Would You Rather Have Blood Filled Hands or Beautiful Feet?
The task is simple – we are called to be faithful.
The contrast is staggering: on one hand the unfaithful ambassador who doesn’t share the truth fills his hands with blood as person after person he had a chance to share truth with but didn’t dies in their sin. On the other hand is the faithful preacher who shares the truth and has beautiful feet as he... Continue Reading
Does Prayer Change God’s Mind?
Does prayer make any difference? Does it really change anything?
“The very reason we pray is because of God’s sovereignty, because we believe that God has it within His power to order things according to His purpose. That is what sovereignty is all about—ordering things according to God’s purpose. So then, does prayer change God’s mind? No. Does prayer change things? Yes, of course.” ... Continue Reading
For the Bible Tells Me So: Biblical Authority Denied … Again
A true defense of the Christian faith has never been more needed than now, but an attempt to rescue Christianity from its dependence upon Scripture is doomed to disaster.
“Jesus loves me — this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” A mature Christian faith will say more than that, not less than that. “For the Bible tells me so” does not mean that we do not have reasoned answers to difficult questions, but it does mean that we admit our dependence upon Scripture —... Continue Reading
Sexuality and Our Public Lives: The Tower of Babel and the Kingdom of Christ
Genesis gives a fascinating account of fallen man’s collective attempt to define their own name themselves; a name that is very different from what God had already decreed
This is the brave new world in which we live – a world where anyone and everyone can “make a name for themselves”, even despite the name they were born with and given. But unlike Genesis where God, in judgment, came down and confused their languages, perhaps now God is doing something far worse: letting... Continue Reading
Desiring to Rule Over Genesis 3:16
This debate will push exegetical considerations to the forefront of disagreements
I would place myself among the vast number of evangelicals who hold to the first view. Additionally, I would agree with those who promote view 2–those who hold that the latter Divine pronouncement concerning the relationship between Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:16 is “a description of the perversion of hierarchical relationships (woman seeking to... Continue Reading
The Attraction of Idolatry
To see the allure of idolatry can be hard for those of us in the Western world.
The whole system of idolatry—guaranteed, selfish, easy, convenient, normal, logical, pleasing, indulgent, and erotic—when you look at it that way, the allure of idolatry does not seem far removed from us. It is easy to see how we can make idols out of everything from health insurance to retirement accounts to political candidates to academic... Continue Reading
What is the Spirit’s Role in Our Reading of Scripture?
There is a false notion among evangelicals that we can either trust in the ordinary means of grace and the church’s creedal catechetical tradition, or we can be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Both the charismatic and the conservative, more subtle teaching on the Holy Spirit and God’s word cuts us off from the Trinitarian work in communicating God’s word to the whole communion of the saints. And for some reason this exciting teaching often comes off as a spiritual buzz kill. I am referring to church tradition... Continue Reading
2 Samuel 19: A Case Study in True and False Repentance
Ask yourself, when you repent of your sin, are you more like Shimei or Mephibosheth?
God has these two men in the Bible for several reasons: to show us the nature of David’s kingdom, the outcome of Saul’s line, the ethic of a king after his own heart, and nature of David’s kingdom after his exile. But one of the many things God is doing in this passage is giving... Continue Reading
How Fear Can Lead to a Denial of the Gospel
“We’ve got to do something or everything will get completely out of control.” Fear is a powerful motive.
As I distilled and thought about the massive assault of words that came my way, I began to understand the fear. The idea is this. If men aren’t in charge, then the home will disintegrate, society will crumble, the women will take over, the kids will rebel, and the woman will become a manipulative, domineering... Continue Reading
Service or Sabbath
Despite the duty and benefits of service, something better is before us. According to Jesus, it is better for us when we sabbath than when we serve
In the earliest of days, God ceremonially worked, and then he ceremonially rested. We believe this was the rotation presented by God to Adam. Six days he was to worship by laboring; one day he was to worship by not laboring…It is not even a day when one has to keep the tight ceremonial additions... Continue Reading