The Secret to a Happy Life
James 4 gives us a series of loosely linked aphorisms of practical, godly wisdom.
Humility is the secret to a happy life. What is humility? Scripture does not say the humble person is Mr. Milquetoast, the wishy-washy person, the spineless man who is a doormat for the world; rather, the humble person is one who fears God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and such... Continue Reading
The Seed We Plant
Every word of Scripture, however plain, and every sentence, however obscure, is inspired and endued with power.
The church, as we have seen, is inextricably tied to the Word of God. So long as the Word remains, the church will remain. And so long as the church is incomplete, the work of missions will remain. And the fruits of that work will endure forever. A Surprising Testimony A Chinese brother studying... Continue Reading
The Trial of Your Faith
FAITH untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without trials.
Tried faith brings experience. You could not have believed your own weakness had you not been compelled to pass through the rivers; and you would never have known God’s strength had you not been supported amid the water-floods. Faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with tribulation. Faith is precious,... Continue Reading
You Can Approach the Unapproachable God Because of the Finished Work of Christ
If God dwells in the white-hot light of His holiness, how can sinners like you and I ever hope to take even one baby step toward Him?
Jesus is greater than all human priests. The author calls Him a “great” priest because He did not bring a foreign sacrifice to God, but instead offered Himself. “Once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb 9:26). Only absolute purity would do.... Continue Reading
The Best Symbolical Statement of the Calvinistic System of Doctrine-The Belgic Confession
The aim of the Confession is to persuade its readers that the Reformed faith is nothing other than the historic faith of the Christian church.
Several of the most distinctive features of the Reformed doctrine of the church and sacraments receive special notice in this Confession. The holy catholic church is the “assembly of those who are saved, and outside of it there is no salvation” (Art. 28). The “marks of the true church” are identified as the preaching of... Continue Reading
Brothers, We Are Presbyterian
A very well-organized clandestine political wing of our denomination has been exposed for being exactly what it is, despite many of us having been assured time and time again that the National Partnership was merely an exclusive fellowship organization akin to a type of pastors’ support group.
Members of the National Partnership: plainly speaking, you shot yourselves in the foot. Your secrecy aroused all kinds of paranoid speculation. You were authors of your own worst critiques. Going forward, open communication will serve you well in defending unfair characterizations of yourselves. I do not believe the National Partnership as an organization needs to... Continue Reading
The Chalcedonian Definition: Christ’s Two Natures
The document produced at the Council of Chalcedon in October 451 was not a “creed”; it was a “definition.”
the Nicene Creed clearly identifies each of the divine persons, shows that they are equal to one another, and emphasizes that for us and for our salvation, the Son came down from heaven through the incarnation. At the same time, the bishops at Chalcedon were under intense pressure from the emperor to produce a new... Continue Reading
Part 4: The Christian’s Relationship to the Civil Government: The Limits of Its Power
What does the Christian do when the government does not match up well to the biblical definitions of wrongdoing and goodness?
All authority has limits because it is a derived authority. That does not mean there is a place where the civil magistrate behaves perfectly. Since the fall, all authority is abused because it is exercised by sinful men. Today, governments are acting as a master over its people by assuming responsibility over its citizens’ consciences.... Continue Reading
Judge Makes Stunning Ruling for Businesses with Religious Beliefs
The report explained the judge’s decision starts the process of resolving multiple questions left unaddressed by the Supreme Court’s decision in its Bostock case, where the justices granted anti-bias protections for sexual orientations and gender identity.
The Washington Examiner explained the judge ordered, “The court holds that the Religious Business-Type Employer Class, and All Opposing Employer Class, are permitted to create and maintain codes of conduct that regulate the sexual conduct of their employees, to the extent that those policies do not target solely homosexual or transgender activities.” A federal judge has... Continue Reading
The Fruit of Patience
Waiting for God is at the heart of living by faith.
God’s patience is long but not infinite. He warns that there is a border to His longsuffering, which He will not extend. Indeed, He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world, and that day will mark the endpoint of God’s striving with us. It will also mark the day of vindication... Continue Reading
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