10 Things You Should Know about the Presence of God
What does it mean that God condescended in Christ and dwells with us through His Spirit?
Articles on Theology
469 results found
10 Things You Should Know about the Garden of Eden
From the very beginning, Eden was not meant to be static; it was headed somewhere.
10 Things You Should Know about the Cross
The cross is not only where our sin is paid for, where the devil is conquered, but the shape of Christianity.
10 Things You Should Know about the Love of God
No human mind can comprehend God. We cannot define God or provide a comprehensive account of who he is.
10 Things You Should Know about Reformed Theology
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
The heart and soul of Reformed theology is the glory of the triune God. For this reason, it is often called “God-centered” theology.
Help! I’m Struggling with the Doctrine of Predestination
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
If you have struggled with this doctrine, you are not alone. Even Jonathan Edwards once wrestled with it before he became fully satisfied with it.
What Does It Mean that God Hated Esau? (Malachi 1)
Because God's love was unmerited, it is unchanging. From before their ancestor’s birth, God has loved Israel.
10 Things You Should Know about the New Heavens and the New Earth
God will have the final victory over what God has made. It will not be discarded but rescued.
What Are the Tongues of Fire? (Acts 2)
Apostolic witness, signs and wonders, and regeneration—are all entirely the doing of the Spirit. How the Spirit is working and what he is bringing about depends on the context.
In all the areas of theology where Calvin made his most distinguishing contributions, we see the exaltation of the work of the Spirit driving his analysis.
What Does It Mean That God Chose Us before the Foundation of the World? (Ephesians 1)
God’s choice of his people is related to their being predestined to be a part of his family, but predestination is not an end in itself.
Why We Should Not Fear Satan and Demons
John MacArthur, Richard Mayhue
How can one know which concepts about Satan and demons are biblically accurate and which are not?
10 Things You Should Know about the Resurrection
Sadly, the church only seems to get excited about the resurrection once a year at Easter time. In reality, every Sunday should be Resurrection Sunday.
What Did Jesus Teach about Hell?
No Bible spokesman places more stress on hell as the final consequence of God’s judgment of condemnation than Jesus.
10 Things You Should Know about Systematic Theology
Systematic theology teaches us to trace all things from, through, and to God, enabling us to give him all the glory.
How God Is Both Incomprehensible and Knowable at the Same Time
Scripture teaches that we can have a true and personal knowledge of God, but this does not mean we will ever understand him exhaustively.
What the Name “Jesus” Means for Believers
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
Why were Joseph and Mary commanded to name the holy Child “Jesus?” What does his name mean for believing Christians?
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.
Jesus Said More about Hell Than Anyone in the Bible
The word wrath is important for understanding what Jesus meant by hell. Hell is not simply the natural consequence of rejecting God.
10 Things You Should Know about Jonathan Edwards
In both the academic and pastoral realm, Edwards’s God-centered worldview is recognized as biblical in nature, shaping hearts and minds toward the pursuit of God’s glory in all things.
10 Things You Should Know about the Exodus
When God delivers Israel from Egypt in the book of Exodus, they are walking in the footsteps of the patriarchs.
What Does It Mean That Christ Is the Firstborn of All Creation? (Colossians 1)
What does it mean for Christ to be preeminent, before all things, and holding all things together? Explore the commentary on five verses of Colossians 1.
Remembering J. I. Packer (1926–2020)
As we remember the life of J. I. Packer, join us in thanking God for his profound writing ministry and the legacy of his faithful service to the church.
10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Theology
The Bible tells us one story about our Creator God, who made all things and rules over all.
10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship of Christ
1. Christ is Lord over all because he is God. The Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Spirit is God. God rules over all things by his providential control (Ps. 103:19). …
Scientism is so pervasive today—it is the intellectual and cultural air that we breathe.
Heaven may not be our final home, but insofar as we are with the Lord, we will indeed be at home as we wait.
How Does the Trinity Practically Apply to Your Life Today?
Michael LeFebvre, Philip Graham Ryken
The Trinity is undoubtedly one of the most mysterious Christian doctrines.
Christ suffered and died with purpose. Learn why.
10 Things You Should Know about Pelagius and Pelagianism
Who was Pelagius and what impact did and does he continue to have?
Why Does the Apostle’s Creed Say That Jesus Descended into Hell?
Death has been called “the new obscenity,” the nasty thing which no polite person nowadays will talk about in public. But death, even when unmentionable, remains inescapable.
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.
The Work of the Trinity in Salvation
Michael LeFebvre, Philip Graham Ryken
God plays the symphony of our salvation in three movements. Each of these movements is associated with and facilitated by a different Person of the Trinity.
Are Some Sins Worse Than Others?
John MacArthur, Richard Mayhue
Are all sins the same in God’s eyes, or are some sins worse than others? All sins are the same in the sense that each renders a person guilty and worthy of God’s wrath.
10 Things You Should Know about Martin Luther
Here are ten things you should know about Martin Luther, the great leader of the Protestant Reformation.
10 Things You Should Know about Chaos and Cosmos in God’s Creation
In the end, the cosmos God intended from the beginning will be restored.
The reality of Christ’s vicarious, substitutionary death on our behalf is the heart of the gospel according to God.
Like many larger-than-life figures in the history of the church, the memory of the French Reformer John Calvin has been subjected to various distortions that amount to urban legends.
10 Things You Should Know about Communion with Christ
Before we can have communion (or fellowship) with Christ, we must first be in a right relationship with him. That relationship can only come from our being in union with Christ.
10 Things You Should Know about Sound Doctrine
Bobby Jamieson lists ten things we should know about sound doctrine.
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
After the Lord Jesus Christ predicted the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, his disciples asked, “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
Did Jesus Descend to Hell? (Ephesians 4)
God is the Divine Warrior who ascends to his throne after defeating his enemies. Here, Christ is the victorious conqueror who ascends to his throne in heaven after defeating the spiritual forces.
The crass references to hell we hear in everyday conversation shouldn’t dull the agonizing awareness all believers should have of the pains of hell.
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent, but the crowds roared to free Barabbas and to crucify Jesus.
What Is the Doctrine of Election?
God is worthy of our praise precisely because he has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world.
This question is not easy to answer, and as such, it requires careful reflection, given the variety of issues involved.
Why Is Creation So Important for Understanding the Bible?
Creation is an important and recurring theme throughout Scripture, because the God who creates is also the God who redeems.
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.
10 Things You Should Know about the Trinity
God wants us to learn about and consider the Trinity. Here are 10 things you should know.
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.
What exactly is salvation and how does it work in the life of a believer. Get answers to the basic questions of God's saving work from How to Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism.
The doctrine of the Trinity is for everybody who is saved by Jesus.
There are lots of people who are never really confronted by the wretchedness of their own hearts.
10 Things You Should Know about God’s Attributes
When we speak of his attributes, we must keep in mind that because his essence remains undivided, his goodness is his power. Or, God’s love is his power is his eternity is his immutability is his omniscience is his goodness, and so forth.
10 Things You Should Know about the Priesthood of Believers
Our role as priests—a role that includes both male and female—is a premier theme throughout Scripture.
Can Christians Know the Timing of Christ’s Second Coming? (1 Thessalonians 5)
Many wish to know when Jesus will return to establish his kingdom fully. Even the disciples asked this very question .
What Is the Unpardonable Sin? (Matthew 12)
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
10 Things You Should Know about Predestination
It is pitiful how we can take the Bible teaching about predestination that should result in humility, praise, and comfort and instead talk about it with sinful pride, divisiveness, and anxiety.
Seminary can by no means teach a minister everything he needs to know, but it puts strong tools in his box to set him up for a lifetime of learning and growing in the Lord.
Podcast: Calvinism 101 (Kevin DeYoung)
What are the five points of Calvinism really about and how can we believe them, while maintaining gracious humility towards others who don't?
Parents, Your Kids Need Big Theology
Let them grow into understanding the big truths of Scripture by building a foundation that will shape and guide them as they learn and understand the big words and the big theology of the gospel.
10 Things You Should Know about Catechesis
What is catechesis? Here are 10 facts you should know.
Coronavirus and the Second Coming of Christ
Even though the history of the Christian church is littered with failed predictions of the end of the world, it remains true that Jesus Christ is coming back.
