Phil Gons – Bible Tech

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Show Offscreen ContentSearch this website Hide Offscreen ContentWatch The Gospel of John Movie for FreeApril 4, 2021 by Phil Gons The Gospel of John (2003) is my all-time favorite Bible movie. It’s a 3-hour dramatic presentation of the text of John’s Gospel almost verbatim1 from the Good News Bible (also known as the Good New Translation and Today’s English Version). It’s unusually high quality for Christian cinematic productions, and you can’t get much more faithful than the words of Scripture. It also helps that John’s Gospel is my favorite portrayal of the life of Jesus.We used to watch it over the Good Friday / Resurrection Sunday weekend back when DVDs where still a thing. I just learned this week that it’s available for free as The Life of Jesus on YouTube. It’s also available with Amazon Prime both as The Gospel of John and as The Life of Jesus.The Gospel of John as The Life of Jesus on YouTubeWe watched portions of it earlier this week, and we’re planning to watch the whole thing this afternoon as a family and make it part of our annual Holy Week celebration again.I highly recommend it to you. When you watch it, keep a Bible close by. I can guarantee you’re going to ask on multiple occasions, “Is that in the Bible?” There’s something about seeing Scripture acted out that makes details stand out you might otherwise gloss over and miss.He is risen!They occasionally substitute a word for a synonym and drop the “and ______ said” before someone speaks. I don’t think they add anything that’s not in the text of John’s Gospel. [ ]Filed Under: Reviews, Videos Tagged With: Good Friday, Holy Week, movies, Resurrection Sunday, The Gospel of John, The Life of Jesus5 Ways You Shouldn’t Try to Be Like JesusFebruary 21, 2021 by Phil Gons One of the most common ways people relate to Jesus is by seeing him as an example to follow. This idea is captured in the popular modern phrase “What would Jesus do?” or in the acronym WWJD. Even many non-Christians recognize Jesus as a positive moral example. While it’s not the primary way we should relate to Jesus—relating to him as creator, sustainer, and redeemer is—following his example is thoroughly biblical.However, I recently had a discussion with some who said something like this: “I’m a follower of Jesus. If Jesus obeyed the law, then so will I.” While it sounds biblical on the surface, it’s misguided. In this post, I’d like to briefly survey what the Bible teaches about being like Jesus and then offer some cautions against an overly simplistic approach to trying to be like Jesus, where we try to follow him in ways we were never meant to. Those who reason this way have the best of intentions, but rather than honor Jesus they may dishonor him.Table of ContentsThe Call to Be Like JesusBe Like JesusBe Like GodBe Like Other BelieversWays We Shouldn’t Try to Be Like Jesus1. As the supernatural, divine, unique Son of God2. As the promised Messiah3. As the Savior of the world4. As the sinless last Adam5. As the ultimate Old Covenant believerConclusionThe Call to Be Like JesusThe Bible is full of explicit and implicit, direct and indirect, calls to be like Jesus.Be Like JesusJesus and the apostles call Christians to be like Jesus in his selflessness, humility, service, love for others, purity, and willingness to suffer.Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.John 13:14–17“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”John 13:34–35John 13:34[Read more ] about 5 Ways You Shouldn’t Try to Be Like JesusFiled Under: Theology Tagged With: being like Jesus, theosis, union with Christ, what would Jesus do, WWJDHow Do Love for God and Love for Others Relate? The Two Greatest Commands as One?January 18, 2021 by Phil Gons The Bible is full of commands to love God and love others. Jesus called these the two greatest commands.