Why do we need to be justified by faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8)? “It is as though God had committed to our trust a perfect crystal vase, and had said, ‘if you keep that whole, and present it to me, you shall have a reward.’ But we have cracked it, chipped it; ah! … Continue reading Our Need to Be Justified
Does God Know Everything All The Time?
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. —Psalm 147:5. There is nothing which God does not know—he is omniscient or all-knowing. Psalm 139:4 helps to illustrate how God knows everything. There the Psalmist said, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.” This knowledge … Continue reading Does God Know Everything All The Time?
Shouldn’t We Just Focus on Practical Things?
Why should we study God? William Ames, in The Marrow of Sacred Divinity, said, the study of God “is the supreme, most noble, and the masterpiece, proceeding in a special manner from God, treating of God and divine matters, and tending and leading man to God.” The study of God (theology) is great, but many say the … Continue reading Shouldn’t We Just Focus on Practical Things?
God is Good
God is the definition of goodness. How do we define goodness? Goodness is more than the absence of “badness.” Goodness must be not only the absence of badness but also the fulness of positivity or goodness. James Usher described God’s goodness as “an Essential Property in God, whereby he is infinitely Good, and of himself; … Continue reading God is Good
JESUS’ HUMANITY IN GETHSEMANE
How could God, whose "thoughts are not like our thoughts and ways are not like our ways, possibly understand what it is like to be human? The short answer is that God could not understand from experience what it is like to be human. However, the incarnation allows God … Continue reading JESUS’ HUMANITY IN GETHSEMANE
HE CAN’T BE LESS THAN PERFECT DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS
How great is the Son of God? He is so great that he cannot be less than infinite transcendent glory. How great is God? Psalm 104 opened, “O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.” Paul … Continue reading HE CAN’T BE LESS THAN PERFECT DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS
Pleasure and the Pursuit of God
“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things, God will bring you into judgment.” Ecclesiastes 11:9[1] In the song “Wait for It,” which is … Continue reading Pleasure and the Pursuit of God
Let Us Adore Him
All people adore something. Christians know they should adore/worship God. The desire to worship must be channeled toward God in Christ. We have a challenging time directing our worship because we continue the modern exaggerated division between the secular and sacred. Just a few generations before us, religion filled the air. Christianity, even when … Continue reading Let Us Adore Him
Perfect
“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified’ Hebrews 10:14 Are you confident? Webster’s Dictionary defines “confidence” as “having or showing assurance or self-reliance.” Christians, you have confidence because you have been perfected. Did you know you are perfect? What we see in Hebrews 10:14 is a “for … Continue reading Perfect
Know the Truth? Jesus and Epistemology
The search for God has been described as "meeting a stranger" (Michael Horton, Karl Barth). This search for God in inseparable from our search for truth. In fact, we begin to understand that whether or nor we accept the existence of God often shapes our search for truth and our views for the search for … Continue reading Know the Truth? Jesus and Epistemology
Remember Now the Creator and That You Aren’t Him
Spirituality is often given as a contrast to Christianity. The "spiritual but not religious" crowd and the "nones" (those who have some interest in spirituality but no attachment to any religion) continues to grow. These concepts aren't a modern invention or novel philosophical concept. Ancient pagan religions (worldview) believed the divine was in each of … Continue reading Remember Now the Creator and That You Aren’t Him
