Does Prayer Change God’s Mind?
What prayer most often changes is the wickedness and the hardness of our own hearts.
The very reason we pray is because of God’s sovereignty, because we believe that God has it within His power to order things according to His purpose. That is what sovereignty is all about—ordering things according to God’s purpose. So then, does prayer change God’s mind? No. Does prayer change things? Yes, of course. ... Continue Reading
Hampering Shepherds from Shepherding (with the Best of Intentions)
It is as simple as distracting them from their providentially ordained callings.
Pastoral care and discipleship are time consuming and by all appearances, inefficient—so use that to your advantage. Given all the other duties pastors are expected to fulfill, making them feel harried and overwhelmed is hardly difficult. My Dear Twaddle-Tweeze: Good intentions! I’ll never cease to remind you that the road to Perdition lined with... Continue Reading
Why Not Fitting in at Your Church Might be a Good Thing
Maybe we need to embrace the discomfort of church.
Where we go to a church and see difference, in age, in economic status, in race, the Bible sees a mosaic of beauty. This is why Paul commends diversity in 1 Corinthians 12 and other passages. Each of us contributes to the mission of God by bringing our full package of strengths and weaknesses, talents... Continue Reading
Three Other R’s
Scottish evangelicals of the 19th century can teach us about revival, reformation, and reunion.
It’s been clear for at least 50 years that the United States desperately needs both Revival and Reformation, a movement toward Christ that influences both hearts and minds. It has also become evident that we need Reunion, the coming together of rich and poor in a way that produces action by hands and feet. ... Continue Reading
The Solid God
My forgiveness through Jesus Christ led me into God’s greatness.
Augustine asks us if our God is solid. Are we confused by the apparently unchecked evil around us? Is God strong enough to rest in? Is he the Holy One, with no worthy competitors, to whom we submit? Augustine tried to cast his cares on the Lord (1 Peter 5:6–7), and it didn’t work.... Continue Reading
Redeeming Jealousy
The Glory of God’s Exclusive Love
It can be perplexing for Christians, then, when they come across a passage like Exodus 34:14: “You shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” How could a perfect, loving, patient God call himself jealous? Is God insecure? Do passages like this simply represent a primitive, Old Testament idea... Continue Reading
Divine Simplicity: Don’t Think of God Without It
The doctrine of divine simplicity affirms that God is not made up of more basic parts (or any parts whatsoever).
The doctrine of divine simplicity is formulated from biblical texts and the implications we can draw from them that God is not made up of more basic ingredients (for instance, Deuteronomy 4:15–16; John 4:24; and Luke 24:39). We cannot even think of the three persons that way. God the Father is not one third of... Continue Reading
Tried with Fire: The God of All Comfort
Paul suffered much and some people held it against him.
Even though the church in Corinth owed its origin (humanly) to Paul, its members began to despise him and even to mock him. In comparison to the Super Apostles he was seen as a lightweight. His ponderous words could be safely ignored in view of his contemptible person. The thing that made it all so... Continue Reading
The Westminster Statement on Biblical Sexuality
Some have pointed out that the Nashville Statement is tremendously important for several reasons, including the benefits of showing forth the clarity of God's word as it speaks to current and pressing cultural issues.
“Everyone who reveres the gospel has compelling reasons to champion biblical sexual ethics. It is falling to our generation to raise up a prophetic counterculture in the face of the sexual revolution’s direct attack on Christ and his marital appeal at the heart of the gospel. The fact that we too are sinners does not... Continue Reading
The Most Politically Incorrect Bible Passage
It’s not surprising that one of Paul’s passages should rise to the top of “The Most Politically Incorrect Bible Passage” Hall of Fame.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed,... Continue Reading