Canons Of Dort (27): The Reformed Distinguish Law And Gospel
One of the great underlying issues at the Synod was the very nature of the gospel.
The revisions of the Reformation theology, that salvation is by grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide) proposed by the Remonstrants were fatal to the good news. They also rested on a hermeneutical foundation. Hermeneutics is the study of the interpretation of texts. The study of biblical interpretation is, of course, biblical hermeneutics. When we... Continue Reading
The Hidden Hand of God
One of the main lessons the book of Ruth teaches is that, despite appearances often to the contrary, God cares for us and is in control of all things.
The theological word that describes God’s care for all things is “providence.” Providence means that the hidden hand of God is always at work in the ordinary affairs of day-to-day life. Ruth is not a theological treatise reflecting on the doctrine of providence in the form of propositions. Instead, as we read about the lives... Continue Reading
When Christians Hide Their Light
God has set you apart to be His mouthpiece and we do not have the choice to say no to Him.
You take a lamp with oil (which is very expensive to burn), you turn it on, place it in the center of the room in order to light up the whole room, and, instead of allowing it to do its job, you put a basket over it. A foolish waste of money. That’s what Christians look... Continue Reading
6 Reasons Why “Touch Not the Anointed” Verses Are Not for Pastors
A servant of God must humble and submit himself to the Word of God.
Anointing of oil, literally, were attributed only on Jesus (Hebrews 1:9) and the sick (Mark 6: 13, James 5: 14) but not a would be pastor or any other church leaders, much more in a figurative sense. Jesus, the apostles or anyone in the New Testament didn’t make mentioned or practiced it. Neither did they... Continue Reading
Are You Tired?
The only way to sustain ourselves is to view Christ as inherently beautiful.
It is easy to weary in doing good when people are respectful and grateful for your help and support. It is even easier to weary in doing good when people are pushy and demand your support, as though it is their right. It is easier still to grow weary in doing good when people demand... Continue Reading
The God Who Laughs… and Those Who Hide
All those who take refuge in Him are happy (Psalm 2:10-12).
It’s that last part that’s getting to me: All those who take refuge in Him are happy. That doesn’t sound like someone who is aligned with God; it sounds like someone who is hiding behind God. This is the true “other side.” Sometimes we might think that God is fortunate to have us – our talents,... Continue Reading
What Does “You Are the Light of the World” Mean?
The world God has placed around you should be triggered by your life and your witness.
Like bacteria that needs water to live, sin lives off of darkness and grows exponentially. Whenever believers come along and shine the light of Christ, the world is not going to like it. They will be exposed and they will want to either run and hide or in some cases fight back; they did so... Continue Reading
When I Am Weak
God was responsive to Gideon’s weakness. God is also responsive to our prayers.
Gideon is a prime example of God’s recruitment strategy. In the face of a massive army of Midianite marauders, God pared Gideon’s pool of fighting men from 22,000 to 10,000, and then to 300. God wanted to make it clear to Gideon, to his band of brothers, and to the readers of Scripture that victory... Continue Reading
Worship Is Formed by the Past, but Gives Shape to the Present
It’s important for us to remember, because remembering is what gives us confidence in the present.
My favorite quote from Muller is this: “If God fails me this time, it will be the first time.” We need to remember. It’s vitally important that our worship is rooted in the great acts of God in the past, because we are actually precariously close – closer than we might realize – to forgetting. ... Continue Reading
Ye Who Think of Sin but Lightly…
How ugly is sin? Look at the cross. See the nails in the hands, the thorns on the head.
How bad is our sin? Our sin is so bad that the only solution was the death of the Son of God. He who is perfect innocence, infinite love, immaculate beauty, pure and undefiled goodness….the one who cried out with tears in Gethsemane “If you are willing, take this cup away from me”. But the... Continue Reading