Gospel Living

We won't have a Wednesday study to post this week or next, so here's another session from the 2017 Truth & Life Conference .  This is the final session, and Steve Lawson teaches how doctrine and truth shaped the ministries of John Calvin and John Knox.

In lieu of a devotional today, here is another video from The Master's University 2017 Truth and Life Conference.  The theme this year was The Solas: The Five Pillars of the Reformation , and here is Paul Washer:

Because of a very busy week, I'm running a bit behind on the devotions.  So, in lieu of a Psalm devotional today, here is the first video from The Master's University 2017 Truth and Life Conference .  The theme this year was The Solas: The Five Pillars of the Reformation , and here is John MacArthur leading the opening session of the conference:

Happy Thanksgiving!   This is a uniquely Christian day as we give thanks to the Lord for all of His provisions.  With that in mind, you may be looking for some masterful music to add to your holiday.  Well, the Master's Chorale of the Master's University visited the Master's Seminary , and you'll want to hear the result. The Master's Chorale - TMS ASB Chapel (11/17/2016) from The Master's Seminary on Vimeo . And yes, the pun was intended. God bless!

The good folks at the Master's Seminary want to see the Christ's church as biblically-oriented and God-honoring as possible. As such, they have been placing their class lectures online for free.  This act of love provides wonderful opportunities for discipleship, training, and review. This post highlights the second of four theology classes offered by the seminary (the first is here ). Here are a few questions these videos will help you answer: Who was Jesus of Nazareth? (Christology, the largest section) What claims did He make? Why did He come to earth and die? What false beliefs and heresies about Christ have arisen over the years? What prophecy points to Him? Who is the Holy Spirit? (Pnuematology) Or, should the question be what is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? What does it mean to be indwelt by the Spirit? How does the Holy Spirit work through the Charismatic-type churches? What are angels and demons? (Angelology) Who is Satan, for th...

Dr. Bill Barrick answers this question on his blog : [1] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] (The earth was formless and empty, and darkness was upon the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the water.) Some expositors propose that verse 2 represents a gap in the record of creation events. Normally, those who hold to the so-called “Gap Theory” interpret “formless and empty” as some form of chaotic result coming on the heels of God’s judgment of Satan. They suggest that the original creation was destroyed or terribly marred by God’s casting Satan out of Heaven and down to Earth. Many theologians use this “gap” to account for a very old earth, allowing millions, if not billions, of years to pass with Earth in this condition. Some even attempt to place all fossilization (of animals and man) within this gap—which creates a greater theological problem with having death (even of man) existing prior to the fall. A number of...

John MacArthur addresses the chapel at The Master's Seminary:

One of the worst blights besmirching American pulpits is the online degree.  With that in mind, biblically sound institutions indeed post free resources featuring theological heavy-weights who love the Lord.  Thus, many Christian leaders lacking the ability to attend a quality seminary scour the web for the good, hoping to gain the knowledge they need for daily ministry. Maybe that describes you, and perhaps you missed something really good.  No, it's not an e-ordination, but it will build your ability in and love for the Bible.  Seminary professor Nathan Busenitz announced the launch of this goldmine of online training that is indeed free: Earlier this month, The Master’s Seminary launched its Theological Resource Center (TRC) — an online hub for ministry-training resources. Because many pastors around the world will never be able to attend seminary in the United States, the TRC extends the resources of TMS and its partner ministries t...

TH 605: Theology I Dr. Andy Snider The good folks at the Master's Seminary want to see the Christ's church as biblically-oriented and God-honoring as possible.  As such, they have been placing their class lectures online for free. This post highlights the first of four theology classes offered by the seminary.  Here are a few questions these videos will help you answer: Is it okay for Christians to study theology, and are there dangers to it? What does it mean to be a liberal or a conservative theologically? What is God like, and how does He relate to His creation? Should we believe that God exists in a Trinity? What does the Bible really say about itself? Can we believe that the Bible is from God and without error? The class description according to the TMS catalog: A study of prolegomena, dealing with the essence and source of systematic theology, and reasons for its study; theology proper, including revelation, trinitarianism, and God’s relati...

(Complete list based on a class taught by John MacArthur at the Master’s Seminary.   Watch the first video .) When we fail to teach according to proper, biblical exposition… …we supplant the work of the Trinity by: a.    …expositing our own ideas instead of God’s Word, thereby usurping the authority of God the Father. b.    …modeling our minds rather than that of the Head of the church, usurping Christ’s authority (cf. Rom 10:17). c.    …hindering the Holy Spirit by not preaching the Word He uses to sanctify (John 17:17, 1 Cor 2).  …we exhibit our pride in presuming the people are gathered to hear our words of wisdom.  …we separate ourselves from the sanctifying work of God that in our own lives, exposing ourselves to the same temptations of so many fallen preachers.  …we remove the spiritual depth and transcendence from our people and worship. …we depreciate the duty of Bible study by our example. …we lose the authoritative v...

