“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”–so begins John’s Gospel (John 1:1). Before time, the Word was, … More The Bottom Line: God Is Sovereign in Salvation
“Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water” (Matthew 14:28). When I was first wrestling with the sovereignty of God in salvation, my mind objected, If You, Lord, have already chosen some to salvation, what is the use of evangelism? Again, as seen in an earlier post, this objection is … More What If I Lack the Ability to Come to Christ?
Once the sovereignty of God in salvation is acknowledged as true, it is not uncommon for a soul to fearfully wonder, What if I am not elect? What if God did not choose me for salvation from the before the foundation of the world? Am I doomed? In response to these fears, having personally tasted … More What If I Am Not Elect?
Let this be a cardinal rule in theology: We can only know God truly through Jesus Christ. This point is made clear near the beginning of John’s Gospel, when he wrote, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” … More God Is Sovereign and Sincere in His Gospel Invitation
O wise men, come and ponder, Who is the wisest here? Before the One named Wonder, Our minds are taught to fear. How do your gifts add honor? How does that star shine bright? Their Maker is their Owner; This Baby born is Light. How does He fit the manger, Or rest in Mary’s arm? … More A Christmas Hymn on True Theology
“…who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power…” (Hebrews 1:3). In November, I preached a sermon on Calvinism and Arminianism from John chapter six, entitled, “If I Were a Tricky Theologian.” Among my recent sermons, this one has perhaps … More The Incarnation and a Tricky Theologian
Yesterday, I had two people ask me independently about the state of believing souls after death. This is not the first time this topic has been brought up, and I suspect it will not be the last. Interestingly, it is a topic that the apostle Paul himself addressed, and on which he did not want … More Where Does the Believing Soul Go after Death?
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore” (Psalm 37:25-27). Ever merciful. Such beautiful words! Hidden here are economic recessions, personal disappointments, … More Beyond the Turkey: Pilgrim William Bradford, and Lessons for an Economic Recession
Not all prayer is beneficial. There is a kind of prayer that is simply worrying in God’s presence. Instead of casting all cares on God, as the word of God commands (1 Peter 5:7), unprofitable prayer merely holds these cares up before God, while refusing to let them go. If this persists, the mind begins … More When Prayer Makes Me Feel Worse
Last night, a friend of mine asked, “How do you know when a church is preaching the word?” That is a good question. How do we know? After all, the command is clear–“preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2)–but what does it look like? Bringing it home, how do you know if your church is preaching … More Does Your Church Preach the Word?
Spring Branch Academy - Jonesville, Michigan 