Is the Lord’s Supper…a Supper? (1 Cor 11:18-25)
Despite COVID and nasty weather, our 2020 National Conference was a success. There were many excellent messages given, which you can watch at our YouTube channel here. But the most important message for me was given by Bob Bryant on The Doctrine of the Church (see here). Here’s why it was important. Don’t you get […]
When Were the Disciples Born Again? A Pentecostal’s Confusing Answer
Howard M. Ervin (1915-2009) was a longstanding faculty member at Oral Roberts University (in fact, the second longest-serving faculty member). I have to imagine that his theology impacted generations of ORU pastors, so his views on salvation are worth looking into. For example, in his book, Spirit Baptism: A Biblical Investigation, Ervin asks when the […]
Four Ways Jesus Fulfilled the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17)
By Shawn Lazar “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17). Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. In other words, the Lord was giving a purpose statement for His ministry, and whenever someone […]
A Gospel Coalition Council Member Says You Need Good Deeds for Salvation
I recently saw a quote attributed to Martin Luther that said, “Every week I preach justification by faith to my people because every week they forget it.” One of our ministry’s unpleasant but necessary tasks is to point out when popular authors and preachers have forgotten about justification by faith apart from works. Instead, they […]
En el día de Herodes (Lucas 1:5a)
La novela de Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities [Historia de dos ciudades], comienza con esta frase memorable, “Era el mejor de los tiempos, era el peor de los tiempos…” Algunas épocas son conocidas por sus dificultades. Meramente mencionar una época evoca tiempos difíciles que la gente experimentó, como con la Hambruna Irlandesa de […]
Rewarded with a Good Reputation (Matthew 5:19)
“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:19). Henry Ford once said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to […]
Degrees of Greatness in the Kingdom (Matthew 5:19)
Does your church or tradition believe in the doctrine of eternal rewards? It is the key to so many subjects in theology and to so many passages of Scripture. For example, did you know that Jesus taught there would be different degrees of greatness in His kingdom? In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord […]
The Good in Nazareth (Luke 1:26)
Although Theophilus had been instructed about Jesus, he needed certainty. That is, he needed a more stable understanding of who Jesus is and what He did (cf. Luke 1:4). For example, maybe Theophilus heard rumors about Jesus’ unusual birth. What really happened? Luke tells the story. Sometime after Gabriel’s appearance to Zacharias, he had a […]
Mary’s Virginity in Messianic Prophecy (Luke 1:27)
In Luke 1:27, we read that God sent Gabriel to a virgin named Mary. At this time, Mary was probably a teenager. But despite her young age, as was customary, she was betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. Betrothal meant they were legally promised to each other in marriage, but the wedding ceremony itself, […]
Zacharias’ Disbelief and Divine Discipline (Luke 1:18-22)
Did you know that even the oldest, godliest believers can doubt God…and be disciplined for it? If you were a member of the clergy, a priest of God, and a blameless man who had served the Lord for many decades, and an angel appeared to you announcing that God heard your prayer and would answer […]