Ken Duffy

The Pace Belongs to God

Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

For years I preached election, argued for predestination, and rested in divine decree while giving too little thought to the sovereignty of God over timing. God governs timing as fully as He governs outcome, and He governs the pace of sanctification in His people.

Around 2019 the resistance surfaced. It began as grief. I watched professing believers ignore plain commands of Scripture. Discipline was neglected. Covenant faithfulness was treated as severity. The Word was clear, and I expected clarity to produce obedience.

When obedience did not follow, grief turned to anger. The anger ran toward people first and toward God beneath them. I resented His governance. I sinned from a heart that was both exhausted and defiant. If obedience seemed optional in practice, I asked myself what difference it made.

The season carried real suffering. Pressure reveals sin already in the heart; it does not produce it. Mine was revealed.

God refused to excuse me. He corrected me. He restored me. He uncovered the sin in others, and He uncovered mine first. My anger carried self-righteousness I had refused to see. My impatience exposed how much I wanted visible vindication.

The Lord has pressed the lesson inward.

I can repent of specific sins. I can name harsh words, wrong assumptions, and misdirected tone. I can ask forgiveness when I speak too quickly or press too hard.

Patience and passivity can appear similar for a time. Patience submits to God while continuing in the duty He has assigned. Passivity uses the language of waiting to excuse disobedience or avoidance.

The deeper temptation runs beneath all of this. I want to complete what God has not yet completed in others. The pace of His work strikes me as too slow for the urgency Scripture names. I want obedience visible now, misunderstanding corrected, and sanctification proportionate to the texts I read.

Ezekiel 36 speaks directly into that demand. The oracle is given to exiles, and every verb is God’s. “I will take you from the nations… I will sprinkle clean water on you… I will give you a new heart… I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes” (Ezekiel 36:24–27 LSB). The Lord names a sequence: regathering, cleansing, new heart, new Spirit, caused obedience, restored covenant, agricultural fruitfulness, and finally the people’s recognition of their own past sin. The promise is monergistic and staged. God Himself builds duration into the work He pledges. The chapter opens and closes with the reason: “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went” (Ezekiel 36:22 LSB). God acts on His own timetable because He acts for His own glory. Even the moment when His people loathe their former sin is His to give, and He gives it last in the order. To demand the pace is to ask the Lord to act for my sake instead of His name.

Habakkuk had the same impatience. The prophet stood at his watchpost after crying out against the violence and lawlessness in Judah, and the Lord answered: “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3 LSB). The Hebrew names an appointed time. The fulfillment is fixed to a moment God has set. What appears as slowness to the prophet is appointment from above. The text offers Habakkuk no faster pace; it commands him to wait under the schedule already set. The same word that comforts him also rebukes him. The vision is on time. The impatience belongs to the prophet, not to the Lord.

Peter takes the same doctrine into the church’s longest waiting. Scoffers had begun to mock the delay of Christ’s return. Peter answers them: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8–9 LSB). The apostle distinguishes God’s relationship to time from the creature’s. The metric of “delay” presupposes a timetable God does not inhabit. The apparent slowness is patience, and the patience has a saving purpose: the gathering of those who will yet repent. The same mercy that has held me up extends time over the brother whose obedience I am tracking. When I demand a faster pace from him, I ask the Lord to spend on me a patience He withholds from others.

The three texts converge. Ezekiel shows the Lord owning every step of the work, including its order. In Habakkuk, what looks like delay is appointment. Peter calls the apparent slowness mercy in mid-action that gathers the elect. Sovereignty includes process. Sanctification moves through layers, setbacks, and exposures on a schedule the Lord sets. He may work slowly. The Lord has given me no right to demand a faster work than the one His wisdom has appointed.

My endurance has not always flowed from love. Pride has been mixed in. So has fear of being dismissed and the need to be right. Zeal for holiness becomes self-serving when it demands immediate results.

God has been patient with me. That fact alone should quiet me.

I will keep proclaiming what Scripture teaches and repent quickly where I sin. The pace of transformation belongs to God. He finishes what He begins. “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 LSB).

I Built Something New. Here’s Why.

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Sixty-four percent of pastors use artificial intelligence to help write their sermons. Seventy-three percent of churches have no policy governing any of it. Most congregations have no idea.

The questions underneath these numbers are serious. What happens to the man’s relationship to the Word when a machine can produce a sermon in thirty seconds? What does it mean to shepherd people whose spiritual formation is being shaped by tools the pastor didn’t choose and may not understand? What does Scripture say about what it means to be human, and what does that mean for how the church engages what is happening right now?

These questions are not going away. They are going to get harder. And the working pastor with a sermon to preach on Sunday and twenty-three people in his counseling queue does not have time to wait for the academy to catch up.

That is why I built The Church in the Machine. It is a publication for pastors, elders, church leaders, and seminary students. Theologically serious. Practically grounded. Written for the shepherd who needs to make real decisions, not the scholar who has the luxury of deferring them.

I use AI. I think carefully about how and when. The whole point of this publication is to model and resource that kind of careful thinking for the pastors who are already in the middle of this, whether they realize it or not. That is the only credential I am claiming: that I am trying to think faithfully in public, for the good of the church.

The first essay is up. I would be glad to have you along.

churchinthemachine.com

Ken Duffy

(also accessible at churchinthemachine.substack.com until the domain goes live)

The Weight of Sin and the Treachery of Covenant Rebellion

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Relational rejection carries real pain. A man can feel the sharpness of being dismissed, ignored, or cast aside by one who should have received him in love and faithfulness. That experience gives only a faint and creaturely point of entry into a far greater reality. Scripture teaches us to think of sin first in relation to God.

Sin receives its meaning from God’s own revelation. He names it, judges it, and describes its character with a severity that governs all faithful speech. Hosea speaks of Israel’s unfaithfulness in covenantal terms: “But like Adam they have transgressed against the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me” (Hosea 6:7 LSB). Jeremiah records the Lord’s charge against His people: “For My people have done two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13 LSB). Isaiah opens with the language of rebellion within the household of God’s covenant care: “Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have transgressed against Me” (Isaiah 1:2 LSB). Scripture teaches us to speak of sin as forsaking, revolting, and dealing treacherously against the Lord.

This biblical category establishes the substance of sin. Sin is the rejection of God’s authority. God is Creator, Lawgiver, and King. His law expresses His righteous will, and man owes Him joyful obedience. Every sin rises against that authority. David confessed, “Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:4 LSB). David’s sin had devastating human effects, yet he understood that its deepest offense stood before God Himself. Sin lifts the creature against the One who has absolute right to command.

Sin is also the violation of God’s law. “Everyone who does sin also does lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4 LSB). Scripture does not permit a loose or therapeutic doctrine of sin. Sin is not merely internal disorder, immaturity, or an unfortunate misstep in personal development. Sin is lawlessness. It is the refusal of the creature to remain within the order God has spoken. It is guilt before the divine tribunal. Paul says: “through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20 LSB). The law reveals sin because the law names what God requires and exposes where man stands in violation of His holiness.

Scripture also presents sin as covenant betrayal. Hosea’s prophecy is filled with the language of harlotry because Israel’s idolatry and disobedience were not bare infractions detached from relationship. God had bound Himself to a people in covenant mercy, and they answered His faithfulness with treachery. Jeremiah 3:20 says, “Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her lover, So you have dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel” (LSB). Covenant betrayal belongs to the biblical doctrine of sin because God’s law is never impersonal. The Lord addresses His people as the covenant God who commands faithfulness, truth, fear, and love.

For that reason, the modern minimization of sin has done serious damage to the church. Many have grown comfortable with vague confession. Sin is admitted in broad and harmless language while its actual form remains concealed. Specificity disappears. Transgression becomes an atmosphere rather than an act. Guilt is acknowledged only in ways that preserve personal control and social ease. Achan did not confess to imperfection. He named his theft before God and Israel (Joshua 7:20–21). David confessed bloodguiltiness, deceit, and evil before the Lord (Psalm 51:3–4, 14). Where confession loses specificity, repentance loses seriousness.

The same minimization appears in the church’s reluctance to confront sin directly. Scripture commands reproof, correction, and discipline because sin destroys fellowship with God and corrupts the life of His people. “Those who continue in sin, reprove in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful” (1 Timothy 5:20 LSB). “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2 LSB). A church that avoids confrontation in the name of peace has already adopted a reduced doctrine of sin. God has not authorized His church to preserve comfort where His Word requires light.

The church also minimizes sin by redefining it into manageable categories. The language of mistake lowers moral weight. The language of brokenness can carry biblical usefulness in certain contexts, since Scripture does speak of the brokenhearted and of the ruin brought by the fall. Yet when brokenness becomes a substitute for guilt, the sinner is recast chiefly as damaged rather than responsible. The language of imperfection can describe creaturely limitation, but Scripture does not use it to soften rebellion. These reduced categories leave the conscience partially covered while the offense of sin against God remains unspoken. They shrink the moral universe of Scripture into terms that man can tolerate without falling low before the holiness of God.

God does not treat sin as small. He judges it because He is holy. “The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all workers of iniquity” (Psalm 5:5 LSB). “Your eyes are too pure to see evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor” (Habakkuk 1:13). “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1:18 LSB). These texts reveal God’s settled opposition to all that rises against His righteousness. Sin provokes His wrath because sin strikes at His glory, despises His law, and corrupts what He made good.

This is why the gospel cannot be understood where sin is minimized. Christ did not come merely to assist weakened people toward a better moral state. He came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). He came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Scripture presents His death in judicial and covenantal terms. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13 LSB). “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 LSB). “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24 LSB). The cross addresses guilt, curse, wrath, and judgment. Its glory rises in full view when sin is named with biblical honesty.

A weakened doctrine of sin always produces a weakened doctrine of grace. Where guilt is reduced, atonement is reduced. Where rebellion is softened, the obedience of Christ is made smaller. Where judgment recedes from view, propitiation loses its force. Yet Scripture holds these truths together with exactness. God put Christ forward as a propitiation in His blood to demonstrate His righteousness (Romans 3:25–26). The cross reveals the love of God in a form consistent with the justice of God. Mercy does not bypass righteousness. Grace does not dissolve judgment. Christ bears judgment so that sinners may be justified without any compromise in the holiness of God.

