The Order of Salvation: Sanctification (Definitive)
The Spirit who has made us holy, will bring his work to perfection.
Definitive sanctification encourages progressive sanctification. As the Apostle goes on to write, “So then brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.” (Rom. 8:12) Through our union with Christ, we are empowered to live by the Spirit. Definitive sanctification does not take away our responsibility to pursue holiness, but... Continue Reading
The Image of God: Rest
The blessing of Sabbath rest in Genesis 2 is re-iterated as a command for Sabbath rest in Exodus 20 and then re-gifted to us in Mark 2—because we forget! We are fickle, forgetful people.
Rest is part and parcel of living in God’s story. And this is a story that precedes us, a story we live in now and forever. The writer of Hebrews in the New Testament says, “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” This is why the Bible so closely connects the principle... Continue Reading
The Order of Salvation: Adoption
Our adoption is through, in and unto the persons of the Holy Trinity.
Adoption is an accomplishment of redemption. It is not an accomplishment of creation. The very act of adoption assumes we were previously in a state of alienation. Being born did not somehow put us in better standing with God. The scripture says: “I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive... Continue Reading
Paul on Christian Liberty in Galatians 5:1
Since we are free from law as a means of justification, we are now free to obey the law out of gratitude since we know this pleases God.
Jesus came to set us free, not enslave us to the law. All of the Protestant Reformers agreed upon this point and spoke of its importance. This is the doctrine by which the church stands or falls. If Christian liberty is not the defining characteristic of the Christian life, then the doctrine of justification is... Continue Reading
The Lord’s Lessons in Our Failures
The famous problem of pain is keeping the hope alive that you’ll find God with you on the other side of that darkness even while going through hell.
I’m captivated by this moment on the Sea of Galilee in John 21. Whether intentional or not, I love the image of Peter diving into the water. He’s still audacious, but he’s not grandiose. He does not attempt to run across the water or make a leap of faith or stand proudly at the bow.... Continue Reading
Triage in the Trenches: When Do Second-Tier Issues Divide?
Finding clarity on the rationale for first-tier issues, while recognizing the spectrum of health within second-tier issues, will give us a better tool with which to perform the crucial task of teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training in righteousness.
Many paedobaptists and credobaptists frequently find themselves in near total agreement on the substance of the fundamental doctrines of the faith. Thus, it is no surprise that, armed with such substantial agreement, such paedobaptists and credobaptists have found themselves “together for the gospel.” Differences over manhood and womanhood, however, are a different matter. Such differences are... Continue Reading
Perfected Love
There is a cost to love.
John goes so far as to say that if we love one another God abides in us. Love is a telltale sign that our faith is functioning according to new life in Christ. By it we gain assurance of our salvation. More than that, John tells us that His love has been perfected in us. John does not... Continue Reading
Encouragement for Those Who Aren’t Resting on the Sabbath
It’s a day that God calls us to observe in his word.
The Sabbath is an opportunity for us to be a blessing to others—to be in fellowship with the people of God, to encourage them, and to serve them. It’s a day of service—gathered in worship and then outside worship in fellowship with God’s people. The Blessings of Sabbath If I were in a position... Continue Reading
Jesus, Children and the Kingdom of God
Jesus is saying that we cannot enter his kingdom thinking that we are important, or hanging onto the things that give us status.
Jesus turns our world’s ways on their head. For those of us with nothing to boast in, it is wonderful news. But for those who have spent our lives scrambling to be near the front of the queue, it is a sharp rebuke and challenge. The question Jesus presses upon me is, ‘Have I come... Continue Reading
Decisive Moments: The Fall of Jerusalem
In April of AD 70, Titus besieged Jerusalem, causing horrific suffering in the city due to famine.
For the Jews the greatest tragedy of all happened in September of AD 70. The Romans got into Jerusalem and they destroyed and desecrated the temple. In fulfilment of Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24:2, not one stone was upon another. The entire temple complex was razed to the ground, never to be rebuilt. According to... Continue Reading
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