Hebrews 1:1-4 - Christ, the Message of God
Christ our Wisdom
Through the Holy Spirit we are able to embrace Christ as our wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The Gentleness of Christ
This article looks at the text of 2 Corinthians 10:1. In dealing with weak and sinful Christians, Paul desired to be an imitator of Christ. In this scriptural passage he points to how Christ deals with His church in gentleness and meekness.
Christ our Sanctification
Emphasizing progressive sanctification has the potential to undermine positional sanctification. This article describes the relationship as viewing believers' sanctification, which is rooted in Christ, as ground to live a practically sanctified life.
Count it All Joy (Part 1)
Count it All Joy (Part 2)
Wanting Wisdom (Part 1)
This is the first of two articles based on 1 Corinthians 2:7 on the topic of wisdom. Wisdom from God can only be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This wisdom has always been part of God's plan - already before God created the earth He had elected who would be saved.
Wanting Wisdom (Part 2)
This is the second of two articles based on 1 Corinthians 2:7 on the topic of wisdom. Scripture is the source of wisdom, the gospel is the content of wisdom, and Christ is the center of wisdom.
Hebrews 4:14-16 – The Throne of Grace (Part 1)
This is the first of two articles on Hebrews 4:14-16. This article shows that in Christ, escape from apostasy and unbelief has been made possible. Christ is our High Priest and King, and his Holy Spirit dwells in us and draws us closer to him.
Hebrews 4:14-16 – The Throne of Grace (Part 2)
This is the second of two articles on Hebrews 4:14-16. Because of Christ's priesthood in heaven, Christians are encouraged to approach the throne to receive mercy and grace in times of need. The author looks at the Old Testament to examine the meaning of the expression to "find grace."
1 John 2:12-14 - Children, Fathers, Youths (Part 1)
This is the first article in a trilogy on 1 John 2:12-14. This article shows that by referring to children, fathers and young men, John is not addressing age groups within the church. Rather, he is using these references to describe believers in the church as they are born again.
1 John 2:12-14 - Children, Fathers, Youths (Part 3)
1 John 2:12-14 - Children, Fathers, Youths (Part 2)
This is the second article in a trilogy on 1 John 2:12-14. This article shows that the church of God is characterized by possessing wisdom, which comes as a result of knowing God through the gospel.
Luke 18:1-8 - The Unjust Judge (Part 2)
This is the second of two articles on Luke 18:1-8 and the parable of the unjust judge. These articles encourage the Christian in fighting against depression and discouragement. The focus here is on the love of God and His patience as source of encouragement for our faith. We can cling to Him in prayer.
Luke 18:1-8 - The Unjust Judge (Part 1)
This is the first of two articles on Luke 18:1-8 and the parable of the unjust judge. These articles encourage the Christian in fighting against depression and discouragement. The focus here is on the contrast between the unjust judge and God, who is sovereign and gracious. The author also speaks about the confidence we can have in prayer.
New Testament Church Practice
In the New Testament worship service there was no distinction between laity and clergy; rather, there was a priesthood of all believers. However, this does not mean that everyone had the right to preach or teach - this God entrusted to the elders. We should take this into account when reflecting on our worship today.
Hebrews 10:19-22 - Entering the Holiest
Hebrews 10:19-22 describes the blessings believers receive through the new covenant. These blessings include boldness through the blood of Christ to approach the throne of grace, access to the Father, and representation in heaven through the priesthood of Christ.
Preaching Christ (Part 1)
This is the first article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. This article looks at the connection between preaching Christ and the gospel from the New Testament. Preaching that has authority is preaching that is Christ-centered. Preaching Christ is important for both believers and non-believers.
Preaching Christ (Part 2)
This is the second article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. Preaching Christ means telling the good news about deliverance from sin and God's judgement.
Preaching Christ (Part 3)
This is the third article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. Preaching Christ means preaching the glory of the gospel, God's counsel, election, and the glory of God's grace.
Preaching Christ (Part 4)
This is the fourth article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. Preaching Christ includes speaking about the treasures of Christ. These treasures include: the fullness of Christ, election, Christ being the Head of the church, and grace.
Preaching Christ (Part 6)
This is the sixth article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. Here the author views the preacher as an herald - preaching in a way which points people to Christ - and as a messenger.
