The world will always be what it is. It operates on its own system of values, attractions, and wisdom that often stand in opposition to the righteousness of God. By becoming Christians, we have left their fellowship and been joined to another. Our former love for the world has been replaced by love for Christ,... Continue Reading

We should be clear that mean-spirited, ungentle behaviour does not match the biblical idiom for how we ought to treat our opponents. Certainly, Paul warns his congregations with strong words. Yet as a general pattern, when he advised direct interaction with opponents, he instructs us to be gentle. The reason for our strong language against... Continue Reading

Perhaps you sing of God’s unfailing love on a Sunday morning. But three days later—or maybe three hours later— you are grumbling. Think of all the things that God has done for you. Think of all he has promised to you. But think, too, how easily you lose a sense of perspective. Think how much... Continue Reading

I think it was Cornelius Van Til who saw Karl Barth’s problem as being, in part, that he used the language of orthodoxy but to mean something that was far from orthodox.  Whether that is a fair characterization of Barth is beyond the scope of this blog; but Van Til’s point would seem to have potential... Continue Reading

Have you ever known someone who wasted his life? How many Christians waste their knowledge? Perhaps out of timidity and fear of man, they hide their light under a basket. Consider the fact that many people join the right churches, read the right books, and attend the right conferences—but seem to lack zeal.   Unless... Continue Reading

The better we understand God’s sacred design for human sexuality, the less we will settle for smaller pleasures that quickly turn into spiritual bondage. Instead, we will be so captivated by God’s sacred design that we will feel compelled to surrender our sexuality to Jesus Christ, and experience the freedom and the joy that will... Continue Reading

Jesus himself had declared all foods to be clean: “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him” (Mark 7:18). For a church to forbid the eating of foods without biblical warrant was to play the Pharisee, to lay a burden upon a man’s conscience that God himself had not... Continue Reading

You are set free, not to fulfill your lusts and to walk in hatred and enmity, but set free to love God and love your neighbor. You can now love freely without fear. You can walk in the commandments of God, which are good and give life and freedom of conscience. And when your conscience... Continue Reading

Last week we looked at a glimpse of the kingdom, from the Transfiguration in Luke 9. Peter, James, and John experienced a moment of heavenly glory come to earth, and they heard the audible voice of God. This raises a question as to whether glimpses of glory and hearing God’s voice do still happen today.  ... Continue Reading

Humanity’s first exile cast us from God’s manifest presence and put us and the rest of creation under God’s curse. Work became hard, childbearing became painful, and everyone eventually died. We were spiritually stillborn, making it impossible to fulfill our covenant obligations or turn to God in faith. We lived in broken fellowship with God... Continue Reading