In this series of posts we have been presenting what is, for many, a very different way of looking at the Scriptures. We have been talking about historical optimism, as opposed to the rampant historical pessimism of the modern evangelical world. But we must be careful in using phrases like “way of looking at the …
Thy Kingdom Come
Many Christians want to avoid millennial wrangles, and in an important sense, they are quite right. It makes little sense to fight with one another about when the divine peace will come. But other Christians want to avoid debate on the subject because they believe it to be trivial or unimportant. “After all, is not …
Marriage as Manifest Glory XXVI
INTRODUCTION: One of the hardest lessons for an egalitarian age to learn is the necessary lesson of honor. But this honor must not be carnal—we are called to render honor as understood in a biblical and Christian way. This directly affects how husbands and wives are to grow old together. THE TEXTS: “Thou shalt rise …
The Authority of the Cross
Far too many Christians take a phrase from Luther without the faith of Luther. They do believe that this world is “with devils filled,” but have no knowledge of the “one little word” which fells the evil one. That one little word is cross. Christ is the Savior of the world, not only because He …
Marriage As Manifest Glory XXV
INTRODUCTION: When a man and woman marry, they are not joined together physically the way Siamese twins are joined. This means, obviously, that a married man and a married woman are the same biological individuals that they were when they were single. But they are covenantally united—and capable of physical separation. Not only are they …
Marriage As Manifest Glory XXIV
INTRODUCTION: The family that eats together stays together. But this requires further development. THE TEXTS: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and …
The Cross and Eschatology
Many Christians veer into one of two errors in their view of future history. Either they plunge into a very exciting study of the “end times,” and become consumed with the book of Revelation and newspaper reports about the European Union, killer bees, trouble in the Middle East, and so forth, or they dismiss the …
The Cultural Mandate
Genesis is the book of beginning — this is too often neglected by Christians. Here we see the beginning of the world, obviously, but also the beginning of marriage, of work, of rest, of music, and of many other of God’s good gifts. In short, the book of Genesis provides us with a basic understanding …
Marriage As Manifest Glory XXIII
INTRODUCTION: James tells us that the tongue is an unruly member. If we can control the tongue, he says, we can control anything. At the same time, the Bible teaches that the tongue has tremendous power for good. We destroy with our words. We build with our words. THE TEXTS: The wise in heart shall …
Marriage As Manifest Glory XXII
Introduction: Husbands are commanded to love, and we are taught that the kind of love they are to render is the kind that bestows loveliness. But wives are not encouraged by this to simply be passive recipients—they are given a command as well. They are to be subject to their husbands (v. 24), and they …