The Audacity of Our Marriage Vows
When we’re young, we really have no idea…
We live in a post-fall world, a reality which affects everything we do, including marriage. It’s the union of two people who both love each other very much, but who both have a very serious and chronic problem: sin. Marriage means that two selfish ‘me’s’ have to start learning to think like one unified ‘us.’ They... Continue Reading
The Differences Between Typology and Allegory
Scripture cannot be treated as a wax nose to be carved and shaped according to a host of superficial analogies and correspondences.
The important point for this brief study is that biblical typology and allegory must be distinguished, and second, we must remember that these categories are fundamentally in the domain of revelation and not foremost an interpretative endeavor. In recent theological scholarship there is a move to combine typology and allegory under the heading of figural... Continue Reading
The Mormonization of American Christianity
Most of the Christians I polled ended up describing faith as a feeling or experience. Though we don't find this language in the Bible, we do find it in the writings of Joseph Smith.
When we look at the claims of the apostles recorded throughout the New Testament, they appear to follow this same approach. Rather than appealing to their own feelings or internal experiences, they continually pointed to that which they heard with their ears, saw with their eyes, and touched with their hands (1Jn 1:1, 3). In... Continue Reading
God’s Law Is for Love, Not Self-Improvement
God’s law is a perfect blueprint for human flourishing. But it does reveal a massive problem: We can’t keep it.
A Christian is compelled to do good works not so she might earn God’s favor but in response to receiving God’s favor as a divine gift. She puts that love on display by loving God and neighbor. Despite our inability to keep it, God’s law remains a perfect blueprint for loving God and neighbor. When we... Continue Reading
The Benefits & Blessings of Ordination
Ordination impresses upon the church the fact that each officer is an officer of Christ.
Ordination is a reminder of the Lord Jesus Christ’s ongoing care for his church. When we attend a service in which men are ordained to office in the church, we are witnessing the faithful love of Christ for his bride. And that is a blessing indeed! Most Presbyterians have attended an ordination service, but... Continue Reading
The Perfect Model of Ministry
There has never been a person that walked this earth that has had a greater love for people than Jesus Christ.
When the disciples ask Jesus why He speaks in parables, He basically says He won’t cater to the people’s unbelief. The disciples were blessed. Their eyes saw, and their ears heard. The reason Jesus still taught truths about the kingdom in parables is that even though He wanted it to be harder for the crowds... Continue Reading
Truth, Facts, and Opinion
Mental and moral clarity on truth versus opinion.
Contrary to what many people state, religions are NOT all the same, and do not all lead to the same God. Anyone who actually has studied the various major world religions closely knows how very different they actually are. Pretending they are all alike is a case of intellectual vandalism. It is also a case of seeking... Continue Reading
Of Draws from the Faith
When the enemy of our souls tempts us through people we genuinely care for, the temptation is significant.
God knows that, in the lives of faithful believers, we will face the temptation to walk away from the faith. Sure, there will be times when that temptation will come to us from outside of our inner circle. Sometimes the world will try to tempt us to turn away through persecution or greed. But one... Continue Reading
Godly Male Friendships
When Jonathan died, David’s heart melted in grief. This rich friendship is worthy of our consideration.
David had his Jonathan; Frodo had his Samwise. To whom can you be this kind of friend, and have them strive to be this kind of friend to you? May God help us to humble ourselves and admit our need for strong, godly, faithful male friendships. We men are generally not as good at... Continue Reading
Eschatological Fried Pickles (End Times Series Part 25)
The end is not something we are waiting for; it is something we are already living in. How could I make such an incredible claim?
Isaiah foresaw a period known as the latter times (or last days), when the Messiah would be born in His incarnation and when He would set up a world-conquering Kingdom. This is not a future reality we are waiting for but a reality we live in. We are in that end time Kingdom of Christ.... Continue Reading
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