Christian Living / Controversies in the Church

  • Confidence and Boldness in Christ

    Ephesians 3:11-12

    The gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ Jesus alone is indeed good news because it assures us that God never rejects those who approach Him through His Son. He will forgive any sin, no matter how ...Read More

  • Confrontation in Antioch

    Galatians 2:11–13

    The confrontation with Peter is an important segue for Paul to begin explaining the doctrine of justification, and we will consider it more tomorrow. Today, consider how Peter’s failure proves that “we are nothing with all our gifts be ...Read More

  • Crucified with Christ

    Galatians 2:17–21

    Issues like the curse of the Law that were raised briefly today will have to wait a few days for more analysis. In closing, note that Galatians 2:19–20 reveals that being united to Christ means being crucified with ...Read More

  • Cursed on Our Behalf

    Galatians 3:13–14

    Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians gives this pastoral advice: “So if sin vex you, and death terrify you, think that it is (as indeed it is) but an imagination and a false illusion of the devil. For there is ...Read More

  • Dead to the World or Alive?

    Colossians 2:20

    Out of His great love for us, God warns His people against legalism and false religious practices because hoping in rules, astrology, and other false spiritualities only gives Satan and the flesh more influence over us. But when we pursue ...Read More

  • Faith Versus Works

    Galatians 3:11–12

    John Calvin comments, “The contradiction between the law and faith lies in the matter of justification,” and so the law “has a method of justifying a man which is wholly at variance with faith.” It is not that we are ...Read More

  • False Brothers in Jerusalem

    Galatians 2:3–5

    It is the duty of all believers, not just our pastors and other leaders, to contend for the faith. We must be especially wary of incremental steps to undermine biblical authority and the historic Christian faith. Denominations do not typically ...Read More

  • False Teachers Accursed

    Galatians 1:8–9

    Martin Luther’s comments on Galatians 1:8–9 illustrate Scripture’s relationship to tradition: “Here then is a plain text like a thunderbolt, wherein Paul subjects both himself and an angel from heaven, and all others, doctors, teachers, and ...Read More

  • Female Authority

    1 Timothy 2:11-12

    Dr. John MacArthur says, “Paul is forbidding women from filling the office and role of the pastor or teacher. He is not prohibiting them from teaching in other appropriate conditions and circumstances” (The MacArthur Bible Commentary, p. 1,783). All ...Read More

  • Former Slaves

    Galatians 4:1–3

    Matthew Henry comments that in Christ the era of slavery is over, for “the time appointed by the Father having come, we are under a dispensation of greater light and liberty.” If we try to earn our place before God ...Read More

  • Freedom in Christ

    Galatians 5:1

    It can be easy to forget the freedom we have in Christ and let our fear that we will never serve God as precisely as He desires keep us from serving other people. We are covered with Christ’s blood ...Read More

  • Fulfilling the Law

    Galatians 5:14–15

    Martin Luther says the love that fulfills the Law is “to instruct him who goes astray, to comfort him that is afflicted, to raise up him that is weak, to help your neighbor by all means possible, to bear with ...Read More

  • Fulfilling the Sabbath

    Hebrews 4:9–11

    The fact that people have disagreed over Lord’s Day observance and that it should not be an issue that divides Christians is not to say that the matter is unimportant. Instead, it is to recognize that there is a ...Read More

  • Gathering Together

    Hebrews 10:24–25

    “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9). In our glorification, we will finally and fully rest from our sin and the weariness of laboring in a creation that is suffering the effects of the ...Read More

  • God Rested

    Genesis 2:1-3

    How do you spend your time on Sundays? Are you attending a church where you can worship and fellowship with other believers? Do you spend a restful day with your family and friends, or do you labor in ways that ...Read More