Tag: wisdom
-
Developing the Christian Virtue of Intolerance
It honors Christ when you cultivate a godly hatred for false worship, evil thinking, and godless living. Speaking as Earth’s King, Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30). Either you actively promote Christ in worship and life, or you are his enemy.
-
Only the First Commandment Makes Men Equal
Apart from God, there will never be any sort of true human equality. It is only “under God” that men become equal. “The law is no respecter of persons, because God is no respecter of persons. He is the Father of both the humble and the proud.”
-
The First Commandment Requires Courageous Loyalty
The greatest commandment summarizes the first four of the Ten Commandments. And the first of these ten is, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Elton Trueblood calls this command “the allocation of priority.”[1] The one, true God demands nothing less than absolute loyalty. The first priority of every man on earth…
-
500+ | An Argument for Open Session Meetings
If our practices are godly, we should have no fear of practicing them in the light. Shrouding our business in secrecy suggests we are “underhanded” in our ways, seeking to practice “cunning.” Instead, let us commend the godliness of our demeanor and reasoning by doing our work in the open.
-
Identifying Sinful Fears, Pt. 2: The Fear of Creation
Matthew’s Gospel challenges our assumptions about fearfulness. After a long day of ministry, Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee. Weary from the day, our Lord fell asleep in the boat’s bow. Then, a violent storm battered and threatened to destroy the vessel and its occupants. The disciples panicked, but Jesus remained asleep.…
-
Identifying Sinful Fears, Pt. 1: The Fear of Man
On April 27, 2011, we had our children huddled in the bathtub of our Alabama home, wearing bicycle helmets. Weather sirens were blaring in the background as 62 tornadoes touched down throughout the day. My children were terrified by the ordeal, and it took one of them nearly five years to overcome the memories of…
-
Compassionate Orthodoxy
Not long ago, I rolled up to the church and found an unfamiliar vehicle parked in the lot. I strolled over to assess the situation and struck up a conversation with the driver. After a moment, I could tell he was in some distress. Against my better judgment, I invited him into my office to…
-
Can the SBC hold sex abusers accountable?
We will be talking about the recently released report detailing sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention for some time to come. In nearly 400-pages of detailed reporting, Guidestone Solutions, an independent investigating firm, demonstrated corruption at high levels within the SBC. What I’ve read so far is heartbreaking because of the stain this activity…
-
Jehovah Hears and Remembers
If you had to grade sins, what would be worse – murder and adultery or breaking a vow? Most of us would say that murder and adultery are worse sins than breaking a vow. Scripture, however, requires us to view a broken vow as a severe sin in God’s eyes. In 2 Samuel 21, God…
-
Beaten Back
Introduction In this article, we consider briefly whether incarceration or public judicial corporal punishment offers a more humane treatment of criminal offenders. Though the idea of public caning, or some alternative of the practice, stirs a visceral reaction in many, we should note the practice is rooted both in Scripture and world history. I base…
-
A Word to Graduates
Dear high school graduate, allow me a moment to speak to you as a father – a Christian father. This moment in your life seems extraordinary. A high school diploma is like the stamp of approval you are ready for adulthood. You’ve completed a course of study and are now prepared to make your mark…
-
Rocky Mountain Lie
“No matter what the Supreme Court does in the future, people in Colorado will be able to choose when and if they have children.” This is a quote from Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado. Does Governor Polis know something we do not? Is the Supreme Court of the United States preparing to force citizens to…
500 Words 