Revelation: Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament
Sigve K. Tonstad, a prolific Adventist scholar of Norwegian origin, has published a number of books and scholarly articles in different areas. His published dissertation has positioned him well to write a commentary on the book of Revelation. Tonstad’s major interest lies in theological interpretation of biblical texts, which features prominently in all of his…
Read MoreThe Law of the Spirit of Life
What is “the law of the Spirit of life” spoken about by Paul in Romans 8:2?
Read MoreOne Tree, Two Branches
What is the meaning of the statement “And so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26)? The phrase has been interpreted in different ways. For some, the reference is to the whole nation of Israel; or the nation as a whole but not each individual; or to all the Jews who are alive in the…
Read MoreThe Sweet Smell of Salvation
Incense was burned for several reasons in the tabernacle. Since incense was mainly a powder, fire was needed to release its fragrance. The altar of incense, placed before the veil that separated the holy place from the Most Holy Place, provided a place to burn incense. It was approximately a half meter (1.5 feet) wide,…
Read MoreBetter Than a Brother
The title “redeemer,” as well as the verbs usually translated “to redeem,” are theologically rich. Here we can deal only with the title and its significance. Redemption is primarily a legal term. The redeemer (Heb. go’el) is usually associated with the closest relative of a person (“an uncle or a cousin or any blood relative” [Lev.…
Read MoreEssential Salvation
Let’s carefully examine Acts 15 to understand the problem faced by the nascent Christian church, then pay close attention to the decree itself. The context of the passage is always the safest guide for interpreting it.
Read MoreWho’s Responsible?
Why does Paul say that sin came into the world through Adam, when Eve was the first one to sin?
Read MoreWill rebellion and sin rise up again?
The question you’re asking is not as simple as it appears. If the answer is no, then we would have to deal with the question of the freedom of the creature. If the answer is yes, then the sacrifice of Christ would not have been powerful enough to deal with sin once and for all.
Read MoreFreedom to Choose
I cannot answer your three questions in this short column. In fact, the topics of the effect of sin on us and the nature of free will have been studied and discussed for centuries, with no unanimity of thinking. I will share some thoughts to stimulate your thinking. Let me begin with a paradox: The…
Read MoreThe Law and the Gospel
God’s law is very concise, yet all-encompassing. The Ten Commandments as found in Exodus 20 contain about 320 words, depending on the translation, whereas a law of the European Community dealing with the import of caramel products contains 26,911 words. The problem today is with people’s attitude toward the law. There are two extremes: rejection…
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