70, George Peters states: "The apostles, after Christ's ascension, did not preach, either to Jews or Gentiles, that the Kingdom was established." This is an easy enough proposition to confirm given all one has to do is investigate the book of Acts,...
In Proposition 69, George Peters states: "The death of Jesus did not remove the notion entertained by the disciples and apostles concerning the Kingdom." The death of Jesus certainly impacted the psyche of the disciples and apostles. The Messiah had just been...
In Proposition 68, George Peters states: "This Kingdom is then essentially a Jewish Kingdom." This goes without saying based on all the evidence presented by Peters thus far from Scripture. The covenant promises were made by God to the Jewish people and by the...
A. Sin, Grace, and Knowledge The Bible teaches that we are not only God’s creatures, but also sinners (Rom. 3:23). Sin distorts all areas of human life (Gen. 6:5; Rom. 3:10-18); therefore it affects our knowledge of God in important ways. We have already discussed...
Introduction There are three great themes in the epistle of 1 Peter. Those three themes are not unrelated—they tie together harmoniously. As you read through the epistle, meditate on these three things. The three things I have in mind are holy living, suffering,...
In Proposition 67, George Peters states: "The Kingdom could not therefore have been set up at that time, viz.: at the First Advent." Peters has noted this proposition before, but as with many statements, this bears repeating at this juncture in his argument. There...
In defending the Christian faith, the most important question before us is “What sort of defense will best glorify our God (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31)?” God forbid that in seeking to defend the faith before others we should in that very act compromise it. The so-called...
In the book of Genesis, we find God as Creator. The first two chapters of Genesis outline God’s creative activity, most notably His description of that activity as being good with the conclusion by God that everything He had created was very good. It is vital to...
The Bible says that when Jesus went to the cross, he bore our condemnation and purchased our healing. What does his sacrifice mean tangibly for a life now lived for the glory of God? In this lab, John Piper explains what kind of healing and transformation we...
In Proposition 66, George Peters states: "The Kingdom that was nigh at one time (viz.: at the First Advent) to the Jewish nation, is now removed to the close of its tribulation, and of "the times of the Gentiles." It is quite clear (just look at the world around us...
Jimmy arrived at my house promptly at 8 a.m. to take me to the airport. He has often done this for me. Jimmy and his wife, Natalie, head overseas later this year as missionaries. He has been in a small group that I lead; he and Natalie also lead a small group at...
In the face of the sexual revolution the Christian church in the West now faces a set of challenges that exceeds anything it has experienced, of a similar magnitude, in the past. This is a revolution of ideas—one that is transforming the entire moral structure of...
In Proposition 65, George Peters states: "Before this Kingdom can be given to this elect people, they must first be gathered out." The cart cannot come before the horse. The very definition of being elect or the ekklesia is being called out from among the nations....
In Proposition 64, George Peters states: "The Kingdom being given to the elect only, any adoption into that elect portion must be revealed by express Divine Revelation." An inheritance is simply not given to anyone without the permission of the father. In the case...
In Proposition 63, George Peters states: "The present elect, to whom the Kingdom will be given, is the continuation of the previous election, chiefly in another engrafted people." If there is any question as to whom the present elect are, it consists of all...
One American tabloid recently said this about the Bible: No television preacher has ever read the Bible. Neither has any evangelical politician. Neither has the pope. Neither have I. And neither have you. At best, we’ve all read a bad translation—a translation of...
In Proposition 62, George Peters states: "This people, to whom the Kingdom is to be given, gathered out of the nations, becomes the elect nation." Peters again notes the reality of the gathering out of many nations of a people into one nation with the engrafting...
Introduction Like Samuel and Kings, the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles were originally one book. While it covers much of the same material as Kings, the purpose and point of the book is decidedly different. Written over century after Kings, the book covers down to the...
In Proposition 61, George Peters states: "The Kingdom which by promise exclusively belonged to the Jewish nation, the rightful seed of Abraham, was now to be given to an engrafted people." Again, this does not mean a complete and thorough rejection of the Jewish...
In Proposition 60, George Peters states: "This Kingdom of God is given, not to nations, but to one nation." This is a very important point. We are the people of God, a holy called nation. From out of many nations into one nation. This is after all what the word...
