There’s a lot we have the opportunity to do that is sin and which God forbids, so while we may think we have that freedom, we actually don’t, because God hasn’t given us permission.     Two ways to consider this: I can remember, growing up, my mom would allow us to have one soda... Continue Reading

If the Supper is a biblically mandated element of worship—as the Westminster Standards and Three Forms of Unity affirm—then a church that routinely omits it on Sunday is liturgically lacking on its own confessional terms.     “The argument is that a proper understanding of the Supper will lead us to recover a frequent and... Continue Reading

The Gnostic Jesus, like the Buddha, Lao-tse, or Sufi masters, offers deep teaching on esoteric spirituality—techniques that quickly become salvation by works. What attracts me to the biblical Jesus is that he came not just to teach but to accomplish a task I cannot accomplish myself.     People meet Jesus in many ways. Mine... Continue Reading

As many others have pointed out over the past several years, in critiquing some aspects of Tim Keller’s ministry and legacy, and of the Gospel-centered movement, there are real problems with the Keller-style “winsome” approach. This is an approach that sometimes, rather rigidly, says we must always seek to be winsome in our tone and... Continue Reading

Our question about the severity of the consequences and punishment in the garden may just reveal more about our understanding of the goodness and holiness of God than it does about our ability to judge appropriate consequences. If, on the other hand, we were able to grasp the immensity of God’s goodness; the quality of... Continue Reading

We must meditate, bringing the jewels of God’s past faithfulness out into the light, that we may examine and delight ourselves in their sparkling glint. We must muse. We must speak and write of them, bringing wonder to ourselves and others: “Remember how the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand! Feel... Continue Reading

A local church needs a body of Spirit-filled, godly, qualified, humble, penitent, and united men to be examples of godliness for their people. This means they are ever aware of their sin and need of Christ, the abundant grace of God in Christ, and God’s call upon their lives to live and lead in gratitude.... Continue Reading

Why would God choose to use polygamy as the context for so many key Old Testament figures? The answer should be obvious: God loves to use crooked sticks to draw straight lines. A major theme in salvation history is God using broken and sinful people, despite themselves, to bring about his redemptive purposes.    ... Continue Reading

Communications and travel have “flattened” out the world, so that streaming video conferencing and frequent travel by supporters and missionaries has made the strange much more accessible and less foreboding. Familiarity breeds contempt and lessens the bar of commitment.  Satellite TV and the internet have also familiarized the world in other ways, most of which... Continue Reading

What will it be like to enjoy perfect communion with God’s people, and to be always in holy exercises with them, always singing praises to the Lamb, and giving glory to Him that sits on the throne for evermore, blessing God for the great mystery of the gospel?   Being isolated and feeling a lack... Continue Reading