Clinging To The Crutch
Some people say, derisively, that Christianity is a crutch.
“I haven’t written in this space for three weeks. In my ten years of blogging, that’s a record for me. And that’s because in these last weeks–months really, but mainly these last weeks–have been spent coming to grips with my dust-likeness. That I am not the master of my fate. That I am most certainly... Continue Reading
Four Suggestions for Reading the Minor Prophets
When you read the Minor Prophets, look for what they say about God’s character and glory
“If we read the Minor Prophets with our minds turned on and looking for them to teach us about God and the Christian life, then we can be confident that the Holy Spirit will give us insight so that his word will equip us to live fruitful lives for the glory of his name.” ... Continue Reading
At Least as Dangerous as Porn
Material prosperity should frighten us, because the Bible says frightening things about it
“Not to diminish the dangers of sexual sin (1 Corinthians 6:9–11), but have you ever noticed that the New Testament issues more dire warnings against the spiritual dangers of material prosperity than sexual immorality? Jesus didn’t say it’s harder for a sexually immoral person to get into heaven than a camel to squeeze through a... Continue Reading
Putting Emotions in Their Place
Emotions have been disrupted by sin, and so we stifle our feelings or seek emotional highs
“We need not resign ourselves to stifling or living for emotions. Instead, because Christ restores our emotions, they can work the way God always intended, in harmony with our other faculties. To become emotionally balanced we must guard against these two main errors.” The Gospel Restores Our Emotions Emotions have been disrupted by sin,... Continue Reading
Christ’s Public Defender
Herman Bavinck, in his Reformed Dogmatics, sheds further light on the significance of the Spirit’s being ‘Paraclete’ by rendering it, ‘Christ’s public defender’.
He provides the backdrop to this designation by saying, ‘The whole world is hostile to Christ; no one stands by him’. Made all the more graphic, given the imminence of Gethsemane and the appearances Jesus would make before the Jews, Pilate and Herod – alone in the face of the hostile mob bent on settling for... Continue Reading
Sola Scriptura Demands Inerrancy
Should Scripture contain errors, it is unclear why we should trust Scripture as our final authority.
It’s true the reformers never used the term “inerrancy.” But this objection fails to realize that though the term was not used, the concept was affirmed. Though the reformers didn’t flesh out the idea of inerrancy as meticulously as we have today (after all, inerrancy wasn’t their main battle with Rome), the basic concept and its most fundamental components are present... Continue Reading
Answering Evil
In the many years I’ve taught philosophy, apologetics, and theology, and in the many conversations I’ve had with hurting people, a full answer to the problem of evil remains elusive.
Putting a human face on evil can make it more understandable—it’s no surprise that evil people do evil things. Nature’s violence can be more troubling. How do we deal with natural disasters that do not respect persons but rather indiscriminately claim the lives of the elderly, infants, and the handicapped along with able-bodied children and... Continue Reading
Calvin’s Theology: The Lord’s Supper
It is no exaggeration to suggest that the sacraments took a central role in Calvin’s theology of worship.
What we do at the Table is not only about what Jesus has done as our sacrificial Redeemer, but it is also about who he is as the Son of God and who we are in Him. And so it is that the Lord’s Supper is God’s gracious way of not only communicating this truth... Continue Reading
Remembering the Protestant Reformation Means Cleaning House
On the eve of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation there appears to be a defection from some of its teachings, especially with justification by faith (sola fide).
According to the witness of Scripture (spanning the two economies of redemption, the old and the new), the benefit of Christ’s atoning death…accrues to all regenerated saints (namely, the elect of God) as a forensic transaction. It is by means of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, received through the sole instrumentality of saving faith exercised... Continue Reading
Piper, “Final Salvation” and Reformed Baptists
If you believe you’re saved by the work of Christ alone plus anything else then you’re no longer saved by Christ alone.
The Apostle Paul once viewed salvation as God’s work plus his own work, but after coming face to face with the living God he realized that those things of his didn’t add to the sum total, they subtracted from it. Whatever he thought was credit he found to be debit. We can’t be saved by faith plus... Continue Reading