What is New Covenant Theology?

I received A. Blake White’s new introductory volume entitled, “What is New Covenant Theology? An Introduction,” today. The link to the book takes you to Blake’s blog, so you can read more from his side. The Table of Contents is as follows:

• Introduction
• Chapter 1 – One Plan of God Centered in Jesus Christ
• Chapter 2 – The Old Testament Should Be Interpreted in Light of the New Testament
• Chapter 3 – The Old Covenant Was Temporary by Divine Design
• Chapter 4 – The Law Is a Unit
• Chapter 5 – Christians Are Not Under the Law of Moses, but the ‘Law’ of Christ
• Chapter 6 – All Members of the New Covenant Community Have the Holy Spirit
• Chapter 7 – The Church Is the Eschatological Israel
• Conclusion
• Recommended Reading

It is not a thick book, and it is very easy to read. I am not a fast reader, yet I finished the book in 1.5 hours. It must be remembered that this is an introduction to New Covenant Theology (NCT), and not a PhD dissertation. As such, it may or may not answer all your questions, but it definitely gets you off on the right track.

One of the golden threads right through the book is to remind us that all of Scripture should be interpreted in the light of its main character, which is Jesus Christ and His saving work!

“The story of the Bible is not the story of the covenant of grace; nor is it the story of Israel. The Bible is the story of God’s work in history to sum up all things in Christ. New Covenant Theology strives to keep this one plan of God—centered in Jesus Christ—primary.” (p7)

It is well worth buying this book, as it uses the smallest amount of space, to pack an important subject as NCT, in language that is understandable to all.

To learn more about New Covenant Theology, please visit my blog series, NCT Friday, at my previous blog.

[VIDEO] Dr. Al Mohler speaks the truth on homosexuality and the Bible on CNN

[VIDEO] The Mom Song, for Mother’s Day!

Mormonism 101: Especially for Joel Osteen

Much has been said in the blogosphere concerning Joel Osteen’s comments that Mormonism is basically Christian and that Mormons are his brothers. This post follows my previous two posts that can be found here.

James White, from Alpha and Omega Ministries, has preached the gospel to Mormons and also debated Mormons. He has also written a book on Mormonism and has made available at his blog a short course on Mormonism.

So, if you—or perhaps Joel Osteen—would like to find out what Mitt Romney and Mormons really believe, then read what James White has written concerning Mormonism.

[VIDEO] Joel Osteen is dangerous

Related to my previous post on Joel Osteen, and his terrible a-discernment concerning the Mormon faith, here is a video by Todd Friel on this situation.

Joel Osteen does it again! Mormonism is Christian?

It seems like Joel Osteen doesn’t just regularly put his foot in his mouth, he simply changes feet, all the time! The fact that this heretic has become Christianity’s spokesman at CNN is absolutely appalling!

In his latest blunder, Osteen reckons that “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints adherents do, indeed, fall into the Christian realm. Despite some differences, the pastor claims that he sees Mormons ‘as brothers in Christ.’”
“Some differences?!” Rather, these two religions are completely antithetical to one another!

As a Christian pastor this man has absolutely no discernment, and one wonders what he feeds his sheep every Sunday from the pulpit. Probably weed, cyanide and other lethal concoctions that bring destruction to people instead of life.

To find out a little more about Mormonism and how it differs from Christianity, you can read The FAQs: Are Mormons Christian?


A good book to read would be James R. White's book, Is the Mormon my Brother? Perhaps Osteen should read this!

Theological blind spots

“The fact that many churches avoid uncomfortable topics, not only in the preaching of the Word but in Bible study as well, leads to the creation of blind spots in the theology of even the most devout Christians. These blind spots can then function as a door through which false teaching is introduced; hence the importance of doing as Paul said, preaching the ‘whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:27 ESV).” (James White, Scripture Alone, Bethany House, Minneapolis, MN, 2004, p95)

Of course, this happens when a pastor does not have the confidence to preach through the Bible in an expository manner, and rather chooses topics to preach on each Sunday or maybe over a period of a few months. This way the pastor can easily skip difficult parts of the text, or passages of Scripture that he does not agree with.

Christianity without Christ?

It is a preposterous thought. Christianity without Christ? Really? However, think about it. It seems to be going that way. All kinds of heretics are now getting centre stage within Christianity. Liberals are pushing their brand of Christianity and evangelicals are becoming evanjellycals.

