Month: August 2023

The Lord’s Relentless Defense of His People

This series was first published in January 2019. -ed. What is Jesus doing right now? After all, His creation is complete (John 1:1–3) and His atoning work is finished (Hebrews 10:12–14). So what occupies Him in the present? While exiled on the island of Patmos, the apostle John received a powerful reminder of the Lord’s… Continue reading The Lord’s Relentless Defense of His People

Answering Tough Questions About Forgiveness

This series was first published in April 2016. -ed. Forgiveness can be very hard to grant—even Christians commonly wrestle with it. I am convinced that many, if not most, Christian counseling sessions are related to struggles with forgiveness. It is a subject that does pose difficult questions. Today, we’ll consider some of the major ones.… Continue reading Answering Tough Questions About Forgiveness

The Blessings of Forgiveness

This series was first published in April 2016. -ed. Forgiveness is Christianity at its highest level. It reflects God’s immense forgiveness through Christ, and no human expression of forgiveness could ever surpass what Christ has done for us. But extending forgiveness to others also brings with it great blessings upon the Christian life. Let’s conclude… Continue reading The Blessings of Forgiveness

For What “Good” Is God Working All Things Together?

This post was originally published in September 2015. -ed. You’ve probably heard the proverb “Familiarity breeds contempt.” That’s often true with relationships and institutions, as your close proximity reveals cracks and blemishes you wouldn’t notice in passing. However, when it comes to Scripture, familiarity usually breeds carelessness. Many of the “Frequently Abused Verses” we’re considering have… Continue reading For What “Good” Is God Working All Things Together?

Why Does Sola Scriptura Still Matter?

This post was first published in July, 2016. —ed. The Protestant Reformation is rightly regarded as the greatest revival in the last thousand years of church history—a movement so massive it radically altered the course of Western civilization. Names like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox are still well-known today, five centuries after they… Continue reading Why Does Sola Scriptura Still Matter?

How Does the Spirit Work Through Scripture?

This post was first published in July, 2016. —ed. Most of the modern discussion about the Holy Spirit focuses on His supposedly ongoing miraculous and revelatory ministries. But despite what the charismatic church would have us believe, the Spirit is not revealing new truth and prophecies to God’s people today. Nor is He is deploying… Continue reading How Does the Spirit Work Through Scripture?

Be Above Reproach

This post was first published in January, 2015. —ed. America’s church culture suffers from an abundance of unqualified church leaders. What’s worse, many of these mavericks preside over a form of church government incapable of restraining or disciplining them. Tragically, in many cases it’s the media that holds these leaders accountable—tragic because the media ends… Continue reading Be Above Reproach

Be Temperate and Prudent

This post was first published in January, 2015. —ed. What qualifies a man for pastoral ministry? Based on the abundance of self-appointed and unaccountable leaders in modern evangelical churches, it seems many church-goers either don’t know or don’t care. The fellowships they attend may profess Scripture’s authority in their doctrinal statement, but their practice reveals… Continue reading Be Temperate and Prudent

Be Respectable and Hospitable

This post was first published in January, 2015. —ed. The number of people successfully masquerading as pastors astounds me. How do these imposters manage to carve out lengthy and prosperous careers, often in spite of obvious character flaws and an utter lack of biblical fidelity? The short answer is that too many congregations prize personal… Continue reading Be Respectable and Hospitable