Think Theology

Within the spectrum of Old Testament scholarship, the majority of non-evangelical scholars are advocates of the Documentary Hypothesis. This theory states that the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) was not written completely by Moses but by different post-Mosaic authors.  The theory suggests that these authors are determined by the usage of different Hebrew [...]

“Although trying to cool their ardor for congregational tongues-speaking, Paul does not disparage the gift itself; rather, he seeks to put it in its rightful place. Positively, he says three things about speaking in tongues, which are best understood in light of the further discussion on prayer and praise in vv. 13-17: (1) Such a [...]

A few weeks ago I spent five days providing lectures for the Northwoods YWAM School of Biblical Foundations. The students and I interacted on the many subjects related to Pneumatology, specifically the Person of the Holy Spirit, the work of the Spirit in redemption, and the Holy Spirit in the OT and the NT. The [...]

“It deserves notice that the views of the apostles, after the atonement had become an accomplished fact, underwent the most memorable change. Long had the repelled the thought of Christ’s death, which they clearly enough perceived must be the death-blow of all their Jewish dreams and theories. But when it actually arrived, and they looked [...]

Previously, we focused on clarifying the views of Believer’s Baptism regarding mode (i.e., What is baptism? How should baptism be done? etc.). Here, we’ll highlight this view’s understanding on the meaning of baptism. The Meaning of Baptism: Why is baptism important? While we turn to the New Testament to discover the meaning of baptism, we [...]

The subject of baptism has divided many Christians, which is unfortunate. But controversy is essential where truth is rejected or distorted (e.g., in matters related to Christology and the gospel). Controversy is also deadly to Christian fellowship when disagreeing about truth dominates magnifying truth. However, many Christians feel threatened when they are confronted with controversial [...]

“The Sermon thus makes no claim to present an ethic for all men; indeed much of it would make no sense as a universal code. It is concerned not with ethics in general, but with discipleship, with man in his obedience and devotion to God, not with a pattern for society. To interpret it legalistically [...]

Yesterday morning I worked through 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5, which has Paul offering three insights concerning the folly of God. In fact, Paul provides three evidences of God’s “foolishness,” summarized as follows: (1) A Crucified Messiah (2) The Corinthian Believers (3) Paul’s Preaching I couldn’t help reflecting on the fact that Paul is writing to a [...]

Yesterday morning I preached through 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 and spent a lot of time expounding upon my love for the grace of God (audio found here). The first part of our text is as follows: ” But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose [...]

The Gospel of John is full of penetratingly insightful material to help us form a robust and exciting Pneumatology! I’m surprised so many Christian pastors and scholars overlook how deeply John writes about the work of the Spirit. In fact, the past 20 years of Johannine scholarship has provided some remarkable insight into John’s understanding [...]

I just picked up Andreas J. Kostenberger’s A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters and I’m impressed. It, along with Carson’s Pillar commentary, is quickly becoming a must read for anyone interested in Johannine studies. At 656 pages, Kostenberger has provided a very interesting theology of John’s Gospel and three Epistles. I read the following [...]

“As the new birth, the acquisition of eternal life, has been grounded in the ‘lifting up’ of the Son (vv. 14-15), so also that ‘lifting up’, the climax of the Son’s mission, is itself grounded in the love of God. The mission of the Son and its consequences is the theme of the paragraph, but [...]

Yes, we jumped into one of the main “rapture” passages of the NT – 1 Thess. 4:13-18. I made no qualms about my eschatological position (Historic Premillennial, i.e., post-tribber). Yet, I also made it clear that I do not believe that this passage can be used to determine the timing of the “rapture” (harpazo). So, [...]

Three days ago I preached one of the most difficult messages that I’ve ever tackled. It was not a difficult text, but a difficult subject. We are currently walking through Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians and we arrived at 4:1-12. This passage strongly addresses the subject of “sexual immorality.”

So I did it. Finally. I have cracked open N.T. Wright’s Justification: God’s Plan & Paul’s Vision. I’ve had the book for a bit and have been reading reviews of it on various blogs (a good list of reviews is found here). I’m not sure if reading reviews of the book before I actually read [...]

“For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.” – 1 Thess. 2:19-20 What are the characteristics that we so often look for in our pastors? Think about that question for a moment. What kind [...]

So I’ve been pretty busy with everything this summer and my blogging has been on slow-roll. I apologize for those of you who check here daily. I don’t know what to tell you. Summer is busy! But while I’ve been busy with summer stuff, I’ve also been working my way through Paul’s 1st letter to [...]

So this week I’ve been studying Acts 17:1-9 as the backdrop for our up and coming series on 1 & 2 Thessalonians. I had previously noted some of the resources I’ve been using (found here) and, alongside the text, these resources are proving extremely helpful. With that in mind, I need to suggest that anyone [...]

Have you ever been considered a “world changer” in any sense of the words? I am 30 years old and I often feel like I haven’t accomplished anything for the Kingdom of God. I know, I know… I’m only human. But, what Luke records in Acts 17 shakes my world… “These men who have turned [...]

This Sunday I’m beginning to teach through the Thessalonian letters, though I’ll obviously be taking a quick jump into the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25) throughout certain parts of the letters. I had considered just nailing down 1 Thess. 4-5 and 2 Thess. 2 in order to just “highlight” the main eschatological sections but recently decided against [...]

So I just finished reading the first essay of Fee’s in his wonderful To What End Exegesis? I’ve owned this book for about six years now and I’ve read most of the essays but hadn’t read this one – “One Thing is Needful”? (Luke 10:42). The article was originally published in 1981, which is probably why [...]

Is it just me or do most media outlets have an overly trusting infatuation with Bart Ehrman? I recently noted Ehrman’s overall role within NT scholarship (here) and now I just read an article at CNN.com – Former Fundamentalist ‘Debunks’ Bible. There is such a wierd intriguing infatuation within most media outlets with this guy. But [...]

On Sunday morning I continued our series for May on Spiritual Formation. Last week we’d discussed bible study, and this week I was hoping to stir folks up to pray, pray, and pray some more. Why? Because your spiritual formation depends upon your diligence of prayer! . But why should we pray? Better yet, what [...]

Peter Kirk at Gentle Wisdom has some helpful comments regarding some technical notes that Mike Aubrey made, all in relation to Ephesians 5. Mike suggests that we understand the participles of Paul’s Greek as pointing us to the results of being filled with the Spirit as opposed to reading the Greek as imperative commandments. Peter [...]

Continuing our study of Church History, we must take note of one of the earliest issues that we find addressed within both the NT and within the writings of the Patristics. The issue is still relevant today. It is a subject that predates Christianity (cf. Schaff’s History of the Christian Church, Volume II under the section [...]