Books by Dr. Kayser (19)

  A case for why Old Testament penology continues to be our standard of justice, but suggesting a different (more flexible) interpretation of Old Testament penology than has usually been given. Dr. Kayser argues that the principles of justice behind the Old Testament civil penalties were intended for more than Israel, and demonstrates how the New Testament specifically upholds Old Testament criminal justice.  However — he also provides a corrective to common theonomic views of biblical penology, arguing that these penalties — including for capital crimes  — were designed to be applied flexibly, for restorative purposes, and taking into account victims' rights. The book centers around the debate over the death penalty, arguing that the death penalty was not mandatory in God's law (except in cases of murder), and that God's purposes were restoration and repentance in the criminal, not death. It answers 13 common objections to applying biblical penology today (especially the death penalty), showing how God's beautiful, flexible legal framework was designed to provide both mercy and justice to victim, accused, and perpetrator alike.   If you're unsure of how much of God's Old Testament standard of justice should be considered relevant today, this handbook is both a quick read and a must-read. (Previously titled Is the Death Penalty Just?)   What Readers Are Saying: "This is probably the best book on theonomy that I have read to date, simply because of the brevity and clarity with which Mr. Kayser explains Old Testament Law. It's something that I would give to a person who is interested in learning about theonomy, but is unfamiliar with the topic. (Make no mistake though, it's also chock full of detailed information for a serious reader on the subject.) The title would lead one to believe it only covers penal sanctions, but it's actually a lot broader of a look than just that. I also really liked Mr. Kayser's specific take on capital punishment. ...It's not a complete defense and delineation of theonomy, but it's a wonderful start." - Rachel (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This was a gem of a read. Following that admonition of Greg Bahnsen in his books and lectures in theology, theonomists have a lot of homework to do in exegesis and application regarding the Old Testament civil laws. Kayser does a terrific job of giving great exegetical and theological insight into the death penalty and when it should or is allowed to be applied according to Biblical principles. This was a great read and highly recommended!" - Adam (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This was a very insightful introduction to biblical civil justice and penology.... Dr. Kayser brings in a lot of Scripture to bear on the subject of the death penalty. While he focuses on the death penalty in particular, he ends up giving a good framework for biblical justice and civil punishment." - Peter (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Good. Like a condensed "Victim's Rights" by Gary North with a few differences of opinion." - Austin (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Christian's take on ethics, politics, and even gender roles is very affected by how he uses Natural Law. Is Natural Law one of "two chief sources of ethical knowledge that must be incorporated dialogically into any serious evangelical Christian ethic"? (Alan F. Johnson) Or is it "an abstract and esoteric law known only to an elite," which frees "natural men ...to proclaim their natural ungodly hearts’ desires as law"? (Archie Jones) What is the correct use of natural law? What are the different philosophies of natural law, and how have they been used throughout history? Is natural law a subset of Scriptural law, or an overlapping set? Is Scripture truly sufficient for all ethics? In this booklet, Dr. Kayser covers the history, philosophy, and correct and incorrect uses of natural law, both for general ethics and for political life specifically. epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

What would Jesus do under tyranny? Well, what did Jesus do under tyranny? In this book, you'll see how Jesus and countless heroes of the faith navigated unjust judges, illegal arrests, civil rights violations, weapons bans, street-preaching bans, being forbidden to meet together, and more. See over 200 Scriptural examples of resistance to these age-old challenges, and the saints' legacy of overcoming "by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony" (Rev. 12:11). Discover Scripture-based resistance tactics for individuals, churches, and magistrates. See why Romans 13 proves that tyrants are not ministers of God, and what makes a ruler a tyrant. Learn what the Great Commission says about your responsibilities to your magistrate, in good times, bad times, and everything in between. And get a peek at the Bible's grid for individualized decision making, so that you can know "when to hold and when to fold" in exercising your Divine Right of Resistance. See the sermons that inspired the book and bonus material here. Endorsements:  In a world where national and international governments are grasping for ever more power and control, Christians need to be better equipped to answer some basic questions: Does the State have limits, and HOW is the State limited? Every Christian faced with an expanding State should read it. Isaac Botkin of T.REX ARMS At the conclusion of his magisterial declaration of the doctrines of grace in the epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul provides a practical application calling believers to both resistance, “do not be conformed to this world,” and reformation, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2). In this careful Biblical and historical study, Dr. Kayser provides us with a powerful encouragement to make this practical application manifest in this day of disintegrating forces. Highly recommended. Dr. George Grant, Pastor, Parish Presbyterian Church, Franklin, TN epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

