Dr Paul Allen

Luke 2:  “Glory to God in the highest,  and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” (Luke 2:14–15) “And [Simeon] came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,  according to your word;  for my eyes have seen your salvation  that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,  a light for revelation to the Gentiles,  and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:27–32) Rather than bringing fear, which is the appropriate response to seeing the glory and greatness of God, the gospel (the “good news”) is described by the angels as “great joy that will be for al...

Why does so much evil exist in the world? Why do men murder? Why do countries go to war? Why do people exploit others? Why do we live in a world marked by human evil? Foundational to answering these questions is the doctrine of original sin. Original sin means that all human beings inherit the corruption of sin.  Due to this inherited corruption, all people sin and are liable to judgment. At the most basic level, therefore, original sin describes an ongoing desire for evil that blooms into additional sins and makes one liable to greater judgment. To understand this often-neglected doctrine better, the following article answers some key questions related to the doctrine of original sin. Table of contents Does the Bible support the idea of original sin? Why does everyone die? Why does everyone sin? How does original sin affect us? Are people born with original sin? Does original sin make us liable for judgment? Is original sin a sickness? So is original sin transmitted? How is origin...

By Nicholas T. Batzig In his excellent little book The Emotions of Jesus, Robert Law offers a passing contemplation about how the Savior would have seen the world through the lens of sinless human experience. He writes:  “Though little is directly reported of it in the Gospels, this also belonged to the perfection of our Lord Jesus. No one has ever lived in such a marvellous world as he, to whom ‘the glory in the grass and splendour in the flower’ continually revealed the diviner miracle of a Heavenly Father's munificent love and care.” If anyone could have sung the words of the hymn “This Is My Father’s World” with a heart full of delight at the manifestation of the glory of God in the intricately created plants, trees, animals, fish, sunsets, oceans, seasons, minerals, gems, rocks, scents, food, and drink, it was the sinless Son of God incarnate. And yet, there was another world that the Savior viewed from the side of sinless humanity. These two worlds collided when the Son of Go...

Mark 8:34 recounts Jesus’s most pointed teaching on the nature of discipleship. This instruction applies to all (i.e., not simply the twelve) who want to follow him and includes three elements:1denying oneself, taking up one’s cross, and following him. Mark narrates instances of each of the three elements, allowing us to see what they look like in practice.  The first is perhaps the most radical. One must deny not “things that the self wants, but the self itself.”2In 2 Timothy 2:13, Paul speaks about the impossibility of God denying himself, which would entail acting “contrary to his own nature, to cease to be God.”3 Calling his followers to do what is impossible for God, Jesus requires a “radical abandonment of one’s own identity and self-determination.” They are to join the “march to the place of execution.”4 The second element, to take up one’s cross, is Mark’s first reference to “cross” (stauros) and the only reference outside the passion narrative (Mark 15:21, 30, 32). It fore...