Along the way, growing up, I encountered various people who believed or taught that in order to have your sins forgiven you had to confess each sin specifically. I saw this cause trouble in a number of lives. Even though, at the time, I was not prepared to argue against the idea, I did not …
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I have previously commended the excellent book Concerning the True Care of Souls, by Martin Bucer. In his discussion of Titus 1:5-7 Bucer argues the text (and others like it) require a plurality of elders and that these elders are to be pastors engaged in the oversight of souls (not a corporate board as is …
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“But if any master of ceremonials ventured to preach other than the truth to the sheep entrusted to me, I declared I would not stand it” -“Letter of Huldreich Zwingli to Erasmus Fabricius about the Proceedings, on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of April, 1522, of the Delegates Sent to Zurich by the Bishop of …
I recently read Stephen Ambrose’s little book, Comrades Brothers, Fathers, Heroes, Sons, Pals, (Simon & Schuster, 1999) and thoroughly enjoyed his celebration of male friendships. He pursues the theme of friendship by examining his own life (brothers, father, and other friends) and friendships of men he’s already written significant volumes about (Eisenhower, Custer, Crazy Horse, …
This is a challenging word from Zwingli. He roots this in 2 Timothy 2:23. “[Those] who bring hatred upon the gospel are those who are more inflated with knowledge of the gospel than ignited with love. They exercise themselves more with quarreling than with gentle Christian living. They see in others what is lacking in …
Earlier this year I mentioned The Call conference for pastors to be held at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland. I was blessed to be apart and benefited from all the messages. I have mentioned some of them along the way but just recently noticed that video of all the messages has been posted online. So, …
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This past week I taught a week-long course for the Sovereign Grace Pastors’ College in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It was an invigorating and particularly blessed time. Over three and a half days I walked through Hebrews through Revelation with 23 guys from a wide range of ages, and experience both practical and academic- some fairly new, …
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“Finally, if 1-3 John leave the disciple who studies them with any single lasting impression, it is the grandeur and centrality of God. Part of this is the sheer volume of references to him. There is hardly a verse or even clause anywhere that does not name a person of the Godhead (Trinity), a divine …
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In a technical article on the Greek word for “false teacher” used in 2 Peter 2:1, K. Rengstorf says this term shows their teaching was false and “in every respect they are a perversion of the Christian διδασκολος [teacher], since they reject the claim of Jesus to domination over their whole lives.”[1] This is an …