The Pilgrims and Puritans who came to America from England in the early 1600s seeking religious freedom brought with them views of their faith, the church, and the state that would seem strange to a majority of American churchgoers today. For example, these pioneers were predominantly products of the Reformation, and Reformation theology taught them that their occupations were all holy callings, ordained by God, be they butchers, bakers or candlestick makers. They were actively serving God, not just in their daily work, but…

How have secular, anti-Christian forces, outlined so clearly in the video in my last blog posting, made such headway in America in the last 100 years? Why are those forces, now being seemingly so successful, meeting what appears to be such feeble resistance? Should we Christians not do more than simply mumble “Ain’t it awful” and retreat behind our stained-glass windows to promote our next church growth program? When a plan hasn’t worked, a change in life-trajectory, personally or nationally, involves a realistic evaluation…

The recent events in Charlottesville have prompted many observers and commentators to ask the question, “What has happened to America?” Here is my brief analysis of how I see the last 75 years in order to introduce what I believe is the answer to that question. Post war years – 1945-1950. Years of joy and a return to national peacetime. 1950’s – Eisenhower years, Korean War, post war economic peace and prosperity (if you were white). Late 1950’s, early 1960’s – Civil rights movement…

Last week I proposed to you that the two edges of the sword of the word of God—the law of God and the gospel of the grace of God—like the edges on any blade, grow dull with use. We as Christians live in an alien culture, and the world and our sinful flesh, both under the control of Satan, attack us constantly from every angle. The mighty, powerful sword of the word of God is our weapon to resist him, and it is more…

We have one knife in the Andrews’ kitchen that can slice a tomato. All the others, no matter how impressive they may look, can’t cut hot butter! When I do the limited tasks I regularly perform in the kitchen (i.e., fix my own lunch) and cook an occasional dinner when Jill is gone, the state of the Andrews cutlery is what used to be commonly called, “the bane of my existence.” Jill’s attitude in the kitchen is “Sharp knives scare me,” as she proceeds…

As we have discussed the nature of the gospel in these blog postings, the issue of “cheap grace” may be a topic that you have felt needs to be discussed. The gospel I have presented here has been described by some Christian leaders as “hyper-grace,” “cheap grace,” “license,” “antinomianism,” and other pejorative terms that imply a version of the gospel that is a “false gospel” not true to the Bible. I understand that sentiment completely, and I too think it warrants addressing. There is…

After delivering a message recently on the nature of the gospel, as we have been discussing in these blog posts, I spoke with one of my hearers who commented to me how much he appreciated the message. He then said, very naturally and spontaneously, “I’ve just got to discipline myself more.” I wondered if he had heard anything I had said. The law as a performance ladder to climb to please God had been the unconscious source of his thinking his whole life, as…

Last week we discussed the biblical idea of thinking like God thinks—losing our lives to save them, serving in order to lead, being last to be first, and being a sinner in order to be righteous. This is foolishness to the world but illustrated perfectly by the life of Jesus at the cross. What does that mean to us personally? Generally, nothing. We naturally and without knowing it continue to think as we naturally came out of the womb thinking, by cause and effect.…

God has a recovery plan for us after He cuts open our hearts with the two-edged sword of His word. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, . . . and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4;12). God has “exegeted” our hearts; one edge of His sword, the law, cut us open and exposed the hidden sin that is there,…

Lying in the Recovery Room after spiritual open-heart surgery, I recognize that I am now on the road to recovery with a newly restored heart, in spite of all the pain and discomfort that remains after surgery. My congenital heart condition has been fully repaired. However, traveling this road to recovery will take some time, and God Himself, my Daddy, is fully in charge of the whole process. Interestingly, His plan for my full restoration to a joyous, fulfilling, meaningful, and productive life can…