The Βασιλεια του Θεου as a Clue to the Social Program of the Apostles

Acts on the Kingdom of God: An HB Classic

Sunday night I heard a sermon on Acts 28 during which my attention was drawn to the way Luke uses the expression, “βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ” (Kingdom of God). I was struck by eschatological character of Luke’s conception (and by implication, Paul’s conception, . . . Continue reading →

Baruch Maoz: Christian Zionism Is Wrong

The fawning, spineless adoration of Israel and of all things Jewish is decidedly sub-Christian; it runs against the grain of biblical revelation; it lacks the courage of its most fundamental convictions; it disenfranchises the Palestinians by assuming that the negation of their . . . Continue reading →

The Utopia Of Leisure

in communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activity but each can become accomplished in any branch he wished, society regulates the general production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to . . . Continue reading →

The Ten Points Of Marxism

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes. 2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax. 3. Abolition of all right of inheritance. 4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. 5. . . . Continue reading →

The Israel of God

Introduction There is much more to “end-times” or ultimate things (Eschatology) than what we say actually happens in the last days. We say what we do about eschatology because of what we think God is doing in history. At the center of . . . Continue reading →

The Israel Of God (2)

In part 1 we began to look at the sort of kingdom Jesus brought. § Rather, Jesus came not to build an earthly Jewish kingdom now or later, but always and only his intention was to redeem all his people by his . . . Continue reading →

The Israel Of God (4)

In part 3 we considered what Scripture says about national Israel. § Jesus the Israel of God It is the argument of this essay that Jesus Christ is the true Israel of God and that everyone who is united to him by grace alone, . . . Continue reading →

The Israel Of God (5)

In part 4 we considered how Jesus is the Israel of God. § The Dividing Wall Demolished (Ephesians 2:11–22) The movement of the history of redemption is on this order. The people of God were an international people from Adam to Noah to Moses. Under . . . Continue reading →

Chiliasm And Soul Sleep

Our study began with Irenaeus’ contention that the belief in an immediate removal of the soul to the presence of God and Christ at death was a stumbling block to orthodox acceptance of chiliasm, and with his counter proposal that the chiliastic . . . Continue reading →

Heidelberg 45: Three Benefits Of Christ’s Resurrection (2)

In part 1 we considered some of the difficulties with asserting that God raised Jesus from the dead. The Enlightenment movements have catechized most of us in a closed, mechanical universe. Some, since the 19th century, have reacted to this view of . . . Continue reading →

Heidelberg 45: Three Benefits Of Christ’s Resurrection (4)

Be4 I sign off learned a new word in church today: Eschatology. Anyone? — Katie Couric (@katiecouric) December 1, 2014 Couric, a television host took a lot of heat for admitting that she did not know what “eschatology” means. That’s unfortunate because . . . Continue reading →

Heidelberg 50: Christ Reigns Now (1)

It is basic to historic Christian teaching and confession that Jesus is reigning and ruling now. In the sixth article of the Apostles’ Creed all Christians confess, “He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” . . . Continue reading →

Heidelberg 50: Christ Reigns Now (2)

Last time we looked briefly at some of the reasons some evangelicals (Dispensationalists) have had difficulty with the biblical and historic Christian doctrine that Jesus is presently reigning over all things and particularly his church. That view is in contrast to the . . . Continue reading →

Heidelberg 51: The Glory Of A King Distant And Near

Difficult as it may be for those who live within “the Beltway” (as if there is only one city in the world with a beltway) to imagine, many Americans have never visited the American capitol. For many Americans the capitol is distant . . . Continue reading →