The Gnostic Jesus, like the Buddha, Lao-tse, or Sufi masters, offers deep teaching on esoteric spirituality—techniques that quickly become salvation by works. What attracts me to the biblical Jesus is that he came not just to teach but to accomplish a task I cannot accomplish myself.     People meet Jesus in many ways. Mine... Continue Reading

As many others have pointed out over the past several years, in critiquing some aspects of Tim Keller’s ministry and legacy, and of the Gospel-centered movement, there are real problems with the Keller-style “winsome” approach. This is an approach that sometimes, rather rigidly, says we must always seek to be winsome in our tone and... Continue Reading

Our question about the severity of the consequences and punishment in the garden may just reveal more about our understanding of the goodness and holiness of God than it does about our ability to judge appropriate consequences. If, on the other hand, we were able to grasp the immensity of God’s goodness; the quality of... Continue Reading

We must meditate, bringing the jewels of God’s past faithfulness out into the light, that we may examine and delight ourselves in their sparkling glint. We must muse. We must speak and write of them, bringing wonder to ourselves and others: “Remember how the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand! Feel... Continue Reading

A local church needs a body of Spirit-filled, godly, qualified, humble, penitent, and united men to be examples of godliness for their people. This means they are ever aware of their sin and need of Christ, the abundant grace of God in Christ, and God’s call upon their lives to live and lead in gratitude.... Continue Reading

Why would God choose to use polygamy as the context for so many key Old Testament figures? The answer should be obvious: God loves to use crooked sticks to draw straight lines. A major theme in salvation history is God using broken and sinful people, despite themselves, to bring about his redemptive purposes.    ... Continue Reading

What will it be like to enjoy perfect communion with God’s people, and to be always in holy exercises with them, always singing praises to the Lamb, and giving glory to Him that sits on the throne for evermore, blessing God for the great mystery of the gospel?   Being isolated and feeling a lack... Continue Reading

When you worship Him through your doubts, you cast yourself upon the Rock of Ages. You jump from the hundredth floor of the burning building of sin and pray that He will catch you. You give up your life that you might find it. Doubt is the only way such desperate reliance upon God can spring forth... Continue Reading

Anyone who attempts to misuse God’s word that they might keep women from ever engaging in public discussions of theology must contend with the fact that God has clearly provided women the means to do so. To continue to make such unbiblical demands of women places the men who do so in contention with God... Continue Reading

Our words reveal a core part of who we are on the inside. Scripture is very clear that our words come directly from our hearts: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of... Continue Reading