The church therefore needs recovery in its speech and practice. We must speak of sin as Scripture speaks. We must call it rebellion where God calls it rebellion, treachery where God calls it treachery, lawlessness where God calls it lawlessness. We must repent specifically. Confession should name pride, falsehood, bitterness, sexual immorality, theft, partiality, cowardice, malice, envy, idolatry, and every other work the Word exposes. Such confession accords with truth because it places the sinner under the judgment of God’s own speech.

Clarity about sin serves the glory of God and the good of His people. God’s law is honored when sin is named truthfully. Repentance becomes honest when confession is specific. The cross shines with its proper splendor when the church understands the depth of what Christ bore. Sin is covenant betrayal against the holy God who made us, commanded us, and showed covenant mercy to us in His Son. The church speaks faithfully only when it names sin with the weight God Himself has given it.

The Sovereignty of God in Sanctification

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

God’s sovereignty includes the end of all things, the means by which He brings them to pass, and the time He has appointed for every work. He rules with wisdom, purpose, and unchallenged authority. Scripture presents His government as comprehensive. “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3 LSB). “[He] works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11 LSB).

Christians confess that God gives life to the dead heart. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:26 LSB). Scripture also speaks with clarity about His continuing work in those He has made alive. “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 LSB). The same Lord who grants new birth also governs the full course of sanctification.

That work unfolds according to His wisdom. Paul describes ministry and growth in terms of planting, watering, and God giving the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6–7). James teaches that the testing of faith brings about endurance, and endurance has its perfect result (James 1:3–4). Sanctification therefore proceeds through appointed means. God forms His people through truth, obedience, discipline, suffering, exhortation, prayer, and the ordinary ministry of the church.

For that reason, patience belongs within the doctrine of sovereignty. Scripture commands steadiness, gentleness, and endurance because the Lord Himself is accomplishing what He has purposed. Paul tells Timothy that the Lord’s slave must be gentle, able to teach, and patient when wronged, correcting those in opposition with gentleness, because God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:24–25). Patience does not weaken holiness. Patience submits to the Lord’s way of producing it.

A real temptation arises when change appears delayed. The heart begins to reach for mastery over what belongs to God. A man may speak truth and still try to secure by force what God brings forth by His Spirit. He may desire righteousness and yet move ahead of wisdom. He may love order and still forget that the Lord often establishes depth before He grants visible strength.

In such seasons the question is not only whether I love what is holy. The question is whether I trust the God who sanctifies His people in truth. Restlessness can reveal more than zeal. It can reveal impatience with the Lord’s governance of the process itself. Scripture calls for another posture. “Rest in Yahweh and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7 LSB). Waiting is part of faithful obedience because God remains Lord over the work He has begun.

The Lord who gives a new heart also matures the one to whom He has given it. He uses appointed means. He sustains His work through every season. He completes what He begins. His faithfulness governs the whole course of sanctification from beginning to end.

Our calling is to remain truthful, obedient, patient, and steady under His Word while He brings forth the fruit He has purposed.

False Unity and the Work of Testing

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Scripture commands the church to be diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3 LSB). Paul defines that unity through truths revealed by God Himself: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:4–6 LSB). The unity of the church is therefore covenantal, doctrinal, and Christ-centered. It does not rest in shared sentiment or continued association but in the truth God has made known in His Son.

Paul continues by showing how this unity is preserved and matured in the life of the church. Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ, until the church attains to the unity of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God (Ephesians 4:11–13). Unity is therefore joined to growth in truth. Christ does not preserve His church through doctrinal indifference. He governs His church through the ministry of the Word so that His people would grow in shared faith and shared knowledge.

This requires testing. Scripture commands, “But examine everything; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). John commands believers to test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1 LSB). Elders must hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that they will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict (Titus 1:9). Testing is part of the church’s ordinary obedience. It belongs to the preservation of truth, the protection of the flock, and the maturity of the saints.

For that reason, testing is not peripheral to unity. It serves unity by clarifying what the church confesses. When doctrine is examined, truth is strengthened in the church, error is exposed, and believers are further established in the knowledge of Christ. This is the very direction of Paul’s argument in Ephesians 4. The church is to grow into maturity so that it is no longer carried about by waves and blown here and there by every wind of doctrine, by human trickery, by craftiness in deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14). Doctrinal stability belongs to the church’s maturity, and doctrinal testing serves that end.

Much of the modern church has neglected this work. Doctrinal differences often remain in place without open examination or resolution. Peace is preserved externally while confession remains undefined. Teaching may be heard regularly without being weighed carefully by Scripture. Questions may be tolerated only so long as they do not require public clarity. In such conditions, error gains room to remain, and the church gradually learns to treat unresolved doctrine as a normal feature of Christian unity.

That pattern does not reflect the order Christ established for His church. If unity is the unity of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, then a church that leaves doctrine undefined cannot claim faithfulness merely because it remains outwardly connected. A congregation may continue in fellowship while lacking the shared doctrinal maturity Paul describes. It may preserve the appearance of peace while failing to do the work by which Christ strengthens His body.

Scripture does distinguish between different kinds of disputes. Romans 14 addresses matters of conscience where believers must refuse to bind one another beyond what God has spoken. In such matters, patience, restraint, and mutual reception are required. Yet Scripture also commands the church to mark those who cause dissensions and stumbling contrary to the teaching learned, and to turn away from them (Romans 16:17). A factious man is to be rejected after a first and second warning (Titus 3:10). These texts do not conflict. They establish that the church must handle matters according to their nature, with patience where Scripture allows liberty and with firmness where truth is being subverted.

The neglect of testing has done real damage to the church. It has weakened doctrinal clarity, lowered the church’s expectation of discernment, and trained many believers to treat correction as a threat rather than a duty of love. Yet Scripture presents correction as part of the church’s fidelity. The servant of the Lord must correct those who are in opposition with gentleness, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the full knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25). Correction serves restoration through truth. Refutation serves the preservation of the flock. Both belong to the church’s obedience to Christ.

The church must recover the work of testing as a necessary part of its life under the Word. Teaching must be examined. Doctrine must be judged by Scripture. Elders must be willing to exhort and refute, and they must also receive faithful correction with humility when Scripture shows their own teaching or judgment to be in error. Believers must be willing to receive correction where the Word of God has spoken. Through these means Christ preserves His church from instability and grows it into maturity.

Unity endures in the church as the truth of Christ is confessed, taught, defended, and received. Christ gave His Word and His officers so that His body would attain to the unity of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God. Any peace that leaves truth undefined falls short of that end. The unity Christ gives is upheld through the holy labor of testing, correction, and growth in the truth He has revealed.

Unity is defined by a shared confession of truth, not by the absence of conflict. Help spread the word by sharing this post.

The Quiet Architecture of Doctrine

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Christ describes two houses in Matthew 7:24–27. Both are built. Both endure the same storm. Only when the rain falls and the floods rise does the foundation become visible. One house stands because it rests on rock. The other collapses because it rests on sand.

Seasons of grief perform the same work in a household. They reveal the foundation beneath a life.

Scripture repeatedly binds truth and life together in this way. Paul calls the church “the household of God… the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 LSB). The church stands as the household of God, entrusted with upholding the truth before the world.

Paul then warns Timothy:

“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Timothy 4:16 LSB)

Teaching preserves life. Doctrine shapes the people who hear it.

Scripture consistently presents truth as something that orders life. Creation itself establishes structure (Genesis 1–2). The household is governed by that structure (Ephesians 5–6). The church guards and proclaims that truth publicly (1 Timothy 3:15). The doctrines taught within the church therefore become the framework through which people understand authority, repentance, responsibility, and restoration.

This reality becomes especially visible in the life of a family.

Parents raise children within a theological world long before those children can describe it. Children learn how authority operates. They learn how sin is addressed. They learn whether repentance restores fellowship or whether conflict hardens into distance. The doctrines that surround them slowly shape how they interpret parents, church, forgiveness, and obedience.

Among the teachings that most directly shape households are the doctrines of authority, repentance, forgiveness, discipline, and restoration. These teachings become the assumptions through which families interpret conflict and reconciliation.

The fruit of doctrine rarely appears immediately. Years may pass before its consequences become visible. A belief planted early in life may not reveal its direction until much later. Yet over time the connection becomes clear. Beliefs form habits. Habits form patterns. Patterns begin guiding the course of a life.

Scripture also warns that corrupted teaching produces disorder within communities. Hebrews warns the church to guard against a “root of bitterness springing up” that causes trouble and defiles many (Hebrews 12:15 LSB). James describes how jealousy and selfish ambition produce “disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:14–16 LSB). When truth is neglected, the consequences appear not only in ideas but in relationships and communities.

Scripture also assigns real authority and responsibility within the family. Fathers are commanded to bring their children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Parents are entrusted with the diligent teaching of God’s word, a command first given to Israel in its covenantal particularity (Deuteronomy 6:6–7) and carried forward in its moral substance for every household under Christ’s lordship. When the doctrines that sustain covenantal authority are weakened or confused, the structure Scripture gives to the household becomes increasingly difficult for families to inhabit with clarity and confidence.

This is why the church must guard its teaching with sobriety. The lives of ordinary people grow inside the theology the church proclaims. When doctrine is handled carelessly, the consequences extend beyond sermons or books. They appear in troubled consciences, strained relationships, and households attempting to rebuild stability.

None of this removes the responsibility that rests inside a home. Fathers must examine themselves carefully, and children remain accountable before God for their own choices. Yet the theological world surrounding a family still exerts real influence on how life is interpreted and lived.

Paul’s warning to Timothy therefore carries enduring weight. Life and doctrine cannot be separated without consequence. The church stands as the pillar and support of the truth, and what it teaches will inevitably shape the households beneath its care.

The question every church must face is therefore sober and unavoidable: what kind of lives will grow inside the doctrine it proclaims?

The Theology of War

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Christ Reigns Over Kings

“Now therefore, O kings, show insight; take warning, O judges of the earth. Serve Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath may soon be kindled.” (Psalm 2:10-12).

War does not occur outside that command. Presidents are not sovereign. Legislatures are not sovereign. Nations are not sovereign. Christ reigns.

Every act of public force is exercised beneath His crown. Military power is moral. It is accountable. It answers to God.

