We can only understand Scripture intellectually, personally, and transformationally if God enlightens our understanding and teaches us from His Word. The Spirit must illuminate us for us to properly understand the Bible. That, in a nutshell, is the doctrine of illumination. Read More
The Clarity of Scripture | Part 5
As with much theology, we are tempted to view the clarity of Scripture as true, but not essentially important for the Christian life. Yet I believe that much is lost if we reject or neglect this concept. What follows are six things affected by our belief in the clarity of Scripture. Read More
The Clarity of Scripture | Part 4
If the Bible is clear, then, why do we sometimes misunderstand it? And why do we disagree on so many points of Scripture if it is as clear as we’ve said it is? Read More
The Clarity of Scripture | Part 3
Does the Bible teach its own clarity? I hope that through this brief study you can say with me that it does. What God expects from His people is clear in His revealed Word, and as we read that Word we better understand His will for our lives. Read More
The Clarity of Scripture | Part 2
The Bible is clear. It speaks the truth understandably, so that common, everyday people may know the truth. But we must ask the question, does the Bible itself back up this claim? Does the Bible teach its own clarity, or have we imposed that idea on it? Read More
The Clarity of Scripture | Part 1
Do you believe in the perspicuity of Scripture? I’m guessing you do, though you might not know it. Read More
The Preservation of Scripture
We understand by now that Scripture is inspired, authoritative, and inerrant. But the question comes: that may have been true when the words were written, but who’s to say our Bibles still bear those same characteristics? Did the years of transmission, with copies upon copies, compromise the integrity of the text? Read More
The Infallibility of Scripture
Infallibility means that, not only is the Bible true in its content, but it is also true in its purpose. When our thoughts and behaviors are shaped by the Bible, we can be assured that we are being brought closer to the truth. The Bible is true, and it leads us to truth. Read More
The Inerrancy of Scripture | Part 4
We have concluded that the Bible is inerrant—free from essential error in all its parts. While we do find apparent contradictions between passages and between manuscripts, these differences do not compromise the integrity of God’s Word. We believe that it is true, and we trust in it as the source of truth. Read More
One Word | Nekros
Every human is born with the same problem—spiritual death. You can dispute it or deny it, but the apostle Paul says all of us—even himself—are spiritually dead apart from Christ. “We all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath.” That’s a pretty dismal diagnosis. Read More