Issue
The Ascension
Vol. 25, No. 3 • May/Jun 2016
Following the four Gospels within our Bibles is the ‘Acts of the Apostles,’ in which the New Testament shifts from the accounts of God, present among us in the person and work of Jesus the Son, to the Son’s presence among us’with the Holy Spirit’in the persons and works of the church. Sorely neglected (save […]
All Articles (13)
Acts of the Apostles
Following the four Gospels within our Bibles is the ‘Acts of the Apostles,’ in which the New Testament shifts from the accounts of God, present among us in the person and work of Jesus the Son, to the Son’s presence among us’with the Holy Spirit’in the persons and works of the church. Sorely neglected (save […]
‘It Is Good That I Go’
One way to summarize the ‘Farewell Discourse’ in John’s Gospel (chapters 14’17) is with the phrase ‘trading places.’ In this discourse, the judicial and transformative aspects of the Spirit’s ministry converge, and Jesus impresses upon the hearts of his confused and fearful disciples that his departure is a net gain. We need Jesus Christ […]
Panentheism and Jonathan Edwards
While most of our attention has been on atheistic critiques of Christianity, another worldview has gained wider acceptance. It’s called panentheism. Unlike pantheism”all is divine’’panentheism means, literally, ‘all is in God.’ In practice, it also can mean ‘God is in all.’ Many thinkers and movements that have been designated ‘pantheist’ throughout the ages have been […]
Panentheism in World Religions
Panentheism is characteristic of Hinduism (which is polytheistic) and Buddhism, which goes so far as to consider the world an illusion. Neo-Platonist philosophers such as Plotinus believed that a ‘World Soul’ animates the cosmos. Since then, many panentheists have thought of the relationship between God and the world as analogous to that between soul and […]
The New Birth
We’ve all heard of people in witness protection programs or defecting from another country who have had to assume new identities”killing off’ their old selves’for reasons of personal safety. Paul appeals to this sort of language when he says, How shall we who have died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you […]
The Things of Earth: Treasuring God by Enjoying His Gifts’ by Joe Rigney
Progressive, corporate, mild-mannered Minneapolis is an unlikely evangelical mecca, but the popularity of a particular leaky-shoed denizen has made it so for his many young, restless, and Reformed(ish) fans. Joe Rigney was just such a fan-turned-pilgrim when he made the trek from Texas to the Minnesotan tundra to study at his master’s feet; now he […]
Theology
Explore All
50 Difficult Theology Questions Answered in 50 Minutes
Pastor Adriel Sanchez joins producer Aaron Simon to answer some of the most common questions about Christianity.
What Is the Ordo Salutis? Explaining the Reformed View of Salvation
“The basis of our justification isn’t our sanctification, but Christ’s righteousness..” How are Christians saved? The Ordo Salutis, meaning “order of salvation,” describes the order by which Christians receive salvation. Pastor Adriel explains why it serves as a helpful tool in understanding the differences between Protestant and Catholic traditions.
Help! Saved but Still Sinning
Sanctification isn’t effortless. The act of dying to sin implies spiritual battle and life-long war against sin. Living unto righteousness implies costly, intensive labor that daily says “no” to sin and “yes” to Christlikeness. So what do we do when we fail yet again? How can we overcome feelings of failure, defeat, and self-loathing when we sin?
God’s Gift of Rest to You
Nobody really knows what to do with the Sabbath anymore. A frequent point of contention between Jesus and that group of ultra-religious elites was what was lawful or unlawful to do on the Sabbath. Even a quick perusal of the Gospels reveals how common this conflict was. From healing the man with a withered hand […]