War must be approached first as an action carried out under the judgment of Christ.

The Sword Is Judicial

Romans 13:4 calls the magistrate “a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”

The sword is judicial. It is directed toward wrongdoing. It punishes evil. It does not manufacture glory or create moral order out of ambition.

The magistrate executes justice as a servant entrusted with delegated authority under God.

War, then, is public justice extended to the scale of nations. It must answer the same questions any judicial act must answer: Was there wrongdoing? Is punishment warranted? Is the response proportionate?

Just Cause Under God’s Law

Just cause is defined by violations of God’s moral order rather than by national preference or desire.

Defense against aggression stands within biblical categories of justice. Protection of citizens from foreign violence aligns with the magistrate’s calling. Suppression of piracy, terror, or lawless attack falls under the avenger’s mandate.

Economic expansion, ideological enforcement, prestige campaigns, and retaliatory pride do not.

War constitutes a solemn act of judgment in response to real injustice, not an instrument for remaking other societies according to national preference.

Evidence and Deliberation

Deuteronomy 19:15 requires multiple witnesses before severe judgment. The principle is evidentiary restraint before punitive action.

Applied nationally, this principle calls for substantiated cause, careful scrutiny of intelligence, and deliberate judgment before blood is shed.

The American constitutional structure, though not divinely revealed, reflects a prudential analogue to distributed accountability. Congress declares war. The executive commands forces. Deliberation precedes sustained conflict.

This arrangement slows bloodshed. It requires corporate judgment. It resists concentrated will.

Unilateral, prolonged hostilities consolidate judicial power in one man. Scripture repeatedly warns against unrestrained rulers. Distributed authority functions as moral restraint.

Defensive Authority and Its Limits

Immediate defense against sudden attack aligns with biblical principles of protection. The magistrate may repel aggression to preserve life and order.

Sustained war-making, however, carries broader consequences. It affects blood, property, and national stability. Such action calls for deliberative authorization and corporate judgment.

The distinction between repelling attack and initiating extended conflict must remain clear. Defensive authority does not expand indefinitely by default.

Anticipatory defense may be morally permissible when aggression is imminent and demonstrable. Even then, credible evidence and grave caution are required.

The Moral Weight of Blood

Psalm 106:38 condemns the shedding of innocent blood. War is never abstract. Every strike, every casualty, every misjudged escalation stands before God.

Aggressive war incurs guilt. Indiscriminate force incurs guilt. Disproportionate retaliation incurs guilt. Political escalation for image or pride incurs guilt.

Failure to defend also incurs guilt. Ezekiel 33 warns that the watchman who refuses to warn bears responsibility for the blood that follows.

Cowardice and aggression both answer to the same Judge.

The magistrate carries the weight of life and death. That burden must not be trivialized by rhetoric or absorbed into partisan enthusiasm.

Distributed Power as Restraint

Biblical governance distributes authority. Kings were restrained by law. Prophets confronted rulers. Law preceded throne.

The American separation of powers imperfectly mirrors this pattern. Legislative deliberation, executive execution, and judicial review divide authority so that no single office governs without constraint.

When executives normalize unilateral war, restraint weakens. Deliberation shortens. Expediency grows.

Righteousness is not measured by speed, justice is not secured by force alone, and power demands ordered restraint.

Evaluating Military Action

When assessing any military action, certain questions must govern:

Was there actual aggression or demonstrable imminent threat?

Is the cause judicial in nature?

Has lawful authorization been secured?

Is force proportionate to the offense?

Are civilians protected with seriousness?

Is evidence transparent and scrutinized?

Is the nation sober before God?

These are important moral questions.

War Beneath Christ

Psalm 2 places nations under accountability and calls them to bow before the Son.

The magistrate bears responsibility before God for every drop of blood shed under his authority, and a nation answers for the pride or humility that animates its cause. The church carries its own duty: neither to grant automatic blessing to military action nor to deny the magistrate’s obligation to defend those entrusted to his care.

War stands beneath Christ’s rule. It must accord with His moral law, proceed through lawful authorization, and be exercised with proportionate restraint under continual accountability.

Executive authority must operate within ordered limits shaped by justice rather than haste.

Christ reigns over kings and councils alike. Every act of force unfolds under His judgment, and every sword will answer to Him.

Dominion and the Discipline of the Next Generation

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Formation is never neutral because authority is never neutral. Scripture assigns responsibility for the shaping of children before it ever describes political systems or pedagogical theory.

Fathers are commanded to bring their children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. The Word is to be taught diligently in the home, spoken of when sitting, walking, lying down, and rising. The church is identified as the pillar and buttress of the truth. Along with the household and the magistrate, it bears a defined sphere of authority under God.

Jurisdiction means that God distributes authority across distinct spheres. The household bears real authority. The church bears real authority. The civil magistrate bears real authority. Each is accountable to God. Each is limited. None is commissioned to absorb the others.

Any discussion of education must begin here.

The Older Pattern of Formation

Early American education was largely home-directed, church-anchored, and local. Parents bore primary responsibility. Churches reinforced doctrine and moral order. Communities established schools that reflected inherited convictions about truth, virtue, and Scripture.

This arrangement was not perfect, and it was not uniform. Yet structurally, formation was personal and relational. Education functioned as an extension of household and congregation. The school functioned as a channel for an already received moral order.

The key point is structural. Authority for formation was dispersed and covenantal.

A Philosophical Reframing

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, educational philosophy shifted. John Dewey advanced more than methodological refinements. He articulated a different understanding of what schooling is for, reshaping its purpose at the level of first principles.

Education was no longer understood primarily as the transmission of inherited truth. It became a laboratory for social development. Truth was described as emerging from experience and communal interaction. Schools were envisioned as engines shaping the future society rather than custodians preserving received order.

The reorientation of education’s purpose was advanced plainly in public lectures, academic writing, and professional institutions as a conscious and argued shift in educational philosophy. If schools inevitably shape social order, then they should consciously direct that shaping.

That is a jurisdictional escalation.

The school moves from assisting families to guiding society. Teachers move from instructing children in inherited norms to participating in the reconstruction of those norms.

Depression-Era Consolidation

The economic crisis of the 1930s intensified the desire for coordinated direction. George S. Counts asked whether schools would dare to build a new social order. He argued that educators already influence society and should embrace that responsibility deliberately.

The reasoning followed a clear sequence: education forms citizens, citizens determine the character of society, and therefore schools become decisive instruments in shaping the nation’s future.

If you want careful, Scripture-anchored reflections on church, authority, and cultural formation, subscribe below.

Compulsory schooling, state-level curriculum standards, teacher certification systems, and the professionalization of teaching practice followed.

Attendance became a legal requirement. Curriculum became standardized. Worldview formation became mediated through bureaucratic structures.

Even if individual teachers sought neutrality, the structure itself had changed.

The Structural Transfer

The most consequential shift occurred in who held primary authority over formation.

When attendance is mandated by law, curriculum defined at the state level, and certification governed by centralized boards, the authority to shape moral imagination moves.

Parents move from primary authority to collaborative participants in formation.

Church instruction functions alongside the system rather than directing it.

Professional consensus shapes the intellectual and moral framework children receive.

The underlying issue concerns jurisdiction and dominion: which sphere holds the governing authority to form the next generation.

Who bears the primary right and duty to shape a child’s moral and intellectual life?

Scripture assigns that responsibility to parents within covenant life. The civil magistrate is described as bearing the sword to restrain evil and commend good. He is not commissioned to define ultimate truth or determine the theological and moral architecture of children’s souls.

When the state becomes the primary catechist, it will form citizens according to its prevailing philosophy. That philosophy will shift as culture shifts. Centralized structures move together.

Structure Precedes Controversy

Modern debates about gender, sexuality, civic identity, and moral instruction are often treated as sudden ruptures. They are better understood as developments within an existing framework.

Once jurisdiction for formation is centralized, the system reflects the dominant worldview of those who govern it. The controversy arises when that worldview diverges sharply from inherited moral order.

The structure preceded these debates and provided the framework through which they could spread broadly.

This does not require assuming malicious intent. Many teachers labor faithfully. Many administrators act sincerely. Many families remain deeply involved in their children’s education.

Centralized jurisdiction makes ideological direction possible at scale. When cultural consensus shifts, centralized systems carry that shift broadly and quickly.

A Question of Spheres

This is a doctrine of spheres question.

When one sphere absorbs the formative role of another, distortion follows. The household weakens. The church retreats to peripheral influence. The state expands into moral instruction by default.

The issue concerns whether the church still recognizes who bears primary responsibility for formation.

Parents bear primary responsibility for the discipline and instruction of their children. Churches must disciple with seriousness, not as an accessory to schooling but as a covenantal mandate. The civil magistrate must remain within his God-ordained limits, promoting justice and public order without assuming dominion over conscience and ultimate allegiance.

When jurisdiction is violated, the shaping of the next generation no longer proceeds from the responsibilities God assigned within covenant. It gravitates toward the institutions that possess reach, structure, and enforcement. Formation then reflects the priorities of those who hold authority at scale rather than the duties entrusted to parents and the church.

The transfer of authority we barely noticed now shapes the debates we cannot ignore. The path forward requires the recovery of ordered authority according to God’s design.

God has spoken about who bears responsibility for the next generation. The church must recover the courage to believe and obey Him.

Creation Order in Worship: What 1 Corinthians 11 Actually Demands

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Worship Before a Holy God

Corporate worship is covenantal assembly. God gathers His people before His face to hear His Word, pray, sing, confess, and receive instruction. Paul treats that gathering as weighty and regulated. In 1 Corinthians 10–14 he addresses worship as ordered obedience under apostolic authority, grounded in the holiness of God and the church’s belonging to Him.

That matters for how 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 is read. The question concerns whether apostolic instruction for the gathered church can be treated as temporary custom when its reasoning is rooted in creation, glory, honor, angelic witness, and the shared practice of the churches, regardless of how it aligns with modern preferences.

Paul’s Argument, Taken in Order

Paul begins with a commendation for holding to what was delivered (1 Corinthians 11:2). He treats what follows as received instruction for worship, not private preference.

Headship order (v. 3). Paul states a theological order: Christ, man, woman. He presents headship as structured relation, not a mood or a cultural trend. Whatever else the passage teaches, it presupposes a creational pattern that must be honored in worship.

