Living by Faith During an Epidemic
The believer, by rights, is best able to bear bad news. After all, we believe that we are morally corrupt, unable to reform ourselves, and so incorrigible that the only solution was that the Son of God live and…
Tag Sin
The Ordo Salutis: Sanctification
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification,” (1 Th 4:3)[1] St. Paul writes to a group of mostly non-Jewish Christians in Thessalonica who had formerly worshiped idols and casually participated in a culture steeped in sexual promiscuity. Sanctus…
The Ordo Salutis: Repentance
It summarizes all that John the Baptist, Jesus and Jesus’ apostles preached (Mt. 3:2; 4:17; Mk. 1:15; 6:12). It defines what it means to preach and teach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is, in other words, the…
Satan’s Strategy #7: What’s to Fear?
Satan tempts us to not fear sin, so that we will not keep a safe distance from it. Brooks characterized this strategy as “making the soul bold to venture upon the occasions of sin.” Like many of the devil’s lies,…
The Ten Commandments: The Ninth
At face value, the 9th commandment could be read as merely a prohibition against committing perjury or lying under oath. However, this commandment encompasses so much more. According to both the Westminster Shorter and the Baptist catechisms, “The ninth commandment…
Satan’s Strategy #6: Just Say Sorry
Satan tells us that repentance is easy and forgiveness is available, so yielding to temptation is not serious. We are tempted to think that we’ll only commit a sin a few times and then claim God’s forgiveness. “Correcting the situation…
The Ten Commandments: The First
“As long as he believes in something, that is what’s important.” With those words the man in front of me simultaneously dismissed the authority of God and justified a younger relative who had embraced an animistic system of belief. For…
The Reward of Eternal Life
When I began to study the doctrine of good works in the Reformed tradition many years ago, I was astounded by a view that many Puritans, following in the footsteps of John Calvin, promulgated. These Reformed stalwarts taught that God…
Satan’s Strategy #5: God Doesn’t Judge
Satan tempts us to think that God is so indulgent that we need not fear punishment for our sins. Few of Satan’s lies are more widespread and more dangerous today, “God is a God of love. He does not punish.…
Karma
Karma is a word that has been adopted from Hinduism and Buddhism to capture the saying, “what goes around, comes around.” What you do to others—good or ill—will eventually in some form or fashion be done to you. As is…