11Jul 2022 by Post

Is the Law of First Mention a Proper Biblical Hermeneutic?

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Bible interpretation, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Gospel, Hermeneutic, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Brian Chilton Recently, Curtis Evelo (Bellator Christi Podcast co-host) told me about a conversation he had with an individual about biblical interpretation. Apparently, the individual held that the wine that Jesus miraculously brought forth out of water in John 4 was merely unfermented grape juice. When asked why he held this view, he contended that to hold that the wine held fermented content was to argue that Jesus was a sinner because wine is said to be a mocker in Proverbs 20:1. Curtis asked him what this had to do with Jesus’s miraculous transformation of water into wine. The unnamed individual then said that he used the law of first mention. According to the law of first mention, the interpreter first examines the initial place where the term or…
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24Jun 2022 by Post

La duda emocional y cómo combatirla

Apologética, Apologética cristiana, Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Cristianismo, Cristianos, Duda emocional, Dudas, Español, Preguntas sobre la fe
Por Brian Chilton En una clase reciente en la Universidad Liberty, se observó que  el 80% de las dudas de una persona no se derivan  de problemas intelectuales con el cristianismo, sino más bien de la duda emocional. La duda emocional es un problema para todas las  personas, pero parece ser un concepto más difícil de combatir para los hombres. La razón es que la mayoría de los hombres se abstienen de hablar de sus emociones. Muchos suprimen la duda emocional y la ignoran. Sin embargo, estas acciones no eliminan la duda. La duda emocional puede tratar cuestiones relacionadas a  la pérdida de un ser querido, una oración sin respuesta o frustraciones en la vida por las cuales uno culpa a Dios. Curiosamente, la duda emocional puede combatirse con una…
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05Nov 2021 by Post

Cómo la comprensión de la omnisciencia divina ayuda a la ansiedad

Ansiedad, Apologética, Atributos de Dios, Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Cristianismo, Cristianos, Dios, Español, Jesucristo, Omniciencia de Dios, Teología, Vida cristiana
Por Brian Chilton Aunque la apologética es uno de los principales objetivos de mi vida, sólo se ve eclipsada por el amor a la teología. Soy un tipo de visión general. Por eso la teología sistemática siempre me ha intrigado. La teología sistemática examina los principales temas de las Escrituras y los organiza en patrones y estructuras. Se podría decir que me he vuelto un poco loco con mis estudios teológicos. Mientras que tengo más de 18 horas de posgrado en apologética, estudios bíblicos e historia de la iglesia; tendré más de 30 horas en estudios de posgrado de teología para cuando termine mi doctorado. Se podría decir que me gusta un poco la teología. Otro aspecto de mi vida que es importante señalar para este artículo es que también…
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19Aug 2020 by Post

Don’t Lose the Person When Winning an Argument

Apologetics, apologist, argument, Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Evangelism, Gospel, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Winning an Argument
By Brian Chilton 1 Peter 3:15 is a classic prooftext for the defender of the faith, otherwise known as the Christian apologist. Peter writes, “But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15). While this verse is imperative to the modern Christian, we must also remember the next verse where Peter states, “Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame” (1 Pet. 3:16). Peter emphasizes how a Christian does apologetics as much as he stresses the need for apologetics. Many times,…
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25Jul 2020 by Post

God is the Good

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Bible, Brian Chilton, Christianity, God, God is the Good, Good, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Brian Chilton At our church, we often say, “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.” But do we really contemplate what that means? What is the good? What does it mean to say that God is good? Around 420 BC, the famed Greek philosopher Socrates conversed with a gentleman named Glaucon about the nature of goodness and justice. Socrates held that an objective standard of the Good existed which transcends personal opinion and belief. Plato, Socrates’s student, analyzed their conversation in his book The Republic. Plato likened the Good to the sun as both provided individuals clarity of sight. As the sun allows one to see in the visible realm, the Good allows one to see in the realm of rationality and metaphysical truths. Like…
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27Jun 2020 by Post

Society in the Hands of an Angry God

Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Culture, forgiveness, God, Grace, Jonathan Edwards, Judgment, looting, men, Riots, Sin, Sinners, society, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards, famed pastor and theologian of colonial America, delivered one of his most famed messages of all-time at a church in Enfield, Connecticut. The title of his message was “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Using Deuteronomy 32:35 as his text, Edwards argued that sinners are kept in the hands of God. Their sin pulls them to hell, whereas God tries to save them from their awful fate in hell. Using vivid language and descriptive adjectives, Edwards notes that the normal state of humanity leads toward destruction. That is, if humanity is left to its own devices, human beings drag themselves to hell. Three important truths are found in Edwards’s classic declaration. The weight of our sin drags us toward destruction. Edwards writes,…
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25Apr 2020 by Post

What COVID-19 Reveals About Us: Four Categories of People Surfaced from the Pandemic

Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Christians, COVID-19, Culture, life, society, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Brian Chilton COVID-19 has brought great panic across the globe due to the rapidity of its transmission and the danger it poses to seniors and those with compromised immune systems. However, COVID-19 has done more than just bring panic. It has also catalyzed several truths about American people, revealing a more troubling underbelly of the American way of life. COVID-19 may prove to be a sociologist’s dream as it has shown what we as American people are like, what we are truly like when a crisis transpires. Because of the virus, comments on social media reveal four types of responses to the COVID-19 crisis. The comments begin to repeat over time. From the overlapping discussions, we can discover four categories of people. As a caveat, this information merely comes…
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17Feb 2020 by Post

The Impact of Divine Omnipresence to a Believer’s Life and Beyond

Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Christians, God Omnipresence, Omnipresence, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Brian Chilton While God used apologetics to bring me back to faith, God uses theology to humble, awe, and comfort me before his amazing presence. Theology is a passion of mine. My resume will show how much I love theology. As I mentioned in a previous post, I realized that schools hiring teachers desire applicants to possess 18 hours of graduate study in a chosen field. Curious as to what hours I held, I began to investigate how many hours I possess in different fields. I realized that by the time I finish my Ph.D., I will carry 30 hours of theological study. I guess you could call me an overachiever. I certainly don’t say this to sound braggadocios. I merely mention this to note the great impact theology…
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27Jan 2020 by Post

How Understanding Divine Omniscience Helps Anxiety

Anxiety, Bellator Christi, Bible, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Christians, God, God's knowledge, God's omniscience, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Brian Chilton While apologetics is a major focus in my life, it is only eclipsed by a love for theology. I am a big picture kind of guy. That’s why systematic theology has always intrigued me. Systematic theology examines the major themes of Scripture and organizes those themes into patterns and structures. One could say that I went a little crazy with my theological studies. While I have over 18 graduate hours in apologetics, biblical studies, and church history; I will have over 30 hours in graduate-level studies of theology by the time I finish my Ph.D. So, yeah. You could say that I like theology a little bit. Another aspect of my life that is important to note for the sake of this article is that I also…
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11Jan 2020 by Post

How Jeremiah 29:11 is Far Better When You Properly Interpret It

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Bible, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 29:11, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Brian Chilton Certain verses in the Bible have become so popularized that they are often removed from their context. In so doing, the biblical passage loses the impact that it holds. Worse yet, the text may be given a message that it never intended to carry. Jeremiah 29:11 is one such example. The verse is a promise of God which states, “For I know the plans I have for you’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jer. 29:11, CSB). The verse has been often misapplied as it has become a staple for graduation Hallmark cards, plaques, and knick-knacks. For some, the verse holds a promise that God will never allow the person to suffer bad experiences or…
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