Leadership and the Resiliency of Hope
But Christian leaders can and must lead hopefully because they see even further into the horizon by faith.
Amid hardship, leaders can be tempted to withdraw into cynicism. It’s one thing to face challenges we knew were coming, to have seen the rough waves and sailed into them conscious of the threats. But what about when the storm comes in entirely unexpected or is far more severe than we anticipated? Suddenly we can... Continue Reading
Into the Waters with Us: Five Reasons Jesus Was Baptized
Our individual baptisms echo Jesus’s baptism on our behalf.
At the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry, he walked into the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But why would the sinless Son participate in a baptism of repentance? This surprising start to Jesus’s ministry carries at least five meanings: he fulfilled old-covenant expectations, consecrated himself for his mission, represented those whom he came... Continue Reading
Seeing the Son of Man: How Reading Daniel and Revelation Together Illumines Both
The figure in Daniel 10:5–6 is a revelation of the preincarnate Christ and an example of how we should read Revelation and other apocalyptic books like it.
Often, images in apocalyptic literature are supplied by previous Scripture. Accordingly, to understand the meaning of an apocalyptic vision in the Bible, and especially in Revelation, one must know the many inspired passages that they draw upon. Likewise, when texts like Daniel 10 have a clear vision of Christ in places like Revelation 1 (i.e.,... Continue Reading
Which City Should We Love? (Part 1)
Loving individual neighbors or appreciating the good that may be found in a city is different from loving the city as an institution, or loving Babylon in particular.
When we take Jer. 29:7 in the broader context of Jeremiah and the entire biblical canon, we quickly see that Babylon is not meant to present to the Christian today a warrant for loving the city, far from it. Rather, Babylon represents the City of Man, that is the world system, and we are not... Continue Reading
The Deadly Sins of Proverbs 6:16-19: Oh, Be Careful Little Feet Where You Go
Our default setting as humans is to love the things that God hates and to hate God Himself.
If we are so prone to wander, what can turn our feet from the well-worn path of destruction? How can we possibly commit to the command in Ephesians 5:15 to “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise”? We, along with Lot, Samson, and David, would be a people without hope if it... Continue Reading
Reading the Psalms Theologically: Part One
The Psalter is a book centered on the Son. The Psalter is the church’s prayer book.
His embodiment of wisdom calls us to live as wise sons and daughters of God. His kingship over all things calls us to be ambassadors of his reign, to pray that his kingdom will come on earth at is it is in heaven, and to imprecate for his victory over our true Enemy – whether... Continue Reading
Body and Soul, Both in Life and in Death
What is your only comfort in life and death?
“All things must work together for my salvation.” That’s quite a bold statement. That means, dear Christian, that everything that has transpired this week in your life is sovereignly superintended for your eternal joy in God. As a week like this one draws closer to its conclusion, surely that is a reminder we all need... Continue Reading
The Happiness of God – Part 1
The Bible shouts the happiness of God – but we are slow in embracing this important reality.
“A great part of God’s glory is his happiness. It was inconceivable to the apostle Paul that God could be denied infinite joy and still be all glorious. To be infinitely glorious was to be infinitely – happy. He used the phrase, ‘the glory of the happy God’ because it is a glorious thing for... Continue Reading
Do Not Become a Slave to Pragmatism
Is worship about receiving the ordinary means of grace or is it about making people feel good and happy?
Pragmatism is the philosophy of operations that causes people to make decisions based on whatever will give them positive results. If the results are negative, avoid it. If the results are positive, do it. Pragmatism originated in 1870s and continues to be a popular means of evaluation and assessment. Through the years, I’ve talked... Continue Reading
We Believe The Story of the Apostles’ Creed
The precise origin of the Apostles’ Creed is shrouded in mystery.
Subscribing to and systematically teaching the Apostles’ Creed is rooted in historical precedent and has timeless spiritual benefit for Christians of all eras. The Creed has been and continues to be a helpful aid for worship and discipleship in providing Christians with the summations of the essential doctrines of the faith. The Creed has been... Continue Reading
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