Calvinism protects from the heresy of universalism on the one hand and the error of reducing the objective nature of the atonement on the other. The Calvinist recognizes that the death of Jesus saves everyone for whom it was designed. In other words, the atonement is viewed as limited in its scope and purpose.  ... Continue Reading

Messing with the Gospel story to convince someone to accept it, or worse yet, to win a political argument is counterproductive and ultimately unbiblical. It cheapens the Gospel and distorts the true mission of Jesus Christ.   In the last few years some Christians as well as some false teachers have written articles about Jesus... Continue Reading

Christians, above and beyond all other people, should have ample reason to practice hospitality—especially when others are not. We should do this not simply for the fact that it is a command given (Rom. 12:13; 1 Pet. 4:9), but we have a unique opportunity to seize this good practice while others forfeit it.   It... Continue Reading

A good Christian book should guide the reader to the Celestial City. It should lead them in a Godward direction and inspire them to live hopeful lives and holy lives.   I review books – a lot of books. Some people have expressed an interest in how I evaluate them. A few specific criteria govern... Continue Reading

Some of the most talked about ethical issues in technology, even as 2021 is just getting started, are the debates over online content moderation, the role of social media in our public discourse, and the merits of Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.   2020 was a year that not only challenged the... Continue Reading

The work of Christ on our behalf actually creates confidence and assurance; it is a source of assurance. The more we understand it, embrace it, and cherish it, the greater our sense of confidence and assurance will be.   Union with Christ I have a teenage son who plays basketball. Recently, his coach recommended that... Continue Reading

The elders of the church took seriously their task, not only of ministering the compassion of Christ to the sick (at great danger to themselves!), but also of reminding Christians of their duties to one another in the Gospel. Christians were not to abandon one another or their family members in the face of disease.... Continue Reading

Those of us who understand that hastening death corrupts medicine and abandons the vulnerable have no choice but to continue resisting the toxic tide for as long as we can, understanding that caring rather than killing is the way to show true compassion to all suicidal people.   The West is tearing itself apart. The... Continue Reading

Scripture teaches that God made human beings for relationships with Him and with other people. Adam walked with God in the Garden of Eden. He had perfect health, a perfect environment, and could work and play with the animals, and yet God declared that it was not good for Adam to be alone (Gen. 2:18).... Continue Reading

What follows is a record of the consequences Christians encountered because of an idea nearly half a century ago in a far-off place. They are also consequences we are encountering now in our own country and in our own communities.   I want to tell you a story. It is a glimpse into a totalitarian... Continue Reading