Dr Paul Allen

Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph by Rembrandt, 1656. Genesis 48 describes how Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “By faith Jacob , when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph , bowing in worship over the head of his staff” (Heb. 11:21). In Hebrews 11:20 we saw how Isaac by faith blessed his two sons at the end of his life. This evidence of faith shows that those with true persevering faith will hold onto God ’s promises even if they die before they are all fully realized. In Hebrews 11:21 we read another example of faith drawn from the last days of an old covenant saint. This time our model is Jacob who when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph while “bowing in worship over the head of his staff” (v. 21). This verse reflects upon the book of Genesis and the story of Jacob blessing his two grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh . We read in Genesis 48:8–16 that near the end of Jacob’s life, Joseph brought his two sons to their grandfather. Manasse...

Rembrandt Abraham en Isaac, 1634 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Sacrifice of Isaac by Caravaggio, (1590-1610; Oil on canvas; Uffizi). Abraham is holding the sacrificial knife. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “By faith Abraham , when he was tested, offered up Isaac ” (Heb. 11:17). Though we have the privilege of living under the new covenant, we still wait to receive some of the things that have been promised. These things—the new heavens and the new earth, perfect holiness, uninterrupted fellowship with God —are not yet here in our day-to-day experience. But they are a positional reality, anticipating the future. Jesus has done the work necessary to achieve all of these things. Those of us who are in Christ are seated with Him in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:4–7). Therefore this promised inheritance really is ours even though God has delayed its full manifestation in our everyday lives. Only through true persevering faith are we granted these promises, first as a positional reality and...

StJohnsAshfield StainedGlass Baptism (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) It’s a word with which much of the world has unfortunately become familiar in recent years: “jihad.” “Jihad” is the Arabic word which carries the idea of “struggle,” and is often referred to as “holy war” within Islam. While not all Muslim scholars agree on the way in which holy war should look, one need not look far to understand what it means to many in our world today. But though such wars have been going on for centuries, Christ would in no way attribute the term “holy” to them. Worship and devotion to the true God means loving, not murdering, our enemies. Those of different faiths are not to be the object of our killing, but praying. There is, however, a true holy way commanded by God. This war is spiritual in nature. It is a war against ourselves, and against the lack of holiness within, the moment we become a Christian. The true holy war is physically peaceful towards others, but spiritually aggressive t...

Fox’s Book of Martyrs is a must read for every Christian. Written by John Fox over 350 years ago, it catalogs the lives of hundreds of believers who, throughout church history, were willing to give their lives for the cause of Christ . When it comes to contagious courage, I can think of no greater testimony than reading about those who embraced their Lord to the point of embracing death. One such account concerns the lives of Jerome Russell and Alexander Kennedy , two English Protestants who took a daring stand for what they believed. Because of their biblically-sound doctrine, the pair was arrested and imprisoned. Kennedy was only eighteen years old. After some time, the two men were brought before religious officials for questioning. Russell, being older, gave an articulate defense, usI ing the Scriptures to support his belief in salvation through faith alone. Yet, in spite of the evidence, the men’s accusers prevailed and Russell and Kennedy were deemed heretics. In keeping with...

Puritan theologian John Owen wrote the classic work The Mortification of Sin in 1656 to analyze and apply what Paul meant in Romans 8:13 when he said, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you “ put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Owen has much to share about the important topic of killing our sin including what we need to believe about our common struggle, what mortifying sin is and isn’t, and practical principles for putting your sin to death . Below is a prayer based on the book that should help us mortify our sin and live in joyful obedience to Christ : Most Gracious Heavenly Father , I come to you a needy and contrite sinner, with no power on my own to put to death the deeds of the body. Daily come to my aid making it my business to mortify the indwelling power of sin in my life. May I never attempt to mortify in my own strength, forgetting that without Your Spirit my efforts will be in vain. Lord , through Your Spirit he...

John Owen, by John Greenhill (died 1676). See source website for additional information. This set of images was gathered by User:Dcoetzee from the National Portrait Gallery, London website using a special tool. All images in this batch have been confirmed as author died before 1939 according to the official death date listed by the NPG. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) It’s a question that every Christian eventually asks. “Why did God allow the world to go the way it did?” For believers, and often unbelievers, it doesn’t take much to see that God did not have to create a human race destined to fall. He was not obligated to create that tree in the garden, nor was he obliged to allow Satan ’s fall, the subsequent deception, Eve ’s taking of the fruit, Adam’s sin, and subsequent billions of his image-bearers birthed in high-handed rebellion. Why did he create a world upon which he would pronounce a curse that leaves no corner of the creation , image-bearing or not, without carnage, spir...

John Owen, by John Greenhill (died 1676). See source website for additional information. This set of images was gathered by User:Dcoetzee from the National Portrait Gallery, London website using a special tool. All images in this batch have been confirmed as author died before 1939 according to the official death date listed by the NPG. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Before we can talk about dying to sin, we must understand how we came to be sinners . Bridges offers a helpful illustration of the biblical concept of federal headship. Federal headship or representative capacity is somewhat illustrated by the concept of power of attorney. A friend of mine wanted to refinance the mortgage on his house to take advantage of lower interest rates. When the date for the closing was finally set, he realized that he and his wife would be out of the country at that time. He asked if I would represent them at the closing, and I agreed, so he and his wife executed a power of attorney authorizing me...

John Owen, by John Greenhill (died 1676). See source website for additional information. This set of images was gathered by User:Dcoetzee from the National Portrait Gallery, London website using a special tool. All images in this batch have been confirmed as author died before 1939 according to the official death date listed by the NPG. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) If you had the choice between private Bible reading and prayer, or going to church, which would you choose? The Puritans would choose church. We all know the Puritans ’ welcome emphasis on private devotion and personal godliness. But they actually rated public worship even higher. For example, David Clarkson , colleague and successor to John Owen , preached a sermon on Psalm 87v2 entitled Public worship to be preferred before private , and gave 12 reasons why: 1. The Lord is more glorified by public worship than private. God is glorified by us when we acknowledge that He is glorious, and He is most glorifi...