The Most Important Paragraph in Human History
The human means of justification is (God-given) faith; the divine means is redemption. God justifies sinners by uniting them with Christ.
Should angels be worshiped? Into what do angels long to look? What about guardian angels?
What Are the Bible's Key Themes?
How does knowing the end of the story influence the way we think about the story now?
What Happens after Death (and before Resurrection)
The Bible assures us that we already have eternal life here on earth and that cannot be interrupted.
How Do I Know If I’m One of the Elect?
If you follow Christ and are struggling with whether you are elect, you are at war. You are fighting a scheme of the devil.
8 Characteristics of the Decree of God
God’s decree is his eternal plan, whereby, according to his decretive will and for his glory, he foreordained everything that comes to pass.
4 Questions about the Attributes of God
His almighty power makes it possible for him to reach out to us in love and to save us from our sins. This is why the attributes of God matter.
For those who want to know God, the study of theology is indispensable.
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.
You Need Christ to Put Your Sin to Death
Christian salvation is fundamentally a matter of grace, rescue, help, deliverance—it is God invading our miserable little lives and triumphing gloriously and persistently over all the sin and self he finds.
An Attribute of God That Isn’t Discussed Enough
To talk about the aseity of God, then, is to say that God is from and of himself. He is completely self-originating and dependent on nothing other than himself.
Is It Fair That God Hardens Hearts?
Is it fair that God accomplishes reprobation by withholding grace and by hardening hearts, blinding eyes, and deafening ears? It is crucial to remember two truths.
10 Things You Should Know about Athanasius
Learn more about this theologian, church father, and key defender of Christian orthodoxy.
According to the entire witness of Holy Scripture, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not three gods. Nor are they some confederation of the one God with lesser gods. These three are the one God.
Why Romans Is the Greatest Letter Ever Written
Paul’s letter to the Romans is relatively short (it takes about sixty minutes to read aloud), and it is profound. It explains and exults in and applies the greatest news we could hear.
8 New Testament Passages That Support a Historical Adam and Eve
One is not free to maintain that Adam is a mythical or semihistorical figure while Jesus Christ is a fully historical figure.
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?
10 Things You Should Know about B. B. Warfield
Warfield was a towering theological figure at the turn of the twentieth century.
The Day My Worst Nightmare Came True
Four years ago, Cameron Cole came face-to-face with his worst nightmare. The one thing that he hoped and prayed would never happen, did happen.
What Did Jesus Teach about Total Depravity?
The assumption of universal guilt before God is evident throughout Jesus’s teaching in the Gospels. Proof of this reality is manifold. Below are four evidences to support this claim.
J. V. Fesko discusses if the Pope is an antichrist, as opposed to the antichrist.
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.
The term sovereignty does not contain the idea of purposeful action, but the term providence does.
A Systematic Theology of Justification
Justification is necessary because all humans without exception are sinners under God’s condemning wrath.
J. I. Packer on the Hub of Christian Life
Packer would contend that one has fallen short in the knowledge of God until such time as the glory of God becomes central in all areas of life and thought.
What Did Jesus Teach about Limited Atonement?
There are a number of texts demonstrating that when Jesus lived, died, rose, ascended, and interceded, he did so for a particular group of people. Read what Jesus says about this.
10 Things You Should Know about Election
God chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).
7 Tips for Starting to Learn Biblical Greek
This advice is purposed not to make things easier, but to make the process more realistic, and more pleasant.
10 Things You Should Know about Limited Atonement
What is the doctrine of atonement and what does it mean for us?
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.
How Can An All-Knowing God Not Remember My Sin?
Can an all-knowing, omniscient God ever truly forget? Is it not an essential element in being God that nothing ever slips his mind? Could God ever not remember?
10 Things You Should Know about Covenant Theology
John R. Muether, J. Nicholas Reid, Guy Prentiss Waters
The Bible is a book about God’s plan to glorify himself by saving sinners through the work of his Son, Jesus Christ. At every point, Scripture’s covenant theology leads us to Jesus.
Does Scripture Teach that Jesus Is Fully God?
One of the most debated, and at times perplexing, aspects of belief in the Trinity is the question “Does Scripture actually teach that Jesus is fully God?”
Why Study the Book of Hebrews?
Hebrews shows us that the Bible is not a collection of unrelated stories, but is rather one unified story.
What Is Justification by Works, and Why Do We Reject It?
The apostle Paul emphasizes that we are not justified by “works” or by the “works of the law,” and the question before us is what Paul means when he speaks this way.
Podcast: The Freeing Reality that You Are Not Enough (Jen Wilkin)
Jen Wilkin discusses God-given limits as created beings, reflecting on why the common refrain that we should look inside ourselves for meaning and purpose is so misguided.
What Is Needed to Be a Christian?
In order to make this commitment to Jesus, you need to know the essentials about who he is and what he has done for you. This is the Gospel (“good news”) of Jesus Christ.
An Open Letter to Those Who Divide over Doctrine
We live in polarized times. Outrage and rancor seem to be simmering all around us, and it’s making it harder to talk across ideological lines.
10 Things You Should Know about C. S. Lewis
Lewis is a master of the soul. He understands the human heart, in all its deceitfulness and grandeur, both in its good design and in its twisted corruption.
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.
Communing with the Holy Spirit
In order to experience the Spirit’s power, we need know the Spirit as a Person, to begin a relationship with him through prayer.
God Is Sovereign and We Are Responsible
Exploring the theological past can unearth wonderful theological truths that are incredibly helpful for our own growth in grace and enable us to understand all the more how mighty and merciful God truly is.
Pastoral Concern about Evangelical Prophecy
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
The question about the cessation or continuation of special revelation has very practical ramifications for the Christian life, for God’s special revelation carries great authority.
What Is Our Only Hope in Life and Death?
Because Jesus gave himself for us, our lives no long belong to us—we surrender our bodies and our souls to the Lord.
The Doctrine of the Church in the Bible
Paul uses the picture of the body to teach the horizontal dimension of union with Christ.
Why All Christians Should Care about Systematic Theology
Peter J. Gentry, Stephen J. Wellum
Biblical theology provides the basis for understanding how texts in one part of the Bible relate to all other texts.
The Holy Spirit, Our Helper and Beautifier
Without the Holy Spirit, the church would never have been founded. Godly leaders would never have been called, believers added, gifts distributed, service rendered, or growth realized.
What Did Jesus Teach about Justification?
When we think of justification conceptually instead of just verbally, we see that Jesus taught justification in his own idiom and his own way before Paul ever came on the scene.
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.
A 30-Day Crash Course in Systematic Theology
We've created a free, 30-day crash course in systematic theology designed to give you an overview of key doctrines and show how they connect to the specific passages of Scripture.
When the Supreme Somebody Became Nobody
It’s what the Lord Jesus took to himself that humbled him, not what he laid aside. It was in taking to himself humanity that he became nothing.
Could You Be Emphasizing the Saving Work of Christ Too Much?
The saving work of Christ has been so distanced from his person that the notion of a saving personal union with the incarnate, crucified, resurrected, living Jesus strikes us as rather outlandish.
10 Things You Should Know about the Holy Spirit
When you find your mind wandering or getting lost in the details of pneumatology (the doctrine of the Holy Spirit), just call back to mind the basic Christian confession that there is one God in three persons.
By trusting in Christ’s sacrifice on your behalf, you’ll never be held accountable for the guilt of your sin.
How God Works All Things for Good for His People
God works all things for good for his people. “Those who love God” does not refer to a subset of believers but to all “who are called according to his purpose.”
The One Word That Explains the Whole Message of the Bible
I don't know if you know this, but the Bible is not ultimately about you—the Bible is about God.
One Argument for the Existence of God: Mathematics
The success of mathematics in describing the universe is a fact that most of us, even scientists like me, take for granted. Yet it is actually extremely surprising.
5 Questions about the Sacraments
What is a sacrament and what is its purpose in the church? Learn answers from To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism.
Why It’s Both Possible and Impossible to Know God
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
It is possible to know God because God has made himself known. Our knowledge of God is real but never exhaustive.
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.
What Does It Mean that Jesus Is Prophet, Priest, and King?
Jesus has one office, that of Messiah or Christ. He is the anointed one, the one mediator between God and man, the Savior. But this office has three aspects to it: those of prophet, priest, and king.
