-
Christianity’s Essence
It is good to consider how to summarize the truth of Christianity to those unfamiliar with it. Most would focus on the person of Jesus (often as “example”) and others would highlight Christianity as a “code of conduct” with emphasis on living obediently. Herman Bavinck in his Reformed Dogmatics summarizes the essence
-
Fellowship with the Risen Christ – Repentance
We often think of repentance as something we ‘do’ – after all, we are called to repent. It, like faith, is a gift to us that flows from the cross of Christ and is worked in fellowship with the Risen Christ. It goes against all that we are by nature
-
Superficiality
Recently a ministers’ conference was held which had the general subject of “Tensions and Dangers” in preaching, pastoral ministry and the life of the churches. Tensions and Dangers included such things as preaching (comforting/consoling and convicting/exposing), objective/subjective work of God, profession of faith/profession of truth, expectations surrounding confessing members partaking
-
Insight into a person
Engaging a person with the Gospel is always daunting. Such questions as “who is this person?” “what will they say?” “what if I come across to them in a confusing way?” These and many other similar trains of doubt can derail evangelistic purpose and action. In combatting this challenge, I
-
The unique character of faith
Faith is knowledge of a higher sort. We too often want to assess and evaluate faith compared to what we view as real, certain, and valuable (e.g. sensory experience) and as a result diminish faith. However, if we understand faith from that which is highest and most conclusive, God’s revelation,
-
Unity and the Church’s Witness
I am a firm advocate for being unified where there should, by God’s providence, be unity. Continuing outward separation, especially among Christians agreeing on the primary truths of scripture and vastly agreeing on secondary matters, troubles me greatly. Along this line, Herman Bavinck has written the following, The church’s witness
-
Herman Bavinck on the great task of Christian theology
From Herman Bavinck’s “The Certainty of Faith” we learn how science and other disciplines are unable to truly provide the certainty we need. However, theology, also, must be of a particular sort (i.e. not critical or merely historical) to provide certainty. Bavinck writes, Nevertheless, there is also a practical side
-
The 7 Last Words of Christ
Every year, 7th Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan holds a community service on Good Friday. This service consists of seven meditations by seven Reformed ministers from different churches, each treating one of the seven sayings of Christ from the cross. They are usually very edifying and help maintain the
-
Let not your Heart be Troubled
A collection of sermons by Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones is entitled Let Not Your Heart be Troubled addresses an existential struggle we all are going through right now – trouble and anxiety. All of the chapters address the matter helpfully and from a robustly biblical perspective. It is a very satisfying
-
Mary’s Love for Jesus
In between two tragic developments of opposition against Jesus in Mark 14:1-2 and 10-11 we have the contrast presented in Mary’s anointing of Jesus. Jesus receives this act of devotion, defends its high purpose, and establishes its significance for perpetuity. In this passage we are searched by God’s Word as