Can you prove which books belong in the biblical canon? And who determines canonicity - the historic church, the Scriptures, or something else? In this book, Dr. Kayser proves the canonicity of each of the 66 books of the Bible using the Bible itself. He defends and demonstrates the Protestant doctrine that “only God can identify His word,” and did so through the very prophets who gave us the Scriptures. The Bible’s self-referential statements are sufficient to completely settle the question of canonicity. There can be no higher authority by which Scripture is judged than itself, or the Scripture would cease to be the highest authority. But while Protestants hold to this viewpoint theoretically, many are at a loss about how to defend the Protestant canon of 66 books presuppositionally. In this book, Dr. Kayser takes on all competing views of canon presented by Muslims, Mormons, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Liberals. He shows that the church of the first millennium took the same approach to canonization and clearly sided with the Reformation and against the reactionary Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox approaches to canon since the Reformation. And he demonstrates how the presuppositional approach to canonicity is the only adequate approach that will stand up against all criticism.He also deals with the closing of the canon after Revelation, and why we can know that our 66 books are all that we need (and will have) between now and heaven.   epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

  A case for why Old Testament penology continues to be our standard of justice, but suggesting a different (more flexible) interpretation of Old Testament penology than has usually been given. Dr. Kayser argues that the principles of justice behind the Old Testament civil penalties were intended for more than Israel, and demonstrates how the New Testament specifically upholds Old Testament criminal justice.  However — he also provides a corrective to common theonomic views of biblical penology, arguing that these penalties — including for capital crimes  — were designed to be applied flexibly, for restorative purposes, and taking into account victims' rights. The book centers around the debate over the death penalty, arguing that the death penalty was not mandatory in God's law (except in cases of murder), and that God's purposes were restoration and repentance in the criminal, not death. It answers 13 common objections to applying biblical penology today (especially the death penalty), showing how God's beautiful, flexible legal framework was designed to provide both mercy and justice to victim, accused, and perpetrator alike.   If you're unsure of how much of God's Old Testament standard of justice should be considered relevant today, this handbook is both a quick read and a must-read. (Previously titled Is the Death Penalty Just?)   What Readers Are Saying: "This is probably the best book on theonomy that I have read to date, simply because of the brevity and clarity with which Mr. Kayser explains Old Testament Law. It's something that I would give to a person who is interested in learning about theonomy, but is unfamiliar with the topic. (Make no mistake though, it's also chock full of detailed information for a serious reader on the subject.) The title would lead one to believe it only covers penal sanctions, but it's actually a lot broader of a look than just that. I also really liked Mr. Kayser's specific take on capital punishment. ...It's not a complete defense and delineation of theonomy, but it's a wonderful start." - Rachel (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This was a gem of a read. Following that admonition of Greg Bahnsen in his books and lectures in theology, theonomists have a lot of homework to do in exegesis and application regarding the Old Testament civil laws. Kayser does a terrific job of giving great exegetical and theological insight into the death penalty and when it should or is allowed to be applied according to Biblical principles. This was a great read and highly recommended!" - Adam (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This was a very insightful introduction to biblical civil justice and penology.... Dr. Kayser brings in a lot of Scripture to bear on the subject of the death penalty. While he focuses on the death penalty in particular, he ends up giving a good framework for biblical justice and civil punishment." - Peter (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Good. Like a condensed "Victim's Rights" by Gary North with a few differences of opinion." - Austin (Goodreads) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Is conception part of the dominion mandate? Is the exercise of man's will in the fruitfulness of land and cattle different from the exercise of man's will in the fruitfulness of the womb? Where in the Bible does it mention spilling seed in a negative context and where does it speak of it in a positive context? How have both antinomianism and legalism crept into discussion of this issue? How does one's view of birth control impact other areas of life? Does the Bible have sufficient information to settle the debates on this subject?This booklet was written to answer all these questions and more. Dr. Kayser also explores topics such as how the conception portion of the dominion mandate was impacted by both the fall and redemption, how the relationship between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility applies in this area, and why our definition of "sin" makes all the difference in being legalistic, antinomian, or biblical. epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

What would Jesus do under tyranny? Well, what did Jesus do under tyranny? In this book, you'll see how Jesus and countless heroes of the faith navigated unjust judges, illegal arrests, civil rights violations, weapons bans, street-preaching bans, being forbidden to meet together, and more. See over 200 Scriptural examples of resistance to these age-old challenges, and the saints' legacy of overcoming "by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony" (Rev. 12:11). Discover Scripture-based resistance tactics for individuals, churches, and magistrates. See why Romans 13 proves that tyrants are not ministers of God, and what makes a ruler a tyrant. Learn what the Great Commission says about your responsibilities to your magistrate, in good times, bad times, and everything in between. And get a peek at the Bible's grid for individualized decision making, so that you can know "when to hold and when to fold" in exercising your Divine Right of Resistance. See the sermons that inspired the book and bonus material here. Endorsements: In a world where national and international governments are grasping for ever more power and control, Christians need to be better equipped to answer some basic questions: Does the State have limits, and HOW is the State limited? Every Christian faced with an expanding State should read it. Isaac Botkin of T.REX ARMS At the conclusion of his magisterial declaration of the doctrines of grace in the epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul provides a practical application calling believers to both resistance, “do not be conformed to this world,” and reformation, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2). In this careful Biblical and historical study, Dr. Kayser provides us with a powerful encouragement to make this practical application manifest in this day of disintegrating forces. Highly recommended. Dr. George Grant, Pastor, Parish Presbyterian Church, Franklin, TN epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

