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jnelson has written 71 articles so far, you can find them below.

What is Your Knowledge of the Bible? Part 2

Filed under Bible by Jerry Nelson on July 20, 2011 at 11:33 pm {4 comments}

Bible and Theology Audit

Over the next few weeks we will provide questions from an audit originally prepared by the Ligonier Study Center. There will be Old Testament questions, New Testament questions and theology questions.

Whatever your audit results indicate, consider them positively as a new beginning point from which you can grow in the knowledge and understanding of the faith.

What is Your Knowledge of the Bible? Part 2

We began a Bible knowledge audit on July 12; you can see the previous sections farther below. We begin at question 13 today. Test your memory (not your salvation) by trying to answer the questions; you can get your results immediately.

What is your knowledge of the Bible?

Filed under Bible by Jerry Nelson on July 12, 2011 at 5:53 pm {2 comments}

Bible and Theology Audit

The purpose of this closed-Bible exam is to give you an idea of the breadth and depth of your knowledge of the Bible; it is NOT a test of your relationship with Jesus. Some of the questions may be challenging to you but our ultimate intention is to encourage you in the pursuit of lifelong Christian education. Whatever your audit results indicate, consider them positively as a new beginning point from which you can grow in the knowledge and understanding of the faith.

Please go to What is your knowledge of the Bible? to view the quiz

The Glory of God

Filed under Uncategorized by Jerry Nelson on June 21, 2011 at 3:17 pm {no comments}

The Glory of God

Charles Spurgeon commenting on the glory of God as seen in creation used several word pictures to capture it. He uses the image of a balance scale, the pans on chains where weights are put on one side and then the commodity being measured is on the other side. At another point he speaks of human beings as mirrors created to reflect the image of God. At still another point he pictures the earth as a freight wagon with wheels and axles. Read his picturesque words several times to capture the emotion of praise.

“Yon Alps, that lift their heads above the clouds, and hold familiar converse with the stars, are dust at which the balance trembleth not compared with this divine immensity.

The snow crowned summits fail to set him forth who dwelleth in Eternity and bears alone the name of High and Lofty One. Depths unfathomed are too shallow to express the wisdom and the knowledge of the Lord. The mirror of the creatures has no space to bear the image of the infinite. ‘Tis true the Lord has fairly writ his name and set his seal upon the creatures brow but as the skillful potter much excels the vessel which he fashions upon the wheel, ev’n so, but in proportion greater far, Jehovah’s self transcends His noblest works. Earth’s ponderous wheels would beak, her axles snap, if freighted with load of Deity. Space is too narrow for the External’s rest, And time to short a footstool for his throne. Even avalanche and thunder lack a voice to utter the full volume of his praise. How then can I declare Him! Where are words with which my glowing tongue may speak his name! Silent I bow and humbly I adore. (Spurgeon , Treasury of David, vol1 p80)

Marriage – God’s School of Sanctification

Filed under Marriage by Jerry Nelson on May 29, 2011 at 2:59 am {no comments}

Long-married love puts the lie to pop-culture’s glorification of “young love.” How often does divorce truncate one of God’s better methods of sanctification? Susan Andrews’ Illusion beautifully describes one of the potential values of a long marriage.

Love is moonlight,

And marriage is daylight,

And none of us stands the exposure too well;

And most of us long to go back to the moonlight –

Dear nights of moonlight that cast such a spell.

Love is starlight

And marriage is sunlight,

Hurting our eyes with the glare and the heat;

And most of us long to go back to the starlight –

Dear silver starlight when love is so sweet.

Love is dreaming,

But marriage is living,

And tolerance teaches a way to be blind;

And daylight and sunlight seem moonlight and starlight –

After the years teach us how to be kind.

Found on p9 in May/June, 2011 TOUCHSTONE

Worth considering:

“They were not making marriage but being made by it…making them fit together, fit to be together.” (Wendell Berry’s Remembering)

Reading List and Bible Study Resources

Filed under Resources by Jerry Nelson on May 21, 2011 at 2:16 pm {no comments}

Dr. Jerry Nelson

Bible Software: I highly recommend “Logos.” Many software packages come with commentaries and other devotional works as part of the package. A reader should note that the other materials are not necessarily theologically sound. Instead of uncritically reading such commentaries, it is probably better to select authors you are more likely to trust.

Word Study Books: I don’t recommend any particular word-study books. Word studies have limited value because the biblical context is the primary source of meaning. (See Scripture/Interpretation books listed below.) Electronic Bible software will allow you to see how specific words are used elsewhere in the Bible (see Bible Software above).

