Michael Wittmer recently made an observation, asked a question, and drew an application about sexual sin: There is something about sexual sin that ruins the minds of previously healthy people.… Why is sexual sin a gateway to this smorgasbord of lethal debauchery?… Sexual sin is the canary in the coal mine, the first sign that […]
Read More The canary in the coal mineThe story is told about a visit that the 18th century king of Prussia, Frederick II of Prussia made to a prison in Berlin. Expectantly, the inmates all vainly attempted to prove to him their innocence and the injustice of their incarceration. Everyone, that is, with one exception. Seeing that one lone, quiet prisoner, the […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (1/9/11)This is the eighth of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC. If there is nothing that makes a pastor’s heart more glad than people growing in Christ, then there is nothing that makes him more sad than people rejecting Christ. In a cabinet drawer in my office, I […]
Read More Reflections on Twenty Years of Ministry: RepentanceA man must be lost before he can be found by the grace of Christ. One must be in desperate straights before he might be saved by God’s salvation. A man must be cognizant of and convicted by his unworthiness before God will redeem his sin and use that man for God’s own glory. A […]
Read More One must be lostFollowing on the heels of my earlier comments, I came across a review of Susan Wise Bauer’s recent book, The Art of the Public Grovel, Sexual Sin and Public Confession in America. Based on the review, I’m not sure I agree with Bauer’s conclusions, however, it does offer much to think about in relation to […]
Read More Another thought about confession and “apologies”It has interested me over the past few years to see a growing trend for groups to offer “apologies” to other groups or individuals who may not even be alive, for sins that were not committed by the apologizing group. The whole truth about confession and forgiveness is horribly muddled in the whole process: Biblically […]
Read More Creation, evolution, and apologiesDwight Edwards was the pastor of Grace Bible Church in College Station, TX until he failed morally and resigned several years ago. In the great grace of God, repentance was wrought in his heart, as he recently shared in his testimony (search using his last name to find the audio). What contributed to his failure? […]
Read More On the reasons for great sinChristian parents sometimes undergo the sorrow of watching their children stray from the truth of Christ. How should they respond to that sinful waywardness? Abraham Piper (John’s son), offers some counsel that serves as both an encouragement (there is hope for repentance!) and some help (what can I do??). Read it here. In addition, there […]
Read More Encouragement and Help for ParentsGod says, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3). How might that kind of humility be […]
Read More On humilityJohn Owen (called by John Piper “the greatest Puritan Theologian”) writes the following concerning the good role of guilt in mortifying sin: Bring thy lust to the gospel, not for relief, but for further conviction of its guilt: look on him whom thou has pierced, and be in bitterness. Say to thy soul, ‘What have […]
Read More The Gospel and the Good Value of Guilt
Words of Grace 