Category: Theology
-
Can Anyone Really Know What the Bible Actually Says?
In many ways it seems to be seen as the conversation stopper, the ultimate trump card. Whenever a skeptic wants to take control of a spiritual conversation, the question gets tossed up like an impenetrable forcefield: With all the different translations and interpretations out there, how can anyone really know what the Bible says. Of…
-
Fatherhood of God
After spending the better part of the past week preparing to preach about the Fatherhood of God, and the amazing doctrine of adoption, from Galatians 3.23-4.7, I am still pondering the richness and beauty of how the Heidelberg Catechism expresses it: Q 26. What do you believe when you say: I believe in God the…
-
Spiritual Chrysalis
In preparation for this past Sunday message from Galatians, I again marveled at the insight and passion of Martin Luther concerning our Union with Christ: “So far as justification is concerned, Christ and I must be so closely attached that He lives in me and I in Him. What a marvelous way of speaking! Because…
-
Heaven Peeper Recants His Story
Not long ago I wrote expressing my skepticism about the claims depicted in the heart tugging film Heaven is For Real. I have no doubts about the reality of heaven, it is just the claims of the boy who claimed to have visited heaven that I found dubious. It is nothing personal about him. I…
-
New City Catechism
Over the weekend I spent some time reviewing the relatively new New City Catechism. While it has been around for a couple years now, and I had heard about it even prior to it’s original publication, I had not really given it much attention, until now. I was impressed by the combination of depth and…
-
God’s Gifts to Us
“When God planned the great work of saving sinners, he provided two gifts. He gave his Son and he gave his Spirit. In fact each person of the Trinity was involved in the great work of salvation. The love, grace and wisdom of the Father planned it; the love, grace and humility of the Son…
-
J.C. Ryle on the Incarnation
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ~ John 1.14 Anglican Bishop J.C. Ryle elaborates on these words to deepen our appreciation for the Incarnation of Christ: The plain meaning of these words…
-
Christmas Mythology
There are no shortages of claims that Christmas, and Christianity, is based upon the ancient myths of other cultures. I appreciate the work of the folks at Lutheran Satire for so humorously dispelling those claims.
-
Star of Bethlehem
As a follow up to my post Saturday concerning the debate about the date of Jesus’ birth, (which was an excerpt from the message I delivered Sunday,) a friend from church sent me this video to check out. It is filled with fascinating, coroborating information.
-
Heaven is for Real… But What About Near-Death Experience Claims?
Debuting this weekend in theaters across the USA is a heart tugging film, Heaven is For Real. Based on the book of the same title, the story is about a young boy who ostensibly died and revived. In between his death and his resuscitation he made a brief stop-over in heaven. At least that’s the…
-
Balance of Faith
A true, vibrant Christian faith is someting akin to a balancing act. In a post this morning, Tim Keller suggested: If we are going to grow in grace, we must stay aware of being both sinners and also loved children in Christ. Keller’s paradigm reminded me of something Edward Payson – “Praying Payson of Portland”…
-
Oklahoma On My Mind – and Heart
It has been way too long since I have written here. But this morning, as I think and pray about the devastation that has hit Oklahoma… It is only appropriate to post. Yet, what can I say? As a former Oklahoman (I spent my Freshman & Sophomore years of high school, and my first two…
-
Killing Me Softly: Putting Sin to Death
In Colossians 3.5, the Apostle Paul commands: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Based on the language Paul uses it is clear that sin is in our hearts, and it will not just go away on its own. We need…
-
Fighting the Sin in Our Hearts
In Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul commands us: Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (v. 5) His list should not be seen as exhaustive, but rather suggestive. There are many other things that could be included in this list – things which…
-
Looking Heaven-ward
“There are two methods which the Lord graciously adopts, in order to draw our heart away from this present world: The first is by setting before it the attractiveness and stability of “things above:” The second is, by faithfully declaring the evanescent [temporary] and shakable nature of ‘things of earth.’ … Now it is much…
