Establishing Christ’s Reign in Ourselves and Our World Romans 8:13 says, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” This is not a suggestion. It is not optional Christianity. It is not a call to…
1) What is “Covenant Baptism” in one sentence? Covenant Baptism is God placing His covenant sign on believers and their children, bringing them into the visible church and calling them to live by faith in Christ. 2) Why baptize a baby who can’t yet profess faith? Because baptism is first God’s covenant act and promise-sign,…
Why We Gladly Place the Sign of Christ on Our Children There are few moments more tender in the life of a church than when a small child is brought to the font. Though such a thing has made many a Baptists angry or confused, the beauty of it all has also won a number…
A Christian Worldview Is A Biblical Worldview The great missionary Adoniram Judson once said, “A true disciple inquires not whether a fact is agreeable to his own reason, but whether it is in the book (the Bible). His pride has yielded to the Divine testimony . . . . Break down your pride, and yield…
Romans 8:1–4 and the way God actually changes us This past Sunday I was privileged to begin preaching through Romans 8. Other than the Sermon on the Mount, I’ve probably spent more time studying, memorizing, and seeking to apply this beautiful passage of Scripture than any other. And part of the reason for that can…
Quiet Faithfulness and the Transformation of the World I am not a fan of the French philosopher Voltaire, or of the French Revolution that came in part as a result of his ideas (though we modern Americans are far more influenced by such things than we probably realize). However, he didn’t get everything wrong. In…
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32). G. K. Chesterton once said, “A society is in decay, final or transitional, when common sense really becomes uncommon.” And with that in mind, it appears we are living in the midst of serious decay because depending…
At Cornerstone Academy I’m currently teaching through the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and as of late we’re working through the Q&A on the Ten Commandments. I’m also currently taking a seminary class on the Biblical Doctrine of the Christian Child, which has had me thinking a lot about generational faith and what it means to truly…
Romans 7:14–25 is one of those passages that the church has been fighting about for years. Even many of my heroes in the faith disagree about this passage, though they agree on so many other things. Many of them think that Romans 7 describes unconverted Paul, along with Adam and Israel caught up in sin…
Can Christians eat bacon? Can we order shrimp without a guilty conscience? Why do we worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? Are we still supposed to obey the Ten Commandments—or did Jesus “do away with the Law”? Those questions aren’t new. The New Testament itself is filled with them, because Jesus did something decisive: He…