Spiritual Growth / Sanctification and Growth

  • The Works of Faith and Assurance by Martin Luther

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2005

    “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue” (2 Peter 2:5a). Saint Peter admonishes them to give evidence of their faith with good works. Since such a great blessing has been given to you …Read More

  • Our Daily Bread on Steroids by R.C. Sproul Jr.

    FROM TABLETALK | May 2007

      Over the years, Tabletalk has been called all sorts of things. At first, it was more homey than glossy, giving the appearance of having been mimeographed in some back room. It was, early on, and appropriately so, in a …Read More

  • The Devil in the Details by R.C. Sproul Jr.

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2007

    The Christian is engaged in a three-front war. The Bible, replete with martial language, bears this out. The great evil trinity against which we fight is the world, the flesh, and the Devil. In our day we have made …Read More

  • Being and Becoming by W. Duncan Rankin

    FROM TABLETALK | May 2010

    Begun in an instant, the normal Christian life is a journey of sanctification in which God’s grace conforms us more and more to the image of His beloved Son. Making sense of this voyage and our sanctification in it …Read More

  • The More Things Change by R.C. Sproul Jr.

    FROM TABLETALK | February 2008

    It was a wise man who first noted that there is nothing new under the sun. Sadly, Solomon seemed to sigh his way through this observation, wistfully longing for something new. We, if we were wise, would rejoice in this …Read More

  • The Victory Parade We Don’t Deserve by R.C. Sproul Jr.

    FROM TABLETALK | April 2011

    Though I didn’t think such was possible, my esteem for both my father and the Bible took a rather sudden spike. I was blessed to be sitting in a seminary class, while he stood, teaching. He mentioned, almost in …Read More

  • They Devoted Themselves to Prayer by Ed Clowney

    FROM TABLETALK | April 2003

    From the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples went to a prayer meeting. They met in a familiar upstairs room in Jerusalem. All 11 apostles and the women who had been with Jesus were there. They …Read More

  • The Children’s Crusade by R.C. Sproul Jr.

    FROM TABLETALK | May 2011

    The Devil delights in false dichotomies. When he persuades us that our choices are between this foolishness and that weakness — heads, he wins; tails, the kingdom loses. When we are lukewarm in our commitment, when we think the kingdom of …Read More

  • Escaping Anonymity by Tim Challies

    FROM TABLETALK | April 2009

    Admiral Lord Nelson once remarked that “every sailor is a bachelor when beyond Gibraltar.” This was a statement about anonymity, a rare concept even just a few short generations ago. Nelson knew that once his sailors moved beyond the bounds …Read More

  • Supernatural Beauty by John Sartelle

    FROM TABLETALK | May 2005

    “Do not let your adorning be external — the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing — but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and …Read More

  • Biblical Objectivity by Nick Eicher

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2010

    My colleague Marvin Olasky tells the story of meeting J.I. Packer prior to a conference at which both were slated to speak on different topics in different rooms at the same time. Dr. Olasky lamented the scheduling and observed …Read More

  • Preach the Gospel, and Since It’s Necessary, Use Words by Ed Stetzer

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2012

    There’s a popular saying often repeated by Christians. It has found new life on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe you have even uttered these words, commonly at tributed to Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.” I …Read More

  • Evangelism: Naturally Speaking Good News by Will Metzger

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2012

    Foundational to speaking of Christ naturally is a strong assurance of your identity: “I am a new creation in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17, NIV here and throughout). Supernaturally, you are a new person credited with the righteousness of Christ …Read More

  • The Pastor’s Example of Evangelism by Steven Lawson

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2012

    In his final letter, Paul charges Timothy, his son in the faith, to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5). By these words, the aged Apostle establishes the timeless standard for pastoral ministry, not only for young …Read More

  • Eternal Persuasion by John Cobb

    FROM TABLETALK | May 2006

    Marketing is a difficult term to define. Books have been written, gurus have weighed in, and countless others have offered various opinions. Boiled down, however, one simple definition of marketing is “the attempt to influence the behaviors of others.” In …Read More