Doubting God’s Goodness
Is God good? The harsh realities of this broken world will beat down even the most optimistic soul at some point.
Flee to the cross. Without this step, everything else is a band-aid. Without the cross of Christ, we could never be assured that the worst things are planned by God to do the best things. Without the crucifixion, we would not have ongoing and eternal proof that our God is a good God, who gave His... Continue Reading
Women of Faith and Action
Two very unlikely women became role models for us of faith and action.
Faith drives both of these women to act. God’s word honors their faith although both went against the tide of society in doing God’s will. The glory for the victory goes to Jael who is not even an Israelite. The peace and assurance of salvation goes to the sinful but believing woman who is roundly... Continue Reading
Learning from Hudson Taylor
His goal was not to make converts to Christ and British culture but to Christ alone.
As I consider the current state of America and the American church, I can’t help but think that we need to learn from Hudson Taylor today. As a nation, the divisions seem to be getting wider and wider with an increasing attitude of “assimilate or go home.” Sure this is the inevitable result of sin,... Continue Reading
For the Christian Perfectionist
Here are some words of encouragement for those of us who struggle with never being good enough.
In my experience, many who struggle with this form of perfectionism have love for Jesus and deeply enjoy him. Their consciences are tender before God and they are sensitive to their own sin, willing to bring it before God and others in repentance and confession. These Christians’ main desire is to glorify God who they... Continue Reading
Protestantism, Scripture and the Judgment of the Church
We need, in other words, to be clear on what the Protestant principle sola Scriptura means (and, perhaps more significantly, doesn't mean) before we can think clearly about how to approach tradition.
How many Protestants today, that is, could (or would) insist upon their own readiness to submit their determinations about Scripture’s meaning to “the judgment of the Church.” Calvin’s argument does not disallow individuals to obtain new insights into Scripture’s meaning, nor to share them with others. It does, however, force the individual to bow before... Continue Reading
A Word of Encouragement to Weary Pastors: God Does Not View Your Labors as “Filthy Rags”
Is God pleased with only Christ’s work, and always displeased with our own?
Sure, they are not perfect works–they are always tainted by sin to some degree. And yes, we cannot think for a moment that they merit salvation. They do not. But, they are the works of God’s own sons and daughters and he delights in them. When it comes to our justification–our legal standing before... Continue Reading
What Is Jesus to You?
Jesus is not someone we can just coexist with.
Jesus must judge us, but he does so by judging himself. That is the look we cannot stand—the gaze of someone who is really innocent taking the scorn and shame we deserved without seeking revenge. In that very gaze we see the love he has for us and the love that shelters us from death... Continue Reading
Was Herman Witsius A Federal Visionist?
One of the distinctive rhetorical tactics of the Federal Visionists is to quote an orthodox author saying something that seems heterodox.
The first and most important problem with the “covenantal justification” approach that he noted is that it is not taught in Scripture (p. 134–35). The second problem is that such a view necessarily puts baptism in charge of election, when, in fact, according to Scripture, baptism works for election not the other way round. Witsius... Continue Reading
Are We Victims of Sin?
One of the keys to the Christian life is getting the right balance between confessing personal sin and lamenting the universal consequences of sin.
In Depression, Sin & Self-Reformation Byron Yawn contrasts these two emphases when comparing pietism (which he equates with American evangelicalism) with reformed theology. He says: “While [pietism] fully confesses the concept of depravity on the individual level, it pays little attention to the universal consequence of Adam’s disobedience upon his posterity. On the other hand,... Continue Reading
Violent Peace
True peacemaking is not silence, it’s not getting over things, it’s not false apologies; but an honest, unapologetic attack on injustice, falsehood, and sin.
Peacekeepers often demand silence. They will ask you to act (pretend) like everything is okay. They will change subjects, misdirect conversation, formulate incoherent narratives. They will sometimes make ungodly compromises to keep the illusion of peace. Peacekeepers are self-protective instead of other-protective. Yesterday one of my sons was involved in a conflict with a... Continue Reading