"What would things look like if Satan really took control of a city? Over half a century ago, Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse offered his own scenario in his weekly sermon that was broadcast nationwide on CBS radio. Barnhouse speculated that if Satan took over Philadelphia, all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say, ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘No, Ma’am,’ and the churches would be full every Sunday ... where Christ is not preached.

“It is easy to become distracted from Christ as the only hope for sinners. Where everything is measured by our happiness rather than by God’s holiness, the sense of our being sinners becomes secondary, if not offensive. If we are good people who have lost our way but with the proper instructions and motivation can become a better person, we need a life coach, not a redeemer. We can still give assent to a high view of Christ and the centrality of his person and work, but in actual practice we are being distracted from ‘looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith’ (Heb. 12:2) A lot of the things that distract us from Christ these days are even good things. In order to push us off-point, all that Satan has to do is throw several spiritual fads, moral and spiritual crusades, and other ‘relevance’ operations into our field of vision. Focusing the conversation on us—our desires, needs, feelings, experience, activity, and aspirations—energizes us. At last, now we’re talking about something practical and relevant.” (Michael Horton, CHRISTLESS CHRISTIANITY: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI, 2008, pp15-16)

[VIDEO] Why I love Jesus but reject Islam

Apologist James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries and Christian rapper Ivey Conerly collaborated to make available the following video on Youtube. It is definitely worth watching and listening!

The Forgotten Resurrection

“(13)  The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  (14)  And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.  (15)  And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;  (16)  and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business."  (17)  His disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."  (18)  The Jews then said to Him, "What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?"  (19)  Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  (20)  The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"  (21)  But He was speaking of the temple of His body.  (22)  So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.” (John 2:13-22 NASB)

When Jesus walked this earth as the perfect God-man, fully God and fully man, His purpose was to die for the sins of His people. Yet, that was not all He came to do. First, when the Jews heard Jesus saying that He would “destroy this temple, and in three days” raise it up, they completely misunderstood what He was talking about. He was not talking about Herod’s temple at all—that destruction came in A.D. 70—but was speaking of His own body. He made it clear that He would die and in three days rise from the dead.

We are indeed faced with an empty tomb! This is great news! However, evangelicals have put a lot of emphasis on the penal substitutionary sacrifice that Christ made on behalf of sinners to such an extent, that I sometimes think they have forgotten about the resurrection. Then, once a year at Easter, they are reminded of the resurrection and then all over the world, pastors preach on the resurrection. A week later they are back to normal, with the normal scheduled communion Sundays when they once again commemorate the death of Christ in the Lord’s supper. Once again, the resurrection becomes like a faraway family member that we visit once a year.

Giveaway: The Basics of New Testament Syntax by Daniel Wallace

Click the book cover to join the giveaway!

If you are interested in an intermediate New Testament Greek grammar, then here is your chance to win a copy of Dan Wallace’s “The Basics of New Testament Syntax: An intermediate Greek grammar.”

To stand a chance to win a copy of this book, simply visit the Koinonia blog at their Wednesday Giveaway post and follow the directions.

Reading “Understanding the Trinity”

March, being “Trinity month,” as called for by the Theology Network (see here), I have read “The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything” by Fred Sanders (see my short review here), and “The Good God: Enjoying Father, Son and Spirit” by Michael Reeves of the Theology Network (see my short review here). Right now I am reading “Understanding the Trinity” by Alister McGrath.


As I have done in my previous post on March being Trinity month, here are a couple of quotes from McGrath’s book:

“God obstinately refuses to show any signs of rigor mortis.” p12 (emphasis by the author) 

“What do we mean when we talk about ‘God’ anyway? There is a tendency on the part of many—especially those of a more philosophical inclination—to talk about God as if he was some sort of concept. But it is much more accurate to think of God as someone we experience or encounter. God isn’t an idea we can kick about in seminar rooms—he is a living reality who enters into our experience and transforms it. Our experience of God is something which we talk about with others, and our encounter with him is something which we can try to put into words, but behind our ideas and words lies the greater reality of God himself.” p13 (emphasis by the author) 

“Atheism is, in fact, nor more ‘scientific’ than Christian faith, despite the attempts of atheists to convince us otherwise. Both atheism and Christianity are, then, matters of faith—whereas agnosticism is just a matter of indifference.” p19 

“The suggestion that ‘God exists because Christians want him to’ is just as logically plausible as the suggestion ‘God doesn’t exist because atheists don’t want him to’. This no proof that God doesn’t exist, it is simply an assertion that he doesn’t.” p21 (emphasis by the author) 

“The great reformer John Calvin is often thought of as being a rather stern theologian, but he has his tender moments as well. One of those moments lies in his famous assertion that ‘God accommodates himself to our weakness’—in other words, God knows the limitations of our intellects and deliberately reveals himself in such a way that we can cope with him.” p47

UPDATE:
See my short review on "Understanding the Trinity" here.

