May 2010

Here is part 1 of a parable called “The Parable of the Two Trains: Old/New Covenants (1)” which the writer (pastor Mark Webb of Grace Bible Church) is using to explain how the covenants relate to each other. I know one covenant theologian who disagrees with Mark Webb’s parable in stating that CT believes that “The believers in the OT were on “Christ’s train,” not “Moses’ train”. The transition they make is akin to riding in the shadows, then riding in the sunlight. Read on … What do you think? The Parable of the Two Trains (Part 1) The relationship

Distinguishing the Active and Passive Wills of God:From Ligonier Ministries Blog by R.C. Sproul “Joseph said about the treachery perpetrated by his brothers, “You meant it for evil; God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20). God’s good will was served through the bad will of Joseph’s brothers. This does not mean that since they were only doing the will of God the acts of the brothers were actually virtuous. All acts must be judged together with their intentions, and the actions of Joseph’s brothers were rightly judged by God to be evil. That God brings good out of evil only

John Piper, Justification, and the Gospel: from Kingdom People by Trevin Wax I’ve been ruminating on the truths delivered from the speakers of Together for the Gospel last week. Piper’s address, “Did Jesus Preach Paul’s Gospel?” was the most thought-provoking for me. Piper’s preaching always drives me back to the text and gets my mind running in a number of directions. His passion for the Bible is palpable. Piper’s T4G sermon was a terrific exposition of Luke 18:9-14, the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. He very clearly demonstrated that the idea of justification by faith alone was

What To Do When the Bible Baffles:(by Kevin Deyoung) Say what you will about Peter, but he was certainly an honest man. Never more so than at the end of his second epistle: “[Paul’s] letters contain some things that are hard to understand” (3:16). Now there’s a Spirit inspired understatement. And let’s not stop with Paul. Peter’s no lightweight himself. Neither is John. Come to think of it, Judges doesn’t make a lot of sense in places. And Ezekiel? Weird. The Bible’s an old book, full of strange allusions, foreign lands, and no pictures. What’s an English speaking, seldom reading,

Imperatives – Indicatives = Impossibilities: From Between Two Worlds – Justin Taylor by Justin Taylor “The dominant mode of evangelical preaching on sanctification, the main way to motivate for godly living, sounds something like this: You are not _____; You should be _________; Therefore, do or be ________! Fill in the blank with anything good and biblical (holy; salt and light; feed the poor; walk humbly; give generously; etc.). This is not how Paul and the other New Testament writers motivated the church in light of the resurrection and the outpouring of the Spirit. They did give imperatives (=what you

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