Category: Theology

Penal Substitution: Steve Chalke and the Lost Message of Jesus, 20 years on

In 2023, a little book by a prominent Christian communicator shook the evangelical world.  Steve Chalke stated in “The Lost Message of Jesus” that the doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement if true would amount to “cosmic child abuse.”[1]  It’s important to be clear about what he wasn’t saying. Chalke did not claim that the atonement… Continue reading Penal Substitution: Steve Chalke and the Lost Message of Jesus, 20 years on

Arkeology

1 Chronicles 13 The Ark of the Covenant “Although the ark probably perished in Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem (c.f. Jer. 3:16), the Chronicler gives greater emphasis to it than the compiler of 2 Samuel. This is presumably because he wanted his own generation to give priority to their own symbols of God’s covenant and presence,… Continue reading Arkeology

Zeal and righteousness

In Galatians 1:14, Paul describes his extreme zeal with regards to the Law (both written and oral traditions).  Commentators associate this idea of zeal with a fascinating incident from the Old Testament.[1] The incident is referred to in Psalm 106:30-31 and described in Numbers 25:1-9.  In Numbers 24, a prophet called Balaam had attempted to… Continue reading Zeal and righteousness

The God who is near

I’ve just reviewed a book which is primarily testimony mixed in with pastoral advice about walking through difficult days (watch out later this week). What the book does well is it highlights God’s sovereignty. We can trust in the omnipotent, omniscient, God. I think different strands of Christianity help us get specific aspects of God… Continue reading The God who is near

What is justification all about?

One of the key themes that seems central to Paul’s argument in Galatians is that we are justified by faith.[1] In recent years, there’s been much discussion and dispute about what justification really means, especially since the emergence of the New Perspective. Whilst the reformed position since Luther and Calvin has been that justification is… Continue reading What is justification all about?

What is the Gospel?

Paul’s big concern for the Galatian church was that they risked being captured by a different Gospel.  The other day, I wrote something about this and observed that if we are to avoid falling for different, false Gospels, then we need to know what the true Gospel is. Now, we might assume that the answer… Continue reading What is the Gospel?

A Biblical Theology of Race

From one man In Acts 17:26, Paul, speaking to the philosophers of Athens says about God. “From one man[f] he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.” . A Biblical Theology of race must start with the truth that there is… Continue reading A Biblical Theology of Race

A Biblical Theology of Marriage, Sex and Relationships

Note: You will probably have read most of this material over the past week as it pulls together some of my recent articles in response to the book “Beautiful Union”. However, I wanted to gather it together as it will form one of the chapters of the E-Book/ teaching sessions I’m putting together on the… Continue reading A Biblical Theology of Marriage, Sex and Relationships