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An Important Primer on Dispensationalism
Concerning dispensationalism, I have tried to set the record straight by blogging on Beliefs that DON’T Define Dispensationalism and beliefs which all dispensationalists hold to. In keeping with that theme, (and because I know it may be of interest to some), I want to write a brief review of a primer on dispensationalism by Dr. Mike Vlach, entitled Dispensationalism: Essential Beliefs and Common Myths. I have really enjoyed this work, and it was just updated this past March (the previous edition is dated 2008). The updated version includes some additional material, including a significant discussion on the differences between dispensationalism and covenant theology (Chapter 5). What follows is a brief review, and I hope it will be helpful. The biggest complement that I can give the book is that it is easy to read. Both times I read it (2012 and 2017) I read it through in one sitting. It…
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Taxation is Theft
The phrase, “Taxation is theft” has become a bit of a mantra for more and more Christians. This is partially due to the influence of the libertarian political philosophy in the Christian sphere. Libertarianism has received increasing support from Christians, partially due to the last political cycle and the efforts for increased governmental control in the United States. Although it would be helpful to discuss the philosophy of Libertarianism in general, in this post I am only interested in dealing with the subject of whether or not taxation is theft. Just to show that this is indeed a contemporary issue, consider some of the recent quotes on this issue: “The libertarian view of taxes is simply that taxes should not exist in the first place. There should be no tax code because taxation is theft and violates the non-aggression principle.” (Laurence Vance) “I have already said and illustrated this numerous…
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Why Everyone Should Discriminate
“We never discriminate!” “Discrimination is evil!” Such cries are part of the culture today, yet I challenge the sanity of such claims. First of all, what exactly is discrimination? Meriam-Webster’s dictionary defines the verb “discriminate” as follows: As transitive verb: • to mark or perceive the distinguishing or peculiar features of • to distinguish, differentiate • to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences: to recognize or identify as separate and distinct As intransitive verb: • To make a distinction • To make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit Can we all agree on one obvious observation? None of these definitions are inherently negative. In fact, the core idea of discrimination comes from the Latin word discriminare, which simply means to divide or separate. In other words, discrimination is simply, in the words of Webster, “making a distinction.” Imagine the nonsensical idea of someone…
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Book Review: Sons in the Son
This month I had the opportunity to read Sons in the Son: The Riches and Reach of Adoption in Christ, by David B. Garner. I was first interested in the book because it covers a topic that I have not read much on, and it is a topic that is rarely addressed in depth—our adoption in Christ. About the Author David Garner got his ThM at DTS and his PhD at Westminster. He is now the Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster, and is an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). One thing I really appreciate about Garner is his obvious desire to wed good scholarly work with the needs of the Church. He has accomplished this union in the welcome resource, Sons in the Son. Layout of the Book The first thing of note is that for a book on one topic (adoption), the book…
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Book Review: The Synoptic Problem
Recently I had the opportunity to read a new book published in 2016, The Synoptic Problem. The “Synoptic Problem” is a phrase used in NT studies to refer to the comparison of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and examine their relationship. This new book, edited by Stanley Porter and Bryan Dyer, gives an overview of four main views: the Two Source hypothesis, the Farrer hypothesis, the Two Gospel hypothesis, and the Orality and Memory hypothesis. Craig A. Evans writes to present the two source hypothesis, which teaches that Mark was the first gospel written, and Matthew and Luke were literarily dependent upon Mark. This hypothesis also teaches that where Matthew and Luke share the same details that are not mentioned in Mark, they are dependent upon another source, referred to as “Q.” Mark Goodacre writes to represent the Farrer hypothesis. This theory holds that Mark was the first gospel…
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Book Review: The Temple and the Tabernacle
I don’t ever remember learning about the Temple or Tabernacle while growing up. That is not to say it never happened, but if I did, it obviously was not done in a compelling or memorable way. Now, I can honestly say studying the Temple and Tabernacle is definitely something that gives me great joy and excitement. Thus, when I had the opportunity to read The Temple and the Tabernacle, by J. Daniel Hays, I was really excited! The book was published this year (2016) by Baker Books, and is quite impressive in its print quality. Normally I evaluate a book entirely on the basis of its content, but I have to say the quality of the print job (specifically the images within the book) is a step above the competition. This actually makes a big difference since Hays discusses details of the Temple and Tabernacle which are illustrated throughout the…
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Book Review: Shattered Shepherds – Finding Hope in the Midst of Ministry Disaster
Conflict is inevitable in life. Even for pastors and church leaders, difficulties are not absent. Some shepherds go through such terrible times in their ministries that it is akin to losing a loved one. For the most part there has been a lack of helpful resources for pastors who find themselves in such situations. Steve Swartz’ book Shattered Shepherds fills this gap. Drawing upon Scripture and his own painful experience, pastor Swartz deals with how a church leader ought to deal with the aftermath of a divisive and difficult situation in church. I was privileged to be able to go to seminary with Steve, and I am thankful for this new book which will help many pastors deal with painful issues that they have gone through. I definitely recommend it as a resource for church leaders who feel pained by others in the church. On the other hand, the book…
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God’s Prophetic Plan of the Future
We love to know about the future! There is nothing wrong with that–especially when God tells us what the future is going to be like in order to prove His sovereign control over world events. God relates future events through prophecies in His Word. One of the most important prophecies in Scripture is Daniel 9:24-27. This prophecy provides an essential framework for understanding God’s future program in dealing with Israel and the nations. During Daniel’s time, Israel was in exile for sinning in not keeping the Sabbath. In 2 Chron 36:20-22 God promised Israel would be in exile until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. Because Israel was in trouble, Daniel prays. Daniel 9:24-27 comes as an answer to Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:4-19. Daniel asks God to forgive the people of Israel and return them to their land. Daniel is prompted to pray for this having read and meditated…
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Does the Bible Affirm 24-hr Days in Genesis 1?
Justin Taylor has stirred the pot recently with a post on Creation in Genesis 1-2 and whether or not the days referred to in Genesis 1-2 are actual 24-hr days, or just indefinite periods of time. Justin’s post reminded me of an article that I had read a few months ago by Robert McCabe that I think is worth summarizing his main points with my own comments. The context of Genesis 1 indicates a 24-hr day. Its true that day (yom) can refer to periods of time, like in the phrase “Day of the Lord.” But in Genesis 1, day is modified by “evening and morning” and also used in opposition to night. These are clear signals from the context of Genesis 1 that these are normal days with a normal sequence of day and night rotations. When yom is modified by a number, it always refers to a literal…
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Book Review: Learn Biblical Hebrew
Given my interest in teaching Old Testament subjects, I am always on the lookout for books with which to teach Hebrew. When I saw that John H. Dobson’s Learn Biblical Hebrew had been positively reviewed by Dr. Barrick (one of my own Hebrew teachers), I looked forward to the chance to look it over. There are many positives in the book. First, it is about as close to immersion as you can get through a book. From lesson one, the student is immersed in reading words and phrases. The student is given helpful pronunciation helps along the way. Although this may seem daunting, another help is access to audio pronunciation files at the book’s website. This allows the student to hear professional quality reading of Hebrew words and phrases to aid the pronunciation. Second, the book emphasizes reading the Hebrew Scripture instead of doing a workbook approach. Although workbooks can…