One of the staples of NPP discussion with regard to Second Temple Judaism is that, contrary to the OPP, the first-century Jews were not merit-legalists, but that rather they adhered to a religion of grace. In the set-up of the problem, according to many NPP advocates, we are not told that the first century Jews …
Glitterati
“Woe, in other words, to those who roll around on their beds like they were really something, with mirrors on the ceiling, pink champagne on ice. These people think they are rock stars at the Grammies, gathered together with all the glitterati, all ready to receive the award for Best Album, and with a prepared …
Ezra Nehemiah 2
Introduction: The world is a messy place. Part of the mess for believers is learning to tell the difference between situations that call for martyrdom and situations that call for godly acquiescence. One of the more common set-ups where such wisdom is required is when pagan empires are in control. To what extent are we …
The Issue Is Boasting
I freely and cheerfully grant that the Jews of the first century did not hold the peculiar merit theology that prevailed during the medieval era. But that particular merit theology is only one of countless ways that fallen men have devised to boast in themselves instead of in the Lord. And the problem of this …
Great Joy in the Opening
In the resurrection account in Luke 24, we are told several times about the joy of the disciples. In v. 41 it says that they did not believe for joy, and after Christ’s ascension, it says that they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. We are also told several times in the account that the …
Forsaking the Right Thing
As we celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week, take note that every exhortation, every confession, every charge is to be heard in this context, and this is how we are to fence the Table. If you are a baptized believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you are not under the lawful discipline of His …
Judicial Suspicion
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 67 “He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure” (Prov. 11:15). The book of Proverbs is filled with hard-headed business advice, and here we have a fine sample. A man …
The Trees of the Lord
“In other words, the real dilemma should confront those who would undertake a biblical defense of writing like the author of the Elsie Dinsmore stories. While there are things in the Bible that might even resemble Swift’s Modest Proposal, there is nothing that remotely resembles 19th century sentimentality. So why is it that those who …
Receiving and Retaining
In his article on justification in the New Dictionary of Theology, N.T. Wright says a number of good and indisputable things. The dictionary was edited by David Wright, J.I. Packer, and Sinclair Ferguson, so we know that the Reformed bona fides should be in good order here. And I thought the article was quite good, …
Publishing Is Warfare
Some of you may have noticed that over the weekend the Canon Press images on my bookrack off to the right went blank. This little glitch on my blog was the result of a major renovation, overhaul and upgrade of the Canon Press web site. I would strongly encourage all of you (and your sisters …