It’s all been a waste?
Sharing Christ will never, ever, be a waste.
Do you feel discouraged and faint at blank looks of colleagues and friends for whom you’ve prayed and to whom you’ve witnessed for years? Remember Jesus Christ has an overflowing fountain of sympathy and strength for all such troubled saints. It’s a mark of faithful servants to share to some small degree in Christ’s ministerial... Continue Reading
You Can Be Anxious About Nothing
God knows the crippling effects of anxiety, and he’s telling us we needn’t submit to its tyranny.
Our flesh wants to be in control. It bears the burden of the hardship and works to figure out how to handle it. And when it determines that the hardship is beyond its capabilities—when we can’t see a satisfactory solution—anxiety sets in. This posture is at odds with the Spirit who implores us as believers... Continue Reading
Don’t Uncritically Call People Heretics
It matters how we talk about God.
To call the Son God but then affirm that he does not share the nature of the Father equivocates on the most basic level. The Son is not both God and not God at the same time. He shares in the Father’s nature fully. That is why he is God. And for no other reason.... Continue Reading
Grief and Gratitude Can Coexist
Our sorrow does not negate our gratitude; rather, it accentuates it.
Unlike gratitude, which we will forever owe to the Lord, grief will one day cease to be. Relationships that have been strained for years will know unmitigated love. Wars will cease, heartaches will end. We will know why, but I believe it won’t matter so much in that day, for we’ll have a technicolor view... Continue Reading
The New Adventures of Old Trinitarian Heresies
The early church fought off false teachers and doctrines to obtain a better understanding of what the Bible teaches about who God is.
The early church fought off false teachers and doctrines to obtain a better understanding of what the Bible teaches about who God is and how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit relate to one another in terms of their existence and works. They thought deeply and biblically regarding the Scripture’s affirmation that we worship one... Continue Reading
The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us
As you celebrate Christ’s incarnation, focus not only on the birthday honoree, but also on God’s wonderful idea which was conceived in the very beginning of time and in eternity.
God brooded for years over His remarkable idea of bringing salvation to earth, and in the fullness of time, He put flesh on His idea and brought forth that Word or idea in the form of a baby boy, His only Son. It was more than a stroke of genius; it was a stroke of... Continue Reading
10 Things You Should Know about Demons and Satan
Satan and demons are powerful spirits, but they are not omnipresent, omniscient, or omnipotent.
Can believers be demon inhabited? This is a question which many ask. Theologically considered, it is hard to believe that it is possible that a believer can both be a dwelling place for a demon and the temple of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19 and 2 Cor. 6:16). However, there is every reason... Continue Reading
Are Some Sins Worse Than Others?
Are some sins worse than others? No and yes; it depends…
In the end, any one of the sins humanity produces is more like every other sin than it is different. This helps us understand the other half of the Catechism’s answer: “Every sin deserves God’s wrath and curse.” It is this perspective that encourages us, rather than dwelling on the sins we think are “worse,”... Continue Reading
3 Points about the Doctrine of Election Every Christian Needs to Know
When properly understood, election teaches us not just about how great God is, but how good he is.
There are some out there who have a false notion of predestination and election, namely, that it was the invention of some ancient French madman named John Calvin. No doubt, Calvin would mourn the fact that history has dubbed this doctrine “Calvinism,” as though it somehow belonged more to him than to God. This... Continue Reading
Apologetics for the Sake of the Church
Teaching that is expositionally solid but applicationally weak will remain theoretical and not fully strengthen God's people.
We typically define apologetics as the “defense of the Christian faith” and often think about apologetics as something primarily evangelistic. And while we certainly need to be ready to give answers to those seeking the truth, Paul’s ministry reveals how much the church needs good apologetics. We might even wonder if the primary focus of... Continue Reading