Category: Jesus Christ

The popular adage, “God has a wonderful plan for your life,” ought to be forgotten and a new one adopted. “God has a wonderful plan for His life.” Now, that’s more like the reality we find in Scripture. Rather than being man-centered, the Bible is actually God-centered. This may seem strange to people. Even regular…
Read more

Often a book comes along that you realize early on in reading it that this will be a game-changer. Such is Regarding Jesus. Not that it will shake the academic world or end up on Oprah’s list of ‘must read books.’ But for the believer in Jesus Christ, this will become a close friend that…
Read more

What’s in a name? Perhaps you have heard this question asked or possibly you have asked it yourself. Names still matter in our day, but we tend to link names with the past rather than choose them, or have them chosen for us, with the future in mind. Biblical examples abound with names given and…
Read more

No, I don’t mean that paradox, usually referred to as ‘antinomy,’ some time back made quite popular by J. I. Packer in his book, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, which is helpful in many ways, but ultimately, in my opinion, is unsatisfying. No, the ‘paradox, I mean is the utter senselessness of some biblical…
Read more

In recent years there has been a reservation on the part of Reformed[1] minded Christians to categorically state that all forms of Semi-Pelagianism are heretical. Not only is this timidity puzzling but the boldness by which these folks announce holders of a libertarian — free-will — theological outlook as “brothers in Christ” is rather alarming.…
Read more

Jesus never failed to surprise His audience. He was accused of being a glutton and a winebibber. He was looked down upon as a “friend of sinners.” He chose ordinary folks, mere fishermen, to be His closest disciples. He was polite to the outcasts and ousted the prestigious. So, at the dinner hosted by the…
Read more

Reformed theology posits a thesis that suggests that God designed the gospel to save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21), and sent Christ to die for them alone (John 10:11; Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25-27), and their salvation is guaranteed by the work of Christ (Rom. 8:32; 2 Peter 1:3,4). So far, so good. The…
Read more

The cross provides an atonement. Indeed, the cross saves. But how? The fact that Jesus died on the cross in AD 30 or 33 is pretty much established by historical investigation. I will continue to have an interest in the historical aspects of Jesus’s life. The significance of that death and its true meaning is…
Read more

[This paper originally had footnotes, which seem to have evaporated. It was prepared as one of the requirements in a PhD seminar on Martin Luther with the late historian, Marvin Anderson in the Fall of 1999].   Introduction Martin Luther’s theology of the cross [theologia crucis] is of central significance. Luther’s impact cannot be overstated.…
Read more