For preaching to be effective, the preacher needs to understand the paradigms surrounding him. This article shows that there is a paradigm shift that preaching must take into consideration in three themes: God, man, and godliness. Understanding this shift is crucial for the faithfulness and effectiveness of preaching.
This article picks up where part one ended. Focus is on the claims of Neo-Pentecostalism or the charismatic movement on baptism of the Spirit, glossolalia or speaking in tongues, gifts of the spirit, and healing, with the leading texts being Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12-1 Corinthians 14.
In order to give a theological reflection on Neo-Pentecostalism or the charismatic movement, this article gives five characteristics that characterizes the movement, twelve affirmations that the movement seeks to stand for, and ten defects within the movement. This article explains them all. This is part one of the reflection; please also read part two for a complete reflection.
In order for true unity and ecumenicity to exist within the churches, there needs to be a convincing confession of faith. This article looks at the role confessions and creeds play in shaping such unity of churches. Attention is given to the need for confessions, the problems and challenges of adopting confessions, and the method for formulating them.
Does the sovereignty of God kill the need for evangelism? Looking at the relationship between the sovereignty of God and evangelism, this article shows both the negative and positive aspect of thinking about this relationship. It shows that God's sovereignty should offer hope for success in evangelism.
What was the Amyraut controversy? This controversy is associated with teachings on universal grace that flared up in the Reformed churches of the seventeenth century. Nicole provides a brief survey of the major developments in this controversy and follows this up with a summary of the most important arguments advanced by both sides.
Idolatry is a reflection of the desire of fallen human nature to be lord of what one worships. This article explains.
Conscience is knowledge held in common with another, namely, God. It is a man's knowledge of himself as God knows him. This article discusses the role of the conscience within Puritanism. It reflects on the place of conscience among Puritans, their teaching about it, and how their understanding of conscience shaped their preaching.
Expository preaching is the preaching of the man who knows Holy Scripture to be the living Word of God, and whose aim in preaching is to show the hearers what the text is saying to them about God and about them. It is this kind of preaching that has fallen on hard times, but from Charles Simeon we can learn how to regain it. This article explains.
The practice of evangelism is threatened by minimizing the gospel. To remedy this approach of minimization this article presents the Puritans' practice of gospel preaching. It looks at their understanding of the gospel, its demand and its presentation.
Why do we need to read the Bible? This article uses Psalm 119:105 for the justification for Bible reading.
This is a theological dictionary entry on different theories of the atonement.
Evangelism is all about the gospel. What makes the message a gospel message? The gospel message is about God, sin, Christ, and faith and repentance. This article explains these four ingredients.
This is a theological dictionary entry on the atonement.
The burden of this article is to show that even though there is not the same frequency of mention in the New Testament of the wrath of God as in the Old, nevertheless, the relevant passages show that for the early Christians the divine wrath was just as real as it was for the believers of the Old Testament.
There is no way men and women can believe the biblical truth about grace without embracing what it presupposes. This article discusses four fundamental truths that grace presupposes. Without them, the truth of grace is not believed.
The Lord’s Supper is an act of worship taking the form of a ceremonial meal. This article looks at the institution of the Lord's Supper, the issue of Christ's presence, and the meaning of holy communion for the believer.
The judicial act of God pardoning sinners and declaring them righteous for Jesus's sake is justification. This article explains the relationship between judgement day and justification.
Having spiritual understanding is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is this work of illumination that this article explains.
Through the fall into sin man is born under the guilt and power of sin. This article shows how Adam relates to all humans by virtue of his sin.
Baptism signifies cleaning and remission of sins. It points to union with Christ in his death and resurrection. This article considers the relationship between the external and inward significance of the sign, the mode of baptism, and who are to be baptized.
To believe that the Bible is God's Word is through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. How does the Holy Spirit do this? This article explains.
Through the voice of general revelation and conscience man has no excuse, but remains guilty of idolatry. How? This article explains.
Christians have the responsibility to personally read and interpret Scripture. This article offers five principles which will guard Christians from misinterpreting Scripture.
When the Reformers claimed that man has no free will, they did not deny the truth that man has free agency. What is the difference? This is what the article explains
Through the resurrection of Christ, death and its terrors have been demolished. For this reason the Christian need not fear death because in death he goes to be with the Lord. This is what the article explains.
Definite redemption, also known as particular redemption or limited atonement, attests to the biblical truth that God intended Christ's work to remove only the sins of the elect. Let the article explain.
Jesus' resurrection is essential to Christianity because it attests to Christ's victory over death, his righteousness, and his divine identity. This what the article explains.
This article show how the total obedience of Christ is essential for our salvation.
This article shows how the human and divine nature of Christ relate by pointing to Scripture and the confession of the church through the Council of Nicaea and Council of Chalcedon.
The only way to know God is through his self-revelation. This article argues that this self-revelation is what constitutes the Bible.
Predestination refers to God's eternal decision of particular sinners for salvation and eternal life. Let the article explain.
God's self-existence is the truth that asserts that God has always been there. He has no beginning or end. This article explains this truth.
Regeneration is the work of God in which a new heart is given. This article explains this concept of being born again.
Christian knowledge of God is intellectual, volitional, and moral. This knowledge comes through faith, and it is different from the knowledge of Gnosticism. This is what the article explains.
Election is rooted in God's sovereignty and is unconditional. Yet the elected are known through their fruits. This is what this article explains. It also points to the reality of reprobation as a biblical reality.
This article traces the historical origin of Calvinism. The author looks at the context of the degraded state of the church under the Roman Catholic Church, the response of the reformers, and the spread of Calvinism.
This article is about the kingdom of God as a spiritual kingdom. The author also discusses the kingdom of God in culture and society, the optimistic and pessimistic view of the kingdom of God in this world, and amillennialism.
