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Insights from Isaiah: Part 3 TruthTalks

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Imagine God saying to you, “Come let us reason together.”  The Lord tells the Israelites that he is prepared to make their ‘bloody’ sins as white as snow…  IF they are willing and obedient, he will reward them abundantly, but IF they resist and rebel, then they will be ravaged by war. God was allowing them to decide for themselves, to choose his way by exercising their wills.

God is shown to give choices to people throughout the bible. If he has offered to reason with you, which way have you chosen? To heed and obey or not.

Dr Christopher Peppler takes these passages into the modern context and gives you examples of ways where you maybe accidentally not ‘heeding’.

If you would prefer to read this post, then click HERE. Also please note all the TruthTalks along with some YouTube video’s, sermons, Q and A sessions and more can be found on the AudioVisual page HERE. You can also catch up on Part 1 and 2 from that link.

Until next time

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Insights from Isaiah Part 2 TruthTalks

Insights from Isaiah: Part 2 TruthTalks

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Insights from Isaiah Part 2 TruthTalks

If God in the Old Testament sometimes feels less than all-loving to you, then you need to listen to this TruthTalk to find out something quite different.

Dr Christopher Peppler talks on THIS post in the Insights from Isaiah series. If you have an interest in AI (in this case an engine called Perplexity) and how much you can trust it, then this TruthTalk will also interest you as Chris takes us through just what AI says about Isaiah too.

If you missed the first part, it’s not too late to hop on board. Click HERE to read Part 1 or HERE to listen to it.

Click on the button below to listen now, or you can delve through all the AudioVisual content supplied including sermons, YouTube videos, sermon notes and more.

Until next time.

 

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Insights from Isaiah: Part 1 TruthTalks

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Dr Christopher Peppler describes the book of Isaiah as being “… a ‘place’ where I often ‘hear’ the Holy Spirit speaking to me.”

To find out why listen to the first part of this series by clicking on the play button below or click here to read the original post.

When you are in the mood to listen and watch the TruthTalks and sermons don’t forget that they are all here in this handy AudioVisual library.

 

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Three Pillars of Truth: Pillar Three – Spirit-dependent

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This is the third and final pillar in the series. Here, I speak on subjects such as the New Birth, Trichotomy, Spiritual Baptism and Infilling, practical dependence on the Holy Spirit, gifts, manifestations, and ministries, as well as the dangers of division and misunderstanding. The final section is a conclusion to the whole series, emphasising how the three pillars of truth stand together as foundations for the Christian Faith.

You can find:

PILLAR 3 Part 1 Video HERE

PILLAR 3 Part 2 Video HERE

PILLAR 3 Q&A Video HERE

Read on for a summary of the transcript of the two videos, which captures just the gist of the teaching.

Finally, the TruthTalks Audio is HERE or at the very bottom of the page.

 Summary of Transcript: Pillar Three: Spirit-Dependent

In this final part of the “Three Pillars of Truth” series, I focus on what it means to be Spirit-dependent. My aim isn’t to be dogmatic or try to dictate beliefs, but to encourage you to think deeply and perhaps differently about familiar topics.

The New Birth: Where Dependence Begins

For me, the most fundamental act of dependence on the Holy Spirit is the new birth. This is where spiritual life starts: the regeneration of a dead spirit, a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. As Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, unless we are born again – born of water and the Spirit – we cannot even perceive the kingdom of God. Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 1:23, emphasising that this birth is not physical but spiritual. In my understanding, the process begins with conviction (a work of the Spirit), leading to confession, then a sincere request for new birth, and finally, spiritual regeneration. This sequence is vital to my theology and experience.

Understanding Human Nature: Why Trichotomy Matters

I subscribe to a trichotomist view of human nature: we are body, soul, and spirit. The spirit is the part of us dead to God until new birth. This distinction is crucial because it guards against a “mind-based Christianity,” where faith is reduced to intellectual assent or cultural identity rather than spiritual transformation. I’ve seen too many people who identify as Christian but have never experienced the radical newness of being born again.

Spirit Baptism and Infilling: Power for Life and Ministry

The new birth is the Spirit’s work in making us alive to God, but the infilling, or baptism of the Holy Spirit, is about empowerment for Christian living and ministry. As Jesus promised in Acts 1, the Holy Spirit gives us power. I believe the disciples were born again when Jesus breathed on them before he ascended into Heaven, but the day of Pentecost was about receiving power for ministry.

Trichotomy best explains this: we need a living spirit to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This isn’t just theory for me; it’s shaped my ministry and my understanding of how God works in and through us.

Practical Dependence on the Spirit

  • I have experienced the Spirit’s guidance in life-changing decisions – leaving a secure corporate job to pastor a tiny church, for example. It wasn’t a whim; it was a clear conviction from the Holy Spirit, confirmed by my wife, others, and circumstances.
  • I know I can’t transform myself; only the Holy Spirit can bring true, eternal change.
  • Ministry without the Spirit’s power is empty. I’ve seen how sermons and church activities lack life-changing power unless they are Spirit-empowered.
  • The Holy Spirit also illuminates Scripture for me. Even after years of study, it’s often the Spirit who brings understanding, sometimes years later.
  • I can’t witness, minister, or even hope for resurrection apart from the Spirit’s power.

Gifts, Manifestations, and Ministries

There’s much confusion about spiritual gifts. I see a clear distinction between manifestations (Spirit-given actions for others’ benefit) and ministries (ongoing roles in the church). I don’t believe gifts are permanent possessions or badges of status. Instead, the Spirit gives as needed, for the common good. I’ve seen the dangers of pride and division when people focus on “their” gifts rather than on serving others in obedience to the Spirit’s prompting.

