Is the Original Text of the New Testament Lost? Rethinking Our Access to the Autographs
One of the standard challenges for New Testament textual criticism is whether we can work our way back to the original text. Some scholars are notoriously skeptical in this regard. Since we only have later copies, it is argued, we cannot be sure that the text was not substantially changed in the time period that pre-dates those copies.
Helmut Koester and Bart Ehrman are examples of this skeptical approach. Koester has argued that the text of the New Testament in the earliest stages was notoriously unstable. Most major changes, he argues, would have taken place in the first couple centuries.
Ehrman makes a similar case. Since we don’t have the … Continue reading...
Where Are They Now? RTS Charlotte Alumnus David Rea
This last Friday was our annual RTS-Charlotte Senior Banquet. This is an opportunity for graduating seniors to share about what the seminary has meant to them. One of the great encouragements of every calendar year is hearing what amazing experiences our students have had here.
One of our seniors, a man from Kenya, Africa, has been away for his family for four years while he has been in seminary. What an amazing sacrifice. At one point in the evening he said, “One of the greatest things that has happened in my life has happened at RTS.”
Because of their very positive experience at RTS Charlotte, our alumni often prove to … Continue reading...
One of the Best (and Most Overlooked) Explanations of the Plan of Salvation
The critical question that every Christian must be able to answer is “How are people saved?” In the seminary context, the doctrine of salvation (soteriology) is a central feature in the curriculum. Preachers can’t preach a message of salvation if they don’t understand it themselves.
Of course, as an institution that bases its theology on the Reformation (the term “Reformed” is in our name!), Reformed Theological Seminary is committed to the doctrines of grace–the idea that people are sinners who cannot save themselves but desperately need God to save them. On a popular level, this is simply known as Calvinism.
But, of course, not all Christians agree with this Reformed … Continue reading...
The New Reformation Study Bible is Out–and It Looks Great
This past week I was at The Gospel Coalition national conference and was walking through the book area. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a display featuring the new Reformation Study Bible, edited by R.C. Sproul, and published by Reformation Trust/Ligonier.
Then, in the back of my mind, I thought, “Didn’t I write something for this study Bible?” (Yes, I have sadly arrived at the point where I don’t remember what I have written!). I flipped through the index and it turns out that I did write something.
The kind folks at the display assured me that my copy would be arriving in the mail soon. … Continue reading...
Do Your Sermon Illustrations Help or Hurt? Five Major Pitfalls to Avoid
Everyone loves a good story. They can be powerful, illuminating, inspiring, and, most of all, they can be memorable. And they can really enhance the effectiveness of a sermon. No doubt, some of our favorite sermons are our favorite precisely because of the illustrations or stories they contained.
And history bears this out. Not only was Jesus himself the master storyteller (and illustrator), but some of the most famous sermons in history have contained them. One only needs to think of Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Edwards effectively compared the precarious situation of sinners dangling over the fires of hell to the way spiders … Continue reading...