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Christ’s Death as Expiation-Propitiation (Hilasterion): Appeasing the Wrath of God

  If the heart of the cross is the atonement, the heart of the atonement is penal substitution. Christ’s Death as Penal Substitutionary The prima facie evidence from Scripture supports the case for Christ’s death as penal substitutionary. This is clear from the following verses. Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6) Christ died for … Continue reading “Christ’s Death as Expiation-Propitiation (Hilasterion): Appeasing the Wrath of God”

 

If the heart of the cross is the atonement, the heart of the atonement is penal substitution.

Christ’s Death as Penal Substitutionary
The prima facie evidence from Scripture supports the case for Christ’s death as penal substitutionary. This is clear from the following verses.

Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6)
Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8)
Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3)
he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21)
who gave himself for our sins (Gal. l :4)
who gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20)
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us
(Gal. 3: 13)
who gave himself as a ransom for all (I Tim. 2:6)
and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)
Christ suffered for you (I Pet. 2:21)
He himself bore our sins in his body ( 1 Pet. 2:24a)
By his wounds you have been healed (1 Pet. 2:24b)
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous (1 Pet. 3: 18)

These verses confirm beyond dispute that Christ died for us. However, how Christ’s death brings reconciliation between the holy God and sinful man is hotly debated. Some scholars teach that Christ died as our representative who advocates or pleas for us as we are not personally present in the judgment court of God. However for evangelicals, these verses require an understanding of Christ’s death which goes further than Christ dying as our representative – Christ died as our substitute on the cross. Continue reading “Christ’s Death as Expiation-Propitiation (Hilasterion): Appeasing the Wrath of God”

Van Dyke’s “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee” is (Religious) Universalistic. A Rejoinder

I have already left behind my thoughts on van Dyke’s hymn posted several days ago & moved on to other issues. Re: Loud Music in Church Worship? However I received two challenges to my understanding of van Dyke’s hymn.

Both essentially argue that I am unjustifiably over-reading & attributing universalistic elements (“eisegesis rather than exegesis!”). Even if it is granted that my theological “rebuttals” in content are correct BUT “there is no such intent in this case. If you assume Van Dyke wrote this with the intention that it be sung by believers, everything is pretty sound.”

My Response:
First, I am not legislating whether someone may or may not sing van Dyke’s hymn. Continue reading “Van Dyke’s “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee” is (Religious) Universalistic. A Rejoinder”

Loud Music in Church Worship?

Someone posed to me a question regarding the dominance of loud music in contemporary worship. Sharing here a very concise response since this is the first time I have put down my thoughts on this issue in words.

First, Christianity should be fun without being frivolous as Christians come together for fellowship and worship.

1) Worship must be governed by what God has commanded in Scripture, not by human preference or popular culture. When music becomes the central focus, it sidelines prayer, preaching and sacraments. There is a risk elevating human creativity and sensuality above God’s ordained means of grace.

2) Word-Centered Worship – Excessive reliance on music can shift attention from what God has revealed in his unchanging Word to fluid emotional experience. Worship becomes more about how we feel (human centredness) than what God has said. A word-sacrament centred worship will be God-centred and Christ-centred even as we rejoice in God’s presence.

3) Reverence vs Performance – Dominance of (loud) music distracts us from the simplicity and reverence that ought to accompany our encounter with the holy God. Performance ‘worship’ undermines corporate and individual participation in worship even as individuals come to worship meetings to 1) nourish their faith by participation in the Lord’s Supper which is a means of grace and a renewal of our covenant with God, and 2) to have our faith nourished by the Word of God.

In short, while music is a good gift from God to enrich our worship, it must remain a secondary element and not the dominant element in worship.

Good and bad theology in hymns and worship songs Continue reading “Loud Music in Church Worship?”

Genesis 1–11: God’s Design for Personhood (Pt. 2/5)

Genesis 1–11: God’s Design for Personhood (Pt. 2/5)

God created humanity “in his image.” The meaning of “the image of God” matters; it is our identity as human beings. Today there is a tendency in OT scholarship to confuse the purpose for being made in God’s image with the meaning of being made in God’s image. This video gets beneath the English translation and concludes that to be made in God’s image is to be like God in some ways—in terms of humanity’s God-like nature of personhood, qualities of love and justice, and abilities to communicate and create. All this is so that humanity could fulfill God’s purpose for them. Persons can think, reason and make decisions; God’s design for personhood is for humanity to think, reason and make decisions in a way not independent of God and his will. Humanity began to deviate from this design when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. To appreciate why in modern civilization humanity is on a path to self-destruction we need to return to what happened in the garden of Eden.

