Christian Thinking
The whole of the Christian life could be described as simply learning and then continually remembering who we are and what we have in Christ.
It is by setting our minds on eternity with God that we are strengthened to live for God in this life. Christ promises the persecuted church at Smyrna, “be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” And yet, it does not take persecution to struggle to be faithful. No one... Continue Reading
Out of Egypt (Matthew 2:15)
God’s pattern is clear: He always ultimately delivers his people. Not even death can get in the way.
Matthew is identifying a pattern, a way that God tends to work. It’s a pattern, that takes place with Israel in the Exodus, and one that’s repeated in the life of Jesus. If we learn this pattern, it will help us when we face it as well. There’s a trajectory that’s repeated so many times... Continue Reading
The War Within
By God’s grace and through the faith which overcomes the world, the true believer will battle against indwelling sin until the day of glory.
There are, as it were, two conflicting natures at war within us, the flesh against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh (Gal 5:7; Rom. 7:15–23). Doing right is possible to the Christian, but it will not come easily. There can be no laidback attitude if one is to resist the devil, the world,... Continue Reading
First principles: How can God be so bold?
Universalism’s crosshairs and the just simplicity of divine gratuity.
The universalist demands a choice: divine love or divine righteousness. But the dichotomy is fallacious. It is only on account of divine righteousness that God’s love can be so bold. By offering his own Son to bear the divine judgment we deserve, God delivers justification by means of his own justice. He is both just... Continue Reading
Does God Care If We Diet and Exercise?
Just how important is diet and exercise in the life of a Christian?
If you are a believer who is concerned about his or her productivity, you need more than just life hacks and apps. You need to labor to keep yourself sharp and ready for action. In as far as it is up to you, you need to take care of your body—not out of vanity or... Continue Reading
Who Are Those Guys?
The Three Wise Men and What You Need to Know About Them
The announcement by a star of the promised Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem was a celestial event for the world to see. Matthew’s account of the visit of the Magi introduces several important themes that appear later in his gospel. In the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the characters who bear the... Continue Reading
What is Biblical Theology?
We should remember that Biblical Theology is not a modern invention.
Understanding Biblical Theology as the theology of Scripture itself, in turn, requires a certain method, a particular way of reading Scripture (a hermeneutic). Think of it as a three-legged stool: we best use a method that is historical, inductive, and descriptive. No, Biblical Theology is not just theology that is biblical. All theology should... Continue Reading
Poured Out, Not Burned Out
The trend today is to look out for our own preservation.
Many involved in ministry divide their day or week into sections with a certain percentage reserved for their own care, and a certain percentage reserved for the help of others. But Paul seems to view his whole life as being given for others, and ultimately for Christ. For Paul, “To live is Christ.” How did... Continue Reading
How Important is Methodology to Evangelism?
The Word of God properly preached is sufficient.
When we think we need to adapt our methods to our audience, we implicitly deny the sufficiency of the gospel to do what God intends it to do. It is as if we believe the Holy Spirit needs our help “getting in the door,” so to speak, and so we have to help the message... Continue Reading
No One Ever Spoke Like This Man
The Unexpected Words of Jesus
What is it about Jesus that makes him speak like no other? Of course, there isn’t a single answer to this question. Countless volumes have been written, and Jesus’s uniqueness still hasn’t been exhausted. “No one ever spoke like this man.” There is a brief, tense conversation recorded in John’s Gospel that encapsulates, in... Continue Reading