The Heart in Conflict
Until our desires are perfectly aligned to Christ’s in glory, we cannot escape the friction that often happens when two sinners rub shoulders.
Settling for superficial peace and the ceasing of hostilities is tempting. But the goal of the believer is to glorify God by being conformed to the image of Christ. That can only happen when we deal with the heart first and foremost. How long has it been since your last conflict? Many of us... Continue Reading
A God Honoring Marriage
Few theological topics seem to be more polarizing at present than the topic of men and women and their God-ordained roles in this life.
In an effort to promote certain terminology that neither the Scripture nor Reformed confessions espouse or ideologies that are in opposition to Scripture, the church has been left unsettled as to the theology of male and female relationships and roles. Many husbands and wives, sessions, and presbyters, have had long discussions and debates on portions... Continue Reading
Our Marcusan Moment
Freedom of speech is now being questioned.
The radical left seems to have a vested interest in destroying our civilization from within for the sake of some apocalypse or other. That is a dangerous place for us to be. Some years ago, Michael Hanby observed that we are all Marxists now. By this, he meant that everything has become politicized for... Continue Reading
Respectable Sins of the Reformed World
Each of us is a saint, yet each of us is still a sinner. As such, we remain attracted to certain sins and prone even to dress them up in respectable garb.
To impugn is to dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of another person’s motives. And closely connected to disputing another person’s motives is suggesting that you know the truth behind them. There is so much of this in the Christian world today, and it generates so little disapproval, that it must be classified as respectable.... Continue Reading
Our Sabbath Rest: A Sign of Hope
The Lord's Day is a weekly sign that salvation is not just a future hope, but a present possession.
The pattern of six days of activity interrupted by one day of rest is a continuing reminder that human beings are not caught up in a meaningless flow of days, one after the other without end. History has a beginning and an ending. We are heading toward final judgment and the consummation of all things.... Continue Reading
Was the Apostle Paul a Racist?
By today’s definition of racism, the Apostle Paul could easily be identified as a racist.
The Cretans had a propensity as a people to lie, to prey on others, and to be lazy. They would rather eat than work. John Gill says, in his commentary on the book of Titus, written in the 18th century: “It was a sin they were addicted to; some countries are distinguished by their vices;... Continue Reading
How Do We Become Spiritually Mature?
The Word of God is our spiritual sustenance.
We know that sanctification is a divine work through the Word by the Spirit of truth. So, we must plead with the Spirit that He would mold and shape us into the image of Christ, through the truth, from one level of glory to the next. We don’t want to remain spiritual children, perpetually... Continue Reading
A Pastor’s Plea to Christian Parents: “Will You Fight for Our Young People with Me?”
There is one issue that has produced a great struggle: their young people are leaving the church.
Desperate to find a way to attract their wandering children, worried parents demand the church to change in some way to attract and retain their young people. This move, church-blaming, creates an unhappy environment of disgruntlement and embarrassment along with the pressure to offer a consumer-driven Christianity. This essay comes from the heart of... Continue Reading
He Holds All Things Together
Even when life feels like it’s falling apart, Jesus holds everything together.
Jesus cares for and oversees everything happening in his domain. He not only creates, but he sustains what he creates. “[Jesus] upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3). He completes what he begins. He is faithful to finish anything he starts. There are days and seasons where it appears like... Continue Reading
The Son of the Clothmaker
A slice of the English Reformation
A conscience is a gift from God and George Abbot had a strong one. Often suffering from depression, one of his major misdeeds seemed to haunt him right to the grave. Yet do all believers not have major misdeeds? For who has not had a hand in killing the Vinekeeper’s Son? And who can plead... Continue Reading