Jesus is God: Four Ways to See Jesus’s Divinity in John’s Gospel
The Gospel of John is perhaps the richest vein in Scripture for mining trinitarian gold.
The Bible is unequivocal in calling Jesus “God.” And thus, we should worship him not only as a good and great man, but as our God—Creator, Redeemer, Lord, and Second Person of the Trinity. Indeed, let us come to the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit, bringing him all the praise he deserves. ... Continue Reading
Keeping the Faith: Spurgeon and the Downgrade Controversy
Spurgeon argued true believers cannot be ministry affiliates with those who have compromised the faith.
The controversy cost Spurgeon dearly. It cost him his friendships. It cost him his reputation. Even his own brother disowned his decision. Yet, for Spurgeon, to remain within the Union would be tantamount to theological treason. As Christians, we are called to share our faith, but we are also called to keep it. Like... Continue Reading
The Megachurch Century
On Jan. 1st, 1923, the first modern megachurch opened its doors, complete with skits, and toe-tapping tunes. But what have been the effects of this century-long confusion between church and theatre?
“…the dominating controversy within Christendom will be between those who give full weight to the supernatural reality at the heart of all Christian dogma, practice, and thought, and those who try to convert Christianity into a naturalistic religion by whittling away the reality and comprehensiveness of its supernatural basis.” 100 years ago to this... Continue Reading
Is Your View of Christ’s Mission for You Fuzzy?
The mission of Christ followers can be stated succinctly. It is to seek “rightness” over the earth.
How many goals can occupy the position of first in your life? Only one. “If you stay focused on one mission—seeking first Christ’s agenda of righteousness every sphere of your life and world—then,” says Jesus, “everything else will take care of itself.” This past week, while studying George Barna’s Millennials in America report, I... Continue Reading
Historic Selma Church Building Destroyed by Tornado
Black Church Landmark Is a Total Loss; Three Worshipers Escape
When [Rev.] Williams…returned to the church basement to gather his belongings, he could look up and see nothing but air where a tall church structure had once stood. When he entered the area of the basement that had protected him and two others, he found the Bible he had been using still open to the... Continue Reading
The Third Characteristic of a Healthy Church: A Decision To Live in Awe
How can we become more like the Church that changed the world and transformed the Roman Empire?
When we, as a Church, come to properly understand the power and activity of God in our world and in our lives, we’ll share the awe felt by the early Church. The resulting change in our character will bring glory to God. The first community of saints reflected the power and design of God... Continue Reading
Historic Selma Church Building Destroyed by Tornado
Organized in 1875 as a place for freedmen to worship after the Civil War, the Selma Reformed Presbyterian Church arose out of Knox Academy.
This was a building where former slaves had worshiped, where planning meetings were held in advance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s arrival for the Selma-to-Montgomery march, and where the church’s pastor served as a peacemaker in bringing blacks and whites together during the Civil Rights era. –Civil rights landmark is a total loss... Continue Reading
Basic Axioms on The Holy Spirit
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, composed in A.D. 381, sums up the considered biblical exegesis and doctrinal commitments of the church at the time.
Given that the Spirit is one with the Father and the Son from eternity, he is to be worshiped with them in one united act of adoration. We were all baptized into the one name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Since God is one indivisible being, it is inconceivable that the... Continue Reading
Overture 29 Points to the Need for Overture 15
How can Overture 29 deal with the Side B problem in the PCA, if our Confession and BCO have not?
What is missing from our Confession therefore isn’t something in Overture 29, but something that neither the Westminster Divines nor the founders of the PCA could have conceived of, namely the adoption of a homosexual self-conception. We would be good to remember that Former PCA Pastor Greg Johnson objected to Article 7 of the Nashville... Continue Reading
On Slander
In its widest sense, slander refers to any speech that harms the reputation of another person.
In his law God has prescribed a state of harmony which ought to prevail in human society; slander breaks this harmony and thereby upsets human society itself, supplanting mutual respect and love with suspicion, hatred, and strife. Where it has occurred, amends are to be made, fault acknowledged and repented, and the proper harmony restored... Continue Reading