Jesus Christ is the beloved Son of the Father (Matt. 3:17; 17:5), willingly sent by the Father to suffer and die for his people, to secure for them eternal life (Heb. 10:5–10; Titus 3:5–7; Heb. 9:12). Like Benjamin, he is the dearly loved Son willingly given. Like Jacob, we often hesitate to entrust ourselves fully... Continue Reading

Wealth can be used for evil or it can be used for good. A person can grow proud because she has wealth or she can be humbled that God has blessed her.   A social media post against a lady in Congress mentioned why she should not be there, which included that she was wealthy.... Continue Reading

We want sinners in darkness to see the light of Christ, to grasp those very things that baffle the angels.  We want cold and miserable souls to feel the Sun of righteousness rising with healing upon them.  We want the truth about Christ —who He is and what He has done —to banish the dreariness,... Continue Reading

On the Judgment Day no one will be able to say, “God, you did not choose me; and therefore I am doomed to hell.” This will especially be acutely true of any and all who have been presented with a clear gospel message. Let us never be fooled: the will is the problem.   I... Continue Reading

Christ didn’t need Paul. He could have raised up a rock to proclaim his gospel to the Gentiles if he wanted. Christ chose Paul out of his grace and mercy. But why? So that Paul would serve as the example of the trustworthy saying in v. 15, that Christ Jesus came to save sinners.  ... Continue Reading

“Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” A wolf may be able to hide his identity and masquerade as a sheep, but “no tree can hide its identity for long. Sooner or later, it betrays itself, by its fruit. Noxious weeds like thorns and thistles cannot produce edible fruit... Continue Reading

When our church was in the midst of a building project, our architect tried to explain to me that beauty costs. We see that in the world of art, and even in the clothes we wear. People are willing to pay more for quality. You get what you pay for, and there is an intrinsic... Continue Reading

People who are insecure and/or anxious about the things they (think) they believe in, are easy prey to a “party spirit”–and the reason, is because, they fear losing their “idols,” whatever they may be.  Only those who, by grace alone, are firmly rooted in and secure in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are... Continue Reading

Christian love would oblige us to hold off from urging one another over the points of difference. Some try vehemently to get others to comply with them, either by flattery or by threats. Would love let me violate someone else’s conscience in any way? The love I bear to a fellow-Christian, if it is true,... Continue Reading

As Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Cor. 3:7–8).   The first summer in this house, my mom and I dug our hands into the small garden between the front and... Continue Reading