On-line Sites: Monergism.com (The best site I know for commentary on specific biblical passages and papers on theology, etc. Desiringgod.org (Many good resources but best known for Piper’s sermons on many passages of Scripture). Cyberhymnal.org or Nethymnal.org (trying to find a song that you almost know the words to). thegospelcoalition.org/resources/topic-index/a/221636# (Excellent resource for articles and commentaries on subjects and Bible texts – these are authors and preachers I largely trust). Biblegateway.com (searchable Bible; some commentaries) Brainyquote.com (When you need to find the source of a quote you almost remember). www.soundliving.org (my website of sermons and articles)

Scholarly authors I trust:

Older: Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, J.C. Ryle, A.W. Pink, John Owens,

Contemporary: D.A. Carson, John Piper, Craig Blomberg, Gordon H. Clark, J.I. Packer, James M. Boice, Timothy Keller

Scholarly Commentary Authors:

OT: Derek Kidner, G.J. Wenham, R. K. Harrison, Tremper Longman III, Bruce Waltke, Alec Motyer

NT: C.S. Keener, Robert A. Guelich, Darrell Bock, D.A. Carson, F.F. Bruce, Doug Moo, P.T. Obrien, W.D. Mounce, Craig Blomberg

There are many devotional commentaries and sermons on selected passages of Scripture. But it is best to begin with a scholarly commentary that specifically addresses the text (usually phrase by phrase). With a good understanding of the text first, then devotional material may assist in thinking of application(s). See www.monergism for excellent aids.

Excellent Bible Introductions (one volume each of NT and OT where each book is summarized: A survey of the Old Testament by Hill and Walton 2009, An Introduction of the New Testament by Carson, Moo and Morris 1992

Theological Reading List

Study Bible: I highly recommend the ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible as a basic Bible study tool. I think it is superior even to the NIV Study Bible. I don’t recommend the Ryrie or Scofield study Bibles.

Apologetics: When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences (Geisler and Brooks), Who Made God and Answers to over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith (Zacharias and Geisler), The Reason for God (Tim Keller)

Atonement/Cross of Christ: The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (Owen) Classic work, worth reading, The Cross of Christ (Stott) More popular work, easier to understand; The Future of Justification (Piper) A defense of penal substitution.

Baptism/Lord’s Supper: Christ, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Vanderzee)

Church: The Church (Edmund Clowney)

Church History: Church History in Plain Language (Shelly) A very good and concise history of the church

Commentaries: Matthew Henry, A commentary on the Whole Bible (Old but the best SINGLE AUTHOR source for a commentary on the whole Bible. Other commentaries should probably not be purchased in sets but book-by-book based on who are the best commentators on that particular book. (See Authors above)

Denominations: Dictionary of Christianity in America (IVP) Best single volume source of explanations of who’s who and what’s what in different denominations and movements in religion in America.

Discipleship: Master Plan of Evangelism (Coleman), The Training of the Twelve (A.B. Bruce) Classic, The Cost of Discipleship (Bonhoeffer), Desiring God (Piper)

Doctrine: Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, Doctrine by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears

End Times: The Blessed Hope (G.E. Ladd)

Evangelism: Words to the Winners of Souls (Bonar), The Insider (Peterson/Shamy), Mere Christianity (Lewis), Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (Packer)

False Religions/World views: The Universe Next Door 2004 ed. (Sire)

Leadership: The Call (Guinness), Spiritual Leadership (Blackaby)

Men/Women: Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (Piper/Grudem)

Ministry: Five Smooth Stones; Working the Angles; Under the Unpredictable Plant (Trilogy by Eugene Peterson), Brothers We are Not Professionals (Piper), The Unnecessary Pastor (Dawn/Peterson), The Reformed (“Revived”) Pastor (Baxter)

Missions: Let the Nations Be Glad (Piper), Missionary Methods – St Paul’s or Ours (Roland Allen), The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church (Roland Allen)

Prayer: Prayer (J.I. Packer), Daring to Draw Near (White)

Scripture/Interpretation: How to Read the Bible for all it’s Worth (Fee and Stuart), Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Klein, Blomberg, Hubbard), Knowing Scripture (Sproul)

Speaking: How to Present like a Pro (Aredondo), Biblical Preaching (Robinson), The Supremacy of God in Preaching (Piper), Preach the Word (Ryken &Wilson)

Spiritual Disciplines: The Spirit of the Disciplines (Willard), Celebration of Discipline (Richard Foster), Conformed to His Image (Ken Boa)

Spirituality: A Quest for Holiness (Packer), Holiness (J.C. Ryle ), Disciplines of a Godly Man (Hughes)

Theology: Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Elwell) Best single volume source of short explanations of theological themes, The Christian Life (Ferguson) a Basic primer in theology.,Doctrine by Driscoll and Breshears, Systematic Theology – An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grudem), Does God Exist – the Great Debate (Moreland and Neilson), The Supremacy of Jesus (Stephen Neil), Knowing God (Packer), The Holy Spirit (Ferguson)

Worship: In Search of Wonder (Anderson), A Royal Waste of Time (Dawn), Unceasing Worship (Best), Proclamation and Praise (Ron Mann), Christ-Centered Worship by Bryan Chapell, Many more articles on www.soundliving.org