The Future: How Does God Know It?
Not just selectively but exhaustively God knows all that will be.
Not just selectively but exhaustively God knows I am very willing to describe the “openness” theology as virtual atheism. It has defined God in a way that strips him of that which according to God himself is essential to his deity. But in all this discussion the question at some point must be asked, How does God... Continue Reading
Deep Theology
Our union with Christ is created by the indwelling of the Spirit of the incarnate Son who Himself is “in” the Father as the Father is “in” Him.
To be united to Christ is to share in a union created by the indwelling of the Spirit of the incarnate Son who Himself is “in” the Father as the Father is “in” Him. Union with Christ means nothing less than fellowship with all three persons of the Trinity. It is not that the divine... Continue Reading
How Not to Fall Away
How can we learn from others' failures in order to be diligent to resist falling away?
Writing to Christians who seemed to be on the brink of apostasy the apostle to the Hebrews was still optimistic: “We are not of those who draw back to perdition but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:39). He’s teaching us to be hopeful. Don’t agonize over the weakness of... Continue Reading
John 3:16 Is Great, But What About Another?
God wants us to consider every verse in the Bible with equal awe and reverence.
The fact is, most folks know the basic gist of John 3:16 because they’ve seen it constantly promoted as Christianity’s go-to catchphrase. They know it’s an advertisement slogan for Jesus as much as “Just Do It” is a pithy salute to Nike. And therein lies the problem. In some ways, “John 3:16” has become just... Continue Reading
Most Growth Will Be Slow Growth
God renews us not at once, but “day by day.”
We need to give ourselves to what Horatius Bonar calls “daily littles.” He writes, “The Christian life is a great thing, one of the greatest things on earth. Made up of daily littles, it is yet in itself not a little thing, but in so far as it is truly lived…is noble throughout” (God’s Way... Continue Reading
What About Those Who Reject the Christian Sexual Ethic?
Those who claim the title of Christian, yet reject Christ’s sexual ethic cannot claim to have submitted to the Lordship of Christ.
By holding fast to Christ’s sexual ethic we are actually serving as loving witnesses to the truth in a depraved world. Paul ends his list of prohibitions in 1 Corinthians 6 by saying, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord... Continue Reading
What Is the Bible, Anyway?
The Bible is a lamp that guides us through and out of this world.
The Bible is solid food that strengthens the mature. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food…” (Hebrews 5:12) We Christians spend a lot of time reading the Bible, hearing it... Continue Reading
The Church as Incubator
The church is God’s incubator for making disciples.
If the church is an incubator for spiritual growth and development that means it is incumbent on those who lead to ensure that the church is functioning according to Christ’s design. The light of Christ must shine with clarity of God’s truth and warmth of His love. The atmosphere must be oxygenated with prayer in... Continue Reading
Integrity in Christian Leadership
Even with solidly conservative theology, we sadly often find moral compromise in our ranks.
As leaders, we will often face situations that reveal what is in our hearts. When we are pricked, our people will see our hearts, and they need to see us bleed integrity—either true holy character or humble repentance. If there is one thing that the Protestant evangelical world needs right now, it’s men and women... Continue Reading
Please Don’t Say These Six Things at My Funeral
I want the beginning of my funeral to be focused on Jesus, as well as the middle, as well as the end, as well as every point in between.
Because I do care now, and will care even after I’m with the Lord, here are some things I hope and pray are not said at my funeral. I care about those who will be there, about what they will hear. I want the truth to be spoken, the truth about sin, the truth about... Continue Reading