I. The Existence of God A. Place of the Doctrine of God in Dogmatics WORKS on dogmatic or systematic theology generally begin with the doctrine of God. The prevailing opinion has always recognized this as the most logical procedure and still points in the same...
You probably know the book of Proverbs as a collection of practical advice for God’s people. Proverbs itself, though, defines its purpose in a deeper, more significant way. In this lab, John Piper looks at the purpose and lays it onto several proverbs to see how...
It is a matter of serious regret that young people are commonly so little disposed to listen to the advice of the aged…But it is greatly to be desired that the lessons of wisdom taught by the experience of one set of men should be made available for the instruction...
In Proposition 59, George Peters states: "This Kingdom of God, offered to the Jewish nation, lest the purpose of God fail, is to be given to others who are adopted." If God stopped with no longer offering the Kingdom per His covenant promise, we would have a huge...
In Proposition 58, George Peters states: "Jesus, toward the close of His ministry, preached that the Kingdom was not nigh." Peters notes that at the end of the ministry of Jesus, in particular right before the events that led to his death, the message regarding the...
In the first two posts in this series, we considered the way in which the Reformers viewed the Scriptures as to its authority and clarity. In this final installment, we turn our attention to the need for clarity in the propagation of Scripture for reformation...
Our Bible reading is about much more than reading. Proverbs calls us to incline our ears and apply our hearts. In this lab, John Piper highlights these two major principles for getting the most out of your time in God’s...
In Proposition 57, George Peters states: "This Kingdom was offered to the Jewish nation, but the nation rejected it." From the larger perspective, when we look at the nation during the time of Jesus, it is clear the leadership and many of the people rejected the...
In Proposition 56, George Peters states: "The Kingdom was not established during the ministry of Christ." Peters noted earlier that the Kingdom was not established during the ministry of John the Baptist even though John declared the Kingdom was at hand. The...
Introduction We begin by noting that our books entitled 1 and 2 Kings were originally one book, just as we saw with the Book of Samuel. The reason for this is plain enough—the break happened with the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, and the...
In 2009, John Walton, professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College, challenged the evangelical world with the publication of his The Lost World of Genesis One. He argued that contrary to a traditional, literal reading of Genesis, essential clues to understanding...
In Proposition 55, George Peters states: "It was necessary that Jesus and His disciples should at first preach the Kingdom as night to the Jewish nation." We covered this proposition to large degree in the previous post. It makes perfect sense and thus it was...
In Proposition 54, George Peters states: "The preaching of the Kingdom by John, Jesus, and the disciples, was confined to the Jewish nation." With this type of statement, some will be tempted to go down the road to declare the message of the Kingdom was solely for...
According to the legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, the best thing he ever did was to discover the “fundamentalist” teacher Jack Grout, who taught him the basics that he has followed ever since. Great preachers, like great golfers, follow basic rules. The more they...
In Proposition 53, George Peters states: "The genealogies of our Lord form an important link in the comprehension of this Kingdom." Ahh...those genealogies. Raise your hand if you skip past those sections of Scripture. I admit my hand is raised (at least after I...
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful.” In this lab, John Piper asks whether this popular phrase was written to be a comfort or warning. He believes that many misunderstand these words because they have taken them out of context and made them something they do...
In Proposition 52, George Peters states: "The promises pertaining to the Kingdom, as given in the covenants, will be strictly fulfilled." Covenants follow very strict rules and requirements on the part of both parties. The covenants made by God, in particular the...
In Proposition 51, George Peters states: "The relation that the Kingdom sustains to "the covenants of promise," enables us to appreciate the prophecies pertaining to the Kingdom." If the doctrine of the Kingdom hinges on the covenants of promise in their totality,...
False teachers come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the most deranged cult leader to the most winsome television preacher. Too many professing Christians are duped into embracing heretical ideas or endorsing spiritually dangerous movements. Some of these...
One of the most common objections to Christianity is that the divinity of Jesus was “created” by later Christians long after the first century. No one in primitive Christianity believed Jesus was divine, we are told. He was just a man and it was later believers, at...
