I Love Being Presbyterian
How can we winsomely love being Presbyterians?
Presbyterianism is technically a form of church government, but it has also become a catch-all phrase for Presbyterians who are Reformed in conviction and adhere to Westminster Standards in doctrinal standards. Which means, being a Presbyterian is a lifestyle. It is adhering to that particular church government, and it is living your life in the... Continue Reading
The Abolition of Mania
Lewis pictures the human person—philosophically considered—as being made up of three parts: the head, the belly, and the chest.
This philosophical chest joins those two parts of us that, while good in themselves, have a tendency to fly apart from each other and so become bad. Our reasonings are all too apt to evaporate into abstraction, floating upward into false spirituality, as if we weren’t also embodied, feeling creatures. Our feelings are all too... Continue Reading
What We Miss When We Skip the Book of Ezra
The centrality of worshiping God is a central pillar of Ezra.
Ezra connects to the overarching story of the Bible. We were made to worship God, but our rebellion means that we need a pure high priest to make our worship possible. Ezra reminds us of this central activity of the community of God and our dependence on him to draw us near. The book... Continue Reading
Melito of Sardis – Pastor, Theologian, and Poet
Melito’s Peri Pascha (on Pascha) is one of the jewels we still gather from the preaching of the early church, and brings us closer to the brothers and sisters who rejoiced in the same gospel that still gives us life and encouragement.
Melito’s poetry reaches exceptional peaks in his choice of words: “In the palpable darkness hid untouchable death, and the wretched Egyptians were grasping the darkness, while death sought out and grasped the Egyptian first-born at the angel’s command.”[8] He recounts with dramatic tones the confusion and desperation of the first-born who were powerless against the... Continue Reading
Finding Fellowship
It has the power to unite us into one glorious unit.
Christian fellowship is not merely jokes and friendly banter. Unity in Christ, lives centered on Him, and living as those who have a participation in the gospel and are partakers of grace are what are meant by being brought into fellowship. It is that which the outside world will not have. It is that which... Continue Reading
Hadrian of Nisida and Theodore of Tarsus – Seventh-Century Star Teachers
From the start, Hadrian and Theodore realized that there was an urgent need for education of the clergy, especially since the Scriptures were still in Latin, and most of the clergy couldn’t even read them. For this purpose, they started a school in Canterbury, which became famous all over Europe.
The two men also taught theology. They were both well learned in the Scriptures and the writings of the church fathers, and followed the literal (vs. allegorical) interpretation of the Bible taught at Antioch. Though faithful to the pope and to the decisions of the western councils, Theodore brought some wisdom from the eastern church... Continue Reading
One Subtle Rebellion Against God
We can accept the limitations God has given to us only when we also accept the limitless love He has also given us in Christ.
The gospel reminds us that God, who has no limits, does indeed love us. So much, in fact, that Jesus died for us. And that through Jesus, we can be reconciled to God and find our perfect acceptance and validation in Him. This is really the only way that we can live within our limits,... Continue Reading
What is Coming Next for Canadian Churches?
It is important to note that we are just entering the post-Christian age—things are likely to get a lot worse.
Carl Trueman offers some powerful advice in the aforementioned essay, including being deeply rooted in doctrine and Scripture; rejecting the postmodern worship practices that have come with our “childish age”; and putting “our own lives in perspective…before God.” We must work to defend our communities and shape the minds of our children while also seeking to love... Continue Reading
God Works All Things for Good
We hope in the age to come rather than in this broken and fallen age.
The faithful, covenant love of our Lord will never depart from you if you trust in Christ. You are safe in the grasp of the Almighty, not only through all eternity, but even now. He is actively working all things for good for those who love Him—and that “good,” which is your glorification, cannot be robbed... Continue Reading
Why Does Justice Matter?
To be God’s agents of justice, we have to work through the mud and distortion and bring clarity to true justice.
All human beings, in virtue of being human, bear God’s image, from the greatest to the least. The image of God is foundational to understanding how and why we do justice. It’s that image which creates the standard that lends to each person’s transcendent value, requiring us to treat all humans with dignity and worth.... Continue Reading
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