Dan Lee
1 Timothy 1:1-7, Focused and Undistracted

The burden that drove Paul to write First Timothy was the distractions that could steer the church away from God’s purpose for her, namely, the administration of God which is by faith, the love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Paul opens his letter with a strong appeal to his authority to ensure that Timothy understood the gravity of the issues at hand and that the church would receive Timothy’s leadership in this matter. In this passage, we find four strong encouragements to guide us away from the thousand termites that can eat away at our own walk with the Lord and the maturation of God’s church: 1) avoid speculative ideas, 2) understand our stewardship, 3) pursue godliness, and 4) exude holy love.

Dan Lee
Deut. 30:11-14, Bibliology: The Clarity of ...

As one preacher once put it: “The main things in Scripture are the plain things, and the plain things in Scripture are the main things.” This is indeed Scripture’s claim about itself, that the word of God is understandable in its gospel call to the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ and repentance from sin. But this is a very nuanced doctrine. Four such nuances are explored here: progress, study, Spirit, and limitation. May we all continually grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18).

Dan Lee
2 Tim. 3:14-4:5, Bibliology: The Sufficiency of ...

Scripture is sufficient for all the matters about which it speaks. This means the Bible is all we need to do all that God desires for us to do, i.e., what we must believe and how we are to live before God. No other source of special revelation for faith and life is needed in addition to the Bible. Whether it is for salvation, personal godliness, or the life and ministry of the church, Scripture is what God has chosen to give us and it is enough. Were we to ask what books make up these sufficient Scriptures, we heartily answer, the Old Testament Jesus affirmed and the New Testament Jesus authorized, these 39 and 27 books of the two testaments are the word of God, and no more.

Dan Lee
1 Cor. 15:20-26, 50-57, Our Victory in Christ

No man is a match for death and its sting, because we all descend from Adam. But God has provided another man, “the last Adam” who unlike the first gives life (v45), not takes away life. Indeed, all who are “Christ’s” will like Him be raised from the dead when He comes (v23). Christ is the firstfruits, and we the harvest after Him (v20). All who are one with Christ by faith share in His victory over death. This victory culminates when death itself is destroyed and the imperishable kingdom of God commences. It is for that eternal dwelling place that the Lord will fit us at glorification.

Dan Lee
Psalm 119:160, Bibliology: The Inerrancy of ...

The Bible is inerrant. This has always been the conviction of believers throughout the ages until the 18th century Enlightenment when audacious attacks were mounted against Scripture. In this study of the doctrine of inerrancy, we examine the biblical basis for inerrancy, its history that culminated with the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, its clarification given by that statement, and the dangers of holding to an errantist view of Scripture.

Easter

1 Cor. 15:20-26, 50-57, Our Victory in Christ

No man is a match for death and its sting, because we all descend from Adam. But God has provided another man, “the last Adam” who unlike the first gives life (v45), not takes away life. Indeed, all who are “Christ’s” will like Him be raised from the dead when He comes (v23). Christ is the firstfruits, and we the harvest after Him (v20). All who are one with Christ by faith share in His victory over death. This victory culminates when death itself is destroyed and the imperishable kingdom of God commences. It is for that eternal dwelling place that the Lord will fit us at glorification.

1 Cor. 15:12-24, We Too Will Rise

As Christ arose, so the people of God will also rise unto life eternal in glory. This great hope of the Christian faith is an essential and foundational doctrine of the gospel. Paul brings this into sharp focus in this text as he refutes the false teaching in Corinth that denied the resurrection of the dead. He further points out the implication of the resurrection, namely, the coming kingdom of God which is the Son’s intra-trinitarian love gift to the Father. May the Lord encourage our hearts to live life propelled by this resurrection reality and hope and with eternity and the kingdom of God in our hearts.

Matthew 28:16-20, What the Risen Lord wants for His world [Part 3]

The Lord has risen from the dead in glory and power. What comes next? From the Lord’s own mouth, we hear the Lord’s post-resurrection desire for the world: discipleship of all of His world. In this third installment we examine the four part definition of discipleship that the Lord gives us: baptism, trinity, obedience and His presence.

Matthew 28:1-20, What the Risen Lord wants for His world [Part 2]

The Lord has risen from the dead in glory and power. What comes next? From the Lord’s own mouth, we hear the Lord’s post-resurrection desire for the world: discipleship of all of His world. In this first installment we examine the first 15 verses of this final chapter of Matthew and see the three part confirmation of Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead: via the angelic announcement, the Lord’s appearance, and the Jewish leaders’ cover-up which ends up only confirming the empty tomb.

Matthew 28:1-20, What the Risen Lord wants for His world [Part 1]

The Lord has risen from the dead in glory and power. What comes next? From the Lord’s own mouth, we hear the Lord’s post-resurrection desire for the world: discipleship of all of His world. In this first installment we examine the first 15 verses of this final chapter of Matthew and see the three part confirmation of Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead: via the angelic announcement, the Lord’s appearance, and the Jewish leaders’ cover-up which ends up only confirming the empty tomb.