Because God commands our worship, it can subtly begin to feel like just another obligation rather than an unprecedented and immeasurable privilege. Make no mistake, it is an obligation. The God of heaven and earth orders us to come, but in ordering us, he does not burden us. He bids us into true glory and... Continue Reading

While sex slavery is certainly more prevalent in other countries, we can’t overlook what is happening in our own cities and states. We can help these women and children, though, by knowing the signs to look for.   The Story: A recent report highlights the cities and states within the United States in which human... Continue Reading

Is it true that NPP [New Perspective(s) on Paul] folks have somehow been able to do what reformed folks have not, namely throw off the shackles of cultural influence and see the real Paul?  Are they able to rise above their cultural circumstances and engage only in objective exegesis (whatever that might be)?   Ever... Continue Reading

This is a large part of the task of the Christian apologist: to prove the Christian worldview, and to rely on God to cause the acquiescence of the unbelieving heart to the soundness of biblical doctrine.    Christianity on the Defense With each passing generation, wherever Christianity flourishes, so too do distortion, misrepresentation, overemphasis, and... Continue Reading

The relationship between Israel and the church in the New Testament is not always easy to discern, but it can be understood if we remember the differences between national Israel and true Israel in both the Old Testament and the New, and if we keep in mind what Paul teaches in Romans 11.   One... Continue Reading

Sheep stray and need to be reminded, retrieved (even rescued), and trained in the way of truth and righteousness. But, just like with our children learning to speak or read, it starts with the basics.   The Apostles’ Creed gives us a syllabus of basic biblical teaching for being rooted and built up in Christ,... Continue Reading

As we faithfully and prayerfully read the Scriptures, the Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ, and the self-focused tunes that normally operate as the soundtrack of our lives are replaced with the joyful, hope-filled beat of our crucified and risen King.   A person’s ear can be trained to hear any number of... Continue Reading

Those who have had little interaction with teenagers may wrongly assume that the youth of today have somehow avoided the grip of shame. They assume this, of course, because teenagers are great at faking confidence.   What words come to mind when you think of “shame?” Humiliation. Embarrassment. Weakness. Ridicule. Total rejection. While recently listening... Continue Reading

God is not a needy God. It’s not as if He was bored, twiddling His thumbs, desperately lonely before He created the world. God is not dependent on the world for His existence, nor is He dependent on the world for His happiness and self-fulfillment. Instead, He possesses life in and of Himself. More precisely,... Continue Reading

If Jesus’ words to Saul tell us that those who persecute the church are persecuting Christ, it also tells us that how we treat the church is how we treat Christ. If we never go to church, if we constantly go away for the weekend, if we never serve, if we find anything else to... Continue Reading