In Proposition 50, George Peters states: "The Kingdom will be the outgrowth of the renewed Abrahamic covenant, under which renewal we now live." Peters already established the reality that the Kingdom, when fully implemented, will be a renewal of the Abrahamic...
It is highly offensive and dangerous for one to complacently and rebelliously live in sin before the Holy God. According to the Bible, God is angry with such wicked individuals each and every day. His condemnation is promised; it will be severe when poured out by...
In Proposition 49, George Peters states: "The covenants being in Revelation, the foundation of the Kingdom, must first be received and appreciated." Now by the word "Revelation", Peters is not referring to the Revelation of John found at the conclusion of...
We need to understand that communication is an art that we all must learn better. It does not come naturally. Here are seven principles to help you to grow in this art, that you might teach your children: 1. We should draw out the thoughts of others. Communication...
8 Reasons to Start The worthiness of God to receive your family’s worship each day is reason enough to start practicing family worship today. But in addition to that, consider these other good motivations: 1. What better way to speak the gospel into your children’s...
Jesus says that those who follow him will suffer, and many of you will suffer for doing good. In this lab, John Piper reminds us of God’s love for us in every trial, and uncovers the promise that one day he will make every wrong...
I read a disturbing article the other day that wasn’t really all that shocking, but rather a sad reaffirmation of the signs that are all around me. Fewer and fewer people read books these days. Affirming that we are now part of a postliterate society, Peter Denton...
In Proposition 48, George Peters states: "The Kingdom being based on the covenants, the covenants must be carefully examined, and (Prop. 4) the literal language of the same must be maintained." Seems simple enough right, yet so many fail to recognize the important...
While America’s evangelical Christians are rightly concerned about the secular worldview’s rejection of biblical Christianity, we ought to give some urgent attention to a problem much closer to home – biblical illiteracy in the church. This scandalous problem is...
In Proposition 47, George Peters states: "The Jews had the strongest possible assurance given to them that the Kingdom based on those covenants would be realized." Their assurance was rooted in the fact that God keeps His covenant promises. An oath was a serious...
In Proposition 46, George Peters states: "The Kingdom anticipated by the Jews at the First Advent is based on the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants." This proposition is somewhat of another restatement by Peters and again a necessary one given he is now interacting...
In Proposition 45, George Peters states: "The phrases 'Kingdom of heaven,' 'Kingdom of God,' 'Kingdom of Christ', etc., denote the same Kingdom." This proposition is a restatement of earlier propositions from Peters. It seems necessary at this juncture in his...
In Proposition 44, George Peters states: "The preaching of the Kingdom, being in accordance with that of the predicted Kingdom, raised no controversy between the Jews and Jesus, or between the Jews and His disciples and apostles." We typically think of the message...
Romans 7:13–25 is one of the most disputed and controversial passages in the Bible. Augustine changed his mind about its meaning, so we have precedent for swinging back and forth in our own interpretation. I recognize that I can hardly give the last word on a text...
When I teach on Romans 7, I expect there may be pushback to my argument that Romans 7:14–25 refers to Paul’s—and thus to our—Christian experience. Good friends, like Tom Schreiner, think that when Paul says “I delight in the law of God, in my inner being (esō...
In Proposition 43, George Peters states: "The disciples sent forth by Jesus to preach this Kingdom were not ignorant of the meaning to be attached to the Kingdom." This proposition is a logical extension of a previous one made by Peters regarding John the Baptist....
In Proposition 42, George Peters states: "Jesus Christ, in His early ministry, preached that the Kingdom of God was nigh at hand." This particular observation is rooted in passages such as Matthew 4:17 where Jesus declared, "From that time on Jesus began to preach,...
You are a staunch opponent of abortion rights. Many have argued, even members of your own party, that your position is too extreme for most Americans and could hurt your chances in the General Election. Would you really tell a rape victim that she must carry to...
In Proposition 41, George Peters states: "The Kingdom was not established under John's ministry." As we look at the message declared by John the Baptist as well as the period of his ministry, it is readily apparent the Kingdom, in particular the fullness of it, has...
Introduction: The theme of the book of Daniel is the universal sovereignty of Jehovah over all the nations of men. This sovereignty was active through God’s providential oversight of historical events in the time of the Old Testament. But the book is also rich in...
