Van Til’s Critique of Barth’s Christology (Part 1)
In order to show the accuracy of Van Til's analysis of Barth, we will take his critique of Barth's Christology as a test case.
First, according to Van Til, Barth’s Christology results in a functional Eutychianism. In the one act of God in Christ the creature is collapsed into the Creator; man is as highly exalted above time as is God. In other words, in the incarnation “… God is no longer qualitatively distinct from man. Modern theology holds... Continue Reading
Sin is Irrational
Sin doesn’t make sense, not in the smallest sense.
Adam and Eve were well aware of the results of their sin and yet they did it willfully. They had been told that the wages of sin is death (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 6:23). And they also understood that they would be under God’s wrath when they sinned (hence they hid from him). And so if... Continue Reading
Endless, Bottomless, Boundless Grace and Compassion
The New Testament’s most frequent, and indeed most basic, description of the believer is that he or she is a person “in Christ.”
If all the world (if I may so say) set themselves to drink free grace, mercy, and pardon, drawing water continually from the wells of salvation; if they should set themselves to draw from one single promise, an angel standing by and crying, “Drink, O my friends, yea, drink abundantly, take so much grace and... Continue Reading
The Role of Science in Biblical Counseling
How do we determine if certain kinds of depression and anxiety have a physical or spiritual cause?
Let me use an obvious example to illustrate my point. Scripture is not designed to counsel Christians out of cancer. Cancer’s root cause must be addressed by surgery, chemotherapy, etc. But the Bible is sufficient to counsel Christians through cancer. The only way we know that cancer should be placed in this category, however, is... Continue Reading
How Can I Know Which Bible Promises Apply to Me?
When God promises to give something specific, look more closely at the context to see if He’s promising it in a unique situation
Here’s how I would apply that approach in the case of Jeremiah 29:11. In Jeremiah 29:11, we learn that God cares for His people and doesn’t abandon them, and that He hasn’t abandoned them even if it seems everything has gone wrong in their lives. We see that His good purposes are still moving forward,... Continue Reading
What God Does With Your Sin
o you hear whispers that you have sinned beyond God’s desire or ability to forgive? Let these illustrations comfort you.
So, what does God do with your sin? He throws it behind his back, drowns it in the sea, treads it underfoot, blots it out, forgets it, removes it, covers it, takes it away, cancels it, washes it, and forgives it. And God can do and will do all of this in the present because... Continue Reading
Our Hope is Real
Hope isn't a wish. It isn't a strong feeling sent out into the universe that boomerang's back with our desires met.
Jesus is our hope because only he accomplished what we could not do. He lived a perfect righteous life. He bore the weight of our sins upon the cross, suffered, and died. As the perfect Son of God, he defeated death and rose triumphantly from the grave. He proved in his life, death, and resurrection... Continue Reading
Resisting the Talisman View of Salvation
If our faith does not find expression in a just, generous, and loving life, we should wonder if our claims of deliverance are founded on false confidence and false faith
“To hold up the glory of the temple while ignoring the commands of the God who dwells there, is akin to pagan idolatry (see the discussion of 1 Sam 15:23 here). It is to turn a blessing of the Lord into a talisman, to turn a sacrament into empty ritualism.” The New York Times columnist... Continue Reading
A Primer on Mortification of Sin
Mortification comes from the Latin mors (death) and facere (to do)
We are reminded in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is the means by which sin is to be put to death. John Owen, in his helpful treatment on the mortification of sin, writes, “A man may easier see without eyes, speak without a tongue, than truly mortify one sin without the Spirit.” Therefore, it follows that... Continue Reading
What Does the Bible Say About Transgenderism?
When it comes to transgenderism, the Bible actually has a lot to say
“In short, the Bible teaches that God made us male or female, and no matter our own feelings or confusion, we should act in accordance with the biological reality of God’s good design. Transgenderism falls short of the glory of God and is not the way to walk in obedience to Christ.” Some would... Continue Reading