Preaching Christ (Part 9)
This is the ninth article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. We can learn a lot from the New Testament about preaching Christ. In the New Testament, believers preached Christ by pointing to Old Testament passages.
The Helper
This article looks at the work of the Holy Spirit in the context of John 14 to John 16. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, He leads us to Christ, and through Him the Son and the Father dwell in us.
Genesis 14 - Abram and the King of Salem
In Genesis 14 Abram displayed a heart of a shepherd in seeking out Lot. This article reveals how God showed His provision and how Abram submitted to Christ in his meeting with Melchizedek.
Preaching Christ (Part 11)
This is the eleventh article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. Looking at Acts 7, this article looks at Stephen's preaching showing how New Testament preachers used the Old Testament to point to Christ. Stephen preached Christ through highlighting Israel's history.
Preaching Christ (Part 12)
This is the final article in a twelve part series on the topic of preaching Christ. This article shows how Joshua 5 and Ezra 7:11-28 point to Christ. The author uses this to show how preaching Christ from the Old Testament can be done.
The Water of Life (Part 2): The Spirit and the Church
This is the second article in a series on the work of the Holy Spirit. The church is the body of Christ, with Christ as the Head. Such a church only exists through the work of the Holy Spirit. This article shows how the Spirit shapes the unity of the church and her worship.
The Water of Life (Part 1)
This article is the first in a series on the work of the Holy Spirit. It makes the assertion that the spiritual drought facing the church may be the result of neglecting biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit and His person. The author focuses here on the need for the work of the Holy Spirit in evangelism. In order for evangelism to be effective, it must be empowered by the Spirit.
The Water of Life (Part 3): The Spirit and Pastoral Preaching
This article is the third in a series on the work of the Holy Spirit. It shows that preaching which is not aided by the Spirit will fail. The work of the Holy Spirit is needed both by the preacher and the listeners. Effective and edifying preaching comes only as a result of the Spirit working in the preacher and the listener.
The Water of Life (Part 4): Born of the Spirit
This article is the fourth in a series on the work of the Holy Spirit. Explaining what it means to be born again, this article looks at the relationship between regeneration and conversion. Conversion flows from regeneration. Through regeneration one is adopted to be a child of God.
The Water of Life (Part 5): Filled With the Spirit
This article is the fifth in a series on the work of the Holy Spirit. Here the author distinguishes between occasional and habitual filling with the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit is the work of the Holy Spirit; however, by filling ourselves with God's word we create a channel to experience the filling of the Spirit. The article also discusses corporate worship in relation to being filled by the Spirit.
Should We Preach the Sovereignty of God
This article understands the sovereignty of God to mean that God has absolute authority over the whole created order, has the absolute ability to fulfill His desire, and is autonomous. Here the author appeals for the preaching of this sovereignty of God. The author also deals with objections to preaching the sovereignty of God in public and the challenge of open theism.
Preaching the Sovereignty of God
God is sovereign over creation, history and salvation. This article looks at Acts 2, pointing to Peter as an example of how to preach the sovereignty of God. Preaching the gospel requires ministers to preach the sovereignty of God.
James 1:2-3 - Count it All Joy
Hebrews 11:8-10 - Abraham and the Comfort of Faith
Looking at Hebrews 11:8-10, this article shows how Abraham's faith rested in God's promises, patience and sovereignty. It is a call to believers to emulate such faith in a world where Christians are pilgrims.
Hebrews 11:24-29 - Moses and the Power of Faith
Hebrews 11:24-29 presents Moses' faith as a faith which justifies the sinner, motivates the believer for the kingdom of God, and conquers Satan.
1 John 3:4-10 - Lawless or Righteous?
Through John's description of the character of unbelievers in 1 John 3:4-10 we can see how believers should act. Unbelievers habitually practice sin, find no delights in God's word, and take no interest in Christ. All of these things change when one is saved by Christ.
Joshua 5:13-6:5 - Worship and the Great Commission
Working from the scripture passage of Joshua 5:13 - Joshua 6:5 on the conquest of Jericho, this article shows the relationship between worship and evangelism, or mission work. Just as in worship God's people are led by Christ and are in His presence, so in evangelism Christ leads His church and His people go with His presence.