What moves the Bible’s story forward?

The Bible is a big book, encompassing almost four thousand years of human history and containing various genres of literature from poetry to prophecy. Even though the Bible seemingly contains so many disparate parts, the church has historically discerned a general movement, or plot structure, to Scripture's story. In the recent history of the American … Continue reading What moves the Bible’s story forward?

Clearing the Decks Doesn’t Work (Or Why the “Two Minute” Rule is a Trap)

A common productivity trope is the "two minute rule": if a task will take two minutes or less, do it right now. The two minute rule can feed into a mindset where we need "clear the decks" (get small things done and out of the way) so we can then focus on the more important … Continue reading Clearing the Decks Doesn’t Work (Or Why the “Two Minute” Rule is a Trap)

Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.2 | Real Knowledge Comes from Knowing Our Flaws

When we examine ourselves in light of God's truth, we should be disabused of the idea that we ever be confident in our own abilities or desiring to brag about ourselves. Instead, we should be inclined to submit to God's will. We all should follow this path if we desire to attain the true goal … Continue reading Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.2 | Real Knowledge Comes from Knowing Our Flaws

Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.1 | Knowledge of Self and Sin

An ancient proverb says that people must know themselves. If it disgraceful to be ignorant about the things of life, how much disgraceful is ignorance of yourself! If we are ignorant of ourselves, we end up deceiving ourselves of what matters most. It's like we're walking blindfolded through life. Unfortunately, some philosophers have misused the … Continue reading Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.1 | Knowledge of Self and Sin

Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.4 | Is God the Author of Evil?

Some people raise another objection to God's complete sovereignty over all things. They argue that if God not only uses the wicked's actions to accomplish his purpose, but actually governs their thoughts and affections, then God must be the author of all their sins. And, therefore, when people are merely executing what God has decreed, … Continue reading Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.4 | Is God the Author of Evil?

Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.3 | Objections to the Fact that God Wills All Things

I have written about what Scripture unambiguously teaches. Those who disagree with what I have written need to realize the kind of rebuke they deserve. What greater arrogance could there be than to disagree with the authority of God? For instance, to say "I think about things differently" or "This topic should have be broached." … Continue reading Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.3 | Objections to the Fact that God Wills All Things