Much of social media behavior today functions to undermine the design and authority of Christ’s church in the opening and closing of the kingdom according to these keys. And many of our problems come because the church has not been faithful to exercise the key that shuts the kingdom of heaven against those who stand... Continue Reading

A thorough understanding of these significant realities that take place each week we gather for corporate worship, Cruse suggests, should lead us to intentional preparation and heartfelt engagement in the service. We won’t chase after excitement or entertainment; rather, we will be satisfied with the simplicity and “ordinariness” of what we do, recognizing that truly... Continue Reading

God is “always” and “never” a lot of things, and all of that steadiness ought to have a generally calming and peaceful effect on us as Christians. But as Christian fathers? It ought to do something in addition to that. It ought to make us want to model that steadiness in our homes.    We... Continue Reading

Although death is powerful and often comes upon people unexpectedly, it is Christ who has defeated this last enemy already and will one day stand victorious over death upon his return. Each time we observe the Lord’s Table with our church family, we remember and proclaim the Lord’s death. However, we must not overlook that... Continue Reading

The New Testament is not unaware of the problem of pastors who are overly critical and harsh with their sheep. In the long list of qualifications, Paul is keen to mention it: “Therefore an overseer must be . . . not violent but gentle” (1 Tim 3:3; cf. Titus 1:7)…Paul believes gentleness matters very much. No... Continue Reading

Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that the doctrine of regeneration is one of the most important doctrines that a Christian needs to understand (75). The good news is that God does for us what we could never have done for ourselves so that we may be redeemed! May we exclaim with MLJ, “what a wonderful salvation, what... Continue Reading

Gilson writes with straightforward and clear prose, balancing grace and truth. Her clear-eyed, nuanced approach and wise insights will help anyone in the church to see more of the goodness of God in the sexual ethic of Scripture. Born Again This Way will also help ordinary Christians gain a better understanding of this complicated subject. Ultimately,... Continue Reading

Our sad state as unconverted sinners is at the heart of the Christian gospel. There can be no good news unless we first accept the bad news…. So those who reject this basic biblical truth are not calling out Calvin or Newton or me or you but God himself. And when you effectively tell God... Continue Reading

Even though Scripture forbids stealing, any heart in love with the world will still be inclined to it. Sinners love forbidden fruit. The woman of folly rightly says to those she seduces, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant” (Proverbs 9:17). Water in this context likely refers to sexual intimacy (Proverbs... Continue Reading

Notice that for Frankl, the abused can become abusers and the oppressed become oppressors because they can fall prey to a “danger (in the sense of psychological hygiene) [that] is the psychological counterpart of the bends.”7 For him, it’s not that external factors in such cases bring out what is already in people (i.e., their... Continue Reading