By Mike Peek

This past week in our Systematic Theology class the subject was the church. We studied: the nature of the church; the role of the church; the government and unity of the church; the initiatory rite of the church, Baptism; the continuing rite of the church, the Lord’s Supper. Today I would like to answer three questions regarding baptism: What is the meaning of baptism? Who is the subject? What is the mode? Believer’s baptism is an outward symbol of what has happened inwardly to the believer. For this reason, Romans 6:4 is often referred to during baptism. Buried in the likeness of Christ death and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. (Rom.6:4) Baptism is an outward expression or testimony of faith and commitment to Christ. Salvation is in no way dependent on baptism, but baptism completes our faith. Like James said, “But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’” (Jam.2:18) Th...

For any who are following me on this journey of going deeper into the Word of God and understand the church, today I write a brief synopsis of this past week in my Systematic Theology class. This past week was a big week, because we studied the doctrine of salvation. We studied varying concepts of salvation that exist among men. We studied the antecedent to salvation which is predestination.  We studied differing views of predestination: Calvinism, Arminianism and Karl Barth. We studied the beginning of salvation; regeneration and conversion. By conversion I mean the human response to God’s offer of salvation. There is both a negative and positive side to the human response to God’s offer of salvation; repentance is the negative side (abandonment of sin) and faith is the positive side. Regeneration is God’s work alone. Regeneration is the transformation of a human being from within. Christ referred to this as the new birth. We had an interesting class discussion on which come...

This past week we studied the Holy Spirit. As believers we are never alone, the Holy Spirit is always with us every step from conversion to glorification. It is a wonderful journey that we are all on; I liken it to the wonderful allegory, “The Pilgrim’s Progress” written by John Bunyan. All believers are on a journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are our guides. The Holy Spirit converts/regenerates, sanctifies and glorifies the believer through the Word of God. It is not clear to me the order of conversion/regeneration, but it is clear to me that sanctification follows, and glorification is to come. Therefore, we will consider conversion/regeneration together. Jesus strongly emphasized in His teaching the work of the Holy Spirit in the beginning of the Christian life. It is conversion that is humanly speaking the beginning of the Christian life and it is regeneration that is Godly speaking the beginning of the Christian lif...

This Week in my Theology II class we were asked to defend our position on the extent of the atonement. Did Jesus die for everyone or only for those who are elect? Before this discussion started I had no idea that there were so many people in my class who claim reform theology yet believe that the atonement is unlimited. This makes no since to me, because a belief that Christ’s atonement was sufficient for all, yet only efficient for the elect is called Amyraldism. In 1619 the Synod of Dort refuted Arminius’s teachings by rejecting the five articles of Remonstrance put forward by his pupils. The synod affirmed total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints as reformed soteriology. Amyraut in a short Treatise on predestination in 1634 took issue with the doctrine of limited atonement while affirming the other four.[1] Thinking in terms of the atonement as being limited or unlimited is outside of the biblical picture. I ...

The storyline of the Bible begins in the Garden of Eden where man (male and female) created in the image of God had free access to the tree of life.[1] The storyline of the Bible concludes with man once again having access to the tree of life in the Paradise of God (new heaven and new earth).[2] Man was expelled from the Garden of Eden after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; and therefore, barred from the tree of life,[3] that is until man could be reconciled to God. The mediator between God and man is the Lord Jesus Christ.[4] Jesus said, I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”[5] His coming can be seen progressively in the Old Testament covenants. Adam and Eve had broken the covenant of God, they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but God spoke of a seed who would come from the woman, and He would crush the head of the serpent.[6] The Lord God sacrificed animals to...

Meme Credit: Tim Challies "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (2Tim.4:2, NASB95) After a five week hiatus I am returning today to formal•structured•discipleship at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Therefore, I wanted to write a quick note to you this morning about what to expect from the nurse theologian during the coming year. On March 13, 2016, I wrote an article called "Depth & Breadth,"  announcing that I was beginning classes at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary working towards a Master of Theological Studies. It is my goal, Lord willing, to complete this degree at the end of this year, December, 2018. But in order for that to happen I will need to attend classes continuously, without a break, for the next 48 weeks. To balance this, every week should look like this: I plan to take off Sundays from seminary classes and my job...

The Lord’s teaching recorded in John 13-21 is amazing. It is what the apostle Paul calls "the Law of Christ." (Cf. 1 Cor. 9:21 & Gal.6:2) “The Law of Christ" is sacrificial love for the sake of the other. Jesus commandment is that we love one another just as He loved us. (Jn.13:34, 15:12,17) Jesus’ command to His disciples, to love one another, is bracketed by two amazing examples: First, He their teacher and Lord washed their feet. (Jn.13:13) Second, Jesus laid down His life for His disciples. (Jn.15:13) Talk about making your point! When Jesus had been raised from the dead He commissioned them to go into the world just as the Father had sent Him. (Jn.20:21) In a video interview, Dr. Jason G. Duesing, the provost at Midwestern Baptist Seminary referred to seminary as "formal•structured•discipleship." 1 In the early church, all Christians were expected to attend "formal•structured•discipleship." In an article written by Dr. Duesing, a rev...