491 years ago today, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg.

He wanted to debate the sale of indulgences with his fellow university professors. So he wrote in Latin.

But a nameless visionary translated the theses into German, carried them to the printing press, and enabled their dispersion far and wide. Luther ended up with more than he bargained for, but he proved to be no coward in defending the discoveries he was making in Scripture.

First Thesis

The truth of Luther’s first thesis would reverberate throughout his lifetime, even finding expression in his last words.

His first thesis reads,

When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said “Repent,” he in…

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A pair of Brits have a provocative book appearing in the States this month. Tim Chester and Steve Timmis published Total Church in the UK last year, and enough readers here have found it helpful to prompt Crossway Books and Mark Driscoll’s Resurgence ministry to pick up the title in the Re:Lit series. You can watch Tim Chester introduce the book at Crossway's blog.

Chester’s and Timmis’s refrain for what they are advocating in the book is “ordinary life with gospel intentionality.” They make a case for the church’s need to exercise “dual fidelity” to the content of the spoken gospel and the context of a relational community.

Tim Chester kindly agreed to answer a few questions below…

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Titus 3 speaks a timely word during election season. Paul charges Titus,

Remind [the people] to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. (verses 1-2)

God doesn't send his church into the political fray with a strut and an open mouth but with gentleness and courtesy—with a readiness to do good, to avoid quarrels, and to speak evil of no one.

Why gentleness and courtesy? Why such an unexpected posture? Paul follows with his reason:

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions

…

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Sometimes a strong rebuke is in order. The sin we see in the lives of those we love and lead is so serious that we must respond with intensity. This is the loving way to handle egregious departures from the truth.

But more often the sin is subtler, and the best way to respond is the path of an affirming challenge.

A Strong Rebuke

The occasional strong rebuke has biblical precedent. When Peter opposed Jesus’ path to the cross, the Savior responded with a passionate reprimand: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23).

And when Paul received word that his Galatian converts were trading trust in God’s grace for self-reliance, love prompted him to respond with severity. Their erro…

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Last weekend was John Piper’s “Why We Believe the Bible” seminar for The Bethlehem Institute. Several in attendance asked that we make a few booklists available that Pastor Piper referred to during the seminar.

There are 3 categories:

• The formation of the canon
• The reliability of the New Testament
• Refuting the claims of some recent critics

We disagree with some of these scholars on other points of doctrine, however their work on the Bible makes us profoundly thankful for them.

The Canon of the New Testament

• Bruce, F. F. The Canon of Scripture
• Geisler, Norman and William Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago: Moody, 1986.
• Harris, R. Laird. Inspirat…

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Last week, we posted a video of John Piper discussing "A Common Word," a letter to Christians from Muslim scholars, and expressing his disappointment with the response to it that over 300 Christian leaders signed.

In the video, John mentions that he has friends among those who signed. We contacted some of them to ask if they would be willing to provide their rationale.

Rick Love, former International Director for Frontiers, has responded. (Please note that this is his personal response, not representative of Frontiers.)

* * *

Why I Signed the Yale Response to “A Common Word”

By Rick Love

Thank you, John, for inviting me to respond to your recent…

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John Piper discusses "A Common Word Between Us and You" and the response to it from 300 Christian leaders.

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This is part 4 of 4 on the Incarnation.

1. Advent and the Incarnation
2. Jesus Is Fully Human
3. What Is the Hypostatic Union?

Jesus was born of a virgin. This is a unique glory. Of the billions of humans who have lived throughout history, only one person entered the world in this way. There is only one mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), and there is only one human who was virgin born.¹

Jesus’ distinctive birth isn’t a myth nor merely a random fact from the Gospels. It is a special honor conferred only on the Son of God. And it is full of significance for knowing the person of Jesus and the God who has revealed himself in him.

Supernatural, Not Mythical

Matthew and L…

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This is part 3 of 4 on the Incarnation

• Part 1: Advent and the Incarnation
• Part 2: Jesus Is Fully Human

The term hypostatic union is much easier than it sounds, but the concept is as profound as anything in theology.

The English adjective hypostatic comes from the Greek word hupostasis. The word only appears four times in the New Testament—maybe most memorably in Hebrews 1:3, where Jesus is said to be “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” Here the author of Hebrews uses the word in reference to the oneness of God. Both the Father and the Son are of the same “nature.” Jesus is “the exact imprint of his nature.”

However, in early church discuss…

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This is part 2 of 4 on the incarnation. Part One: What Is the Incarnation?

Jesus has a human body, emotions, mind, and will. And this in no way compromises his deity.

When the Word became flesh—when the eternal Son of God took on humanity—he did not merely become a man in part. He fully became a true human being.

Jesus’ Human Body

It is clear enough from the New Testament that Jesus has a human body. John 1:14: “The Word became flesh.” Jesus’ humanity is one of the first tests of orthodoxy (1 John 4:2; 2 John 7). Jesus was born (Luke 2:7). He grew (Luke 2:40, 52). He grew tired (John 4:6) and got thirsty (John 19:28). He got hungry (Matthew 4:2) and was physically weak (Matth…

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