3 Reasons to Make Systematic Theology Part of Your Bible Study
What systematic theology offers is a way of surveying the essential content of the entire Bible.
4 Reasons Justification and Sanctification Are Inseparable Gifts
Justification and sanctification are inseparable gifts of redemption because they flow from the unified work of the triune God and his electing, redeeming, and renewing mercy.
What’s So Important about Faith, Hope, and Love?
Faith, hope, and love have been referred to as the three divine sisters. We can think of them as three beautiful sisters joined together, hand-in-hand, swirling around as in a dance.
Why Living for God Depends on Good Theology
We live for Christ because Christ lived and died for us. But we are not able to maintain a Christ-focused life apart from being “Spirit energized.”
Why We Dare Not Seek God without Christ
The true and living God is too much for us to bear, to handle, to conceive, to adore, to know, to trust, to understand, and to worship. The Incomprehensible One is simply too much for us in every conceivable way.
What Does the Bible Say about the Incarnation?
God the Son became the Man, Jesus. He lived the life we should have lived and died the death we deserved.
What Is the Christian Religion If You Subtract Our Union with Christ?
Without our union with Christ, Christianity is nothing. We’re not left with a diminished Christianity; we’re left with no Christianity at all.
Why It Matters That Jesus Was and Still Is Human
The impression often seems to be that the Son of God came down from heaven in incarnate form, spent three decades or so as a human, and then returned to heaven to revert back to his preincarnate state.
10 Things You Should Know about the Reliability of the New Testament Writers
Norman L. Geisler, Frank Turek
We have all these reasons to support the idea that the New Testament writers relentlessly stuck to the truth. And why wouldn’t they?
The Temple Destroyed: Jesus Becomes the Meeting Place Between God and Sinners
If we are going to understand why Matthew reports these words, we must remember that the theme of Jesus' destruction of the temple has already been introduced.
9 Ways the New Earth Will Be More Glorious than Eden
When we enter this Eden 2.0, we’ll begin to experience all that God has intended for his people all along.
4 Reasons We Neglect the Resurrection
The cross is the basis by which we can be forgiven. Because the cross is literally crucial, it sometimes overshadows the resurrection.
Why Doing Theology Right Matters—for All Christians
The case can be made that every Christian is a theologian because every Christian has a theology, whether well thought out or not.
Is the Pope Really the Appointed Successor to the Apostle Peter?
Evangelical theology dissents especially from Catholic theology’s doctrine of apostolic succession.
A Historical Person Maybe you have never really thought about who Jesus is, or whether his claims have any implications for your life. After all, we’re talking about a man who was born in the …
Why the Doctrine of the Trinity Is Crucial for the Christian Life
Matthew Barrett, Michael A. G. Haykin
The Trinity is a doctrine that is to be not only believed but also experienced by the believer.
Podcast: John Piper Answers Common Questions about the Second Coming (John Piper)
John Piper makes the case that although questions about the second coming are important, there's an even more fundamental question that we all must ask ourselves: Am I truly longing for Christ's return?
10 Things You Should Know about Early Christology
Many Christians often can assent to key statements on Christ’s divinity like the Nicene Creed, but struggle defending such statements from Scripture.
Faith in Christ vs. the Faithfulness of Christ
It is Christ and his blood rather than our faith that is really the foundation of our salvation. Our faith in the gospel of Christ is important and necessary to our salvation.
How Do the Arminian and Calvinist Views of Election Differ?
We can distinguish the Arminian view of election from the Calvinist view of election by answering this question: What is the basis of God’s election?
What Is Distinct about the Theology of Ephesians?
Why has this small letter had such a big impact on the church? The answer, at least in part, is due to the depth and diversity of topics emphasized in the letter.
What Does It Mean That Scripture Is Inspired?
How are the rest of us, who never had a revelatory dream or vision and to whom God never spoke directly, supposed to know what God wants us to know?
3 Times Jesus Told Us He Was God without Saying It
“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” The scribes aren’t wrong: the only person with the right to say these words is God himself.
The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible
God has always existed as the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
10 Things You Should Know about God's Incommunicable Attributes
God's incommunicable attributes belong to him alone.
3 Things God Will Never Do with Your Sin
When we interact one with another, all too often we let our response be guided or dictated by past infractions. But this is precisely what God will never do.
Who Needs Dogma when Stigma Will Do?
Sliding into liberalism is when you no longer take the time or make the effort to define your terms.
Men: Crossway wants to equip you with resources to help you joyfully receive, carefully study, and faithfully share God's Word.
Don’t Mistake Your Passion for Theological Precision
Many of us, even Christians, have little patience for rigorous thinking and little interest in careful definition.
How Important Is It for Me to Affirm the Doctrine of Predestination?
Predestination is crucial for our serious joy in God, and it directly affects how we make disciples. It affects what and how we preach and teach and sing and pray and counsel.
The Bible presents the greatest story ever told: the ultimate good-versus-evil storyline—the great cosmic battle between God and Satan.
In the Beginning God Created a Priest
While priesthood is not defined or assigned until Sinai, we can see how priesthood in Israel finds an original pattern in Genesis.
Introducing Emblems of the Infinite King
Introduces kids ages 10+ to God’s radiant beauty through the main categories of systematic theology in this imaginative journey through the grand story of the universe.
What glory right here, right now, has captured your heart, and how is it shaping the way you respond to the situations, locations, and relationships in your life?
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.”
Why Doesn't God Do More to Convince Us of His Existence?
If the Christian God exists and loves us, and if our eternal destiny hangs in the balance, why isn’t the evidence for his existence absolutely undeniable?
12 Truths for Depressed and Anxious Christians
Richard Baxter, Michael S. Lundy
Be sure that a theological error is not the root of your distress. Especially have a solid understanding of the covenant of grace and the riches of mercy revealed in Christ.
Why Good Theology Matters in Prayer
Knowing who God is and what he’s like as revealed in Scripture is very important as we approach God in prayer.
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.
Christian Theology Began When Jesus Called God His Father
It is no exaggeration to say that Christian theology began when Jesus called God his Father and taught his disciples to do the same.
7 Tips for Teaching Theology to Teens
If you’re a pastor, youth leader, ministry volunteer, or simply a Christian parent of a Christian teenager, you’ve probably struggled with the best approach in talking with young people about theology.
Does the Bible Teach Definite Atonement?
We do not embrace definite atonement merely by looking at Bible verses here and there, but by synthesizing the Bible's comprehensive teaching on Christ's death.
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.
5 Myths about Teaching Theology to Youth
Everyone is a theologian. The question for Christian parents, church members, and friends is: how do we help children be good theologians?
10 Attributes of God Viewed through the Lens of Truth
Let’s explore how various attributes of God are displayed in his truthfulness. “Attributes” of God are terms describing who he is.
Many Worlds and Many Gods: An Excerpt from "Mormonism Explained"
Mormonism also believes that these innumerable worlds or kingdoms were also inhabited by gods.
How to Study Scripture Theologically
Doing theology is a process that involves both study and personal spirituality. And these are not two separate activities.
What 1 and 2 Thessalonians Teach (and Don’t Teach) about the End Times
Thessalonians does not present a complete picture. Neither do other parts of Scripture. What do these letters contribute to a fuller biblical eschatology?
6 Tips for Reading Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion
Calvin himself understood the cumbersome nature of his book. Here are some helpful tips for getting the most out of your reading of his important work.
An Open Letter to the Evangelical Church on Christology
Scripture speaks to us on many issues, but none so important, glorious, and central as our Lord Jesus Christ.
Podcast: God’s Sovereignty, Pastoral Burnout, and Racism (John Piper)
John Piper discusses God's sovereignty, pastoral burnout, and the sin of racism.
The Problem of Nice and the Promise of New
When it comes to how we think about conversion, it’s crucial to get both our doctrine and our practices right. Churches should believe that God makes people radically new, not just nice, through conversion.
God’s Mission in Creation: Why Did He Make Us?
God’s mission is to gather a people from all nations into a family, a family that would share in the very life of Father, Son, and Spirit. This is the purpose of both creation and redemption.
What is a creed and why is it important for the Church? Learn the basics from the answers to seven questions from To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism.
Personal Actions of The Holy Spirit
Erik Thoennes meditates with us on who the Holy Spirit is and what he does.
