Satan Hates the Pastorals
Five reasons Satan hates the Pastoral Epistles.
Satan hates the Pastorals. They expose him, rob him of the key tools in his armoury – accusation, legalism, confusion, suffering – and give strength to those who oppose him, by the Word, through the Spirit. They give hope. They bring joy. And they trumpet the glories of the king who has thrown him down... Continue Reading
God Is Not Silent: What the Bible Teaches About Sexual Assault
Deuteronomy 22:25-27 presumed the innocence of the unbetrothed woman who was sexually assaulted.
Biblical law was revolutionary for the dignity of women. Scripture recognized rape as a violent crime. In fact, biblical law considers rape on par with murder. She was the non-consenting victim of premeditated violence. The attacker alone is held guilty. Because she was overpowered and did not consent, the victim is considered blameless. The Bible neither... Continue Reading
Anger Met with Tears
My grandson had not yet learned to distinguish between my correction and my rejection and he assumed the worst.
“Guys, when we pray it is time to listen, not talk.” I spoke in a normal, conversational tone. Immediately, one of the boys erupted into inconsolable tears—pitiful, barely-being-able-to-breathe silences followed by ear-piercing screams. Grief that came from the depths of his soul. My son-in-law was praying before dinner at our home. Meanwhile, my four-year-old twin... Continue Reading
Relevant, Old Paths
Biblical values are relevant in every generation.
My father’s values were old, traditional values. But just because they were old and traditional didn’t necessarily make them good. They were good values because they were biblical values, and biblical values are relevant in every generation. But although they are relevant in every generation, they are disappearing from the rising generation. My dad... Continue Reading
Prayer: Evangelism & Prayer
We should prayer for the unsaved, pray for their salvation, and pray for our efforts in evangelism.
What compels us to pray when it comes to evangelism is the belief that only God can save the sinner. If we are convinced that the gospel really is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe (Rom. 1:16-17), we should be asking the Lord to take the message and use it... Continue Reading
Prayer: How to Pray
We are to come before God with the acknowledgment that whatever the request, the outcome will not come about because of our own wisdom or efforts.
Paul tells us in our passage to “continue steadfastly in prayer.” We are not to grow weary or discouraged as we offer up those prayers that do not get answered as quickly as we would like. We are not to give up and lose heart; rather, we are to persevere in our petitions, because through... Continue Reading
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home on Sola Scriptura
That lovely place of shelter, comfort, belonging, and becoming that we call home finds its fullest actualization in our God who is himself inherently hospitable. He is the ransomed sinner’s very home.
“By wisdom,” we are told in Proverbs 24:3-4, “a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” The principle in these proverbs should not be understood as referring to mere physical blessing, but rather to the more imperative (and at times elusive) atmosphere of blessedness that we... Continue Reading
What Expository Preaching Is Not
Fifteen myths about expository preaching that should be exposed to help the preacher rightly understand and faithfully practice expository preaching.
Expository preaching explains what the text means by what it says, seeking to exhort the hearers to trust and obey the God-intended message of the text. It is preaching in which the point of the message is rooted in, aligns with, and flows from the primary meaning of the sermon text. What is expository... Continue Reading
The Liberty and Limitations of Conscience
Liberty of conscience has been twisted by individualism, autonomy, and licentiousness – as though crying “Liberty of conscience!” is a license that frees one from all limitations.
To begin with, the liberty of conscience is limited by the law of God. Paul wrote: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh” (Galatians 5:13). Likewise, Peter warned: “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a... Continue Reading
Doctrine of God: Recommended Reading
Recent controversies within evangelical and Reformed circles regarding the attributes of God and the doctrine of the Trinity have made it abundantly clear that all Christians need to become as informed as possible about the doctrine of God.
In a previous version of this post, I recommended John Frame’s The Doctrine of God and a book by Bruce Ware on the Trinity. I can no longer recommend Frame’s book because it has become evident that he has moved away from the classical Christian understanding of such doctrines as divine simplicity and immutability. I can no... Continue Reading