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Mature in Christ
The apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:28, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” This verse presents us with a summary statement of the Apostle Paul’s ministry, as it tells us of both the means he employed and the goal for which he toiled. The means was the ministry of God’s Word, described in detail for us in the book of Acts. Paul typically began by going into the synagogue, where he reasoned with people from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ … View Resource
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Imago Dei
The opening chapter of our Bible is a thrilling story of creation and formation, laying the foundation for all that follows. We are told that “in the beginning” our home in the universe, the earth, was formless and void, covered in water and shrouded in darkness, while the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (v. 2). As the days of creation unfolded, God gave form to the earth and filled it. He separated the day from the night, the waters above from the waters below, and the dry land from the waters below. God filled these realms by … View Resource
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Idolizing Theology
Dearest Valefar, Your recent report has been received, and we do note your concern that things might have taken a turn for the worse. Perhaps they have, but we would not worry too much that your target has developed an almost insatiable thirst for theology. We do not say this can be ignored, but at the same time, we would caution you against any panic. If properly managed, you may find that this actually works to our advantage, not the enemy’s. The battle for a man’s soul can be fought in many ways. Head on, forceful confrontation by tempting him … View Resource
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In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity
Philip Schaff, the distinguished nineteenth-century church historian, calls the saying in our title “the watchword of Christian peacemakers” (History of the Christian Church, vol. 7, p. 650). Often attributed to great theologians such as Augustine, it comes from an otherwise undistinguished German Lutheran theologian of the early seventeenth century, Rupertus Meldenius. The phrase occurs in a tract on Christian unity written (circa 1627) during the Thirty Years War (1618–1648), a bloody time in European history in which religious tensions played a significant role. The saying has found great favor among subsequent writers such as Richard Baxter, and has … View Resource
Mark Ross
Dr. Mark E. Ross is John R. de Witt Professor of Systematic Theology and director of the Institute for Reformed Worship at Erskine Theological Seminary in Columbia, S.C. He is author of Let’s Study Matthew.
