Wyatt Graham

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Review of Truth We Can Touch by Tim Chester

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Tim Chester has skillfully written a short book on how baptism and communion should shape our lives. His easy communication style makes Truth We Can Touch accessible to a large audience—even to those who do not often read theological books. 

In this sense, the book could easily help churches teach their congregations the meaning of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It could also be a textbook at the college level. I recommend the work to anyone interested in the topic—I had only some minor quibbles with the work.  [Read more…] about Review of Truth We Can Touch by Tim Chester

Jesus Fulfills Some Old Testament Passages about Conquering Gentiles by Saving Gentiles

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One of the most unrealized yet central scriptural patterns of New Testament proclamation is Christ’s fulfillment of eschatological promises. This fulfillment of the universal and eschatological passages in the Old Testament is the reason why the Gospel goes to all nations. 

Through Christ, the end has begun to be realized. The Gospel, by its very nature, is eschatological. It is the last hour. The kingdom of God is near. Hence, the Gospel saves all who believe since Jesus reigns over all creation.

In this regard, the New Testament applies passages about the subjugation of gentiles to the church. To be more accurate, the New Testament sees Gentile conquest passages as first all a subjugation by faith and inclusion into the people of God. And then second, in the end, these passages point to Christ’s subjugation of the nations by force (e.g., Rev 19). 

Let me explain how this works before spending time in Romans 15 to see an important example of this apostolic proclamation in practice.  [Read more…] about Jesus Fulfills Some Old Testament Passages about Conquering Gentiles by Saving Gentiles

What Is Salvation?

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What are we saved from? We could answer “sin.” That would be true. We could also answer, “death,” which would be no less true. We could even answer “Satan,” which again would be true. In this sense, we have multiple and interlocked threats from which we need rescue.

Rescue is a useful word. To be saved means to be rescued. De-theologizing that the word salvation for a moment may help us here to answer the question. We need rescue. We are in dire straights and without rescue, we will be lost. What sort of rescue do we need and what does it mean to be lost? 

Scripture provides three interlocking answers: sin, death, and Satan vie against us. Sin brings justice which we know as divine wrath, so that we must pay restitution and so satisfy justice’s demand to avoid it; death kills us, so that we need immortality to avoid it; Satan deceives us, so that we need to conquer the deceiver to overcome his schemes. 

Let’s take these one-by-one to see how Scripture outlines these threats, and how Christ rescues us from each. [Read more…] about What Is Salvation?

What Is the Meaning of Marriage?

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In Scripture marriage always points to union with God in Christ. In saying this, I want to be quick to affirm that Scripture by no means downplays marriage and family in its natural sense. Far from it, it elevates these things. But its elevation occurs because of marriage’s deepest meaning. From the beginning, marriage always signified God’s union with humanity in Christ.

This is a big claim. So let me cite and comment on a number of biblical passages that, I think, naturally lead to the conclusion that I have stated in my opening sentence.  [Read more…] about What Is the Meaning of Marriage?

What Form of Church Government Did the Apostles Use?

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After the fall of Jerusalem (AD 70), key Christian leaders migrated to Asia Minor and so to the churches established by Paul. Of these, John, Andrew (Peter’s brother), Philip, John the Elder (a disciple of Jesus), and Aristion (another disciple) all went to Ephesus or a place nearby. The three prophetic daughters of Philip, two of whom live into old age also went and ministered in Asia Minor. Ephesus and the surrounding area therefore become the apostolic hub during the years of AD 70–95.

One fascinating feature is that this migrated apostolic church formed a school that trains and produces some of the key leaders of the next generations: Polycarp of Smyrna, Papias of Hierapolis, and many other unknown leaders. Another notable feature is that the apostles themselves set up an episcopal model of the church that has already become common in the 90s. 

By saying “episcopal model,” I need to immediately qualify that I do not mean something like the late antique episcopal models. Rather, I mean something akin to the role of a senior pastor in an evangelical church.  [Read more…] about What Form of Church Government Did the Apostles Use?

Is Jesus the Angel of the Lord?

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The Angel of the Lord has fascinated and confused many readers of Scripture. At times, he seems like nothing else than an angelic being sent by the LORD. At other times, his identity becomes mixed with the LORD and speaks with the voice of God.

While some confusion of the details is inevitable, Scripture is much clearer on this matter than we sometimes think. I want to argue that the Angel of the Lord is unambiguously Jesus. [Read more…] about Is Jesus the Angel of the Lord?