You can view the video at

 

Cosmos to Christmas Cradle: From Pre-existent to Incarnate Christ

I. The eternal backdrop and significance of Christmas

A. Theological Treasures in Christmas Carols
To many, Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Yet its deeper significance lies in the mystery that the eternal Son who was pre-existent with the Father from eternity entered human history as a newborn child.1“The term pre-existence refers to the idea of an entity having a heavenly existence before its earthly, historical or eschatological manifestation, sometimes even before the creation of the world.” [DPL, p. 743.] Pre-existence is the logical implication of the more scriptural term σὰρξ ἐγένετο (sarx egeneto), became flesh “incarnated”. This theological truth elevates Christmas beyond a sentimental birthday celebration, transforming it into a cosmic event of unparalleled depth and consequence.

Without the doctrine of Christ’s pre-existence, Christmas risks being reduced to a seasonal myth, akin to pagan narratives of cyclical dying-and-rising gods tied to nature’s rhythms. In contrast, the incarnation is a singular, unrepeatable act: the eternal Word becoming flesh. This truth is richly embedded in the lyrics of traditional Christmas carols, which often carry profound theological insights beneath their melodious tunes.

1) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
This carol is particularly rich in theology concerning Christ’s divine nature and pre-existence.
a) Christ, by highest heav’n adored; Christ the everlasting Lord! Come, Desire of Nations, come, Fix in us thy humble home.
The phrase “everlasting Lord” anchors the incarnation in eternity. The invocation to “come” presupposes a divine being who already exists and is now entering creation
b) Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.
This stanza offers one of the clearest affirmations of the incarnation. The “Godhead” voluntarily veils His eternal glory by assuming finite human nature (“flesh”) to dwell among us.

2) O Come, All Ye Faithful
“God of God, Light of Light, Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb; Very God, Begotten, not created.”
These lines echo the Nicene Creed: “God of God, Light of Light” and “Very God, Begotten, not created” are definitive statements of Christ’s eternal, divine nature. The carol resists any notion of Christ as a created being. Instead, it proclaims that Christ who is eternally “begotten” of the Father entered the world through the “Virgin’s womb.”

3) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Though primarily about messianic longing, it includes a line revealing a pre-temporal identity:
“O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who orderest all things mightily.”
“Emmanuel” means “God with us.” The one who “orders all things” is the divine Logos – pre-existent, sovereign, and active in creation. The carol thus links messianic hope with cosmic authority.

Christmas carols, often sung with simplicity or sentimentality, are in fact theological treasures that encapsulate the profound doctrines of the Christian faith. Continue reading “Cosmos to Christmas Cradle: From Pre-existent to Incarnate Christ”

  • 1
    “The term pre-existence refers to the idea of an entity having a heavenly existence before its earthly, historical or eschatological manifestation, sometimes even before the creation of the world.” [DPL, p. 743.] Pre-existence is the logical implication of the more scriptural term σὰρξ ἐγένετο (sarx egeneto), became flesh “incarnated”.

Genesis 1–11: God’s Design for Humanity. Pt. 1/5

Genesis 1–11: God’s Design for Humanity. Pt. 1/5

Genesis 1–11 is about the beginning not only of the universe, but also of humanity, civilization, nations, and even government. This video is the first in a series of five on God’s design for humanity based on Genesis 1–11. In today’s intellectual climate, even God does not make sense, let alone his design for humanity. Modern civilization has deviated from God’s design for humanity in a way unprecedented in human history since the days of Noah. There are two consequences: humanity seems to be heading toward self-destruction (the problem); God and his design for humanity (the solution) no longer make sense. So modern civilization is such that the only solution to the intractable problem it has created does not make sense! This series of videos seeks to show that God and his design for humanity are indeed the solution to the problem. This first video is to reorientate our thinking so that God and his design for humanity make sense even today. It thus sets the stage for the other four videos, which are about God’s design for personhood, civilization, nationhood, and government.
You can watch the full video at

