Tools to help students understand the purpose, structure, themes, and cultural background of the book of Acts.

An introduction to the study of Revelation reviewing the book's linguistic structure, vocabulary, and variant readings, as well as differences of opinion regarding its message.

McKnight critiques various interpretive methods and suggests how students with some knowledge of Greek can benefit from different analyses.

This book is about how to know God's will through the scriptures and wisdom instead of by supposedly hearing God's voice. All my books can be read online for free at http://wayneodonnell.com. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Mt. 10:8). This booklet is included in and comprises several sections in my book “Paul’s Decision Making in Acts: Anti-Charismatic Pro-Jewish Commentary on Acts.” In 1980, Garry Friesen wrote "Decision Making and the Will of God," a book that debunked the traditional view that God leads by inward impressions into His perfect, specific will. But Bible teachers continue teach prayer is a two-way conversation; churches continue to question pastoral candidates about their ‘call’ to the ministry; and Christians continue to try to discern God’s inner voice to make decisions. Maybe it would help if we had more scholarly journal articles on the topic. Grudem. I ... categorized the articles published in three refereed evangelical journals for the last five years [before 2000]: Westminster Theological Journal, … Trinity Journal, … and … the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. Not counting book reviews, there were 257 scholarly articles [on all topics]. … [But regarding] God’s guidance in our daily lives. Zero articles. Yet some understanding of God’s guidance affects every Christian every day of his or her life! … Either Garry Friesen is right on that topic, or he’s wrong. … We should expect to see many more scholars contributing articles and books supporting and developing their viewpoints. Christians in the book of Acts made their decisions by the Word and Wisdom, not by listening for inward impressions. I would love to read an exposition of the Book of Acts that showed Paul, the other apostles, and their co-workers, making most of their decisions by listening for inward impressions, but it would require reading that doctrine into the text, rather than expositing it out of the text. Friesen. In order to arrive at the conclusion of the traditional approach [to decision-making], it is necessary to water down the biblical examples and spice up the biblical teaching. Examples [like in Acts] are watered down to be less miraculous than they really are [so we can think we’re doing them too]. Biblical teaching [like in the epistles] must be spiced up to be more specific than it really is [for example, a promise to Israel to “guide you continually” (Is. 58:11), doesn’t actually say anything about Christians being guided by ‘inward impressions’]. Paul made most of his decisions by the Word and Wisdom, not by inward impressions, and only rarely by direct revelation, even though he was the apostle on the cutting-edge of Jesus’ mission to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. Most of Paul’s decisions in Acts can be explained 17 principles he followed.

A guide to researching, writing, and preaching on the Fourth Gospel with attention to the textual, cultural, and literary contexts.

All my books can be read online for free at http://wayneodonnell.com. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Mt. 10:8).This booklet is included in and comprises one section in my book “Paul’s Decision Making in Acts: Anti-Charismatic, Pro-Jewish.” The history of the Charismatic Movement, Christian Mysticism, and the Let-Go-Let-God doctrine is the history of both misinterpreting the Bible, and also of seeking something more than the Bible. It’s about wanting to get something quick and exciting after justification and before glorification, instead of just diligently laboring using the new mind to serve and battle. Rom. 7:6, "Now ... we ... serve in newness of spirit."Rom. 8:3-9, "They that are after the flesh [all the unsaved] do mind [think about and love] the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit [all who have been justified, think about and love] the things of the Spirit [the Word]. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is hatred against God. ... So then they that are in the flesh [all the unsaved] can’t please God. But you [all who have been justified] are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Messiah [only the unsaved], he is none of his." Biblically, there’s no shortcut to sanctification. After we’re justified, we learn and labor, using the new mind, and the next event is glorification.1 Ths. 1:9, "You turned to God from idols [past spiritual justification event], to serve the living and true God [present sanctification process], and to wait for his Son from heaven [future physical glorification event]." The greatest hindrance to more complete practical sanctification, is the false doctrine of “let go and let God,” as taught by John Wesley (sinless perfectionism), Phoebe Palmer (altar theology), William Boardman (higher life), Hannah Whitall Smith (secret of a happy Christian life), the Keswick Convention (resting faith), Charles Trumbull (victorious life), and many others. As Watchman Nee (1903-1972) said, "From now on I will not do anything, I will not manage anything, and I will not be concerned about anything. From now on I will let go. Brothers and sisters, this is surrendering. This is letting go." But Jesus said, Mt. 9:38, "Pray ... the Lord ... will send forth -laborers- into his harvest."

This volume discusses various hermeneutical methods used in understanding the New Testament such as word studies, grammatical analysis, New Testament background, theological synthesis, textual criticism, and use of the Old Testament in the New.

Themelios is an international, evangelical, peer-reviewed theological journal that expounds and defends the historic Christian faith. Themelios is published three times a year online at The Gospel Coalition (http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/) and in print by Wipf and Stock. Its primary audience is theological students and pastors, though scholars read it as well. Themelios began in 1975 and was operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008. The editorial team draws participants from across the globe as editors, essayists, and reviewers. General Editor: D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Managing Editor: Brian Tabb, Bethlehem College and Seminary Consulting Editor: Michael J. Ovey, Oak Hill Theological College Administrator: Andrew David Naselli, Bethlehem College and Seminary Book Review Editors: Jerry Hwang, Singapore Bible College; Alan Thompson, Sydney Missionary & Bible College; Nathan A. Finn, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Hans Madueme, Covenant College; Dane Ortlund, Crossway; Jason Sexton, Golden Gate Baptist Seminary Editorial Board: Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School Lee Gatiss, Wales Evangelical School of Theology Paul Helseth, University of Northwestern, St. Paul Paul House, Beeson Divinity School Ken Magnuson, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Jonathan Pennington, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary James Robson, Wycliffe Hall Mark D. Thompson, Moore Theological College Paul Williamson, Moore Theological College Stephen Witmer, Pepperell Christian Fellowship Robert Yarbrough, Covenant Seminary

It was reported that a doctoral student at Princeton once asked Albert Einstein, “What is there left in the world for original dissertation research?” He replied by saying, “Find out about prayer. Somebody must find out about prayer.” Since Einstein’s day, a great deal has been written on the topic of prayer in general. However, relatively little has been written about prayer in John’s Farewell Discourse in particular. Therefore, this analysis not only seeks to understand the relationship between Johannine and Jewish, Greco-Roman, and Christian prayer traditions, but also seeks to discern the unique function and application of prayer as it is prescribed in the Farewell Discourse.