Of all the topics in the Bible, why write a book about demons and spiritual warfare? Are there not more uplifting topics and is it not better to focus on God rather than demons? These are good questions. Certainly, if there was a scarcity of books on God and our great salvation, they would have a higher priority. However, there are a number of important considerations on this topic that require us to devote some time and energy to understanding demons and spiritual warfare.
In Matthew chapter 5, the Lord Jesus describes those who are blessed.
These are commonly called the beatitudes, from the Latin beati sunt (blessed are…). The Lord Jesus, however, says some unexpected things that turn the thinking of the world upside down on what it means to be blessed. This book dives into the truth behind the beatitudes.
This workbook is a companion document to ‘Light from God’s Word’. It is a series of study sessions which contain questions for each chapter of the Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. These study sessions will help the reader think through the implications of the Confession for the world we live in.
Paradoxes are a way of grabbing our attention, and make us think more deeply about a particular truth. They tend to fascinate us and engage our minds to find out how they can be profoundly true while seemingly contradictory. In other words, they are useful literary devices that have the purpose of causing us to pause and think more deeply about what is being said. Paradoxes therefore promote deeper study and more serious thought.
One of most common prayers of God’s people is related to waiting for answers from the Lord. We often have to support and pray with believers who are desperately waiting or longing for answers, direction or relief from painful situations.
Waiting can be one of the most difficult trials we ever have to face. We experience a whole range of emotions oscillating between hope and despair, with thoughts going in different directions. Doubts and fears arise. We can begin to question what we know about God. After all, why is He not answering when He can easily do so? Waiting can involve a lot of suffering and anguish.
Anyone who is vaguely familiar with the New Testament will know that it has a lot to say about tongues and prophecy. We find multiple examples of tongues and prophecy in the book of Acts.
First Corinthians has chapters devoted to the topic of gifts, especially tongues. These gifts were certainly practiced in the early church. Paul even instructed believers to desire and seek these gifts (1 Cor. 14:1).In much of the contemporary Christian church, tongues and prophecy are practiced on a large scale. Many would not even think to question their validity.
To start up a conversation which questions the legitimacy of tongues and prophecy for today would therefore seem to be a nonstarter topic! However, I believe there are a number of sound, biblical arguments that indicate these biblical gifts are no longer available to the church today.
The main point of this booklet is to show that the revelatory gifts, such as tongues and prophecy, were temporary gifts for the early church, but were not intended for the entire church age.
This book is an analysis of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. The 1689 Baptist Confession sets out what many of our Baptist forefathers believed the Bible taught, and provides a framework of their systematic theology. I am in overwhelming agreement with the doctrines of this Confession. With one or two small exceptions, I believe this Confession captures the doctrines from Scripture accurately.
The Confession is not our final source of authority: the Scriptures are. The Confession itself makes this clear when it states that the Scriptures are the final and supreme source of authority for spiritual truth (chapter one, paragraph ten).
We must approach the subject of counselling from a biblical worldview, and always bring Scripture to bear on any topic. We experience pain and suffering from two main sources.
Firstly, we have a sinful nature that is opposed to God and holiness (Rom. 8:7; Gal. 5:19-21). This sinful nature causes us to think and act in sinful ways, which brings negative consequences.
Secondly, the earth and everything in it is cursed by sin. We therefore experience pain and difficulties from external sources, such as other people’s sinful actions and natural disasters that impact on our lives and cause us distress. Our physical bodies are also subject to disease and decay.
The above two sources obviously impact each other. For example, as we experience pain and suffering from trials or difficulties, we can respond to them in sinful ways, which leads to further negative consequences.
This means that secular psychology, which does not have a biblical worldview, nor acknowledges the massive impact that sin has had on us and our environment, can never bring lasting comfort and help.
A proper understanding of God is critical for biblical Christianity in any age. It is especially important in this current day and age when theological speculation is rife. Groups, organisations and individuals are writing, preaching and saying things about God; about what He can and cannot do; about who He is and what He is like.