Review: The Inclusive Language Debate by D.A. Carson

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“Carson is so evenhanded. He is a complementarian who nonetheless takes an unpopular position among his fellow conservatives. He critiques the work of friends and former students graciously but clearly. He also is willing to side with the critics on individual rendering choices in specific passages.” - Mark Ward

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What Is the Sufficiency of Scripture?

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“The Word of God gives us everything God wants us to know. We call this the sufficiency of Scripture. All the words that God wants you to have when it comes to salvation, and trusting Him, and obeying Him are found in the Bible.” - P&D

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John the Baptist Preaches the Kingdom

After Matthew has completed his narration of Jesus’ birth, ending at His family’s relocation in Nazareth, he plunges straight in to John the Baptist’s preaching of the Kingdom. Both the Gospels and Josephus1 accord John the Baptist a place of honor as a highly respected (at least among the general populace) and powerful influence in Judea and Galilee in the twenties A. D. From Luke 3:7, 15, 21, Matthew 3:5, and Mark 1:5 it is clear that he drew a lot of attention and that his impact was marked.

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“the early church was not socialist.”

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“There are still arrangements like this. They’re called monasteries. Before exploring how monasteries show us how ‘socialism’ can work, let me acknowledge that I’m hesitant to present monasticism as ‘socialism.’ The voluntary profession of monasticism has nothing to do with the state seizing the means of production or the mass terror that inevitably follows in its wake.” - Acton

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The Reformation at 500: Luther’s Escape to the Wartburg

Read the series.

We visited Eisenach and the Wartburg Castle on the Sunday of our 500th anniversary Reformation trip.

The day was gloriously dark and dreary. Fortunately, we felt only a few raindrops. But it was an absolutely perfect day for a ride through the Thuringian Forest.

Discussion

Why the Church Falls

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“The Reformers said that the doctrine of justification–that is, how sinners are put right with God through the work of Christ–is ‘the article upon which the church stands or falls.’ Today in many of America’s churches, this teaching can scarcely be heard.” - Veith

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Was Jephthah's daughter offered as a burnt offering?

In Judges 11-12, we find the narrative about Jephthah.

When we think of him, we almost immediately think of his foolish vow and the consequences of it to his daughter.

Judges 11:30-31 in the ESV reads:

30 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”

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