Good News and Good Deeds
We are to carefully ponder or study how we might encourage or stimulate each other to love God and our neighbor
Of course, this command to encourage others applies in all of our relationships, but for those of us who are married, perhaps it applies most particularly to our spouses. In other words, part of my vocation as a wife, is to spend time carefully thinking how I might encourage my husband, Phil, to love God... Continue Reading
Hand-To-Hand Combat
Arm’s length warfare shouldn’t be the default: Sometimes only a close eye and a ready hand will do
As hundreds of bombs fell, and the City of London burned as it hadn’t since the Great Fire of 1666, the men and women of the cathedral watch climbed among the joists of its ancient lead roofs, staying ahead of the firebombs with sandbags and water buckets. In all they extinguished 28 incendiary bombs that... Continue Reading
John 3:16 – the Bible’s Message in a Nutshell
John 3:16 is a remarkable verse. It captures the redemptive message of the entire Bible in a nutshell
Spread across the chest of the black shirt in large, red letters are the English words: “For,” “so,” and “the.” Underneath, to the right, is the reference in English and in a much smaller font “John 3:16.” Between the English words in the main line are three Japanese characters, set in white against the black... Continue Reading
Update: Now Confirmed, Body Found Tuesday Identified as Missing Teen Abigail Bonner
Abigail Bonner, 17, a member of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, has been missing since Aug. 3
“Please pray for the peace of God that surpasses all understanding for Lance and Rachel and all of the children,” Abigail’s uncle said. “Abigail loved Christ with all her heart, and we know that she is with Him now. While we are left here in grief and sorrow, we cling to Christ’s promises that Abigail... Continue Reading
How the Federal Vision Won the PCA
Make it all about personalities and martyrdom. Everyone loves a martyr. Don’t let it be about doctrine.
I would, however, like to ask the SJC this simple question: is your interpretation of the polity of the PCA putting polity higher in importance than the gospel? If God were to ask you why you allowed a heterodox teacher to remain in the flock, are you going to feel comfortable telling God that the... Continue Reading
Peter Enns on Raising Young Heretics
What should you do when your young child expresses doubt about the Bible, or even outright unbelief and skepticism?
After reflecting on his son’s skepticism, Enns concludes: “I am proud of that little six-year-old, who trusted himself enough not to play games.” “Who trusted himself enough?” The whole message of the Bible is trust God and not yourself. To trust yourself is to play a deadly game that no one has ever won. ... Continue Reading
Should Reformed Theology Move Beyond Covenant Theology?
A response to Bill Evans' "Let’s Rethink This “Covenant” Issue, Shall We"
Finally, I do not understand the attraction of these sorts of arguments, i.e., the sorts of arguments that imply that Reformed theology is in crisis and the only way to save it is to kill it. This is the “we had to bomb the village in order to save it” mentality. No, we don’t. What... Continue Reading
Could Keller Have Saved Detroit?
What the gospel does is not cultural but spiritual
Still, the woes of Detroit do put into perspective the hyperventilation that goes on in some neo-Calvinist circles when folks talk about the power of the gospel to redeem all of life. Cases like Detroit would certainly call for a bit of qualification to follow those inspirational claims since I am not sure that even... Continue Reading
The Back-to-School Memo I Really Need
“You are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful.”
Among the reams of paper my children will bring home in chubby fists over the next few days—forms requiring me to commit by tomorrow to whether I want to organize the Valentine’s Day party in February or the Easter party in March—among the memos about uniforms and the notices about carpool lane procedures, I wish... Continue Reading
When to Stay and When to Run
When opposition grows, do Christians stay or go?
This is one of the real difficult questions that Christians on the mission field and in hostile lands have faced throughout church history. To what lengths can we go—or should we go—to avoid persecution? Can we press charges or go to court or claim our rights? (Didn’t Paul claim his Roman citizenship?) When is it... Continue Reading