Holy Spirit in Revelation
The Spirit of Prophecy: Outline[1]Introduction: An exploration of the ways the book of Revelation describes the Holy Spirit.The Spirit of God: The question pertains to the identification of the seven spirits referred to in Revelation 1:4.Seven Angels: One possibility...Overcoming in the Book of Revelation
Overcoming According to RevelationThe concept of overcoming is a theme that pervades the book of Revelation. The Greek term that is often translated into “overcoming” is normally a form of the lemma νικάω, which can mean to...The Assurance of a Christian
Assurance BlogpostLast year I had a dear Christian friend call me on her cell phone in tears. She was a young woman who had attended church all her life, graduated from a Christian university, and spent the last decade as a worship minister with her husband at a very...Martin Luther and the Book of James
A Letter to Martin LutherDear Martin,It has come to my attention that you have been accused of not valuing the contents of the book of James and, more specifically, asserting that 2:14-26 is an especially loathsome pericope. In fact, some have accused you of...Exegesis of 1 Peter 3.18-22
A Brief Exposition of 1 Peter 3:18-22The only scholarly consensus surrounding 1 Peter 3:18-22 is that the passage is quite challenging to interpret. The two primary exegetical issues pertain to the location and timing of Christ’s proclamation to the spirits in...Qualifications of Elders
The Qualifications of Elders and OverseersIn the article “Are the Qualifications for Elders and Overseers Negotiable?” Benjamin Merkle asserts that Paul’s lists of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 are non-negotiable and relevant in a...The Purpose of Romans
The traditional view that the purpose of Romans was to provide a theological manifesto or treatise has come under fire. Stanley Porter points beyond the traditional view toward seven other possible purposes for the book of Romans: (1) to convey his deepest conviction,...Paul in Acts vs. the Epistles
The Portrayal of Paul in Acts and the Pauline EpistlesScholars have long noted the differences between Paul as recorded in Acts, and Paul found in his epistles. Stanley Porter identifies five specific differences, which include the lack of references to Paul’s...The New Perspective on Paul (NPP)
The debate between a “Lutheran” or traditional view of Paul and the New Perspective on Paul (NPP) is likely the most important of the last century regarding Pauline studies. Although overly simplistic, according to the traditional view, the distinction...
Freedom: How Grace Transforms Your Life Now
Minds on Fire: What Is Wrong With Our Thoughts..And How To Fix It