John Mark Hicks

Humanity, according to Psalm 12, is filled with people who live with a “double heart,” flatter others for power, and boast of their exploits while asking, “Who is Adonai to us?” They are predators who seek their own prestige and power. “Help” is the only imperative in the Psalm, and it is the first word. […]

An English version is available here. El Padre elige, redime y salva en Cristo mediante el poder del Espíritu Santo. La unión con Cristo es la expresión general de la totalidad de nuestra salvación. Esta unión abarca todos los aspectos de nuestra salvación. La sabiduría de Dios —Jesucristo en quien Dios está reconciliando al mundo— […]

Dead in our sins we walked in the passions of the flesh and were enslaved by the powers that rule and work disobedience in humanity. But God–rich in mercy–loved us by making us alive with Christ, raising us up with Christ, and seating us with Christ in the heavenlies so that God might display his […]

In the Fall of 1978, I was attending Westminster Theological Seminary (seeking a sixty-six hour degree in theology) and preaching for the Northeast Philadelphia Church of Christ. I was twenty-one years old. The church asked me to give a series of radio lessons on a station that covered the Philadelphia market. They hoped it would […]

I think this is my first published article on baptism. It appeared in Basil Overton’s World Evangelist (December 1982). Teaching and writing over the next forty-two years has adjusted the language (hopefully improved the writing as well) but the substance remains with some nuancing. John Mark Hicks, “Baptism: Salvation by Works?” World Evangelist (December 1982). […]

This book, accessible here, was published in September, 2023. In May, 2024, I was asked to summarize it for a combined adult Bible class at the Homewood Church of Christ. That lesson is available below.

Frontier Calvinism emphasized the necessity of regeneration as well as repentance before faith. The Spirit awakens godly sorrow that leads to faith. Consequently, the regenerate person mourns, regrets and despairs over sin and then comes to saving faith through some kind of religious experience. From the beginning the Stone-Campbell Movement rejected this conversion narrative. In […]

Salvation Through Judgment and Mercy is the title of Bryan Estelle’s book in The Gospel According to the Old Testament series (Presbyterian and Reformed). Judgment for Jonah is not retribution or revenge; it is the means of salvation. Through judgment, God saves Jonah from himself and renews Jonah’s missional call. God is not punishing Jonah; […]

A marginalized, refugee community within a hostile culture is potentially filled with stress, suspicion, and selfishness. Communities sometimes turn on each other rather than caring for each other. Peter recognizes this possibility and addresses the need for this new community, living a new life, to grow in love for each other. As children of God […]

Almost comically, Jesus is ferried back to the western side of the lack (presumably near Capernaum) apparently just after he arrived on the eastern shore. He was asked to leave and he left, but he finds himself again in the middle of a “large crowd” on the western shore. It seems as if Jesus can […]