There were the thousands of pilgrims surrounding Jesus, shouting and rejoicing, but observing this unfold were the inhabitants of Jerusalem.…the religious leaders, priests, and governmental officials. As they looked at this massive crowd descending the Mount of Olives, shouting out Messianic prophecies, and following this unassuming man humbly riding on the colt of a donkey,... Continue Reading

This impulse to get behind the curtain—to know and explain God on our own terms—is not new. It is as old as the garden. The first temptation was not merely to disobey, but to cross a boundary: to become “like God,” to grasp what belongs to God alone, and to possess knowledge in a way... Continue Reading

Arius’ first main opponent was Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria. He recognized Arius’ position not as a progression in Christian theology, but a digression from the Apostolic faith. When Emperor Constantine called for the matter to be settled, the church council of Nicaea (AD 325) convened. The council confessed the Son homoousious (“one substance”) with the Father, and... Continue Reading

To decrease is not to disappear but to be freed from illusions of grandeur. Or “notions” if you are Irish! If Christ is the Savior, then I don’t have to be. If the Spirit gives growth, then I don’t have to manufacture it. If God’s glory is what matters, then my reputation doesn’t need to... Continue Reading

The great future hope we have for the next life is life. Not an ethereal, floaty, disembodied intangible existence. New bodies, experiencing a new life forever, never again to be corrupted through sin or under the curse.   25 I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the... Continue Reading

Verses 31–32 show that the Gentiles prioritize food, drink, and clothing. Secular people are often preoccupied with their physical needs at the expense of their spiritual wellbeing. It is no accident that Jesus taught about storing treasure in heaven rather than on earth just before addressing anxiety. The more we accumulate earthly treasures, the more... Continue Reading

Did Christ, the eternal Word from the Father, suffer for our sake or not? If it was only his flesh that suffered, then can we say that Christ tasted death for everyone? Or must we say, his flesh alone did? Cyril believes the Nestorian logic of the passion requires the latter belief; and he may... Continue Reading

“Since the human mind is created by God and is therefore in itself naturally revelational of God, the mind may be sure that its system is true and corresponds on a finite scale to the system of God. That is what we mean by saying that it is analogical to God’s system. It is dependent... Continue Reading

When we walk through the fire of divided loyalties and choose Him, we find what Spurgeon called a “sweet satisfaction even in the flames.” We choose the fire that saves. Jesus endured the “baptism” of the Cross—the full heat of God’s judgment—so that the fire we face would be for our growth, not our end.   Hello... Continue Reading

Churches need clear and precise teaching, not winsome personalities. More than anything else, preaching needs to be biblical and Spirit-empowered— preaching that rebukes, encourages, and edifies the church. When the church hears true preaching, it hears something supernatural—that is, the church hears from God Himself. True preaching is authoritative, corrective, edifying, and ultimately, sanctifying.   ... Continue Reading