Every now and then, a book comes along that is a must-read. It completely changes the way you think. It changes your attitude towards God. It changes your behaviour. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges is such a book—a must-read for all Christians. (more…)
Archives: martin-pakula
Is the gospel still first for the Jew?
With so much gospel need in the world today, it can be hard to know where to begin. But, as Martin Pakula argues, the Bible makes it very clear: mission starts with the Jews.
There are a billion Chinese people in the world, more than a billion Indians and a billion Muslims. There are also many courses, books and seminars on how to reach them, and the church is right to make mission to them a high priority. In contrast, there are only 14 million Jews in the world. Evangelical Christians may be convinced that Jewish people need to hear and believe the gospel. But when we do the math, Jewish mission often falls at the end of the queue. Well, not if you believe your Bible! (more…)
Who is a Jew?
Who is a Jew? And why does this distinction still matter? Martin Pakula investigates. (more…)
The theology of the Promised Land
The Land of Promise: Biblical, Theological and Contemporary Perspectives
Philip Johnston & Peter Walker (eds)
IVP, 2001, 240 pp.
The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is constantly in our headlines. To whom should the land belong? What does the Bible say? The promised land is a difficult issue. There is much said about it in the Old Testament, but very little in the New Testament. Why is that?
The secret meaning of Passover
As a Jewish Christian I have often been asked by churches at Easter to speak about the Jewish Passover or to perform a demonstration of one. Churches seem fascinated by it. It looks like it would be helpful background to understanding the Last Supper and therefore Jesus’ death.
Making Jews jealous: another look at Romans 9-11
Life
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he says that he is not “ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Rom 1:16). In what sense is the gospel “first for the Jew”? What does this mean for Christians today?