What God changes at salvation

The writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to “consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (12:3). In other words, one antidote to discouragement, despondency, and depression is a serious consideration and meditation on the work of Christ. To that end, […]

What does it mean to be united to Christ?

From a recent sermon by Keith Palmer (quoting an unnamed source): What does it mean to be united to Jesus Christ? The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am united to Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be […]

Christmas Eve: The Indescribable Gift

The Indescribable Gift 2 Corinthians 9:15 December 24, 2013 It was the Christmas that almost wasn’t for me. I think I was about 8- or 10-years-old. I didn’t almost miss Christmas because I overslept or was out of the country. It was because I made a tactical error. In my recollection, in those years my […]

Sermon: What’s in a Name?

What’s in a Name Selected Scriptures from Mt. 1-2; Luke 1-2 December 22, 2013 When Raye Jeanne was pregnant with the girls, we spent many hours reading names back and forth to one another, trying to come up with something that we thought sounded right and would be fitting for our unknown child. At the […]

Our sins sink as lead in the mighty waters of the Redeemer’s blood

Thomas Boston, Human Nature in Its Fourfold State: God the Father takes the pen, dips it in the blood of his Son, crosses off the sinner’s accounts, and blots them out of his debt-book. The sinner outside of Christ is bound over to the wrath of God; he is under an obligation in law to […]

Sunday Leftovers: Christ as the infinite God-Man

Jesus Christ is the infinite God-Man. And that simply stated truth has been under attack since the advent of Christ. In the early church in Asia Minor, some heretics suggested Christ was deity but not man, but were that a case, Christ could not identify with us and could not bear our sin on the […]

Some benefits of believing in Christ

In expounding the provision of assurance for believers, the apostle John also reminds his readers in his first epistle of some of the benefits that come from believing in Christ: fellowship with God (1:3, 6, 7) Jesus Christ as his advocate (2:1) the command (and an ability) to love others (2:7; 4:21) the anointing of […]

Life in the Son

Solomon says that life on this earth — life under the sun — is vanity. But the New Testament says even more clearly what Solomon can only hint at: that life in the Son is satisfying, fulfilling, and the only ultimately worthwhile venture.

Living like Jesus lived

Many years ago, many Christians began sporting rubberized wrist bands with the initials WWJD — What Would Jesus Do? In one sense it’s an irrelevant question — Jesus is the Son of God, the third person of the Trinity, perfect in all His attributes and actions, completely sinless. I can’t do what He would do. […]

Christ, our Advocate

A couple of years ago I sat in a courtroom as a member of a jury serving a criminal case. On that day there were two lawyers in that courtroom serving as advocates — one as a defender of the man accused of a crime, and the other serving as both defender of the victim […]

The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin

When it comes to blood, I am squeamish. On two separate occasions I’ve almost fainted while making a pastoral hospital visit. When a hospital scene comes up in a television show, I always avert my eyes. When someone wants to show off a scar or wound, I ask not to be shown. Yet there is […]

The Supremacy of Christ

Watch this. It’s a little long (just shy of 20 minutes). But it’s worth the investment of that time. HT: Challies.

That’s My King

He is the risen Savior! And He is the ascended King! He’s my King! HT: The Cripplegate.

Christ’s death and God’s will

George Smeaton, The Apostles Doctrine of the Atonement: Peter intimates that God subjected Him to death, and that He was not properly overcome by His enemies, — that it was the will of God, His determinate counsel or plan, that Messiah should be delivered as a malefactor into the hands of men, and be put […]

“I don’t do blood”

I don’t do blood. Those real-life operating shows on TV? You’ve never seen anyone flip channels so fast! Dissections in my high school and college biology labs? Someone else had to do them. Emergency room and intensive care visitations? They better be quick — I’ve had more than one hospital room start “spinning” on me! […]