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God Looks at the Heart
One day at the beginning of the semester, while I was a student at the Master’s College, I was working out at the campus fitness center and I noticed a fellow student working out. He was the same height as me, but bigger than I was, weighing in about 210 LBS. He had scraggly facial hair and what appeared to be a strong work ethic. I said hello to him and found out he was on the baseball team with us and had just transferred in from a Junior College out of state. My immediate thought was this: “Let’s see here… big guy who works out a lot, transfer from a Junior College… well, he is probably unsaved or an immature Christian at the very least!” Well, I ended up being dead wrong and found out he loved the Lord more than anything, and he was a solid believer all…
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Should Women Wear Head Coverings?
If you walk into almost any church in North America this Sunday you will not see many (if any) women wearing a head covering. However, 1 Cor 11:2-16 seems to indicate that head coverings should be worn by women during the church service. To further complicate matters, one of the reasons given in 1 Cor 11 is because of God’s created order. If Paul is supporting head coverings from the created order, are we not obligated to continue this practice which all the churches of Paul’s time observed (1 Cor 11:16)? This is notoriously one of the most difficult passages to interpret. Some people claim that because of the many exegetical difficulties, this passage should not be used for discussion on gender and roles. However, despite some of the contextual difficulties, I think the passage is clear enough to trace the overall argument and make an informed theological decision regarding…
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The Use of Amos 9 in Acts 15 in JODT
I recently became aware that The Journal of Dispensational Theology published one of my articles in October. The bibliography information is as follows: Peter J Goeman, “The Role of the LXX in James’ Use of Amos 9:11-12 in Acts 15:15-18” Journal of Dispensational Theology (Summer/Fall 2014): 107-25. Although the article itself requires a certain proficiency in Greek and Hebrew, I will try to summarize the main point of the article here. First, notice the comparison between Amos 9 and Acts 15: Amos 9:11-12 (MT) Amos 9:11-12 (LXX) Acts 15:16-18 In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, And wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins And rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by My name,” declares the Lord who does this. (Amos 9:11-12, NASB) On that day I will raise up the tent…
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Biblical Thoughts on the Transgender Issue
Over the last few months I have been following the cultural push for transgender equality. One of the biggest arguments for those arguing for transgender rights is that these individuals have the right to declare what gender they really are on the inside. However, is gender a choice, or is it something inherent to each individual’s identity? The Bible is clear on the matter. God created them male and female (Gen 1:26-28). God is intimately involved with the creation process of each individual (Ps 139:13-16). Hence, each human being is endowed by God with their gender, and they ought to accept it as part of the Creator-creature relationship. According to the Bible then, if a child is struggling with their sexual identity, they should not undergo some kind of sexual reassignment surgery. Rather, they should be patient and be allowed to continue to develop. Interestingly, on June 12th, Paul McHugh…
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Book Review: What is the Meaning of Sex?
This weekend I decided to read a book which was recommended by Al Mohler and Russell Moore entitled, What is the Meaning of Sex, by Denny Burk, published by Crossway. I picked it up from the local library not really knowing much about Denny Burk. Denny Burk is a PhD graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and currently is a professor at Boyce College (the undergraduate program of SBTS). He is an associate pastor in Louisville, KY, and edits The Journal for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood. He also blogs at dennyburk.com. Burk divides the book into eight main sections, bordered by an introduction and conclusion. The outline of the chapters are as follows: Glorify God with Your Body Glorify God with Your Hermeneutic Glorify God with Your Marriage Glorify God with Your Conjugal Union Glorify God with Your Family Planning Glorify God with Your Gender Glorify God with Your Sexuality…