What Do Christians Obey from the Old Testament and Why?

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“What causes certain Old Testament laws to cease to be literally normative for Christians today? The primary reason is that Christ fulfilled the law through his life and death in our place. God has also brought about changes in redemptive history that adjust how we relate to certain laws.” - 9 Marks

Discussion

Questions to ask when studying proverbs

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“Separating absolute truths from passages admitting to real-life exceptions is a challenge that has daunted even the most scholarly interpreters…..These principles yield five questions that can offer an aid to pastors and church leaders in helping their flocks observe Proverbs’ timeless truths.” - BJU Seminary

Discussion

A Word About Proof-Texts

When one is associating a belief with the text of Scripture it is never wise to choose texts from obscure, debated or overly figurative portions of the Bible. Why go to a vision of Zechariah when you can go to an epistle of Paul for the same doctrine?

When tying a doctrine concerning the Church to Scripture we find good men like F. Turretin running to the song of Solomon. Surely it is unwise to appeal to the Song of Solomon, since the assumption that the Song is actually speaking about the Church is a decided long shot.

Discussion

Interpretation: Step 2 in Bible Study

Read Part 1.

Interpretation is the process of understanding 1) what a Biblical text means and 2) how the text was meant to be applied. Once you have gathered the necessary information to discover what a passage is saying, you can then begin to understand its meaning through careful study of the book’s historical context, literary context, and actual content.

Discussion

‘Already? Not Yet? Let’s Get It Right!’

For the sixth year in a row, I had the privilege of attending and exhibiting at the Shepherds 360 Church Leaders Conference, held at Shepherds Theological Seminary in Cary, N.C., on Monday through Wednesday of this week.

The theme of this year’s conference, which focused on dispensationalism, was “City of God—City of Man,” with the tagline: “Already? Not Yet? Let’s Get It Right!”

Discussion

Is God Disingenuous? (2)

Read the series.

I’ve mentioned analogies in this series, so let me give one of my own.

Suppose someone made you a promise concerning something of great importance to you. This person then went a step further and, to show his intent to make good his promise, entered in to some solemn ritual involving a self-maledictory oath. You could surely trust the promise right?

Discussion