Jesus is not merely God’s son by virtue of creation or adoption. As it belongs to the nature of a fig tree to bear figs, so it belongs to the nature of God to beget a divine Son. In claiming to be the Father’s natural-born Son, Jesus claims to share the Father’s power to heal on the Sabbath and, by... Continue Reading

Our response to unbelief is crucial.  The world is watching.  May our apologetics match the biblical model.  And may we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in a winsome and compelling way.  For in the final analysis, all of God’s elect will hear and believe. “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation... Continue Reading

In other words, just as he has done much of his adult life, Dawkins pulled the lever on some of the excesses of religious groups, this times the trans movement, especially its insistence that a man who calls himself a woman is actually a woman, and not a man after all. That’s the guts of... Continue Reading

The author of Hebrews says that without this constant encouragement, we are prone to the “hardness of the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13). Without the encouraging word of the gospel preached to us every single day from within and from without, we are likely to instead believe the lie of the devil. We will become... Continue Reading

God has not forgotten you. He has engraved you on the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:15–16). He will never fail you or forsake you. He will walk with you through every dark valley. The God who has numbered every hair on your head and knows every sparrow that falls to the ground is aware... Continue Reading

Like training for a marathon, rest from ministry will produce great results. It will keep you from burning out or getting injured. You need rest, perhaps especially when you’re feeling strong.   I’ve been working my way through a half marathon training plan for a race in May. The plan has me running a few... Continue Reading

The difficulties we encounter are not part of some earthly purgatory or boot camp for heaven. They are part of the unnatural situation sin has brought into the world, making heavenly realities particularly hard to grasp. Yet, our walk through this life, as difficult as it may get at times, is ordered by the same... Continue Reading

Though we’re exiles in this world, we’re to live as those upon whom the end of the ages has come (1 Cor 10:11). We live in the final phase of God’s redemptive process, in the days of Christ’s reign from heaven on earth. Because we benefit now from His past victories (3:18–4:4) and we’ll be... Continue Reading

Specific societal and individual values strongly influence birth rates in wealthy countries, not necessarily income or welfare availability. Many demographers have argued that societal values that flatten the differences between the sexes would help boost fertility — for example, if husbands did more childcare and household chores and women had more earning power. Yet this... Continue Reading

The Spirit lovingly but clearly reminded me that I cannot want the good gifts of Christ’s Kingdom without also bowing my heart to him as King. I’m so grateful that Jesus comes toward us in our lack and our sin, and he uses trials of varying degrees to prune and grow us. Our experience with... Continue Reading