So, What Did Jesus Think about the Old Testament?
The Old Testament has run into some hard times as of late. It’s seen by many as a curmudgeonly, legalistic, violent, confusing, and, maybe most of all, boring sort of book. As the atheist Richard Dawkins famously opined, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all of fiction.”
On top of these sorts of complaints are questions about the historical veracity of the Old Testament. Are we really supposed to believe in a literal Adam and Eve? A global flood? Sodom and Gomorrah? People struggle to believe these sorts of things really happened.
Sadly, however, the critiques don’t come from just non-Christians. Even believers, … Continue reading...
One of the Most Overlooked Reasons Why We Should Trust the Bible
When deciding what to believe about the Bible, who should we listen to?
That’s a rather basic question, and I suppose there are many possible answers. We could listen to our friends—maybe a roommate or a co-worker. Then there are family members, maybe our parents or siblings. Surely they would have an opinion. Or we could look to our leaders, a pastor or professor who seems to be an “expert.” And there’s always Google if we really want to know what to think!
But in the midst of all the options there is one person that, ironically, Christians (and non-Christians) overlook. Jesus.
Now, of course, Christians don’t overlook Jesus generally. … Continue reading...
My New Lay-Level Class on the Origins and Authority of the Bible
Note: This post is regularly updated with new handouts and MP3 recordings.
Have you ever had a time in your life when you really (I mean really) doubted the truth of the Bible? Maybe you wondered whether everything you ever believed was a lie. Anyone who’s gone through such an experience, and come out on the other side, knows how much their spiritual health is tied to their trust in Scripture.
In short, understanding the origins and authority of the Bible is a practical issue. It’s a spiritual issue. While I am convinced that most evangelicals believe the truth of the Bible, I think far fewer can articulate why… Continue reading...
A Preview of My New Book: The 10 Commandments of Progressive Christianity
I am pleased to announce my new book has just been released: The Ten Commandments of Progressive of Christianity (Cruciform Press, 2019).
As most readers will know, I did a blog series on this theme a couple of years ago. Tim Challies, who runs Cruciform Press, approached me about expanding the material into a small, introductory book, in hopes of getting the content into the hands of more people. Cruciform Press has done a good job publishing solid, accessible books by authors like John Piper, Tony Reinke, Joel Beeke, Jerry Bridges, and others.
The fact that the book was essentially released over the Christmas season is fitting, I … Continue reading...
@RTSCharlotte 2019 Year in Review
Well, it’s New Year’s Eve. It’s the time of the year to be inundated with “Best of” stories and “Year in Review” segments, dutifully cataloging everything that happened in pop culture or politics.
But, what if a “Year in Review” was about more than Donald Trump or Kim Kardashian? What if we did a year in review about what God had done in the prior year? Or, more to the point, about how God has been at work in our ministries this year?
Of course, God has been at work in countless ways around the globe this year, most of which I could never know about. But, I can speak … Continue reading...