You cannot have the morals that come from God if one denies the existence of anything above experience. We now can see the outcome of this re-imagining Humanity, for it is coming in full view. It is where good and evil are reversed.   The other day I was reading (again) C. S. Lewis’s The... Continue Reading

Remembering who we are in Christ empowers our ability to live faithfully. If we are to be killing sin, we must remember our status in Christ. We belong to the Lord, body and soul, as the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us. Therefore, we are sanctified as we are being sanctified and, as a result, can trust the Lord in all... Continue Reading

The good news is that God makes His resurrection power available to us to walk in victory over sin. Unfortunately, many people think of this as automatic and do not take aggressive efforts to guard themselves.     I’ve heard people emphasize that when it comes to victory over sin, that it’s all about Jesus.... Continue Reading

Gospel amnesia demands gospel realignment, but gospel realignment is a result of remembering. Peter suffered from gospel amnesia, Paul realigned him with the gospel, then he went a step further and reminded him of his gospel freedom.   Several years ago, my wife and I saw the romantic drama, The Vow, which stars Channing Tatum and... Continue Reading

Use a nearby verse, a close chapter, another book, a similar genre, the same Testament, or another part of the Bible. It’s all God’s word. If “location, location, location” is key in real estate, “context, context, context” is key for the real use of Scripture. Context preaches God’s promises, God’s goodness, the Spirit’s help, and... Continue Reading

Sex in marriage should bring a deeper appreciation for the incalculable riches of your spouse’s humanity and the wonder of being united to them, both body and soul.   When we think about sex in marriage and the boundaries God sets for our lives, we often start by asking, “What am I allowed to do?”... Continue Reading

Peter wrote that we should strive to emulate Christ—especially when slandered and attacked (1 Peter 2:21b-23). Before reacting, seek God in prayer, for it brings wisdom and clarity (James 1:5). Allowing His Spirit to lead ensures that your responses reflect His righteousness rather than impulsive emotions.   Early in my ministry, when I was a student minister... Continue Reading

Adam and Eve woefully trusted themselves and not God for wisdom (Genesis 3:6), and that choice initiated all our troubles. Ever since, God has graciously intervened, directing his people back to Himself.   If we passively receive and actively seek wisdom, then two things will happen: We’ll start being wise, and we’ll keep becoming wiser.... Continue Reading

Wedding vows are more than window-dressing. They bring real, measurable, relational consequences. Too many young adults are unaware of those consequences and, as such, do not understand what marriage really is. The Church can help. In fact, it must, because the truth about marriage and cohabitation needs to get out there.   Even as the... Continue Reading

“Plenary verbal revelation requires that biblical style, as well as content, is inspired. Scripture’s inclusion of satire surely vindicates its prima facie legitimacy in Christian discourse.” If our speech ought to be Bible-saturated, we should seek to imitate not only the content we find in Scripture but the kinds of speech (including satire) and the proportions as well.... Continue Reading