There was a community service requirement for my high school, designed to make us well-rounded individuals, padding our college applications, and ensuring that local community organization didn’t think too poorly of “kids these days.” As a soon-to-graduate senior I...
In Proposition 40, George Peters states: "The hearers of John believed that he preached to them the Kingdom predicted by the Prophets, and in the sense held by themselves." Peters, in this proposition, is hearkening back to early propositions while using the...
Introduction In commencing the study of any book in the Bible it is well to remind ourselves that each separate book has some prominent and dominant theme which, as such, is peculiar to itself, around which everything is made to center, and of which all the details...
In Proposition 39, George Peters states: "John the Baptist was not ignorant of the Kingdom that he preached." This seems like a rather obvious proposition to make; however, it is apparent that some believe John the Baptist preached something and urgent people to...
In Proposition 38, George Peters states: "John the Baptist preached that this Kingdom, predicted by the Prophets, was "nigh at hand." Being the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist was the one called by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. The message was...
Slavery is a sensitive topic with a horrific history. So what does the Bible say for slaves? Or does the Bible say “so little”? In this lab, John Piper explores one place where freedom is found, looking at a couple key passages that address the tragedy of human...
In Proposition 37, George Peters states: "The Kingdom, thus predicted and promised, was not in existence when the Forerunner of Jesus appeared." What Peters is proposing here is that the church did not replace Israel or take the place of the Davidic Kingdom. He is...
In Proposition 36, George Peters states: "The Prophets, with one voice, describe this one Kingdom, thus restored, in terms expressive of the most glorious additions." In the promise of the return to the Garden outlined in Scripture, it is clear that the kingdom...
In Proposition 35, George Peters states: "The Prophets describe but one Kingdom." Peters builds on his previous proposition, more specifically stating here that there is but a single Kingdom, the Theocracy. While the Davidic Kingdom was certainly in existence and...
Have you ever faced a skeptic—maybe a family member or a friend at work—who threw slavery at you as evidence that the Bible can’t be trusted? They argue that if you are using the Bible as your authority on what is right and wrong, then you are basing your deeply...
Another Super Bowl has come and gone. All the hype over the actual game and all the excitement over what company produced the most entertaining commercial will soon be a distant memory. What might remain somewhat vivid in our memories is the halftime show which...
In this episode of Exploring Hope, Jamie Dew sits down with Derek Hicks to talk about culture and Christianity.
In Proposition 34, George Peters states: "The Prophets describe this restored Kingdom, its extension, glory, etc., without distinguishing between the First and Second Advents." This proposition is an interesting one and a statement I honestly had to think about for...
In Proposition 33, George Peters states: "The Prophets, some even before the Captivity, foreseeing the overthrow of the Kingdom, both foretell its downfall and its final restoration." As Peters has noted in this proposition, God, through His prophets, not only...
Introduction: In the book of Esther, God is never mentioned, but is everywhere present. His providence surrounds all the events and characters. If we think about it carefully, we can perhaps see why a human author is not mentioned. This account has a very plain way...
In Proposition 32, George Peters states: "This Theocratic Kingdom, thus incorporated with the Davidic, is removed when the Davidic Kingdom is overthrown." Upon the exile of Israel and Judah into captivity, the Davidic kingdom had been overthrown. Thus, the...
A trend I have noticed over the past several years since social media has taken hold of society is the tendency for vitriol and biting comments. The unfortunate reality is some of the worst offenders are Christians or those at least professing faith in Christ....
I marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that any man would ever contend or speak against having the scripture available in every language, for every man. For I would have thought no one so blind as to ask why light [the light of the word of God] should be shown...
In Proposition 31, George Peters states: "This Theocracy or Kingdom was identified with the Davidic Kingdom." This is another undeniable fact. God made a covenant with David and the Messiah was stated to come from the line of David. Peters notes the Davidic and...
In Proposition 30, George Peters states: "The Prophets, however, without specifying the manner of introduction, predict that the Gentiles shall participate in the blessings of this Theocracy or Kingdom." This is something for which we should continually thank God....
