Abounding Grace Radio exists to make known the riches of God’s grace to sinners in Christ. We confess the great Protestant doctrines of salvation sola gratia (by grace alone), sola fide (through faith alone). With the ancient Christian fathers Barnabas (AD 120), Justin . . . Continue reading →
March 2019 Archive
Romans: The Power Of God For Salvation (19)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
AGR: What a Blind Man Can Teach Christians About Witnessing (with Mike Abendroth)
John 9 is one of my favorite places in Scripture from which to think about witness. There are few topics that most Christians dread more than witness but they dread it, in part, because they are afraid that questions will arise that . . . Continue reading →
Audio: With Bill Feltner (Pilgrim Radio) On Why So Many Denominations? (pt 2)
It is always good to talk with Bill Feltner, host of His People on the Pilgrim Radio Network (covering Northern California, Nevada, and Wyoming). Recently Bill called to ask the question: why are there so many church denominations? It is a big . . . Continue reading →
Audio: With Bill Feltner (Pilgrim Radio) On Why So Many Denominations? (pt 1)
It is always good to talk with Bill Feltner, host of His People on the Pilgrim Radio Network (covering Northern California, Nevada, and Wyoming). Recently Bill called to ask the question: why are there so many church denominations? It is a big . . . Continue reading →
Is Abraham Our Father Or A Father?
The Reformed Churches confess the great Protestant doctrines of salvation sola gratia (by grace alone), sola fide (through faith alone). With the ancient Christian fathers Barnabas (AD 120), Justin Martyr (AD 150), and Irenaeus (AD 170), and the Reformed theologians and churches of . . . Continue reading →
Does The Bible Teach Socialism?
With the rise of a young, avowedly socialist movement in the USA there is renewed interest in the history, nature, and prospect of Socialism. What is it? There are several definitions or several variants of Socialism. The Oxford Dictionary of English gives . . . Continue reading →
Engaging The Culture: Beating The Secularists At Their Own Game?
In a recent essay, Rebecca McLaughlin calls for Christians to stop retreating and to “go on the offensive.” She makes some valuable observations. She is right to note that, though Christianity seems to be in trouble in the West, globally it is . . . Continue reading →
Resources On Pastoral Education
The internet has created a new world of possibilities for education. Seminaries and theological colleges have seized upon the potential of the internet by offering online courses and online degrees. For older non-traditional students, for those who already have families and other . . . Continue reading →
Romans Series: The Power Of God For Salvation (18)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
The Church That Prays Together, Stays Together
There are many centripetal forces that tear at the bonds that hold a congregation together, so it is useful to be aware of them. After all, we live in a remarkably busy world where quiet has almost disappeared entirely. We are connected . . . Continue reading →
What Christians Can Learn From Drew Carey About Subverting Culture
Drew Carey is an American comedian who burst on to the national scene in 1991, when he appeared on the Johnny Carson Show. I saw that appearance and I am still chuckling. Beginning 1995 he starred in The Drew Carey Show for . . . Continue reading →
AGR On Romans: The Power Of God For Salvation (17)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
How To Circumvent BigSocMedia Censorship
“SocMedia” refers to Social Media platforms, e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and iTunes. It also includes video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo. These are websites that ostensibly a wide variety of users to post content. The attraction of such sites is that . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: It Is Not Faith That Is Imputed To Us But Christ’s Righteousness
Whence it follows, that the merit of works ceases when righteousness is sought by faith; for it is necessary that this righteousness should be freely given by God, and offered in his word, in order that any one may possess it by . . . Continue reading →
The Difference Between Magic And Ministry
As a child I was fascinated by “magicians” such as Harry Blackstone Jr. For a few dollars one could order a kit or study library books and learn to do “magic.” Of course, it was not magic at all. It was merely . . . Continue reading →
Canons Of Dort (25): Perservance Is Not A Covenant Of Works
In the previous essay we saw that the Reformed Churches defended perseverance by grace alone (sola gratia) against the Remonstrant attempt to deny perseverance by making grace resistible and conditional rather than sovereign and free. To see that we looked at the . . . Continue reading →
The Heart Of The Evangelical Appropriation Of Lent
The problem with even the evangelical, self-imposed fast is that it creates a little law for us to obey, a rule that is within our reach. It is, not surprisingly, a law of our own making, for the law of God — . . . Continue reading →
Canons of Dort (24): Synod’s Pastoral Concern For Assurance
As Bob Godfrey has well illustrated in his new book on the Canons of Dort, Saving the Reformation, theology of the Synod of Dort was eminently pastoral. Synod was precise in its response to the Remonstrants but it was not technical. The . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Saving The Reformation With Bob Godfrey
There is a story in my family about one of the grand parents or great grand parents on the Great Plains and living in a sod house. As the story goes, one day Grandma pulled open drawer and there was a snake. . . . Continue reading →