4 Important Things to Remember If You Are a Doubting Believer
Doubt is not the same thing as unbelief.
Though he had doubts, John wasted no time in seeking to quench them. He sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask him about his ministry. The example of John teaches us to distinguish between doubt and unbelieving skepticism. John had made the largest and most confident confessions about the identity of Jesus. Then, in... Continue Reading
The Constitution of the PCA Prohibits the Ordination of Men Who Experience Unnatural Lust
The Presbyterian Church in America recently adopted changes to its Book of Church Order that specify that an elder “should conform to the biblical requirement of chastity and sexual purity…”
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) recently adopted changes to its Book of Church Order (BCO) that specify that an elder “should conform to the biblical requirement of chastity and sexual purity in his descriptions of himself, and in his convictions, character, and conduct” (BCO 8-2). Similarly, deacons are to be conspicuous for “conforming to... Continue Reading
A Virtuous Life in an Idolatrous World
Flourishing gospel communities of committed disciples of Jesus is always our best answer to critics and a crisis of credibility.
While there is no quick fix for immorality. No singular or simplistic response that will eradicate the influence of the plethora of cultural idols that shape our imaginations and calibrate our desires, forming in us a distorted vision of the good life. There is an answer. It’s not new. It’s not quick. It’s not glamorous... Continue Reading
Quit Playing Games With Sin
Quit playing games with sin, but live in the reality of sins forgiven.
The devil doesn’t want you to think that way about sin. He doesn’t want you to know about the “deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:13). He wants you to hide your sin. He wants you to secretly love your sin. He definitely doesn’t want you to kill it. He wants to convince you that all will... Continue Reading
Autonomous Man: Battling the Tyranny of Selfism
Repentant man subjects his once autonomous self and now glories in the selfless Savior.
To battle the spirit of selfism, individuals must repent of their pride-filled selves. The apostle Peter exhorts that it is high time to “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:6). Only those individuals truly “under God” (His governance) as saved by and submitted... Continue Reading
The Church at Election Time
The unique aim, purpose, and warrant of the church is to educate and mobilize our fellow citizens of heaven.
I believe Christians would do well to get informed and vote. And yet, I am hard pressed to find scriptural warrant for thinking Christians must vote as a matter of obedience to Christ. By conducting voter registration in the church we are communicating, “This is what Christians should do.” Voting is generally a good thing,... Continue Reading
Christ’s Work in the ‘Heavenly Places’
The entire Christian life is spiritual warfare, and we must remember who our battle is against when we proclaim the gospel.
Paul’s teaching on “the heavenly places” in Ephesians reminds us of important truths. Jesus’s reign at God’s right hand in heaven is foundational for God’s purpose to make all things right in heaven and on earth (1:20–23). On account of their union with Christ, believers have been blessed with every blessing of the Spirit (1:3)... Continue Reading
Circumstantial Evidence: A Lesson from Gideon
The circumstances of Gideon’s life contradict the word of the Lord. But God is not ruled by circumstances; God defines circumstances.
The Lord is with you, mighty warrior? Now that is a shocking statement. It is shocking because Gideon was not a mighty warrior. He was threshing wheat, a common and necessary practice, but the usual practice of threshing wheat was to cut the stalks and then beat them with a rod. You would then discard... Continue Reading
The Doctrine of Humanity and a Pastor’s Ministry
The doctrine of humanity is not only essential but also has existential relevance.
Fast-forward millennia of human history, with God’s promise of sending a redeemer gradually taking shape (see Gen. 3:15) through a series of covenants and promises, and we arrive at Jesus. Jesus is at the very heart of history. As Paul writes, though Jesus “was in the form of God,” he was “born in the likeness... Continue Reading
Augustine Against Gnosticism
Let us take up Augustine’s City of God and read it again lest we slip further into a gnostic nightmare world where soul (person/gender) and body are torn asunder.
The western world’s gnostic separation of the human person into a good soul and a bad body has manifested itself in the postmodern transgender movement. This radical, ultimately anti-humanistic form of dualism drives an arbitrary wedge between a person’s physical, biological sex and their so-called gender. To honor their “true” or “authentic” internal sense of... Continue Reading
Presbyterians MIA (Missing in Actions)
Presbyterians leadership in positions in America is rich and ubiquitous; but sadly, it appears now that Presbyterians have left the public square and are missing in action.
We were told to pursue excellence in all things according to the gifts that we were given for the glory of God. Leaders today in the church should be identifying such men with unique gifts and encourage them to become leaders not only in the church, but in the world in which we live. Our... Continue Reading
Reading Is Fundamental
Let’s keep reading central in our homes and preserve the doorway through which our children will access God’s Word.
When life’s trials crash in, we want a well-worn pathway to lead our children to the comfort of the God’s Word. However, they have a formidable obstacle to overcome if they “hate” reading. So what should a parent do in a culture where screens entice our children away from books? It is time to take... Continue Reading
What a Church Is . . . and Isn’t
The family is not just an institution; it’s a group of people. So it is with a church.
The church is a people, not a place or a statistic. It’s a body, united into him who is the head. It’s a family, joined together by adoption through Christ. I pray that we pastors would increasingly recognize our awesome responsibility for the particular flocks over which God has made us undershepherds. A Jarring... Continue Reading
The Normalization of Slander
May God help us resist the impulse to be so blinded by the rightness of our cause that we do the work of the Accuser.
Our social media habits have made slander so prevalent, so normal, that we’re willing to overlook its pernicious effects as long as it helps our cause or confirms our narrative. We no longer see this sin as disqualifying. We no longer even see it as sin. I fear we’ve normalized this form of worldliness to... Continue Reading
Court Vindicates Teacher with Courage to NOT Say What Isn’t True
More victories in the fight for truth about gender.
