Tried With Fire: Vindication and Retribution
When we experience persecution, we are entering into a cosmic drama in which God wins—and we win with Him.
When we are persecuted, we need to remember that God has counted us worthy of a great honor. He is entrusting us with an opportunity to put His transforming grace on display. When we remain faithful under persecution, our perseverance matches up with the high position to which God has called us. Paul and... Continue Reading
Why is So Much Christian Writing Bland?
We have something to say but for fear of offending others, we spend more time not saying it than we do making the point.
There are those who have never had any training apart from the academy whose writing turns out to be great, accessible, easy to read, insightful and all the rest. But, let’s be honest, that just isn’t going to be most of us. Nobody really wants to say it, but it’s true isn’t it? So... Continue Reading
Financial Infidelity in Marriage
God has faithfully given biblical principles to guide our financial decisions within marriage.
Oneness and unity in the marriage relationship are often hindered because of differing views on money. The behaviors of a frugal person, a saver, a spender, or a free spirit can become idolatrous. These different views have the potential to cause marital conflict over finances due to a lack of understanding or submission to biblical... Continue Reading
How Sin Leaves Us Needing the Intervention of God
Are you taking the power of sin seriously in your life?
Sin is more than a list of things you’ve done wrong. If this is your notion of sin, you have not understood it from the Bible. It’s a living power, a vicious enemy, and it is at work in you and it is at work in me. Sin runs in the blood; grace does... Continue Reading
How to Read Joel Theologically: Part Two
Joel moves from lament to awe, from concern with one’s future to a vision of that awesome day of salvation and judgment.
The book of Joel prospectively anticipates the fuller revelation of God in Jesus Christ. His resurrection is the firstfruits of the new creation, confirms the eternality and blessedness of Zion, and assures forgiveness by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The incipit of Hosea suggests that Hosea and Isaiah (and Micah) are connected by... Continue Reading
We Only Have Partial Knowledge about Theology. So Be Restrained.
We simply must admit that we have partial, yet sufficient, revelation about God and his creation.
This drive to know God has led Christians for centuries to think out loud, pray for hours upon end, and do theology. It is good and right to do so. Yet we must be careful that we discern what can be dogmatically affirmed (i.e., Christ died, was buried, rose from the dead) and what should... Continue Reading
Humiliation & Exaltation: Christ’s Obedience
United to Christ we become united to his obedience.
What Machen understood so well and what gave him such assurance in the face of death was that wrapped up into Christ’s saving work was his obedience to the Father on our behalf. If our estate before God is guilty because of the man Adam’s disobedience (Rom. 5:15), then we are in dire need of... Continue Reading
The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
This is a radical call to biblical stewardship in an age of worldly wealth.
The connection between the parable and Jesus’ audience (ancient and modern) comes in verse 9: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Jesus calls His people to imitate the steward’s wise actions through unrighteous (worldly) wealth in... Continue Reading
Estates, Conditions & a New Series
By making these words synonyms theologians lose a vital distinction.
It’s hard to pick up Turretin, Junius, Van Mastricht or any of the scholastics Medieval or Protestant and not wonder, “Where have all the distinctions found in these texts gone?” Admittedly, not all are equally helpful. However, many are exceedingly helpful. For example, in the wake of the New Perspective on Paul many doubt the... Continue Reading
When Sin Keeps You From Prayer
Sin puts a stress on our relationship with God.
It is a breach. Like Adam and Eve hiding from God behind the fig leaves, we are ashamed and likewise hide. We may hide behind our schedules, work, family responsibilities, recreation, or even ministry—but we do hide. It is important therefore to see how sin affects our relationship with God. Prayerlessness is always a manifestation... Continue Reading