The Reformed Olive Press

Did the Jews Worship a God They Didn't Really Know? Why the Triune God Theory Creates a Moral and Theological Crisis For centuries, the people of Israel faithfully worshipped Yahweh—offering sacrifices, singing psalms, praying, fasting, and even dying for His name. And yet, according to mainstream Trinitarian theology, they did all this without ever understanding who God really was. They supposedly gave offerings and heartfelt devotion to a being whose true nature—three persons in one essence—remained hidden from them until long after Jesus' resurrection. That raises a disturbing question: Was Yahweh deceiving His own people? The Problem of Worship Without Revelation If the Trinity is true, then we must believe the Jewish people worshipped God “incorrectly” for over a thousand years without being corrected. Not just ordinary people—but even prophets like Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. These weren’t spiritual amateurs. They were the mouthpieces of God, yet n...

 Knowing Christ: Paul’s Radical Vision Beyond the Modern Personal Relationship Today, it’s common to hear the phrase “a personal relationship with Jesus” used to define the heart of Christianity. But what if this idea would’ve sounded strange—even foreign—to the Apostle Paul? When Paul wrote about “knowing Christ,” he meant something far deeper and more transformational than our modern devotional language implies. It wasn’t about feelings, private prayer life, or even emotional closeness. It was about embodying a whole new way of being human under a New Covenant reality.  What Did Paul Mean by “Knowing Christ”? In Philippians 3:8–10, Paul famously writes: “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” This isn’t about "getting saved" in the modern sense or “inviting Jesus into your heart.” Paul is describing a deep...

  Even Demons Believe: Examining James 2:19 Without Literalism “You believe that God is one. You do well; even the demons believe—and shudder!” — James 2:19 (ESV) At first glance, this verse seems to affirm the literal existence of demons who intellectually believe in God. But if we pause, zoom out, and consider the rhetorical structure and broader biblical imagery, a deeper, more symbolic reading emerges—one that’s just as powerful, even for those who don’t accept a literal demonology. Context: Faith That Works James 2:14–26 is not about demonic cosmology. It’s about the emptiness of belief without action. James challenges the idea that intellectually agreeing with God’s existence is enough to be counted as righteous. He gives two examples: Abraham showed his faith by offering Isaac. Rahab showed hers by hiding the spies. Faith, James insists, isn’t just what we believe, but what we embody. And then he throws in a biting line: “So you believe in one God? Great. Even the demons bel...

Christian Conviction Inconsistencies with Movies, Music, and Holidays Many Christians claim to live by biblical standards—yet when it comes to entertainment, media, and even holidays, their convictions often collapse. They condemn witchcraft, idolatry, and false religion in real life, yet enjoy fiction packed with those very things. They denounce others for immorality while singing along to music glorifying it. And while rejecting holidays with pagan ties like Halloween, they embrace others with similar roots. Let’s explore a pattern of selective morality—where what’s accepted is based not on Scripture, but personal taste, nostalgia, or cultural popularity. 1. Necromancy in The Lord of the Rings In Return of the King, Aragorn summons the Army of the Dead—clearly necromancy (communication with the dead). The Bible strictly condemns this (Deut. 18:11), yet many Christians celebrate it because it’s "redemptive fantasy" written by Tolkien. 2. Magic in The Chronicles of Narnia C.S...

  Ezekiel 40–48: Jesus’ Inauguration of the New Covenant Temple The final chapters of Ezekiel (40–48) often confuse readers with their elaborate blueprints, tribal allotments, and visions of a restored temple. But when seen through the lens of the New Covenant and fulfilled eschatology, a profound truth emerges: this is not a literal third temple to be built in modern-day Jerusalem, but a prophetic vision of Christ inaugurating a spiritual temple—the church—where God now dwells fully with His people. Just as Solomon inaugurated the first temple (1 Kings 8) and Hezekiah restored worship in the second (2 Chronicles 29), Jesus fulfilled and transcended both by establishing a better temple not made with hands. Ezekiel’s vision was not of a physical construction project, but a symbolic revelation of the New Covenant reality: a new temple, new priesthood, new land, and a new river of life flowing from God’s throne (Ezekiel 47; cf. Revelation 22). Jesus as the Greater Temple Builder In Jo...