In Proposition 29, George Peters states: "This Theocracy or Kingdom is exclusively given to the natural descendants of Abraham, in their corporate capacity." Peters reiterates in this proposition points he had been driving home already, namely that the people of...
What Is Good? The biblical explanation of the cosmos is a theme emphasized in the opening verses of Genesis, where each day of creation is stamped with the words “it was good.” But can an unguided world governed by mere chance, as the atheistic worldview suggests,...
Introduction: We have before us the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which were probably one book originally. Moreover, it is also quite possible that Chronicles/EzraNehemiah was originally one book. As we consider this, it would obviously be helpful for you not only to...
In Proposition 28, George Peters states: "God makes the Jewish King subordinate to His own Theocracy." Despite the yearning by Israel for a human ruler like that of the other nations and God within His divine plan making that request happen, God is still the King....
Understanding the foundational aspects of the gospel in Genesis is a vital key to unlock a powerful method of evangelism to reach the world for Christ. Surely the answer to this question is obvious to the average Christian. The word gospel means “good news.” When...
In Proposition 27, George Peters states: "The demand of the nation for an earthly king was a virtual abandonment of this Theocratic Kingdom by the nation." If you recall, Israel had been led by God from the calling of Abraham as the father of the nation, through...
In Proposition 26, George Peters states: "The Theocracy thus instituted would have been permanently established, if the people, in their national capacity, had been faithful in obedience." The covenant promises made by God to Israel were intimately connected to...
In Proposition 25, George Peters states: "The Theocracy was an earnest, introductory, or initiatory form of this Kingdom." What Peters means by the "Theocracy" is the nation of Israel to include the various legal regulations of that time. These included the...
In Proposition 24, George Peters states: "The Kingdom is offered to an elect nation, viz.: The Jewish nation." There can be no argument against this Proposition; however, its application regarding the doctrine of the kingdom is quite profound. If we are to lay...
Relevant for Today The miracles of Jesus were relevant to the people back then. But what about now? The Gospels record the miracles in order to indicate what happened, but they also have a religious purpose. Through understanding who Jesus is and what he did, we...
If God died in the 1960’s, then someone forgot to tell the English publishing industry. Books about God have been surprising bestsellers for the past decade. Richard Dawkin’s The God Delusion which has sold over a million has been joined in the best seller lists by...
In Proposition 23, George Peters states: "There must be some substantial reason why the phrases "Kingdom of God", etc., were thus adopted." This is certainly a valid proposition as after all, words in Scripture matter. God did not just randomly select a phrase or...
There exists today a rampant problem of biblical illiteracy. Dr. Albert Mohler, in addressing this grave issue, recently noted, “The larger scandal is biblical ignorance among Christians. Choose whichever statistic or survey you like, the general pattern is the...
In Proposition 22, George Peters states: "John the Baptist, Jesus, and the disciples, employed the phrases "Kingdom of heaven," "Kingdom of God," etc., in accordance with the usage of the Jews." Peters continues to build on the necessary foundation of how we are to...
In the first post in this series we briefly considered the way in whiich the Reformers viewed the Scriptures--as they are in truth, the authoritative written word of God. But God’s Word is not only uniquely authoritative; it is also uniquely clear, or perspicuous....
While not an event that took place in the Garden of Eden, the offering of a sacrifice to God by Cain and Abel has nevertheless been a topic of interest to me for some time. Given its potential connection to the Garden of Eden, exploring the possible reason why Cain...
‘Which is true, whosoever will or sovereign election?’ Like many questions this one demands a false answer. The Bible does not teach one or the other, it teaches both. Considered together the concepts may seem profound and difficult, but they are neither...
In Proposition 21, George Peters states: "The Prophecies of the Kingdom, interpreted literally, sustain the expectations and hopes of the pious Jews." Place yourself in the shoes (or sandals in this case) of the Jewish people while they were in exile. They had been...
1. Statement of the Doctrine. All Protestants agree in teaching that "the word of God, ascontained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only infallible rule of faith and practice." In the Smalcald Articles, the Lutheran Church says "Ex patrum --...
In Proposition 20, George Peters states: "To comprehend the subject of the kingdom, it is necessary to notice the belief and the expectations of the more pious portion of the Jews." What Peters is noting here is the need to note the differences in expectation of...