Honor and shame (vv. 4–6). Paul applies that order to public prayer and prophecy. He speaks in the language of honor. He treats certain visible conditions in worship as dishonoring one’s head. His argument assumes that what happens in the assembly teaches and signals something. Worship communicates.

Creation sequence and purpose (vv. 7–9). Paul grounds the matter in Genesis. He appeals to the man as image and glory of God and the woman as glory of man, then speaks of woman from man and for man. He does not appeal to Corinthian culture. He appeals to creational origin and covenantal meaning.

“Because of the angels” (v. 10). Paul introduces a rationale that extends beyond human sight. The assembly of the saints unfolds before more than an earthly audience. There is heavenly witness. Paul expects the church to order worship with awareness of a broader reality than the congregation alone.

Mutual dependence in the Lord (vv. 11–12). Paul guards headship from distortion. He affirms mutual dependence and God as the ultimate source of all things. It affirms created order within life in the Lord, under God’s rule, without presumption or contempt.

Nature and glory language (vv. 13–15). Paul appeals to what he calls “nature,” drawing on hair, glory, and what is fitting. He treats embodied reality as significant within worship. The body carries meaning before God. Paul’s reasoning assumes that visible distinctions carry moral and theological significance.

Universal church practice (v. 16). Paul closes with an appeal to the practice of “the churches of God.” He invokes catholicity. He treats the point as settled enough to appeal to shared ecclesial practice rather than local practice.

Taken together, the argument is cumulative. Paul stacks reasons. He speaks as though the church is obligated to honor God’s order in visible worship, and he expects that obligation to be recognized across the churches.

The Central Question

A careful reading must distinguish two things.

The permanent reality. Paul grounds headship in creation and brings it into the gathered assembly. The church is responsible to honor created order in worship.

The debated issue. Paul’s language about covering raises a further question: does he require a specific, fixed symbol in every place and era, or does he require an equally clear, equally visible sign that accomplishes the same public honoring of headship?

This distinction matters because many modern treatments skip the hard part. They treat the entire section as a cultural artifact, then move on. That dismissal is the point of pressure. Paul’s argument does not read like a temporary modesty rule. He builds from creation, worship, and cosmic witness.

A Judgment Formed by the Text

The most historically continuous reading of the passage has understood Paul to require a real physical covering in the assembly for women praying or prophesying. The text speaks as though hair and the commanded covering are related but not identical, and the logic of vv. 4–6 presses toward an additional, visible sign connected to authority.

That position arises from a desire to follow the plain flow of Paul’s reasoning.

At the same time, the deeper issue remains what the passage is doing. Paul is ordering worship so that the gathered church visibly honors God’s created order. If a church rejects the covering without providing a deliberate and equally clear expression of headship, its worship ceases to display the visible acknowledgment Paul is regulating. That is why the conversation cannot remain at the level of fabric. Paul is dealing with embodied worship and public signals of authority.

Discipline and the Weight of Defiance

Paul’s statement about shaving functions as honor language intensified to its edge (1 Corinthians 11:6). He is pressing the shame logic to show the seriousness of rejecting the sign. He is not prescribing a mechanical protocol for elders to enforce.

Formal discipline is never about fabric alone. The moral center is submission to apostolic instruction. Discipline would concern a settled posture of defiance toward what the church teaches Scripture requires, then carried into public worship as an open rejection of order. The church addresses willful rebellion, sustained defiance, and public refusal of apostolic authority. It does not treat confusion, limited understanding, or sincere interpretive struggle as grounds for discipline.

That is also why interpretive disagreement must be handled carefully. A man can hold the principle of created headship firmly and still wrestle with the precise nature of the sign. The issue becomes practical and ecclesial: does the church preserve Paul’s aim, or does it flatten the passage into a cultural relic?

Cultural Drift and Hermeneutical Consistency

Modern culture has worked for generations to dissolve authority distinctions between men and women. The question is whether the fading of visible acknowledgment of headship in worship arose from sustained, careful exegesis or from gradual cultural drift. In many congregations, the practice was set aside without a fuller articulation of embodied order, and teaching on the matter quietly receded.

This is a hermeneutical test. When Paul anchors an instruction in creation, and the church treats it as expendable, the church is teaching itself a method. That approach extends beyond a single issue and shapes a recurring way of thinking.

The issue is authority. If the church learns to minimize what is grounded in creation and upheld as common practice among the churches, then the church has trained itself to revise Scripture wherever obedience costs social comfort.

A Broader Ecclesiological Challenge

The issue is not simply cloth. The issue is whether the church believes apostolic, creation-grounded commands remain binding in embodied worship. If the church reduces Paul’s creation logic to a local custom, a door is opened. The same hermeneutic can be applied wherever Scripture binds obedience to creation and the church feels pressure to soften it.

The call here is plain. Wrestle honestly with the text. Refuse reflex dismissal. Approach apostolic instruction with humility.

Worship belongs to God, and the order of worship must honor the order of God.

If Paul regulated worship with creation, angels, and the practice of the churches in view, then the church must learn again to treat worship as holy obedience before the living God.

Creation Order, Violence, and the Church’s First Surrender

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

I keep returning to the same difficult conclusion. The church keeps trying to treat the symptoms of cultural collapse while refusing to confront the disorder it normalized long before those symptoms appeared.

Abortion is violence. It is the taking of human life under medical language and legal protection. Scripture gives no room to dispute that. Violence arises within conditions already shaped by denied limits, abandoned authority, and a refusal of creaturehood. Abortion emerged from a moral environment already formed by disorder and disintegration.

The church’s withdrawal from creation order belongs at the front of this account, not at the margins.

Creation Order Is Foundational, Not Optional

Creation order occupies a central place in Scripture’s moral reasoning. It is not a peripheral doctrine assumed in passing, but a governing reality that shapes worship, authority, and obedience.

When Paul addresses head coverings, he grounds his reasoning in creation, the fall, glory, authority, angelic witness, and the nature of worship. That density matters. One may wrestle with the application, but the structure of the argument cannot be dismissed without cost.

This passage stands among the most carefully reasoned treatments of embodied worship in the New Testament. Paul deliberately ties visible practice to pre-fall order and cosmic accountability. The force of that connection exposes how casually the church has learned to downgrade creation-based reasoning.

Head coverings address the public acknowledgment of God’s order within worship.

Signs Shape the Moral Imagination

The church removed a sign without replacing the theology it carried.

When visible markers of order fade, they quietly reform how order itself is imagined. Submission fades from sight, then from thought, and eventually from conscience. Authority is treated as conditional, distinctions are questioned, and autonomy is elevated as a moral good.

Signs do not confer righteousness before God. They form understanding and train conscience. They form instinct and expectation. When the church leaves confusion unaddressed, the surrounding culture amplifies and radicalizes it.

The Ideology Did Not Begin Outside the Church

Abortion emerged from a moral vision centered on self-ownership and autonomy, not from medical neutrality. Choice was elevated over obligation. Autonomy over dependence. Freedom over creaturehood.

That claim developed within a context shaped by the collapse of male responsibility. When men relinquished authority in the home and the church, a vacuum emerged that women occupied, and ideology later consecrated and systematized.

The church had already eroded the ground by treating headship as a matter of choice and redefining submission in abstract terms, signaling that order itself was adjustable rather than rooted in God’s design. When order is treated as optional, power always fills the gap.

Why the First Sign Fell So Easily

Head coverings were among the first practices set aside because they were visible, embodied, and increasingly resisted. Removing them required no confession, no replacement theology, and no confrontation with deeper implications.

The explanation given was cultural distance. The reality was theological retreat.

The removal of the sign was followed by silence, leaving the church without a clear articulation of order. Silence can form understanding as surely as instruction does. Over time it trained the conscience to regard visible order as unnecessary and even suspect.

The Denial of Limits Always Bears Fruit

Abortion represents a revolt against the created order of reality itself. It refuses the given boundaries of creaturehood, relation, and dependence. It claims self-rule in a place where Scripture teaches received life and dependent being.

When creation order is denied, conflict escalates. Resistance moves from authority to truth and finally to the body. The weakest bodies bear the cost first.

This reflects a pattern that can be traced and tested, not a speculative fear.

Responsibility Before Blame

Scripture assigns responsibility in a clear order. Adam is addressed first, and his silence is judged as a failure of stewardship rather than an innocent absence.

The issue is not initiative exercised by women alone, but authority relinquished by men. When men refuse to carry authority, women are left with constrained choices, none of which restore peace. Disorder is the predictable result.

What the Church Refuses to Name, It Cannot Heal

The church repeatedly denounces visible evils while leaving the conditions that produced them intact. It speaks against abortion while affirming autonomy as a moral good. It grieves social disorder while resisting discipline within its own life. It asks for healing while refusing repentance.

Creation order functions as a restraint against harm and stands as a gift embedded in God’s design. When the church no longer lives openly as a creature under divine authority, its moral claims lose coherence. Attention remains fixed on consequences while the underlying structure is ignored.

This argument is oriented toward submission to God rather than reassurance from the past. Faithful obedience addresses the source before it addresses the symptom, because obedience always begins upstream.

The Church Does Not Advance by Acceleration

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Naming the Moment Without Naming Names

The present moment presses hard on the church. Cultural disorder is visible. Political instability is real. Moral confusion is public and aggressive. Many believers feel the weight of collapse and the urgency of response.

That pressure has begun to shape how leadership is evaluated. Faithfulness is increasingly measured by speed, intensity, and willingness to escalate. Voices that speak calmly are treated as insufficient. Men who move carefully are judged as hesitant. Discernment is reframed as delay.

The shift feels reasonable because the problems are real. The pressure is not imagined. Yet Scripture has always warned that urgency can become a poor master.

The question before the church is not whether the problems are serious, but whether seriousness grants permission to revise the standards of faithfulness.

Scripture’s Category for Leadership Under Pressure

Scripture does not reserve leadership qualifications for calm seasons. Elders are given to the church precisely for times of strain. The New Testament addresses leadership amid persecution, false teaching, and social instability.

The qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are moral, doctrinal, and relational. They concern character, sobriety, household order, and proven faithfulness. They do not adjust based on circumstance. Scripture does not teach that worsening conditions require sharper men. It teaches that worsening conditions reveal whether men are governed by fear or by truth.

