The lessons of the Reformation remain as urgent as ever. We must remember that semper reformanda—always reforming—is not just a slogan of history; it is our ongoing duty and rallying cry. The Church cannot afford to become calcified, satisfied with past triumphs, or lulled into complacency by modern distractions. We must return to the Word,... Continue Reading

If, however, we are consistently shocked by the majority position of believers across the world when it is different, when we can only see our application and never their application, when we are quick to say ‘that’s wrong’ before we ask ‘why do you do that?’, it is likely our cultural biases may be impacting our understanding of scripture.... Continue Reading

Don’t let communion be commonplace. Don’t let yourself become bored with it. The Lord’s Supper is not an invention of man. It is Jesus’ idea. Let this glorious meal be a reminder of your sin and of what God has done to save you from that sin. Let it drive you to long for the... Continue Reading

The more we practice, the more we find ourselves playing our instruments with joy and skill and the more we find ourselves playing well as part of an orchestra. The more we practice together, the more it becomes second nature to carry out the role that has been assigned to us. The more we rehearse,... Continue Reading

To truly hope in Christ is to confidently reject all forms of cynicism and to, instead, see the glory of Christ at work in all things. Such hope leads us to live out Christ-like lives rather than cynical lives—lives of kindness, tenderheartedness, forgiveness, and love. The one who has been forgiven by Christ has absolutely... Continue Reading

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Gal. 1:1–5). That is all! However, this does not mean we do nothing (Gal. 5:16). As with a tree’s active photosynthesis, we are called to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25), which proves that our faith in Jesus is genuine (John 15:8). But we must... Continue Reading

Calvin, just like the Westminster Confession, insists that salvation is pictured, even offered, in baptism, but only received by those who embrace the promise of baptism in faith. God can implant the seed of faith in that infant at the moment of baptism if he so chooses, but there is no inseparable connection between baptism and even... Continue Reading

While our salvation is by grace alone, we daily choose to press into deeper communion with our Savior or pull away from him. Believers are empowered by the mighty Spirit of God. By his grace, we can choose to turn our minds and thoughts toward Christ. This is what it means to practice considering him. Your next... Continue Reading

Christians are those who have a conscious trust and dependence on Christ’s saving work on their behalf (as opposed to all other worldviews).  I am called to love. Christians are called to love God, to love their neighbors as themselves, and to love their enemies. This is carried out in the course of their ordinary... Continue Reading

We desire the presence of God in our lives. He is always present in the true believer, but we are often not aware of and relying upon His presence. It is possible to have His presence, but not acknowledge or experience His presence, which is the cause of all spiritual failure in believers’ lives. And... Continue Reading