Dr Paul Allen

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” ( Isaiah 65:17 ) People often think they are being practical when they place material values ahead of spiritual, emphasizing that we have to “live in the real world.” The fact is, however, that we are not living in the real world at all but in a world that is dying and will soon be gone. “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” ( 1 John 2:17 ). This is not even the world that God created, for that world was “very good” ( Genesis 1:31 ). Because “sin entered into the world, and death by sin” ( Romans 5:12 ), therefore, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” ( Romans 8:22 ). In fact, this world is not even as it was soon after God’s curse, for “the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” ( 2 Peter 3:6 ). The present, post-Flood world is now under the dominion of S

A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” For many years, what immediately came into my mind when I thought about God crippled me. Depression was a constant companion. Fear about the genuineness of my conversion haunted me like a ghost. I couldn’t see it at the time, but my feelings were symptoms of my misguided theology. God was small. Worse than that, he was weak. Worse even still, he was fickle in his love toward me. It led me into despair. About five years ago, as I spent more time in the Bible, I began to see a bigger vision of God. He was not only big and strong, but merciful and steadfast in his love toward me. It changed everything. My depression started to unravel before my eyes, and I rediscovered joy in God. My understanding of God’s sovereignty in suffering, evangelism, and salvation underwent the greatest and most needed change. For years now, this big God theology has proven to be an antidote for despa

It’s easy to become confused while reading the prophets’ depictions of God. Malachi, for instance, warns that God is a powerful warrior who will consume all evildoers in the fire of his judgment ( Mal 4:1 ). In contrast, Isaiah anticipates God’s kingdom as a time of peace—when nations will beat their weapons into farming tools ( Isa 2:2–4 ). God himself looks forward to the day that “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” ( Isa 11:9 ). So, is God for war or for peace? God is a warrior Among the sixth- and fifth-century BC Minor Prophets, three prophets—Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—repeatedly call God “Lord of Hosts.” This title portrays God enthroned among his heavenly assembly , whom he sometimes leads into battle. It can also be translated “Lord of Armies” in some contexts. For these prophets, it epitomizes God’s identity as the mighty warrior-king who rules over all. Like t

Jesus is the first person to get into heaven by His good works. We also get into heaven by good works—the good works of Jesus. They become “our” good works when we receive Christ by faith. When we put our faith in Christ, God credits the good works of Christ to our account. The covenant of grace fulfills the covenant of works because God graciously applies the merit of Christ to our account. Thus by grace we meet the terms set forth in the covenant of works. It is commonplace to hear the statement, “people are basically good.” Though it is admitted that no one is perfect, human wickedness is minimized. Yet if people are basically good, why is sin so universal? It is often suggested that everybody sins because society has such a negative influence upon us. The problem is seen with our environment, not with our nature.  This explanation for the universality of sin raises the question, how did society become corrupt in the first place? If people are born good or innocent, we would ex

Christian discipline is not about self-improvement.  As much as we may feel drawn to make growing in Christ the goal of our various spiritual disciplines, or habits of grace, we have something far greater that warrants our explicit focus. Now, to be sure, growing in Christ is a wonderful thing. It is important, as Paul celebrated to the Thessalonians: “your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing” (2 Thessalonians 1:3). It is essential, as Hebrews makes plain: “Strive . . . for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). It is a command, as Peter instructs, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We should never minimize the value or vitality of growing in Christ. It is indeed important, essential, and commanded. Yet we should often clarify, for ourselves and for others, who it is that makes it happen, how we go about pursuing it, and what is the greater goal

The movie has a couple mystical moments where characters establish an emotional connection to the Force or through it. In regard to the infamous Force, the movie also promotes modern monism , a New Age theology claiming that there’s a universal, but impersonal, energy or “Force” that is part of everything and surrounds everyone. This is typical STAR WARS mythology. However, in THE FORCE AWAKENS, it’s suggested a couple times that there must be a “balance” not only in the Force but also between the “good side” and the “dark side” of the Force. This is Non-Christian Eastern monism and moral dualism. In this light, it’s interesting to note that these lines in the movie logically contradict the rest of the story, which clearly and strongly says the good must defeat and overcome, if not destroy, the dark side. The movie also suggests, in a redemptive way, that characters who succumb to the dark side can actually redeem themselves by rejecting the dark side and coming into the light

A statement made by a professor at a leading evangelical college has become a flashpoint in a controversy that really matters. In explaining why she intended to wear a traditional Muslim hijab over the holiday season in order to symbolize solidarity with her Muslim neighbors, the professor asserted that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Is this true? The answer to that question depends upon a distinctly Christian and clearly biblical answer to yet another question: Can anyone truly worship the Father while rejecting the Son? The Christian’s answer to that question must follow the example of Christ. Jesus himself settled the question when he responded to Jewish leaders who confronted him after he had said “I am the light of the world.” When they denied him, Jesus said, “If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (John 8:19). Later in that same chapter, Jesus used some of the strongest language of his earthly ministry in stating clearly that to deny him is to deny t