In one of his many books, Spurgeon made a comment well worth hearing. It comes from the preface to his book on commentaries. He had written this book to convince pastors of the need to use commentaries and to engage in deep study for their sermon preparation. Spurgeon well knew the value of reading for... Continue Reading

The beliefs and values of each side render the other side under severe condemnation. This is not simply theoretical. LGBTQ inclusion has led to splits in three major denominations already: The Anglican Church in North America formed Dec. 3, 2008, splitting from The Episcopal Church (U.S.A.). The North American Lutheran Church organized Aug. 27, 2010,... Continue Reading

If you want to benefit from a crime, you risk facing the full consequences of that crime. The man who commits acts of rape against a girl deserves to face justice. It’s for good reason that Michael Pratt is facing a long list of serious charges. But what about the people who watched that video? What about... Continue Reading

“People were and are afraid of Steve Timmis,” said Andy Stovell, a former elder who led alongside him for 14 years at The Crowded House in Sheffield. Fifteen people who served under Timmis described to Christianity Today a pattern of spiritual abuse through bullying and intimidation, overbearing demands in the name of mission and discipline, rejection of... Continue Reading

When God created humans in his image, he joined male to female together through marriage. The joining of the sexes carries symbolic meaning that reveals a deep mystery embedded in creation. Paul explains, “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph 5:32).    In Scripture marriage... Continue Reading

The first observation we ought to make regarding the command to husbands in 1 Peter 3:7 is the first word, “likewise.” We must ask a critical interpretive question: “Likewise to what?” That is, what is this command to husbands like? How is this command similar to that which came before?   Though it may be unpopular to... Continue Reading

The problem with most popular articles on evolution is that the authors equivocate on the definition of evolution. They fail to draw a distinction between these different definitions. The result? Any empirical evidence of change over time or microevolution is assumed to demonstrate that macroevolution is true. The average reader thinks, If bacterial resistance to antibiotics is an... Continue Reading

When we begin to sense our weakness and the weakness of our faith, we must listen to the words of Christ, “If you have faith as a mustard seed…” Sinclair Ferguson sums all of this up when he writes, “The weakest faith gets the same strong Christ as the strongest faith.”   In his autobiography, Grace... Continue Reading

The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear” (vv. 27–28). Note first that growth happens “automatically.” When good seed falls on prepared ground, it will sprout and grow. The power for that growth lies in the seed itself. It’s the powerful Word that will accomplish... Continue Reading

With numerous and precious promises, God told Israel that he remembered his covenant and would be their people (Ex 6:2–8). He traveled with them as a pillar of cloud and fire; they knew his awesome and mighty presence with them (Ex 13:21–22). And yet, the people doubted their God.   After Jesus was baptized by John,... Continue Reading

When Christians pray, they are not to forget the wounding and agony of Christ. The rent curtain tells Christ’s offering of himself as we engage in prayer,  to remind us that Christ procured this right only by his own suffering. So we have seen that both the role of the Spirit, as the replacement Comforter,... Continue Reading

A Christ-centered interpretation will make it plain that the Bible is not first and foremost about us but Christ. If the Scriptures are about him (John 5:39; Luke 24:44), he must be central in our Bible meditation, preaching, and teaching. This Christ-centered approach will make it plain that the gospel is not about health, wealth,... Continue Reading

The Christian may be sinking under trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”–they are underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him avail nothing. This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary... Continue Reading

Food can act as a real draw for people. Even more so when the food acts a catalyst for the kind of Christian community that ought to be appealing to people. In the early church, as people saw the Christian community, they found it attractive. Food can have that same community building, evangelistic pull today.... Continue Reading

The God of Scripture is the faithful God. He comes to his people in grace and makes his promises with an abundant liberality. Nor does he leave any room for doubt. He means what he says and will perform every word. Christ is his pledge and the Son’s ‘Amen’ is the declaration of the Father’s... Continue Reading

