The Trinity and the Progressive Character of Revelation (Hodge)

When I was in college, I worked a side job at an auto parts store. One of my coworkers was a very committed Jehovah's Witness. We had quite a few dialogues! He denied the doctrine of the Trinity for several reasons. One reason for his denial was that he couldn't find a good proof text …

Depersonalizing the Holy Spirit, Modalism, and Worship (Horton)

Michael Horton's recent book on the Holy Spirit is quite helpful in many ways. I was re-reading the opening chapter this morning and the following paragraphs were a good reminder for me. Here they are: Even in broader Christian piety, there is a tendency to treat the Holy Spirit as a force or source of …

Doctrinal Hair-Splitting and the Early Church (Young)

I've mentioned this helpful patristics resource here before: From Nicaea to Chalcedon by Frances Young. It's a great study on some of the church fathers and their teaching (e.g. Athanasius, Basil, Cyril, and so forth). One early church leader Young discusses is Gregory Nazianzen, who is called "Gregory the Theologian."  Gregory was a defender of …

Proving the Deity of the Holy Spirit

Some cults, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, deny the historic Christian – and biblical - doctrine of the Trinity.  For example, they deny the deity of the Holy Spirit.  In light of this denial, the question is, “How do you prove the deity of the Holy Spirit?”  Geerhardus Vos gives excellent biblical answers: 1) He …

Gospel-This and Gospel-That

It probably goes without saying that in conservative evangelical circles there’s a “gospel” movement.  I mean this in a positive way: evangelicals are using phrases like “gospel-centered” this or that.  Although these types of phrases are sometimes ambiguous and somewhat trendy, I’m glad Christians are focusing on the gospel. At the same time, I wonder …