Theology on the Go

From our earliest days as a Christian, we understand that the blessings we have from God come to us because of Jesus Christ. Without Christ’s death and resurrection, there would be no salvation for us. As we start the Christian walk rarely do we understand how deep and profound this truth is: that...

In the fifteenth chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul identifies Christ’s resurrection as the first fruits of those who are asleep. Now, we might wonder at his choice of words. What does he mean by “first fruits?” Well, some might say, “Paul is wanting us to think about Christ’s...

From whence does Paul’s understanding of a believer’s union in Christ come? Much recent work has shed some light upon this question and many have pointed to Paul’s actual encounter with Christ when on the Damascus Road. [1] And indeed it seems that it was in his Damascus road experience where the...

Many readers no doubt are aware that union with Christ is a major concern for the apostle Paul. When you look at such passages as Ephesians 2:1-22 and Colossians 2:6-15 and 3:1-17 it becomes clear that to be "in Christ" or "in him" or for Christ to be "in you" is the sum and substance of our...

On this episode of Theology on the Go, Jonathan Master is joined by Dr. Richard B. Gaffin, Emeritus Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Gaffin is the author of many books, including By Faith, Not By Sight: Paul and the...

It is always important before attacking an opponent’s position to ascertain what is being defended. Having answered this question, it is important to ask oneself whether what one’s opponent is defending is something one would defend oneself. If we can decide that our opponents in any given area of...

The basic issue behind the concept of limited atonement is whether or not the cross of Christ is effective in accomplishing what God has intended or not. In the death of Christ was sin actually put away? Does it merely make salvation possible or does it effectively accomplish the salvation of God’s...

We have all encountered self-styled “Four Pointers,” people who say they embrace the teachings of Reformed theology which are summarized in the TULIP acrostic. The one difference is that they reject the “L” which stands for “limited atonement.” Four-point Calvinists struggle with the biblical...

Limited Atonement The third point in Reformed theology’s famous acrostic suffers from something of an identity problem. As it has been often observed, the preferred way to describe the doctrine in question is that of either definite atonement or particular redemption , owing to the traditional term...

At the heart of the gospel is the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. And though this is properly the work of the incarnate Son of God who died upon the cross, the Trinity is wholly involved in this event - it is the Father who sent the Son and it is the Son who dies through the power...