Dr Paul Allen

English: Jeroboam's idolatry, 1 Kings 12:25-33, illustration from a Bible card published 1904 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing.” ( Exodus 20:4 )   There are several reasons why idolatry is forbidden. The most obvious it that the triune Creator is too great to attempt to visualize ( Exodus 34:5-7 ). There is no thing or experience in human existence that can represent the immortal and invisible Creator ( 1 Timothy 6:16 ).   Thus, God sees any effort to “picture” Him (idolatry) as rebellion ( Jeremiah 5:19-25 ). It does not matter how we may attempt to “see” God. “Any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” ( Exodus 20:4 ) are all totally incapable of expressing God’s person.   Romans 1:18-32 reveals the heart of an idolater. Those who hold the truth in unrighteousness (v. 18) will

Painting by Rembrandt of Paul, one of the most notable of early Christian missionaries, who called himself the "Apostle to the Gentiles." Paul, a Hellenistic Jew, was very influential on the shift of Christianity to Gentile dominated movement. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Are Gentiles under the law? Gentiles are to be distinguished from Jews in that they “do not have the law” (Rom. 2:14). Therefore, Gentiles are said to be “without the law” (Rom. 2:12). When Paul thinks of those who have the law (Jews) and those who do not have the law (Gentiles), he distinguishes between sin and transgression. Gentiles, even though they do not possess the law, still sin. “All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law” (Rom. 2:12).  Transgression can be distinguished from sin, for “where there is no law there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15). If we adopt this distinction, Gentiles did not transgress the law, for they did not have the written law . But even thou

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” ( 1 John 1:8–9). One of the tests John gives for authentic Christianity is that all those who claim to follow the God of light truly follow Him only if they walk in the light (1 John 1:6–7). This affirmation was necessary because the false teachers were claiming to believe in God even though they were walking in deeds of darkness. When someone’s life is characterized primarily by sin, we have good reason to assume that his profession is not genuine. Of course this immediately raises a problem for us. Is John teaching that unless we are sinless and perfect we do not truly belong to Christ ? How righteous do we have to be before we know we are truly in the light? 1 John 1:8-8 sheds light on these questions by letting us know that even true Christians will continue to struggle with sin. John

For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in God -given simplicity and sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand. – 2 Corinthians 1:12-13 – At the time he wrote 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul was facing false accusations against his character and ministry. False teachers, claiming to be Apostles of Christ, infiltrated the church of Corinth and, in order to weaken Paul’s influence for the sake of growing their own, launched a full-scale assault on Paul’s legitimacy as an Apostle. Much of 2 Corinthians is a defense of Paul’s integrity as a minister of the Gospel. And he begins that defense by declaring that his conscience is clear from the accusations being brought against him. But he knows that it would have been too easy for hypocrites who have been seared in conscience to simply appeal to their co

ACTS 9:1–19 “Falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord ?’ ” (vv. 4–5a). Every Christian tradition has formulated some doctrine of regeneration. Despite the differing formulations of this doctrine, however, there are ultimately only two different views of the role of man and the role of God in regeneration: monergism or synergism. A synergistic view of regeneration says man and God cooperate in bringing new life to a person. The Lord acts upon the heart of the unbeliever, imploring him to change. However, though God calls to the heart, regeneration cannot occur unless the unbeliever, who has the ability to say, “yes,” or “no,” embraces the divine call. There are several problems with this view.  First, synergism sees the human will working with the divine will to achieve salvation. Yet we all come into the world spiritually dead and, being dead, cannot take hold of God’s grace unless firs

Baptism of Christ. Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) God accomplishes in an instant, 75 things at the moment of conversion, and what He continues to work to its ultimate completion in the day we see Him in glory (Phil 1:6).  DIVINE WORKS & GIFTS We are born again by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God (John 3:1-8; 1 Peter 1:23). We are saved by grace, which was given before time began (2 Tim 1:9; 2 Thess 2:13). We receive the gift of eternal life ( John 3:16 ; Rom 6:23; 1 John 5:11-13). We enter the abundant life found only in Jesus ( John 10:10 ). We receive the gift of Christ ’s righteousness (Rom 3:21-22; 5:17; 10:10; 2 Cor 5:21). We receive abundance of grace (Rom 5:17). We are recipients of the call of the Holy Spirit by means of the gospel ( 1 Cor 1:9, 24). We are forgiven all of our sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; 2:13; Rev 1:5). We receive the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:12; 12:13). We receive the capacity to understand the