The Sixty Six Books of the Protestant Canon Are Inspired by the Holy Spirit and Therefore Inerrant Evangelicals are first and foremost people of the gospel. With Jesus at the Father‘s right hand and the Apostles gone to their reward, we evangelicals hold that our...
In Proposition 19, George Peters states: "The New Testament begins the announcement of the kingdom in terms expressive of its being previously well known." Arguably, this is a proposition many might not have thought about. There is no explanation of the kingdom or...
In Proposition 18, George Peters states: "The prophecies relating to the establishment of the Kingdom of God are both conditioned and unconditioned." This may seem like somewhat of a contradictory or confusing proposition at first, but let's think about this one...
I wish I never had to deal with conflict. I am a card-carrying conflict avoider. Whatever the reason (character, context, sin, etc.) I would rather run away from conflict than take it head on. It wasn’t until I began my training as a counselor at nearly...
Over the past couple of weeks at a Bible Study I have been attending, we have been exploring some fundamental aspects of Scripture and theology in general. As a starting point, a necessary one I might add, the discussion has centered on Genesis 1-4 for it is in...
In Proposition 17, George Peters states: "Without study of the prophecies, no adequate idea can be obtained of the kingdom." This is an important point Peters is proposing. He has previously noted the connection between the Old and New Testaments, some issues...
In Proposition 16, George Peters states: "This kingdom cannot be properly comprehended without acknowledging an intimate and internal connection existing between the Old and New Testaments." This is a truly important proposition. Far too many view the front and...
If Leviticus has stressed anything for the reader it is the essential nature of holiness in the life of the people of God. This holiness is necessary because it is reflective of the God with whom we are in relationship. See how often the phrase “I am the Lord” is...
In Proposition 15, George Peters states: "The doctrine of the kingdom can become better understood and appreciated." This is truly one of the reasons Peters wrote his treatise. There is a great need, both in his day and continuing to the current time, to grasp this...
A statement made by a professor at a leading evangelical college has become a flashpoint in a controversy that really matters. In explaining why she intended to wear a traditional Muslim hijab over the holiday season in order to symbolize solidarity with her Muslim...
In Proposition 14, George Peters states: "Some things pertaining to the kingdom not so easily comprehended as many suppose." Once again it seems somethings just never change. Apparently back in 1884, Peters noted something that still happens today, namely the...
There is one specific element of Genesis 3 that has recently fascinated me and that is the question as to why Eve is not portrayed as being surprised when the “Serpent” spoke to her. One of the traditional views can be found in the artwork that is often used to...
In Proposition 13, George Peters states: "Some things pertaining to the kingdom, intentionally revealed somewhat obscurely." Peters again builds on what he has been stating over the past couple of propositions, here noting that not all things have been revealed...
Very few, if any, awake one morning and decide all of a sudden, “Today is the day I’m going rogue. Enough with all that honesty stuff. From now on, I’m all about corruption.” It typically begins as an indiscernible leak of integrity, at least in terms of...
I spent last week cleaning up the remains of tomato vines from my garden. It’s easy work because once vines are dead, they lose all strength and break apart with little effort. While the remains of a tree can be made into a range of items from paper products to...
In Proposition 12, George Peters states: "There is some mystery yet connected with the things of the kingdom." This proposition was alluded to in our discussion of proposition 11. It is a fact that not all things in God's divine plan have taken place. Thus, there...
Andy Naselli recently wrote two pieces that encourage and equip believers to memorize whole books of the Bible. At the same time that I noticed his articles, I celebrated 25 years of systematic long-term Scripture memorization (SLTSM). Together, those events...
In Proposition 11, George Peters states: "The mysteries of the kingdom were given to the apostles." Peters avers that such a proposition is derived from passages such as Mark 4:11 and Matthew 13:11 which state "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of...
Over the past two centuries, much has been written in evangelical circles on the deity of Christ. This has been good and necessary, for many people deny that Jesus is the Son of God incarnate. Sometimes I fear, however, that this emphasis on Christ’s deity has led...
In Proposition 10, George Peters states: "This kingdom should be studied in the light of the Holy Scriptures, and not merely in that of creeds, confessions, formulas of doctrine, etc." This is giant pet peeve of mine as there is a great tendency, most notably among...