Paul does not tell Timothy to become more urgent as conditions decay. He tells him to endure, teach patiently, guard doctrine, and remain sober minded. Difficulty reveals the substance of leadership rather than altering its measure.

The Temptation of Crisis Driven Discernment

Crisis breeds impatience. Impatience seeks voices that sound proportionate to the threat. Proportion in tone begins to replace proportion in truth.

Under pressure, restraint is recast as cowardice. Patience is treated as compromise. Men who refuse to accelerate are accused of failing to grasp the moment.

This is where discernment begins to erode. Urgency becomes the metric. Scripture becomes a brake rather than a guide. Faithfulness is evaluated by output rather than obedience.

The danger is not zeal. The danger is allowing pressure to rewrite the standard.

Generations, Authority, and the Myth of Necessary Replacement

Scripture presents wisdom as something received, preserved, and handed down, not discarded with age. Younger men are commanded to learn sobriety. Older men are commanded to teach and model endurance. Authority is transmitted, not discarded.

Rehoboam is a good warning for the moment. He rejected restraint in favor of intensity and called it strength. Timothy was urged toward steadiness, not audacity.

The church is renewed through continuity. Faithfulness is preserved through transmission. It would be a mistake to make it a matter of acceleration. When restraint is dismissed as outdated, the church repeats an old error with new language.

Novel Problems Do Not Authorize Novel Standards

The church faces complex issues involving nations, borders, authority, mercy, judgment, and justice. Scripture already speaks to these categories.

Scale does not erase obligation. Complexity does not permit theological improvisation. The Bible does not become less adequate when problems become more severe.

Appeals to urgency often mask a deeper claim that Scripture alone cannot meet the moment. That claim has never ended well.

The Difference Between Boldness and Acceleration

Boldness is obedience under cost. It submits speech to authority and truth. Scripture presents wisdom as something received, tested, and handed down across generations.

Acceleration is urgency detached from order. It treats restraint as obstruction and patience as failure. It moves quickly because it fears delay more than error.

Faithfulness often appears slow to those who confuse motion with progress. Scripture consistently commends endurance over haste.

Why Restraint Is Not Gatekeeping

Correction belongs to covenantal responsibility. Silence is not neutrality when truth is at stake. Refusal to endorse is not refusal to engage.

The church does not owe affirmation to every rising voice, especially when momentum is driven by pressure rather than clarity. Discernment serves the protection and formation of the flock.

Restraint serves love. Order protects life.

What This Moment Requires

This moment calls for men governed by faithfulness rather than urgency. Scripture must remain the measure even when it feels insufficient to the anxious. God has never preserved His people through speed, intensity, or escalation.

The church endures through men who refuse to allow the pressure of the moment to redefine what faithfulness requires.

Christ builds His church without haste. He does not borrow urgency from crisis. He rules in confidence, and He calls His people to walk in the same steadiness.

Truth and the Institutions That Fear It

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Truth reveals what an institution exists to protect

When truth is spoken clearly, it exposes what a system exists to protect, what it fears losing, and what it is willing to sacrifice to preserve itself. Exposure forces a decision. Reform requires repentance, accountability, and change. Preservation requires management, delay, and removal. Institutions, like individuals, are governed by what they fear most.

Truth reveals loyalties. It uncovers hidden arrangements. It presses systems toward judgment and alignment with God’s rule. Where truth is received, reform follows over time. Where truth is resisted, it is contained. Institutions learn to tolerate truth only so long as it does not require repentance or structural change.

Truth That Is Allowed to Inform but Not to Judge

Many institutions welcome truth at the level of information. Accuracy is valued. Facts are praised. Data is collected. What is resisted is implication. Truth that demands responsibility, repentance, or reordering of authority quickly becomes unwelcome.

Fear-governed systems become adept at limiting the reach of truth. Information may circulate freely while conclusions are quietly sidelined. Concerns may be acknowledged while action is deferred indefinitely. Individuals may be affirmed privately while being marginalized publicly. What provokes resistance is the price that faithfulness would demand if the truth were acted upon.

Light exposes deeds. Those committed to preservation do not reject truth because it is false, but because it reveals what they intend to keep intact.

The Biblical Pattern of Rejected Truth

The prophets were silenced because their words revealed God’s judgment on false security and religious appearance. Jeremiah named Jerusalem’s condition and was imprisoned. Amos declared that worship detached from justice offended God and was expelled. Isaiah exposed corruption beneath ritual fidelity and was resisted.

Jesus was opposed because His teaching exposed systems built on fear, reputation, and self-protection. His words did not merely instruct individuals but threatened the structures that governed religious life.

The apostles encountered the same resistance. Their obedience disrupted authority arrangements and demanded repentance. Their teaching could not be managed because it pressed beyond instruction into allegiance.

Scripture prepares God’s people for this reality. Truth presses beyond comfort. Where fear governs, truth is restrained.

Authority, Speech, and Moral Weight

Speech functions as authority in biblical ethics. Public speech carries moral weight because it shapes judgment, directs action, and forms conscience. Scripture consistently warns that speech detached from responsibility produces disorder instead of repentance.

This is especially relevant in moments of cultural upheaval. Reaction is rewarded. Escalation draws attention. Emotional display generates applause. Yet Scripture measures speech by fruit rather than visibility. Speech governed by fear inflames rather than heals. Speech governed by authority restrains rather than excites.

Scripture presses us to examine whether speech is exercised within rightful jurisdiction, under accountability, and for the sake of restoration.

Prudence, Timing, and Faithfulness

Faithfulness to truth is exercised with discernment, as Scripture distinguishes wisdom from fear-driven retreat. Timing matters. Translation matters. Shared stewardship of truth matters. Christ did not speak every truth to every audience at every moment. The apostles exercised discernment without compromise.

Silence is not always dishonesty. There are seasons where restraint serves reform. There are moments where escalation hardens rather than heals. Prudence serves truth by aiming at restoration and refusing to turn faithfulness into display.

What Scripture condemns is fear-driven silence that protects sin, preserves disorder, or sacrifices righteousness for peace. Wisdom submits to God. Fear submits to consequence.

The Cost of Truth and the Promise of God

Those who speak truth in fear-governed institutions often bear a cost. Misunderstanding, isolation, and removal are common outcomes.

Scripture also insists that faithfulness is never wasted. The fear of God displaces lesser fears. Where God is feared, truth reforms over time, even when the process wounds. Where fear governs, truth is managed, but it is never defeated.

Lasting change comes when reverence for God governs action, displacing fear of loss, exposure, or disruption.

To those who have borne the cost of truth-telling, Scripture gives assurance. God sees. God remembers. Faithfulness is accounted for, even when it is not rewarded by institutions.

Truth advances with patience and authority, reshaping what fear once governed. Its work endures, reaches the roots, and leaves nothing unchanged that God intends to reform.

Emotionalism, Authority, and the Collapse of Christian Public Judgment

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Much of what passes for Christian moral engagement today feels urgent, passionate, and sincere. It also feels increasingly disordered. The confusion does not arise primarily from disagreement over facts, but from a deeper theological failure. Moral concern has been collapsed into moral outrage. Emotional intensity has been mistaken for moral clarity. Speech has been detached from authority, jurisdiction, and responsibility.

What now dominates public speech is display untethered from covenantal responsibility.

I write this as one who grieves the condition of Christ’s visible church. My anger is not directed first at the world. Scripture does not expect the world to love God’s order. My grief is directed at the church’s failure to obey Christ, guard His order, and speak with disciplined authority. In the situations I am watching unfold, that failure is visible in women occupying positions of moral authority in both the church and the public square, and in men who refuse to restrain, correct, or lead.

Scripture does not excuse either.

Moral Judgment and Moral Outrage

Scripture distinguishes carefully between righteous judgment and uncontrolled passion. Judgment is governed by truth, proportion, and authority. Outrage is reactive, contagious, and self-justifying. The prophets speak with fire, but always under divine commission. Christ confronts error with authority and restraint. Scripture never treats emotional heat as evidence of righteousness.

The diagnostic question is not whether a cause sounds just, but whether the response is governed by principle or driven by reaction. When outrage replaces judgment, theology has already collapsed.

The demand before the church is ordered speech under rightful authority.

Authority and the Weight of Speech

Biblical ethics treat speech as an exercise of authority. Public speech carries moral weight according to office, jurisdiction, and accountability.

When speech outruns responsibility, it inflames rather than clarifies. When denunciation is untethered from authority, it produces confusion rather than repentance. Scripture consistently warns that words spoken without jurisdiction scatter rather than gather.

Scripture confronts us with a necessary question. By what authority is this spoken. In what forum. Toward what end.

Women, Disorder, and Male Responsibility

In the present moment, visible disorder is frequently attributed to women whose anger and moral fervor are public and unrestrained. Their speech is mocked, and their actions are reduced to spectacle rather than addressed as sin. This misplacement of focus obscures the deeper failure. Women bear responsibility for their rebellion, but the spread of that rebellion testifies to men who have abandoned their charge to guard, govern, and restrain.

Scripture does not excuse women who reject God’s order. They are morally responsible for their actions. Scripture is clear about that. But Scripture also refuses to begin with the deceived when addressing covenant failure.

Genesis 3 does not judge Eve as covenant head. Adam is addressed first because he was charged with guarding, teaching, and obeying. Ezekiel 34 rebukes shepherds who failed to protect the flock before condemning scattered sheep. Hebrews 13 assigns accountability to those entrusted with oversight.

The obligation to guard, restrain, instruct, and correct is assigned, not optional.

Mockery does not restore order. Sneering at visible disorder while refusing to exercise authority reveals retreat, not strength. Scripture assigns men the duty to confront and restrain rebellion, not to ridicule it. Silence framed as peace receives no approval.

When men withdraw from that responsibility, disorder spreads unchecked.

Compassion and the Loss of Judgment

Compassion is a genuine virtue. Scripture commands it. But compassion detached from truth distorts judgment. Sentiment replaces law. Feeling becomes moral proof. Mercy is invoked to shield disobedience rather than restore order.

This is visible across cultural flashpoints, not limited to a single issue. Emotional appeals override restraint. Lawful authority is treated with suspicion or hostility. Disorder is defended in the language of care.

