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Sowing and Reaping
The words of the apostle Paul are ominous, fearsome, sobering, encouraging, and strengthening as he says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). When I was a …Read More
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Faith Working Through Love
Presuming to write about what makes a Christian recognizable to the watching world is fraught with peril. The author might be tempted to simply go with the old adage, “Less is more”: You’re a Christian if you confess with …Read More
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Unqualified Christians
Words mean things, and, if we’re not careful, words can easily die the death of one, two, or a thousand qualifications. As editors, we often deliberate the use of words in their contexts and the appropriate uses of qualifiers …Read More
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A Lasting Virtue
Most of us recognize that patience is one of the cardinal Christian virtues — we’re just in no hurry to obtain it. Others just define patience as a delay in getting what we want. As Margaret Thatcher once famously remarked …Read More
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The Fruit of Patience
The prophet Habakkuk was sorely distressed. His misery was provoked by the spectacle of the threat of the pagan nation of Babylon against Judah. To this prophet it was unthinkable that God would use an evil nation against His own …Read More
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In God We Trust
We want patience, and we want it now. We are a society consumed with instant gratification. If something takes too long, we turn to something faster, and there’s no time to waste. For whatever reason, we are under the …Read More
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Hearts Aflame: Reformed Piety
Calvinism is well known and widely respected for its theology. But can we say the same thing about its piety? It is sometimes said that Calvinists do not make very good Christians. According to one critic: “Nothing will foster pride …Read More
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A Life of Faith
I remember trading Valentine’s Day cards in grade school. Every kid brought cards for the other kids in the class. We had made cut out card receivers and hung them on the wall in our school classroom. Sometimes, they …Read More
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A Priestly Nation
Several months ago my grandmother passed away, somewhat unexpectedly. For many days and weeks after she died, I had a deep sense of sadness as I mourned her death. I was close to her, having spent a great deal of …Read More
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What Faith Is and Is Not
“I believe; I believe. It’s silly, but I believe.” These are the well-known words spoken by young Susan Walker in the popular Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street (1947). They provide just one example of how faith is commonly …Read More
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Public Disciplines
As important as the personal spiritual disciplines are to godliness, the interpersonal ones are just as important. In other words, the Bible teaches gospel believers to engage in some spiritual habits that are private and some that are corporate; some …Read More
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Smart is Not a Fruit
Leave it to Reformed people to miss the point. When Paul describes the body of Christ as a body, part of which includes hands, ears, and so forth, we are quick to mark our territory — we are the brain of …Read More
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Love’s Attributes
In the early seventeenth century, Archbishop Ussher of Ireland desired to visit the home of a Presbyterian minister to see whether what he had heard about the man’s personal godliness was true. Ussher arrived at the pastor’s home …Read More
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Love’s Significance
It is virtually impossible to exaggerate the importance of love. Nothing is more basic to true spirituality than this singular virtue. Nothing is more central to Christian living. At the very heart of authentic discipleship is love. Without love, we …Read More
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Enduring Love
There once were two weddings. The first took place on a pristine beach on a lake high in the mountains. The setting was breathtaking. The young couple showed that sweet nervous excitement that made everyone smile. A classical guitarist picked …Read More
