Suffering is an inevitable part of our existence. Since the fall of man in Paradise, sin has wreaked havoc on humanity and all creation. Suffering has come about because of sin. From the pain of a papercut to a cancer diagnosis, a divorce to being socially ostracized, a stressful work environment to war, all suffering is ultimately a result of original sin in Paradise. The stone was dropped into the pool and the ripple effect is ongoing. Suffering is not only painful, it can be depressing...
I playfully tell people that I grew up in a “confused Mennonite home.” My father was a pastor in the Mennonite church and, unlike the vast majority of Mennonites, was committed to the doctrines of grace or what are often called the five points of Calvinism. My parents loved the ministry of R. C. Sproul and Ligonier and would attend Reformed conferences with joy and much agreement. Espousing, adoring, and preaching the doctrines of God’s sovereign grace in a Mennonite context came at a...
Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. He is the only beloved begotten Son of God. God has only one natural beloved Son, and this makes Jesus Christ eternally and uniquely loved. But the only Begotten is not the only beloved. The creeds and Reformed confessions are extremely helpful in understanding what the Bible teaches about only beloved begotten Son of God. The Apostles’ Creed calls Jesus Christ God’s “only begotten Son.” The Nicene Creed says more: the only...
Life is often busy. We are often on the move thinking about what we are doing or what we need to do. Our busyness sometimes diverts our attention from how Jesus serves us every day. We like to get things done. Achievement feels good. But sometimes in our daily routine, we lose sight of who God is and what He is doing for us. As Christians, we are sometimes more like Martha than we are Mary – we think more about serving Jesus than Jesus serving us. Martha opened her home to Jesus and...
Alone means “to the exclusion of all others or all else.” [1] If a billionaire revealed to you the secret location of a vault holding millions of dollars and gave you a key saying, “This key alone will unlock your fortune,” you would not want to lose that one irreplaceable key. Oops equals no fortune. At the same time, if the billionaire gave you one of 50 keys and forewarned you that the other 49 went to other people, you may want to snap to it to ensure you get at least some of the...
Multitudes of people in America and across the world lust for miracles. They badly want to see God’s power manifested in poignant and astonishing ways. So many excitedly flock to notables like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Todd White, Todd Bentley, and Bill Johnson. Sometimes the lust for miracles is so strong people reject God’s sovereignty, providence, and gracious provision in hardship and rely on miracles for hope, comfort, and blessing. Several years ago, a little girl from Bethel...
What was your experience with your earthly father? Some people had wonderful experiences. Their dads were loving, encouraging, and supportive. Though no father is perfect, many have fond memories of their dads. But not everyone had a loving, encouraging, and supportive father. Some people didn’t know their fathers. Maybe their fathers abandoned them. Others had their fathers around but felt as if their fathers didn’t really love or support them. Sadly, some people had alcoholic, aloof...
I took German in 9th and 10th grade. I thought it would exempt me from taking a foreign language in college, but Grove City College, my alma mater, required three years of a foreign language. I had fallen short. I ended up taking two full years of French. I wish I’d taken Spanish. Anyway, at Grove City College we had dinners called “language tables.” Students and their language professors ate together and spoke foreign languages. I had to go and was quickly lost in simple French...
I recently listened to a short online interview of an author who wrote a book on Universalism. The author shared a story about meeting with a man from his church who was trying to convince their pastor of Christian Universalism. He was rightly concerned for this man, and it was a personal story. What is Christian Universalism, and is it in your church? I think the term Christian Universalism has been used since the early 19th century. It is the belief that every single person without...
We get scared and anxious about many things in this life. Maybe you don’t know how you’ll pay the bills. Maybe your son is rebellious, and you’re worried about the state of his soul. Maybe you can’t seem to please those few people. Maybe your loved one is really sick. Maybe Russia will invade Ukraine and start WWIII. The fear and anxiety list gets pretty long when you start thinking about all the threatening possibilities around you. Sometimes we get so scared and anxious about life...