Should We Pray in, for, or to the Holy Spirit?
While it is possible for Christians to pray to the Spirit, for the Spirit, and in the Spirit, the Bible overwhelmingly focuses on one of these.
Why It’s OK that God Loves Himself Most
Where God’s love is fundamentally different than a fallen human being’s love is that it is holy. It is utterly set on himself and his own glory.
What Does It Mean to Be Blessed?
Just like themes such as law, sacrifice, and covenant, the theme of blessing must be understood within the full biblical story, if it is to be understood biblically at all.
Were the Reformers Obsessed with Predestination?
A commonly held prejudice regarding Reformation theology is that the doctrine of predestination and election was the peculiar focus of Reformed theologians.
4 Ways to Practice Theological Humility
Our zeal for theology must never exceed our zeal for our actual brothers and sisters in Christ. We must be marked by love.
Why It's Dangerous to Misrepresent the Gospel
It is rare to find an individual who can give a well-rounded and comprehensive declaration of the gospel message.
A Call for Theological Humility
There are plenty of issues over which Christians will be tempted to divide. We must even be willing to make sacrificial adjustments for the sake of our unity with others in the body of Christ.
10 Things You Should Know about the Atonement
Through his death on the cross Jesus accomplishes reconciliation, victory, removal of shame, justification, adoption, propitiation, glorification, healing—and much more!
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.
Podcast: Gracefully Dealing with Doctrinal Disagreement (Gavin Ortlund)
What should Christians do when they disagree over doctrine?
Learning Money Management from Jesus
We need to teach much more clearly and with far greater boldness the biblical message that we will have to give an account to God, and that the choices we make today have eternal consequences.
3 Doctrines We Can't Afford to Neglect
If you talk about a doctrine that needs to be recovered, you have to start with the doctrine of Scripture.
What Did Jesus Teach about Judgment?
Some have said that the most popular verse in the Bible is Jesus’s command to his followers not to judge. How are we to understand Jesus's teaching on judgment?
The History of Christian Theology in 1,000 Words
Theology is essentially the way in which the Christian church has received the Word of God revealed to us in the Bible and in Jesus Christ.
As ordinary as our days may seem, the world we live in is precarious. The unknowns we live with can threaten to overwhelm our faith and even our very lives. Where can we look for hope and security?
What Was the Holy Spirit’s Role in the Incarnation?
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
Christ would not be the God-man apart from the power of the Spirit forming his humanity from Mary’s flesh. God’s promises hinge upon this great work.
Why We Need Systematic Theology
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
Why do we need systematic theology? How we answer the question depends a lot on what we think theology is.
Are Christ's Human Limitations Permanent?
Scripture and church tradition teach that the incarnation is not a temporary act but a permanent one.
The core issue here is our heart. It’s our nature. I always choose what I choose because I want what I want because I am who I am.
Why You Can’t Have Justification without Sanctification
Justification should not be abstracted from the person of Christ.
Why I Believe in the Doctrine of Justification
The Bible makes clear that our right standing before God comes not by works, effort, merit, or achievement, but by faith in Christ alone.
The Doctrine of the Atonement in the Bible
What does the Bible say about Christ's death and atoning sacrifice for sinners? Learn more from this look into the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible.
God is transforming the city into a place that he intends to live in forever with his people
Regardless of what you personally think about him, surely we can agree that Jesus is a towering figure in the history of the world.
Dig into Theology with the ‘ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible’ on ESV.org
Learn more about theology with over 400 short doctrinal summaries connected to specific Bible passages—all on ESV.org.
Are There Differences between Christ’s Humanity and Ours?
What kind of human nature did Christ assume in the incarnation? Was it the nature of Adam before the fall, a sinless nature but with the potential to disobey God and fall into sin?
Over the centuries, theologians have articulated several different theories or models of the atonement.
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.
Q&A: Dane Ortlund Answers Your Questions about the Heart of Christ for Sinners
A couple of weeks ago, we asked readers to submit their questions for Dane Ortlund. Many of you sent in questions from around the world.
Blessed: Why Study the Book of Revelation? (Episode 1)
Nancy Guthrie discusses the book of Revelation and how we actually can understand its central message, encouraging us to accept the blessing promised to those who “hear and keep” this book.
3 Questions about Regeneration
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
New birth is an absolute necessity for salvation. Without regeneration, the glorious offer of the gospel will not save a single soul.
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.
God Doesn’t Love You Because You’re Special or Good
God loves his people despite their sin against him. He loves them before they love him back, and before there’s anything in them worthy of his love. But his love doesn’t stop there.
Sin is deceptive, both in its capacity to tempt us to follow its lead and in the way it confuses and clouds our thinking.
Podcast: What an Old Controversy Teaches Us about Grace and Legalism (Sinclair Ferguson)
Sinclair Ferguson discusses the relevance of church history and divisive theological positions as we dig into a largely forgotten 18th-century Scottish debate about God’s grace and our works.
Podcast: Common Misconceptions about Heaven (Ian Smith)
Ian Smith discusses what the New Heavens and New Earth will be like when Jesus returns.
Differentiating the Work of the Son and Spirit in Salvation
A classic way of looking at the two-handedness of God’s work in salvation is the relationship between how the Trinity accomplishes redemption and how the Trinity applies that redemption to us.
Is It Possible to Love Jesus but Not the Church?
People find the church ugly because their focus and their vision is on the wrong thing. It's on the wrong person, if you will. They're focused on those who make up the church: sinners.
God has begun to fulfill his promises in and through Jesus, but he's not quite finished yet.
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.
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.
God bestows many gifts on his children. Some of these gifts are titles and privileges; others enable us to be diligent for the work of God’s kingdom. But whatever we accomplish, we do so by the grace of God.
A Brief Word to J. I. Packer on His 90th Birthday
As I reflect on who J. I. Packer is and what he has meant to me personally, several things come quickly to mind.
9 Questions about Christ Our Redeemer
Because our Redeemer is truly God and truly human and died for us, our sins can be forgiven.
“Docetism,” was a heresy which could not accept the direct union of God and man.
Mapping the Doctrine of Total Depravity
Left to ourselves, we neither want to nor can return to the God who made us, and, without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, we cannot know him as our heavenly Father.
The Scandal at the Heart of the Christian Faith
If we imagine that Jesus was born in a freshly swept, county fair stable, we miss the whole point. It was wretched—scandalous!
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.
What Is Distinct about the Theology of 2 Peter?
Second Peter has a robust doctrine of Scripture. Peter begins his letter with one of the strongest assertions of the sufficiency of God’s Word found in all of Scripture.
How the Bible's Message Impacts Daily Life
Knowing the whole message of the Bible should be transformative.
Matthew Y. Emerson, Brandon D. Smith
The eternal communion of Father, Son, and Spirit is the grounds for our communion with him and one another. Our triune God, simple and perfect for all of eternity, has always been the one God.
5 Things Jonathan Edwards Teaches Us about the Christian Life
Dane Ortlund talks shares five things Jonathan Edwards teaches us about the Christian life.
Justification Is Forensic (Not Transformative)
Certainly Paul teaches that Christians are transformed by God’s grace. But we must not make the mistake of reading Paul’s theology as a whole into every word he uses.
God shows us how he consistently provides for people who cannot provide for themselves.
The Nicene Creed and the Importance of a Single Letter
The church could not be as grateful to anyone as they can and should be to Athanasius.
Black, Reformed, but Foremost Christian
We have solid, historical, and biblical grounds upon which to stand as we seek to be an instrument of God in spreading his righteousness, peace, and joy throughout the world.
Why Christians Depend on Revelation from God
Christianity is a religion that rests on revelation: nobody would know the truth about God, or be able to relate to him in a personal way, had not God first acted to make himself known.
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.
Alongside regular preaching and teaching, John Owen produced many works, including books on toleration, his monumental multi-volume writings on the Holy Spirit, and four large folio volumes on Hebrews.
A Vital yet Neglected Attribute of God
The patience of God does not today receive the emphasis it should, especially in preaching.
Understanding the Bible Thematically
Two books, two ways to study the Bible.
To know the attributes of God is to not only know God, but to know what God is like. To know what God is like is to know what God is toward us. More pointedly, to know God is to know Christ.
