Anger essentially says, “I’m against that.”

Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash According to David Powlison in Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness, anger is a negative evaluation, in which an individual shows active displeasure towards something important enough to care about. It was quite sobering when I reflected on this definition because in agreeing with Powlison’s definition I…

How does the Bible describe unbelief?

The Bible uses many strong terms to describe unbelief, including hardening, twisting, blindness, deafness, unnaturalness, lies, deception, folly, rebellion and madness, but none repays reflection more than Paul’s phrase in Romans. At the heart of sin and disobedience, Paul says, is a flagrantly deliberate and continuing act of violence to truth. Sin and disobedience lay…

If it is hard to accept a rebuke, even a private one, it is harder still to administer one in loving humility – D. A. Carson

Carson’s statement begs the question, “how do you give a rebuke in loving humility?” David Mathis in his book Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus Through the Spiritual Disciplines gives seven steps we can work towards giving a rebuke that is biblical/Jesus-honoring. Check your own heart first. Seek to sympathize. Pray for restoration. Be quick. In my opinion,…

7 Steps To Take In Giving Correction

Carson’s statement begs the question, “how do you give a rebuke in loving humility?” David Mathis in his book Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus Through the Spiritual Disciplines gives seven steps we can work towards giving a rebuke that is biblical/Jesus-honoring. Check your own heart first. Seek to sympathize. Pray for restoration. Be quick. In my opinion,…

Doubt becomes sin when, instead of seeking truth and a deeper knowledge of God, it seeks to undermine or reject him – Barnabas Piper

This post was written by Barnabas Piper. You can find the original post here. I am grateful for Barnabas’ words of transparency; they’re refreshing and deeply encouraging. Justin pastored a mid-sized suburban church. He started as the youth pastor, weathered some leadership changes, grew in respect and influence, and was eventually called to lead the…

5 Truths of Church Discipline

Jonathan Leeman writes that church discipline aims to… Expose sin. Sin, like cancer, loves to hide. Discipline exposes the cancer so that it might be cut out quickly (1 Corinthians 5:2). Warn. A church does not enact God’s judgment through discipline. Rather, it stages a small play that pictures the great judgment to come (1…