Roseanne, Gender Bending, And The War Against Nature (1)
There is a creational pattern and as part of that creational pattern males and females are different and complementary in obvious and in less obvious ways.
It is important to distinguish between social convention and nature but not everything is a convention to be deconstructed. Nature remains. The differences between boys and girls cannot be reduced to social constructs. Boys and girls are obviously different biologically, even if it is not currently fashionable to say so. As a boy of 56... Continue Reading
Formulating Doctrine
Formulating Christian doctrine, especially as it relates to the doctrine of the Trinity, is not as simple as counting texts which use the same words.
When systematic theology does its work properly, each topic’s statements are formulated by a canonical consultation, a consultation of Scripture as a finished product of divine revelation, and in conversation with historical theology. Systematic theology reduces all the truths of Holy Scripture concerning given topics to propositional form. Similarly, confessional formulations seek to reduce large... Continue Reading
For the Joy set before Him
As the One to whom Moses ultimately pointed, Jesus supremely chose deliberately to eschew the pleasures of this world for the perfect joys and pleasure of the coming world.
There is a translation issue bound up with this verse that has a bearing on how it should be interpreted. It concerns the Greek word anti which can be taken either as ‘for’ or ‘in place of’. In his commentary on Hebrews, Calvin prefers the latter option. And he explains why: ‘for he [the author] intimates, that... Continue Reading
Obscene, yet Beautiful
What is the meaning of the passion of Christ?
The people who witnessed Christ stumbling toward Golgotha, who saw Him delivered to the Romans, and who watched His crucifixion, understood the significance of this event in a variety of ways. There were those present who thought that they were viewing the just execution of a criminal. Caiaphas, the high priest, said that Christ’s death... Continue Reading
Preaching: The Abuse of Redemptive-Historical Preaching, Part 2
The sermon becomes not unlike the magician’s performance, except at the end of the act instead of a rabbit, the preacher pulls out Jesus to everyone’s surprise.
To miss the new covenant realities of the story of King David, would be to miss the main point of how Jesus is the son of David and the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises concerning God’s preservation of David’s throne. Yet, just as the Old Testament Scriptures are not only exemplaristic (which they are, see 1... Continue Reading
The Meaning and Purpose of a Godly Help Mate
In God’s design, God meets our needs with himself, yet often through other people.
Can God give extraordinary grace so that a person can survive without a church? For instance, in prison for the gospel’s sake? Yes. Can God provide extraordinary grace so that a person can thrive without a spouse? Certainly. The very word “extraordinary” reminds us that this is not God’s ordinary way of working. God has... Continue Reading
Our Beautiful God
The idea of the beauty of God has been all but eclipsed in our contemporary culture, both in the secular community and in the church as well.
Some Christians reduce their concern for the things of God purely to the ethical realm, to a discussion of righteousness or of goodness with respect to our behavior. Others are so concerned about purity of doctrine that they’re preoccupied with truth at the expense of behavior or at the expense of the holy. Rarely, at... Continue Reading
The Glorious, Life Altering Difference Between Grace and Mercy
God’s mercy is NOT giving sinners what they DO DESERVE. And God’s grace is POSITIVELY GIVING sinners what they DO NOT DESERVE.
See the difference? In his mercy God withholds WHAT WE DO DESERVE; in his grace God heaps upon us infinite blessings WE DO NOT DESERVE. In mercy he withholds what we DID MERIT – eternal wrath; and in grace pours out upon us what we COULD NEVER MERIT: Eternal life, infinite joy, being one with... Continue Reading
More Than a Love Story
Adam’s need for Eve went beyond that of a warm body and a uterus.
When God made a corresponding part for Adam, he completed something that was incomplete (Genesis 2:23). And that completion reaches beyond Adam to humanity itself. Male and female are made in God’s image (Genesis 5:2). Eve was not composed of spare parts. She was an integral part of humankind. Yes, she was Adam’s wife. But fulfilling her... Continue Reading
Jesus: Yahweh in the Flesh
Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Yahweh cannot make it any clearer that it will be Him and Him alone that receives all worship! But then Paul says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Well, do the math: if there’s no God and no Savior apart from Yahweh, and Jesus is the God and... Continue Reading