Scripture identifies this disorder as the fruit of rejected headship.

Reaction, Restraint, and the Cost of Faithfulness

I feel the pressure to react. Reaction is rewarded. Outrage travels faster than judgment. Emotional alignment brings attention. Restraint often leaves one unheard.

I am aware that my refusal to escalate keeps me in the background. It limits reach. It dulls immediate impact. That tension is real.

Scripture teaches that faithfulness will be tested, not that it will be celebrated.

Restraint must never become cowardice. Silence must never replace obedience. But neither may reaction replace judgment. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit that grounds moral clarity and qualifies a person for sound judgment.

Judgment, Fruit, and Public Witness

Scripture evaluates speech by fruit rather than intent. Mature speech produces clarity, order, repentance, and peace. Disordered speech produces spectacle, division, and hardened resistance.

This concerns moral evaluation grounded in Scripture rather than the management of tone.

When speech escalates conflict without restoring order, it has failed its purpose regardless of how righteous it sounds.

The Fault Line Exposed

This is not ultimately a debate about platforms, personalities, or styles. It is a theological question about whether Christian public engagement is governed by ordered authority, disciplined speech, and covenantal responsibility, or by emotional reaction and moral performance.

The visible disorder in the church flows from abdicated leadership and misdirected compassion. Scripture directs repentance toward those who failed to guard the flock, not toward convenient scapegoats.

I write this not as one standing above the problem, but as one resisting it. The pull toward outrage is strong. The cost of restraint is real. Obedience is measured by faithfulness, not by attention.

Until authority is restored, restraint recovered, and judgment governed by truth rather than feeling, Christian speech will continue to generate heat without light and passion without repentance.

That is the fault line I am watching.

And that is the ground on which this war is being fought.

Confession, Repentance, and Forgiveness in the Christian Home

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The home is the first place where sin is exposed without pretense. Children disobey. They speak falsely. They act selfishly. They experience guilt, fear, and confusion long before they possess the language to describe it. God designed the home to be the primary place where these realities are addressed honestly and redemptively. The family is the primary setting where sin is named truthfully, confronted under God’s authority, and met with restoring grace.

A home that avoids dealing with sin teaches children that guilt must be hidden or feared. A home that addresses sin without grace teaches them despair. God’s design is neither silence nor severity. It is truth joined to mercy, practiced daily.

Repentance as Ordinary Covenant Life

Scripture treats repentance as a normal feature of life with God. Confession is woven into the prayers of the saints. Restoration follows acknowledgment of sin. Fellowship is renewed through forgiveness. This rhythm belongs to the ordinary life of those who live before God and walk within His covenant presence.

Children must learn early that repentance is not an emergency response but a pattern of belonging. Those who live within God’s covenant address sin honestly and openly. Through repentance, children learn to recognize sin truthfully, trust the certainty of forgiveness, and expect restored fellowship as a normal part of life with God.

When repentance is absent from the home, children learn to perform righteousness rather than pursue truth. When repentance is practiced daily, they learn to walk honestly before God.

The Father’s Responsibility

Fathers carry a unique responsibility in shaping this culture. God assigns fathers the task of leading their households in instruction, discipline, and care. This includes naming sin clearly, applying discipline justly, and speaking forgiveness with authority.

A father who never confesses teaches his children that repentance is weakness. A father who confesses wisely teaches them that repentance is strength under God’s grace. When children hear a father acknowledge impatience, harsh words, or failure to love well, they learn that fellowship is renewed when sin is brought before God in repentance and faith.

Fathers are called to model repentance with wisdom and restraint, speaking clearly about sin and forgiveness without placing burdens on their children. The aim is clarity in the gospel. A father who humbles himself before God and his family teaches his children that grace governs the home.

Teaching the Reality of Forgiveness

Children often believe certain sins are beyond forgiveness. They fear consequences. They imagine God’s anger lingering. They struggle to trust restoration.

This is where fathers must apply forgiveness concretely. Sin must be named specifically. Forgiveness must be spoken clearly. Children must be told not only that they are forgiven, but why they are forgiven. Christ has borne their guilt. His righteousness covers them. Fellowship is restored because God keeps His promises.

Forgiveness assumed but never spoken leaves children uncertain. Forgiveness declared anchors their hearts in truth. Joy returns when forgiveness is applied with clarity and confidence.

The Work of the Spirit in the Home

There is a quiet joy in watching repentance take root in a child’s heart. It appears in softened words, restored peace, and renewed obedience. This fruit comes from the Holy Spirit, who works through ordinary acts of faithful obedience.

Parents plant and water. God gives growth. Fathers who lead repentance faithfully witness God forming humility, trust, and joy in their children over time.

Repentance as Worship and Discipleship

Repentance belongs to worship. It trains children to live in the light. It prepares them for life in the church, where confession and forgiveness mark the people of God. It guards them from secrecy and despair. It cultivates humility without shame.

Homes shaped by repentance become schools of discipleship. Children learn that obedience flows from grace, that discipline aims at restoration, and that love does not disappear when sin is exposed.

Closing Confidence

Repentance in the home is a daily expression of gospel faithfulness. When fathers lead their families in honest confession and joyful forgiveness, children learn that sin does not place them outside of love. Grace proves stronger than guilt. Fellowship is restored again and again.

God works through ordinary obedience. He delights to form faithful households through simple acts of truth and mercy. The home shaped by repentance becomes a place where the gospel is not only taught, but lived, to the joy of all who dwell within it.

The Minneapolis Church Disruption and the Call to Vigilance

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On the Lord’s Day in Minneapolis, a gathered church was interrupted when protesters entered the building and disrupted public worship. A congregation assembled to hear God’s Word, pray, and receive instruction was confronted during the covenant gathering itself. This was a direct interruption of worship offered to God on the day set apart for His praise.

The disruption of worship is a moral event before it is a cultural one. It concerns the public honor of God and the protection of what He has declared holy.

The question before the church is how such moments are understood and how faithfulness is exercised when obedience becomes publicly visible.

The Reality Scripture Already Names

From the opening chapters of Scripture, history unfolds within a conflict shaped by allegiance. Genesis 3 establishes a lasting hostility between obedience to God and resistance to His purposes. When God’s people gather openly in submission to His Word, their obedience becomes visible. Visible obedience provokes resistance.

John writes, “Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you” (1 John 3:13). Public worship testifies that authority belongs to God. That testimony itself invites opposition.

The events in Minneapolis fit the pattern Scripture describes. Covenant faithfulness presses against a world that rejects God’s authority, especially when that faithfulness is exercised openly.

Vigilance as a Theological Duty

Scripture assigns vigilance to God’s people as an act of faithfulness. Vigilance is attentiveness carried out under responsibility. It involves awareness, order, and readiness shaped by trust in God’s sovereignty.

Biblical vigilance keeps watch over worship, doctrine, and order while remaining grounded in confidence that Christ reigns. Peter exhorts believers to sobriety and alertness because opposition is real and persistent (1 Peter 5:8). That call rests on confidence in God’s rule, not uncertainty about His power.

Vigilance as Love and Protection

Nehemiah provides a clear example. As the work of rebuilding progressed, opposition increased. Nehemiah records that the people prayed and established guards at the same time (Nehemiah 4:9). Guarding the work was part of faithfulness to God’s calling.

Vigilance protects worship, families, and covenant life. The Lord’s Day gathering stands as the public assembly of God’s people. Guarding that assembly honors what God has set apart. Allowing worship to be disrupted without response reflects neglect of responsibility.

Protection is an act of love exercised through obedience.

Ordered Vigilance and Assigned Responsibility

Fathers bear responsibility for guarding their households. Elders bear responsibility for guarding doctrine and worship. Magistrates bear responsibility for guarding public order.

Men in particular are charged with visible responsibility for protection and restraint. Strength, courage, and readiness to act are covenant duties. When men refuse to stand, speak, and protect, disorder finds room to grow.

The church is not permitted to remain passive. Order is preserved when those assigned responsibility carry it faithfully.

The Minneapolis disruption exposes the cost of assuming worship will always be respected without being guarded. Faithfulness requires attentiveness and courage.

Prayer and Means Together

Nehemiah did not separate prayer from action. Prayer acknowledged God’s sovereignty. Preparedness honored God’s use of means.

Churches that think carefully about order, security, and protection act within biblical wisdom. Prayer without vigilance neglects responsibility. Vigilance without prayer forgets dependence. Scripture binds the two together.

The Greater Danger Within

Scripture warns that internal weakness often follows fear and confusion. Courage diminishes when leaders hesitate to name reality. Order weakens when clarity is avoided. Vigilance falters when responsibility is deferred.

The church must watch over doctrine, courage, and steadiness. Faithfulness grows through truth spoken calmly and consistently.

Long Obedience Over Time

Vigilance is sustained obedience exercised over time. Nehemiah continued the work through opposition with steadiness and resolve.

Churches facing increasing hostility must think in terms of endurance. Faithfulness honors God through ordered persistence.

Confidence Anchored in Christ

The disruption of worship does not unsettle Christ’s reign. He is building His church according to His purpose. Paul exhorts believers to steadfastness because labor in the Lord is never empty (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Guarding worship matters because Christ reigns now.

Closing Affirmation

The storming of a church in Minneapolis should sober God’s people. It clarifies the need for vigilance, courage, and faithful protection of worship. The church is called to remain ordered, prayerful, and resolute under pressure.

Men are called to stand with strength, clarity, and restraint. Leaders are called to protect what God has declared holy. Christ’s people are called to bear witness with steadiness rooted in confidence that the reigning King is not threatened.

Christ remains faithful. His order endures. His people are not abandoned. When worship is violated, vigilance is obedience.

The Glory of Marriage

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Marriage stands among the most weighty gifts God has given to humanity. It is woven into creation itself, established by God’s own word, and charged with covenantal meaning from the beginning. Before sin entered the world, before redemption was required, God joined man and woman into a one-flesh union that formed households, ordered loyalty, and reflected His own faithfulness. Marriage is therefore neither incidental nor temporary in purpose. It is a creational glory through which God trains His people in covenant loyalty, endurance, and love that does not seek escape. In every faithful marriage, God’s design is displayed, His promises are echoed, and His character is quietly proclaimed to generations yet unborn.

