Christian Living / Controversies in the Church

  • Abraham’s Covenant Family by John Sartelle

    FROM TABLETALK | February 2009

    “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according …Read More

  • The Subtle Lure of Liberalism by Timothy George

    FROM TABLETALK | April 1992

    It has been a long time since I met an authentic, bold-faced liberal, one willing to claim that one word as a badge of identity. Many evangelical Christians believe, of course, that such creatures did, in fact, once exist. In …Read More

  • The Gospel and Stewardship by Donald Whitney

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2011

    Stewardship is the care and management of that which belongs to another. while we often speak of things as “ours,” the reality is that all that we have and all we are belongs to another — God. As the Apostle Paul …Read More

  • The Gospel and Worship by Donald Whitney

    FROM TABLETALK | April 2011

    There may be nothing in the realm of religion by whic h people vainly attempt to establish their acc eptability to God more than by acts of public or private worship. As a result, worship can degrade into one of …Read More

  • The Gospel and Prayer by Donald Whitney

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2011

    Because I teach and write about spirituality, occasionally I’m asked to comment on scientific studies about the efficacy of prayer. The research always seems to include the assumption that one person’s prayers are essentially as acceptable as another …Read More

  • Seeing the Gospel in the Word of God by Donald Whitney

    FROM TABLETALK | February 2011

    Surely no one reading this article needs to be convinced of the importance of feeding upon the Word of God. As Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of …Read More

  • Grace and Law? by John Sartelle

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2009

    “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal. 5:4). When one becomes a Christian there are certain changes that usually take place in his life. It was …Read More

  • The Law of God in the Hearts of Men by Ken Jones

    FROM TABLETALK | September 2010

    Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is typical of his correspondence to other churches in that the first half of the letter is devoted to outlining the various doctrines that are constituent parts of the gospel message. Throughout his letters …Read More

  • Lighting the Way: The Didactic Use of the Law by Robert Letham

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2011

    In Reformed theology, the law has been seen as the guide for believers in the conduct of their lives. John Calvin described this as its principal use. In this sense, we are talking about the Decalogue — the Ten Commandments — and …Read More

  • Reflecting Sin: The Pedagogical Use of the Law by David Murray

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2011

    “Ouch!” That first look in the mirror every morning doesn’t get any easier, does it? In fact, I’d rather do without looking in mirrors at all. And I might get away with it — for a few days. Because …Read More

  • Restraining Sin: The Civil Use of the Law by David VanDrunen

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2011

    Of the three uses of the law, the so-called “civil” use may strike us as the least interesting theologically. It involves no inward transformation of the heart or Spirit-wrought righteousness that is pleasing in God’s sight. By this use …Read More

  • Our Liberating God by Burk Parsons

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2011

    Why would anyone love the law of God? Why would we love that which constantly tells us what miserable wretches we are, daily points out all our shortcomings, relentlessly reminds us of all our death-deserving sins, and keeps knocking us …Read More

  • Racism by Thabiti Anyabwile

    FROM TABLETALK | February 2011

    Our Dear Gremory, Your charge recently awakened to the enemy and discovered so-called “new life,“ which we know to be a grotesque death. No doubt your patient already thinks of many old things as worn and unpalatable, and has discovered …Read More

  • The Word of God in the Hands of Man by R.C. Sproul

    FROM TABLETALK | April 2009

    It was many years ago when my grandmother related to me games that she played as a little girl in the 1880s. One game she mentioned was one that she and her Methodist girlfriends played with their Roman Catholic friends …Read More

  • Hymns & Hers? by Larry Roff

    FROM TABLETALK | March 1992

    “What have they done to my favorite hymn?” You may be asking yourself that question after reading the new versions of your old favorites in recent hymnals. “New” is “in” with the multitude of hymnal revisions that have appeared in …Read More