Should we be nuanced these days or bold and blunt? Should we pick a side, or should a third way be pursued? The discussion is ongoing (Link 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ad infinitum). John Frame, writing years before the current debates (c. 2025), provides us with a helpful reminder that neither nuance nor a third way is the point. Being biblical is the point. At the beginning … [Read more...] about As Far As Scripture Goes
Articles
Beware Extrabiblical Whizbang
I was studying John 4:1-26. As usual, at some point in the process, I consulted a few commentaries. I was surprised to find two significant disagreements on two mundane details of the text. Disagreement One "And he had to pass through Samaria" (John 4:4, ESV). Disagreement Two "Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting … [Read more...] about Beware Extrabiblical Whizbang
Preach It, Preach It, Preach It
To a chapel full of seminarians, Haddon Robinson stood up to preach a sermon from Romans 4:5, "And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness..." (ESV). It was the fall of 2003. Twenty-three-year-old me was sitting in the balcony, a first year, first semester student at Gordon-Conwell Theological … [Read more...] about Preach It, Preach It, Preach It
Why Evaluate a Profession of Faith
Churches sometimes ask people to share their testimony (or, story of conversion/confirmation, profession of faith) and their understanding of the Gospel. Answering these questions may be a condition for joining the church or a particular team at the church. Why do churches do that? A few thoughts... To protect the church from wolves. The church is commanded to … [Read more...] about Why Evaluate a Profession of Faith
Righteousness
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." - Jesus (Matthew 5:6, ESV). What is righteousness, why would we want it, and how do we get it? What Righteous Is In the Bible, “righteousness” simply means “doing what is right” (as God defines “right”). In fact, the Greek word in Matthew 5:6, δικαιοσύνη, is sometimes just … [Read more...] about Righteousness