What Is the Unpardonable Sin?
Jesus then stated that “all sins” can be forgiven, including “whatever blasphemies”—except for the specific blasphemy of the Spirit.
Luke’s account of this teaching is even more specific: “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven” (Luke 12:10). At this point, we need to define blasphemy, and this verse from Luke gives us a... Continue Reading
Why Supporters of a Nashville Pastor Are Speaking Out About His Departure From Covenant Presbyterian Church
In 2016, PCA minister, Jim Bachmann, lost his position as the senior pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church, which rose to prominence in Nashville under his leadership.
Bachmann moved from Chattanooga in 1991 to lead Covenant Presbyterian Church. At the time, the congregation barely had 40 members. Under Bachmann’s leadership, the congregation grew to more than 2,000. By the late 2000s, they were able to raise funds internally to build a $15.5 million sanctuary on a hilltop overlooking southwest Nashville…. Now, Bachmann, 63, is leading a... Continue Reading
Lloyd-Jones on Racism and the Gospel
"We face national prejudices, class prejudices, race prejudices, gender prejudices, and so on. There is almost no end to them."
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who I have never heard anyone describe as a Marxist, gospel-compromising, SJW, preached a sermon on John 4:13-14 titled, “Spiritual Dullness and Evasive Tactics,” in which he brought up the issue of racism. Early in the sermon on Jesus’s encounter with the woman at the well Lloyd-Jones explains, “We have dealt with some general... Continue Reading
PCA Minister Jerome Roger “Jerry” Dodson III Called Home to Glory
Jerome “Jerry” Roger Dodson, III,57 passed away Saturday, July 14, 2018, on his birthday, at Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee following a brief illness.
He was ordained by R.C. Sproul at Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford FL., following which he received a call to Northside Presbyterian Church in Melbourne, FL. There he served faithfully for many years, and later he became pastor at New Philadelphia Presbyterian Church in Quincy, FL, where he was serving at the time of death.... Continue Reading
Ten Concise Reasons to Remember the Sabbath
First and foremost, remembering the Sabbath is a command.
Hebrews 4:9 tells us that “there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” Every time we gather as the church for worship on the Lord’s Day, we should be reminded, examined, and prepared for the great day of judgment and consummation that yet awaits us as Christ will return (Matt. 25:31-46). Having... Continue Reading
Facebook and Friendship
Facebook has helped us stay in touch, not so much for bragging but for recalling happiness in a time of our lives when burdens and responsibilities did not weigh so heavily on us.
A few years back, I had the chance to visit with an old friend in California with whom I attended high school. Our wives and we all attended college together, and we were close for about a decade while our now-adult children were young. Over the years, Facebook helped us follow the general trajectories of... Continue Reading
How to Affair-Proof Your Pastor
It's very rare for pastors to jump straight into physical adultery from an otherwise healthy place.
Lots of ground is given an inch at a time leading up to the fall. So if you’re like me, you’re weary of seeing man after man fall, seemingly week by week, and you’re wondering: Is there anything we can do? The answer is yes, I think. Again, we can’t keep a sinner from sinning, really, but there... Continue Reading
Crossing the Finish Line
We need endurance and encouragement to finish running the race of faith we have entered.
I was done. My coach and my teammates encouraged me to get back on the track and finish the race. I didn’t want to finish the race. They kept encouraging me. I finally walked back on the track and slowly jogged until I crossed the finish line. There is a parable in this experience. ... Continue Reading
The United Methodist Church Has Appointed A Transgender Deacon
“I understand the rules of the church,” Barclay said. “But here’s the truth: I’m queer, and I’m called to this. I tried to walk away.”
Barclay said they have received many messages from people opposed to their leadership in the church because of their gender identity. But Barclay has also heard from LGBT Christians, from the parents of LGBT youth and from supportive churches that seek Barclay’s input about a theology that embraces Christian teaching and queer inclusion. The bishop spoke... Continue Reading
Paul: Let Him Not Eat
One of the creational laws under which both believers and unbelievers live is the law that requires the able-bodied to work in order to eat.
Work is a creational or natural necessity but it’s also a Christian obligation. Charity is also a Christian virtue and obligation. Our English word charity is derived from the Latin caritas, which simply means love. We have come to think of charity as giving money and/or food to those in need but that is an application of charity but not charity... Continue Reading
