The 20th-century Presbyterian theologian B.B. Warfield wrote an illuminating article entitled The Emotional Life of our Lord in which he examines the subject from the Gospel accounts and steers clear of the pitfalls of under or over-emphasizing this aspect of the Lord’s humanity. Here I would like to make two observations
Continue readingThe church I grew up in had the slogan “Ordinary people, serving an Extraordinary God”. Locally in Newmarket a church has the slogan “Where strangers become family”. These, and so many others, are good descriptors of the respective local churches – chosen carefully and giving a clear summary. Sometimes I
Continue readingIt 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
Continue readingWe 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
Continue readingRecently 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
Continue readingEngaging 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
Continue readingFaith 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,
Continue readingI 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
Continue readingFrom 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
Continue readingEvery 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
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