“If the church is to be any sort of counter-cultural movement, if it is to have any effective witness to a watching, suspicious world, it better be able to model what it means to love someone who vehemently disagrees with you on a whole range of cultural and political matters.”   I entreat Euodia and... Continue Reading

And ponder, at some point today, God’s work of creation. Let the reality of that work fill you with wonder. Let it inform your understanding of the world in which you live. “Live your life filled with joy and wonder.”   “The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word... Continue Reading

By law, a newly married man had to be free for a year in order to “give happiness to his wife.” It seems significant that the stated goal is to make the wife happy. For a year. By law. If women were considered property, I could imagine a law saying the husband should be free to enjoy his wife for a year, but not one saying he should be free to make her happy for a year. And the fact that this was a law means it was a society-wide value. The whole society would have to be behind this in order for it to work—in order for a man to stay at home for a year, bringing happiness to his wife.

There are no perfect translations. What we ought to seek is a good, consistent execution of a sound philosophy of translation. There is debate, of course, among Bible translators as to what that is but the ESV was adopted by many Reformed and evangelical folk because it promised to follow an “essentially literal” translation. In the latest revisions, however, it does not seem to be following that philosophy consistently.

Those who are anxious need gospel-centered hope. They need a godly counselor who can point them to truth. They need to be reminded that Jesus conquered their greatest fears at the cross—eternal separation from God—so he will also be with them in all their lesser fears. They need to be reminded that Jesus was the Man of Sorrows who knew sorrow, grief, fear and temptation. They have a Savior who gets it. While others may look at their anxiety and wonder why they don’t just let it go, Jesus understands.

A "change the world" mentality often ironically serves as a catalyst for discontentment or undue guilt. The common failures and frustrations experienced in the mundane day-in and day-out aspects of life tend to leave those--who had hoped for more importance--jaded or callused as the years progress. Like the person who gains weight over the years and cannot seem to lose it (I know this so well experientially!) has the peculiar temptation of thinking back to the days when they were younger and thinner, the disappointments embraced by those who have misplaced expectations about their own influence can lead to a nostalgic paralysis in later years.

In the final analysis Jeremy de Haan left the light of the Reformation for the darkness of Roman Catholicism. Had he rightly understood the basic teachings of the Faith he once confessed, he might have been useful in the kingdom and ministry of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, he chose the pursuit of a confused heart over the teaching of Holy Scripture. The end result, as sad as it may be, is that he is no longer with us. But was he ever?

So then, we do good works, but nor for merit– for what would we merit? Rather, we are indebted to God for the good works we do, and not he to us, since it is he who “works in us both to will and do according to his good pleasure– thus keeping in mind what... Continue Reading

Leaders should reflect that for all their preaching, pastoring, discipling, decisions and actions there is a ‘law of unintended consequences’ to be considered. Hezekiah no doubt was relieved, in some sense, that while in the end future generations would be exiled, in his life time there would be security and peace. Doubtless it was a blessing that God would delay judgment while he was still alive. Personally it was happy that God would spare the godly king sorrow upon sorrow. In one sense, of course, the LORD was working out his purpose according to His own diary, pencilled in his secret counsels. Yet, in another sense, the attitude of Hezekiah displays a selfishness of heart.

Satan’s greatest ambassadors are not pimps, politicians, or power-brokers, but pastors. His priests do not peddle a different religion, but a deadly perversion of the true one. His troops do not make a full-out frontal assault, but work as agents, sneaking into the opposing army. Satan’s tactics are studied, clever, predictable, effective. Therefore, we must always remain vigilant. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16a).