“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” — John 8:31–32 Jesus spoke these words while He was in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. He spoke them to […]
Christian discipleship is deceptively simple. When spiritually mature people convey their piety to others, discipleship is taking place. The good news is that discipleship doesn’t require scientific studies, tactical gurus, or expensive materials. But here is the bad news: if either ingredient is lacking—spiritual maturity or the communication of spiritual disciplines—discipleship cannot take place. In […]
“And if He rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard—if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from […]
The confessional Reformed view of worship is in crisis today. Hundreds of churches that consider themselves to be Reformed are abandoning their focus on the preaching of the gospel, the administration of the sacraments, prayer, and fellowship. They are attempting to invigorate and inspire their congregations by broadening the meaning of worship to include human-inspired […]
What a wonderful way to begin a new chapter in Romans: therefore. Paul has worked out all the logical reasons why Jews and Gentiles alike must place their faith for forgiveness in the Christ whom God had sent. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we have peace with God. This may well be […]
In the last lesson we looked at two very important words found in the opening verses of Romans 5: grace and peace. In this lesson, we begin by looking at two more: hope and glory. Our Hope Having been justified by faith, having gained peace with God through Jesus Christ, and having received from God […]
The Enigma of Sin’s Origin While the biblical story of the fall into sin provides an answer to the question of the origin of sin in human history, it does not provide an easy solution to the enigma of the origin of sin and evil. Whereas the theory of evolution tends to ascribe the presence […]
This article is intended to explain various biblical principles and methods by which we may seek and guard sexual purity as we live before God. These are compiled under two basic headings: practical theology and practical purity. A. Practical Theology The Scriptures tell us that God wants His people to remain pure. Paul wrote, “But […]
It was over twenty-five years ago. I was still in seminary. A professor told my class of seminary students that one out of every three of us sitting in that room would be released from ministry because of allegations brought against us for violating the seventh commandment. He added, “And if you don’t think it […]
What effect does using pornography have on a person? Some people seem to think that since using pornography is often a private thing, you can get away with it without facing any real consequences. Boys will be boys. This is something that you can do for a while and then one day leave it behind—no […]