On the side of God’s infinity, there is a complete chasm between God on one side and man, the animal, the flower, and the machine on the other. On the side of God’s infinity, He stands alone.
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.
What It Means that Christ Died for God's Elect
In the phrase definite atonement, the adjective definite does double duty. The death of Christ is definite in its intent and it's definite in its nature—Christ's death really will atone for his people's sins.
What Is Distinct about the Theology of 2 Corinthians?
If otherwise vital Pauline notions such as “grace” and “law” are nowhere near the heart of Paul’s concerns in 2 Corinthians, what is the heart or center or core burden of this letter?
Why Pastors Should Catechize Their Congregations
Catechism benefits adults and children alike by giving them a deeper understanding of theology and the ability to communicate those beliefs well.
What is God's Ultimate Purpose?
Do you want to ponder a question that has roots that stretch so far back into eternity past that we will never come to the end of them? How about this: What is God’s ultimate purpose?
Are you too foolish and slow of heart to understand why life sometimes doesn’t make sense?
4 Things That Might Hinder You from Embracing Definite Atonement
The doctrine of definite atonement is a misunderstood doctrine, one that we must seek to understand more accurately and embrace more deeply.
Jonathan Edwards gives us longings for God and for holiness that are more satisfying than even our best joys currently are.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: John Calvin on Isaiah 53:3-6
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
The Doctrine of the Incarnation in the Bible
God came to dwell with man and as man at Christmas. Coming to the manger should lead us to worship.
Why You Should Study God's Incommunicable Attributes
God’s incommunicable attributes are important for us to understand because they’re the ones that tell us how God is not like us.
4 Distinct Ways That God Is Unchangeable
God is unchangeable in his essence. He is unalterably fixed in his being, so that not a particle of it can be lost from it, not a mite added to it.
Why Every Generation Must Contend for Justification Sola Fide
Justification sola fide is the heart of the gospel and the broad Protestant consensus achieved on this article of faith is one of the greatest theological developments since the Chalcedon.
6 Metaphors the Bible Uses for the Church
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
There is a richness to the church that defies human comprehension. God draws from a treasury of terms to describe his magnum opus.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 23:1
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
What It Means That God Is Rich in Mercy
Nowhere else in the Bible is God described as rich in anything. The only thing he is called rich in is mercy. What does this mean?
Rarely, if ever, have we found a systematic theologian so well versed in the data of Sacred Scripture as we find in Calvin.
A Brief History of the Doctrine of the Work of the Holy Spirit
Many people will be surprised to discover that the work of the Holy Spirit was not developed as a doctrine until after the Protestant Reformation.
Why People and Place Matter in the Kingdom of God
Why is it imperative to define the kingdom as “power, people, and place”?
Don’t Get Sloppy in Defining Grace
Especially as Christians, we understand how important it is to have been saved by grace. So it’s incumbent upon us, then, to carefully talk about this grace.
Reconciling the Reality of Hell and the Grace of God
We can’t scare people into heaven. Our union with Christ is not simply a self-serving choice to walk streets of gold rather than be cast into a lake of fire.
Podcast: The Human Need to Connect (Ed Welch)
Ed Welch discusses the human need for relationship, reflecting on the epidemic of loneliness in our world today, and offering advice for the person who feels God is distant.
The Greatest Promise in the Bible
What we see in Eden is God preparing a home that he intended to dwell in with his holy people.
Matthew Barrett, Michael A. G. Haykin
J. I. Packer has argued, we need to read the Puritans, and John Owen especially, because we are spiritual dwarfs by comparison.
5 Practical Implications of Your Union with Christ
We are all born by nature into Adam. We can only be reborn into Christ. Our standing before God, our inner nature, and our eternal destiny all flow from which of these two men is our representative.
Make a Change from Me-ology to Theology
Me-ology prizes you and me. Theology prizes the God of the universe who holds everything together.
Catechesis is meant to be a robust witness to biblical faith and practice, a tool which in the hands of skilled practitioners to be used to instruct, form, and make mature disciples.
The Modern Challenge to the Doctrine of Justification
In the 21st Century, though, we not only continue to face that challenge that the Reformers had with the Roman Catholic Church but also a bigger task.
The Intersection of God’s Sovereignty and Our Perseverance
Thankfully, the maturity of a steadfast heart that reflects the image of your Savior and clings to the truth doesn’t weigh on only your shoulders.
Why We Need Reformation Anglicanism
The two greatest issues facing Christianity in the West are (1) the Bible’s growing lack of authority in the Church, and (2) the lack of transformed lives among those who attend.
3 Practical Applications of Definite Atonement
Definite atonement has practical applications for life and mission
Our Christian Terminology Is Built on the Old Testament
When it comes to the nuts and bolts of the gospel, the NT often adopts essential concepts/words from the OT, particularly the Greek version.
Spending the Rest of Your Life Teaching Sound Doctrine
If you're going to enter the ministry, whether as a missionary or a pastor, you will spend the rest of your life (if you're faithful) teaching sound doctrine.
Podcast: What You Believe about God's Sovereignty Matters for Real Life (Paul Tripp)
Paul Tripp discusses what the Bible actually teaches about the extent of God’s sovereignty, the purpose of evil and suffering, and the idea of free will.
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.”
Podcast: Hear What God Has Truly Done with Your Sin (Sam Storms)
Sam Storms talks about how God deals with our sin, once and for all.
How God Called Wayne Grudem to Serve the Church
In this video, Wayne Grudem recounts his journey to become a professor and author, sharing about his passion to faithfully teach the Bible to God’s people.
There is no greater need for the church today than to think rightly about Jesus, biblically and theologically.
Does Definite Atonement Undermine Our Zeal for Evangelism?
Christ made a definite atoning sacrifice for those whom the Father had given to him; and we are commanded to proclaim Christ indiscriminately to all people.
We Need the Soul-Stirring of John Wesley
Is anybody listening to the voice of John Wesley anymore? Outside the self-identified Wesleyverse, the Wesley Literacy Quotient among evangelicals has declined alarmingly.
10 Key Bible Verses on God’s Immutability
The Bible teaches that God does not change. Read ten verses that emphasize the immutability of our Father in heaven “with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
J. I. Packer’s “Last Crusade”: The Renewal of Catechesis
While many rightly think of Packer as a theologian, he has averred for years that he is, first and foremost, “a catechist.”
The Hope of the Gospel Is Someone, Not Something
The hope of the gospel is Christ. The Father has accomplished our redemption and reconciliation through his Son in order to present us blameless at the final judgment.
Calvinism, Hyper-Calvinism, and World Missions
A man’s inability to believe removes his responsibility to believe (and our duty to command people to believe).
Jesus Will Deliver Us from the Wrath of Jesus
Against the backdrop of coming judgment, the second coming of Christ is pictured as a rescue of his people. He is coming to save us from God’s wrath.
Justification: The Heart of the Reformation
The issue at the heart of the Reformation was without a doubt the question of justification.
Herman Bavinck: The Man and the Mind
Bavinck wrote theology with the church in mind; he prized evangelical piety; he did not disparage modern learning; he took a genuine interest in the world’s non-Christian religious traditions as important data for Christian theology.
Has God's Kingdom Already Come?
When we think about the message of the Bible, we should never lose sight of God's kingdom, or his reign over his people, and ultimately his reign over the entire universe.
Why Modern Christians Should Stay Hitched to Church History
Theological retrieval is a way to draw attention to things that you were assuming that you didn’t even know that you assumed.
What Is Distinct about the Theology of 1 Thessalonians?
The Thessalonians had much to learn about the Christian journey ahead. Thus, the letter happens to capture helpful statements about each stage of that Christian journey.
Why Wisdom Is More than an Intellectual Pursuit
To do theology we need to do with an attitude of reverence to the God who has made himself known in his Word.
Blessed: The Apocalyptic Nature of Revelation with Iain Duguid (Episode 2)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with Iain Duguid about how we can understand Revelation in new ways when we read it as a letter, as a promise, and as apocalyptic prophecy.
3 Implications of the Fact that God Has Spoken
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
Hearing and remembering God’s word requires a worldview that takes into account the whole counsel of God in order to guide the whole life.
A Compelling Reason to Have Kids
One of the reasons our children are given as a heritage from the Lord is so that we can know and love our heavenly Father more and more.
