Dr Paul Allen

Would you describe yourself as an assured Christian? Are you sure God loves you, that your sins have been forgiven, and that God will keep you on the narrow road that leads to life? For many Christians, these questions hang awkwardly. Doubt plagues them, making every burden heavier, every shadow darker, and every hardship more significant. Where can they look for certainty? We start by encouraging doubting Christians to look away from themselves to Christ and God's free grace. Many of our doubts find their root in the secret fear that we must do something to prime the pump of grace. The gospel speaks eloquently to such insecurity.  We need no prior qualification or merit besides sin to receive grace. At no point in the golden chain of salvation is God waiting for us to take the first step before He will open the floodgates of grace. Every Godward thought, every desire for Christ, comes down from above and is itself the fruit of grace—grace previously and freely given. In the quest

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.” ( Titus 3:4 ) Six times in the pastoral epistles Paul refers to God (evidently meaning the Father) as our Savior ( 1 Timothy 1:1 ; 2:3; 4:10; Titus 1:3 ; 2:10; 3:4). Usually, however, he and the other New Testament writers identify Jesus Christ as our Savior. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” ( 2 Peter 3:18 , for example). In the same fashion, Paul relates that his commission to preach the gospel came from “God our Saviour” ( Titus 1:3 ), while elsewhere he says his commission came “by the revelation of Jesus Christ” ( Galatians 1:12 ). Is this a contradiction? No! In fact, references to God as our Savior should not surprise us, for it is found in numerous places in the Old Testament . (See, for example, Psalm 106:21 .) Furthermore, our understanding of the Trinity insists that all three persons of the Godhead are One in God. Of course, Christ made many r

And in the fullness of time, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came into the world to secure both of these goals. He came for the vindication of his Father’s glory, and for the salvation of his Father’s children. And he did this by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. The night before he died, in great distress he said, “What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again” (John 12:27–28). Christ died for glory-belittling sinners to show that God does not sweep the dishonoring of his name under the rug of the universe. He died to vindicate the worth of his glory (Rom. 3:23–26). And he also came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He said, “The Son of Man came . . . to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). A ransom from everlasting misery to everlasting joy—“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy

Paul the Apostle, Russian icon from first quarter of 18th cen. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” ( 1 Timothy 6:6 ) In this day of internet sales pressures and an ever-increasing array of technological gadgets and creature comforts, the Christian virtue of contentment is a rare commodity. There is even a widespread error among born-again Christians that material prosperity is a token of spirituality and divine approval on an affluent lifestyle. Instead of a blessing, however, such affluence (if it comes) should be regarded as a testing, for Jesus said: “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” ( Luke 12:48 ). Paul was perhaps the most faithful and fruitful Christian who ever lived, yet he died penniless in a Roman dungeon. His own testimony concerning material possessions and standards of living was this: “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how

English: Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) What implications does the resurrection have for the people of God ? In fact, every aspect of our salvation—our regeneration, our justification, our sanctification, and our glorification—is tied in some way to Christ ’s resurrection from the dead. The Ground of Regeneration 1 Peter 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope  through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead .” Peter says our new birth comes  through  the resurrection of Christ. Our new spiritual life that is born in our regeneration has its source in Christ’s resurrection life. And we are made to share in that resurrection life through union with Him. Ephesians 2:5–6 says that while we were dead in our transgressions, God “made us alive together with Christ . . . and raised us up with Him.” Because of the union that believers have with C

The Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) This coming Sunday morning April 5th at Hope Church Australia , we will gather together as the people of the risen King who delight to bring Him praise, and will celebrate the triumphant victory of King Jesus, who died for our sins according to the Scriptures, who was buried in a borrowed tomb, and who three days later rose from the grave, triumphant and victorious over sin and death. But the heights of our praise will not exceed the depth of our theology. Our praise to Christ can only soar as high as our understanding of His glorious person and work is rooted in the rich soil of God ’s Word. Our worship of Christ for His resurrection will not rise higher than our understanding of His resurrection. And so to enflame our worship of the risen Lord Jesus Christ as we anticipate this Easter Resurrection Sunday, I want us to think on the biblical and theological significance of the resurrection of Christ . Today I want to focus pa

English: Detail of a sculpture showing Jesus Christ carrying the cross in the grounds of the Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator in Singapore. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ , by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” ( Galatians 6:14 ) As we ponder the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, a fuller understanding should bring us to an ever-deeper reliance on and identification with Him. To assist us in examining the work of Christ on the cross, let us use the beloved hymn “ The Old Rugged Cross .” Here we will find its words reflecting a deep and abiding love for Christ and His cross. The next four days we will, in turn, study each of its four verses, but today, note its chorus: So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown. Our text reminds us that there is no worth in

English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “ Brethren , be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men .” ( 1 Corinthians 14:20 ) The Christian life is entered by the new birth so that everyone who is genuinely born again must begin as a spiritual babe. “Except ye be converted, and become as little children,” said the Lord Jesus , “ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” ( Matthew 18:3 ). Furthermore, they should continue to be as innocent children insofar as “malice” (Greek kakia, literally meaning “wickedness” or “evil”) is concerned. This is an attribute which should diminish, not grow, in a believer. The sad truth, however, is that many born-again Christians remain spiritual babes in attributes which should characterize strong men and women of God. Paul equated the term “babes in Christ ” with carnality, characterized by “envying, and strife, and divisions” ( 1 Corinthians 3:1 , 3). Paul also speaks of tho

At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, . . . and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father . – Philippians   2:10 –11 – The wonderful hymn of Christ ’s humiliation and exaltation reaches its climax in these verses. Paul has said that the Father exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him  the name . He’s said it was the name which is above  every  name. And here he says that  at  that name—which is better rendered:  in honor  of that name—every knee is going to bow. So what’s the name? Jesus has a lot of names. Is it: Son of Man? Son of God ? The Alpha and Omega? The First and the Last? The Faithful and True? The Beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased? Is it Christ? The Messiah? Is it the long-awaited prophet? Is it our Great High Priest? Is it the King of kings? Finally, the almost unbearable suspense is broken, and the Apostle Paul tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is  Lord .