Paul continues by rebutting a claim circulating in the Thessalonian community that both the Parousia and the day of the Lord had already come (2:1–2). Against this idea, Paul argues that Jewish eschatology will play out in traditional order: this age will culminate in the final rebellion against God’s covenantal dealing with Israel by means of the Antichrist (vv. 3–7), who will be revealed and destroyed by Israel’s true Messiah (v. 8).72 Paul then calls the Thessalonians to hold to their eschatological hope: “To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us” (vv. 14–15). - John P. Harrigan, Extending Mercy to the Gentiles, p.219

My message on the hard teachings of Jesus in Luke 9:57-62 and the worth of Jesus. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

Paul explicitly tells us exactly what he's talking about in Romans 9-11.

We don't have to interpret.
We don't have to exegete.
We just have to look at the text and read it.

Romans 11:25 "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in."

That's what he's talking about. He's not talking about the eternal destiny of everyone at the end of time. He's talking about a partial and temporary hardening that has come upon some Israelites in the midst of history so that more Gentiles can be grafted into the covenant community.

And so he has to answer the obvious objection: "If Israel is God's chosen people, then how can Gentiles be brought into the covenant community before some Israelites?" This is the same conflict that we see coming up in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts. The confusion that Gentiles would become part of the true covenant community before some Israelites.

But Paul explicitly states that those Israelites who are temporarily hardened are not marked for eternal damnation. They can be grafted into their own tree if they do not continue in unbelief. That is exactly what he says. - Timothy Renfro

“Paul assures the readers that at the last day they will be free from any charge, ἀνεγκλήτους. The Greek carries a range of meanings: blameless, irreproachable, and unimpeachable. . . . This applies to the time which leads up to the day of the Lord as well as to being presented free from any charge on the day itself. Hence the word here belongs to the semantic domain of accusation and declarative verdict. . . . Justification is an anticipation in advance of the verdict pronounced on the day of the Lord, in the faith-understanding that God keeps them firm and free from any charge up to and on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” -Thiselton, 1 Corinthians, p101–102  

“It is our good luck that, in Romans, we have a letter from him addressed to a community that he had not himself established: to introduce himself, he had to expand upon his gospel and his mission more fully than he had in the other correspondence that survives. As his messianic framing of Romans reveals, Paul linked his heavenly commission in the final days, his work in bringing gentiles to the worship of the true god (sic), immediately and intimately to his proclamation of Jesus as the scion of David’s house. To understand the apostle, then, we need to understand his Christology” - Paula Fredricksen, Paul, p136–137

My message on Psalm 2. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

My message on Psalm 1 in Spanish. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

If you want to know how to determine whose disciple you are, ask yourself, “Who am I obeying?”

That’s who is discipling you. - Lee Cummings

The loss of focus and theology concerning martyrdom after the Constantinian Shift is in direct relation to assimilation of Platonism into the Christian worldview. As such the essential amnestic witness of the Church was lost, and likewise the essential meaning of martyrdom itself was lost. 

Within a Platonic worldview, the mission of God, and therefore of the church, is either dominionistic (if sovereignty is emphasized) or escapist (if salvation is emphasized). Therefore martyrdom is either seen as: 

1. a failure (cf. dominionism), since God/church has failed in establishing sovereignty over injustice, or 
2. a waste (cf. escapism), since God/church has lost another worker unto saving souls. 

Within a Biblical worldview, the mission of God, and therefore of the church, is amnestic which supplies inherent meaning to the event of martyrdom (if the intentions are actually motivated by the same loving intentions as God). - John P. Harrigan

In light of the Day of the Lord, the apostles lived out their hope in the return of Jesus by continually meeting together in the temple courts. This is because they held to the Scriptures and believed nothing beyond what was written in the Law and Prophets, faithfully holding to the Israelocentric hope of the age to come. - John P. Harrigan

Paul similarly reasons in 1 Cor. 6:1–3 and Eph. 5:4–10, since discipleship is inherently bound to destiny—“Walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12; cf. Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10). Peter likewise exhorts: “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:11–12, niv; cf. 1 Peter 1:13–16).  - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.427

Thus the trajectory of such discipleship is assumed to be into the Jewish apocalyptic narrative rather than out of it. -John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.409

The Gospel is karma's worst nightmare: we get the exact opposite of what we deserve. - Chad Bird

The discipleship of the Gentiles thus fundamentally involves warning of the coming judgment (since they are without divine revelation and generally ignorant of the future, cf. Matt. 6:32; Luke 12:30). - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.409

 As such, Romans 14 could be recapitulated: Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not quarrelling over opinions which hold little eternal significance, since the age to come is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

Far from redefining the common Jewish eschatology, Paul is simply describing its future reality, hence reinforcing the sobriety and eternal perspective inherent in Jewish apocalypticism. This futurist approach squares with both the passage as a whole and with common expectations of the kingdom. Interposing realized eschatology into Romans 14 is both illogical and counterproductive to Paul’s argument that eschatology (cf. “salvation,” “the day,” “judgment seat,” “kingdom”) is the primary driver of Christian discipleship. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.281-282

Rather than critiquing the sacrificial system, the author presents an argument regarding its design and its scope. The Levitical offerings are a part of an earthly system that addresses earthly matters, though put in place by God; the offering of Jesus is a part of a heavenly system that addresses ‘heavenly’matters. Thus, while the author of Hebrews may present the offering of Jesus as ‘better’in the sense that the scope and effects are more expansive, this is not a critique in itself. After enacting the first covenant maintained by the people, God both enacts and maintains the second covenant on their behalf but in the heavens—his own dwelling place. -  Madison N. Pierce, Relapsing, Reverting, or Rejecting? The Purpose of Hebrews and Early Jewish Religion. AI Podcast Audio Format

So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 14:12–14)  

Romans 14 is simply an exposition and application of this idea of discipleship: to “walk properly as in the daytime.” The age to come will not involve drunkenness, immorality, or strife. Thus we should not engage in those things, because we are not destined for those things. Moreover, we were not designed for those things in the beginning. Sinful behaviors are counter to both our design and our destiny. They are fruitless and hold no eternal value.  - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.281

At the heart of all Christian discipleship lies this forsaking of all for the sake of following and witnessing to Jesus unto death. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.257

Several messianic themes are sounded in the Balaam oracles, but most prominent for the present is what appears to be the interpretation of Gen 3:15 in Num 24:17. There is enmity between Israel and Moab, and fearing Israel’s numbers (22:3) Balak king of Moab summons Balaam to curse Israel. As Balaam’s oracles are recounted, the text indicates that a male Israelite will arise whose coming is associated with the arrival of a star and the rising of a scepter, pointing to his royal status. The Targum on this text seems to interpret the star as “the King” (malkā’) and the scepter as “the Messiah” (měšîhā’). This individual will “crush the forehead of Moab” (Num 24:17). The words used in Numbers are not the words used in Genesis, but the image of the crushed head of an enemy is clearly invoked. - James Hamilton, The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman: Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Genesis 3:15, AI generated podcast format of article

Thus we have a pattern for understanding growth and perseverance in faith and discipleship. This pattern is exemplified by the apostle Paul, who before conversion was “a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees” (Acts 23:6)—“the strictest party of our religion” (Acts 26:5)—and “as to righteousness under the law, blameless”(Phil. 3:6). The cross, however, exposed the ambitions of his heart, and thus here counts the truth of his condition: “We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days inmalice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). So Paul can declare at the end of his life, “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:16). - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.237

The OT is a messianic document, written from a messianic perspective, to sustain a messianic hope. - James Hamilton,  The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman: Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Genesis 3:15, AI generated podcast format of article