In this part of our series on the New Testament canon, we’ll be exploring the first of the three attributes of canonity – the Divine Qualities of the canon. This is seen in Scripture’s beauty, power, and unity.
When we speak of the beauty of Scripture, we are not just talking about literary or rhetorical beauty – we are saying that it is beautiful because it bears the attributes of God, as he is speaking to us through it.… Read more
Peter Atterton, professor of philosophy at San Diego State University, recently wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times, detailing apparent logical inconsistencies in the idea of God. In this effort, he presents the same arguments that have been repeated ad nauseum by modern atheists – arguments that represent ignorance of the basic tenets of the Christian faith.
In his effort to disprove Christianity, he grapples with the basic question, “Does the idea of a morally perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing God make sense?… Read more
Recently, Thabiti Anyabwile, pastor at Anacostia River Church, tweeted out a thread attempting to make his case for reparations for black Americans and why Christians should be in support of them. This is a topic that has seen an increase in discussion recently amongst Christians and deserves serious consideration. As Christians, we know that everything must be examined by the standards of justice given to us by Scripture. Reparations should not be given simply because they will help the poor or make us feel like America has atoned for its past.… Read more
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a conference on the Trinity at Knox Reformed Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia. Speakers included Mr. Anthony Rogers, Dr. Edward Dalcour, and Dr. James White, host of the popular webcast The Dividing Line and accomplished debater on numerous topics including atheism, Islam, Mormonism, and liberal theology. Recorded lectures may all be found here, but I wanted to give a recap of one of the most important lectures, which was Mr.… Read more
With the Catholic and Evangelical models refuted, we must now move on to the biblical understanding of how we can know we have God’s Word – the Self-authenticating Model.
Quite simply, this model states that Scripture itself gives us the standards by which it is authenticated. If we believe that it is the ultimate authority for our lives, then we must naturally conclude that Scripture will also give us the standards by which we may understand it.… Read more
Valentine’s Day. This is a day that produces a wide range of emotions from people rivaled by few others. For some, it is a day to celebrate the love you share with your significant other or spouse. For others, it is a day filled with expectations (real or imagined) to prove yourself to the person you care about. Still others, it’s just another day on the calendar, and it comes and goes without a second thought.… Read more
Before we understand how we can know we have God’s Word and understand the history behind it, we must first examine many of the common but false understandings that have been posited throughout history on how we can know we have the canon. How we think we know shows the ultimate authority that we are placing our knowledge in, and sometimes that authority rests on very shaky ground. Here, we will examine the common Catholic and Evangelical understandings of this issue, and the foundational errors that both of them make.… Read more
Earlier this week, New York passed the most radical abortion law in the nation, allowing it for (nearly) any reason imaginable up till birth. According to the law, it’s allowed for the “health” of the mother, but according to LifeNews, the definition of health is so broad, abortion is effectively on demand for any reason. Laws that would previously charge illegally performed abortions have also been repealed, as well as protections for babies born alive after botched abortions, effectively legalizing infanticide and butchers like Kermit Gosnell.… Read more
Last year, I took a course at Reformed Theological Seminary entitled The Origin and Authority of the New Testament Canon, taught by Dr. Michael Kruger. I thought this would be a course more or less on how and why certain books were picked to be in the New Testament and why others like the Gospel of Peter or the Gospel of Thomas were not. Although the history of this was covered, it ended up being so much more than that and revolutionized the way I understood the Bible. … Read more
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