How Do I Know If I’m One of the Elect?
We work because God works. Be diligent to confirm your election.
We confirm that God called and elected us by cultivating the virtues listed in 1:5–7. We must be continually growing in those virtues. We must persevere in faith and good works until the end. Consequently, God will richly welcome us into his eternal kingdom (1:11)—like how the King richly welcomes Christian into the Celestial City... Continue Reading
How Jesus Brings Peace
There is nothing that cannot be remedied by the work of Jesus on the cross at Calvary.
Cosmic, consummative worldwide peace is entirely dependent on Jesus’ death on the cross. The effects of creaturely reconciliation are felt for all of eternity on account of His saving works. The vertical reconciliation of fallen men to God is foundational to the horizontal reconciliation of man to man. The former necessarily accomplishes and secures the... Continue Reading
How Can the Command to “Honour Your Father” Apply to Good and Bad Fathers Alike?
The command is calling you to is a posture – not empty posturing, but a posture that will act in a way that is wise and beautiful.
The biblical command to honour your dad cannot be a licence for dads to be horrible knowing that their christian children have to suck it up and honour them. You are called to honour your dad. But the type of dad your dad is shapes the ways and the extent that you honour him. A... Continue Reading
Surprising Rebirth
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God – a review of Justin Brierley’s remarkable new podcast series.
I have been encouraged and even energised by Brierley’s work. He has equipped us with fresh evidence of the Christian faith, with a vigorous recasting of old evidence, and a renewed confidence in the intellectual and logical rigour of Christianity. He has given us a fund of podcasts to share with others on their journey.... Continue Reading
This Liberal Academic Wants Christians to Leave Politics to Leftists
Liberalism is not a neutral system but is really a totalizing ideology that will have no other gods before itself.
Lilla obviously is not objecting only to a small band of Catholic thinkers. Rather, he wants all Christians to give up and let self-admitted liberal failures like himself have their way in politics. But to take his advice would be a betrayal of both our citizenship and the love we ought to show to our... Continue Reading
What Does the Failure of the Law Amendment Mean?
We still have the same problem that we had before our meeting in Indianapolis.
The Law Amendment was our chance to put an end to this debate and to give clarity about which direction the SBC is going. The failure of the Law Amendment means that we are likely to see more credentials challenges brought directly to the floor at future meetings. In other words, the failure of Law... Continue Reading
Assembly Demographics Matter in the PCA
The RE/TE balance is improving…or returning to “normal.”
The founders of the PCA viewed ruling elders as a reliable, commonsense bulwark against doctrinal and denominational decline. The founders were not insensible to the fact that teaching elder professors and influential large-church pastors had presided over the liberalization of the old Southern mainline church from whence the PCA came. The late increase in ruling... Continue Reading
You Need a Qualified Pastor—Not Just a Charismatic One
We might have character, capability, confidence, and conviction. But if we lack compassion we are little more than clanging cymbals.
I can’t help but wonder if we are so drawn to charismatic preachers because of their obvious confidence. Perhaps what we call “charisma” is actually just confidence. I remember the first dozen or so times I watched John Piper preach. He certainly helped me see things in Scripture that I hadn’t seen before. But in hindsight,... Continue Reading
What Will Help Those Who Love a Person with Dementia?
Approach the dementia sufferer as one made in the image of God.
Endurance is tested when ministering to a person with dementia. The family may listen to repetitive questions and stories. Patience is needed while the sufferer struggles to express a thought. The loved one may react with stubbornness or anger when attempts are made to protect them from danger or when a familiar routine must change.... Continue Reading
“The Power of the Cross” – Paul’s Declaration in 1 Corinthians 1:17
The offensive nature of the gospel message is why the temptation to compromise or avoid the message of a crucified Savior will always be so great.
The cross is the divinely appointed means by which God saves sinners. It is in this message, and no other, where God’s wisdom and saving power is revealed. But since the cross was such a scandalous and offensive thing, we can see why it would have confounded any and all who heard the philosophers and... Continue Reading
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