Is Marriage “Just a Piece of Paper”?
Some Christians have rejected the legal and formal aspects of marriage, arguing that marriage is a matter of private and individual commitment between two people
“The signing of a piece of paper is not a matter of affixing one’s signature in ink to a meaningless document. The signing of a marriage certificate is an integral part of what the Bible calls a covenant. A covenant is made publicly before witnesses and with formal legal commitments that are taken seriously by... Continue Reading
Does The Bible Endorse American Capitalism or Favor Communist Central Planning?
The Bible contains clear economic principles and the early church grew in an environment of buying, selling, borrowing, and hiring
“Beyond free markets, the Bible favorably presents the elements of an entrepreneurial economy where wages and profits are earned and people prosper. For example, the virtuous woman not only “makes linen garments and sells them,” but also “perceives that her merchandise is profitable” (Proverbs 31:24). Workers were expected to profit from their labor and deserved... Continue Reading
The Israel Of God (Part 2)
The Mosaic Law itself, was only a “shadow” of the fulfillment which came with Christ
“It is the teaching of God’s Word that Jesus is the true Israel of God, that his incarnation, obedience, death and resurrection was not a by-product of Israel’s rejection of the offer of an earthly kingdom, but the fulfillment of God’s plan from all eternity. This is what Jesus told the disciples on the road... Continue Reading
Jesus, the True and Greater Gardener
Consider the theological significance of the following two Garden settings in which Christ carried out the work of redemption
Adam was called to guard and keep the Garden. This certainly included his need to protect his bride from the temptations of the evil one. When Jesus entered into His sufferings on the cross, He did so with His bride–the church–with Him there in the Garden. As Adam should have warned Eve to “watch and... Continue Reading
What Is the Covenant of Grace?
The Reformed creeds and confessions express the continuity of God’s covenant of grace despite its many historical variations.
The essence of the covenant of grace is the same throughout the Old and New Testaments—God saves sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. But its historical administration has varied by time and place. For example, the covenant of grace widened from the Old Testament to the New Testament, as it was... Continue Reading
The Joys (and Sorrows) of Parenting: Calvin on Gen. 4.1-26
Adam and Eve experienced both joy and sorrow through their children: Cain, Abel, and Seth
Adam and Eve thus experienced the ultimate joys and sorrows of parenting. But the ultimate joy (the believing child) was joyful enough to lead them to entrust their future children’s fortunes to God and fulfill his abiding command to be fruitful (Gen. 1.28). Though they had experienced the ultimate sorrow (the unbelieving child), Adam and... Continue Reading
An Answer to Dr. Bill Evans on the Christotelic Controversy
The Christotelic approach does not respect the organic unity of Scripture.
What did the OT authors know? They knew about the grace that was coming (verse 10). They knew about the messianic sufferings and glories (verse 11), since the Holy Spirit was indicating it to them. They knew whom they were serving (verse 12). In other words, they knew more than the TRV (two-readings view) folks... Continue Reading
The Rural Church Potential
Either explicitly or implicitly, the modern church seems to place little to no value on the rural church.
Small town living is perceived by many people as…well, as simply not a viable option. And if living there isn’t an option, then certainly the small town church isn’t either. Is there room for the rural church where there is a decreased economy, resources, populations, luxuries, and coffee-lattes? It’s a very real question that, at... Continue Reading
Mark Driscoll: I Made The Mistake Of Trying To Be Under the Authority Of My Elders
Driscoll goes on to say that church planters shouldn’t believe that accountability will come from their first elder board.
Everyone makes mistakes, but sometimes we are mistaken about what we call mistakes. Driscoll’s assessment of the situation is debatable. Did he make a mistake by throwing off the authority of his elder board and bringing outsiders in? One interpretation of the current situation at Mars Hill is that the cure has been worse than... Continue Reading
The Israel of God: Not All Israel is Israel
Christians are the Israel of God in Christ
Most of the Jews, however, were not looking for a Savior. They were looking for a king. Jesus is King, but he earned his throne by his obedience and death, and that is not what they wanted. They wanted glory, power and an earthly, political, theocratic, this-worldly kingdom. Jesus has established his kingdom, through the... Continue Reading