On December 23, du Bourg was sentenced to be hanged and then burned. The execution took place the same afternoon. From the scaffold, he proclaimed to the crowds, “My friends, I am not here as a thief or a murderer, but for the gospel.”[2] He was 38 years old. His last words were a prayer:... Continue Reading

“Bryan is a respected pastor and experienced leader within the denomination,” said Ruling Elder Danny McDaniel, chairman of the Administrative Committee and the Search Committee. “When we looked at the qualifications required by the Rules of Assembly Operation 3-5, it became obvious to each of us that Bryan was more than well-qualified for the office.”... Continue Reading

In Matthew 18:7–9, we are informed that we must be willing to deal with those occasions to sin as though we were excising the offending member, be it our hands, our eyes, or our feet. The options before us are clear: Get rid of the offending member or be damned. Conquer the sin at any cost.... Continue Reading

As we learn to speak to Him in every moment of every day, we are only leaning into the fellowship that He wants to have with us.  As we set apart time to really pour out our hearts to Him, we open ourselves up to all that He has for us. Just like giving thanks,... Continue Reading

In order to grasp the full significance of Jesus’ burial, we must consider its fearfulness. It is certainly a morbid exercise to contemplate my own body lying lifeless, shut up in a coffin, and covered with dirt—or, in the custom of Jesus’ day, wrapped tight in linens and laid sidewise in a stone slab cut... Continue Reading

Any true repentance will only ever be borne in our lives when we come to see that Christ was crucified for sinners and that He freely receives and welcomes sinners. A sight of God’s great mercy in Christ fuels saving repentance. It sees, as Richard Sibbes so eloquently put it, that “there is more mercy... Continue Reading

As western society moves further away from Biblical standards, we who are devoted to Jesus will become more obvious. We will be an increasingly bright light in an increasingly dark world. This is good news, really, because the hope of the gospel and the glory of God will be revealed. Where is your hope? Is it... Continue Reading

Every one of Paul’s letters is an exposition of the Gospel, but an exposition in light of the particular circumstances of the church to which it was addressed. So, as he begins to expound the Gospel to the group of churches around which this letter was probably circulated, he explodes with praise for what the... Continue Reading

No Christian is automatically given a mature, godly and productive thought life at their conversion. It’s a part of wisdom and maturity which must be gained by prayer and prayerful labor. So whenever wicked (impure, lazy, selfish, etc.) thoughts pop up, the first step is always repentance. Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount revealing... Continue Reading

There’s no question that I know more about a bunch of famous people I’ve never met than I do about most of my neighbours. Does that seem odd? It should. In the history of the world, we are the anomaly. Our ancestors knew the people around them because they had no choice – there were... Continue Reading

This parable gives us a vision for God’s generous grace toward us and toward others. Life is found when we fix our eyes not horizontally on what others have but vertically on the generosity of the whole-earth landowner, King Jesus, who calls us friends and who gives wisely and generously.   Imaginary gardens with real... Continue Reading

No parent is going to send their young sons camping alone in the woods with an openly gay man for the same reason they wouldn’t send their adolescent daughters to be alone in the woods with an openly heterosexual man. And now the BSA has been whiplashed into bankruptcy by liberals demanding, on one hand,... Continue Reading

As a young teenager, I knew my parents were my superiors. It was my duty to respect and obey them. Over time, God patiently taught me how to do that, even when I didn’t particularly like what I was being asked to do. When I started college, things got a bit more complicated.   A... Continue Reading

If we live our lives in the center of God’s will for us then we will also not compromise with those who compromise His truth. We will not tolerate their lies about God’s truth as they try to minster in disgraceful, underhanded ways as they practice cunning, tampering with God’s Word for their own ends.... Continue Reading

Scholars are not only casting doubt on the secularization hypothesis as it applies to global cultures; they are also finding that secularism itself, where it does occur, is not the extinction of religion.   Casting Doubt on an Assumed Trajectory It has long been assumed that the rise of modernity will be accompanied by the... Continue Reading