Your Rod and Your Staff, They Comfort Me
The rod and staff can be broadly categorized as tools of protection and guidance, respectively.
As the shepherd-made-king David places himself in the role of a sheep, his fears of every evil are quelled by a glimpse of Israel’s true Shepherd-King. David compares God’s governing care of His flock—His providence—to a rod and a staff, a sight that ought to quiet all fears and assure the flock of the care... Continue Reading
Practical Repentance
Every time I tried to answer the question of practical repentance, we ended up drifting into what looked and felt a lot like legalism.
We tend to teach the gospel, then quickly reach for our spiritual checklist (money, marriage, family life, etc.) and teach it as if it had nothing to do with knowing and loving Jesus personally—nothing to do with the Bible. We lay down God and his word before we pick up our list. But unless we... Continue Reading
Worse Than An Unbeliever: Provision in 1 Timothy 5:8
Is the idea of men providing a cultural or biblical idea?
Authority and responsibility go hand-in-hand—Adam’s authority over Eve was not for his own self-indulgence or pleasure, but for the glory of God and their mutual good. ‘Provision’ is not simply defined in terms of material necessities—a man who supplies social and economic security for his family does very well, but that’s not the sum total... Continue Reading
7 Things You Need to Know About the Formation of the New Testament
These realities should comfort us, not only in knowing why we have the books in the New Testament that we do, but that our translations and copies are reliable and trustworthy due to the overwhelming internal and external evidence.
The New Testament books are the earliest writings we possess regarding Jesus. The New Testament was completed in the first century. This means the writings include testimonies from eyewitnesses and were written within fifty years of the events, which cannot be said of any of the apocryphal literature often discussed in the news. 1.... Continue Reading
What Do You Feed Your Eyes?
Our eyes will be drawn to what our hearts desire, but they also often hold sway.
Our eyes are not neutral. They influence and even drive our hearts. If we feed them what is true, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable, our eyes can grow our faith, heighten our love, and intensify our happiness. But where the eyes wander, the heart quickly follows — and falls. How many of... Continue Reading
The Lord Is My Shepherd; I Shall Not Want
Jesus knew that, ultimately, He Himself was “the good shepherd” who “lays down his life for the sheep.”
What looks at first like a shepherd’s lessons from shepherding turns out to be the confidence of a believer based on the truth of the Word of God and the revelation of His character. Perhaps this is less David the pastor thinking of caring for sheep and more David the expositor applying God’s Word to... Continue Reading
4 Ways to Seek the Good of Modern Day Babylon
Placed at the intersection between the “two ages”—“this present evil age” in bondage to sin and death, and “the age to come” under the reign of righteousness and life—our lives are marked by tension.
We are baptized into Christ: we are justified and are being renewed, gradually conforming to Christ’s image. Through his enduring word and sacraments, the age to come breaks into this present age that is fading away. “We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Heb. 12:28), which frees us to take our temporary citizenship... Continue Reading
3 of the Serpent’s Lies We Still Believe
“No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:1-4).
Behind the simplicity was a cunning undertone. Behind this simple exchange which set off a cosmos-rocking event, the fork-tongued liar was leveling charges against the character and nature of God. What came off like a question was really an accusation. Behind these few sentences, we can isolate at least three lies about who God is, and they... Continue Reading
Equal in Power, Unequal in Authority?
Can Eternal Subordination of the Son (ESS) be reconciled with the orthodox Nicene doctrine of the Trinity?
According to the Bible and to orthodox Christian writers over the centuries since the councils of Nicea and Constantinople, power and authority are not different things. The consistent orthodox teaching of the church is to attribute the same power and authority to the Son as the Father. As Matthew Henry writes in his commentary on John 5:19, “He... Continue Reading
The Psalm of David the Shepherd
David knew the constant care needed to be a good shepherd and thus it provided a rich metaphor for God’s constant care for him in Psalm 23.
David’s life as a shepherd continued to play a role after he left the pasture. Much of what he learned leading sheep he applied as a leader of men. Famously, he appealed to his exploits in guarding the flock, how he depended upon God, to illustrate his ability to fight Goliath (1 Sam. 17:34–37). David’s... Continue Reading