Hope and Holidays
Temporal rest makes us restless for eternal rest.
The ‘labour-then-rest’ mode of living points forward to the bigger narrative of our lives, and the even grander scheme of the cosmos, in which being forever with the Lord will entail resting from the rigours and nuisances of sin-beleaguered labour here. If all the year were playing holidays, To sport would be as tedious... Continue Reading
Is the life you are living well-pleasing to God?
The Word of God tells us that we cannot compromise on the truths found there.
We must do some self-examination. Is the life we are living well pleasing to God? Are we in bondage to our flesh or are we walking in repentance? Let us honestly assess ourselves here, asking God to show us the truth. We must then repent of all He shows us then seek to become Spirit-filled... Continue Reading
Matthew 7:1
“Who are you to judge?”
What kind of “judging” is Jesus talking about? As in all cases, the context is a great help in understanding what Jesus is getting at. This text is in the Sermon on the Mount, which demonstrates the nature of true righteousness versus superficial religion. In this text, Jesus is concerned about the hypocrisy of the... Continue Reading
Why Satan Is No Friend of the Family
If family truly comes from the mind of God and plays such an essential role in his world, don’t you think this explains why there are so many attacks on the family?
It’s pretty clear that Satan is going to be no friend of the family. Think about all that Satan can disrupt if he disrupts family. He disrupts our task of bringing more of God’s image-bearers into this world while also eroding the most basic and foundational social structure that supports and strengthens human beings so... Continue Reading
3 Reasons Why Christians Should Lay “R.I.P.” to Rest
"Rest in peace" gives the sense that the deceased are "in a better place"—a place of rest and peace.
I’ve noticed something of a concerning trend over the past several years. It is the way in which believers speak about culture-impacting individuals at their deaths. Instead of simply expressing appreciation for their life and achievements, it has become commonplace for Christians to use the shorthand “R.I.P.” (rest in peace) on social media when speaking of individuals... Continue Reading
Jeremiah 29:11
The context of Jeremiah 29:11 indicates that it is not meant as a blanket promise of worldly blessing.
This verse contains comforting words, to be sure. But what does Jeremiah mean? Some have taken this verse and applied it to themselves and others in an unqualified way. “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” they say. “He has mapped out the course of your life, and you only have... Continue Reading
Does God Want Everyone to Be Saved? (1 Timothy 2)
What does this verse mean in light of the fact that, in the end, not all will be saved?
Paul tells Timothy not only that the congregation needs to pray; he also tells him for whom they should pray: “for all people.” Included in the “all people” would be those spreading error within the church. For them, the church ought to pray that God might grant them repentance (2 Tim. 2:25). But they must... Continue Reading
The Biblical Story of the Body
I want to encourage you as we look together at what the Bible has to say about the story of the body, starting at creation and culminating in the resurrection body.
The doctrine of creation tells you what you are: A body/soul unity. God made the body of Adam from the dust of the ground. It was a biodegradable corpse, but then into this corpse, he breathed the breath of life. So the life of Adam is a body/soul union. There is a good, better, best pattern... Continue Reading
Van Mastricht, Edwards, and the Economic Trinity
Where was the scholastic theologian of the Great Awakening influenced by the great scholastic theologian of the Dutch Second Reformation?
As I have been reading through volume 2 of Mastricht’s work, I have been struck by the way in which both men constantly dealt with the importance of the economic Trinity. For instance, Edwards dealt extensively with the idea of the economic Trinity when speaking of the ad extra work of God in redemption. In a... Continue Reading
Is It Wrong to Draw Moral Lessons from OT Figures?
This use of the Old Testament is certainly in keeping with Paul’s view of inspiration and the use of Scripture.
The God-breathed Scriptures are profitable for doctrine (teaching), reproof (exposing our errors—mental and moral), correction (restoring to an upright position), and instruction in righteousness. This last phrase is particularly interesting. The word Paul uses, usually translated as “instruction” or “training,” literally means “child training”—referring to the patient, repetitive, and illustrative manner in which children learn.... Continue Reading