A psalm of Asaph
God is indeed good to Israel,
to those who are pure of heart.But I, well, my feet nearly fell down.
My steps nearly slipped away,
because I envied fools.
I saw the well-being of evil people.
Theology
Athanasius on Why Jesus Became a Man
Have you ever asked yourself why the Father sent Jesus to earth? I mean, he could have just left us to our own devices. He could have ended his creation. God could have done a lot of things. But what did he do? He sent his Son into the world to die on a cross and rise from the dead? Why? Well, there really could be a lot of ways to answer this question, but I’d like to share one answer with you from the fourth century theologian Athanasius. [Read more…] about Athanasius on Why Jesus Became a Man
Review: Women in the Church
Women in the Church: An Interpretation and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15. Edited by Andreas J. Köstenberger and Thomas R. Schreiner. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016.
Women in the Church has gone through three editions (1995, 2005, 2016), showing that the issue of women in the church still excites intense debate. If anything, the discussion of how women serve in the church has increased in its intensity over the last twenty years. Two sides have emerged, each attempting to articulate how women serve among the congregation. One side affirms that women can function in the church as pastors (egalitarian), while the other side maintains that women cannot serve as pastors (complementarian). 1 Timothy 2:9 -15, the topic of this book, sits in the centre of the debate.
1 Timothy 2:12, for example, reads: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” Situating itself on the side of the complementarian position, the authors of this work undertake a massive effort to understand 1 Timothy 2:9–15 from nearly every angle. [Read more…] about Review: Women in the Church
Jen Hatmaker & Affirming Theology
Jen Hatmaker is a best-selling author and a prominent Christian leader. She also calls gay marriage holy. So if you are a pastor or leader in the church and you don’t know who she is, then you should. Jen Wilkin’s recent tweet makes a similar point:
Pastor, if you had to ask, “Who’s Jen Hatmaker?” it’s time to be more directly invested in the spiritual nurture of half your church.
— Jen Wilkin (@jenniferwilkin) October 28, 2016
In other words, Hatmaker influences women in your church. In fact, in Canada women may make up more than half your church! [Read more…] about Jen Hatmaker & Affirming Theology
Did Paul’s Audience Grasp His Use of the OT?
New Testament writers often cite or allude to the Old Testament to make theological points. In this way, the Old Testament forms the narrative sub-structure behind the New Testament, always present but not always explicitly so.
Through careful study, students of the Bible can discover citations, allusions, and echoes of the Old Testament throughout the New Testament. For example, Romans consistently quotes the Old Testament to argue theologically. Consider, for example, how Paul cites Abraham’s experience in Genesis 15 to substantiate the doctrine of Justification in Romans 4. [Read more…] about Did Paul’s Audience Grasp His Use of the OT?
Men’s Breakaway Liveblog 5 | Paul Carter
Paul Carter is preaching his third and final message at the Muskoka Bible Centre’s Men’s Breakaway retreat. He is speaking on the life of Joseph.
~ 9:51 Paul begins his talk by discussing how the Old Testament applies to Christians. In 1 Cor 10:11, Paul tells the church that the Old Testament is written for them: “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”