Ian Hamilton Audio: Eastwood Bible Conference (October 2009)

In late October and early November I posted a series of blogs on Ian Hamilton's sermons at the Bible Conference held at Eastwood Presbyterian Church (Montgomery, AL).

• Reflections on Reformation Sunday (October 26)
• Recommended Audio on the New Perspective on Paul (October 27)
• Ian Hamilton on Propitiation (October 29)
  
• Ian Hamilton on Reconciliation (November 4)
• Ian Hamilton on Christian Assurance (November 5)

The audio from this conference including the afternoon chats, a Sunday School session, and a chapel message are now available.

Sunday School Message - Dr. Hamilton's Testimony

Sunday Morning Message
Presbytery Joint Reformation Service
Monday Family Study
Monday Reformation Study
Tuesday Family Study
Tuesday Reformation Study
Wednesday Family Study
Wednesday Reformation Study
Eastwood Presbyterian School Chapel Message

Also, it had been mentioned that Ian Hamilton had recently completed a new commentary on the Epistles of John. The Banner of Truth has kindly supplied me with a copy of this commentary, and I heartily recommend it to you.

Ian Hamilton, Let's Study the Letters of John (BOT, 2008), paperback. 130 pages.



The Let's Study series is written from a Reformed perspective and seeks to provide a thoroughly text-based approach to personal Bible study, as opposed to a heavily applicational and reflective approach common to many other Bible study series. Hamilton's comments in The Letters of John are lucid and pastoral, heart-probing and instructive. Unlike conventional Bible study guides, this series does not include lists of questions along with each chapter. Rather it is formatted like a commentary, however it is far more brief than a typical commentary. A "Group Study Guide" is made available as an appendix including instructions for leaders, a clearly stated aim for each lesson, and suggested questions to consider and discuss. The final section offers a list of recommended, full-length commentaries. They are as follows:

• John Stott, The Epistles of John. TNTC. (1988; IVP, 2007)
• David Jackman, The Message of John's Letters. TBST. (IVP, 1988; 2nd ed., 1992)
• Robert Candlish, A Commentary on 1 John. Geneva. (1866; reprinted by BOT, 1993)
• Robert Law, The Tests of Life (1909; reprinted by Baker Book House, 1982)

Here is a sample comment from this book:

God's love for us was not an empty sentiment. In order that we might have 'life', the Father sent his only begotten Son into the darkness and sin of our fallen world. God the Father gave what was most precious to him, his only begotten Son, to secure our everlasting good (see 2 Cor. 9:15).

The incarnation of God's Son was for a purpose, 'so that we might live through him'. He became one with us and one of us in order to rescue us from our sin and death and win for us eternal life (see Heb. 2:14-18). God did not spare his own Son (Rom. 8:32a) in his purposed desire to save us from the judgment and condemnation our sin against him deserved.

But John has not yet reached the height of God's love for us. This is seen, not in the glory of the incarnation, but in the glory of the crucifixion (verse 10). The God who 'did not spare his own Son', 'gave him up for us all' (Rom. 8:32). The incarnation was not an end in itself. The ultimate manifestation of God's love is not seen at Bethlehem, but at Calvary: 'In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins'. (16 God is Love, 1 John 4:7-12; pp. 59-60)

Ian Hamilton Audio: Eastwood Bible Conference (October 2009)