In Proposition 9, George Peters states: "The nature of, and the things pertaining to the kingdom, can only be ascertained within the limits of Scripture." This proposition is intimately connected with proposition 5 in which Peters declared that the doctrine of the...
Other than the discussion over the issue of how long the days of Genesis 1 are, arguably one of the most heated debates among evangelicals on the issue of origins is whether there was any death and more specifically, whether the is a biblical case for animal death...
Secular scientists have challenged creation scientists to explain the Ice Age. Also, they claim that there were numerous ice ages, possibly up to fifty, at intervals of 100,000 or 40,000 years over the past 2.6 million years. Bible believers need to respond to this...
The Law comes from our good God. The Law comes as a good gift from our good God. The Law is a good presentation of God’s standard of goodness. It tell us that which is really good in the sight of God. The Law is a good magnifier of our non-goodness. It does...
In Proposition 7, George Peters states: "The kingdom being a manifestation of the supernatural, miracles are connected with it." I am enjoying the flow of Peters' argument thus far as he is building slowly but surely on his propositions, establishing a theological...
There are desires inside of you that want to destroy you. They will try and lure you to anything and everything except God and His glory. In this lab, John Piper teaches us to fight remaining sin in our own hearts. He end by giving two strategies for abstaining...
In Proposition 6, George Peters states: "The kingdom of heaven is intimately connected with the supernatural." This is yet another simple yet profoundly important statement. While the kingdom as previously noted by Peters has as its location earth, it is also...
I’ve always been amazed by Jesus’ response to Satan’s first temptation: “if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread” (Matthew 4:3). I picture Jesus there, looking at the stones. His ribs are poking out, and his body is worn away after...
Can you explain why you exist in the world? When God created you, and then saved you and made you new, why did he do it? The Bible gives us unbelievable clarity. In this lab, John Piper explains the purpose of your life. We exist not to call attention to ourselves,...
In Proposition 5, George Peters states: "The doctrine of the kingdom is based on the inspiration of the Word of God." This is a short yet important statement to make. After all, Peters has declared the importance of this doctrine and how it is rooted in Scripture....
In Proposition 4, George Peters states: "The literal, grammatical interpretation of the Scriptures must (connected with the figurative, tropical, or rhetorical) be observed in order to obtain a correct understanding of this kingdom." With this proposition, Peters...
You’d think Pavlov invented it, that characteristic sound of a new instant message, the "buh-ding." That’s what Jack heard in his cubicle that morning, before caffeine had cleared the fog in his head. He clicked over to his messenger application as routinely as if...
Adam Francisco (who has a Ph.D. in Islamic-Christian relations from Oxford University) is professor of history at Concordia University in Irvine, California. His work on the history of Islam is nuanced and informed. As one online bio notes, “He has a unique ability...
In Proposition 3, George Peters states: "The meanings usually given to this kingdom indicate that the most vague, indefinite notions exist concerning it." I find this true regarding a number of theological terms, perhaps most notably the recent focus on naming...
This intellectual revolution began with four lectures in late 1915 presented to the Prussian Academy of Sciences. The lectures were given by Albert Einstein, and before the end of the year Einstein would publish his argument for a “General Theory of Relativity.”...
On the very first page of the Bible the absolute transcendence of God above His creatures comes to our attention. Without strain or fatigue He calls the whole world into existence by His word alone. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of...
Late in 2015 I began a series titled “Lessons from the Garden”. It is my firm belief that in order to understand Scripture, one must begin with the beginning pages of Genesis. If we are to understand sin, we have to look at how Genesis presents life before and...
When a person becomes a Christian, they take on an entirely different identity, the pinnacle of which is being God’s prized possession. In this lab, John Piper looks at two of the most explicit and most profound verses on Christian identity. What we learn should...
When I was young, I only thought of my future: Whom would I marry? What vocation would I pursue? Where would I live? Now that I am the father of four children, I think only of their futures. As he approached the final days of his ministry, the Apostle Paul set his...
