Imagine standing in a crowd, hearing John the Baptist’s voice thunder across the Jordan, declaring, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt 3:2). That proclamation would have signaled something radical—a new order, a fulfillment of divine promises, and an impending reckoning. The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the King whose coming … Continue reading Crowning the King: Matthew’s Story of Jesus
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Partners in the Grace of Ministry: Paul’s Prayer for a Joyful Church
Imagine a lone soldier on a battlefield, surrounded by enemies, fighting with all his might—but eventually overwhelmed. But what if there were an army beside him, shields interlocked, moving forward together with unwavering resolve. Which of these will stand firm? The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. We are not isolated warriors … Continue reading Partners in the Grace of Ministry: Paul’s Prayer for a Joyful Church
Christian Giving as a Grace-Filled Act of Worship: An Exegetical and Theological Study of 1 Corinthians 16:1–2
John Calvin's famous motto, Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere ("My heart I offer to you, Lord, promptly and sincerely"), expresses his personal devotion to God. This phrase encapsulates Calvin's understanding of Christian life as one of wholehearted consecration to God. Calvin did not see Christian devotion as a mere duty but as … Continue reading Christian Giving as a Grace-Filled Act of Worship: An Exegetical and Theological Study of 1 Corinthians 16:1–2
The Scriptures and Authority: Christ’s Example and Machen’s Warning to Modern Christianity
The question of the inspiration and authority of Scripture is a central issue in Christian thought. The doctrine of inspiration forms a bit of wedge between religious conservatives and religious liberals. In his classic work Christianity and Liberalism, J. Gresham Machen argued 'According to the Christian view, the Bible contains an account of a revelation … Continue reading The Scriptures and Authority: Christ’s Example and Machen’s Warning to Modern Christianity
Theology on the Cross: Exploring Psalm 22 and the Cross
”My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” If our reading ventures no further than Matthew 27:46, we may begin to see Christ as totally alone and rejected as he bore the penalty of sin. However, this understanding is more difficult as we venture further into Scripture. Jesus’ Cry and Psalm 22 While on … Continue reading Theology on the Cross: Exploring Psalm 22 and the Cross
Does God the Son Rank Lower Than God the Father???
Since there is one divine essence (Deut 6:4; Js 2:19), there is no division or submission in the divine Persons. The Father, Son, and Spirit exist and act with one undivided and inseparable substance. The entire Trinity shares the same honor, authority, power, eternity, and mind. The Father, Son, and Spirit have no distinction in … Continue reading Does God the Son Rank Lower Than God the Father???
The Necessity of the Human and Divine Natures in Christ: Christology, Soteriology, and Doxology
Delivered at the 2021 Freed-Hardeman University Scholars Day Athanasius in On the Incarnation 54.3 said, “God became man that man might become God.” God the Son assumed or took on a human nature so that humans could see and be saved by the divine nature leading to their sanctification. Gregory of Nazianzus described the … Continue reading The Necessity of the Human and Divine Natures in Christ: Christology, Soteriology, and Doxology
AMONG US: THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INCARNATION
1 John 4 Is the incarnation important? Unfortunately, when we hear words like incarnation, we might be tempted to think that it is just a big fancy word that doesn’t mean anything to us. However, as we will see from 1 John 4, the incarnation is vital the Christian religion. What is the Incarnation? The … Continue reading AMONG US: THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INCARNATION
WHO IS JESUS?
HEBREWS 1:1-4 Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Who is Jesus? This question is incredibly controversial and intensely personal. If you could only use one chapter to describe Jesus, I think Hebrews 1 would be a great place to turn. The book of Hebrews was written to Christians who were wandering away from Christ. In order … Continue reading WHO IS JESUS?
One Thing I Know 1 John 3:4-6
Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com John Newton, who wrote “Amazing Grace,” is also famous for saying ““Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” This great quote reminds us of our sin, our Savior, and our need for sanctification. SIN … Continue reading One Thing I Know 1 John 3:4-6
Donnie's Dogmatics 