Contrary to what proponents claim, policies that support the social transition of children are not “kind.” Nor are they aimed at “what’s best for the kids.” Rather, these policies enable and protect practices that cause irreversible harm. This includes policies about pronouns. A pronoun matters because language matters. Language should match reality, not distort it. This... Continue Reading
Beware: All is Lost if the Gospel is Lost
Give more earnest heed to what you have heard because the salvation is abundant; the warnings are abundant; and the revelation is abundant.
Before GPS, SOS, and CPUs, the stars and land were essential to navigation of sea. There were few things more terrifying to a sailor than a storm causing the ship to drift off course and away from land. If both were lost, especially for an extended time like fourteen days, the situation would be nearly... Continue Reading
Died: Jack Iker, Anglican Who Drew the Line at Women’s Ordination
The Texas bishop fought a bitter legal battle with the Episcopal Church and won.
“Almost every day I am in conversation with one of our attorneys. We have engaged six different law firms to respond to the litigations brought against us.” The legal battles dragged on for 12 years before Iker and the Anglicans ultimately won. Finally, a Texas Supreme Court judge ruled that “under the governing documents, the... Continue Reading
Meaning, Purpose, and the Will to Live
The real answer to suicidal thoughts.
“What is it about the kingdom that is of such profound value? It is a multifaceted treasure, but at the center of its value is the possibility of ultimate meaning. Jesus’s gospel of the kingdom is good news because it offers us deep, durable meaning powerful enough to sustain us through life and through suffering... Continue Reading
God Is Good to Forbid Sin
Everything God says and does in this world is for our good as well as his glory.
It is the goodness of God to forbid us from sin. It is the goodness of God also to describe sin for us in his moral law, so that we might know it when we see it and keep from it with all our might. Not long ago our church studied through the Ten... Continue Reading
Mark 14:66-72: The Courageous Lord II
Let’s make sure that we don’t make the same mistake as Peter, Peter who thought that he could depend on his own courage, rather let’s be people who depend on the courage that only God can give.
Why did Peter’s courage fail him? Primarily because he hadn’t taken Jesus’ advice! Do you remember back in Gethsemane? Jesus had said to Peter, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Sadly three times Peter had failed to pray, and now three times he fails to identify himself with... Continue Reading
Marie Durand (1711–1776), the Famous Prisoner of Faith — Introduction
Marie is a heroine of the Christian faith.
Conservative French Protestants, fiercely loyal to their religious and cultural roots, viewed Marie Durand as a heroic Huguenot, the ultimate example of a faithful Calvinist holding fast to her sixteenth-century Reformation heritage. Evangelical Protestants in general have presented Durand as an example of steadfast faith in Christ under severe persecution. My life was a tissue... Continue Reading
Pastor, Preach Theology
Preach the Bible’s Theology, Not Your Own
Theology cannot be overlooked in preaching. Theology must form the core of our preaching. In fact, it will. Whether that’s intentional or not is up to us. Preachers must start with the text of scripture, extract its theology, and then present it to the audience, helping them apply it to their lives for salvation or sanctification. ... Continue Reading
Reverence
Assuming a Humble Posture
If we examine our own devotion to our Lord in how we walk through each day, do we really entrepō Him as we should? Instead of putting ourselves to shame and completely bearing ourselves to God, entertainment is demanded. If the “worship style” is not exciting or upbeat enough then we get bored and look for another... Continue Reading
Three People to Thank
Gratitude is both vertical and horizontal.
Whenever we treasure the gift of an earthly relationship and we thank God for it, we should consider how we can give back. For whom in your life do you thank God? Have you thanked God for them? And have you told them that you are thankful? We should thank God for his good... Continue Reading
Strengthened by God’s Love and Peace
Even a man of great faith and commitment to God at times needs to be strengthened. How much more do we?
It is these truths—God’s love and His presence and control over circumstances–that brought strength to Daniel’s soul, even affected his body, and gave him courage to go on. He was not ready to receive this vision, one that would somehow take its toll on him. He said to the angel, “Let my lord speak, for... Continue Reading
Ministering to Addicts
We must be compassionate and courageous as we come alongside one another.
We must pray, confess, confront, admit, intervene, befriend, and love. As the family of God, we must not give up on those who struggle with addictions as we depend on the transforming and renewing work of the Holy Spirit through the gospel of Jesus Christ, who has overcome the world. As a pastor, I... Continue Reading
I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow
Praise God that we have the promise that we may come to Him to “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).
He refines me and causes me to loosen my grip on this world that I might cling more closely to Him. He causes me to stop trusting in myself and causes me to trust more fully in Him. He answers the prayer for growth that I might say with the Psalmist, “Whom have I in... Continue Reading
Get the Basics Right
What are the core things any church, of any size, can do well?
The Big Picture for Small Churches (which is brilliant, by the way), John Benton helpfully boils it down to these five things: Quality presence, Quality welcome, Quality teaching, Quality hospitality, and Quality prayer. These are the basics as far as churches go. Basics that any church can do well. I was watching a bit... Continue Reading
Why Christians Must Walk Humbly before the Lord
We must draw near unto God and we do that in His Word and in Prayer. It takes both.
How do we fight against these attacks and have a focus that is Godly. The answer is that we must wear our armor, use our armor, and pray at all times. Victory over Satan and his hosts in the great spiritual warfare in which we are engaged demands unceasing and diligent commitment to prayer. Prayer... Continue Reading
Yesterday and Today and Forevermore
What a joy that we serve a God who does not change.
We taste the bitter drink of doubt and fear when we begin to suppose that our God is fickle and changing, given to the whims of emotion as we are. We stumble upon the waves of this world not because our Lord ceases to be who He is, but because we, like Peter, cease to... Continue Reading