“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”Matthew 22:36–40Matthew 22:37–38: The Greatest CommandmentSo, one answer to the first question posed in the title of this post is that they occupy the #1 and #2 spots in a prioritized list of the most important commands in the Old Testament. While that’s true, there’s more to discover about the relationship between loving God and loving neighbor.But before we suggest other answers, let’s look at how the two greatest commands relate to the Ten Commandments or the Decalog.Table of ContentsThe Ten CommandmentsLove GodLove OthersTwo Commands or One?Romans 13Galatians 5The Golden RuleRelating Love for God and Love for Neighbor1. Love for Others as Love for God in JohnLove for God and Obeying GodOld TestamentNew TestamentGod’s Command to Love OthersJohn 21:15–171 John 5:2–32 John 6ConclusionThe Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments (referred to as such only in Exod 34:28; Deut 4:13; 10:4) are recorded in Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. They were written—twice—on the front and back (Exod 32:15) of two tablets of stone (Exod 31:18; 32:15; 34:1, 4, 29; Deut 4:13; 5:22; 9:10, 11, 15, 17; 10:1, 3; 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chr 5:10) by the finger of God (Exod 31:18; Deut 9:10).Opinions vary on (a) how to divide them into ten (e.g., merge 1 and 2, divide 10), (b) how to group them (e.g., 1–4 and 5–10 or 1–5 and 6–10), and (c) how they were recorded on the two stone tablets (e.g., half on each, all on both). I won’t get into those details here, since they’re not relevant to the topic of this post. David Baker’s “Ten Commandments, Two Tablets: The Shape of the Decalogue” (Themelios 30, no. 3) covers the issues well, and I commend it to you.[Read more ] about How Do Love for God and Love for Others Relate? The Two Greatest Commands as One?Filed Under: Exegesis, Theology Tagged With: love, love for God, love for neighborThe New Testament Ethic of LoveJanuary 12, 2021 by Phil Gons What is the New Testament all about? If I were to ask this question to my three-year-old son during our family Bible time, he’d answer, “God,” followed by “Jesus.” He’s usually right! And he wouldn’t be wrong in this case, either. There are many good candidates for the central idea of the New Testament. God, Jesus, the Spirit, the gospel, the kingdom, the church, fulfillment, salvation, grace, faith, and love all come to mind. A true theme statement for the New Testament, however, would include many of these concepts.But what if we narrow our scope to the ethic of the New Testament? An ethic is a set of moral principles. That’s much easier to capture in a single word. No better candidate exists than love.1 John 4:19 Verse Art from FaithlifeTable of ContentsThe Primacy of LoveJohn 131 Corinthians 131 Corinthians 16:14Romans 13 and Galatians 5Fruit of the SpiritColossians 31 Peter 4The Meaning of LoveLike Father, Like SonThe Father’s LoveThe Son’s LoveThe Spirit as LoveThe Golden Rule1 Corinthians 13Love in 1 2 JohnThe Commands to LoveThe Objects of LoveThe Source of LoveAn Appeal to LoveThe Primacy of LoveSeveral texts position love at the center of the New Testament’s ethic.John 13Jesus gives his disciples a new command: we must love one another as Jesus has loved us. As Jesus was known by love, so, too, must we be. Love is the defining characteristic of followers of Jesus.A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.John 13:34–351 Corinthians 13Paul ranks love as the greatest of the triad of faith, hope, and love in the famous love chapter.And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13:131 Corinthians 16:14Paul also identifies love as the governing virtue for all of life.Do everything in love.1 Corinthians 16:14Romans 13 and Galatians 5In Romans and Galatians Paul sees the command to love others as summing up and fulfilling everything the Mosaic Law required.Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.Romans 13:8–10You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.Galatians 5:13–15Fruit of the SpiritPaul also lists love as the first evidence of the Spirit’s presence.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.Galatians 5:22–26 (Cf. Romans 5:5)Colossians 3Paul calls Christians to put on love “over all” (ἐπὶ πᾶσιν) the other virtues.Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.Colossians 3:12–141 Peter 4Peter places love at the top of the list of Christian duties.The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.1 Peter 4:7–11So, love for others clearly plays a special role in the church’s ethic. It’s the primary visible marker of the true people of God and evidence of the presence of the Spirit. It’s the summation and culmination of the law. It’s our highest duty to one another. It’s the new way of life for God’s people.1The Meaning of LoveBut what does love look like? How do we know if we have it, if we’re doing it?