The Danger of “I” in Christian Prayer
Jesus is reminding us that when we enter into a relationship with God we enter into a relationship with his people.
To be a Christian is to be a part of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. By God’s grace we are incorporated into the body of Christ so that our most fundamental spiritual identity is not an “I” but a “we.” This runs against the grain of our fallen state. This also runs against... Continue Reading
We Believe in the Holy Spirit
For thousands of years, the people of God awaited the full revelation of his nature and work, and with it the full personhood of the Spirit.
He is not part of God; he is God. With the coming and ascending of the Son, we now see how God’s eternal Spirit has been at work in our world from the very beginning, hovering over the face of the waters, ready to bring order out of the chaos, acting for centuries on behalf of God’s... Continue Reading
Content to Know Enough
We need to labor to know God's word as accurately as possible; but, in the end, we need to rest content that we will never know it exhaustively.
Young suggested that we must labor to come to a settled position on attempts to reconcile apparent contradictions in Scripture; however, if while doing so, we find that we cannot come to an absolutely certain conclusion about how to reconcile those seeming contradictions, we should rest content in the fact that we know there is... Continue Reading
Beware Theological Dangers on Both Left and Right
In this article I want to briefly consider threats to the gospel—from the left and from the right.
We live in a world, as we see in the political realm, where those who disagree are quickly demonized, where partisan concerns are ramped up. As Christians, we mustn’t follow the same path. We need to be vigilant for the truth and to defend the faith. At the same time, we need to be careful... Continue Reading
Why We Should Adopt Them: Personal Thoughts on Deserted Children
I believe that children with extra needs are children that come with extra blessings, because God will pour out His blessings through the children that you welcome into your hearts.
The story of Xinwei made me wonder how a little woman like her could become the mother of 50 deserted disabled children, as most couldn’t even feed themselves. After three years of reflection, I think I understand better all her concerns. She said that “these children were Jesus” (Matt. 25:40). In other words, you could... Continue Reading
Is the Culture Shaping Your View of God?
Even the Israelites, who had a special relationship with God, neglected His word and took their cues about God from the culture.
You might be thinking, “How is this relevant to me? I’m not sacrificing my children to pagan deities.” We are all prone to imagine a god that is more like our culture—and its gods—than who He truly is. If we’re not careful, the culture will shape our view of God. When we ignore God’s... Continue Reading
And the Word—not me—was God
How can a person within a church community hold beliefs that lie far from the truth revealed in God’s word?
Since the birth of our fallen nature, humans have continued thirsting for equality with God, wanting to know or even control his thoughts. Humanity is rarely satisfied with the Word, God revealed to us in Christ. Instead we seek to comprehend the incomprehensible, the almighty God—and in the end we often replace him with something... Continue Reading
Common Questions Christians Ask About Forgiveness
Forgiveness presents a lot of questions as we try to work out the implications of living faithfully as Christians.
This past Sunday, I preached a sermon from Matthew 18:21-35, where Jesus teaches his followers that God’s forgiveness of us shows us why and how to forgive others. In conclusion, I attempted to answer some of the most common pastoral questions I receive. I share them here hoping they provide some help or at least provoke... Continue Reading
Is he able…He is able
These three little words breathe hope, strength and assurance.
Maybe you think, “It’s too late; not even God could save me.” Or maybe you are a Christian, but you look at your life and wonder if you will make it to the end. Here’s what the Bible says about Jesus Christ, “He is able to save completely those who come to God through him.” (Hebrews... Continue Reading
Sinners, Saints, or Hypocrites
The Lies We Spread About Grace
How many of us have comforted our neighbor (or one another) with a reminder that the sinner in the church is little different than the sinner outside? “We are all broken,” it is assured. “We are all miserable failures,” is the refrain. To hear it from some, a mere profession of faith is the only... Continue Reading