Often Christians, pastors, and theologians who try to fit millions of years into Genesis 1 object to a literal, recent six-day creation by arguing, “So Adam never stepped on an ant in the Garden of Eden? That can’t be true. There had to be death before sin.” But is...
There are some areas of life and the Christian faith where the smartest thing you can do is to hold your position with a certain… latitude. It tends to go wrong when you dig your heels in and you won’t recognize that there are other valid points of view. One that...
If we’re called to bring believers back from their wandering, does that mean true believers can lose their faith? In this lab, John Piper deals with the security of every believer, and draws in lots of texts to explain how God keeps his children from falling away....
Are we just another animal? We can argue about DNA, brain size, and upright stature, but Genesis 1 emphasizes an infinitely greater privilege that sets mankind apart. Atheism views man as simply a material being like all other animals. In many ways, this is the...
Some of the most heartbreaking moments in a Christian’s life are watching other believers wander away from the truth. In this lab, John Piper tackles a couple verses that help us understand a Christian’s identity and give us great hope in pursuing a wandering...
The Necessity of Verbal Revelation QUESTION 1: Was revelation by the word necessary? Affirmative. I. Since the word of God is the unique foundation (principium) of theology, its necessity is properly investigated at the very beginning: was it necessary for God to...
Introduction: In taking a book of the Bible a week, we are not really doing justice to any of them. We can certainly give an orientation. We can describe the basic themes. We can perhaps give you a taste for the book, such that you want to pursue a deeper reading...
In this episode of Exploring Hope, Jamie Dew and Steve McKinion discuss natural theology in Christian thought.
Why are Christians so unkind to one another and the world? Why do we criticize, degrade, and dismiss? Why do we act like jerks? I have experienced the sting of Christian criticism many times as I’ve posted Scripture or encouragements online. I’m sure you’ve...
As the forty-second anniversary of Roe v. Wade draws near, we are reminded of how large and formidable the abortion industry has become in the United States. Planned Parenthood survives with a heavy dose of government funding, even as overall abortion numbers are...
Sadly, most Christians in the United States, when it comes to recognizing the dangers to their civil and religious liberties, sleep the sleep of ignorance that the disciples slept at Gethsemane before the arrest of Jesus. It ought to be obvious by now how “sexual...
“The more I probed the Bible,” Reza Aslan declares in the introduction to his bestseller Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, “the more distance I discovered between the Jesus of the gospels and the Jesus of history” (xix). The result of this...
If God has given us the Scriptures to be the canon or rule for our lives, it follows that we must regard them as the supreme authority for our lives. Paul tells us that they are ‘breathed out’ by God. There can be no more authoritative word than one that comes to...
It is surely an indictment of the Church today that in dealing with the subject of catechizing we have to begin by explaining the very meaning of the term. What was looked on as a necessary and beneficial practice by the early church and by the Reformers has now...
I love doctrine. Doctrine is simply the teaching of God or the teaching about God—the body of knowledge that he reveals to us through the Bible. I guess I’m one of those geekly people who loves to learn a new word and the big idea behind it. But I hope I do not...
Genesis as absolute beginning out of nothing Christianity has historically affirmed that the first chapter of Genesis describes God speaking the material universe into existence for the first time out of nothing. What is traditionally called creation ex nihilo by...
On Death, Dying, and Suffering Theistic evolution is the belief God brought about the present variety of life on earth by the process of evolution. In a manner of speaking, the very term “theistic evolution” is oxymoronic. A radical discontinuity exists between the...
God’s Character and the Doctrine of Inspiration Theistic evolution has emerged in recent years as the “go to” explanation that attempts to accommodate the historical narrative of Genesis with the evolutionary theory of life. Even though theistic evolutionary...
When we say that the Bible is ‘the Word of God’, what we are actually claiming about it? It is to answer this question, which is both theological and also deeply practical and vital, that the branch of theology called ‘the doctrine of Scripture’ has been developed....
'Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.’ I Tim 3: I6. Q-xxvii: WHEREIN DID CHRIST’S HUMILIATION CONSIST? A: In his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the...
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His...
The last Presidential election cycle saw a huge increase in discussion about Mormonism with Mitt Romney running for President of the United States. For some this conversation is new, but for many like me who live, work and minister around Mormons, Mormonism is...