“It is vitally important that the subjective realities of the Christian life always be kept in the closest contact with the objective realities of what God has done for us in His Son. It is the job of preachers and preaching to make that connect clear” (Wagner, Tongues Aflame, p. 102).
In Good Company
This morning reading through John 9, I noticed an odd juxtaposition I had never noticed before. In the exchanges between the Jewish leaders and the blind man’s parents, and then the blind man himself, something curious happens. “These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if …
Civil Obedience in Context
INTRODUCTION:As we begin the task of unpacking this crucial part of Romans, always remember the context. In the latter part of chapter 12, we saw that Paul was arguing from Dt. 32 that Moses had predicted that God would be avenged upon the Jews, and that He would use a nation that has no understanding …
21 Principles a Christian Citizen Must Know (In the Age of Obama)
INTRODUCTION:Because the teaching of the apostle Paul on civil authority is widely misunderstood and misrepresented, we are going to take our time going through this section. And because the instructions here are to Christian citizens and subjects, we are going to begin with a scriptural introduction to this entire subject. And because of who is …
A Little Something to Keep You Awake at Two in the Morning
The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. The borders between the three Persons are not blurred or confused borders. The distinctions between the Persons are absolute. And to make this truth even more glorious, one that only the triune God can reveal …
Coals of Fire on the Head
INTRODUCTION:Having discussed some of the gifts of the body, Paul moves on to exhort the Roman Christians in how the parts of the body should function together. What does it look like when the saints are being knit together in love, as they ought to be? What does the Spirit do? In Paul, one of …
One Little Word Shall Fell Him
I have written before that the watershed issue for me in the political process is abortion. But that leads immediately to a host of practical questions — is this politician sincere in his pro-life views? If sincere, does he have the horsepower to get anything done about it? Is anything actually going to happen? There …
Our New Covenant Cozies
Luke 9 and 10 contain a striking juxtaposition. In chapter 9 there is that famous incident where Jesus sent messengers ahead of Him into a Samaritan village, and Jesus was not received (9:53). The disciples wanted to call down fire from Heaven, just like Elijah, and torch the place. Jesus said that they did not …
True Members
INTRODUCTION:Paul now moves into a discussion of body life—a theme he treats in detail elsewhere as well (1 Cor. 12-14). This body life is organic and alive, and is not to be confused with simple administrative organization, although it is organized. With living organisms, the organizational principle arises from below, and is not imposed externally. …
A Living Sacrifice
INTRODUCTION: As we have worked through this epistle we have seen certain characteristics of Paul’s turn of mind. We now come to another one, very much in evidence throughout his letters. His pattern of teaching is this—doctrine precedes ethics, and is foundational to it. He teaches us what we must believe (credenda, things to be …