The Unity of the Lord’s Teaching and Closed Communion
(I wrote this essay in 2008 to clarify the connection between theological fellowship and the Lord’s Table. Republished here for your edification… Pr...
Category: Theology
Life of Hope, Hope of Life
…Martin Luther on Baptism Here’s a quotation to write on our hearts: But by baptism we are restored to the life of hope, or rather to the hope of l...
Is Martin Luther a Higher Critic?
“The Scriptures are a manger in which Christ lies.” What does that mean? Martin Luther uses a metaphor to describe the Holy Scriptures. They are, he...
The Song that Turns Beast into Men
“Behold the might of the new song! It has made men out of stones, men out of beasts. Those, moreover, that were as dead, not being partakers of the true.....
On the Incarnation (Quotation Drop Post)
The incarnation of our Lord Jesus is the second great mystery of the Christian faith. It is a stunning confession: that the eternal God has become a man. It str...
Life without the Gospel
As long as they hear the bare preaching of the Law, and nothing concerning Christ, and therefore do not learn from the Law to perceive their sins aright, [they]...
The Camera Angles of the Passion
If you wanted to make a movie of the life of Jesus, you would mostly need one camera. From His baptism to the Last Supper, the Gospels follow Jesus. Our...
How God is in Charge
That God is in charge of the universe is implied in the word “god.” But how? Here is a very helpful reflection on the providence of God from the gre...
Historical Examples of Infant Baptism
Thanks to Jason N. who gathered up all the references in a Facebook conversation. (I’m simply cutting and pasting what he wrote!) From the beginning of Ne...
Progressive Mortification, How to Humble the Flesh
We want to do what is right, but something in us resists doing good. The Bible tells us that it is our sinful flesh that opposes us. This article is...
Three True Honors Christians Give to the Saints
One of the great disputes of the Reformation regarded the saints, those excellent Christians who had died. A major part of Roman Catholic piety revolved around ...
The Adventure of Theology (If You’re New, Start Here…)
I’m convinced of a few things. 1. Theology is an adventure. It saddens me to no end to see people bored with theology. There is nothing better, more beaut...
Four Pieces of Advice for Those Who Worry
(This post is an adaptation of this sermon.) #1: See How Jesus Makes Fun of Worry The way Jesus preaches about worry is mostly by making fun of it. “Which...
If God Knows What’s Going to Happen, Why Should Our Prayers Matter?
There is a common difficulty in regards to prayer and the will and power of God. I come across this same question from Christians struggling to pray and from at...
Can You Make a Decision for Christ?
“Have you made a decision for Christ?” One often hears this question from radio and television preachers, or even from our friends and family. “Hav...
Warning against the “Misfortune of Prosperity”
Martin Luther, teaching on Psalm 69, warns about the “misfortune of prosperity.” This passage is worth meditating on… But if we would see corr...
The Three Blessings of Tribulation and Trouble: Martin Luther on Psalm 4:1
Psalm 4 is one of the great evening Psalms, a Psalm of confidence and faith. Verse 1 reads: “You have relieved me in my distresses.” Luther translat...
Why Some are Saved and Not Others Infographic
After watching this video about why some people are saved and not others, our friend Chip Thompson made this fantastic infographic:
Spiritual Eyes
Spiritual Eyes. There are two very different and competing ideas about the authority of our eyes. One the one hand, the world teaches us that “Seeing is ...
“It is a Great Art to Know this Christian Dance” or: Seeing Tribulation with “Spiritual Eyes” (Advice from Martin Luther)
I’m doing some work on Martin Luther and “spiritual eyes.” This is a marvellous quotation that doesn’t fit in the article, his commentar...