3 Lessons about Scripture from 2 Timothy 3:16–17
What can we learn about the reliability and purposes of God's Word from Paul's letter to Timothy?
Articles on Biblical Theology
66 results found
Why We Must Understand the Covenants to Understand the Bible
There are six major covenants in the Bible. Understanding these covenants is crucial for understanding the Bible's message as a whole.
Heaven may not be our final home, but insofar as we are with the Lord, we will indeed be at home as we wait.
The concept of God living on a holy mountain is a significant theme in the Old Testament. However, this same theme frames the entire Bible.
3 Ways to Define Biblical Theology
A concise summary of how three respected biblical scholars—Geerhardus Vos, D. A. Carson, and Stephen J. Wellum—each define biblical theology.
Is Double Predestination Fair?
The terms election and predestination are often used interchangeably, both referring to God’s gracious decree whereby he chooses some for eternal life.
A common objection to unconditional election is that it’s unfair. Paul directly answers this objection in Romans 9, and Jesus indirectly answers it in Matthew 20.
The Middle Ground between Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology
Peter J. Gentry, Stephen J. Wellum
Putting together the biblical covenants is central to the doing of biblical and systematic theology.
Was Violence against the Canaanites a Matter of Racial Prejudice?
Gregory Goswell, Andreas J. Köstenberger
It is impossible to ignore what is routinely viewed as the grave moral problem of the book of Joshua, namely, the action of the Israelites in exterminating the Canaanites.
Understanding Biblical Covenants Is As Easy As 1, 2, 3
Why are covenants so important in Scripture? Why does it matter in the Christian life?
Are the Old Testament’s Moral Laws Still Binding on Us Today?
Even if the Mosaic covenant no longer has binding force on us today, we still need to realize that the Old Testament is a valuable source of ethical wisdom.
Why Are the Books of the Bible in the Order They’re In?
The positioning of each book relative to other books in the canonical collection has hermeneutical significance for the reader who seeks meaning in the text.
A Biblical Theology of the City of God
From the very beginning of creation, God intended that people, made in his image, should inhabit an earthly city with him.
Did Jesus Come to Bring Peace or a Sword? (Luke 12)
Jesus came to bring peace, but peace is not the only consequence of his coming. Both peace and division, harmony and conflict, joy and strife will occur.
What Is the Difference between Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology?
The Bible doesn’t come to us as an academic textbook, with carefully delineated topical headings organized according to theological themes. What is different about these two ways of organizing theology?
5 Myths about Biblical Theology
The agenda of biblical theology isn’t driven by the questions we bring to the Bible, but by the focus of the Bible itself.
Jesus claimed that the fulfillment of the Old Testament hope with its attendant blessings was present in his person and ministry.
The Book of Revelation Is Not Just about the Future
The symbolism of the book ranges through the entire Old Testament canonical Scriptures and drives us back to the very beginning.
4 Reasons Why We Need Biblical Theology
To read the Bible faithfully, we need the proper tools. The discipline of biblical theology is one of those helpful tools.
Why Does the Bible Talk So Much about Land?
God will dwell with his people in the land that he promised.
Why Are There Four Gospels? How Are They Unique?
In Discovering Jesus: Why Four Gospels to Portray One Person? T.D. Alexander explains how each Gospel offers different themes and perspectives on the account of our Savior.
Why All Christians Should Care about Biblical Theology
Biblical theology is crucial for the health of the church because the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.”
5 Truths about God’s Unity of Simplicity
God’s unity of simplicity means that God is one with himself, selfsame and indivisible in his being and operations, and God is not composed of parts.
7 Tips for Researching and Studying Theology
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
The following seven principles are useful for researching a theological paper, preparing to write an article, or developing a full systematic theology one piece at a time.
A Brief Biblical Theology of Friendship
In the beginning, we walked with God in friendship. Then we walked away. But now, God is befriending us again.
Make Enemies with Sin and Satan
Our friendships say a lot about who we are. Friendships can make or break people, shaping who we are and making us better or worse for the experience.
The Life and Death of Jesus: A Theophany
Jesus's life brings to fulfillment the entire spectrum of theophanies of God in the Old Testament.
Why the Local Church Needs Good Biblical Theology
Biblical theology is a vital help for pastors to faithfully declare the glorious truth that Jesus is the main point of the whole Bible.
Short Studies in Biblical Theology
One of the great advances in evangelical biblical scholarship over the past few generations has been the recovery of biblical theology.
Don't Pack Your Bags for Heaven
When the only certainty about life is death, the Gospel message of resurrection-life offers comfort and hope.
Is the Hope of Resurrection Found in the Old Testament?
What if I told you that a glorified and risen body was not just a New Testament hope? And what if I told you it was rooted in previous biblical revelation?
How John Piper Mobilized Thousands for Radical Missionary Service
John Piper energized thousands of young people to live lives of radical devotion to Christ, primarily (and simply) by preaching sound doctrine from the Bible.
How Discipleship Yields Restoration
The Acts of the Apostles is basically an account of how the Holy Spirit transforms the earliest followers of Jesus into the restored people of God, the beginnings of God’s new creation.
Understanding the Bible Thematically
Two books, two ways to study the Bible.
What’s New about the Revised Edition of ‘Kingdom through Covenant’?
Peter J. Gentry, Stephen J. Wellum
The authors of a landmark work of biblical theology explain what’s changed in the second edition.
