It must be the case that God stands behind good and evil in somewhat different ways; that is, he stands behind good and evil asymetrically...In other words, if I sin, I cannot possibly do so outside the bounds of God's sovereignty (or the many text already cited have no meaning), but I alone am responsible for…
Rhythms of Grace– A (Sort of) Review
Typical book reviews have their place. Author bio, summary, critical interaction. Cool. Got it. But I like to see how books “work”: how can the ideas, arguments, and concepts of the book be applied to real life. This is especially true for me when I consider theological works. Does it have a tangible effect on…
Like a Runaway Train
Surely we're saved, but sin is like a bully, right? We try to fight it, but it dominates us? Nope...We're not slaves to sin. It doesn't have power over us. We have been "set free" from it...It's not sin that is unstoppable--it's grace --Owen Strachan, Risky Gospel, pp. 55-56
God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment–A Review (Kind of)
Does the Bible have a main point? Is there an overarching unity—or a center—which binds Scripture together? Those are the types of questions that Jim Hamilton seeks to answer in God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment. In short, Hamilton argues that—you guessed it—the main point of the Bible is God’s glory in salvation through judgment.…
A to Z of the Christian Life
The gospel is not just the ABCs but the A to Z of the Christian life. It is inaccurate to think the gospel is what saves non-Christians, and then Christians mature by trying hard to live according to biblical principles. It is more accurate to say that we are saved by believing the gospel, and…
When I Don’t Desire God–Study Guide
One of the most influential books in my spiritual development was When I Don't Desire God by John Piper. I recently re-read the book and was shaped by it again. To help you get more out of the book, I wrote an "unofficial" study guide. The purpose of the book is to help Christians to fight…
Worship is Always a War
Whoever dubbed the debate over musical style a 'worship war' failed to realize that worship is always a war. The declaration that there is one God, that his name is Jesus, and that he has died, has risen, and will come again is an all-out assault on the saviors extended at every level of culture…
(Jesus’) Perfect Love Drives Out Fear
Our problems arise largely because we don't continually return to the gospel to work it in and live it out...'Wait,' I have heard people object. 'You mean that in order to grow in Christ, you keep telling yourself how graciously loved and accepted you are?...Maybe the motivation of religion was negative, but at least it…
Simple Small Groups–A Short Review
While most small group literature is of the, “Hey, this worked for me! So you should do it my way!” variety, Simple Small Groups by Bill Search is refreshingly…well…simple. Instead of providing a new model or method, Search wants to help make whatever model a church is using better (p. 13). In other words, Search’s advice…
Eaten Alive
In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship — be it JC or…
Raising Lazarus 