Discernment is more complicated than simply checking out the endorsements or letting someone decide for us who is good and who isn’t. By discerning, we have the opportunity to grow. We have the opportunity to become more rooted in what we believe. This is the kind of noble discernment the Bereans had, and it is... Continue Reading

There are plenty of places in the New Testament that speak of sin as a “principle” operating within us or as a specific violation of the law of God, but we cannot find any other support for the idea that there is a unique sin in each believer’s life that is somehow more powerful than... Continue Reading

If God called a man into the pastorate, the Puritans believed his life would display certain characteristics that confirmed this calling. A survey of Puritan writings on the subject reveals that the Puritans did not elevate one aspect of calling above the rest but rather sought a confluence of characteristics that demonstrated God’s wise hand... Continue Reading

These pages breathe an atmosphere of weary resignation. Hart depicts himself as a lonely battler for the truth of universalism—which hardly seems to be the case, given that many academic theologians today share his views. Here’s another oddity: the total absence of joy in this book. Someone who is genuinely convinced that everyone is finally... Continue Reading

We leave because we’re looking. For something. For someone. We leave because we long for something else, something more. We leave to look for some piece of us that’s missing. Or we hit the road to leave ourselves behind and refashion who we are. We hit the road in the hope of finding what we’re... Continue Reading

We can rightly acknowledge the differences that exist between us, and we can rightly acknowledge that some “races” or “kinds” have historically been mistreated by others. If we focus solely on the unity of the human race and deny the existence of different “races” or “kinds” of people, we may well minimize the very real... Continue Reading

As our perfect high priest and spotless lamb, Jesus (and Jesus alone) was capable of ascending the hill of the Lord in order to stand in God’s holy place. In the second half of Psalm 24, David rejoices because the “king of glory returns from the battle victorious” (24:7-8). Jerusalem is to open its gates... Continue Reading

A liberation theologian’s view of sin does not include the necessity for one to have spiritual redemption and transformation that can only be achieved by God in Christ (Hebrews 8:6-13). Scripture informs us of what that transformation looks like (new hearts and minds) and who is responsible for the transformation (God alone).   In order... Continue Reading

Study the book of Ezra. As you do, the more you are in awe of God’s meticulous sovereignty, let that impress upon you that for those apart from Christ, they don’t need a miracle. They don’t need a new start. They need a new heart, which only comes through New Covenant.   One of the... Continue Reading

Christian parents are called to wisely and prayerfully consider what it looks like to live as a faithful steward of the gospel. One way that we steward the gospel—though we do it imperfectly—is by striving to prioritize it above everything else in our life.   I grew up in rural Mississippi—a beautiful blend of cattle... Continue Reading