Truth in relationships, especially between Christians, is divinely commanded and truth telling is integral to godliness.
No, Good Theology Didn’t Start with the Reformation
Sometimes evangelicals view church history as though our main tradition is the last 500 years, but there's much more to our history.
Are Complementarians Guilty of Selective Literalism?
Aren’t complementarians guilty of a selective literalism when they say some commands in a text are permanently valid and others are culturally conditioned and not absolute?
The cross is not just about Christ’s priestly work; it also stands at the heart of his prophetic ministry. The cross preaches to us. The cross is Christ’s pulpit.
The Doctrine of Scripture in the Bible
God speaks definitively to us in Scripture and we can trust the Bible as his words.
2 Primary Goals of God’s Election of Sinners to Salvation
It’s really helpful to answer the question, What’s the goal of election? because we can better understand what we see if we know what the goal is.
Podcast: C. S. Lewis on Truth, Beauty, and the Human Heart (Joe Rigney)
Joe Rigney explores the legacy of one of the most beloved Christian thinkers and writers of the 20th century.
10 Things You Should Know about the Church’s Historic Creeds and Confessions
The best doctrinal summaries promote church unity. They help us to identify what we have in common with other Christians.
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.
Why did Jesus send his disciples into that storm? He did it for the same reason he sometimes sends you into storms—because he knows that sometimes you need the storm in order to be able to see the glory.
Podcast: Common Misconceptions about the Trinity (Fred Sanders)
Fred Sanders explains why the doctrine of the Trinity is essential to the gospel, highlights why Trinitarian analogies are of limited value, and responds to the charge that three-in-one is inherently illogical.
A Narrative of Hope in the Darkness of Tragedy
The sovereignty of God is not some debatable proposition; it is the assurance that your child’s death is not a meaningless accident.
Our faith should be strengthened as we consider God's providence—how our loving father carefully governs our lives. As you study providence, there are five principles that you should keep in mind.
Nancy Guthrie investigates what the creed means when it says that Jesus "descended into hell".
Truth Was Made in the Image of God
Truth has three key attributes: omnipresence (everywhere present), everlastingness (through all times), and unchangeability (immutability). These three features of truth are attributes of God.
The Resurgence of Reformed Theology among African Americans
There are encouraging indications that Reformed theology is being embraced by an increasing number of African American Christians today.
The Necessity of Faith in Science
Cory C. Brock, James Eglinton, N. Gray Sutanto
The temptation of Christians throughout history, according to Bavinck, has always been to separate faith from reason or to synthesize them in a syncretistic manner.
Inerrancy Part 2: How do You Reconcile the Discrepancies in the Gospels?
Vern S. Poythress discusses what the most prominent discrepancies in the gospels are and we can reconcile them.
The Doctrine of Grace and Peace in the Bible
Benedictions are God’s good words for us as he looks on us with joy and love and grants us grace and peace.
What the doctrines of grace do is they show us that God is still on his throne. He's still saving people.
The reality is that Christians are priests and that’s one of the most significant identities we share as human beings.
Jonathan Edwards makes three observations about heaven.
Saul Had an Extraordinary, Supernatural Conversion—and So Did You
Isn’t it interesting how God saves people? And whom God saves? And how he changes them? It’s often the people we least expect and in a way we would never expect.
Did Christ Die for My Sins Just So That I Can Go to Heaven?
The question, Did Christ die for my sins so that I can go to heaven? assumes something that is correct, but not complete.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Charles Bridges on Proverbs 4:23
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Podcast: Covenant Theology 101 (Guy Waters)
How do we understand the biblical covenants, and how can they help us to read Scripture rightly?
Is Complementarianism Oppressive to Women?
Exegetical support for why we believe Scripture teaches that headship includes primary leadership, which is the responsibility of the man.
Follow the Second Adam into True Rest
There is an unending, eternal rest that God established himself and that we have always been meant to enter into with him.
Blessing in God’s Plan of Redemption
Blessing plays a significant role in God's plan of redemption, in that blessing is the goal of God's plan of redemption.
Only the Greatest Humility Accepts the Lowest Place
A proud person would protest that some low position was “beneath” him or her. Jesus displayed his humility by not regarding anything as beneath him.
The Believer’s Paradoxical Experience of Sin
Joel R. Beeke, Paul M. Smalley
Christians live in the painful paradox of salvation begun but not completed.
How Spurgeon Avoided the Calling Calamity
Spurgeon understood the critical importance of helping men evaluate whether they were genuinely called to pastoral ministry.
The Doctrine of Christ's Return in the Bible
What does the Bible say about Christ's return? Learn more from this look into the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible.
The Christian Life Is about Wakefulness
The Spirit of Christ burns in our hearts, awakening us to the presence and activity of Jesus Christ. Sleeper, awake!
4 Lessons for Pastors from the Life and Ministry of John Calvin
While Calvin is remembered today as a great theologian, he viewed his calling from God primarily in terms of his work as a pastor and preacher in Geneva.
An Important Chapter That Calvin Added to the Second Edition of His ‘Institutes’
John Calvin did not have a chapter on the Christian life in the first, short edition of the Institutes (published in 1536), but he added a concluding chapter on this topic in the second edition.
Mormonism and Christianity advocate two deeply contrasting and conflicting worldviews.
When the Sun Rose, the Son Rose
In some ways the exodus is a death and resurrection story, but in many other ways the death and resurrection of Jesus is an exodus story.
The Question at the Heart of Christianity
Central to our faith is the answer to this question: How is one right with God?
Gregg R. Allison, Stephen J. Wellum
In God’s providence, it was to a teaching career that God graciously called John to use his gifts and abilities to serve the larger evangelical church.
Podcast: Can Christians Embrace God and Science? (Brad Sickler)
How can Christians embrace God and science? Must the two be separated?
The Messy-yet-Instructive Culture Surrounding the Canons of Dort
We can learn something about how previous cared about theological points because the worship of God, the purity of the church, and the understanding of Scripture were at stake.
2 Truths to Help Navigate Doctrinal Disagreement with Other Christians
This side of heaven, we see through a glass dimly. It’s just reality. We’re not going to agree on everything.
Essential vs. Peripheral Doctrine
The ability to discern the relative importance of theological issues is vital to the health and unity of the church. Erik Thoennes shares four categories of importance into which theological issues can fall.
How Our Theology Shapes Our Prayers
Theology helps us uncover what we know about God and turn it into prayer and praise to God.
The Real Reason God Judges Evil
God’s dazzling beauty and loveliness can’t allow sin to coexist with him; doing such would compromise his holiness, his very being.
Apart from God, man gets himself into all sorts of spiritually dangerous and eternity-threatening situations.
Is Propositional Revelation Nonsense?
There are two ways to consider the question of propositional revelation and infallibility. Until the first is in place, the second cannot be sensibly pursued.
Christmas marked the beginning of God’s most successful setback.
The beauty and the goodness of who he is is reflected not only in the grace of God but in the law of God.
Did You Know ‘The New City Catechism’ Is Available in 14 Languages?
Did you know The New City Catechism is available in 14 languages?
In an effort to make the gospel bigger or more relevant, Greg Gilbert introduces three substitute gospels.
Podcast: Snakes and Satan in the Story of Scripture (Andy Naselli)
Where do snakes and dragons appear in the story of Scripture and what part do they play in the history of Redemption?
4 Challenges to Christ's Deity
Crossway lists four specific challenges to the deity of Christ that we tend to face today.
How the Reformers Help Us Understand Definite Atonement
The Reformers laid the foundation, helping the next generation or two to present a mature doctrine of definite atonement.
Francis Chan: "Knowledge is essential, but not sufficient."
Your brilliance is worthless if you’re not building up your brother—and even worse if you’re destroying him with your knowledge.
Herman Bavinck for the 21st Century
Cory C. Brock, James Eglinton, N. Gray Sutanto
When Bavinck lived in the early twentieth century, he believed there was “a disharmony between our thinking and feeling, between our willing and acting” and “a discord between religion and culture, between science and life.”
Podcast: Can Affectionless Faith Be Genuine? (John Piper)
John Piper discusses how he came to saving faith in Jesus and how his view of that faith has changed over the years.
Guard against These 4 Dangers When Doing Historical Theology
Theological retrieval can be very beneficial, but it can also go wrong. It may also be useful to briefly articulate several potential dangers.