Perhaps one of the greatest misunderstandings concerning the Christian faith is that God is only concerned with “good people.”
Are you too foolish and slow of heart to understand why life sometimes doesn’t make sense?
Why People and Place Matter in the Kingdom of God
Why is it imperative to define the kingdom as “power, people, and place”?
The Blessing of God’s Presence
The most important blessing of the church’s new existence will be its similar experience of the immediate, palpable presence of God.
How Does D. A. Carson Define Theology?
While Carson acknowledges that “theology can relate to the entire scope of religious studies,” he uses “the term more narrowly to refer to the study of what the Scriptures say.”
Can You Really Summarize the Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses?
We are living in a day of increasing biblical ignorance—not only among the general population, but also among evangelicals.
Tools for Teaching the Overarching Story of the Bible
Whether we are leading our families, working in the office, or even studying the Bible, one of the great challenges in life is living in the tension between the forest and the trees.
Does Anyone Who Accepts Law and Circumcision Lose Their Salvation? (Galatians 5)
This passage reminds Christians to live in the knowledge that God loves them and has shown his love for them through the death of Christ on their behalf and through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
Podcast: Q&A: A Bible Scholar Answers Your Questions about the Book of Revelation (Tom Schreiner)
New Testament scholar Tom Schreiner answers questions submitted by readers about the book of Revelation and surrounding topics.
What About the Issues Scripture Doesn't Address?
John MacArthur shares a few questions to ask ourselves when venturing into gray territory.
What Does Covenant Theology Teach Us about Living in a Family?
Human life usually begins in families. Whether families are stable or unstable, helpful or harmful, family connections shape who we are.
Podcast: Why You Shouldn't Feel Bad about Enjoying the World (Joe Rigney)
What does it look like to love God and enjoy this world? Are the two in contention with each other?
The Lord called Abraham to take his son. The Lord called Abraham to take his son, his only son Isaac, whom he loved, up to Mount Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering there. …
Blessed: How the Old Testament Helps us Make Sense of Revelation with Andrew Sach (Episode 3)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with Andrew Sach about how the more we keep our eyes and ears open for Old Testament imagery and allusions, the less strange the book of Revelation will seem.
4 Arguments from Scripture in Favor of Biblical Theology
The core conviction of those who practice the discipline of biblical theology is that the Bible is a unified work inspired by God and given to humans to help them understand his broad saving plan.
What Should We Keep in Mind When Considering the Ethics of the Bible?
When we speak about the ethics in the Bible, we are not just thinking of the Old Testament law or of the Sermon on the Mount, nor do we only have in mind actual moral instructions, injunctions, and prohibitions.
Blessed: The Theology of the Book of Revelation with Tom Schreiner (Episode 4)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with Thomas Schreiner about how our reading of the book of Revelation is impacted by our theology of the Trinity, judgment, and eschatology.
The news of the kingdom of God is simultaneously good and bad—good for the cosmos and bad for sinners. Systematic theology helps us personally resolve the bad news of the kingdom.
Podcast: Do Christians Need to Follow the Mosaic Law? (Frank Thielman)
What does the New Testament teach about how the Old Testament applies to Christians?
Video: The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses
Chris Bruno sits down with Justin Taylor to discuss his new book, The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses
Podcast: Without Judgment, Life Doesn’t Make Sense (Tom Schreiner)
Tom Schreiner discusses what the Bible really teaches about hell and the final judgment, and why it's worth thinking about, even though it's hard.
Joel Beeke answers some of the most common—and most difficult—questions that Christians tend to have about salvation.
Podcast: Hope for Weak People—the Message of 2 Corinthians (Dane Ortlund)
Dane Ortlund walks through a number of key doctrines and themes found in the book of 2 Corinthians and discusses what Paul’s thorn in the flesh might have been.
As we listen to the Bible’s story, we begin to understand where we fit in and how the moments in our lives and the things around us fit together.
Podcast: Does God Choose Who Will Be Saved? (Robert Letham)
Robert Letham talks about predestination, God’s sovereignty, free will, how it all fits together, and how these doctrines are a great source of encouragement for the believer.
Podcast: The Greatest Act of Redemption in the Entire Old Testament (Ian Vaillancourt)
Ian Vaillancourt talks about why the story of the exodus is so central to the Old Testament as a whole and how the story of Israel's rescue from Egypt pointed forward to the coming of Christ in more ways than one.
When Things Don't Go According to Our Plan
So often we cling with all our might to what we have in this world. But God has something even better prepared for his children.
Video: Biblical Theology Has A Center
In the Old Testament: God used judgment of the Egyptians and Canaanites to save the Israelites. In the New Testament: God's righteous judgment on the cross brought us salvation. At the end of time: God's …
Podcast: Have We Domesticated the Cross? (Jeremy Treat)
Jeremy Treat talks about how the doctrine of atonement is often misunderstood by believers and unbelievers alike and about the impact that it should make on our day to day lives as followers of Christ.
Patrick Schreiner on the Theology of the Book of Acts (Season 2, Episode 2)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with Patrick Schreiner about the uniqueness of the book of Acts and the theological themes that are woven throughout the entire book.
Fred Sanders on the Holy Spirit in Acts (Season 2, Episode 3)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with theologian Fred Sanders about the person and work of the Holy Spirit and specifically about his descent and indwelling of believers in the book of Acts.