According to scripture, anxiety is not treated by acquiring some new hope that our earthly situation will soon change or new proofs that it will be more stable than we expected. Scripture teaches anxiety is treated when the Word and Spirit grant us to see the eternal God more clearly, whose love for his people... Continue Reading

If we are left to ourselves with no proper oversight and accountability, then we won’t have anyone to call us back when we go astray or to correct us when we make a wrong turn (whether formally or informally). The Christian life is a struggle, as we wrestle with the world, the flesh and the... Continue Reading

You see we cannot take our sin lightly. We must not take our Lord’s grace for granted and believe that we can repent whenever we are ready. No, it does not work that way. God grants repentance and His desire is that we live holy and righteously being conformed unto the image of the Son.... Continue Reading

The uncertainties and troubles of life must ultimately pale in comparison to the sovereign and powerful work of God, who by His Spirit actually dwells with us. Christians throughout the centuries have faced the worst of circumstances with this enduring hope, that being united to Christ in His death and resurrection brings with it the... Continue Reading

It is not sinful to desire God’s justice or the justice of the governing authorities that wield God’s sword (Rom. 13:1-7) or Christ’s justice through biblical discipline in the local church (Matt. 18:15-20). But, when justice is not rendered, we must trust that vengeance is God’s, He will repay, says the Lord (Rom. 12:9). In... Continue Reading

I too am ravished by sublime splendor of Nature, and I envy Rob Bell’s ability to surf with dolphins on a daily basis and rejoice in the sheer beauty of their form. But I will not pretend that I can banish the shadows of the Fall by idolizing them. I have no desire to be more... Continue Reading

The shortening of the lifespan of humanity was a merciful restraint. Imagine if an Adolf Hitler, a Benito Mussolini, a Joseph Stalin, or a Mao Zedong had eight hundred years to perfect his evil regime. Think of the devastating effects that would result if people were given more time to act on their sin and... Continue Reading

One of the joys of reading is growing in knowledge about the world around us, including those to whom we are called to minister and share the hope of the gospel with. But a second and extremely important reason behind reading things we disagree agree with is for our own personal growth. Over the years,... Continue Reading

The arguments that are made—when they are allowed to be made—are theologically vacuous. Add to that the two previously mentioned concerns—rejecting theological precision and the chance to talk about CRT—and it does not bode well. If we cannot ground our convention in biblical doctrine, and if we replace such exegetical theology with pragmatic decision-making and... Continue Reading

We must ask ourselves: Is freedom, as the nominalists insist, the ability to act according to one’s imagination and desires? Or is freedom the ability to act according to what is best, free from the domination of base passions or a sinful disposition, but in accordance with a standard that necessarily requires limits?   In... Continue Reading