The law of the Lord is perfect, the psalmist says, converting the soul. For the one who receives the word of God in faith, the law teaches us to stay away from the precipice of sin, apostasy, and damnation. The law of God makes the simple wise. Hear then, this warning from the law. The …
How Many Trips to Jerusalem?
The apostle Paul now gives a detailed account of his trips to Jerusalem. This was not important in itself, but it had become important because of the false accusations that had been leveled at him. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal …
The Secret Pavilion/Psalm 31
The Thirty-first Psalm is notable in that Jesus quoted from it in His last words on the cross. He has been followed in this by many of His disciples, including Polycarp, Bernard, Huss, Luther, and Melancthon. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness …
The Conversion of Saul
We have all heard about the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus. But what exactly was he converted from? The answer to this question is highly significant, and we need to get it right if we are to understand the rest of this epistle. For ye have heard of my conversation in time …
Plug and Chug Legalism?
Kevin Johnson quotes from an article in the most recent Credenda, and admonishes me for something I didn’t say in it. “Correspondingly, the Reformation was first about our repentance and embracing of Christ something which Wilson never mentions in this article. This was curious on two counts. First, it should be possible to write an …
A Widow’s Cruse of Oil
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! Father and God over all, we gather before You to honor Your name, and so that You might bless us, Your people, as we seek to honor Your name. We come before You as an empty people, but we come in order …
Mutual Indwelling
Jesus explicitly prays for His followers to be one, just as He and the Father are one. This is the basis for the likemindedness that we find frequently commended in the pages of the New Testament. But too often we just glide over this, thinking that the unity we are to have is a mere …
Guarding Against Error (1 Tim. 4:1-16)
INTRODUCTION: Just as Adam was assigned the task of protecting and guarding his wife in the Garden, so the minister is assigned the task of guarding the congregation of God against error. There is always a need for it. THE TEXT: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from …
Chesterton Down the Highway
Greenbaggins has reviewed some commentaries here, among them Peter Leithart’s new commentary on Kings. Apart from demonstrating that he is a young man in a hurry — he expresses his disappointment with the commentary without having read it, on the basis of the bibliography alone — he also misses an important aspect of theological development …
Impatient and Restless
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! Our Father and great God, we assemble before You as You have summoned us to do. We gather in the name of Jesus, in accordance with Your Word. We are brought together in the power of Your Spirit, poured out so liberally …