Archives for February 2012

A gracEmail subscriber writes, "The last 10 years or so I have benefitted greatly from coming to a more dispensational approach to Scripture. I see Acts 9 as the start of the church which Paul proclaims. I would be interested in your opinion concerning the writings of such men as C. R. Stam, Charles Baker and others of this persuasion." And a different gracEmail reader asks, "Have you heard of the Berean Bible Society? They seem to say that the Apostle Paul is the only one we (non-Jews) should follow, that his message and ministry was distinct and separate from that of the Twelve, and that … [Read more...]

A gracEmail subscriber asks whether gospel and doctrine are the same. If they are different, in what way, and how are they related?  * * * The Bible does not separate doctrine from gospel, but it certainly distinguishes between them (1 Tim. 1:10-11). The gospel is the good news of what God has done for us in Christ. Doctrine is divine instruction on how to live in response to what God has done. The English words "doctor" and "doctrine" share the same root. In earlier English, a "doctor" was a teacher and "doctrine" was the content taught. Even today, doctor's degrees (Ph.D., Ed.D., M.D., … [Read more...]

A gracEmail reader writes concerning faith and understanding. His comments are in italics; mine are not. * * * Let me close with an example. I find it interesting that both "Reformists" and "Restorationsts" look at the same Scripture and use the same doctrine (issue) to condemn each other. What is it? Baptism, of course. We look at the same verses, come to differing conclusions and anathematize one another over it. But in reality, there is only one correct conclusion. So who loses? Anyone whom God sees is really not trusting in Jesus for salvation. That is sometimes evidenced by willful … [Read more...]

A gracEmail reader writes concerning faith and understanding. His comments are in italics; mine are not. * * * Man in his study of Scripture comes to differing conclusions and understandings of the same Scripture. Exactly when does our misunderstanding or misinterpretation become condemning? (a) When it has to do with Jesus? (b) When it has to do with "salvation issues" (of course we don't agree on what "salvation issues" are and the noble answer is, "What God says is salvation" or when there is a "thus saith the Lord"). This is getting at the point, as I see it. One is not condemned for … [Read more...]

A gracEmail reader writes concerning faith and understanding. His comments are in italics; mine are not. * * * I have been musing over the difference between inspiration and interpretation. We understand and believe that Holy Scripture is God's divine revelation to humanity through the Holy Spirit and human agents. God's greatest revelation is Jesus Christ himself, to whom all of Scripture points, leads, and bears faithful primary witness (John 1:9, 14; 5:39-40; Heb. 1:1-2). We therefore read and study Scripture, not standing alone as a mere book, but in light of Jesus -- his identity, … [Read more...]

A gracEmail subscriber in South Korea asks, "To what degree do we take the Bible literally? You can take most issues and make arguments for both sides using scripture. One example is homosexuality. How do we know what is written from a certain cultural perspective? Another example is women's role in the church. How do I know what still applies to our lives in today's world?" * * * How do we distinguish between what is merely cultural and what is universal? As an example, consider what the Bible says concerning homosexual practices. Scripture clearly forbids non-marital sexual interactivity, … [Read more...]

A gracEmail subscriber in South Korea asks, "To what degree do we take the Bible literally? You can take most issues and make arguments for both sides using scripture. One example is homosexuality. How do we know what is written from a certain cultural perspective? Another example is women's role in the church. How do I know what still applies to our lives in today's world?" * * * Clearly, the Bible was written long ago, in ancient languages, to people and by people whose culture differed greatly from 21st-century western democratic cultures. Most Christians therefore consider culture when … [Read more...]

A gracEmail subscriber writes: "I am spiritually confused. If you surf the net, you will virtually see a Holy War between Christians and Christians. [One particular website] contains exposes of most of the better-known Christian teachers both past and present, including established pillars of the faith. I am not sure whom to believe. How do we effectively wade through the sea of information that is out there? How do we know what is doctrinally safe and accurate?" * * * I appreciate your concern and I understand your confusion. Jesus himself said we are to test teachers and that we can do … [Read more...]

Several gracEmail readers have asked about the Apocrypha, books found in the Catholic Old Testament but not in most Protestant Bibles. * * * The term "Apocrypha" is a Greek word meaning "hidden (books)," and it usually refers to 13-15 books of Jewish origin, written between about 200 B.C. and A.D. 120. The Palestinian rabbis did not include these books in the Hebrew Bible (which Christians call the "Old Testament"). The Egyptian Jews did include them in the Septuagint, however, which was the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures made in Alexandria a century or two before … [Read more...]

Someone asks why Matthew selected and arranged his Gospel material as he did, and why we believe that Matthew was written especially for the Jews. * * * Just as the Old Testament begins with five books of Moses (Pentateuch), Matthew structures his Gospel in five sections -- each consisting of a teaching by Jesus (chaps. 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 24-25) followed by a piece of the Gospel story (chapters 8-9, 11-12, 14-17, 19-23, 26-27). Matthew introduces these five sections in chapters 1-4, and he follows them with an epilogue in chapter 28. All five teachings of Jesus concern the Kingdom of God. He … [Read more...]