I. Introduction Debates concerning divine sovereignty and human freedom occupy a central place in Christian theology. Much of the contemporary conversation is shaped by philosophical categories borrowed from analytic philosophy, particularly libertarian versus compatibilist conceptions of human agency. Libertarianism defines freedom as the power to choose between genuine alternatives independent of determining causes. Compatibilism defines … Continue reading Compatibilism and the Biblical Doctrine of Human Freedom and Divine Sovereignty

Abstract This research seeks to establish a biblical and historically grounded theology of baptism in which the sacrament is understood as the moment of divine action in the forgiveness of sins and the incorporation of believers into the visible church. Beginning with close exegesis of the relevant New Testament texts, the study proceeds to the … Continue reading Baptism, Forgiveness, and Incorporation into the Church:

A right understanding of the gift of the Holy Spirit must begin with a right understanding of the Spirit Himself. Scripture never reduces the Spirit to a substance, or to a divine package of abilities, or to an impersonal influence that drifts into human experience. The Spirit is God. The Spirit is the third person … Continue reading The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Christ alone rules his church. Every congregation stands directly before him, ordered by apostolic teaching and not governed by distant structures or human hierarchies. Many discussions of church governance begin with denominational habits or institutional memory. Some Christians have lived under elaborate structures with councils and regional overseers. Others have followed churches that orbit around … Continue reading Christ the Head of the Church: A Case for Congregational Order