The Gnosticism of Legalism
Those who insist that the Lord demands what is not in scripture have fallen foul of gnosticism.
We can be confident that if it is not expressed in God’s Word then it is not something by which we can, or should, be bound. We do well whenever somebody says ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’ to examine the Scriptures like the Bereans to see if what they say is... Continue Reading
The Duties of Civil Magistrates
As Christians living in our respective nations, we have a dual citizenship.
Arguing for limited government—especially related to matters of faith—isn’t just a right we enjoy as American citizens; it’s a right we enjoy as heavenly citizens. While Christians should be reminded of their duties to be subject to governing authorities, civil magistrates should be reminded of their duties as well. During this unusual season of... Continue Reading
Wright’s Wrong Reaction
The response of our Christian leaders should be more in line with Christ.
It appears we still prefer to stick our mammon-fattened fingers into our cloth ears, denying even the possibility that God might be saying something to us. We prefer to be told there is no explanation and no hope (outwith ourselves), rather than admit we are helpless and cry out to the God who offers both... Continue Reading
What Is God’s Ultimate Answer to Our Problem? (Luke 24:13–35)
Gaining spiritual eyesight so you can see.
It’s one thing to know about Jesus, even to understand how all the pieces of Scripture fit together. The evidence is important, but it’s never enough. At some point, you need that moment in which not only do you see, but you really see and you believe. Big Idea: Move beyond not understanding to... Continue Reading
Broken in Spirit
What in the world is God doing right now?
In the situation in which we all currently find ourselves, crushed spirits may indeed be a dominant personality trait. It was fun for awhile being able to sleep in on a weekday morning, or not have to get dressed to impress. But for many the second mortgage payment has been missed, the business has had... Continue Reading
How Hebrews 1 Hammers Home the Deity of Christ
A majestic meditation on how Christ is better than angels.
Now the question of how Jesus compares to angels isn’t exactly on the front-burner of most modern evangelical minds (angel-oblivious people that we are). But for first-century Jews, there would’ve been few better ways to demonstrate Jesus’s divine nature than to prove that he is greater than the angels. When it comes to biblical... Continue Reading
Why Does It Matter to Me That Jesus Rose? Part 3
Because Jesus rose from the dead, God has confirmed that all Jesus aimed to achieve on the cross was successful.
Because Jesus rose from the dead, death need no longer be the end of your story. Every other religious figure could teach his followers, but all of them ended up dead and buried. Jesus rose from the dead and so is in a category of his own. If he conquered death himself, then he can... Continue Reading
Saved Through Good Works?
We confess that both the imputation of Christ’s righteousness and faith as the receiving instrument are nothing but God’s free gifts.
God’s grace is twofold (duplex), the justification is the first benefit (beneficium) and sanctification is the second. It is not a “second blessing” in the way neo-Pentecostalists speak of tongues etc as a “second blessing,” as if there are two classes of Christians, those with and those without. Rather, we say that progressive sanctification flows... Continue Reading
Remembering and Forgetting
Those who practice remembrance, that is, who live their lives in remembrance of Christ, are those who abide in Him. They are living sacrifices.
God has not forgotten His children nor has He forsaken the truth. Even though we believe that things could not get much worse in Christendom, the Church has been under this sort of attack in every age. In these ages God has raised up men who contended for the truth even if it appeared to... Continue Reading
What God Wants
If you don’t know the Lord Jesus, then you cannot please him no matter what you do.
God wants us to do the right thing and to love doing the right thing! We have to want to do good, we have to like it. We should show mercy and kindness to those who wrong us. Why? Because that is what we receive from God. We have been forgiven of so much and... Continue Reading
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