Marriage as Creation and Covenant

Marriage originates in God’s creative purpose before the Fall and belongs to the original goodness of creation rather than to sin, loneliness, or social necessity. Genesis 2 portrays marriage as an intentional act of God’s ordering within creation, established with purpose.

God forms the woman and brings her to the man. Adam receives her. He did not name her. Naming signifies authority over creation. Reception signifies covenantal gift. Eve is presented as a gift given by God.

Marriage is therefore the first covenantal bond established by God on earth. “A man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” establishes a new household with reordered loyalties and responsibilities.

Malachi later identifies marriage explicitly as covenant. God bears witness between husband and wife and calls faithlessness a violation of covenant loyalty. From the beginning, marriage is presented as a binding, God-governed union that forms the basic structure of human society.

Marriage as One-Flesh Union

The phrase “one flesh” describes far more than sexual union. It names a shared life. Scripture treats marriage as the joining of persons into a single covenantal reality with a common future before God.

One-flesh union entails shared destiny, shared inheritance, shared responsibility, and shared suffering. It explains why Scripture treats sexual sin as covenantal violence. Sexual union belongs to marriage because it seals an already-existing covenantal bond.

This is why adultery and fornication are not framed merely as private moral failures. They violate a God-created reality. They fracture a union God Himself has joined. A light view of sexual sin reflects a shallow view of marriage.

Marriage binds two lives together under God’s authority in a way that no other human relationship does. It establishes a permanent context in which faithfulness, patience, and endurance are required.

Marriage as Revelation and Sanctification

Marriage belongs to creation and serves as a means of divine revelation. Scripture explicitly teaches that marriage displays Christ and the Church. Ephesians 5 presents marriage as a God-designed sign that reveals a greater covenant reality.

Husbands are called to exercise sacrificial headship patterned after Christ’s self-giving love. Wives are called to respond with trust and respect that mirrors the Church’s devotion to Christ. These roles arise from the gospel itself.

Marriage also functions as a means of sanctification. God uses marriage to expose sin, pride, impatience, fear, and selfishness that would otherwise remain concealed. Marriage forms holiness through daily faithfulness, repentance, forgiveness, and endurance.

Marriage is designed to form a holy people who learn to love as Christ loves. Within covenant faithfulness, joy emerges as fruit, and holiness remains the guiding end.

Marriage as Witness and Eschatological Sign

Marriage carries real covenantal weight. Scripture teaches that marriage does not continue into the resurrection. This brings the purpose of marriage into clearer focus.

Marriage points beyond itself. It bears witness to the unbreakable covenant between Christ and His people. Faithful marriages proclaim that covenant loyalty is possible because God Himself is faithful.

The glory of marriage is therefore seen most clearly under strain. Covenant strength is revealed through sustained faithfulness, endurance, and obedience.

Every faithful marriage testifies that God keeps His promises, that love can endure without escape, and that covenant loyalty reflects the character of God Himself.

Covenant Faithfulness and Lasting Glory

Marriage is God-created, covenant-bound, and one-flesh. It sanctifies those who enter it. It reveals Christ and His Church. It bears witness to a greater covenant that will one day be fully revealed.

Marriage trains God’s people in holiness, patience, endurance, and loyalty. Its glory and endurance rest in covenant faithfulness grounded in God’s own design and promise.

What He establishes, He sustains. What He joins, He guards. What He ordains, He uses for His glory.

Share this reflection on marriage as a creational covenant that reveals God’s faithfulness across generations.

The Cost of Abdicated Leadership

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

We are living in a moment of visible disorder. Public protests spill into rage. Lawful authority is increasingly met with distrust and open resistance. Moral claims are shouted with conviction but detached from coherence. Compassion is invoked while restraint is despised.

This moment cannot be explained adequately as a disagreement between political factions. Something deeper has eroded. What we are witnessing is a collapse of confidence in order itself, and a corresponding surge of emotional volatility in public life.

Before assigning blame outward, Scripture directs us inward.

Rejecting False Scapegoats Without Excusing Guilt

In recent months, public disorder has often been attributed to women, particularly unmarried women or those animated by progressive causes. They are mocked, ridiculed, and treated as entertainment rather than addressed as sin.

Women are moral agents created in the image of God. They are accountable for rebellion against God’s order, for despising lawful authority, and for participating in lawlessness. Genesis 3 does not portray Eve as a passive victim. She believed the lie, rejected God’s word, and acted in disobedience. Her sin was real, and its consequences were severe.

Yet Genesis 3 also establishes a deeper covenantal order of accountability. When God confronts the fall, He addresses Adam first. Adam is not excused by pointing to Eve’s deception. He is judged as the covenant head who failed to guard, lead, and obey. Scripture places representative responsibility on the man without diminishing the woman’s guilt. Both are judged, but Adam bears the weight of oversight.

Ezekiel 34 indicts shepherds who failed to feed, protect, and restrain. God condemns leaders who allowed the vulnerable to wander, be devoured, and become prey. The sheep suffer real harm, but judgment falls first on those entrusted with authority.

Hebrews 13 reinforces this covenantal logic within the church. Leaders are charged to watch over souls and will give an account. The responsibility to exercise authority and oversight is a charge given by God, not a matter of personal choice. Disorder among the people does not remove responsibility from those appointed to oversee them.

Ridicule fails to address sin, and mockery avoids responsibility. Treating visible disorder as entertainment while refusing to exercise authority reflects breach of duty. Scripture calls men to restrain rebellion through faithful leadership. Silence justified as peace finds no warrant in Scripture. God assigns leadership that guards life, upholds truth, and preserves order.

When men abandon that responsibility, disorder grows unchecked. Scripture calls those who failed to guard the flock to repentance, not those offered as convenient scapegoats. The call is not to excuse sin, but to restore order through obedience, courage, and faithful authority.

Responsibility Where Scripture Places It

In Genesis 3, God addresses Adam first. Adam was silent. He stood present while truth was distorted and failed to intervene. Judgment begins with him.

Shepherds are held accountable before sheep. Elders are judged more strictly than congregants. Fathers bear representative responsibility for households. Male headship in Scripture is a call to covenantal responsibility and faithful care. It is accountability before God for the protection, instruction, and ordering of those entrusted to one’s care.

When leadership withdraws, order erodes. When men abandon clarity, women are left to navigate chaos without protection or direction. Emotional volatility is a predictable outcome of male absence.

Scripture places responsibility where authority was given.

Disordered Compassion and Misguided Nurture

Compassion is a real and necessary good. Nurture is a God given instinct. Scripture honors both. Compassion requires truth to bring healing and order.

In the absence of protection, instruction, and moral boundaries, nurture becomes misdirected. It defends what should be restrained. It shelters what should be corrected. It aligns itself with victims while excusing perpetrators. This pattern surfaces in many forms, whenever compassion is untethered from truth, leading people to oppose lawful order, excuse wrongdoing, or treat resistance to authority as moral courage.

The deeper problem is the absence of steady leadership.

Where men refuse to guard boundaries, women often attempt to compensate through emotional force. Scripture recognizes this condition as the result of abdicated headship.

Authority and Law in God’s Design

Scripture teaches that lawful authority is ordained by God. Romans 13 grounds civil authority in divine commission. Proverbs repeatedly connects restraint with wisdom and unrestrained passion with destruction. Genesis establishes order as a gift, not a curse.

Scripture allows resistance when commands violate God’s law. Protest, appeal, and correction may be exercised within God’s order. What Scripture condemns is the appeal to mercy as a justification for lawlessness and rebellion.

To despise authority wholesale is to despise the God who establishes order.

A Call to Men

This moment calls for repentance, not mockery.

Men must repent of silence that passes itself off as peace. Of retreat mislabeled as humility. Of sarcasm mistaken for strength. Of surrendering leadership while criticizing the results.

Men are called to lead with steadiness. To speak truth without rage. To protect without domination. To restore order through obedience rather than reaction. Christlike headship bears responsibility with clarity and steadiness, rather than provoking disorder or scorning weakness.

Disorder is not corrected by escalating outrage, but by steady and faithful leadership.

The Calm of Christ

Christ is not unsettled by chaos. His kingdom does not wobble. He stood before hostility without panic. He addressed error with composure and resolve. He ruled without mirroring the rage of His accusers.

That same Christ reigns now.

The church is called to embody the steadiness of her King. In families, in congregations, and in public life, God’s people are called to become stabilizing presences rooted in truth and order.

The fruit of abdicated leadership is visible. So is the hope of restoration. Christ reigns. His order stands. And He calls His people to faithfulness marked by courage, clarity, and calm obedience.

Christ’s Steadiness in an Age of Lawless Rage

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

We are living in a moment marked by visible unrest, rising anger, and open hostility toward lawful authority. Protest has given way to rage. Moral claims are made loudly, but without coherence. Compassion is invoked while order is despised. Justice is demanded while restraint is mocked.

What we are witnessing goes beyond political dispute and exposes a collapse of moral clarity. Scripture has long prepared God’s people to recognize such seasons without hysteria or surprise. Confusion, rage, and rebellion recur wherever truth is cast aside and rightful authority is refused.

God is not the author of confusion. When confusion multiplies, Scripture teaches us to look beneath the surface, not to inflame the moment, but to understand it rightly.

A Biblical Diagnosis of the Chaos

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). Moral inversion arises as an act of judgment. Romans 1 explains that when truth is suppressed, God gives people over to disordered minds. The outcome is fragmentation and social fracture.

When rulers rage against authority, they rage against God Himself. “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh and against His Anointed” (Psalm 2:2). This rage rises from theological rebellion, not merely social conflict.

Lawful authority stands by God’s ordinance, and resistance to it stands against God Himself (Romans 13:1–2). Proverbs repeatedly connects lack of self control with folly and destruction. When restraint is mocked, wisdom has already been abandoned.

Christ’s Pattern in Times of Hostility

Jesus faced mobs, false accusations, and corrupt proceedings. He stood before Pilate without panic. He addressed hostile crowds without fear. He submitted to unjust suffering without surrendering truth.

This steadiness flowed from settled confidence in God’s sovereign rule. Christ met accusation without agitation, grounded in the certainty that chaos does not unsettle His reign. The apostles walked this path as well. They spoke the truth with steadiness, honored lawful authority within God’s order, and endured persecution with composure.

