Issue
Gods Unto Ourselves
Vol. 16, No. 2 • Mar/Apr 2007
The modern age sees Martin Luther as a hero for standing up to the might of both pope and emperor with his famous trial at Worms: “Here I stand.” Yet such admirers often forget that the German reformer was not inaugurating a new era of the enlightened and autonomous individual. We recognize that simply by […]
All Articles (11)
“Creature of the Word”
The modern age sees Martin Luther as a hero for standing up to the might of both pope and emperor with his famous trial at Worms: “Here I stand.” Yet such admirers often forget that the German reformer was not inaugurating a new era of the enlightened and autonomous individual. We recognize that simply by […]
How Do We Know We Have the Right Books?
D. F. Strauss once declared that the question of how to authenticate the biblical canon was the “Achilles heel” of Reformed/Protestant Christianity. After all, when it comes to the New Testament, how do we know for sure that we have the right 27 books? Why not 26 books? Or 28? And if we cannot adequately […]
What the Bible is All About
The hit TV show Seinfeld has been called a show about nothing. One of the most pernicious falsehoods about the Bible is that it, too, is a book about nothing, that it is a random collection of ancient myths and moral aphorisms. Strangely, some Christians seem to regard Scripture this way. Others find unity in […]
The Qur’an’s Challenge to the Bible
Passages from the Qur’an said to be revealed in the earliest days of Islam suggest that Muhammad (570-632) viewed his religion as a reassertion of the monotheism of Christianity. As contacts between Christians and the nascent Muslim sect in Mecca increased, he even reportedly dissuaded his followers from debating with Christians. Instead the Muslims were […]
Thinking Clearly About the Clarity of Scripture
Are the Scriptures clear? Most of us would tend to answer: “sometimes yes, sometimes no.” There are passages that seem straightforward and other passages that appear really confusing. What else could we expect of a collection of books written over the course of 1,500 years, by so many diverse authors, in so many diverse styles? […]
Why Inerrancy Still Matters
In 1978, James Montgomery Boice sounded the following warning in Foundation of Biblical Authority, the introductory volume explaining the purpose behind the formation of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI). Boice wrote that “even among evangelicals, Christian doctrine and Christian living are moving progressively away from the biblical standard and from the classical teachings […]
The Bible
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What Did Jesus Write in the Ground? The Controversy and Mystery in John 8
“The Pharisees were guilty of the same kind of sin they wanted to see this woman executed for. And that’s why they walk away from the scene with their tails between their legs. The story ends with Jesus showing mercy to the woman and calling her to repentance, highlighting the fact that contrite sinners make […]
How God’s Promise to Abram Is Fulfilled in Christ
There is more to the Abrahamic covenant than just this family and just that land. As will become clear from the rest of Genesis and from the New Testament, Abram knew that the earthly land of Canaan was just a picture of heaven itself (Heb 11:10). Likewise, he came to understand that the key to becoming a vast nation was a single son. From the one, special boy of Abram, the blessings would flow to the nations, who is Jesus Christ (Gal 3:7–9). By faith in Christ, we become the heirs of these ancient promises.
Our Victory Is Between the Flags of Sound Doctrine
Following sound doctrine requires our eyes to remain fixed on Jesus. It also requires that our faith rests in him. Faith opens the door to God’s plan and allows us to accomplish his will for our lives. It does so chiefly because it fosters a heart that yields to the counsel and leading of God. In this way, we remain on the road of truth.
Four Tips for Reading the Bible’s Prophetical Books
The Prophets are not just abstract apocalyptic literature, included in the canon of Scripture because of their audience or subject matter. No, they—like the rest of Scripture—are the divinely inspired word of God. They are included in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan and written within the covenant context of God and his people for a theological purpose, reflecting a specific historical and geographical context.
