Living in view of eternity: a brief word on heaven and hell
Find this episode from Graceland Church here.
Thomas Kidd: What Republicanism Is This? An Introduction to Christian Republicanism (1776–1865)
I found this article very helpful in the latest edition of Themelios. Abstract While the term “Christian republicanism” is known to most historians of the early republic, very few have attempted to explicate its unique theology or to identify its various religious, moral, and even racial permutations in the church. Christian republicanism was much more…
Faith and Assurance: John Calvin vs. Westminister
Yesterday a friend of mine sent me a question one of his students had asked him in class. The student wanted to know how to reconcile Calvin’s definition of faith with that of the Westminister Confession of Faith (WCF). Here is how Calvin defines faith. “Now we shall possess a right definition of faith if…
Does discernment and sweetness of speech characterize my social media presence?
Two principles from Proverbs 16 that will help you/I use social media in a godly manner (and really all areas of life): First, a wise person seeks to be discerning (what to say, how to say it, when to say it, the why of saying it). And wisdom, according to the Bible is pure, peaceable,…
Why Did Plural Eldership Decline in Baptist Life?
This past week I had the chance to give a lecture on leadership in the NT here at Southwest Baptist University. Of particular intrigue to me (and many) is why a plurality of elders fell out of favor among Baptists in the 20th century. Thankfully, Baptists today often have a plurality of elders leading their…
A Response to J. V. Fesko’s Historical-Theological Critique of John Piper (Part 2)
In the last post, we looked at how Piper used Calvin in his work on the nature of faith. JV Fesko believed Piper had misused Calvin, so we considered the critique Fesko offered. Fesko also argued that Piper had misused John Owen. In this post we consider that charge. Here is the particular Owen quotation…
A Response to J. V. Fesko’s Historical-Theological Critique of John Piper (Part 1)
Last year at the Evangelical Theological Society meeting in Denver, Reformed theologian J. V. Fesko offered a historical-theological critique of John Piper’s book, What is Saving Faith? (You can watch the debate here or read it here. Denny Burk offers a short summary here). Fesko argues that Piper fails to understand how the Reformed tradition…
Savoring What We See in the Bible
Preachers should employ strategies in their study that help them savor biblical realities. By savor, I mean you should work hard, in prayerful dependence upon God, to feel the weight of and rightly value biblical truths God has revealed. The Bible, as you read it and press it into your bones, should set you on…
The Unfathomable Depths of Grace
In a recent chapel message at Southwest Baptist University, Dean Inserra pointed us over and over again to Jesus as the only remedy for sin. Through faith in Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we are counted righteous in Christ. This is the amazing message of grace that we have for the world. Dean preached…
Mark 10:52-53 = a picture for your life
Photo by Amber Weir on Unsplash . Attentive to the passing conversation and perhaps hearing the miraculous accounts of this man named Jesus, he unashamedly yells out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Would that not be your posture if you knew there was a man coming who could heal you of your…
Theology Along the Way 