Silence
For those of us who sometimes struggle to be “slow to anger,” we ought to focus on being, “slow to speak.”
It is my desire to, “put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word” even in the face of darkness and evil. As a result of that, I have made a promise to myself—and now to my readers—not to lash out in anger, even when I feel justified in doing so.... Continue Reading
Why Nothing Will Stop Jesus from Building His Church
Jesus is good. And he will build his church in his good and perfect way in his good and perfect time.
Many times Jesus’ church has seemed close to extinction: under Saul’s savage persecution of the church in Acts 7-8, under the vicious imperial persecutions of the first three centuries, under the scourge of Muslim conquest in the seventh and eighth centuries, under the almost complete loss of the gospel in the Middle Ages, under the... Continue Reading
Why Do Many Christians Foolishly Argue Against Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms as if They Threaten the Authority of Scripture?
Creeds are meant to be helpful summaries of Scripture to foster a deeper understanding of Scripture.
Reformed Christians talk a lot about the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, Westminster Standards, and creeds such as the Apostles’, Nicene, Athanasian, and Chalcedonian Creeds. They are not making the case that confessions, catechisms, and creeds should replace Scripture. Quite the opposite. Reformed Christians use confessions, catechisms, and creeds to clearly articulate what... Continue Reading
What Did You Plan to be Hated For?
Christians are no longer hated for grace, but for nature.
We live in a world that is not scandalised by the claim that Christ is Saviour or Lord. We don’t even get that far. Rather, the world is scandalised by the claim that Christ is the Creator. And this means that our conversations (or attempts at them) increasingly stop far short of discussions about the... Continue Reading
A Day in the Life of an Ordinary Christian
The way you live today is, in all likelihood, better and purer than the way you lived ten years ago.
We must be committed to growth! Yet surely God does hold us equally responsible for unintentional ignorance as for knowledgeable defiance. Surely he is pleased with our best efforts, even when those efforts are so small and so weak. Surely he is proud of us when we live according to the light we have and... Continue Reading
God’s Law as the Answer to Modern Guilt
More of God’s Law actually reduces our feelings of guilt.
Many of the negative emotions we feel, which are often guilty emotions, can be remedied by taking them to God’s Word. When we do so, we will often recognize that it is not God who condemns us but other people or ourselves. On the other hand, we may come to realize that we are breaking the Law of... Continue Reading
Whatever Happened to Satan?
In many circles, it’s rare to hear a word about the Devil or demons or powers and principalities that wage war against God and his people.
An anemic view of angels, demons, Satan, and hell puts us at a disadvantage when we fight sin, when we seek to worship God aright, and when we pursue the purity of heart by which we come to know and love God more. The loss of Satan means a change in the context of the... Continue Reading
3 Blessings Biblical Theology Brings to Pastoral Care
The Big Story Guarantees a Very Good Ending
A theology that traces promise across the contours of human history and misery, sees that its trajectory ends in a genuine hope which is of greater gravity and density than any merely topical words of comfort. Biblical theology arms the pastor, sitting by a death bed, sitting in the ruins of relational betrayal, occupying the... Continue Reading
10 Themes of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: #1 The Purpose of Humanity
What is the chief end of man?
You were created in God’s image for a great purpose, “to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” As light is to the sun, God’s glory is the sparkling of the deity. God cannot be made more glorious, just like the sun cannot be made brighter. But God’s glory, like the sun, can be reflected.... Continue Reading
Avoiding Achan’s Errors
Achan took the things devoted to destruction in Jericho, which made Israel devoted to destruction themselves.
The believer who puts God first and is not afraid to lose the honor of this world to glorify his God will enjoy him forever. They will receive a Kingdom that cannot be shaken and find their glory in Jesus Christ—the greatest glory known to man. We have all likely learned lessons by considering... Continue Reading
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