Archive for category: Pastoral Theology

   “Whatever is pure.” Here we enter into a portion of the secret to Christian contentment that could profitably be addressed by a book-length treatise. We live in a day where we literally wallow in impurity. You cannot drive down a street without seeing billboards that are filthy and impure. You check the distance to the car in front of you

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   “Whatever is honorable…dwell on these things” (Phil. 4:8). Honorable, worthy of respect, dignified, serious, above reproach, even holy. These are terms used to translate the single Greek term Paul uses here. We see here the value of interpretation in context, because the use of this term in conjunction with others helps us to identify Paul’s intention (to use technical terminology,

   tau/ta logi,zesqe. Dwell on these things. Think about these things. Meditate on these things. This is the apostolic command in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” We

Philippians 4:6-9 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever

   Fulfilling the biblical teaching that there is nothing new under the sun, the Scriptures contain warnings that are directly relevant to us today regarding the selling of the precious privilege of the pulpit for that which is passing away, the things of this world. When giving Timothy guidance regarding the qualifications for the eldership Paul taught: An overseer, then, must

   As you can tell from the relative silence here on the blog, I’m in lock-down mode. Must write, must write all day, must write all night. Must just write constantly. But it is always good to let folks know you are not just off goofing around, so, another quick peek at Pulpit Crimes. Possibly to the shock of some, one

   I had the opportunity of ministering the Word this weekend at the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church. I spoke on 1 Timothy 1:3-5 and “The Goal of Our Instruction” in the morning service. Then, since we will be rejoicing in observing the ordinance of baptism next Sunday morning, I addressed the issue of baptism, answering various questions and objections to the

A couple of days ago I commented on an e-mail sent by someone who claimed they were becoming Roman Catholic because of me. I mentioned that I have seen this kind of e-mail from various groups, and in the few times I have been able to press the person for meaningful interaction, I have always found the claim less than

Rich and I and our families and all involved with Alpha and Omega Ministries join with all the rest of the broader Christian community in praying for a man who has blessed us all mightily, pastor John Piper of the Bethlehem Baptist Church. His ministry has announced his diagnosis with cancer, and his upcoming surgery here. May God be glorified,

It is that time of year again–everyone is making resolutions for the new year. But, for Christians, what kind of resolutions should we be making, and then trusting the Spirit of God to bring to fruition in our lives? Well, there are many that we as followers of Christ could make that would be similar to those made by the

Guest blogger Eddie Exposito provides some thoughts while I prepare to head to the Deep South…     When you find someone who agrees with you on every point of doctrine, polity, and practice you must either be gazing into your bedroom mirror or having fellowship with a politician, for the truth of the matter is, we do disagree. Now don’t

I mentioned to some friends that I would be open for them to provide me with some assistance in blogging between now and the Crossan debate, less than a month off, and the first one to submit something was my friend pastor John Samson, aka “SillyBrit2,” a former subject of the British Crown, now a true Yank (he has given

Hat tip to Kerry Kinchen for referring me to a paper by one of the framers of the London Baptist Confession (1689) on the atonement and the elect, found here. Good stuff. I was also referred by others to an article on Jeremiah 31/Hebrews 8, which I looked at immediately due to my recent published articles on the subject in

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col. 3:1-3, NASB) Wednesday night I used this

The treatment of this subject, then, does not call for an apology. On the contrary, there are good reasons for discussing it. There are comparatively few Christians to-day, who really glory in the assurance of salvation. The note of heavenly joy seems to have died away out of the life of God’s people. It is true that it may sometimes

   But I hear you say you cannot come alone, you cannot struggle by yourself, you cannot brave alone the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai, you cannot stand with Moses on the smoking and the quaking summit, you must mingle with the multitude below. You are not even willing to be saved alone. Having followed a multitude so long to

   The awakening, then, of the human soul, to an effectual apprehension of eternal realities, must take its first issue from some other Being than the drowzy and slumbering creature himself. We are not speaking of a few serious thoughts that now and then fleet across the human mind, like meteors at midnight, and are seen no more. We are speaking

One of the greatest tests for one’s theology is how well it survives the simple application to the everyday Christian life, and how it works in the ministry of the elders in the congregation. Most books today that are “practical” are theologically abhorrent; and not many that are theologically accurate bridge the gap to the practical application in every day

I used to use that as a tagline on my old BBS posts (if you know what a BBS is/was, well, you are older than my kids). It was followed by a reference:  “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth.” (Job 40:4)  The context was in reference, back then, to

“Resolved, Never hence-forward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s.” (from the “Resolutions” of Jonathan Edwards, begun in 1722) “Perhaps the simplest statement of it is the best: that it lies in a profound apprehension of God in His majesty, with the inevitably accompanying poignant realization of the exact