[Read more ] about The New Testament Ethic of LoveSee also Rom 14:19; cf. 14:15; 1 Cor 12:31; 14:1; 1 Th 5:15. [ ]Filed Under: Exegesis, Theology Tagged With: ethic, love, New TestamentWhy Did God Harden Pharaoh’s Heart? A Case for Divine UltimacyJanuary 3, 2021 by Phil Gons Every Sunday school child knows the story of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt. It contains all the elements that make a good flannelgraph or picture-book story—or even a Hollywood movie. It’s one of the most powerful and dramatic stories in the Bible. But it’s much more than a children’s story. It’s central in the Bible’s storyline, and it’s rich with deep theology and plays a vital role in our understanding of several important doctrines.In this post I’d like to look at the relevance of the Exodus story for our understanding of God’s sovereignty, particularly as it relates to his work of hardening the hearts of sinners.The Egyptians Drowning in the Red Sea by Antonio TempestaTable of ContentsWas Pharaoh’s Hardening Merely Punishment for His Self-Hardening?1. Exodus 3:19 governs the narrative and presents Pharaoh as acting first and God as responding to his rebellion.2. The flow of the narrative places Pharaoh’s self-hardening before God’s further hardening.3. God’s justice demands that his hardening be in response to human hardening.Seven Reasons God’s Will Was Ultimate in Pharaoh’s Hardening1. The instances of Pharaoh’s self-hardening are stated fulfillments of God’s promise to harden Pharaoh’s heart.PromiseFulfillment2. Exodus 9:33–10:2 demonstrates that the three expressions of hardening are not mutually exclusive.3. Exodus 11:9 attaches God’s purpose andPharaoh’s hardeningin a way that requires God to be the ultimate cause.4. Exodus 9:16 roots Pharaoh’s hardening in God’s eternal plan to pursue his own glory.God’s IdentityGod’s Signs and WondersGod’s Glory5. Paul interprets God’s hardening of Pharaoh as ultimately rooted in God’s free and sovereign will.6. The other examples of divine hardening support this view.HardeningAlternate Expressions7. This interpretation better fits the tenor of the many passages on God’s comprehensive sovereignty.Was Pharaoh’s Hardening Merely Punishment for His Self-Hardening?Some interpreters argue that God’s hardening was solely a response to Pharaoh’s prior free self-hardening. According to this view, the ultimate reason God hardened Pharaoh’s heart was that Pharaoh first hardened his own heart. God’s hardening was reactive and judicial. Pharaoh repeatedly hardened his heart. God responded with further hardening. If Pharaoh had chosen otherwise—and he could have—then God wouldn’t have hardened his heart.This view seems to have some basis in the text. Layton Talbert makes a good argument for it in Not by Chance: Learning to Trust a Sovereign God, 86–94.Those who defend it often use some form of these three arguments:Exodus 3:19 governs the narrative and presents Pharaoh as acting first and God as acting in response.The general flow of the narrative presents Pharaoh’s self-hardening mainly at the beginning and God’s hardening mainly at the end.God’s justice requires that his hardening be responsive to Pharaoh’s self-hardening.Let’s look briefly at each.[Read more ] about Why Did God Harden Pharaoh’s Heart? A Case for Divine UltimacyFiled Under: Exegesis, Theology Tagged With: Exodus, hardening, PharaohDid John Use Bad Grammar to Teach the Holy Spirit’s Personality?January 8, 2015 by Phil Gons Does the Bible present the Holy Spirit as a person, distinct from the Father and the Son? Yes. Did John use the masculine demonstrative pronoun ἐκεῖνος (instead of the neuter ἐκεῖνο) inJohn 14:26, 15:26, and 16:13–14 to make that point?An impressive list of people answersyes.But Andy Naselli and I argue they re wrong in “Prooftexting the Personality of the Holy Spirit: An Analysis of the Masculine Demonstrative Pronouns in John 14:26, 15:26, and 16:13–14,” Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal16 (2011): 65–89.Here s the outline:IntroductionThe ArgumentAdherents of the ArgumentA CounterargumentAdherents of the CounterargumentObjections to the CounterargumentConclusionHere s our introduction:[Read more ] about Did John Use Bad Grammar to Teach the Holy Spirit’s Personality?Filed Under: Exegesis, Theology Tagged With: Andy Naselli, Holy Spirit, personality, TrinityOne God in Three Persons: Unity of Essence, Distinction of Persons, Implications for LifeAugust 25, 2014 by Phil Gons I am excited to point out a new book from Crossway that tackles some of the issues facing the doctrine of the Trinity today: One God in Three Persons: Unity of Essence, Distinction of Persons, Implications for Life. I had the privilege of contributing a chapter with my good friend Andy Naselli. Our chapter, “An Examination of Three Recent Philosophical Arguments against Hierarchy in the Immanent Trinity,” evaluates some of the philosophical arguments against the notion of hierarchy in the immanent Trinity and finds them unpersuasive.Here’s the book’s description:How do the three persons of the Trinity relate to each other? Evangelicals continue to debate this complex concept—especially its implications for our understanding of men and women’s roles in both the home and the church. Offering a comprehensive exposition of the complementarian perspective, this book combines the insights of fifteen prominent evangelical scholars1 who examine the issue from exegetical, theological, historical, and pastoral perspectives. The contributors to this volume have written one of the most substantive treatises to date, defending the eternal submission of the Son and Spirit to the Father with a wide array of persuasive evidences.Bruce Ware and John Starke edited the volume, and eleven others—Wayne Grudem, Jim Hamilton, Scott Oliphint, Michael Haykin, Jeffrey Robinson, Robert Letham, Michael Ovey, Andy Naselli, Chris Cowan, Kyle Claunch, and I—contributed chapters.[Read more ] about One God in Three Persons: Unity of Essence, Distinction of Persons, Implications for LifeI count only thirteen. I m not sure who numbers fourteen and fifteen are. And prominent evangelical scholars is probably an overstatement, especially since it would seem to include me. [ ]Filed Under: Books Tagged With: TrinityRob Bell and Andrew Wilson Discuss Homosexuality and the BibleMay 7, 2013 by Phil Gons Or perhaps I should have titled that Rob Bell Discusses Homosexuality and Andrew Wilson Discusses the Bible, because there was a disturbing lack of Bible in Rob Bell s answers and arguments. Instead, Rob argued along these lines (and I m paraphrasing):People don t like Christianity. Therefore, we should change the parts they don t like.The modern world affirms homosexuality. Therefore, we should too.Monogamous homosexuals aren t hurting anyone. Therefore, they re not sinful.Monogamy is better than promiscuity because the latter is dangerous and destructive.Because homosexuals want to share their lives with each other, they should be able to.I wasn t familiar with Andrew Wilson prior to watching this video, but I appreciate the way he interacted with Rob. He was direct, logical, kind, persistent, and uncompromising.Watch it for yourself.[Read more ] about Rob Bell and Andrew Wilson Discuss Homosexuality and the BibleFiled Under: Theology Tagged With: Andrew Wilson, Chris Broussard, homosexuality, Jason Collins, Rob Bell, videoGo to page 1Go to page 2Go to page 3Interim pages omitted Go to page 34Go to Next Page FooterTop PostsDoes Matthew 5:48 Require Sinless Perfection? OpenLibrary.org: “Every Book Ever Published” The Doctrine of the Trinity in Five Theses Daily Justification? MS Word Tip: How to Replace Hyphens with En Dashes How Do Love for God and Love for Others Relate? The Two Greatest Commands as One? The Failed Strategy of Trinity Subordinationism Is There Regret in Heaven? Luther on the Necessity of Good Works When Was Abraham Justified? Part 1 About MeFollower of Jesus, husband of my best friend, father of four wonderful children, VP GM of Bible Study Products at Faithlife, PhD (ABD) in Theology from BJU, lifelong student of the Bible, technophile. More about me . . .Follow Me

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