Raising (Covenant) Children Well
There are two books I have vowed never to write: a book on marriage and a book on raising children well. Most, I am sure, can understand why one might have some trepidation writing on those topics. But, as a…
Tag Christ
The Plagiarizing Pastor
“Wood drastically” – “Wood ‘drastically underestimates the impact of social distinctions predicated upon wealth, especially inherited wealth.’ You got that from Vickers, ‘Work in Essex County,’ page 98, right? Yeah, I read that too. Were you gonna plagiarize the whole…
Same-Sex Attraction as Sin
There’s a great deal of confusion about the nature of temptation and same-sex attraction. Many Christians, even pastors and theologians, some of whom are ostensibly Reformed, believe that same-sex temptation is not a sin. For them, sin only occurs when…
The Heart of Creation
Rowan Williams. Christ the Heart of Creation. Bloomsbury Continuum, 2018. Hardback. 304 pp. $42.99. Advent has given us room for much needed reflection on Christ’s miraculous birth. To that end, I’m happy to recommend Rowan Williams’ Christ the Heart of Creation this holiday…
A Mystery Beheld
Many things in life fill us with wonder. Our world is full of profound mysteries, but the greatest mystery of all is the mystery of the incarnation. One of the profoundest statements of this mystery is 1 Timothy 3:16: “And…
Pastor, Keep Preaching the Gospel!
As I was busy rushing from one place to another, I noticed a man looking at me with a big smile on his face. He had just stepped out of a work van and was doing some sort job nearby.…
The Joy of Justification
Theologians have often considered justification by faith alone to be “the heart of the Gospel” for the simple reason that justification is a legal declaration of pardon and righteousness–a once-for-all judicial act of God toward believers. Justification is judicial not…
A Censorious Spirit
Sinclair Ferguson once lamented the fact that whenever he overheard others discussing some public theologian or individual at a conference, the statements were almost always prefaced with a negative comment such as, “Well, you know, the problem with him is…”…
The House of Omri
The Mesha Stele is an ancient slab of basalt stone from the 9th century BC. It was named for Mesha, the king of Moab (2 Kings 3:4). This stele is actually an ancient document which records the struggles of the…
Adoption and the Image of God
When I was in my early 20s, I met a college friend of my parents for the first time. After a short conversation, she smiled and commented, “You’re just like your dad!” She wasn’t just referring to my appearance, but…