Scattered Thoughts on Theology and Ministry…
In recent years a number of scholars have increasingly pointed out the relationship between participating in Christ’s death and changing sinners’ status before God. Two passages that are especially relevant to this conversation are Galatians 2:15-21 and Romans 6-7. What’s unique about both of these passages is their use of the term, “systauroo” or “co-crucify.”Continue reading “Dying with Christ & Justification”
I’m working on a sermon on Romans 10 this morning. I opened up Logos Bible Software – and the first thing that popped up was this little article on Origen of Alexandria. This third century “religious fanatic” gave up his job, slept on the floor, ate no meat, drank no wine, fasted twice a week,Continue reading “Origen – The Man of Steel!”
Last week Katherine Sonderegger came in to deliver a paper to the Analytic Theology Seminary. She put forth the provocative question: Does God Pray? Here are my notes from her talk. Introduction Does God pray? Answer to this question (exploration of God in prayer) has potential to answer a lot of Trinitarian and Christological questions.Continue reading “Does God Pray? – Katherine Sonderegger”
You can still be a slave experientially, even when you are no longer a slave legally…Whatever you may feel, whatever your experience may be, God tell us here, through his word, that if we are in Christ we are no longer in Adam, we are no longer under the reign and rule of sin… AndContinue reading “No Longer Slaves!”
The doctrine of justification is itself not the gospel. The gospel is the message concerning what God has done through Christ to deal with the effects of human sin (cf. 1 Cor. 15:1-4) and to liberate humanity and the whole creation from the effects of sin (cf. [Rom] 8:19-24). Those who believe the gospel andContinue reading “Justification is NOT the Gospel!”
This week I’m preaching on Romans 1:18-32 – probably one of the most culturally offensive passages of scripture – but also one of the most important for it shows us the reality of God’s wrath against sinful humanity. One of the more “offensive” parts is that God is a God of wrath. Culture hates this.Continue reading “Views on God’s Wrath in Romans 1”
Creation care or environmentalism is a hot topic among evangelical Christians (the fact that it is saddens me, honestly, whether we should care for God’s creation or not should not even be a question). Nevertheless, many Christians tend to err on one side or another: either they overemphasize the care of creation over and aboveContinue reading “How Green Was Paul?”
This past week in my class on Romans and Galatians my students answered the following prompt: Who do you believe Paul is talking about in the famous passage in Romans 7:7-25? Provide reasons and evidence for your answer (see Kruse commentary, 314-21). This weekend, Preston Sprinkle (Professor & Vice-President of Eternity Boise) addressed this sameContinue reading “Who is Paul Talking About in Romans 7?”
A few days ago I posted some thoughts on what I think Paul meant by “the righteousness of God” in Romans 3:21-26 21 But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all whoContinue reading “The Righteousness of God in Historical Context”
What does Paul mean when he says, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law” (Romans 3:21a)? Romans 3:21-26 21 But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ forContinue reading “The Righteousness of God”
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 