"Those like myself, whose imagination far exceeds their obedience are subject to a just penalty; we easily imagine conditions far higher than any we have really reached. If we describe what we have imagined we may make others, and make ourselves, believe that we have really been there."
--C.S. Lewis
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
John Calvin's Continuing Impact: His Ministry of the Word
Kevin DeYoung has another insightful post, this time about why John Calvin's ministry of teaching continues to have such an impact today.
(Today is the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.)
(Today is the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.)
Thursday, July 9, 2009
The Prayers of Jesus for Us
“It doesn’t matter how complicated, how desperate, perhaps even hopeless your life has become. No matter how overwhelmed you may feel by your problems, if your trust is in Jesus Christ, you can be sure that he is praying for you now and through that prayer he will provide for you the resources to bring you relief or enable you to carry on.
The most important thing that you and I need to learn about prayer is this: first of all and ultimately, prayer is not something we do but what Jesus does for us.”
- Richard B. Gaffin, “Christ, Our High Priest in Heaven“
posted at "Of First Importance"
The most important thing that you and I need to learn about prayer is this: first of all and ultimately, prayer is not something we do but what Jesus does for us.”
- Richard B. Gaffin, “Christ, Our High Priest in Heaven“
posted at "Of First Importance"
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
"Is Hurt Mail the New Hate Mail?"...
...A characteristically insightful and provocative essay from Carl Trueman.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
"Who is occupying the throne today?"
“In our vision of ultimate reality, who is occupying the throne today? Are we authentic New Testament Christians, whose vision is filled with Christ crucified, risen and reigning? Is guilt still reigning, and death? Or is grace reigning, and life?
"To be sure, sin and Satan may seem to be reigning still, since many continue to bow down to them. But their reign is an illusion, a bluff. For at the cross they were decisively defeated, dethroned and disarmed.
"Now Christ reigns, exalted to the Father’s right hand, with all things under his feet, welcoming the nations, and waiting for his remaining enemies to be made his footstool.”
—John Stott, The Message of Romans (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 162
HT: "Of First Importance"
"To be sure, sin and Satan may seem to be reigning still, since many continue to bow down to them. But their reign is an illusion, a bluff. For at the cross they were decisively defeated, dethroned and disarmed.
"Now Christ reigns, exalted to the Father’s right hand, with all things under his feet, welcoming the nations, and waiting for his remaining enemies to be made his footstool.”
—John Stott, The Message of Romans (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 162
HT: "Of First Importance"
Monday, July 6, 2009
"The Scandal of the Public Evangelical"
A thought-provoking essay by Mark Galli at "Christianity Today" online. (I tend to think that Galli may overstate the point he's trying to make, but his main idea is worth considering.)
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
9-Marks e-Journal on Missions
This issue is devoted to missions--articles, reviews, roundtable discussion, tools that churches can use, etc.You can read the articles at the site, or download the whole thing as a single PDF.
HT: Justin Taylor
HT: Justin Taylor
Thursday, July 2, 2009
C.S Lewis on Hell
"Hell begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others...but you are still distinct from it. You may even criticize it in yourself and wish you could stop it. But there may come a day when you can no longer. Then there will be no you left to criticize the mood or even to enjoy it, but just the grumble itself, going on forever like a machine.
"It is not a question of God 'sending us' to hell.* In each of us there is something growing, which will BE Hell unless it is nipped in the bud."
-- C.S. Lewis, quoted by Tim Keller in "The Reason for God" pp.78-79 (Dutton 2008)
*I don't think that Lewis gets it entirely right here, but the key idea he's making is an important one. I'd encourage you to read his fascinating little book, "The Great Divorce."
"It is not a question of God 'sending us' to hell.* In each of us there is something growing, which will BE Hell unless it is nipped in the bud."
-- C.S. Lewis, quoted by Tim Keller in "The Reason for God" pp.78-79 (Dutton 2008)
*I don't think that Lewis gets it entirely right here, but the key idea he's making is an important one. I'd encourage you to read his fascinating little book, "The Great Divorce."
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck: "Why We Love the Church"
Justin Taylor's post refers to Kevin and Ted's new book, and to their guest column with Newsweek/Washington Post.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
'...Christianity is an education itself.'
"God has room for people with very little sense, but He wants everyone to use the sense they have. The proper motto is not, 'Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever [intelligent],' but 'Be good, sweet maid, and don't forget that involves being as clever [intelligent] as you can.'
'God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers. If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you, brains and all....
'One reason why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself."
-- C.S. Lewis, "Mere Christianity" (New York: MacMillan, 1956), p. 61
'God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers. If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you, brains and all....
'One reason why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself."
-- C.S. Lewis, "Mere Christianity" (New York: MacMillan, 1956), p. 61
Monday, June 29, 2009
'God Knows That He's Great...'
" The core problem isn't the fact that we're lukewarm, halfhearted, or stagnant Christians. The crux of it all is why we are this way, and it is because we have an inaccurate view of God. We see Him as a benevolent Being who is satisfied when people manage to fit Him into their lives in some small way. We forget that God never had an identity crisis. He knows that He's great and deserves to be the center of our lives. Jesus came humbly as a servant, but He never begs us to give Him some small part of ourselves. He commands everything from His followers."
-- Francis Chan in "Crazy Love"
-- Francis Chan in "Crazy Love"
Sermons on Temptation, by D.A. Carson
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Whatever Happened to Theology?
"...I have watched with growing disbelief as the evangelical Church has cheerfully plunged into astounding theological illiteracy. Many taking the plunge seem to imagine that they are simply following a path to success, but the effects of this great change in the evangelical soul are evident inevery incoming class in the seminaries, in most publications, in the great majority of churches, and in most of their pastors.
"It is a change so large and so encompassing that those who dissent from what is happening are easily dismissed as individuals who cannot get along, who want to scruple over what is inconsequential, who are not loyal, and who are, in any case, quite irrelevant.
"Despite this, the changes that are now afoot are so pregnant with consequences that it becomes, for me, a matter of conscience to address them. Conscience, I have learned, is a hard taskmaster, and I have not the slightest doubt that my attempt at doing this will appear quite ridiculous. I will look to some like the foolish dog that sits on the front lawn and, to everyone's displeasure, bays at the moon. But bay I must."
-- David Wells, "No Place for Truth: or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?" pp.4-5 (Eerdmans 1993)
"It is a change so large and so encompassing that those who dissent from what is happening are easily dismissed as individuals who cannot get along, who want to scruple over what is inconsequential, who are not loyal, and who are, in any case, quite irrelevant.
"Despite this, the changes that are now afoot are so pregnant with consequences that it becomes, for me, a matter of conscience to address them. Conscience, I have learned, is a hard taskmaster, and I have not the slightest doubt that my attempt at doing this will appear quite ridiculous. I will look to some like the foolish dog that sits on the front lawn and, to everyone's displeasure, bays at the moon. But bay I must."
-- David Wells, "No Place for Truth: or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?" pp.4-5 (Eerdmans 1993)
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