Against The Star Trek Christology
Hebrews teaches us that Jesus humanity is consubstantial with ours both in his crucifixion, before the resurrection, and in his ascension after the resurrection.
In truth we do not know how Jesus entered a room with locked doors but there is good biblical evidence and ecumenical Christian truth to make us reject the “celestial flesh” Star Trek Christology. If anything changed, why not the door? After all, our Lord walked on water without changing his true humanity. That was a defiance... Continue Reading
Loving God with Our Minds
True knowledge of God always bears fruit in greater love for God and a greater desire to praise Him.
To love God with our minds is to hold Him in high esteem, to think about Him with reverence and with adoration. The more we love God with our minds, the more we’ll be driven to do that other thing that is alien to us in our fallen condition, namely, to worship Him. To pursue... Continue Reading
The Tyranny of Decadence
In our present world, decadence is replacing decency.
As we eagerly await Christ’s return, Christians must put their faith in our covenant-keeping God; live pure and blameless lives; and teach their children the beauty of God’s creational and gospel design for sexuality and marriage, which are foundational to true human flourishing. In our present world, decadence is replacing decency. For the sake... Continue Reading
Recurring Failure and Never Failing Grace
The entire Old Testament is a record of the recurring failures of the church of that epoch
“From the reader’s perspective, it is not hard to see how these dark shadows over the history God’s people on earth seem to fill our horizons. But, as we have noted already, there is another thread that not only runs in parallel, but actually runs right through that of the recurring failures of the church... Continue Reading
Highway of the Heart – A Christian’s Hope of Heaven
The psalmist portrays what abides within him — a highway leading to the land of Zion
“O weary traveler, do not allow your heart its desired detours. Sin’s empty rest will only slow your step. Set your face toward Zion, let nothing slow your pace. We are almost home.” A Christian is a traveler whose heart is set on heaven. The psalmist portrays what abides within him—a highway leading to the land of Zion.... Continue Reading
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
“Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet.”
For the world, grieving sin is regressive and constricting; for the Christian, it is the pathway to joy. Imagine the implications. If Matthew 5:4 is true—if Jesus really meets repentance with comfort, not condemnation—then no longer do you need to fear being exposed. No longer do you have to present an airbrushed version of yourself to fellow... Continue Reading
Are You a Faithful Servant of God?
One of the most prolific metaphors is that of God as master and his people as servants.
A servant is at the beck and call of his master. A servant is not free to do what he wants when he wants to do it, but must always do the will of his master. The Christian willingly puts himself at God’s disposal instead of his own. He longs to do God’s will, no... Continue Reading
God Blesses Messy People
People in the Bible, like the rest of the world, are a bit of a mess.
Does this surprise you? It should. If you or I were writing the Bible, we would probably do it in such a way to show the virtues of the people. But this is not what God does. Does this encourage you? It should. God is not about showcasing people’s morality but rather his mercy and faithfulness... Continue Reading
Don’t Pursue Feelings. Pursue Christ.
While it is true that our emotions should not lead our theology, it is vital to our faith that theology lead to a deep experience of our triune God.
God has created us as emotional people. There is a time to weep and laugh, to mourn and dance, to hate and love (Eccl. 3:1–8). Neither stoicism nor emotionalism are marks of healthy faith. What is needed is robust, biblical theology that informs and transforms our emotions. Human beings are emotional creatures. We love or... Continue Reading
John Owen on Revival
Say what you want about the First and Second Great Awakenings and modern-day "revivalism," but the language and concept of "revival" is a part of the Reformed Orthodoxy of the 17th century
If you listen to some of our modern American Reformed historians today, you’ve been led to believe that the buggaboo of (cue the spooky music) “revival” is an 18th century phenomenon of the First Great Awakening. You’ve been led to believe that every pastor who believes revival is a legitimate work of the Holy Spirit is... Continue Reading