The Importance of a God-Centred Doctrine of Sin
A deficient doctrine of sin reveals a Christian worldview that is insufficiently shaped by what God has spoken through Scripture.
It is crucial to work towards a view of God and his world that is shaped by the revelation that God has given to us. Failing to do this will result in us being formed instead by the foundational assumptions of our culture, in which humanity is exalted and God is marginalised. One of... Continue Reading
The Perspective of a Godly, Wise Man
When a man humbly submits to God's will for his life and embraces God's sovereignty, everything changes.
Such a man realizes that God oversees everything in his life, and even the worst and hardest events can produce a redemptive purpose. He works all things together for good. Any bitterness or anger at God or man can be laid aside as we see what God is doing. How we see things is most... Continue Reading
Alleviating Fear
How do You Overcome Fear?
If you have fear in any area, there is one remedy. In prayer and the reading of the Word, listen to God. Let Him remind you of His promises (there are 7,000 in the Bible) and give you direction for your life. And then believe Him. Everybody has fear. Fear is that anxiety that... Continue Reading
Am I Double-Minded?
James uses the term “double-minded” to refer to religious hypocrites.
To be double-minded is to break the first great command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37–38). The double-minded aren’t fully committed to God; they don’t truly love him with their whole selves. We strive for perfection in our spiritual disciplines. Doesn’t Jesus himself say, “Be perfect,... Continue Reading
Eloquence and the Preaching of the Gospel, Part 1
Paul asked the church of Colossians to pray for him so that he would communicate the truth of the Gospel clearly and persuasively.
The power[14] comes from the gospel message itself, not any manmade formulations. Hence Paul’s consistent emphasis on the content of his message: “We preach Christ” (1 Cor. 1:23). “Him we proclaim” (Col. 1:28). “What we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Cor. 4:5). “To me . . . this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable... Continue Reading
We Need to Give the True God True Worship
Our worship must have the stamp of God’s spiritual nature.
There must be a conformity between God and souls. This is the great purpose of the gospel, to repair the image of God which was originally on man, and make him like God again. Now, this is the way that Jesus Christ repairs this image, and brings about this conformity with God. As the soul worships... Continue Reading
The Fathered Universe
Everything around you is intensely personal because of who God is.
By default, we tend to see the world around us as unfathered. We live our waking days in the dreamland of God’s absence. And that’s hard on us, isn’t it? It’s hard to live with a lie. It’s hard to walk through life as if God hasn’t fathered-forth the beauty around us—because he has. I... Continue Reading
Is Hell Real?
Hell is real and it's a final and eternal judgment.
God offered His Son Christ as a sacrifice for His people. There is a real heaven and there is a real hell. We don’t believe in Christ only because we’re scared of hell, but rather because He saved us from it, from our sin and from wrath. Therefore, what do we do? Respond to Him... Continue Reading
Faithful Interpretation
Hermeneutics must be based on established principles, not pragmatics or emotions.
We interpret and apply Scripture based on the words of the text as well as on the inescapable principles and necessary applications of the text. This is one of the most important hermeneutical principles for Christian life and doctrine, and it is precisely how we see Jesus Christ and the biblical authors approaching Scripture. ... Continue Reading
How to Identify a False Teacher, Part 3
Peter spent most of chapter two in his letter exposing the characteristics of false teachers: Four destructive traits.
They are sneaky, sensual, self-centered, and self-willed. While any true teacher might lapse into one or more of these sins periodically, the false teacher is consistently marked by these defects. His life and ministry are characterized by rejecting the authority of God’s Word, establishing himself as the authority, and promoting himself for his own wealth... Continue Reading
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