The Quiet Faith of Queen Elizabeth II
Unlike most heads of state today, she was a person to whom one could point and say to one's children and grandchildren, “When you grow up, you want to be like her.”
Some of this was no doubt due to her quiet but serious Christian faith. A friend who once had the privilege of being a royal chaplain and spending a weekend at Balmoral Castle confirmed that the conversations he had with the queen revealed her to be a thoughtful, devout Christian. As a humble Christian she... Continue Reading
Melito of Sardis – Pastor, Theologian, and Poet
Melito’s Peri Pascha (on Pascha) is one of the jewels we still gather from the preaching of the early church, and brings us closer to the brothers and sisters who rejoiced in the same gospel that still gives us life and encouragement.
Melito’s poetry reaches exceptional peaks in his choice of words: “In the palpable darkness hid untouchable death, and the wretched Egyptians were grasping the darkness, while death sought out and grasped the Egyptian first-born at the angel’s command.”[8] He recounts with dramatic tones the confusion and desperation of the first-born who were powerless against the... Continue Reading
Hadrian of Nisida and Theodore of Tarsus – Seventh-Century Star Teachers
From the start, Hadrian and Theodore realized that there was an urgent need for education of the clergy, especially since the Scriptures were still in Latin, and most of the clergy couldn’t even read them. For this purpose, they started a school in Canterbury, which became famous all over Europe.
The two men also taught theology. They were both well learned in the Scriptures and the writings of the church fathers, and followed the literal (vs. allegorical) interpretation of the Bible taught at Antioch. Though faithful to the pope and to the decisions of the western councils, Theodore brought some wisdom from the eastern church... Continue Reading
Though My Flesh May Fail: Reflections on Chronic Suffering from the Hospital Bed
God continues to reveal His good purposes for me in my affliction. As I sit in my hospital bed today, three lessons stand out among the rest as reminders of the sovereignty of God’s grace and His goodness in my life.
In the midst of your chronic suffering, remember that God has no aimless thorns. Each thorn perfectly meets its mark exactly as He intends for the duration He determines. Each one will accomplish all He desires. Learn to seek God in the struggle with the thorn. See how He might be using it to conform... Continue Reading
From Baptist to Presbyterian: Reflections on Polity and Pastoral Ministry
Though I had pastored for many years before and learned many things during that time, the particularities of being Presbyterian are new.
I give my time to the ordinary means and the people God has placed under our care. But saying it’s been freeing doesn’t mean it’s been made easier. Quite honestly, it’s more demanding than ever because I understand what these things are. The true biblical understanding of the fear of God takes greater space in... Continue Reading
Warfield on “Christianity and Our Times”
Christianity is for sinners who know they need a Savior. People who sees themselves as capable of loving God and neighbor on their own will remain indifferent to Christ and his gospel.
“Christianity is summed up in the phrase: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world with himself.” Where this great confession is contradicted or neglected, there is no Christianity.” The crisis in Warfield’s day was the reality that much of Christianity had jettisoned the gospel—for a host of reasons, and beyond the scope of Warfield’s answer to... Continue Reading
The Golden Chain of William Perkins
He made especially important contributions to Protestant preaching, ethics, pastoral counselling, and the role of conscience in the Christian life. But his most notable contributions were in theology, especially relating to predestination and Christian assurance.
Perkins held to double-predestination is well-known: it was memorably laid out in the large fold-out chart which accompanied his work, A Golden Chain (rev.1592). In that work Perkins describes individual human destiny as sovereignly determined by God, with all persons either being predestined to salvation in Christ, or damnation apart from him. The idea of... Continue Reading
Seeking and Following God’s Guidance – George Muller
Muller made it clear that the envisioned orphan ministry would only be established if God provided the means and suitable individuals to carry it out. He added: “I have been led more and more to think that the matter may be of Him. Now, if so, he can influence His people in any part of the world … to entrust me … with the means.”
Muller’s example reminds us of some important principles with regard to seeking and following God’s guidance: (1) Bathe our endeavors and decisions in much prayer; (2) Make sure our motives are right—to bring glory to God and benefit to others, not to gain attention or honor for ourselves; (3) Look for confirmation of our plans... Continue Reading
An Open Letter With A Broken Heart to My Beloved Church
After close to 8 years as member of this church, I began seeing changes in our preaching and worship that were detracting from the message of God's free grace.
[Editor’s Note: This is a letter from a member to her church explaining the reasons she left a church she loved after being a member for eight years. We are publishing the letter anonymously to avoid publicly impugning anyone’s integrity and to allow the content of the letter to be read on its merits.] I... Continue Reading
If I Was the World’s Only Christian…
It gives me confidence to know there are some Christians who are fantastically wealthy and some who are extremely poor, but that both have entrusted themselves to the same Savior.
If I was the world’s only Christian, or the world’s only kind of Christian, I would have good reason to question my faith and to doubt its validity. But it’s beautifully and wonderfully true that our God is the God of all kinds of people and that he is building a kingdom of young and... Continue Reading
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