Left to Their Own Devices
When our kids walk with the wise, they will become wise.
The book of Titus talks at length about the need for Christians to influence a younger generation in what is right and good. We are called to model saying “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12). We live in a world that... Continue Reading
The “Cereal-Aisle” Syndrome
Historic confessions and creeds protect the Church from foolish "cereal aisle" autonomy.
Navigation out of the current hermeneutical chaos will come only by a functional trust in Scripture’s authority – studying in a manner that derives what Scripture is. God has spoken and done so without stuttering. He has given the Church, in the canon of Scripture, what we need “for life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3).... Continue Reading
Why God Made Your Mouth
Grace will come out of our mouths only if grace is already living in our hearts (Matthew 12:34).
Gracious words straighten bent-over saints, strengthen tottering legs, bind up bruised arms, and grow each other into “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). “Give grace,” in other words, is a call to imitate the God whose words make worlds bloom into being (Psalm 8:3). Give life. See the image-bearer in... Continue Reading
What Does “Meaningless / Vanity / Futility” Mean in Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is written almost like a research paper, where the introduction introduces the problem and states the thesis.
The problem under consideration is: What do we have to gain from our toil under the sun?In other words, what do we get out of life? What will we have to show for it at the end? What reward will there be to make all the pain worth it? And the answer to the problem is:... Continue Reading
Approach Your Bible Desperately
I tell myself the Bible’s a feast, but it sure feels like finger food.
Have you ever ruined your appetite for an epic dinner by snacking all day? You wish you could work up an appetite, but it’s too late. The steak is on the table, and you’re not hungry. This is how we often treat God’s Word. Is it any wonder that nibbling long enough from the table of... Continue Reading
What Is The Glory That Jesus Gives Us in John 17? Answer: The Holy Spirit
The miraculous thing is that God does not share his glory with another; but he shares it with us in Christ in whom the fullness of God dwells.
What does this mean? And to complicate things, how does this fit with Isaiah 42:8 which reads, “my glory I give to no other”? The answer requires paying close attention to the argument of John, the order of redemptive history, and reflecting theologically on the meaning of both. I argue that “glory” in John 17... Continue Reading
Against Open Doors
There is ample guidance in Scripture for how we should live our lives.
Scripture never invites us to pry into God’s decretive will. In fact, it sharply discourages us from doing so (Deut. 29:29). Scripture invites us, rather, to frame our lives according to God’s preceptive will, and to exercise wisdom and good decision-making principles (see above) when faced with life’s multitude of choices. Much that passes... Continue Reading
The Tempest in Sam Allberry’s Teapot: Much Ado About Not Talking Revoice 2019
Let us take a look at who introduced Sam Allberry to the people of the SBC and how he became a TGC editor.
A series of articles by anti-social justice Dallas Statement leader Tom Buck served to focus attentions on part of the LGBT+ problem in the SBC by turning the spotlight on Sam Allberry and his UK based ministry “Living Out.” At issue were some 6-year-old articles posted on the Living Out website. Much of the deeper... Continue Reading
Book Briefs: “Still Protesting: Why the Reformation Matters” by D. G. Hart
Those well-versed in the Reformation are sure to find new insights and connections in the pages of this book.
Hart expertly unfolds the history of the Reformation and evaluates key evangelical truths (including the important “5 Solas”) as compared to the historical Roman Catholicism of that day. He goes on to examine whether the Roman Catholic Church has truly changed in its stance on these points over time. 500 years ago the Reformation... Continue Reading
Finding Your Identity
If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.
The great appeal of the gospel is that it gives us a new identity, one that is in continuity with our particular selves, yet makes us new persons. Our new self begins here in this life and then in the life to come will be raised up to enjoy fellowship with God forever. And... Continue Reading