Talk about an Awkward Term
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Lev. 18:22) “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put…
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God Has Something to Say in Your Worship Service
Modern society brims with opportunities for people to get together and talk about something. In meetings, discussion groups, clubs, classes, forums, conferences, rallies, and protests, people gather to discuss matters that are important to them. It is understandable, then, that…
Definitively Dead and Alive
In one sense, we rightly think of sanctification as a progressive work. As the 1689 LBCF states, this is the Spirit’s work of destroying “the whole body of sin” and strengthening “all saving graces, to the practice of all true…
In Praise of Christian Friendship
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom… A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. — Proverbs 18: 1, 24 (KJV) I’ve been…
How Ordinary Worship Is both Reverent and Relevant
In the 21st century evangelical landscape, there are two opposing errors concerning worship that grow out of the same root problem. One error is the attempt to be hyper-relevant. Those who succumb to this temptation seek a worship “experience” tailored…
Defining Definitive Sanctification
Is it possible to “get saved” without getting sanctified? The 1689 Confession, in accordance with the Bible, answers with a resounding “No!” Sanctification is not an optional extra for Christians; it is an essential part of the salvation God gives…
Tips for Extemporaneous Preaching from J.W. Alexander
James W. Alexander lived a fascinating life. Like his father, the Rev. Archibald Alexander, James Alexander served as an American Presbyterian pastor and professor. Unlike his father, Alexander also authored a number of hymns and translated others (including “O Sacred…
Social Media Is a Neighborhood Built on Coveting
Every place has a feel, an impression or characteristic sensation. Home has a feel, even if it isn’t always positive. The neighborhood you grew up in has a feel. The noisy main street of your urban center has perhaps a…
Whose Sanctification Is It, Anyway?
In the New Testament, the word often translated as “sanctification” is sometimes translated, “holiness.” The Greek is hagiasmos (ἁγιασμὸς), the noun form of the verb “to sanctify,” “to make holy” (hagiazo, ἁγιάζω). The basic meaning of the verb is to set…
Replanting Our Churches
Every church in America is now a church re-plant. This is a hard truth, but healthy churches will own it, while those who ignore it will be walking down the path towards a painful decline. American Christianity has learned numerous…