What would Jesus do under tyranny? Well, what did Jesus do under tyranny? In this book, you'll see how Jesus and countless heroes of the faith navigated unjust judges, illegal arrests, civil rights violations, weapons bans, street-preaching bans, being forbidden to meet together, and more. See over 200 Scriptural examples of resistance to these age-old challenges, and the saints' legacy of overcoming "by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony" (Rev. 12:11). Discover Scripture-based resistance tactics for individuals, churches, and magistrates. See why Romans 13 proves that tyrants are not ministers of God, and what makes a ruler a tyrant. Learn what the Great Commission says about your responsibilities to your magistrate, in good times, bad times, and everything in between. And get a peek at the Bible's grid for individualized decision making, so that you can know "when to hold and when to fold" in exercising your Divine Right of Resistance. See the sermons that inspired the book and bonus material here. Endorsements:  In a world where national and international governments are grasping for ever more power and control, Christians need to be better equipped to answer some basic questions: Does the State have limits, and HOW is the State limited? Every Christian faced with an expanding State should read it. Isaac Botkin of T.REX ARMS At the conclusion of his magisterial declaration of the doctrines of grace in the epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul provides a practical application calling believers to both resistance, “do not be conformed to this world,” and reformation, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2). In this careful Biblical and historical study, Dr. Kayser provides us with a powerful encouragement to make this practical application manifest in this day of disintegrating forces. Highly recommended. Dr. George Grant, Pastor, Parish Presbyterian Church, Franklin, TN epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

When Jesus asked (with apparent disappointment), “What! Could you not watch with Me for one hour?” (Matt. 26:40), the disciples were no doubt disappointed in themselves. Perhaps you can relate. If you have struggled with the idea of praying for extended periods of time, it may simply be that you have never had extended prayer modeled to you. Just as John the Baptist and Jesus modeled to others how to pray (Luke 11:1), hopefully this booklet will spark some ideas for your own prayer life. It is designed to expose you to twelve quite distinct kinds of prayer, and to show how easy it is to spend an hour in prayer. epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

When Jesus asked (with apparent disappointment), “What! Could you not watch with Me for one hour?” (Matt. 26:40), the disciples were no doubt disappointed in themselves. Perhaps you can relate. If you have struggled with the idea of praying for extended periods of time, it may simply be that you have never had extended prayer modeled to you. Just as John the Baptist and Jesus modeled to others how to pray (Luke 11:1), hopefully this booklet will spark some ideas for your own prayer life. It is designed to expose you to twelve quite distinct kinds of prayer, and to show how easy it is to spend an hour in prayer. epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

When different manuscripts of the Bible disagree with each other on what God has indeed said, we can lose our confidence that we even know what God said. Many Christians and numerous versions of the Bible even assume that 4% of the text of the New Testament is forever lost. How can we know if the text of our Bible contains the same words it did when the prophets wrote them? Jesus said "Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." How can we know which copy of the Greek texts contains the correct jots and tittles?In this booklet, Dr. Kayser and Dr. Wilbur Pickering, PhD, ThM (New Testament textual scholar, linguist, and Bible translator) analyze the different Greek texts behind different Bible translations, share the history of each text and how it was regarded through church history, and give eleven Biblical presuppositions that should guide our analysis of the evidence. Kayser and Pickering show which translations use unreliable manuscripts and which can be trusted, and make an argument for returning to the text of the Church Fathers and the Reformation, the Ecclesiastical or “Majority Text.”This book is designed to restore a sense of confidence that the Bible does indeed “belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29) epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

Why can one scholar look at Exodus 12 and consider it settled that only adults partook of Passover while another scholar concludes that even newborn babies partook? Why are there 14 different views of what worthy participation means? Godly saints are often mystified why others don't see “clear” Scriptures the way they do.Pastor Kayser demonstrates how our perspectives on these Scriptures rest on different presuppositions that we bring to the text, and how this leads to talking past one another. He lays out the presuppositions behind the dominant views of communion and shows that our comprehension of the Regulative Principle of Worship drives our understanding of the Lord's Table. He explores the relevant biblical terms for children and their ages, and exegetes Exodus 12 and 1 Corinthians 10-11.Throughout the book, Pastor Kayser calls Christians to handle the communion discussion with charity and respect and shows that the "young credo communion" view can account for all of the strongest arguments put forth by the paedocommunion and the mature communion positions without any of the exegetical problems of either side. epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple

When Jesus asked (with apparent disappointment), “What! Could you not watch with Me for one hour?” (Matt. 26:40), the disciples were no doubt disappointed in themselves. Perhaps you can relate. If you have struggled with the idea of praying for extended periods of time, it may simply be that you have never had extended prayer modeled to you. Just as John the Baptist and Jesus modeled to others how to pray (Luke 11:1), hopefully this booklet will spark some ideas for your own prayer life. It is designed to expose you to twelve quite distinct kinds of prayer, and to show how easy it is to spend an hour in prayer. epub, mobi, pdf, or free online Kindle Apple