A Primer on Mortification of Sin
Mortification comes from the Latin mors (death) and facere (to do)
We are reminded in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is the means by which sin is to be put to death. John Owen, in his helpful treatment on the mortification of sin, writes, “A man may easier see without eyes, speak without a tongue, than truly mortify one sin without the Spirit.” Therefore, it follows that... Continue Reading
What Does the Bible Say About Transgenderism?
When it comes to transgenderism, the Bible actually has a lot to say
“In short, the Bible teaches that God made us male or female, and no matter our own feelings or confusion, we should act in accordance with the biological reality of God’s good design. Transgenderism falls short of the glory of God and is not the way to walk in obedience to Christ.” Some would... Continue Reading
10 Things You Should Know About Definite Atonement
Definite atonement provides us with personal assurance
For some, definite atonement is a ‘grim doctrine’ (Karl Barth), containing ‘horrible blasphemies’ (John Wesley); for others, it is a ‘textless doctrine’ (Broughton Knox), arrived at by logic rather than by a straightforward reading of the Scriptures (RT Kendall). 1. Definite atonement is a way of speaking about the intent and nature of Christ’s... Continue Reading
The Wrong Kind of Contentment
Perhaps we are discontent because we are too content with the wrong things.
In effect, we are content with a halfhearted devotion to Christ. Our hearts are turned away from Christ and toward false idols we think will satisfy a parched soul. The secret to Paul’s contentment in all circumstances, whether he had plenty or had little, was that his heart was fixed on Christ. “I can do all... Continue Reading
Contending for Old School Hermeneutics
Traditional hermeneutics have always held that Scripture has but one meaning although there may be many applications.
This principle protects us from false doctrine. When we come to difficult passages we go with the whole teaching of Scripture on the subject. For instance, verses like Philippians 2:12 “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” are used by cults to teach a works based salvation. But the principle of Doctrinal (or Theological)... Continue Reading
One Bible, Two Testaments
The Westminster Larger Catechism follows this ancient Christian and classic Protestant way of reading the Bible, of seeing God’s one story with its various acts.
The theological truth of this is that when we read our Bibles from Old through the New Testaments, we are reading the story of one God, one Savior, one means of salvation through faith, and therefore one people despite their chronological, geographical, and racial differences. For many of us who have discovered the Reformed... Continue Reading
Genesis 3:16
The publishers of the ESV recently announced that they have changed their translation of Genesis 3:16 to this: …Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.
To summarize this rather complicated survey, the basic meaning of the word is to, or towards. Sometimes, if the context and the verb used are hostile, “against” would be a proper meaning. But this does not mean that we can pick and choose whatever meaning we want. “Contrary to”, in the context of Genesis 3:16... Continue Reading
10 Spurgeon Quotes for Wounded Christians
Ten quotes with their contexts, forged on the anvil of Spurgeon’s own affliction.
Spurgeon revealed the struggle of the Christian trying to praise God in the dark: It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but he is the skilful singer who can sing when there is not a ray of light by which to read,— who sings from his heart, and not... Continue Reading
Why Will You Stay Away?
Approach the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Throne of Grace with confidence. Because of Jesus Christ, this is where you belong.
Do not let Satan encourage you to keep your distance. He is the Accuser who began in the Garden telling lies about the compassion of God. Listen not to him. Ignore his empty accusations. Open your Bible and hear the voice of God calling you to come near and repent. God foreordains our sin. There... Continue Reading
What Does “Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread” Mean?
Obviously Jesus was not telling His disciples to pray only for bread
“This petition of the Lord’s Prayer, then, teaches us to come to God in a spirit of humble dependence, asking Him to provide what we need and to sustain us from day to day. We are not given license to ask for great riches, but we are encouraged to make our needs known to Him,... Continue Reading