 

Reimagining Church and Christian Faith: A Kierkegaardian Critique

A “repetition” of the ancient path with Soren Kierkegaard.1For Kierkegaard true repetition goes beyond simply repeating acts in conformity to social expectations. He rejects inauthentic existence where one simply conforms to social expectations. Repetition is a philosophical and existential act of renewing everything that one had in order to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of one’s personal life and relationships. It seeks to reassess one’s life commitment and intentionally takes personal responsibility for choices made in order to create a new, authentic self

Reimagining Church and Christian Faith: A Kierkegaardian Critique
The contemporary call to “reimagine church and Christian faith” is often presented as a bold attempt to jettison outmoded church beliefs and practices in order to initiate a creative response to new cultural realities. However, we are mindful of cultural analysts who note with irony that youths who rebel against the social conventions of their parents end up wearing the same clothing fashions, listening to the same pop music and repeating the same platitudes to express support for diversity and social justice. In reality, these youths are merely exchanging one form of social conformity to another in the name of creativity.

It is ironic that churches also conform to the latest religious fashion in the name of “reimagining church and Christian faith”. 2Several prevailing characteristics of the contemporary “reimagine church and faith” movement (following its predecessor, the Emergent Church Movement) include the following: 1) A culture of experimentation and innovation to create seeker-sensitive services. 2) Use of multi-media and bands which incorporate contemporary music styles and art to attract a new generation of youth growing up in a culture of musical performance and entertainment. 3) Relevant messaging where practical advice and personal faith stories replace “mystifying” spiritual and doctrinal teachings of the traditional church. 4) Inclusive approach to Christian faith without demands for adherence to a set of clear-cut theological doctrines.
While these adaptations in church structure and faith practices to engage contemporary culture are not inherently problematic, the concern arises when these innovative external expressions of seeker-sensitive services have in practice inadvertently diminished the timeless truths of the gospel and supplanted inward spiritual passion and obedient discipleship. This dynamic raises important questions about the extent to which these shifts reshape the church’s spiritual identity and doctrinal continuity. Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) would diagnose this call for innovation  as a symptom of a deeper spiritual sickness – the sickness of an age that has lost its inward passionate commitment of faith and its sense of eternity. In such an age, truth is reduced to nothing more than fashionable opinion. For Kierkegaard, when the church thoughtlessly follows the latest fashion, it is simply accommodating itself to “the spirit of the age” (Zeitgeist). It ceased to be the Church of the New Testament. It has become what he calls Christendom – Christianity domesticated and made respectable, a form without inwardness, reflection without obedience. Continue reading “Reimagining Church and Christian Faith: A Kierkegaardian Critique”

  • 1
    For Kierkegaard true repetition goes beyond simply repeating acts in conformity to social expectations. He rejects inauthentic existence where one simply conforms to social expectations. Repetition is a philosophical and existential act of renewing everything that one had in order to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of one’s personal life and relationships. It seeks to reassess one’s life commitment and intentionally takes personal responsibility for choices made in order to create a new, authentic self
  • 2
    Several prevailing characteristics of the contemporary “reimagine church and faith” movement (following its predecessor, the Emergent Church Movement) include the following: 1) A culture of experimentation and innovation to create seeker-sensitive services. 2) Use of multi-media and bands which incorporate contemporary music styles and art to attract a new generation of youth growing up in a culture of musical performance and entertainment. 3) Relevant messaging where practical advice and personal faith stories replace “mystifying” spiritual and doctrinal teachings of the traditional church. 4) Inclusive approach to Christian faith without demands for adherence to a set of clear-cut theological doctrines.
    While these adaptations in church structure and faith practices to engage contemporary culture are not inherently problematic, the concern arises when these innovative external expressions of seeker-sensitive services have in practice inadvertently diminished the timeless truths of the gospel and supplanted inward spiritual passion and obedient discipleship. This dynamic raises important questions about the extent to which these shifts reshape the church’s spiritual identity and doctrinal continuity.

