At first sight, covenantal nomism may seem to be strongly supported by the analogy of a marriage relationship that the Old Testament uses to describe the relationship between the Lord and Israel. Continue reading →
Covenant Nomism And The Exile
Biblical theology
The Fruit Of The Spirit: The Second Fruit—Peace (Part 2)
When Paul talks about peace as a fruit of the Spirit, we have to remember the above aspects of peace. It is found in God, and it is from God through faith in Christ. These are objective. When Paul mentions peace as a fruit, however, he is referring to peace in a subjective way. Continue reading →
The Fruit Of The Spirit: The Second Fruit—Peace (Part 1)
In one episode of the 90’s sitcom Seinfeld, the catchphrase is “serenity now!” Frank (George’s dad) had high blood pressure and he heard on a cassette tape that if you say, “serenity now,” it would help keep your blood pressure down. So . . . Continue reading →
Troubled Bones And The God Who Turns: Psalm 6 (Part 3)
Having given this wonderful text of Psalm 6 an expositional and pastoral survey in our previous two articles, we return one last time for a third installment wherein we consider further implications and applications from this marvelous psalm. Inspired by the example . . . Continue reading →
The Fruit Of The Spirit: The Second Fruit—Joy
Many people think that the purpose of life is to be happy. If you stop, look around, and think about it, you will notice that the chief pursuit of many people’s lives is happiness or pleasure. People today want to be happy. . . . Continue reading →
Troubled Bones And The God Who Turns: Psalm 6 (Part 2)
Last time in part one of our Psalm 6 devotional, we asked whether or not the reality of sin really troubles us—not necessarily the sin we see in society, but sin in and of itself: the interruption, perversion, and warping of the . . . Continue reading →
Troubled Bones And The God Who Turns: Psalm 6 (Part 1)
How much does sin trouble us? I do not mean necessarily the sin we see in society. We are not thinking here specifically about the sexual revolution or the moral decay of our nation, though these are devastating. But rather, consider sin . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 146: He Who Keeps Faith Forever
During the course of this year, some 64 countries across the world will be going to the polls to elect new governments. In South Africa, where I live, we have just had a momentous election wherein the African National Congress (ANC) lost . . . Continue reading →
The Fruit Of The Spirit: The First Fruit—Love
In the first article of the series, we learned that the fruit of the Spirit are Christian virtues that glorify God, bless other people, and benefit us. When Christ redeemed us, he gave us his Spirit and united us to himself, giving . . . Continue reading →
Singing The Eightieth, Pleading For Reform
For more than a decade I have owned a blueberry field and nursery as the tentmaking part of bi-vocational ministry. Beginning with tender youngstock, meticulously kept and established, the planting has spread into a thriving fruit forest. The plants started with a . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 115: The Cure For Idolatry In The Postmodern World (Part 3)
My wife and I have moved quite a lot in our adult lives. We have done local and cross-country moves. We have met a lot of wonderful people along the way. Continue reading →
Psalm 115: The Cure For Idolatry In The Postmodern World (Part 2)
The gravers of images, all of them are desolate Their delights never profit. Their witnesses do not see They do not know so that they are shamed. . . . He grazes on ash, a heart is deceived, it leads him away. He cannot . . . Continue reading →
The Fruit Of The Spirit: An Introduction
Although we know better, Christians often think that life would be much better if we only had more money. If we had more money, we could have more stuff, and if we had more stuff, we would be more happy. That is . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 115: The Cure For Idolatry In The Postmodern World (Part 1)
Not ours, YHWH, not ours For to your name, give glory. On account of your steadfast love and on account of your faithfulness. Why should the nations say “Where, now, is their God?” Our God is in the heavens, All that delights . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 50: The Heart Of A Worshipper—Proper Sacrifices (Part 2)
In the first part of our exposition of Psalm 50, we considered what proper, or correct worship is—that is, worship offered according to the Word of God (Regulative Principle of Worship) and given with all of the heart, mind, soul, and strength. . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 50: The Heart Of A Worshipper—Proper Sacrifices (Part 1)
Imagine preparing for worship on the Lord’s Day, the most important day of the week—you get to church, find your seat, and you prepare yourself for divine worship. As the worship service begins, you listen to the call to worship and the . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 22: The Psalm Of Calvary (Part 4)
Having given this wonderful text of Psalm 22 an expositional and pastoral survey in our previous three articles, we return one last time for a fourth installment wherein we consider further implications and applications. With great indebtedness to the pastoral insight and . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 22: The Psalm Of Calvary (Part 3)
Along the way in our little devotional Saturday Psalm series, we have said that Psalm 22 can rightly be called “the Psalm of Calvary,” given how the Lord Jesus adopts the words of King David for himself, crying out as he hung . . . Continue reading →
Johnson On The Timing Of The Kingdom
Jesus’ parables sometimes send mixed messages about the timing of the coming kingdom. He speaks the parable of the wedding banquet in response to a fellow dinner guest’s pious-sounding beatitude that seemed to envision a distant future age, “Blessed is everyone who . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 22: The Psalm Of Calvary (Part 2)
As we noted last time, this psalm was written some three thousand years ago and some one thousand years before the life of Christ. According to Matthew 27:46, Jesus quotes a portion of these words as he is suffering and dying on . . . Continue reading →