Having trouble getting an understandable overview of the different books of the Bible, such as the Book of Romans? There is a team of Bible teachers and video animators at The Bible Project that are creating short, video narratives of each book of the Bible. The animation is very clear and engaging, and I can not think of better way to gain a general overview of the Bible, in short video segments of about five minutes each. The Bible Project is working on creating videos for each book of the Bible. Have a look at what they are doing and join them if you want to help them out. Here is an overview of Romans 1-4.
Tag Archives: Romans
In What Sense Does God Foreknow Before He Predestines? (Romans 8:28-30)
Nero’s Torches (Leading Light of Christianity)
Henryk Siemiradzki, 1876 (credit: WikiArt, HT: John Paine)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified (Romans 8:28-30 ESV).
“Predestination” gets a really bad rap in our culture today. It conjures up images of an aloof or angry deity arbitrarily sending some people to bask in the fragrances of heaven and the rest to go burning in the fiery flames of hell. Who wants to worship a God like that? But does this popular image of “predestination” conform to what the Bible actually teaches?
In Romans 8:28-30, the Apostle Paul does something that has puzzled and frustrated readers of the Bible for centuries. He brings up this subject of predestination, but he does not go into exhaustive detail here. What does Paul really mean by predestination? Do we get any clue by looking at the word foreknew that precedes predestined in this text?
Does Romans 8:26 Refer to a Private Prayer Language?
The “gift of tongues” as “groanings too deep for words?”
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26 ESV).
I remember the first time I ever heard people “speaking in tongues.” A friend of my father’s had invited my dad and I to attend a Full Gospel Businessmen‘s fellowship meeting. I was only about 13 years old and we had a very nice dinner with men dressed in suits and ties… and chocolate ice-cream for desert. Yum-yum.
But then the meeting took an odd turn when guitar-led singing soon began, and I started to hear some of the men around me saying some rather funny things. As they were singing, I could not understand what words they were using. It clearly was not English! Was it gibberish? I could not help but to look around the room, eyes wild open, trying to figure out what in the world was going on! It was like something out of 1 Corinthians 14!
My dad and I had a rather quiet ride in the car going home that night. Now, you have to know my dad. He is not one for displaying emotion, being rather stoic in personality but always with something articulate to say. But the whole evening left my dad uncharacteristically speechless…. and it left me with a lot of questions.
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Tim Keller on the Book of Romans
We have been studying Paul’s letter to the Romans in the small group my wife and I are in. Romans is loaded with great stuff, arguably the most “theological” of all of the New Testament.
Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, is a favorite here on Veracity. Years ago, Keller pastored a church in nearby Hopewell, Virginia, less than an hour from where we live, long before he wrote his highly acclaimed The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. In my opinion, if you were looking for just one book that you could give to a non-believer today that effectively demonstrates the best apologetic argument for the Christian Gospel, The Reason for God stands at the head of the list.
Keller recently finished contributing to the God’s Word For You series from the Good Book Company on the Book of Romans(Chapters 1-7 and Chapters 8-16). I have not read Keller’s treatment in these books yet (here are some sample reviews, #1 and #2), but I appreciate what he has to say in the following three and a half minute video about why it is important for Christians to read the Book of Romans. Keller is very much “Reformed” in his theology, but not over the top. For example, Keller really likes C.S. Lewis. He is my type of guy…. gotta love the bald thing he has going, too…..
If you like that, you should look into Keller’s God’s Word For You study on the Book of Judges.
The Life of the Mind
“February” by Michael Sowa
Do you have light-bulb moments when you realize that a word or phrase has escaped your lexicon? They’re often accompanied by a revelation that you missed something interesting. It can be that way with ideas as well.
While writing a post on personal discipleship, I came across a podcast by William Lane Craig in which he mentioned “the life of the mind.” I didn’t bird-dog the phrase at the time, but it registered. Then, while reading Kenneth Samples‘ work I tripped over that phrase on his blog. Finally, I heard Clarke Morledge use the phrase in conversation.
As stated previously, I have an anti-intellectual prejudice—big thoughts are best communicated with small words. On the other hand, I might just be turning into a closet intellectual. Or maybe not. Continue reading
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