Reading “The Good God”

I announced in my previous post that March is Trinity month and that the Theology Network ran a competition to win a copy of Michael Reeves’ new book, “The Good God: Enjoying Father, Son and Spirit.”

Well, in God’s providence I was a winner of the book and it arrived this last Friday. I have started reading it already, although I have only finished the ten pages of the introduction so far.

March, being Trinity month, I started and finished Fred Sanders’ book “The Deep things of God: how the Trinity changes everything.” I also went back to James White’s book, “The Forgotten Trinity: Recovering the heart of Christian belief” and had a look at some of the things in the book that I highlighted. Out of these two books, I appreciated White’s book more because he shows exegetically how he got to his belief in the Trinity, and not so much philosophical talk (not that I am against philosophy, but as Christians, our belief is based first on the Bible’s declarations). I am also not saying that Sanders did not go to Scripture either. I just found that White’s exegesis was more thorough. White’s book is more a why-we-believe-in-the-Trinity book, whereas Sanders’ book shows how the belief in the Trinity touches our lives as Christians.

I will finish “The Good God” as soon as possible, and then I will tackle Alister McGrath’s book, “Understanding the Trinity.”

Here are a few good quotes from “The Good God”:

“[T]he truth is that God is love because God is a Trinity.” p vii

“Christianity is not primarily about lifestyle change; it is about knowing God.” p vii

“’... it would be madness to settle for any presupposed idea of God. Without being specific about which God is God, which God will we worship? Which God will we ever call others to worship? Given all the different preconceptions people have about ‘God’, it simply will not do for us to speak abstractly about some general ‘God’. And where would doing so leave us? If we content ourselves with being mere monotheists, and speak of God only in terms so vague they could apply to Allah as much as the Trinity, then we will never enjoy or share what is so fundamentally and delightfully different about Christianity.” pp xv-xvi

March is Trinity month!

Every now and again the doctrine of the Trinity comes under attack from all kinds of quarters, such as from Arians (modern day Jehovah’s Witnesses) and Modalists (such as T.D. Jakes—despite his latest remarks in Elephant Room 2). Historic Christianity has seen these types of teachers as heretics, and as falling outside of Christianity, and henceforth need the gospel preached to them.

The doctrine of the Trinity tells us who God is. If we worship any other God, we worship a false ‘god.’ We have to worship God and who He is, in the way that He revealed Himself. If God has revealed Himself as a Trinity, in which the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and in which the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Spirit, and the Son is not the Father nor the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father nor the Son, then that is who we must worship Him as! We cannot of ourselves concoct a ‘god’ of our own choosing, because that would not be the true God that revealed Himself in Scripture!

It is true that the Trinity isn’t always the easiest historical Christian doctrine to wrap our minds around, but the fact remains, that is how God revealed Himself to us, and that is what Scripture demands from us to believe and worship.

The Theology Network is calling for March to be celebrated as “Trinity Month.” So, there are probably going to be many bloggers out there blogging on some or all aspects of the doctrine of the Trinity during March 2012. So, get ready with the Theology Network and other bloggers to celebrate “Trinity Month.”

You could perhaps purchase one or two, or more, books on the Trinity. Here are some ideas for you:

1. The Forgotten Trinity by Dr. James White.
2. The Deep Things of God by Fred Sanders.
3. The Good God: Enjoying Father, Son and Spirit? which is a brand new book on the Trinity by Mike Reeves. You could perhaps win a copy of this book by visiting this page at the Theology Network.

There some other books that I recommend here.

You could perhaps start so long by reading my article “God and Jesus Christ in Orthodoxy” which touches on the Trinity.

 

The Dividing Line program in MP3 format with Dr. James White's
analysis of where T.D. Jakes stands concerning the doctrine of the Trinity.

Personality and Belief in God Survey

Matthew Baker, a PhD student at the University of Warwick, is doing research about the personality, beliefs and life experiences of atheists and theists alike. His survey ended up being posted on a top atheist’s website, and he has received over 25,000 responses that way. However, the large majority of responses have been from atheists, and to get a more balanced result from this survey, Baker needs more Christians also take part in the survey.

So, in order for you to be part of this survey, simply visit God Survey.

HT: Tom Gilson