Covenantal Holiness
Preaching in the covenant community needs to challenge presumption and include the obligation of appropriate response to God’s covenant kindness.
When a person becomes a believer but his spouse does not, the question of the believer’s remaining in the marriage arises (v. 12). The unbelieving spouse may consent to remain in the marriage, allowing the believer to practice his new Christian faith. In this situation, the believer is not to separate or seek a divorce... Continue Reading
Are Human Rights a Fantasy?
As the West loses touch with its Creator, by what authority do we agree on inalienable rights?
For most of history, as Holland described in his book ‘Dominion’, the idea that humans have “self-evident” rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” would have been baffling: “A Roman would have laughed at it.” Yet today, “rights” language is central to our way of life. It was at the heart of the United... Continue Reading
Spurgeon and the Sabbath: A Day of Joy
God calls all people to rest from their normal labors to labor joyfully for Him.
What caused Dickens and Spurgeon to have opposite attitudes on the Sabbath? Spurgeon believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and Dickens did not. For a person to love the Sabbath, he must love the Lord of the Sabbath. If God sets aside every Sunday for worship, a believer is “glad when the Sabbath arrives,” because... Continue Reading
B.B. Warfield’s Inspiration & Authority of the Bible
Both his exposition and his defense of the doctrine as well as his careful and thorough examination of the Scripture’s own teaching of it are unsurpassed.
Warfield was eager to go deeper and uncover the length and depth of the teaching of Christ and the biblical writers. It is here in particular that we are treated to a gold mine of exegetical grist for our theological mill. He scours the claims of the prophets and the teaching of Jesus and his... Continue Reading
Self-Creation Only Dehumanizes Us
I believe the witnesses of Scripture and common sense that we are first and foremost creatures, not creators.
Puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and gender reassignment surgery are all used to relieve suffering—not physical suffering, but the psychological and emotional suffering caused by gender dysphoria. Most feel alleviating that suffering is a moral imperative; therefore, so is allowing these interventions. Few realize, however, that the psychological and emotional burden often remains even after transition.... Continue Reading
Thomas S. Williamson, Missionary Physician of Souls
During Williamson’s ministry he took the gospel to the Dakota people.
Dr. Williamson walked every Saturday to Mankato to preach to four hundred Dakota men imprisoned by the government during a recent war. In February 1863, Williamson and Gideon Pond baptized three hundred of the prisoners that came to believe the gospel. Dr. Williamson presided at the organization of the first church in Minnesota, and when it... Continue Reading
Dear Pastor, Avoid the Common Pitfall That Will Sabotage Your Ministry
As Paul charges Timothy, we should be reminded, “not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (2 Tim. 2:14).
Many preachers who desire to “contend for the faith” (Jude 3) and recognize our responsibility to “rebuke those who contradict” with sound doctrine (Titus 1:9) will adopt a defensive posture in the pulpit. While these are crucial aspects of our role, our preaching should not be characterized by an argumentative demeanor or confrontational rhetoric. And... Continue Reading
The Episcopal Church Considers Motion on Polyamory (Updated)
A mainline American church considers a motion on affirming Polyamrous relationships among its clergy and laity.
I got several earnest messages informing me that my facts were out of date. The motion went to TEC’s legislative committee where it was rejected, it did not reach the house of deputies or bishops for a formal vote. If I had known that, I would certainly have said so, but none of the research... Continue Reading
Holy and Blameless
God has declared us holy. Therefore, while we know that we sin, God does not identify us by our sin.
Satan identifies us by our sin, and we often join him in doing so, but God identifies us in Christ. God identifies us as holy and calls us to be holy because He has declared us holy on account of the holiness of Christ. As Paul writes, God “chose us in [Christ] before the foundation... Continue Reading
In the Shadows of Grief
A glimmer of hope amid darkness.
At the darkest moment, she ran her fingers across the grain of the wood bench. The beauty of its intricate veining and brown tones began to sing gently. He used to love working with wood and always said it was one of God’s finest creations. That is when she felt the warmth of the sun... Continue Reading
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