The Centerpiece of God’s Saving Purpose in the Universe
The more man beholds God’s intrinsic glory in salvation, the more man ascribes glory to God
“This, then, is the centerpiece of God’s saving purpose in the universe—the revelation and magnification of His own glory. This is what is at the very center of God’s being—the passionate pursuit of displaying His own glory for His own glory. This is what should be at the center of every human life—the promotion of... Continue Reading
Imperatives Are For Preaching…
Law/gospel and indicative/imperative are very helpful, yea, necessary distinctions. But they are not antitheses. They are not enemies.
“Certainly we must never preach the commands of Scripture as a means of justification. Woe to us if we do! But I’m curious as to where this is going on within confessionally reformed churches. I’m not asking if there is any bad preaching out there. We know there is. I’m not asking if there is... Continue Reading
Bitter Breakups and Divine Closure: Our Pain and His Providence
Many of us are acquainted with the feeling of abandonment by a significant other. We have questions. We often demand answers. The Holy Scriptures offer help.
“A proper understanding of biblical providence sees God’s presence in our pain. When we lose someone significant, feelings of loneliness and abandonment invade our thoughts and emotions. Even if we’re surrounded with loved ones who care for us, their words of encouragement and attempts to provide closure rarely bring us comfort. What we really need... Continue Reading
Read Or Get Out of the Ministry
“While I would not consider myself a “reading expert,” reading has been a significant part of my development for the last 20 years. I view reading as an opportunity to interact with great thinkers and leaders. I typically am working through multiple books at a time. Before kids entered our world, I averaged reading two... Continue Reading
They Asked Whether I Was Prepared To Die As A Christian
The story of a Nigerian Christian man who was shot by Boko Haram terrorists for refusing to renounce his Christian faith
You must read his story in his own words. Below is an extended excerpt from the NBC News report: A father who was shot point-blank in the face by Boko Haram recounted how the militants asked whether he was “prepared to die as a Christian” and then left for dead. Habila Adamu, 40, was so... Continue Reading
Against the Separation of Marriage and State
The attempt to make government neutral regarding marriage would also encourage the broader cultural illusion that government is, or can be, morally neutral.
To begin, a separation of marriage and state would not end the political battle over marriage. The vast legal and regulatory apparatus of the modern state does millions of things every day that require it to make assumptions about who is married. From divorce and child custody courts to health care policy to government employee... Continue Reading
An Interview with Pastor G. I. Williamson
Pastor Williamson is the author of popular study guides: Westminster Confession of Faith, Shorter Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism.
I believe J.G. Vos was right when he said (in his Commentary on the Westminster Larger Catechism) “It is entirely true that WWII was, in the deepest sense, the result of widespread acceptance of the doctrine of human evolution as the truth, accompanied by a gradual but very real rejection of the Bible, by highly... Continue Reading
Jesus Would not Coexist
Living in a society in which there is no dysfunction (even if this were possible) is not the same as attaining the kingdom of heaven
Jesus cannot coexist with contradictory claims to truth made in other faiths. If Jesus had been content with coexistence he might have escaped crucifixion. We should live peaceably with all people (Rom. 12:18), but we ought not reduce this peace to a glib assertion that all paths lead to God. The assertion that all faiths... Continue Reading
You’ve Been Invited To A [Fill In The Blank]: Should You Go?
Paul is clear that it’s not that we must withdraw from the world but there are limits to our freedoms.
We know that the Apostle Paul would not participate in a meal in which the host said, in effect, this meal is no longer purely common, it is a religious meal.” Would he attend the ordination of a homosexual male or of a female of any sexual orientation? Uncomfortable as it makes late moderns (and, according to... Continue Reading
Should Christians Even Learn Martial Arts?
A proper understanding of Christ’s rule in his two kingdoms takes grace and redemption very seriously, and rejects pacifism as a Christian application in the civil realm.
So in the Sermon on the Mount, we see Christ speaking of just how radical his redemptive kingdom looks to the outside world. And yet, Christians are also citizens of his common kingdom justly ruled by the sword. While we always have awareness of our status as citizens under God’s redemptive kingdom of grace, we... Continue Reading