Category: Theology

Keep within the lines

Remember when you learnt to colour in as a child? The priority was not to be an amazing artist on day one or to demonstrate your creativity. You had one job. Keep within the lines.  The rule rule applies to theology too, especially when talking about the Trinity. There are a few new books coming… Continue reading Keep within the lines

What are your culture wars leading you to say?

Have a look at this tweet.  Now think it through carefully. Is there any bit of it that we might consider true? The answer is “no.”  If a young person in your church said it, you’d pull them to one side and chat with them about the risk of attempting to put out provocative messages… Continue reading What are your culture wars leading you to say?

John MacArthur – Eternal Sonship and Incarnational Sonship

In a previous article, I wrote that John MacArthur had in the past denied the eternal sonship of Jesus arguing for incarnational sonship -that Jesus became “Son” at his birth.  I thought it might be helpful to trace back exactly what the issue was.  MacArthur has since amended his views but here is his original… Continue reading John MacArthur – Eternal Sonship and Incarnational Sonship

Cost of living crisis: A Biblical Theology of economics and poverty

I’ve been writing a few articles to get us thinking about the cost of living crisis and how we respond as Christians.  Today I want to step back and look at the big picture of how the Bible approaches questions concerning economics and poverty.  Our starting point is this diagram from Christopher Wright which picks… Continue reading Cost of living crisis: A Biblical Theology of economics and poverty

Surviving or thriving? A Biblical Theology of grace and law

This week’s podcast is based on a sermon I preached recently for our church. Here’s my outline notes. Introduction What does it mean to live in God’s presence – to please him? Grace came first last week – a good thing. Law – we are going to trace a theme through the whole Bible story… Continue reading Surviving or thriving? A Biblical Theology of grace and law

In Christ alone

Every so often I pick up on a complaint/objection to Stuart Townend’s hymn “In Christ alone.”  Here is one such example. There are people who would be happy, they say, to sing the hymn but are deeply distressed by the line “Til on that Cross, as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied.” Now,… Continue reading In Christ alone

Eve, deception and Doctrine

thought it might be helpful to dig a bit further into some of the things raised in my conversation with Elyse Fitzpatrick on last week’s podcast.  If you haven’t watched or listened in yet then I’d encourage you to do so via one of the links below. One thing that Elyse raised was the way… Continue reading Eve, deception and Doctrine

What if this is the end of days?

Some people have been asking over the past few days whether the conflict we are seeing in Ukraine is an end times battle, one of the events that will signal the end of the world.  There are understandable reasons for the question to be asked.  First, the conflict involves one of the main nuclear powers… Continue reading What if this is the end of days?