The dark night of the soul. This phenomenon describes a malady that the greatest of Christians have suffered from time to time. It was the malady that provoked David to soak his pillow with tears. It was the malady that earned for Jeremiah the sobriquet, “The Weeping Prophet.” It was the malady that so afflicted... Continue Reading

A sovereign God doesn’t need us, of course, to help unfold world events. He is quite capable of keeping the Middle East from total conflagration, or softening the cruelty of human traffickers in big American cities, or comforting the Chinese families of two teenage girls killed in an airliner crash in San Francisco. He is... Continue Reading

If the gospel you believe does not include obedience as a fruit of faith then it is short-sighted and you will end up spiritually crashing into a wall. Certainly, we need to be exceedingly careful to make clear that our hope and confidence before God, and His righteous judgment, is singularly on the basis of the... Continue Reading

I want to take a little different route and consider what are the behaviors and beliefs without which Scripture say we are not saved. These are not requirement we must meet in order to save ourselves and earn God’s favor. Rather these are the essential beliefs and behaviors that will be manifest in the true... Continue Reading

Is there a difference between preaching God’s Word and reflecting on it, explaining it, writing about it, and even teaching it in a different setting? Yep. I would say that if done faithfully, we are talking about a difference between the authority of the Word of God and the word of man.   This is... Continue Reading

Christianity has nothing unique to bring to the table in this particular area (although the Gospel brings internal transformation, which gives one a delight in God’s law and a consequent outward conformity to that law). To say that this particular aspect of justice is not the mission of the Church is not a condemnation of Christianity or of... Continue Reading

Firing a football analyst because he’s politically incorrect regarding homosexuality, though, is an indication of how our newest crushing orthodoxy suppresses any freedom of speech, and even freedom of thought, in a manner that only the propagandists in George Orwell’s 1984 should love.    Zachary Abate reported this morning on the sacking of Craig James by Fox Sports. His... Continue Reading

We need to encourage one another to pursue God within the boundaries of our God-given personalities. Extroverts, don’t assume that someone doesn’t love Jesus because they don’t jump and down in worship or give hugs to everyone they meet. Introverts, don’t assume someone doesn’t love Jesus because they don’t like solitude or reading.   We... Continue Reading

We believe in the ongoing work of the Spirit in the life of the believer. We believe in the mystical (spiritual) union and communion between the believer and Christ. We say that it is but we cannot say how it is so. This quick list certain refutes the claim that Calvinism is arid, rationalist, sterile, and cold.   Mark Dever... Continue Reading

Why Leithart thinks Machen de-personalized Christ’s work is beyond me. How much more personal could doctrines be that described what Christ actually endured and did in his bodily existence and death on the cross? “My faithful Lord Jesus who is with me by His Spirit” sure seems to abstract from the Christian what Christ actually... Continue Reading