The confrontation highlighted an important and distressing fact, namely that it’s not just America’s children who are falling into a form of “Moral and Therapeutic Deism” but America’s pastors. We have made ourselves sovereign and constructed a God who, like a Grandma, loves us and is willing to help, and provide us with things, but... Continue Reading

How she died didn’t determine who she was. What mattered was that she was “in Christ” as a child of God, therefore her sins were forgiven and are forgiven. Once a person becomes a believer, he or she is completely justified by the atoning death of Christ on the cross. Therefore no matter what sins may have... Continue Reading

But, what if our minds were set on another world? What if our hearts were longing and waiting for a future world? A world where “righteousness dwells”? If we did that, then holiness has a context where it is meaningful. Holiness and godliness make sense. In essence, then, people who focus more on the world... Continue Reading

Fornication isn’t merely “premarital.” Premarital is the language of timing, and with it we infer that this is simply the marital act misfired at the wrong time. But fornication is, both spiritually and typologically, a different sort of act from the marital act. That’s why the consequences are so dire.   Christians talk a lot... Continue Reading

The scientific advances are demonstrating what pro-life advocates have been saying all along. There’s a human being in there, and an abortion stops the heart and takes a life. Unfortunately, the humanity of the unborn is never really discussed, although Pickert quotes Frances Kissling (longtime abortion activist), who clearly affirms that abortion terminates human life... Continue Reading

But when we understand the “glorious exchange” principle of the Gospel of grace, then we will begin to make some real advance in holiness. As sinful desires and habits are not only rejected, but exchanged for Christ-like graces and actions; as we are clothed in Christ’s character and His graces are held together by love,... Continue Reading

At the end of the day, it doesn’t necessarily have to do with IQ and smarts and charismatic gifting. It comes with the wisdom of trying at something for more than 30 years and all the failure that this entails. We may love the stories of wild success that seemingly find overnight at a young age, but... Continue Reading

Things were so much simpler when the State was obliged to respect the religious conscience of all Americans, rather than seizing the power to weight some of us in the balance, and find us wanting.   Remember: tyranny is whimsical. That doesn’t merely describe a cackling lunatic despot handing out life and death according to... Continue Reading

If you are a pastor, parent, Bible study leader, Sunday school teacher, or anyone who instructs others in the faith, don’t assume your kids or your people know these things. Repeat then. Sing them. Pray them. Ask people to say what you just said. Make them raise their hands. Make them repeat after you. Do... Continue Reading

So if perchance U2 and One Direction do not unite and thus revolutionise your church life this year through ushering in the millennium, you may have to fall back on those hackneyed biblical staples, the ordinary means of grace. In that desperate situation, these are two books which you will find most helpful.   It... Continue Reading