Category: NT
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The Golden Rule
If you’d like to stir the pot, tell folks that the “Golden Rule” doesn’t apply to everyone. If you’d really like to stir the pot, say the same thing about the entire sermon encompassing the Golden Rule (Matthew 5-7, the “Sermon on the Mount”). Lest one think my dispensational convictions have…
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From Woe and Suffering to Joy and Gladness: An Overview of Romans 6-8
I preached this message Sunday, May 15, 2016 at Orwell Bible Church. You can download a copy here. How does one go from hearing the just declaration of God’s universal wrath (1:18) to exulting in God’s gracious love (8:38-39)? Paul established that every man without distinction is condemned in sin…
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There is but a step from Lent to Carnival
J. C. Ryle’s remarks on John 18:28– It is no uncommon thing to find people excessively particular about the observance of trifling forms and outward ceremonies, while they are the slaves of degrading sins and detestable immoralities. Robbers and murderers in some countries are extremely strict about confession, and absolution,…
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The Truthfulness of Christianity
“Christianity, if it be not the true religion, is certainly the greatest cheat that ever was put upon the world; and, if so, it must be of the devil, who is the father of all lies: but it is certain that the doctrine of Christ is no doctrine of devils,…
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Defend the Faith Biblical Challenge
I received an email today from one of many news services about religious items. Wow, talk about invective! The low-down: An author asks folks to supply evidence that he has used the Bible incorrectly in his latest book, The Case Against Evangelical Christianity, specifically these points: The book makes several controversial…
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God’s Transforming Grace
Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison (Acts 8:3) …serving the Lord with all humility and tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; I did not shrink from declaring…
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Introduction to the Gospels
You can download a PDF of this here. Having introduced the New Testament, let’s now briefly consider some basic things about “the Gospels.” The English word Gospel comes from the Anglo-Saxon word godspell and is made up of god (God) and spell (a story). Gospel, then, means either God-story or…
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Introduction to the New Testament
For our Wednesday Bible studies at Orwell Bible Church we’ve begun a new series I’m calling Scripture Summaries. The objective is to give a clear, concise overview of one book of the Bible at a time. We started this past week with an Introduction to the New Testament. You can download…
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An Evangelistic Essential
“…so that the world may believe/know…” (John 17:20, 23) A “church” may have all kinds of external evidences of “success” but if there is no true spiritual unity such is but an outward façade. Jesus’ intention for his body (in which are unified both Jews and Gentiles) is that, by…
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Experience vs. Evidence
One of the more challenging passages in the NT is Hebrews 6:4–6. This provides challenges because it sounds like one loses his salvation. However, if more careful attention were paid to what is said in the immediate and larger contexts, this perceived problem would fade away. Specifically, note the illustration…
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Daily Bale for March 25, 2011
For family devotions we jumped ahead a bit and read Exodus 32, the golden calf incident. Josiah correctly got the main problem, their making and worshiping of idols, but then asked what I thought for an 8 year old was a perceptive question– “But they didn’t have the 10 commandments…
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A Great Question and a Great Answer
Once in awhile we’ll take our Wednesday Bible study for an “Ask the Pastor” session. It’s usually a lot of fun, in addition to being helpful. Occasionally someone will ask a real tough question that I have to answer with “Uh, I have no idea. I’ll have to get back…
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Mystery
The word “mystery” in the NT refers to truth previously concealed but now presently revealed. That definition is borne out in Matthew 13:11-17. Note especially verse 17– For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it,…
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Christ in the Old Testament
There has been an effort among many to “find Christ in the Old Testament.” This has brought both good and bad results, and such from both covenant and dispensational perspectives. I unashamedly align with a “classic” dispensational approach to the Scriptures (a la Ryrie’s Dispensationalism), but I will be the…
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Christian Love
Christian love, according to the First Epistle of John, is not mere sentiment; it is not the indiscriminate good-humor which is sometimes being mistaken for it today. It is compatible with the profoundest hatred of error, and the most zealous contending for the truth. There is nothing weak or sickly…
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Fellowship With God
This morning I read 1 John 1; note verses 5-10– 5This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie…
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Joy in Heaven
I read Luke 15 early this morning, and especially noted verse 10– There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Of the things that bring joy to humanity (sports, elections, war victories, amazing feats), the fact is that none of them move…
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Purposes of 1 Peter
From the separateness of the Church two results, according to Peter, should follow—in the first place purity, and in the second place courage. Members of a holy race, purchased by the precious blood of Christ, elect from before the foundation of the world, cannot engage in those evil practices which…
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The Passing of an Apostle
When the apostles passed off the scene, did they give any kind of hint or clear instruction as to what believers and churches should look to for final authority in matters of faith and practice? Yes, they did–note this comment by C. I. Scofield on 2 Timothy 3:16-17… The apostolic…
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Do Evolutionists Believe in God?
If there was ever an illustration of the truths of Romans 1:18-23, this latest news item from National Public Radio is it: Jesse Bering’s mother died of cancer on a Sunday, in her own bed, at 9 o’clock at night. Bering and his siblings closed her door and went downstairs,…
Dan Greenfield 