Reconciling the gospel accounts on the events of the resurrection is a somewhat difficult task, especially for people who struggle with chronology like I do. It’s hard for me to keep timelines and details straight in my head. When you study the gospel accounts about the events surrounding the resurrection, you’ll notice that some details are different. Why is that? Some will say the gospels contradict, however, those who believe in Biblical inerrancy and infallibility are not so...
Author - Jonathan Shirk
I hope you need to imagine this and that it’s not a reality for you, but imagine that you’re in major debt, you can’t pay it off, and you’re married. How does the debt affect your marriage? With debt looming, you’re anxious, fearful, discontent, and stressed, which will inevitably impact how you treat your spouse. This one big financial burden is amplifying your sinful struggles and affecting your marriage. I read that “studies have indicated that frequent fights about money are a...
“Either human intelligence ultimately owes its origin to mindless matter; or there is a Creator. It is strange that some people claim that it is their intelligence that leads them to prefer the first to the second.” [1] [1]
“I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.” [1] [1]
The rending of the veil proclaimed the termination and passing away of the ceremonial law. It was a sign that the old dispensation of sacrifices and ordinances was no longer needed. Its work was done. Its occupation was gone, from the moment that Christ died. There was no more need of an earthly high priest, and a mercy seat, and a sprinkling of blood, and an offering up of incense, and a day of atonement. The true High Priest had at length appeared. The true Lamb of God had been...
Many marriage books are a waste of time, but I know one that certainly isn’t. Probably my favorite marriage book—and I use it in pre-marital counseling—is Friends and Lovers by Joel Beeke. It’s excellent, and it’s short. There are many helpful things in Beeke’s little book that if taken seriously and implemented, will make a great difference in your marriage. I think you should read it. In the last chapter on appreciating your spouse, Dr. Beeke wrote something that jumped off the...
Many Mennonites today seem to have not considered that Menno Simons had unorthodox views of Christ. Christians confess that Christ was “born of the virgin Mary.” This means, in part, that Jesus took on the human flesh from Mary his birth mother. Menno rejected this teaching. Consider the following post by Dr. R. Scott Clark: The So-Called “Celestial Flesh” Christology Is Just Gnosticism Why is this important? Consider Heidelberg Catechism 35-36: Q. 35. What...
“For Satan has no method more effectual for ruining the salvation of the godly, than by dissuading them from calling on God. For this reason, he employs his agents to drive off from us, as far as he can, the desire to pray.” John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 3 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 320.
[Let] us ever learn from the story of the passion, to hate sin with a great hatred. Sin was the cause of all our Savior’s suffering. Our sins platted the crown of thorns. Our sins drove the nails into His hands and feet. On account of our sins His blood was shed. Surely the thought of Christ crucified should make us loathe all sin.[1] [1]
Last time we thought about what God requires of us in marriage. God calls you and me to love our spouses with perfect love, and yet we are unable to do that. Hate is natural for us; love isn’t. Why? Because our nature is corrupted by sin. That’s why in marriage we must depend on God’s grace and Spirit daily to make strides in love, to put off the old self, and to put on Christ. As I said last time, “You need Jesus or you will fail,” meaning you will fail to love your spouse. My son...