Is God's Word only found in the Bible?
The advice given by worldly-wisemen may sound convincing, but if they are not found in the written word “expressly set down or necessarily contained” (explicitly or deduced from Scripture), it is to be rejected.
Salvation from First to Last: A Discussion on the Ordo Salutis
While there remains mystery in the work of salvation, and while our hearts may never fully scan the infinite depth of God’s mercy, he has given us a picture of this magnificent work. God has given us a clear message: good news of salvation through Jesus. This gospel is sufficient to save, even if our understandings fail.
Gender, Pronouns, and What the Bible Says
In this cultural moment, a shared understanding of who we are and who we were created to be is not the norm. When discussing identity with many of our friends, family, and co-workers we, as Christians, simply cannot assume a common biblical worldview. In fact, one recent revelation in our culture came about when a female Supreme Court nominee was asked to define what a woman is. Her response was that she could not… Her reason? “I am not a biologist,” she said. Unfortunately, this is not the only recent revelation of our current crisis.
Dismantling Faith: A Discussion on “Deconstructionism”
All my life I have enjoyed taking things apart to see how they work. I have not always been successful at restoring them to their original configuration, but I could at least get them to function again (most of the time). Besides, as any good shade-tree mechanic knows, there are plenty of extra and unnecessary parts that do not make their way into reassembly. We just cannot always tell you what those parts were intended to do or why they didn’t find their way back!
God's Love for the Unborn
In early May 2022 news agencies across America were nonstop abuzz about an unprecedented leak from the United States Supreme Court. A draft opinion (later confirmed to be authentic) seems to suggest that the infamous 1973 Roe v. Wade case which legalized abortion across the United States might be overturned.
Jesus is Risen Indeed!
The angels testified to this, His followers corroborated this, His closest followers died declaring this, His unbelieving brothers were forever changed by this, and throughout time - the resurrection of Jesus Christ has transformed the hearts of millions upon millions of people from all over the world as they've placed their faith in Him and repented of their sins. He is risen indeed!
Did the Resurrection Really Happen? (Part 1)
What brought about the change from fainthearted, fair-weather friends to bold heralds of the gospel? They saw the resurrected Jesus!
The Crushed Servant of the Lord
The Servant doesn’t bring a sacrifice; He himself is the sacrifice.
Since God is Sovereign, Why Evangelize?
To put it simply, the apparent contradictions between sovereignty and responsibility in the Scriptures are just that—apparent. Both God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are genuine realities from a biblical standpoint and while seemingly at odds, must be wrestled with as both completely true and bonafide.
Burden or Blessing? The Sovereignty of God in Evangelism
To put it simply - who does the saving? Is the eternal soul of the person on your plane flight held in your hands? Will they be lost forever if you don’t open your mouth? The answer is no. The burden is not on you to save them, however the Lord may bless you with the opportunity to speak the truth of the gospel.
Is Sound Doctrine Important for Life?
Peter does not mean empty facts and figures or theological theory when he encourages the church to “make every effort” to grow in their knowledge. He knows that this is in tandem with living a solid life before the face of God.
Is Sound Doctrine Important for Ministry?
While Calvin’s words can be applied broadly, certainly they can be applied specifically to the life of the Christian minister! Doctrine, rightly understood and rightly lived out in the life of a pastor, brings tremendous blessings to himself and his congregation.
Don't Unhitch from the Old Testament
Steve Lawson says that the Bible is a "him” book - it is a book all about Him - all about the Lord Jesus Christ.
“The Old Testament says He’s coming. The Gospels say He’s here. The book of Acts proclaim Him. The epistles explain Him. And Revelation says He’s coming again. That’s the Bible in a nutshell.”
Songs Matter: Doctrinal Discernment in Congregational Singing (Part One)
Brothers and Sisters, we are blessed. Since the mid-1970’s, the western, English-speaking church has been blessed by a plethora of new music. From the simple choruses of Integrity’s Hosanna Music in the 1980’s, to the prolific output of Chris Tomlin, to new hymns written by Keith & Kristyn Getty, we are not in short supply of new songs to sing. The number of songs available multiplies exponentially when you factor in the massive impact of Hillsong, Bethel, and Elevation Music.
Progressive Christianity: Another Round of Falsehood
It’s been interesting to me to read and watch church history, especially over the last 100 years or so. False teaching and bad theology just make their rounds. One round will blow through, then comes another and another. There’s never anything new; it’s just a reiteration of old, bad stuff.
Calm Hearts In a Chaotic World
Christian platitudes fall short in effectively dealing with anxiety: “Let go and let God,” “This too shall pass,” “God never gives you more than you can handle.” While we’d like to think a certain amount of self-determination will keep our hearts in a good place, what if the truth is, we need something outside ourselves to have true peace?
We are Saints!
“Saints”.
We’ve all heard of them. What do you think of when you think of a saint? Paintings of biblical figures with halos over their heads? Mother Teresa serving the needy in Kolkata, India? Usually you think of sainthood as something wonderful you did so therefore you are qualified to be canonized as a saint. Saints, or patron saints, are like superheroes.
Why We Are Thankful
Thanksgiving is certainly many people’s favorite holiday - and for good reason. The well-cooked turkey (this year I’m having deep-fried turkey for the first time), the delectable sides (including my favorite: sweet potato casserole), family seated around a common table, and football. But the reason we celebrate this holiday is rooted in a biblical concept: the giving of thanks.
Obviously with a name like “Pilgrim”, I grew up with mixed feelings about Thanksgiving. In kindergarten our coloring sheets were the prototypical male and female pilgrims dressed in Puritan attire - and when I wrote my name at the top of the page the teacher got a nice sarcastic chuckle out of my artistic masterpiece.
The Church and the Kingdom
The ecclesia (church) stands as the visible embassy of the basileia (kingdom). The church – the King’s renewed people – doesn’t need to adopt the methods, songs, strategies, or resources of the world, of Caesar. We have a true and better reality, a true and better song, a true and better doctrine, message, and methodology to promote! If Christianity is “just a religion”, this will cause the gospel message to be “substantially neutralized as a force in the world beyond the realm of private spirituality and an escapist heaven
The Kingdom and the "Already/Not Yet"
To review, the kingdom (basileia) of God is at the same time the ruler, the realm and the reign of Christ – as He fulfills His promise to Israel and subjugates His enemies. The ruler is Jesus Christ, the Eternal-Anointed-Servant-King who commences a “reinstatement of the originally intended divine order for the earth, with man properly situated as God’s vice-regent”[1]. The realm is Christ’s cosmic, visible new creation jurisdiction, whereas the reign is His personal, spiritual rule over individuals who have become born-again citizens through childlike repentance and faith. Jesus, the son of Abraham and son of David, Israel’s King, came as the Anointed One with the authority to restore creation as Isaiah predicted and initiate His loving jurisdiction.