The Fragrance of Christ

“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor 2:15-16) One smell you’ll probably never encounter on the … Continue reading The Fragrance of Christ

Why Romans 7:18 Needs a Translation Update

I recently led a class session on how to interpret the second half of Romans 7. During the early part of the discussion, I presented four approaches to the overall interpretation of Romans 7:14-25 and asked students to inductively attempt to make arguments for each of the four positions from the passage itself. At one … Continue reading Why Romans 7:18 Needs a Translation Update

Dying Daily

I recently read John Piper’s little book, Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ. In this book, Piper wrote three short biographies of Christian missionaries who were martyred for Christ: William Tyndale, John G. Paton, and Adoniram Judson. In the introduction, Piper made a comment that has been stirring and working its way into my heart. … Continue reading Dying Daily

What is the Unforgivable Sin? What is Blasphemy against the Spirit?

Some years ago, I counseled with a student who was paralyzed by a fear that she had committed the unforgivable sin because of some terrible words she had uttered. Her concern came out of Matthew 12:31, “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall … Continue reading What is the Unforgivable Sin? What is Blasphemy against the Spirit?

“Your Life is Hidden with Christ in God”: A Devotional Reading of Colossians 3:3

A hymn I learned as a child was running through my mind. I was perched on the side of a mountain overlooking the town of Idyllwild, California—one of my favorite places to pray. I had set aside this time for prayer because I sensed a spiritual storm on the horizon. Here is the chorus of … Continue reading “Your Life is Hidden with Christ in God”: A Devotional Reading of Colossians 3:3

Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2020

Following are seven books I read in 2020 that I found beneficial in my Christian life. This year I read quite a few biographies, so three of my entries are biographies. Unfortunately, none of the academic books I read this year made the list (compare my list for 2019), even though most of the books … Continue reading Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2020

Four Lessons for Christmas from Mary’s Song of Praise (The Magnificat: Luke 2:46-55)

God broke into history by bringing a surprise announcement to a peasant girl in Nazareth. Mary’s response to this astonishing—and scandalous, even terrifying—proclamation that she would be the virgin mother of the Messiah is instructive for how we should respond to a God who not only broke into history, but has broken into our lives … Continue reading Four Lessons for Christmas from Mary’s Song of Praise (The Magnificat: Luke 2:46-55)

Can I Recommend a Christmas Gift?

One of the hardest things about being a Christian author is determining how much—or how little—to promote a book I’ve written. Nevertheless, in the presence of the Lord, I know that I have the responsibility not only to prayerfully and carefully write books that strengthen people’s faith and further Christ’s kingdom, but also to encourage … Continue reading Can I Recommend a Christmas Gift?

The Most Important “Therefore” in the Bible: Romans 12:1

One of my earliest college teachers taught me to ask a certain question every time I encountered the word “therefore” in the Bible. He told me to ask the question: Wherefore is that “therefore” there for? So let’s ask that question of what is, at least in my opinion, the single most important “therefore” in … Continue reading The Most Important “Therefore” in the Bible: Romans 12:1

Thankfulness in Christ

Thanksgiving in the United States is one of my favorite holidays. I used to view it as the only holiday still untainted by secularism and materialism. But that was before football took over. Now, for many of us, largely because of the national obsession with American-style football, the most thanks that gets expressed on our … Continue reading Thankfulness in Christ