I’ve also learned that most of the gifts described in Scripture were manifested in Jesus’ ministry, except for tongues and interpretation, which are unique signs for the church.

A key concept is that the focus should never be on the manifestation itself, but on obedience to God and blessing others.

So, Pillar One dealt with being Bible-based, Pillar Two was about being Jesus-centred, and Pillar Three focused on being Spirit-dependent. All three of these concepts are interdependent and together form doctrinal pillars that uphold the truth.

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Part 2

Three Pillars of Truth: Pillar Two – Jesus-centred

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Part 2

This week I am deviating slightly from the advertised plan. Instead of the videos now and the Q&A next week, I am giving you all three at once.

You can find:

PILLAR 2 Part 1 Video HERE

PILLAR 2 Part 2 Video HERE

PILLAR 2 Q&A Video HERE

Here is a summary of the transcript of the two videos that captures just the gist of the teaching.

The TruthTalks Audio is HERE or at the very bottom of the page.

Summary of Transcript: Pillar Two – Jesus-Centred

This transcript presents Pillar Two of the “Three Pillars of Truth” series, focusing on being Jesus-centred as the central foundation for Christian faith and biblical interpretation. The three interconnected pillars are Bible-based (Pillar One), Jesus-centred (Pillar Two), and Spirit-dependent (Pillar Three), with Jesus serving as the focal point that connects all three.

Why Jesus Must Be Central

While Scripture reveals God as triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), Jesus must be the primary focus rather than the Trinity as a whole. This is because:

  • The Trinity is incomprehensible: As limited three-dimensional beings, humans cannot fully grasp the Trinity concept, making it unsuitable as a practical focus.
  • The Father is unseen: Jesus explicitly stated that “no one has seen the Father except the one who came from God” (John 6:46), making the Father inaccessible as a direct focus.
  • The Holy Spirit is ethereal: Compared to wind by Jesus, the Spirit has no bodily form and cannot serve as a tangible reference point.

God the Father himself directed attention to Jesus, saying “This is my son whom I dearly love… Listen to him” (Mark 9:7). Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit’s role is to “bring glory to me [Jesus] by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” (John 16:13-14).

Jesus as God Incarnate

Jesus is the full manifestation of God as attested by several key scriptures:

  • Colossians 1: Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” with “all his fullness” dwelling in him.
  • Colossians 2: “In Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form.“
  • Hebrews 1: Jesus is “the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of his being.“
  • John 14:9 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

Critical Implications

Source of Truth: Jesus, not even the bible, must be acknowledged as the ultimate source of truth, though this truth is revealed exclusively through Scripture.

Salvation and Evangelism: Belief in Jesus’ divinity is essential for salvation. He cannot save if he is anything less than God, nor could he represent humanity if he were anything less than man.

Transformation: The goal of spiritual transformation is to become more like Jesus, requiring believers to look to him as the model and example.

Future Hope: Jesus himself, in his resurrected being, provides evidence and assurance of believers’ future hope in the second coming.

The Christocentric Method of Biblical Interpretation

Here is a ‘three boxes (three-box?) model’ for Bible study:

Start any subject with the Gospel revelation of what Jesus said, did, and displayed of the nature and character of the Godhead. Then, examine the Old Testament record to better understand why Jesus said and did what he did. Then, turn to the New Testament to appreciate how to interpret and apply what Jesus taught and modelled. This approach uses “Jesus spectacles” as a lens through which to interpret all Scripture, arguing that without this lens, biblical understanding becomes blurred.

Practical Applications

Direct Applications include Jesus’ teachings on Sabbath observance, adultery, and paying taxes, where he gives clear teachings on these subjects.

Deduced Applications cover areas like sexual sin (modelled after Jesus’ grace-filled treatment of the woman caught in adultery), the status of women (demonstrated through Jesus’ respectful treatment of Mary and Martha), and self-defence (inferred from Jesus telling disciples to buy swords for protection).

Contemporary Relevance

The modern church has deviated from being Jesus-centred, often focusing instead on spiritual gifts, faith as a concept, or biblical knowledge alone. I advocate for a Jesus-centred revival as essential for the church’s renewal.

True Jesus-centredness extends beyond simply finding Jesus Christ in Old Testament prophecies or modelling his character. It must encompass a comprehensive approach to biblical interpretation, church leadership, preaching, evangelism, and addressing societal issues – all viewed through the lens of Jesus as the full revelation of God’s nature and character.

Jesus is not just one aspect of biblical interpretation, but the essential interpretive key that unlocks proper understanding of Scripture, God’s character, and Christian living in its entirety.

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About Me

My name is Christopher Peppler and I was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1947. While working in the financial sector I achieved a number of business qualifications from the Institute of Bankers, Damelin Management School, and The University of the Witwatersrand Business School. After over 20 years as a banker, I followed God’s calling and joined the ministry full time. After becoming a pastor of what is now a quite considerable church, I  earned an undergraduate theological qualification from the Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa and post-graduate degrees from two United States institutions. I was also awarded the Doctor of Theology in Systematic Theology from the University of Zululand in 2000.

Four years before that I established the South African Theological Seminary (SATS), which today is represented in over 70 countries and has more than 2 500 active students enrolled with it. I presently play an role supervising Masters and Doctoral students.

I am a passionate champion of the Christocentric or Christ-centred Principle, an approach to biblical interpretation and theological construction that emphasises the centrality of Jesus

I have been happily married to Patricia since the age of 20, have two children, Lance and Karen, a daughter-in-law Tracey, and granddaughters Jessica and Kirsten. I have now retired from both church and seminary leadership and devote my time to writing, discipling, and the classical guitar.

If you would like to read my testimony to Jesus then click HERE.