Different names have been suggested for the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Some have suggested the Parable of the Self-Righteous Older Brother, but one of the best suggestions comes from a theologian who calls it the Parable of the Running Father. God delights to forgive, and, in forgiving, He frequently throws aside the kind of …
George Orwell, Call Your Office
One of the problems that Orwell had in his classic 1984 is that of a disjunct between the inhabitants of the world he was describing and the inhabitants of the world in which people were reading his book. In other words, while Big Brother held everyone in thrall with propaganda that was believable to them, …
Where Pleasures Flow Forever
Gracious Lord and God, we praise Your name, and rejoice that You have lifted up the name of Jesus far above every name that can be given. You have seated Him at Your right hand, where pleasures flow forever, and You have given Him universal dominion over every nation. We thank You that You have …
Logic 101
Throughout their book, Robbins and Gerety show a genuine inability or unwillingness to engage with the arguments I present for the objectivity of the covenant. For example, one of my common illustrations for what I am talking about is the covenant of marriage. A husband is covenantally a husband, and whether or not he is …
The Scribes and the People
Because of a successive series of synods, ecumenical councils, general assemblies, and graduating classes of the seminaries, the Christian people of the land were greatly impoverished in their souls. Because of this, a great lament arose, and the people of all the congregations were greatly discouraged and wept most copiously. A traveler from another region …
Chimerical Doings
It is a long and convoluted story, but it seems that the Nez Perce County prosecutor was asked to look into whether or not there was any nefarious funny business on Paul Kimmel’s part with regard to his role in Christ Church’s and New St. Andrews’ original tax-exempt status. This request was made of Nez …
Dominion and Medicine
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 1611) Growing Dominion, Part 11 Among Christians, talk of dominion is just great so long as we keep it general. But the problem is that in order to actually exercise dominion in the world, a host of specific decisions are necessary. And the immediate decisions …
When the Wicked Strut/Psalm 12
All of God’s Word is of course profitable and applicable to our lives. But this psalm is particularly relevant to our contemporary condition, and is worth our careful attention. The great Puritan writer William Gurnall once said that just as one tap can drain a whole cask of wine, so one promise can obtain for …
All Things
The Sawtooth Bitterroot give glory to God! The North Pacific and all it contains, Trees in the wilderness, countless trees magnify the name of the Lord our God. But all things praise Him— Steam from a cup of coffee in a styrofoam cup, a truck stop in Wyoming, and miles of asphalt in the high …
The Face That Stuck
Once there was a little girl who made a face, and it stuck that way. This was most unfortunate, because she had been the kind of girl who was always so sweet when her parents were around, and all the adults at church used her as a good example when they were exhorting their children. …