Contending for the Faith: Jude 3–4
Engaging the Enemy
Not only does Jude instruct our action toward the enemy (“contend”), but he also instructs us how to take care of ourselves and others in this fight. We cannot lose any of our soldiers. We ourselves must grow in the faith, pray, persevere, and look to the return of Jesus Christ (Jude 20–21). Concerning the... Continue Reading
Still on the Throne
The Glories of a Seated Christ
Seated in heaven, Jesus is not anxious or uncertain. He is not scurrying feverishly around heaven’s throne room, making last-minute rescues. He lives. He sits on heaven’s throne, secure and utterly stable, in perfect heavenly equanimity and composure, interceding for his people with, and as, God almighty by his very life and breath. He’s still on the... Continue Reading
The Case for the Law’s First Table
George Gillespie viewed the magistrate possesses and ought to exercise coercive power in suppressing heresy and schismatics with a level of discrepancy, discrimination, and prudence.
The grave duty of the magistrate was not to be taken lightly nor administered flippantly, nor was executed with exaggerated eschatological expectancy. Prudence and patience should guide the magistrate here, for the good of the church and commonwealth, not personal prejudice or private gain. Taking “care of God’s glory” and the preservation of religion and... Continue Reading
Poking Holes in the Egalitarian Beachball: Seven Arguments against Female Pastors
When we live within the limits and lanes that God has set for us, we find beauty and flourishing there.
We don’t argue that preaching and pastoring is for qualified men in order throw water on the zealous young woman who has a knack for understanding the Bible. If our young daughters ask, ‘Can I be a pastor?’ Our answer doesn’t stop at “no,” as if we’ve just clipped some wings. Rather, our answer is... Continue Reading
Christ’s Glory and the Prophetic Word
Bishop John Shelby Spong of the Episcopalian Church in America, is the epitome of a liberal theologian. He is calling for a new Reformation of the Church based upon the following 12 Theses.
What is very disturbing to me is that there are people out there who actually believe this is a man of God. Of course these theses are simply the words of our enemy put in religious form for people to say, “Yeah! Now I can live any way I want!” Do you see the human... Continue Reading
Locusts and Wild Honey
The Old Testament background to John the Baptist's diet.
The intake of locusts and wild honey was not a throwaway detail. The food going into John’s mouth represented the message coming out of John’s mouth. Those who received John’s message with faith would taste its sweetness and experience God’s blessing, like honey. Those who refused John’s message would experience God’s judgment, like locusts. ... Continue Reading
What Spiritual Depression Taught Me About Worship
Grounded in Truth Rather than Experience
In that moment of worship in sadness, you are experiencing some of what Christ felt. He knew He needed to march toward His death because it was worth it. And the joy of bringing many sons to glory overshadowed the pain of the cross upon His scoured back. So it is with us. When we do... Continue Reading
The Center of the Scriptures
The world does not revolve around us, much as we might think it does. It revolves around Jesus.
Until we recognize the centrality of Jesus in all things, we will harbor the illusion that we can serve both God and ourselves, only giving a portion of who we are and what we have to Him. But when this revolution takes place, we come to see that the only logical posture we can have... Continue Reading
On Matthew 18, Broken Relationships, and Reconciliation
Either we forbear and forgive or we go directly to the person who has sinned against us. There is no other option.
We need to admit with a measure of shame that there is a great difference between the Saviour’s dealings with us and the way we often deal with each other. And it need not be! We have a process given us so that wounds may be healed, relationships mended and sins forgiven. We have all... Continue Reading
Sin, Autonomy, and Biblical Critical Theory
Autonomy is the height of folly. It is idolatry on steroids.
If I alone can determine what is right and wrong, true and false, just and unjust, I will always be bumping heads with all the others who also think and act this way. With no higher objective absolutes that transcend my and your judgments and assessments, we will always clash. Real human dignity and community can only come from recognising who God is... Continue Reading
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