Stop Speaking Christianese, Please
Christianese is the language Christians speak at church and to other Christians.
When talking to non-believers, make an effort to find fresh and clear ways of communicating common Christian concepts. Instead of inviting people to put their “faith” in Christ, ask them to put their “trust” in him. Instead of “theology,” try “Christian convictions.” Instead of warning them, “You’re going to be judged for your sins,” say,... Continue Reading
A New Year in God’s Providence
God’s providential will is always better, it is always right, it is always necessary, it is always best.
What will God in his goodness and wisdom and grace and power do with us in the new year? Watching for this is far more to God’s glory and to the enjoyment of God than the quest to get done what I want to get done. In her rich fantasy novel, Piranesi, author Susanna... Continue Reading
Betrayal and Abandonment in Ministry
We need to be able to trust others in ministry.
God heals relational wounds relationally. It is essential that pastors and ministry leaders be able to connect with others with whom they can experience this relational healing in trusted relationships. The betrayal of Jesus Christ is one of the most poignant and painful sufferings he endured. One of the very people he had invested... Continue Reading
What Good Is Marriage?
The Deliberate Demise of Augustine-Christian Marriage
Today, legal marriage is weaker than any contract and—except by coincidence—has no relation whatsoever to procreation and the rearing of children. Accordingly, relatively early marriage—designed to accommodate natural and healthy human fertility patterns—is no longer relevant. Indeed, judged against the Augustinian framework, legal marriage in America today means nothing…which may be why “same-sex marriage” crept... Continue Reading
10 Key Bible Verses on Wisdom and Discernment
Believers are to have an undivided faith, asking for wisdom from their ever-wise and all-generous God.
Wisdom, as in the Old Testament, is a God-given and God-centered discernment regarding the practical issues in life. Wisdom comes from prayer for God’s help. God gives generously (with “single-minded” liberality) and without reproach (he does not want anyone to hesitate to come to him). All commentary sections adapted from the ESV Study Bible.... Continue Reading
How Was the Passover a Sign of the Covenant?
Jesus is the Passover Lamb who brings about the true exodus.
The unfolding of the history of redemption reveals how the Passover was a sign of God’s gracious covenant, in which He would provide the greater exodus from sin, Satan, and death by the sacrificial death of Christ. Believers confidently confess that “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Of all the... Continue Reading
What Hath Bethlehem to Do with Washington?
Our political theology must be rooted in the incarnation.
Both the cosmic and personal nature of Christmas both motivates and tempers our politics. Empowered by the Spirit, we love our neighbors by upholding the creational truths Jesus’ birth affirms. Yet our activism is tempered by the reality of what we can actually accomplish in a cosmos still groaning for redemption. Only Jesus can bless... Continue Reading
B.B. Warfield: New Testament Names and Designations for Jesus
The names and designations of Jesus in the New Testament tell us about His Person and work.
Consider the greatness of the Son of God….As the Crucifixion and Resurrection remembrance called Easter approaches, it is hoped this list of designations helps readers to think of the greatness of the Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus. “What’s in a name?” asks Juliet as she speaks to Romeo from the balcony in... Continue Reading
Are You Actually Responsible for How Your Year Turned Out?
God has been kind to us for another year. Let’s thank Him for this and not only consider the things we controlled and planned.
When I reflect on my past year, some of the things I prayed for and planned for did come about. Yet many things were unexpected. One of my co-pastors became very unwell. Many people joined the church and some people left. Many things, both large and small, happened that I could never have known in... Continue Reading
Majoring in the Minors: Haggai
The emphatic message of Haggai, in light of this Divine hope, is “Be strong, all you people of the land … Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts.” (2:4)
Even after the rebuilding of the temple commences, a second threat to its progress arises. The new temple built in their impoverished condition is not nearly as impressive as Solomon’s original structure. Haggai asks a progressive series of rhetorical questions, “Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do... Continue Reading
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