Monthly Archives: June 2010

A Sure Sign of Unbelief: Keeping the Bible Out of the Hands of People

Posted on June 30, 2010 by

Ever since the Reformation put the Bible into the hands of everyman, opponents of the truth have decried the availability of the Bible to be read and understood by more than just an elite clergy. The pre-Reformation scholar William Tyndale … Continue reading →

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If Your Bible Reading Is Not Changing You, You’re Doing It Wrong

Posted on June 29, 2010 by

Reading the Bible is one of the most important practices of the Christian life. But just because you read your Bible doesn’t make you spiritual, and reading on its own provides no spiritual benefit. The Bible is not a talisman … Continue reading →

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How To Deal With Doubts About Your Salvation

Posted on June 28, 2010 by

Many people struggle with assurance of their salvation. Even though they have placed their trust in Christ alone and believe that the Bible says this is the way to salvation, they agonize over whether they have been truly converted. Because … Continue reading →

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There Were No Golden Ages of Church History

Posted on June 24, 2010 by

How often have you heard people lament that these days are not like the “good old days”? Perceptions of the past state of the world or Christianity are often skewed, reflecting the selective memories of individuals or the selective reading … Continue reading →

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Desiring God Is Unlike Anything Else

Posted on June 23, 2010 by

Because God is not bound by space or time, the desire for God is unlike desire for things in this world. When, for example, we have yearned for food or drink and receive what we have longed for, our desire … Continue reading →

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Hope Is the Key to Patience

Posted on June 22, 2010 by

For Tertullian the singular mark of patience is not endurance or fortitude but hope. To be impatient, says Tertullian, is to live without hope. Patience is grounded in the Resurrection. It is life oriented toward a future that is God’s … Continue reading →

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Soccer and Human Nature

Posted on June 21, 2010 by

I had the great fortune (okay, providence) to have my transplant surgery just a week before the start of the FIFA World Cup. Besides thrice daily walks, I spend most of my days recovering in my recliner reading and playing … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Life, Culture, Theology | 2 Comments

The Unhappiness of Beautiful People

Posted on June 18, 2010 by

I was sitting in Starbucks the other day when I saw three very attractive young women walk in together. They appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties, and could very well have been supermodels. But that is … Continue reading →

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The One Thing That Has Always Been Central to Truly Christian Thinking

Posted on June 17, 2010 by

From The Spirit of Early Christian Thought by University of Virginia history professor Robert Louis Wilken (Yale, 2003), xvi-xvii (with commentary): The notion that the development of early Christian thought represented a hellenization [“Greekification”] of Christianity has outlived its usefulness. … Continue reading →

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Suffering and Self-Pity, Part 2: Rooting Out Self-Pity

Posted on June 16, 2010 by

If anyone ever had a reason to pity-himself, it was the Apostle Paul. His fall from premier Pharisee in Israel to persecuted apostle is fantastic. His sufferings are recounted in 2 Corinthians 11, and they are as significant as any … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Christian Life, Theology | 2 Comments