Who Really Wrote the Gospels?
How do we know that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John dictated the books that bear their names?
When churches received each Gospel, they also received information about that Gospel’s origins, telling them whose eyewitness testimony this Gospel represented. Because they received clear oral traditions when they received each book, when Christians began adding titles to these manuscripts, every congregation connected each Gospel to the same author. So who really wrote the... Continue Reading
Fear and Sonship
What role does godly fear play in the life of the believer?
“When we fail to understand or believe the doctrine of adoption we live as orphans and slaves. The fear that we will exhibit will necessarily be servile or slavish fear. The heart that has come to know that the Father has loved us and has “received into the number,” and had given us “a right... Continue Reading
Don’t Confuse Spirituality with Righteousness
Spirituality can be a cheap substitute for righteousness
“Over the years I’ve had many young Christians ask me how to he more spiritual or more pious. Rare has been the earnest student who said, “Teach me how to be righteous.” Why, I wondered, does anybody want to be spiritual? What is the purpose of spirituality? What use is there in piety?” When I... Continue Reading
The Problem with Good Advice
Even if truth is truth no matter who says it, the advice we give ought to point to truth's source
“The problem comes when our advice sounds no different from the advice a counselor from another religion or even no religion at all would give. If an atheist would suggest the same child-rearing techniques or a Buddhist the same stress-management strategies as we do, then there is something missing from our counsel.” During my last year... Continue Reading
If Grace Is So Amazing, Then Why Do We Struggle With It?
Christians struggle to understand what grace is and how it operates
“Since in Adam we’re wired to think that everyone should get what they deserve and that we have the innate ability to fix whatever we’ve broken, we’re not naturally inclined to accept any outside help. But the Scriptures tell us this is foolishness.” As one of the solas of the Reformation, the centrality of... Continue Reading
Fourteen Key Reasons for the Breakdown of Church Unity
One of the greatest problems in our churches is the breakdown of church unity
“I recently heard of a church personnel committee and a few church staff members who worked in darkness to fire a pastor without ever meeting with him first or giving him reasons for his dismissal. Then they refused to respond to church members who were asking questions.” This post has a negative perspective to it.... Continue Reading
On Roman Rioting, Lutheran Graffiti, and Popish Beards
One of the more insignificant, longer term fruits of the sack of Rome was papal beards
“In protest to the indignities suffered by both pope and city, Clement, breaking tradition with earlier popes, let his facial hair grow. Or, at least, protest over said indignities was the rationale he gave for his sudden reluctance to shave.” On May 6th, 1527 — 488 years ago today — military troops of Charles... Continue Reading
Drinking It Straight
One day it occurred to me that I had never tried straight-up coffee
“My mind drifted back to the days when Aileen and I were in churches where the preachers had treated the Bible kind of like my friends had treated coffee. Somewhere they must have lost their confidence in the Bible just a little bit, and they began to believe that it was unpalatable or distasteful to... Continue Reading
Sacraments Are No More Or Less Than Gospel Signs And Seals (Part 1)
The church has faced two great temptations with respect to the sacraments
“By their nature and divine intention and institution, the sacraments are supports for the preaching of the gospel. They are visible and tangible representations and testimonies to the gospel. They are also and promises or seals that what the gospel declares is really true for the believing recipient. Through the history of the church we have... Continue Reading
The Perils of Pulpit-Pandering
What might happen to people as they sit under this all-too-common occurrence week after week?
The great danger of pulpit-pandering really comes down to a hazardously low view of Scripture. I mess with Scripture because I suppose that I am superior to it. I apologize for it because I have determined by my judgment that there is something wrong with it. I skip over it and preach around it because I assume... Continue Reading
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