Did The Puritans Understand Suffering?
Some years ago a student came to ask me if the Puritans had a theology of suffering
“So the Puritans certainly suffered – physically, emotionally, politically. But did they have a theology of suffering? Well, few of them dwelt on their suffering in their writings so not really, no. Not explicitly so anyway. But implicitly even this silence indicated that yes, they did have a theology of suffering.” Some years ago... Continue Reading
10 Things You Should Know About Sex
Sex is powerfully pleasurable, but it cannot satisfy your heart
“It’s wonderful to celebrate the tasty pleasures of food, the stunning beauty of a fine piece of art, the sweet intimacy of sex, or the sound drama of a well-written piece of music. But as you’re celebrating pleasure, don’t forget to celebrate grace.” 1. Sex is God’s good creation. God in his great wisdom,... Continue Reading
Safe Hands?
It is the deepest longing of the human soul to know that our lives are in ‘safe hands’
“So as Jesus uttered those words, ‘Father, into your hands…’, he knew they were ‘safe hands’ – not because they had made his earthly life run smoothly; but because he knew it had run according to plan, even through the darkness and pain, and would culminate in the joy set before him in heaven.” ... Continue Reading
Engaging With 1689 (2)
For the Reformed the OT covenants were more than witnesses to and revelations of the covenant of grace, they were administrations of the substance of the covenant.
For the PBs, the OT covenants are not the covenants of grace as much as they are witnesses to the covenant of grace. For the Reformed the OT covenants are earthly, historical, real, external, administrations of the one covenant of grace through types and shadows. Last time I offered a rough taxonomy of contemporary Baptists in... Continue Reading
Six Reasons Reformed Christians Should Embrace Six-Day Creation
By ‘6-day creation,’ I’m referring not just to one’s view of Genesis 1, but to an entire chronology of historical events.
One cannot extend history for billions of years without attaching new events to it. Those events have theological consequences. This is why Reformed thinkers like Geerhardus Vos, Louis Berkhof, and D. Martin Lloyd-Jones embraced 6-day creation. They understood it is the events included in 6-day creation that are essential for Christian theology. This sponsored post... Continue Reading
Confessing Sin in the Midst of Suffering
After a few days of wrestling with very dark emotions, the Holy Spirit broke through and strongly convicted me of my sin of complaining.
Years ago, my pastor preached a sermon from Philippians on this subject, and it ministered great grace to me. I’ve never forgotten it. God’s instructions to not complain are a GIFT OF GRACE from Him for us to endure in hard times. I’ve been on a long, hard journey of suffering. Unlike previous trials which let... Continue Reading
The Lesson That Saved My Marriage
United to Christ, I can joyfully submit to this earthly union, trusting the same God who is shaping me to be more like his Son is at work in my husband too.
Complementarian churches regularly call men to step up, to initiate, to lead the way, to spiritually lead their wives and kids. They are to set the pace for the home as the family runs after Christ. This is a good and biblical challenge. The problem comes when we (wives) hear this teaching for our husbands and want from... Continue Reading
What Do You Do with Your Guilt?
The beautiful feeling of a clean slate is much more motivating to holiness than guilt is.
The cross of Christ has resources not just for forgiveness and the removal of guilt, but also the removal of sin’s power in our lives. We have the Holy Spirit! Remember our theology: justification never happens without sanctification coming along for the ride. Lots of people have been raised on guilt like it was... Continue Reading
Right & Wrong Ways to Pray
God has very specific ways in which he wants us to communicate with him and make requests. And Jesus coached his disciples on this very topic.
Perhaps you think of prayer as a personal affair and that there isn’t a right or wrong way to pray. But Jesus doesn’t say “You can pray just as you do, God knows your heart,” No, Jesus says, “Do not pray like this, but… (vs 9) Pray then like this…” So before we get to... Continue Reading
What is a “Gospel” Anyway? A Few Thoughts on Gospel Genre and Why it Matters
Meredith Kline, recognizing the unequivocal Old Testament backdrop, has argued that the Gospels are best understood as covenant documents.
So, here’s the big pay off. To read the Gospels as covenant documents keeps the larger redemptive-historical narrative of the Bible front and center, allows us to see how the whole of Scripture is unified around the person and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, and reminds us what makes the canonical gospels distinctive from the... Continue Reading