What is the Difference Between Justification and Sanctification?
In short, justification means we are declared righteous, while sanctification means growing in righteousness.
Justification is a one-time event, and sanctification is a continual process. When we are justified, we are declared righteous positionally (that is, before God we are righteous). However, while we are positionally righteous, we are practically not perfectly righteous. While doubtless growing in grace, we are still, when compared to Christ, unrighteous. Sanctification then is... Continue Reading
Far, Near, and One
How should we, who once were once far off, but have now been brought near, relate to one another?
As we differ in the finer points of political ideology, theology proper, anthropology, soteriology, ecclesiology, sacramentology, and eschatology, etc…, let us keep in mind there are to “be no dividing walls of hostility.” Instead, there is to be “peace” for Christ intends us to be “one man.” He desires for us to act like “fellow members of the... Continue Reading
Cut Off Your Hand, Tear Out Your Eye
Jesus is calling us to personal holiness, however costly and painful, as His path for us “to enter life.”
The Lord is not telling us literally to maim ourselves. After all, the Apostle Paul condemned “asceticism and severity to the body” (Col. 2:23). But our Lord’s point is this: we must resolve that, whatever the personal cost, we will follow the upward call of God in Christ (Phil. 3:14). Yes, the Lord is working... Continue Reading
Only Half of Our Friends Actually Like Us
What matters more, how many people we can call a friend, or how many people can call us one?
I imagine friendship as a commodity has always been an issue, but it is so much more apparent with the advent of social media. One thing is for sure: high-quality friendships are a blessing. And they are something worth investing in. How would you define that? We learn a lot about friendship in Scripture. ... Continue Reading
In Defense Of Religion
Is there any more abused and despised little word in the Christian vocabulary today than religion?
Just as it is a confession to say, “No creed but Christ” so anyone who gathers for worship, no matter how informal the service, no matter whether it is a service where one is allowed to carry a cup of coffee into the auditorium or not, whether one wears Hawaiian shirts or a suit and... Continue Reading
Stop Photobombing Jesus
There is a fine line between wanting God to use you for his glory and wanting everyone to know it.
I served God with mixed motives. I hoped lost people would be saved—but I wanted to be the evangelist God used. I desired Christians to be encouraged—but I wanted to be the instrument of edification. I wanted people to think God was awesome—and that I was, too. pho·to·bomb (verb): To spoil a photograph by appearing in the camera’s field of... Continue Reading
It is not ‘Character Assassination’ for the Church to be the Church
The true church is never going to embrace the idea that somehow God is OK with sexual immorality.
No doubt there are many voices within the North American evangelical movement that are turning away from what the church has always believed and confessed. Hatmaker is now among them. They are trying to tell people that sexual immorality is compatible with following Jesus. And they are asking the rest of the church to accept... Continue Reading
“Free Grace” Theology and Matthew 7:21-23
According to “Free-Grace” theology, genuine conversion does not necessarily result in a spiritually transformed life
FG theologians respond to this straightforward interpretation of Matthew 7 with two objections. First, they insist that it amounts to a person trusting in his own obedience as the basis for his salvation. In response to this objection, Jesus is not saying that obedience to the Father is the basis of the believer’s salvation, but rather the inevitable result of... Continue Reading
Can a Professing Christian Who Has Turned Away from Christ Be Saved?
I believe that once a person is authentically redeemed, is truly in Christ, that person will never be lost to Christ.
The New Testament promises that He who has begun a good work in you will perfect it to the end (Phil. 1:6). I know there are many Christians who believe that a true Christian can lose his or her salvation. I don’t. I’d say with the apostle John, “Those who went out from us were... Continue Reading
The Wisdom of the Folly of the Gospel
We are fools, and only in Christ is there wisdom
I do not think that God gave us His Word so that we can say, “Oh, now I get it.” Instead, Paul says “in the wisdom of God, the world DID NOT KNOW GOD THROUGH WISDOM.” But instead, “it pleased God through the FOLLY of what we preach to save those who believe.” I... Continue Reading