Righteousness Theme in the Book of Matthew
Scholars have long recognized the importance of the theme of righteousness within the Gospel of Matthew. However, no scholarly consensus exists around the meaning of righteousness in the First Gospel. Some interpreters assume that the thematic initiative points to...The Samaritan Woman in John 4
John’s narrative regarding the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman has provided the content for numerous scholarly debates. Several questions still remain with regard to the interpretation of John’s narrative, especially in light of the...New Testament Vision of the Messiah
The New Testament provides a powerful eschatological vision of Christ the Messiah. Without establishing a proper messianic perspective, the interpreter risks getting bogged down in various eschatological systems and missing the thematic threads that illuminate the...Exegesis of Romans 8:1-11: Understanding the New Cosmic Reality in Christ
Introduction of Romans 8:1-11Since the time of the Apostles, obedience has been a focus of the Christian faith. However, from the Pelagian heresy to secular behaviorism, and from the early antinomian controversies to the relativism of modern liberal theology, the...Case Study in Topic to Thesis: Amos 4:1-3
IntroductionPerhaps the greatest indicator of success when writing a research paper is proper planning. An effective and efficient method of planning allows the researcher to increase the chance for success. Accordingly, the following analysis develops a research...Biblical Interpretation
IntroductionFrom the Antiochene and Alexandrian schools of biblical interpretation to the modern historical-critical and narrative hermeneutics, methodologies for biblical interpretation continue to evolve. Which hermeneutical method best illuminates the meaning of...Lives Transforming Counseling and Coaching Theory
Summary Primary Goal The primary goal of counseling is for a life to be transformed into the image of God by recognizing and appropriating his or her identity in Christ through the renewal of the mind. The goal of counseling is based on the Gospel. Jay Adams’s...Religious Freedom: A Study of Two Distinct Baptist Views
Introduction Since the passing of the first amendment to the United States Constitution, historians have debated the influence of Baptists upon religious liberty in America. A question remains regarding the extent of homogeneity among Baptists regarding religious...Disciple Making Plan
Disciple Making Plan Introduction Due to the modern institutional church focus on the Sunday morning service, many churches face a significant challenge in carrying out the primary directive of the Great Commission–to make disciples. The question at hand is how to...Discipleship and a Healthy Church
Discipleship and a Healthy Church Introduction The disconnect between discipleship and the local church may be the most pressing challenge facing the body of Christ in the twenty-first century. The question that exists is specifically how discipleship and the local...Philosophy of Small Groups
Philosophy of Small Groups Introduction The concept of small groups has become an important topic in church growth discussions over the last number of decades. However, the proper method or philosophy of small group deployment within the local church continues to be...Disciple Making in the Local Church
Disciple Making in the Local Church Introduction The process of making disciples has varied throughout the centuries from monastic asceticism to liberal antinomianism. Currently, the question of specifically how disciples are made within the context of a postmodern...Spheres and Stages of Discipleship
Spheres and Stages of Discipleship Introduction Discipleship is not a singular event, but instead, it is a lifelong endeavor. The question of how believers develop into disciples varies among scholars. Without an understanding of the discipleship process, believers...Christ in Discipleship
Christ in Discipleship Introduction For almost two millennia, from Augustine to N. T. Wright, scholars and laymen alike have struggled with the nature of Christ’s involvement in the process of Christian discipleship. The question of how Christ is central to...An Exegesis of Romans 7:7-25
An Exegesis of Romans 7:7-25 Introduction Romans 7:7-25 is one of the most challenging exegetical and theological enigmas in the New Testament. The primary questions pertain to the identification of the “I”, whether the “I” is regenerate, and...Exegesis Isaiah 40:1-11
Introduction The voices in Isaiah 40:1-11 have vexed scholars for centuries and the passage continues to contribute to significant scholarly output. However, scholars continue to underestimate the significance of the grammatical-syntactical impact on determining the...Gap Theory
Introduction In the early twentieth century, a footnote in The Scofield Reference Bible made popular a theory of creation recognized as the “Restitution Theory” or the “Gap Theory.” The theory proposed a significant gap of time between Genesis...Niphal Verb Form
Introduction A dispute continues among modern scholars regarding the translation value of the Niphal verb נִבְרְכ֣וּ in Genesis 12:3. The final phrase of verse 3 presents the translation challenge:...Law of Moses
Law of Moses In Hebrew, two side-by-side nouns form a construct chain, which may express a possessive relationship between two nouns, where the first is the construct noun and the second is the genitive noun. However, a construct chain has a broad semantic range....
Freedom: How Grace Transforms Your Life Now
Minds on Fire: What Is Wrong With Our Thoughts..And How To Fix It