Economists talk about the problem of the commons. Every no one in particular is responsible for something, it often turns out that no one at all is responsible for it. We see this sort of thing on the macro-scale, with socialist experiments, and we see it on a small scale, as when none of the …
All One to Him
One of the things we learn in the gospel is that God is great when it comes to forgiveness of sin. Not only does He forgive great sins in individuals, He also forgives the sins of nations. When we stagger at the conversion of one unbeliever, it is because of wonder that God could be …
The Gilded Rule
Perhaps we should rename the Golden Rule, and call it the Gilded Rule. What Jesus actually taught has been wrapped up and stored in the attic, while a poor substitute—which is “expect everybody to be comparatively decent”—has been plated with a flakey, golden looking substance, and placed on the mantel. And our workaround understanding of …
Tend To Your Own Knitting
One of the great Pauline principles we have to be reminded of on a regular basis is the principle called “minding your own business.” As soon as we move away from a realm of life that we are not directly responsible for (as in, our own job, our own family, our own sanctification), and we …
Shopping At Cabela’s Isn’t Fishing
I have mentioned to you before that we want to be focusing on coordinating our ministry as a congregation as we live out our profession of faith in our community. We don’t intend to bind anyone’s conscience in any of this, but we do want to urge you, as the Lord leads, to join together …
Cleaning Smudged Mirrors
When we finally behold Jesus Christ in His fullness and glory, we will be like Him fully—for we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). That is when the capstone is placed at the top of the new Temple, that is when the work in finally and completely finished. But God is no …
Right and Wrong Notes
God tests men according to their ways, and according to the fruit of their doings. This means that there are not only right actions and wrong actions, but also a need to see the context and outcomes of various actions. As C.S. Lewis points out in Mere Christianity, there are not two kinds of notes …
Repentance and Consternation
True repentance is frequently expressed in a state of consternation. Repentance is not just a state of turning away from sin. It is what happens when someone is given a glimpse of that that sin is actually like. Repentance is not technically turning away from something that was technically wrong. Repentance is actually turning away, …
Pulpit Freedom Sunday
For many churches, this Sunday is “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.” Because many churches are 501c3 tax exempt entities, and because the IRS has stiff restrictions on what such entities may do in the realm of partisan politics, many churches have drawn back from making their prophetic voice heard when it comes to the pressing moral issues …
Honest Sentences
Confession of sin is acknowledgement of sin, and acknowledgement of sin is humbling. That is why we tend to avoid it. The problem is not the fact, the problem is the pride. In 1 John 1:9, the word for confess is homologeo. This word is a compound one, made up of the word for same …