We might ask what difference it makes that Jesus is both priest and king. I suspect the readers of this letter were wondering the same thing. It makes a massive difference!   The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). This profound truth leads an honest reader to ponder what Jesus’... Continue Reading

In Rom 1:13, Paul says that he “often intended to come” to the Romans. In that report of his (frustrated) travel plans, the pro- in protithēmi may have a temporal sense (projecting a plan for the future) or an imaginative sense (proposing an idea, setting it out there for consideration), or both. On this model, Eph 1:9 teaches that... Continue Reading

Stop concentrating so much on what God is asking of you; start focusing on what he’s already given you. When Christ endured the brutal whip, the jeering and fist-striking — when he suffered more than any of us have, he was standing in your place. You and I deserved the bloodlust torture Christ endured, for... Continue Reading

At the heart of the Reformation was the Bible, but not just the Bible translated, it was the Bible preached, taught, and explained. This was Luther’s commitment. According to Luther, “The Word of God is the greatest, most necessary, and most sublime part in Christendom.” The Reformer went on to say, “We can spare everything,... Continue Reading

All Protestants acknowledged that there must be a mutual subjection of ministers and magistrates, as ministers submitted to magistrates in affairs of the temporal kingdom, while magistrates bowed to the authority of the Word as proclaimed by the ministers. But there were bound to be gray areas, especially in a society where nearly all citizens... Continue Reading

Christian confusion about the meaning of neighbor love spills over into confusion about how we should view our nations. Faithfulness to God obviously trumps all else. Nations are earthly goods, just like families are. But they are not for that reason to be dismissed as nothing more than sources of evil or idolatrous temptation. The... Continue Reading

Our sinful estate is bad news, and thinking about bad news isn’t pleasant. But here’s the good news about the bad news: by remembering the horror of sin, and by reflecting on our helpless and spiritually ruined estate, we are able to celebrate the rescuing grace of God all the more. The bad news reminds... Continue Reading

The practice of pietism, either seeking personal encounters with God or practicing asceticism (another form of pietism that involves denying oneself of physical pleasures for the sake of spiritual advancement), can be appealing to people because they feel like they are being more religious and, thus, closer to God. Yet, Paul specifically states that such... Continue Reading

When we gather together to worship, God pours out His grace on His people. We should love the gathering of the saints. We should value the corporate nature of the weekly worship of God’s people. Let it drive away our sinful individualism and let us learn to highly value the gathered church.    I was... Continue Reading

Part of the pastor’s job is to help Christians regularly refocus on the gospel. To a friend who is bitter, we encourage them to, “…forgive, as God in Christ forgave you,” (Eph. 4:32). To the husband who is passive: “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her,” (Eph. 5:25).... Continue Reading