Though the Bible doesn’t tell us specifically who will or won’t be saved, we serve a God who is both sovereign and trustworthy. If your knees are sore from praying and waiting for a lost one to be found, remember: He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He waits with us on... Continue Reading

Our attempts will always fail. There are no works we can do to add to what he has already done on the cross to pay for our sins. His covering is perfect since he is the Master Painter. “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).   A few... Continue Reading

In the tabernacle worship, God stipulated that salt be added to the grain offering (Lev. 2:13). Salt here is an emblem of the fellowship that is enjoyed between the Lord and His priestly people. In fact, with regard to the Levitical priests, God establishes what is called a “covenant of salt” (Num. 18:19), since communion with God... Continue Reading

The lessons of the Reformation remain as urgent as ever. We must remember that semper reformanda—always reforming—is not just a slogan of history; it is our ongoing duty and rallying cry. The Church cannot afford to become calcified, satisfied with past triumphs, or lulled into complacency by modern distractions. We must return to the Word,... Continue Reading

If, however, we are consistently shocked by the majority position of believers across the world when it is different, when we can only see our application and never their application, when we are quick to say ‘that’s wrong’ before we ask ‘why do you do that?’, it is likely our cultural biases may be impacting our understanding of scripture.... Continue Reading

Don’t let communion be commonplace. Don’t let yourself become bored with it. The Lord’s Supper is not an invention of man. It is Jesus’ idea. Let this glorious meal be a reminder of your sin and of what God has done to save you from that sin. Let it drive you to long for the... Continue Reading

The more we practice, the more we find ourselves playing our instruments with joy and skill and the more we find ourselves playing well as part of an orchestra. The more we practice together, the more it becomes second nature to carry out the role that has been assigned to us. The more we rehearse,... Continue Reading

To truly hope in Christ is to confidently reject all forms of cynicism and to, instead, see the glory of Christ at work in all things. Such hope leads us to live out Christ-like lives rather than cynical lives—lives of kindness, tenderheartedness, forgiveness, and love. The one who has been forgiven by Christ has absolutely... Continue Reading

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Gal. 1:1–5). That is all! However, this does not mean we do nothing (Gal. 5:16). As with a tree’s active photosynthesis, we are called to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25), which proves that our faith in Jesus is genuine (John 15:8). But we must... Continue Reading

Calvin, just like the Westminster Confession, insists that salvation is pictured, even offered, in baptism, but only received by those who embrace the promise of baptism in faith. God can implant the seed of faith in that infant at the moment of baptism if he so chooses, but there is no inseparable connection between baptism and even... Continue Reading