Tag Biblical Theology

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Is Roman Catholic Baptism Valid?

Over the past 10 years, I’ve been examined by 4 different presbyteries. These have been profoundly edifying experiences that have deepened my love for the brethren and biblical polity. While each presbytery’s exam had its own flavor, a unique blend…

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My favorite Books of 2024

My Favorite Books of 2024   Daily Doctrine by Kevin DeYoung  This is my pick for the Book of the Year. DeYoung has taken a rather unique and refreshing approach to a volume of systematic theology. It is composed as…

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Understanding the Cry of Dereliction

‘And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”’ (Mark 15:34).   What exactly was happening on the cross when Jesus spoke these…

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What is a Hyper-Cessationist?

As a capital “R” Reformed person, I would call myself a cessationist. This simply means that I believe God has “ceased” giving any new doctrine and/or new ethics. You could also describe it as the belief that there is no…

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How Deep Is the Father’s Love?

Stuart Townend’s hymn, “How deep the Father’s Love for Us,” says that the Father’s love is beyond all measure. Nevertheless, if we were to attempt to measure it, how would we go about doing that? We use a thermometer to…

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Psalm Singing: The Church’s Punk Rock

“Corporate Rock,” is the derisive label slapped on a style of music born in the 1970s. Characterized by formulaic arrangements, shallow lyrics, and predictable chord progressions critics claim that corporate rock was engineered by record label executives, not artists, to…

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Robbers of Assurance? In Defense of the Puritans

In recent years I have heard and read various criticisms of the Puritans and (rather surprisingly) Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan’s “dream” is certainly not a perfect system of theology by any stretch of the imagination, but if it leaves you cold then…

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Where Have All The Theologians Gone?

On a recent visit to a bookstore in Gothenburg, I came across an early edition of Bonaventure’s commentary on Lombard’s Sentences. The following week in Copenhagen I bought a 1586 edition of Thomas’s Summa. Re-visiting those works caused me to…