Why Our Limits Are a Good Thing
Every boundary that he places in our lives—every limit that he gives us—is for our flourishing.
Why There Is No Righteousness Like Christian Righteousness
But this most excellent righteousness—that of faith, God imputes to us through Christ.
For the Christian, the Best Is Yet to Be
“The best is yet to be,” indeed, as the Christian poet Robert Browning wrote. God has a project. He is restoring his defaced images to the likeness of Christ.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: John Owen on Hebrews 4:16
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
We Desperately Need What We Reject
There is a disharmony between our thinking and feeling, between our willing and acting. There is a discord between religion and culture, between science and life.
Emblems of the Infinite King: An 8-Day Reading Plan
Over the course of eight days, explore the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith with Bible passages and readings adapted from Emblems of the Infinite King by J. Ryan Lister.
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.
Why It Matters that God Is Our Father
God is our Father at the level of creation and at the level of redemption.
Podcast: How Should We Define the Gospel? (Greg Gilbert)
Greg Gilbert discusses why Christians so often struggle to clearly define a simple yet foundational concept: the gospel.
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.
Does Definite Atonement Undermine Our Assurance of Salvation?
Do you know about the Church of Scotland minister who lost his job for not believing in limited atonement?
Without the Trinity the Doctrine of the Atonement Goes off the Rails
The atonement is the apex of the triune mission of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit working together to reconcile sinners and renew creation.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Francis Schaeffer on Romans 5
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Podcast: Why Church History Matters (Justin Taylor)
Justin Taylor reflects on the immense importance of church history, highlighting why it’s important to make time for it alongside our study of the Bible.
For Warfield, Every Christian Is a Theologian
If life grows out of understanding, then it follows that a firm grasp and robust appreciation of Christian truth is of primary importance to Christian living.
Can Evangelicalism Be Defined?
Can evangelicalism be defined, or is it so flimsy and malleable that it constantly succumbs to its context, shapeshifting according to when and where it is?
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Spurgeon on Jeremiah 23
Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Views of Justification—Two Differing Gospels
In Justified by Faith Alone, R. C. Sproul clarifies the differing views of justification.
A Sneak Peek at 'The New City Catechism' with Tim Keller
Tim Keller explains the value of catechesis and shares a sneak peek at ‘The New City Catechism.’
Why Land Is More than Real Estate
After the resurrection of Jesus, God sends the Holy Spirit, who fills not just Israel, but the whole earth with his glory.
Can We Ever Emphasize Grace Too Much?
t’s not gracious to reveal to God’s people the safe path that the law is without it also being a reflection of God’s character and care.
What C. S. Lewis Can Teach Us about Youth Ministry
C. S. Lewis provides a case study of what is missing from most youth ministries in the United States.
Is Justification Merely a Theological Abstraction?
The doctrine of justification unites those who share one Lord, one faith, one baptism. And though doctrines do not save us, they correctly inform us of how we are saved.
Podcast: How to Explain the Hypostatic Union to a Fifth Grader (Stephen Wellum)
Stephen Wellum explains where we see the hypostatic union taught in Scripture and highlights why all Christians would benefit from taking time to think carefully about Jesus being fully God and fully man.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Ryle on Luke 18
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Podcast: 5 Attributes of God We Too Often Neglect (Mark Jones)
How should we understand God in his fullness—both near to us as our Father and yet above and beyond us as our Creator?
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?
Why There Is No Systematic Theology without the Bible
The Bible creates the framework for all theological understanding.
Four Crucial Questions at the Heart of the Gospel
Greg Gilbert begins to define the gospel by turning to the Bible and identifying four essential questions at the heart of the proclamation of the gospel.
The term apologetics has nothing to do with “apologizing” for anything. Presenting an apologetic is almost the very reverse of apologizing.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: John Calvin on John 1:1
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Inerrancy Part 1: If God Wrote the Bible, Why Are There so Many Discrepancies?
Vern S. Poythress discusses why there are so many discrepancies within the Bible.
Elyse Fitzpatrick reflects on the humanity of Christ at Christmas.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Matthew Henry on Revelation 22
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Podcast: Wayne Grudem on His Life, Love of Theology, and Translating the Bible (Wayne Grudem)
Wayne Grudem talks about his life as a child and young adult, how he met his wife, and his journey to become one of the most influential American theologians of his generation.
The Resurrection: This Changes Everything
Jesus’ resurrection does not only change us by saving our souls, making us holy, and filling us with power to live.
What Did Christ’s Atoning Work Accomplish?
The death of Christ is a multidimensional accomplishment within a story that begins in the garden and ends in the kingdom.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: J. C. Ryle on Mark 2:13-17
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
What the Reformers saw, especially through the message of justification by faith alone, was the revelation of an exuberantly happy God who glories in sharing his happiness.
Chaos to Cosmos = Dark to Light
Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is not only the maker of the first creation, which is now broken, but also the maker of the coming new creation.
Podcast: How to Respond to Common Arguments against Christianity (William Lane Craig)
William Lane Craig discusses how to respond to common arguments against Christianity that we often hear but may not know how to respond to.
Reading the Bible Gathers a Family from Every Tribe and Tongue
Without the Bible, there would be no ingathering of God’s people, and without the Bible, there would be no beautification of the bride. So everyone who enters the people of God by faith comes by the word.
This Day in History: C. S. Lewis Is Born
On this day in history, the most significant Christian apologist of the twentieth century was born at home in Belfast, Ireland.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Martin Luther on Galatians 5:1
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
In the forthcoming book Life's Biggest Questions: What the Bible Says About Things That Matter Most, author Eric Thoennes briefly addresses what the Bible says about final judgment and hell.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: John Calvin on Genesis 4:4
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Schaeffer on Romans 8
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
Inerrancy Part 3: Why is Inerrancy So Often Under Attack?
Vern S. Poythress discusses why the concept of inerrancy is so often under attack and how we are supposed to address it.
Podcast: The Greatest Chapter in the Bible (Andy Naselli)
Andy Naselli talks about what he considers to be the greatest letter ever written: Romans 8.
The Measure of God's Love (Toward Those Worse Off Than Frogs)
The measure of God’s love for us is shown by two things. One is the degree of his sacrifice in saving us from the penalty of our sin. The other is the degree of unworthiness that we had when he saved us.
Reading the Bible with Dead Guys: Charles Hodge on Romans 5:1
*Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history.
The Recipe for Good Pastoral Theology
Spurgeon was an avid student of Scripture, but is not often thought of as a theologian.
Adam and Eve, Chimps, and Human Dignity
The image of God is not merely reflected in the soul, but in the body-soul combination that makes human beings a special creation.
Podcast: Answering Hard Questions about Predestination and Free Will (Andy Naselli)
Andy Naselli answers a few of the most common questions about the doctrine of predestination, including what the Bible really says about it and what impact this teaching may have on the idea of free will.
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.
Podcast: An Overlooked Problem of Atheism (Mitch Stokes)
Mitch Stokes talks about the many problems with an atheistic worldview—including logical holes that skeptics often prefer to ignore.
Justin Taylor recently sat down with Greg Forster, author of The Joy of Calvinism, who asserts that Calvinism is a largely misunderstood tradition that is ultimately about joy and the love of a God who saves.
History: Stranger than Fiction
Discovering church history is like going through the wardrobe into Narnia and discovering there’s a whole world back there just waiting to be explored.
Ladies: Do Not Shy Away from Theology
As women, we study and want intimate knowledge of those we love, of those we are in relationship with. Why would we shy away from or snub knowing the One that knows us most fully?
Why did God come into this world?
Why I Wrote a Book about God's Incommunicable Attributes
Most of us have some familiarity with the attributes of God, but we probably haven't spent a lot of time contemplating those things.
The Gospel: An "It" or a "He"?
We can proclaim the saving significance of the gospel, but may we never forget that “it” is not very good news at all unless “he” is truly present to save.
Bible Q&A: What Was the Incarnation?
The incarnation was the quiet eruption in the middle of history of a mercy that defies comprehension—when, as C. S. Lewis put it, God wrote himself into the story.
If the Son of God had not joined himself to us in our humanity, what could it possibly mean to say that Jesus is Savior?
