John Piper Echoing Wayne Grudem’s Contention that NT Prophecy Differs from OT Prophecy

Piper contends along the same lines as Wayne Grudem that NT prophecy was of a different character than OT prophecy. I appreciate how Piper acknowledges and concedes why people would have a hang-up over such a declaration. He also argues that the NT gift of teaching is fallible and a good analogy of how NT [...]

Christ and Discontinuity

Peter Leithart reflects on the Sanhedrin’s horror at Jesus’ statement that he would destroy and then rebuild the temple.  While he was referring to his body, they took it as an offense against the center of their religious life.  Rather than wanting a God who claims this power,
They want a god of guarantees, whose entire [...]

Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Pentecost

The second thing we notice is that in chapter 2 of the prophecy of Joel, which was quoted by Peter in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, the emphasis is placed upon the word pour out: ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon [...]

Augustinian Platonism

My lovely wife picked up a cheap book for me yesterday at the library sale : The Age of Reform 1250-1550. [50 cents!]
The author, Steven Ozment, outlines Augustine’s modification of Platonism in a chart which I have reproduced here.

Ozment writes:
Augustine replaced the Platonic doctrine of reconciliation with his own distinctive doctrine of “divine illumination,” one [...]

Is There a Role for a “Minister” in the Church who doesn’t hold the office of deacon or elder?

Just wanting some feedback. Here is a brief excerpt from a Pentecostal Systematic Theology:
I. Ministers.
The word “MINISTER” comes from the same Greek word that is translated “deacon.” But there are a number of passages where the word diakonos cannot refer to the office of the deacon. For instance, Paul, writing to the Corinthians, said: “Who [...]

Blast from the Past: An Old Bibliotheca Sacra Journal Article from 1951 Chiding Pentecostals for Being a “Small” Denomination

In my research for my thesis, I came across the following from BSac—V108 #429—Jan 51—pps. 46-47
Is the Pentecostal Movement Pentecostal?
Part 1 – Roy L. Aldrich
The first statement to be examined is the assertion that the modern Pentecostal movement is “a second, or fuller, realization and fulfillment of Joel 2:28–29” than was known previously. If the [...]

Home Group Sheet for Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”

I know this is a bit choppy, but I made it for my personal use and it might not be reader-friendly. This is a condensed commentary on Matthew 5:4 for the homegroup I am leading right now. We are going through the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they [...]

Kevin DeYoung on Church Membership

Kevin DeYoung has a good post on the importance of church membership.  It’s worth reading.  Here are his main points:
1. In joining a church you make visible your commitment to Christ and his people.
2. Making a commitment makes a powerful statement in a low-commitment culture.
3. We can be overly independent.
4. Church membership keeps us accountable.
5. [...]

Pentecostalism in Latin America

Milton Acosta of Biblical Seminary of Colombia in Medillín gives his readers an introduction to the trends in Latin American Pentecostalism.  He says that churches are often disconnected from either Catholicism or Protestantism and the pastors often get theology degrees from an unregulated degree market.  There are also trends of “Protestant shamanism” and the prosperity [...]

A Journey With John Calvin, “Man’s Full Culpability”

Two selections from Calvin’s Institutes:
This corrupt procedure is admirably described by Paul, when he says, that “thinking to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:22). He had previously said that “they became vain in their imaginations,” but lest any should suppose them blameless, he afterwards adds that they were deservedly blinded, because, not contented with [...]

Friendly Discourse on Charismatic Gifts

I have been in discourse on Facebook of all places with some folks that I esteem, one of which is an Orthodox Presbyterian pastor that I have the highest esteem for. Anyhow, thought you might be interested in the correspondence:
OPC Pastor: Rutherford’s qualification is important: “1. These worthy reformers did tye no man to beleeve [...]

John Calvin: The Pentecostal???

This is an article from a scholar that I have much respect for, Dr. Ben Witherington, who in turn gives much respect to John Calvin even if Witherington is Weselyan. Note that Calvin may have spoken in tongues. I have bold and italicized the section which make reference to such.
John Calvin is Old, and Not [...]

Book Review: “The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views”

This is a bit dated but each of the contributors’ essays represent well the dispensational pre-mill, historic pre-mill, amill, and post-mill views. There hadn’t been much more to add to these views as they were here represented.
First off, Hoyt’s defense of a dispensational pre-mill view follows the standard dispy hermeneutic. The one strength of [...]

Mission trip to Bundibugyo, Uganda

I returned from a two-week trip to Uganda on July 25. I did not have time to post updates while I was there, so I’m catching up now that I’m back in the U.S. The first update can be found here. New updates here.

Baptism Correspondence

Based on an earlier post: http://endued.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/my-baptismal-sabbatical-bibliography-say-that-5-times-fast
Joel and I have corresponded and I thought that posting my response in a blog post would interest some readers. Here it is:
joelmartin said
July 23, 2009 at 7:14 am e
I actually embrace infant baptism based on the authority of the Church and the idea that she can decide things [...]

