Is God a Good Father?
I love my children. But can God really love me like that — more than that?
“As an earthly father I will always love my children. No matter what they do. No matter where they go. I will be here for them. I’m not walking out. They might. I won’t. So, help me God. Still, I can’t imagine this, really, but God loves me more, loves me better, than that. That’s... Continue Reading
What Does it Mean to Fear God?
Luther distinguished between what he called a servile fear and a filial fear.
I think this distinction is helpful because the basic meaning of fearing the Lord that we read about in Deuteronomy is also in the Wisdom Literature, where we’re told that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The focus here is on a sense of awe and respect for the majesty of... Continue Reading
The Easiest Sin to Justify
From observation and hard experience I think there is one sin more than any other that we tend to continue to justify.
We delude ourselves into believing that our anger is righteous, that it is just the same as God’s white-hot anger against all that is evil. Sometimes it is, perhaps, but far more often it is not. It may be a sinful reaction to justified anger or a sinful reaction to unjustified anger. Either way, what... Continue Reading
A Catechism on the Heart
Mapping out some preliminary matters in the form of a catechism on the heart.
I must keep my heart healthy by proper diet, growing strong on a regular diet of God’s Word — reading it for myself, meditating on its truth, but especially being fed on it in the preaching of the Word. I also will remember that my heart has eyes as well as ears. The Spirit shows... Continue Reading
The Depravity of Man
With all the collusion, political conspiracy, mass murder, sexual predation, racial prejudice and bigotry, the doctrines of human depravity held throughout orthodox Christian history have once again been vindicated.
But while we recognize and decry the wanton immorality of Hollywood and Times Square, of Washington DC and Wall Street, we ought also to remember that we, too, are radically corrupt, totally depraved, and basically evil. And we are in need of a new nature – a new birth or regeneration – which comes only... Continue Reading
A Brief Response to “A Teacher’s Theological Guide to Inerrancy.”
Is the doctrine of biblical authority indefensible?
According to Bromiley, Barth’s “handling of Scripture is in many ways the weakest and most disappointing part of the whole Dogmatics, and his safeguards against subjectivism here are very flimsy.” Later Bromiley would write, “Barth’s dismissal of biblical inerrancy and his assigning of a special historical character to events like the resurrection pose the question whether... Continue Reading
God’s Grace in Our Fears
Even when the world seems flipped upside down and even when the worst happens, God rules and reigns.
For someone who is often weakened by fear, it’s hard to imagine not having any fear in the face of something terrible. The important thing to notice is that the psalmist doesn’t say, “even when the very worst happens, if you have strong faith and believe really hard, you won’t have any fear.” Rather, the... Continue Reading
How to Reconcile with Another Christian
How many of our disagreements, misunderstandings, feelings of bitterness, and lack of forgiveness in the body of Christ would disappear if we looked at our conflict in light of eternity?
Paul reminds Philemon that Christians are family. Christian reconciliation is always reconciliation between family members. Who is Philemon receiving? Not simply Onesimus, his slave, but now Onesimus, his brother in Christ. Paul makes this clear in verse 10: “I appeal to you for my child.” In effect, Paul is arguing, “You are brothers. This must affect... Continue Reading
When Vows Are Broken
How do we minister to those who are standing in the middle of the fragments, the spouses and children of the person who smashed the “vase?”
What do we do when there is abuse, abandonment, or adultery? You can’t pretend that it doesn’t exist. This may be your situation or that of a friend or family member. I fear that “we will not throw it away; we will keep it forever” offers no real comfort but only “go in peace, stay... Continue Reading
Sola Scriptura
"The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for... salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture."
The difference between Catholic and Protestant teaching is more subtle than people realize, for Catholics confess that Scripture is inspired, infallible, and authoritative. It is wise to remember, too, that the first Reformers were encouraged to study Scripture by scholarly Catholics: Staupitz told Luther to get his doctorate in biblical studies, Erasmus encouraged Zwingli’s studies,... Continue Reading