Crossway interviews Gerald Bay about his book, God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology.
In chapter 24 of Living Water: Studies in John 4, entitled "Death Defeated", Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses the problem of death and takes us to the glorious implications of the Resurrection.
Joel Beeke answers some of the most common—and most difficult—questions that Christians tend to have about salvation.
It's the End of the World As We Know It
Many people likely read the concluding chapters of the Westminster Standards and note is subdued tones, its careful statements, and its rather generic conclusions about the end of the world.
David Wells: God's Love and Holiness in Our Culture Today
In this video series (part 1), Dr. David Wells reflects on the message of his newest book, God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-Love of God Reorients Our World.
Podcast: What an Old Puritan Can Teach Us about the Holy Spirit (Andrew Ballitch)
Andrew Ballitch discusses John Owen’s writings about the Holy Spirit and insights into spiritual gifts, the illumination of Scripture, and how the Spirit indwells believers.
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.
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: How Does Life Change If God Is Actually My Friend? (Mike McKinley)
Mike McKinley talks about what it means for us as Christians to be friends of God, about the friendship that Jesus had on earth, and about what it looks like for us to lean into our friendship with God.
Podcast: Why You Can't Put Jesus in a Box (Rebecca McLaughlin)
Rebecca McLaughlin discusses a number of unbiblical misconceptions that we may have about Jesus and offers encouragement for those with questions about who Jesus is.
Improving the Gospel or Losing the Gospel?
Today some people, even within evangelicalism, are acting and speaking as if Jesus Christ alone is not fully sufficient and as if faith in him and his promises alone is a reduction of the full gospel.
Fundamentally, sin is the refusal to glorify and praise God as God. When we sin, we are making ourselves gods.
Preface to the Theologians on the Christian Life Series
Series Preface Some might call us spoiled. We live in an era of significant and substantial resources for Christians on living the Christian life. We have ready access to books, DVD series, online material, seminars—all …
David Wells: God in the Whirlwind
In this video series (part 1, part 2, part 3), Dr. David Wells reflects on the message of his newest book, God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-Love of God Reorients Our World.
Podcast: The Misunderstood Doctrine of Total Depravity (Jonathan Gibson)
Jonathan Gibson answers common questions and engages with common objections that Christians often have about the doctrine of total depravity.
Andrew Fuller and the Most Important Historical Development in the Last 200 Years
Although he never went abroad, Andrew Fuller was a zealous promoter of world missions, influencing countless missionaries.
The Awkward Guest in the Evangelical Household
Even though solid biblical and theological teaching on the subject is available, the doctrine of the Trinity continues to be treated as an awkward guest in the evangelical household.
Podcast: 6 Objections to Studying Theology That Don't Hold Up (Jon Nielson)
Jon Nielson addresses six common objections to studying theology that he's heard over the years as a pastor, including that it's too impractical, too confusing, and too divisive.
7 Ways the Particularity of Scripture Underlines the Exclusivity of Christ
My suspicion is that many affix the "Co-exist" bumper sticker on their cars to preach the gospel of philosophical pluralism. In such a context, it is hard for many to hear the bold words of Jesus.
Jonathan Leeman on The Church and the Suprising Offense of God's Love
Is church discipline biblical? Jonathan Leeman wrote The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love to help Christians start taking their membership in their local church seriously . . .
Human Thinking & Divine Revealing Work Together To Awaken Saving Faith
John Piper shares six observations that clarify how human thinking and divine revealing work together in awakening saving faith.
Podcast: The Life and Legacy of John Owen (Lee Gatiss)
Lee Gatiss walks us through the life and times of the prolific theologian John Owen, introducing us to the man, his works, and his legacy.
Podcast: What Makes You Long for Heaven? (Cameron Cole)
Cameron Cole shares how God used the unexpected and tragic death of his firstborn son to dramatically shift his daily focus heavenward, revealing the joy-inducing power of an eternal mindset.
Podcast: There’s More to the Christmas Story Than You Think (Benjamin L. Gladd)
Benjamin Gladd talks about how the Gospel of Luke draws on the riches of the Old Testament to reveal truly amazing things about the identity of Jesus, Old Testament prophecy, and the real meaning of Christmas.
Podcast: Your Kids Are Already Theologians, So Give Them Good Theology (Kristen Wetherell)
Kristen Wetherell gives practical advice for teaching our children about important doctrines and offers encouragement to parents facing questions about theology that they're not sure how to answer.
David Wells: Understanding the Holy-Love of God
In this video series, Dr. David Wells reflects on the message of his newest book, God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-Love of God Reorients Our World.
Podcast: On Apologetics: The Best of ‘The Crossway Podcast’
We are pleased to offer a selection of some of the best moments related to apologetics from the podcast over the past four years.
Linking the Gospel and the Life of the Mind
Bradley Green's book The Gospel and the Mind explores this correlation between the gospel and the mind, and in doing so addresses five theological themes and their relevance to the intellectual life.
Podcast: What Is Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? (Fred Sanders)
In this episode, Fred Sanders answers questions about the Holy Spirit—What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? Why did Jesus call that sin “unforgivable”?
Podcast: The Doctrine on Which the Church Stands or Falls (Matthew Barrett)
Matthew Barrett sheds light on the meaning of justification by faith alone, explaining why it’s so central to the Christian faith, and he explores why the book of James says that we’re not justified by faith alone.
Gospel Wakefulness Changes our Theological Pursuit
True theology galvanizes our affections toward God, not toward theology.
Podcast: Does It Matter What I Believe? (Samuel James)
Samuel James walks through a number of common misconceptions and fears that we often have when it comes to thinking about our theology, ultimately making the case that what you believe matters today and for eternity.
David Wells: The Counter-Cultural Nature of God's Holy-Love
In this video series (part 1, part 2), Dr. David Wells reflects on the message of his newest book, God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-Love of God Reorients Our World.
Podcast: An Attribute of Jesus That You’ve Probably Never Noticed (Peter Williams)
Peter Williams uses the famous story of the prodigal son to unpack how Jesus was a genius in the way that he taught during his earthly ministry.
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.
On the Neglect of the Resurrection
Justin Taylor and Adrian Warnock recently discussed Raised with Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything.
Alan Thompson on Resurrection and the Hope of Israel (Season 2, Episode 6)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with professor and author Alan Thompson about three aspects of Acts that are key to understanding the conflict at the heart of the book.
James Eglinton introduces us to Herman Bavinck, explains his role in the neo-Calvinist movement in the Netherlands, and reflects on advice that Bavinck might offer us if he were alive today.
Make a Change from Me-ology to Theology
Me-ology prizes you and me. Theology prizes the God of the universe who holds everything together.
Podcast: Why Christianity Is Not Just about Being a Follower of Jesus (Sam Allberry)
Sam Allberry makes a case for why our union with Christ stands at the heart of the Christian faith and is the doctrine that has been the single biggest blessing to him since his conversion.
Nancy Guthrie on the Salvation Purposes of God in Acts (Season 2, Episode 1)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she begins an initial exploration of the book of Acts by interrogating its title with the aim of determining what the aim and purpose of the book really is.
Ben Gladd on the Use of the Old Testament in Acts (Season 2, Episode 5)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with professor and author Ben Gladd about the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament—both direct quotations and more subtle allusions.
Andrew Young on Power in Weakness in Acts (Season 2, Episode 7)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with pastor Andrew Young about a framework for understanding both divine power and human weakness on display throughout the book of Acts.
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.
Kevin DeYoung talks on the importance of theology for all Christians, why it matters for our everyday lives, and why it's worth the effort to dig in, even if it sometimes feels a bit unfamiliar.
Podcast: How to Be Like God without Trying to Be God (Jen Wilkin)
Jen Wilkin helps us understand what the Bible teaches us about how we, as redeemed creatures made in the image of God, are called to reflect God’s character to a watching world.
Podcast: How the Sacraments Help Us Know Who We Truly Are (Kevin Emmert)
Kevin Emmert explains why the sacraments are so central to our lives as believers and why their shaping power is more relevant than ever in a world obsessed with identity and self-expression.
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.
Podcast: The False Humility Threatening to Undermine Scripture (D. A. Carson)
D. A. Carson talks about some of the key themes that have marked his career, including his enduring passion for knowing and correctly handling God’s word and for holding tight to the gospel.