If the cultural argument has any validity whatsoever, it means that differences among groups are at least partially a function of varied cultural traits and that people in power might not always be holding others down. Entertaining such a complex mix of factors is just not going to spark the desired change in power. The... Continue Reading

The tabernacle and the ark were associated with God’s presence, and an encounter with him was often deadly. The tabernacle was the movable link with God that carried on the Sinai encounter, wherein he told the Israelites not to come too near his presence, lest they too be struck down by his dangerous perfection. Yet... Continue Reading

How important it is that we learn to rest in Jesus. In a world today rocked by unrest, we need to rest in Jesus. We need to rest in Jesus because the future on earth is uncertain, but eternity with Him is not.   We need rest. One of the ways that interrogators break people... Continue Reading

If we are going to grow in holiness, we need to be clear about the relationship between Satan and sin. We err if we shift our focus on Satan to such a degree that we downplay sin in our own hearts and lives. Likewise, we run the risk of making Christianity a merely rationalistic and... Continue Reading

Because of their poetic and stylistic features, the hymns we encounter in the New Testament cannot simply be understood as doctrinal statements created for cognitive assent. Rather, their rich poetic language, metaphors, and elevated style were well-suited to engage the emotions and hearts of those who would hear them or recite them.   A concern... Continue Reading

Simply put, the only logical belief to hold is to believe that something must have always existed. But a universe defined by space, time, and matter cannot be that something.   Christians often make an argument for the existence of God based on the origin of the universe. We may say, for example, “Because there... Continue Reading

Our obedience is important—necessary, in fact—for glorifying God and becoming more conformed to the image of Christ. But if we wake up each day thinking this work hangs on our efforts, we will be setting ourselves up for discouragement at best, despair at worst.   The Daily Blessing of Imputation One of the saddest phenomena... Continue Reading

The Christian realizes that before God he or she possesses no “rights” by nature. In our sinfulness, we have forfeited all of our “rights.”   It was years ago now, but I still remember the discussion. I was making my way out of our church building some time after the morning service had ended, and... Continue Reading

When we have the word hidden in our hearts, we won’t easily be satisfied with falsehood and contradictions. In order to be discerning, we need to know our Bibles.   Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.— Charles H. Spurgeon When it... Continue Reading

The superiority of Western culture can be objectively demonstrated when cultures are appraised based on the only befitting standard for judging a society or culture—the extent to which its core values are life affirming or antilife.   Relativism, the idea that truth is a historically conditioned notion that does not transcend cultural boundaries, has existed... Continue Reading