Breakable Covenants

“We like to pretend that the New Testament is filled with automatic covenant blessings, but the only way to maintain the illusion is to come up with an invisible covenant that no one can point to in such a way as to prove us wrong. We like to pretend that this is a point of distinction between the old and new covenants, whereas in fact it is one of the places where the New Testament draws parallels, with solemn warning. In this respect, the New Testament church was no different than the church of Jews in the wilderness. Jews in the wilderness apostatized; Christians in the first century apostatized. Much of the New Testament was written with this concern front and center.”

“Reformed” Is Not Enough, pp. 139-140

Dyslexic Discipleship

[Concerning Matt. 18:3] “We have to be careful here because in many instances we get this turned around. We say that little children have to become like adults before they can enter the kingdom. They have to meet with the elders before they can come to the Table, and often preparation for communion seems more like preparation for ordination.”

“Reformed” Is Not Enough, p. 127