One thing distinguishes a child from an adult: growth. A child grows into an adult. This takes many years and God uses the means of nurture in the home. This is also true of spiritual growth. Just as we grow physically because we have physical life, so we grow spiritually because we are spiritually alive. […]
Not every question can be answered by appealing directly to a text of scripture. The Bible has nothing to say about the modern practice of voting. At the time when the Bible was written, the government was either a theocracy, where God ruled in Israel through a hereditary monarchy and priesthood, or God’s people were […]
In John 15 Christ speaks of the vine and its branches, where he is the vine and the disciples are the branches. Most of us are familiar with that figure, which emphasizes that faith is union with Christ. But there is another aspect of the figure that receives less attention: Jesus calls us to “abide” […]
Many people believe that the difference between Arminianism and the Reformed faith with respect to the cross of Christ is simple—the Arminians teach that Jesus Christ died for all men without exception (universal atonement), while the Reformed faith teaches that Jesus Christ died only for some, that is, only for the elect (limited atonement). However, […]
When you are travelling through lion country, you must be vigilant. In June 2015, a young woman paid for her lack of vigilance with her life. She was visiting a safari park in South Africa. Reports suggest that she was taking photographs—with the window of her vehicle open. Tourists in nearby vehicles honked their horns […]
I did not grow up in the Protestant Reformed Churches, but in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI), a liberal Presbyterian denomination. My mother instilled into me a love for the scriptures from childhood, and I cannot remember a time when I haven’t read God’s word. I suppose there must have been some true preaching […]
Beloved young people, we are sheep and we have a Shepherd. This is not true of the majority of young people, who are without a shepherd, have no hope and are without God in the world. Psalm 49:14 says of them, “Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them.” Literally, […]
Today many think that the State of Israel is the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy, but keep in mind that, Abraham never possessed the land, not even enough ‘’to set his foot on’’ (Acts 7:5). The patriarchs inherited the heavenly Canaan (Heb. 11:16), of which the earthly is but a type. Hebrews 3:19 teaches that the Israelites […]
An Evaluation and Comparison of Cardinal Sadolet’s Letter to Geneva and Calvin’s Letter to Cardinal Sadolet In March 1539, nearly a year after the expulsion of John Calvin and William Farel from Geneva, Roman Catholic Cardinal James Sadolet addressed a letter to that city to attempt, in the Reformers’ absence, to win back Geneva to […]
If two sinners hear the same gospel message preached, why does one repent (Acts 5:31, Acts 11:18) and believe unto salvation, and the other perish in his unbelief? (1 Pet. 2:8, Lk. 13:5) Is it because one has more insight (Romans 3:11-12), is more intelligent, is more righteous, is wiser (1 Cor. 1:18, 26-31) or […]