Recommended Books for Defining and Defending Inerrancy

Recommended Books for Defining and Defending Inerrancy. IAB Part 10/10

J.I Packer, Fundamentalism and the Word of God.
B.B. Warfield, The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible.
Norman Geisler, ed. Inerrancy.
John MacArthur, ed. The Scripture Cannot be Broken.
G.K. Beale, The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism.

Gleason Archer, Encyclopaedia of Bible Difficulties
Norman Geisler & Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask.
D.A. Carson, The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures

Next upload: New Video series: Genesis 1-11 and God’s Design for Humanity by Dr. Leong Tien Fock.

 

Reimagining Church and Christian Faith: An Evangelical Response

A. Missional Context
To spark interest in the recently published book, Christianity Reimagined, the following provocative questions were posed: What if you could rediscover the heart of Christianity’s spirituality – profound meaning, genuine connection, and a sense of the transcendent – without forcing yourself to accept a single belief that you just can’t? What if Christianity was never meant to be about rigid doctrines or blind belief, but about deep, transformative experiences – the kind you’ve had, the kind that truly shapes a life? These questions are designed to invite readers into the journey of reimagining Christianity for themselves.

The call to reimagine Church and Christian faith  is frequently raised by activists from a spectrum of movements that includes liberation theology, postmodern and deconstructive theology, feminist and postcolonial theology, intercultural-religious dialogue and LGBT-Queer theology. These movements seek to reinterpret and modernize Christianity in order to make it relevant to perceived modern spiritual interests and sensibilities. Therefore, attention is directed toward revising traditional doctrines and church practices that are seen as obstacles to personal authenticity and social inclusivity.

The call to reimagine the Church and Christian faith is grounded in the belief that truth claims are inherently relative and must be deconstructed and reconstructed to align with emerging communities and evolving cultural contexts. The aim of this reimagination is to cultivate a faith that resonates with the “lived experience” of spiritual seekers, and to foster a church environment that serves as a “safe space” – a concept that originated within LGBT culture in the United States during the 1970s—for individuals who feel alienated or disillusioned by traditional church structures. Continue reading “Reimagining Church and Christian Faith: An Evangelical Response”

Inerrancy and Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible. Pt.2

Inerrancy and Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible. Pt.2. KP10-IAB-09

A. Discrepancies due to copyist errors related to numbers due to copyist or scribal error. Examples: 1) Did David capture 1,700 of King Zobah’s horsemen (2 Samuel 8:4), or was it 7,000 (1 Chronicles 18:4)? 2) In 1 Sam 13:5, how were there 30,000 chariots and only 6,000 charioteers? 3) 1 Kings 4:26 – How can this verse say Solomon had 40,000 stalls when 2 Chronicles 9:25 says he had only 4,000 stalls? 4) David’s famine was seven years (2 Sam. 24:13) or three years (1 Chron. 21:12)?

B. Alleged discrepancies arising from incomplete but complementary accounts: Did Judas die by hanging himself (Matthew 27:5) or by falling headlong and bursting open with all his bowels gushing out (Acts 1:18)?

C. Proper perspective on archaeological data and alleged discrepancies (Edwin Yamauchi).

D. Lessons
1) Proper interpretation is crucial in the affirmation of inerrancy:2) Scripture is its best interpreter in canonical context. Scripture priority over fragmentary historical data.3) Inerrancy not naïve or simplistic but highly nuanced Biblical exegesis and hermeneutics must also be highly nuanced

You may view the full video at:
Inerrancy and Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible. Pt.2. 

Christological Origins of Paul’s Gospel

I. Doubts About the Authenticity of Paul’s Teachings
A common objection raised by critics of Christianity and Muslim apologists is that the apostle Paul distorted the teachings of Jesus and the apostles of the early Jewish-Christian community by importing ideas from the Greco-Roman mystery religions. These included ideas like a dying and rising god, sacramental meals of communion with patron gods, and salvation through union with a divine figure. The purpose of this paper is to refute the critics with historical and biblical evidence, and demonstrate how Paul’s gospel which was received by revelation in his encounter with the risen Christ on his way to Damascus displays consistencies with the teaching of Jesus and the apostles of the early Church.

A. The Claim of Hellenistic Influence
There are several problems with the critics’ theory that Paul was influenced by Hellenistic religions. Continue reading “Christological Origins of Paul’s Gospel”