My Baptismal Sabbatical Bibliography (say that 5 times fast)

Okay, some folks have wondered what I have actually read on the topic of Baptism…perhaps suspecting that what I consider a worthy examination was something short of it. Such may be the case…that’s for you to decide, but these are some of the main works that I referenced in my reasearch:

[...]

Book Review of “Predestination and Free Will: Four Views”

This book is toooooo short to address this issue fairly from 4 different perspectives. I will only say that I was surprisingly appreciative of Bruce Reichenbach of Augsburg College attempt to define his views, but still reject it at the end of the day. BTW, he articulated God’s foreknowledge of future free events (Traditional Arminianism/Wesleyan). [...]

Book Review of “Understanding Four Views on Baptism”

First off, I want to say that I am fairly convinced of ‘believer’s baptism’, having taken a sabbatical leave in my past to study the issue, after having even studied it pretty intensely prior to that. I only say that as a disclaimer so you knwo where i am coming from.
I read this couterpoint [...]

Christ’s Triumph over Earthly Powers

Scholars have begun to think about the way that Jesus and Paul called the Roman Empire into question.  I think that it was this Christian Century article from 2005 that turned me on to the trend.  Peter Leithart’s article in First Things also explored the idea of Paul’s assertion of Christ’s triumph over earthly powers:
Paul [...]

Jesus on the Cross = Penal Substitution AND Sanctification

My evening readings were in 1 Pt. 1-2 and there is so much precious truth in it all, however 1 Pt 2:24 sticks out  for me today:
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
I [...]

Christian orthodoxy and republican ideas: the American puzzle

Noll’s fifth fourth chapter in America’s God describes the unusual agreement between traditional Christians and republican political ideas in late 18-century America.  First, we have to define republican ideology.  Here’s how Noll does it:
American republican language returned constantly to two main themes: fear of abuses from illegitimate power and a nearly messianic belief in the [...]

Jonathan Edwards and the Decline of the Puritan Covenant

In Chapter 3 of America’s God, Noll writes that while Jonathan Edwards ably defended the doctrines of Calvinism in a way that understood the Enlightenment, his conception of the church represented a break with the Puritan ideal.
The Puritan covenant bound society and church under a covenant with God, using biblical Israel as the model.  In [...]

Countdown to Pentecost Sunday: Pentecostals, Greatest Global Movement?

Time magazine had recently cited the “New Calvinism” as one of the most important ideas in the world. While I am excited about such as a Calvinist myself, I was somewhat surprised by the omission of Pentecostalism.
Jenkins calls Pentecostalism,“the most successful social movement of the past century” (Jenkins 2002:8). Jenkins, P. (2002) The Next Christendom: [...]

Countdown to Pentecost Sunday:”Teaching a Calvinist to Dance” by James K.A. Smith

Professor at Calvin College, James K.A. Smith, offers some thoughts on how Reformed theology and Pentecostal practice complement each other. BTW, the picture on the left is that of a dancing Abraham Kuyper (Dutch Calvinistic Giant). Link at Christianity Today here.
You will find this less academic, more biographical, and perhaps a bit challenging devotionally. Also, [...]

Quotable by John Gill on Prayer…Is he speaking of tongues???

You will find the quotes below….notice the part in bold text, which sound surprisingly similar to the “prayer language” glossolalia that some Pentecostal/Charismatic folks advocate.

1. Take notice of the various sorts of prayer, which will lead on to that; for there is a praying with all prayer, which denotes many sorts and kinds of prayer.
1a. [...]

Happy Ascension Day!!!

Ascension Day often gets overlooked, but it is a most glorious truth that we celebrate today…the risen, exalted Christ, reigning from on high, expanding His kingdom and subdoing His enemies.

Review of Greg Carey “Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature”

Carey, G. (2005). Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature. St. Louis, MO: Chalice.

Commenting on Joel 2:28-32, Carey (2005:61) says:
…it proclaimed an eschatological age marked by prophetic and visionary activity…Peter recites part of the passage to interpret the manifestations of the Spirit at Pentecost (2:16-21). Likewise, Paul, who testifies to prophetic activity [...]

Spiritual Blindness in the Academy

James Jordan has written an excellent critique of why Christian scholars and secular scholars are in thrall to false ideas. The entire article is here, this is an excerpt:
The current scholarly consensus gives little comfort to the evangelical scholar, because at a great many important points the history of the ancient world as reconstructed by secularists contradicts [...]

Can One Be a Credo-Baptist and Still Hold to a Nuanced Reformed-Covenantal View of Children?

Greetings blog-readers!!! I have not touched on a subject that is very dear to my heart, children. A couple of years ago I took a sabbatical to research the theology of both baptism and children. I came away more intrigued in developing a theology of Children that was faithful to Scripture…albeit a convinced Covenantal Credo-Baptist.
Suffice [...]

Catholic Inclusion ~ Catholic Exclusion

The logic of the Roman Catholic Church is that you are better off not ever hearing the gospel or knowing about the Church than you are in knowingly refusing to enter her. In other words, pagans who have not heard are better off than those who hear and do not join the Church. Current Catholic [...]