A message for your new year: "How to Have a Worthy Walk," Ephesians 4:17-32 The Master's Seminary - 8 December, 2011 Just as sin weighed down the Ephesian believers, sin will keep you from walking in the freedom you have in Christ. This is a message you will use every day of your lives from now until glory. We note two simple instructions Paul gives the Ephesian believers so that we may also have a mature walk in Christ. I.  You have a mature walk when you put off old thinking (v. 22) II.  You have a mature walk when you put on new thinking (vv. 23-24) (As a side note, I am coming to the end of my seminary career and have my church resume and related information posted here , for anyone who is interested.)

Andy Nasselli posted a free PDF of the following article with the publisher’s permission: William D. Barrick . “ Noah’s Flood and Its Geological Implications .” Pages 251–81 in Coming to Grips with Genesis: Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth . Edited by Terry Mortenson and Thane H. Ury. Green Forest, AR: Master, 2008. Outline of Dr. Barrick’s article: The A Priori Status of the Biblical Record of the Flood The Biblical Chronology of the Flood Narrative [Literary Issues] Translation with Chronological Notations Introduction to the Flood Narrative Proper (7:6–10) I. First Section of the Flood Narrative (7:11-18) II. Second Section of the Flood Narrative (7:19–8:4) III. Third Section of the Flood Narrative (8:5–12) Conclusion to the Flood Narrative Proper (8:13–14) Two-Fold Purpose of the Flood Prevailing Phase Subsiding Phase: A Key Interpretative Issue Involving Mechanism [three observations] Summary of Chronology Geological Inferences [Global Tectonics] Co...

Many of you already know, but for those who don't, John MacArthur just finished preaching through the book of Mark.  Forty-three years ago, he began to teach through the NT verse-by-verse at Grace Community Church, and these closing verses of Mark were the final verses for him to meet that end. You can watch, read, download, etc.  God bless! P.S., MacArthur will be back in the GCC pulpit at the end of the summer.  Continue in prayer for him as he continues to teach God's Word to the local church and to Christians world-wide, and as he presides over a college and seminary, seeking to train men and women to do the same thing.

A glimpse at The Master College's adult degree completion program .

We had the pleasure of gleaning from John MacArthur's insights on preaching this morning with a Q&A.   While he was talking about the importance of expository preaching (preaching that draws out the meaning of a text and its implications on a modern audience), I decided to jot down some of his points in question form just to make it a bit more personal.  I hope you can also find it useful. Will I establish the authority of God over the mind and soul of the hearer? Am I the authority? Whose words will I speak? If it is the words of the true Head of the church that I truly what to preach, am I being faithful to that aim? Can I walk the line of being the central personality in the pulpit without giving the impression that I am in charge? Who will I model as the sovereign head of the church? What is the most important impression I want to establish when entering a church for the first time? Will I facilitate the work of the Holy Spirit through expository preaching? W...

You may never have considered this question, but James comes under a lot of fire for not mentioning Jesus frequently.  Some have taken up the idea that the epistle was a Jewish document that was later "Christianized."  Whatever its origin, they just don't see it meshing well with Christian doctrine. Yet, if it is, as we believe, a product of the Holy Spirit, then there is cause for us to mine the text.   There is sufficient cause for us to be challenged in our sin and provoked to worship! Will Varner, who published a concise commentary on James for the body of Christ , tackles this question  in a recent blog post .  Based on the following information, he argues that the Epistle of James is the most " Jesus-saturated book in the New Testament, following of course the Gospels ." Jas 1:2 - Mt. 5:11-12 — joy in tribulation Jas. 1:5 - Mt. 7:7; Lk. 11:9 — ask and you will receive Jas. 1:6 - Mt. 21:21 — faith and doubting Jas. 1:12 - Mt. 5:11-12; Lk....

Grace Advance from Grace Community Church on Vimeo . Overview information from  http://www.gracechurch.org/ : The Need for Grace Advance   Grace Community Church has always been engaged in the effort to both provide and equip pastors for the church around the world. Over the past twenty-five years we have trained men at The Master’s Seminary for the global ministry of faithfully building the church. This emphasis has defined our church, and has been multiplied many times over as our graduates carry this same commitment to pastors and leaders around the world. Our objective has been to provide leadership for existing churches with an occasional opportunity for the establishment of new local assemblies.  In recent years however, it has become obvious that the current trend is for the establishment of new churches. In forty plus years of ministry, this kind of activity stands unparalleled. As we survey the ecclesiastical landscape, the only conclusion that we can draw ...

Heather and I are enjoying a wonderful evening at the 25th annual Master's Seminary spring banquet.  (Well, I hope we are, as I am writing this post a couple of weeks in advance!)  Such a heritage is found in the many godly pastors and teachers who have come out of the seminary over the years, those who have been so moved by the Spirit to be faithful to preach the Bible to people who hunger and thirst for the Word of God. If there is an online recording after this evening I can link to, I'll post a heads up.  On the note of preaching, though, I wanted to highlight a well-worded post by Keven DeYoung .  The short of it: good preaching must have  veracity, clarity, authority, and authenticity . Amen, brother.

This admonition from MacArthur was delivered at a TMS chapel service, but it is worth a listen for all of God's leaders: Audio only, MP3  (right-click to save and download, left-click to stream)