Biblical Studies

"...I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me..." (Isaiah 46:9)  "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:36) In a recent newsletter I wrote briefly about the aseity of God , that is, his self-existence and independence. This is the attribute we should begin with when we are thinking about what God is like. Theologian Herman Bavinck writes the following in his Reformed Dogmatics: When the church fathers, in their attempt to determine the nature of God's being, started with the name YHWH and described him as "Being," they had in mind not God's being apart from his attributes, but the total fullness of God's being as it exists and is revealed in his attributes. Hence, the being ascribed to God was not an abstraction but a living, infinitely rich, and concrete Being, a Supreme Being at once identical with supreme life, supreme truth, supreme wisdom, supreme love (...

At a weekly lunchtime study a few of us are going through Paul's epistle to the Romans. Though we should build upon our own reading and study of Romans, we will also find some commentaries helpful.   In choosing and keeping commentaries for each book of the Bible, I like to have at least one commentary in each of these categories: 1) exegetical, that is, focusing on the text in its original language; 2) expositional , which is a running commentary on the verses, both in meaning and application; and 3) devotional , relating more to the personal application of the biblical truths in that book of the Bible. Of course, some commentaries overlap these categories.  In the process of downsizing my own personal library (i.e., the physical books) over the last couple of years, I've been faced with choosing which commentaries to keep. On Romans, I have kept (and use) the following volumes:  Romans (Exegetical Commentary), by Thomas R. Schreiner (Baker Academic, 1998). Schrein...

This year I was honored to give a message at the women's retreat at our church. The topic was "walking together in wisdom."  In preparation I spent several weeks going through Proverbs, making a note of repeated its repeated themes and appeals. Above is the finished handout, and below is my working chart on a large sheet. (I like charts and maps.)

"Anyone who wants to live with children must first of all recognize his own incapacity for justice in the deepest sense. How difficult educating children is for us human beings, who are not free of sin, and what a responsibility! Only wise men and saints are fit to be educators. Our lips are unclean. Our dedication is not without reservation. Our truthfulness is broken. Our love is not perfect. Our kindness is not disinterested. We are not free of lovelessness, possessiveness, and selfishness. We are unjust. "So it is the child who leads us to the gospel. If we look at our task with the children, it is quite clear that in view of the holiness of the task, we are too sinful to bring up even one child. This recognition leads us to grace. Without the atmosphere of grace, no one can work with children. Only one who stands like a child before God can educate children, can live with children. "'You must become like children.' Like children, you must live in the presenc...

APPOINTING ELDERS (Titus 1). Like his first letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul instructs his assistant Titus regarding the church on the island of Crete, to which Titus has been sent as an emissary. One thing that is needed on this island is church elders who are men of integrity and faithfulness. The list for elders here is similar to the one he gives to Timothy in 1 Timothy, chapter 3. Because this is a personal letter involving the care of the early church it is called a pastoral epistle .     THE GOD WHO NEVER LIES. We should pause and see a great truth packed into a short statement. "God, who never lies..." (v 2). In the original text it is only three words, "the not-lying God". It means that God is free from all deceit and completely truthful and trustworthy. "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" (Num 23:19; cf. Heb 6:17...

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2:10) “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay." (Matthew 28:5-6) Angels figure prominently in the Christmas story. I believe angels actually exist and are active in this world. Most of the time they are behind the scenes, unseen by human eyes, but sometimes they make their appearance. Angels were prevalent in the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, and then again at his resurrection and ascension, but not so much in between. So, when they show up in the biblical record we should take note. In a recent advent sermon, we heard references to "going back to the Garden" (that is, Eden) and to not being able to "find our way home." I'm not sure it was intended, but (as a child of the '60s) these two phrases...