The adjective adikos is rendered as unjust or unrighteous. There are two kinds of people, the just and the unjust, and God gives rain and sunshine to both (Matt. 5:45). The faith of Israel was fixed on this, that at the end of history there would be a resurrection of both kinds of men, the …
And That Means Preaching Through Leviticus
“We would give every portion of Scripture its fair share in our heart and head. Doctrine, precept, history, type, psalm, proverb, experience, warning, promise, invitation, threatening, or rebuke — we would include the whole of inspired truth within the circle of our teachings. Let us abhor all one-sidedness, all exaggeration of one truth and disparagement …
The McBeat Goes On . . . or Does It?
“Consider popular music. It has long been a stastis truism that the cultural imperialism of Western pop would wipe out the diversity of world music, as surely as McDonald’s is supposed to crush local cuisines. Once imported via mass communication, critics predicted, Anglo-American music would roll over local cultural forms, displacing them with what the …
The Lord Against the Greeks
The prophet has given us a glimpse of the conquest of Alexander. In the midst of this vision, he jumps ahead so that we might see the character of another kind of conqueror, our Lord Jesus Christ. And then in this portion of Scripture, he returns to the scene established by the wars of Alexander, …
The Broad Range of Iniquity
Another common rendering of adikia is the translation iniquity. When the Lord banishes evildoers from His presence at the judgment, He calls them “all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27). Luke also uses the same word for the “unjust steward” (16:8), and in the parable of the unjust judge (18:6). We get a glimpse of …
Radical Poetics
“Although attention to the rhetorical figures in the biblical text had characterized Christian exegesis from the patristic ages onward, the Reformation brought in its wake both a greater emphasis upon, and a more systematic analysis of, the tropes and schemes that made biblical language radically poetic” (Lewalsky, Protestant Poetics, p. 72).
Taking Aim From the Pulpit
“God’s truth is searching: leave it to search the hearts of men without offensive additions from yourself. He is a mere bungler in portrait painting who nees to write the name under the picture when it is hung up in the family parlour where the person himself is sitting. Compel your hearers to perceive that …
Serious Play
“Once established, this resilience is not just good for meeting threats. It extends to everyday habits. Play nurtures a supple mind, a willingness to think in new categories, and an ability to make unexpected associations” (Virginia Postrel, The Future and Its Enemies, p. 188).
Dealing With Sexual Guilt
INTRODUCTION: The gospel changes lives. Not only does it do this, but it has this impact on every aspect of our lives, which includes our sexual identity, our sexual lives. This fixes a number of problems, but if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit it also creates some new problems, some new …
The Just Shall Live By Faith
Okay. Faith and works. We will have to roll up our sleeves on this one. In this chapter Piper interacts with Wright’s assertion that our final justification is on the basis of the “complete life lived.” Wright says, and Piper agrees, that “the attempt to shore up justification by faith by saying that the life …