Blog

Conversion can be defined as our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place our trust in Christ for salvation. To think about conversion carefully, we’ll look at the necessity, nature, and evidence of conversion over the next few posts. The Necessity of Conversion Previously, we observed that ... Keep Reading

Some years ago media mogul Ted Turner suggested that we ditch the Ten Commandments and hold a contest on who could come up with a better set of guidelines. To put forward the idea of replacing God’s standard of righteousness, and the foundation of jurisprudence, with pithy progressive ideas is the epitome of what C.S. Lewis called &ldq... Keep Reading

Regeneration is a secret act of God in which He imparts new spiritual life to us. It is not merited or deserved in any way by those who receive it, and it is completely monergistic- that is, brought about completely by God. In other words, you don’t have any part in your regeneration.  In sanctification, for example, you do ... Keep Reading

Rembrandt van Rijn was a brilliant painter who, among other subjects in his career, captured biblical scenes with magnificent clarity.  His painting, “The Return of the Prodigal Son,” portrays the return of the wayward son to his father based upon Jesus’s parable in Luke 15. The painting captures that life had be... Keep Reading

There is one final thing I would like to consider about election, and our Ephesians passage in particular. Why would God choose to make salvation work in this way?   Certainly, there is some mystery in God's design. John Piper has said, helpfully, “Not all things are good for us to know, and so God has not revealed them to u... Keep Reading

We are often tempted to dismiss idolatry as a serious threat to our spiritual well-being. When we think of idolatry, we can easily retreat to Old Testament days and believe that it was their problem. We confine idolatry to the work of wood or stone, and thereby dismiss it as an ancient sin with no impact to our generation. However, in the N... Keep Reading

No one is saved apart from Christ, and no one is saved apart from hearing the gospel and placing their faith in Christ alone. There is no calm, dispassionate entry into heaven for the elect. Rather, the elect are spared from the clutches of death and hell because of Christ who gave His life and shed His blood to win them. This is not a cold, systematic arrangement. This is God’s love, mercy, grace, and goodness on display to all creation. All could have been left to suffer punishment for sin, but in God's wisdom and love, He showed His goodness by saving some.... Keep Reading

Written by Pastor Jim Law The Old Testament is given to the people of God as vital revelation for -the strengthening of our faith -the instruction of our doctrine -the foundation of the Gospel, and -the encouragement of our soul. The historical narratives of the Old Testament are filled with many priceless gems. In this short post, I w... Keep Reading

If you are a Christian, you did not become one simply because you chose God. Rather, He chose you to be an instrument of His glory and grace. What a mystery! Election raises a lot of questions, but the answers offered by the scripture are remarkably beautiful.... Keep Reading

We are a culture that prizes convenience and pragmatism, and consequently we love “silver bullet” solutions to our problems. By “silver bullet,” I’m referring to the term that commonly describes an action that cuts through the complexity of an issue by providing a quick solution. silver-bullet-thinkingWhen bact... Keep Reading