“IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME” Walk into a typical Protestant church building in the English-speaking world, and it is not unlikely that you will find a table engraved with these words of our Savior taken from Luke 22:19 (and quoted by the Apostle…
The Lutheran doctrine of the Lord’s Supper is frequently described as consubstantiation. Though Lutherans do not prefer this description, it captures a key distinction being made in their eucharistic theology. Lutherans assert that along with (con) the bread and cup in…
I recently preached a series on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians chapter five and found it to be, well, fruitful. This vital section of Scripture draws a sharp contrast between the works of the flesh (vv. 19-21) and…
In Matthew 26:26-28 Jesus spoke a few simple words that have been the cause of a great many differences between Christians. The differences, or disagreements, are centered upon what Jesus meant when the Bible tells us that: Now as they…
God’s law reveals God’s character. By it, we know Him and know what it means to be like Him. Therefore, the law itself is beautiful and desirable, reflecting God Himself. The law is also mankind’s tutor. It instructs us of…
The Christian is tasked with being a citizen of Heaven while living in a broken world alongside sinful men and women within the context of a given culture or society. One aspect of that living that has seemed to transcend…
Before I had come to truly embrace the doctrines of grace, I remember being incredibly hung up on the idea of the perseverance of the saints. I simply could not understand how it was remotely possible that a Christian could…
The three uses of the law—restraining sin, convicting sinners, and guiding believers in holy living—reflect its multifaceted role in God’s moral order. While the third use promotes societal order and the second provides a blueprint for Christian living, it is…
Perhaps more than anything, we need to be heard by God. That is, we need divine favor. We need God to look upon us sinners favorably. The problem is, we’re sinners, and the God whose eyes are too pure to…
In his book The Orthodox Church, the late Bishop Kallistos Ware, shared the story of a group of emissaries sent out by Prince Vladimir in search of “true religion.” They make their way through various kingdoms and religions all found…