Calm conviction grows out of settled confidence in the kingship of Christ.

What Christians Must Affirm and Reject

Christians must affirm the legitimacy of lawful authority. Scripture does not permit believers to despise order while claiming fidelity to Christ. Lawful protest belongs within God’s order, and Scripture recognizes appeal and correction as legitimate acts under authority.

Christian faithfulness includes refusing lawlessness that claims the language of mercy. Shielding wrongdoing while despising authority participates in rebellion against God’s rule. Moral reasoning driven by emotion and detached from truth leads to destruction.

Disordered Authority and Disordered Passions

Genesis 3 shows how rejecting God’s order introduces disorder into human life, reshaping authority, desire, and responsibility in ways that compound confusion.

When headship is despised and order is rejected, passions no longer submit to reason or truth. Rage replaces clarity. Scripture identifies this condition as an act of judgment.

Why Unity Is Not the Goal in Times of Rebellion

Christ Himself taught that truth brings division in seasons of rebellion. Faithfulness governs the church’s course, even when unity fractures. When a culture rejects God’s order, clarity will divide those who submit from those who resist.

Faithfulness is assessed by obedience to truth rather than by the preservation of social harmony, and compromise follows whenever harmony becomes the standard.

A Call to Steadfastness

Christ’s people are called to refuse panic. To refuse mob thinking. To refuse silence born of fear. We are called to stand firm in obedience, clarity, and trust in God’s sovereignty.

Christ reigns even when societies unravel. His order remains. His authority is not shaken. The task of the church is not to mirror the rage of the age, but to stand as a witness to truth with calm, courage, and conviction.

The ground beneath us does not move. Christ does not waver. In an age of lawless rage, His steadiness anchors His people.

Leviticus 5 and the Gospel We Forgot

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Many Christians speak comfortably about forgiveness yet hesitate when asked why confession, purification, and discipline still matter. Grace is spoken of often. Cleansing is often left unexplained. The result is a gospel vocabulary that emphasizes pardon while struggling to explain restored fellowship, holiness, and the ongoing purity of the church.

This confusion arises from a lack of familiarity with Scripture. Much of the modern church reads the New Testament as if it appeared fully formed, detached from the covenantal categories that shaped it. Leviticus is often sidelined as distant context instead of received as formative instruction for understanding the gospel. When those categories are lost, the gospel itself becomes thinner, and grace is misunderstood.

Leviticus 5 Explained Carefully

Leviticus 5 addresses the purification offering. This offering addresses unintentional sin, concealed guilt, neglected obligations, and forms of defilement that arise apart from deliberate malice. The text assumes that sin exists even when it is minimized, forgotten, or excused.

A person might sin by failing to testify truthfully, by touching what is unclean, or by speaking carelessly under oath. The key issue is not the intensity of intent but the reality of defilement. Guilt exists because God dwells among His people. His presence is holy. Anything that disrupts that holiness threatens fellowship.

Confession is required. Sacrifice follows. The aim is the restoration of fellowship within the covenant community. The purification offering protects the covenant relationship by addressing what has compromised it. God provides a way for His people to remain near Him without treating uncleanness lightly.

Defilement as a Biblical Category

Scripture consistently treats sin as contaminating. The language of uncleanness, leaven, spread, and corruption reflects a reality that extends beyond personal conscience. Sin affects the community because God’s people are a dwelling place.

Defilement threatens fellowship with God and the integrity of life within His covenant people. Untreated sin compromises worship, fellowship, and clarity. Leviticus teaches that God’s presence among His people requires attentiveness to purity. This attentiveness is an act of love, not fear.

Christ and the Fulfillment of Purification

The logic of Leviticus continues in Christ as its true fulfillment. Jesus addresses defilement by cleansing His people and restoring them to fellowship. He restores fellowship rather than redefining holiness. His mercy includes repentance because mercy aims at renewal.

The New Testament presents Christ as the true purifier of God’s people. His sacrifice accomplishes what the offerings anticipated. He cleanses the conscience. He restores access. He removes persistent uncleanness from His body. Grace establishes holiness firmly and brings it to completion.

The Modern Loss of Category

Many churches today treat sin as private and primarily psychological. Mercy is confused with tolerance. Discipline is feared. God’s presence is assumed rather than guarded. These habits arise from missing biblical categories.

When purification is forgotten, forgiveness is flattened. Grace becomes a declaration without transformation. Fellowship becomes assumed rather than protected. Leviticus 5 exposes this by reminding the church that God’s dwelling among His people always required cleansing.

Confession and Discipline Recovered

Confession restores fellowship because it brings what is hidden into the light. Repentance is a gift because it reopens the way to shared life with God. Church discipline protects the body by addressing defilement before it spreads.

Removing unrepentant sin is an act of love. It preserves the integrity of the community and honors the holiness of Christ’s presence. These practices grow out of grace received and give form to its work among God’s people.

Christ and Hope

Leviticus 5 prepares the way for a gospel that cleanses fully and restores truly. Christ’s work secures forgiveness and purification together. Holiness grows from grace. A purified church reflects the glory of the One who dwells in its midst.

The gospel we have neglected carries greater depth and substance than the one we often settle for. It names sin honestly, provides cleansing generously, and restores fellowship faithfully. Christ remains sufficient, and His design remains good.

Share this reflection to help recover the gospel logic Scripture assumes but we have forgotten, and to invite others into the richness of Christ’s cleansing and restored fellowship.

The Love of God

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

God’s love is rooted in His own being and needs no human response. Before creation, before covenant history, and before sin entered the world, God was love because God was God. His love is not a reaction to circumstances, nor is it awakened by something attractive in the creature. It flows from His eternal being, from His holiness, faithfulness, and self-existence. Scripture declares God’s love from His revealed name and character rather than leaving it to be measured by human experience. “Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth” (Exodus 34:6). His love is as immutable as He is.

Because God is holy, His love is holy. Because He is righteous, His love is righteous. Because He is faithful, His love does not fail. Scripture presents the love of God as covenantal commitment grounded in His faithfulness and purpose. God sets His love upon His people freely, binds Himself by promise, and acts decisively to accomplish their good according to His wisdom. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). This love addresses sin truthfully and works toward cleansing, discipline, and restoration according to God’s purposes.

The love of God is made known and given its true meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Scripture reveals divine love by displaying it. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The incarnation stands as the fulfillment of God’s covenant faithfulness, accomplished in history through the sending of His Son. The obedience of Christ fulfilled God’s saving purpose and accomplished the redemption He had promised. The cross stands as the place where God’s love and righteousness were fully exercised together in faithful justice. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

Speaking of the love of God requires speaking of Christ, because His person and work give that love its true form and meaning. Jesus is the living exposition of divine love. In His humility, God’s love takes flesh. In His obedience, God’s love keeps covenant. In His suffering, God’s love bears judgment. In His resurrection, God’s love secures life. Love is defined by the sure purpose it secures for God’s people and the glory toward which it faithfully brings them. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

In Christ, the love of God takes visible shape as covenantal faithfulness expressed in joyful obedience to the Father and sacrificial service toward others. It is lived obedience that fulfills God’s saving purpose and secures redemption.

This truth steadies the believer who walks through hardship, delay, or correction. Scripture presents God’s love as ruling over suffering and directing it according to His wise and faithful purposes. “Those whom Yahweh loves He reproves, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:12). Discipline functions as a covenant mark of belonging within God’s faithful care. Affliction serves God’s work of refinement, carried forward by His purposeful and patient love that completes what He has begun.

There are seasons when obedience is slow, when the fruit of faithfulness is not immediately visible, when the path God appoints is heavy. Scripture teaches the believer to recognize these moments as the setting in which God’s love is actively at work. “For momentary, light affliction is working out for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). God’s love guarantees completion according to His purpose and timing. “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

The love of God humbles the heart because it is undeserved. It strengthens faith because it is sure. It steadies the soul because it does not fluctuate with circumstance. God’s love remains steady through suffering, weakness, and discipline because it rests in the eternal will of God and stands secured by the finished work of Christ. Nothing in heaven or on earth stands outside its reach. “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39).

The soul finds rest in the steadfast faithfulness of God. Rest is found through trust in God’s covenant promise and displayed in reverent worship. The love of God is eternal, unfailing, and certain to complete His work for the praise of His glorious grace.

Religious Liberty Was Never Meant to Be Moral Neutrality

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Religious liberty holds a foundational place in the American civic order. It is often invoked as proof that the United States was founded on moral openness, pluralism, and the refusal to privilege any religious truth. That interpretation arises from modern assumptions and misses the reality of the American founding.

The American founding restrained federal establishment while presupposing a shared Christian moral order as the basis for public life. Religious liberty protected conscience within that order. It did not authorize the coexistence of rival legal and moral systems competing for dominance over the nation’s life.

The confusion surrounding religious liberty today arises from forgetting the moral assumptions that made liberty possible in the first place.

What Religious Liberty Meant at the Founding

At the founding, religion referred to Christianity as a moral, cultural, and theological reality that shaped law, education, and civic virtue. The First Amendment prevented Congress from establishing a national church or interfering with state religious arrangements. It did not remove religion from public life or deny its formative role.

Early America lived comfortably with public prayer, Christian oaths, Sabbath laws, religious instruction, and explicit appeals to divine judgment. These practices embodied the belief that liberty survives only where moral restraint is publicly honored. The founders feared coerced worship and sectarian domination. They did not fear Christianity shaping public conscience.

The Myth of Neutrality

Modern appeals to neutrality assume that law can exist without moral commitments. That assumption has no foundation in history or reality. Every legal system enforces a vision of right and wrong. The question is never whether morality governs public life, but which morality does so.

The founding generation assumed Christian moral norms as necessary for self-government. They understood that a free people must govern themselves before they could govern a nation. Without shared moral convictions, liberty decays into license and authority collapses into force.

The American founding pursued ordered liberty as its guiding principle.

Liberty Within Order

Religious liberty functioned within an inherited moral framework. Conscience was protected because conscience was assumed to be formed by Christian truth. Freedom of worship existed alongside moral expectations enforced by law and custom.

This ordered liberty allowed dissent within bounds. It placed moral boundaries around public life. The public square functioned as a cultivated space shaped by inherited Christian convictions. Liberty flourished because moral order preceded it.

Citizenship as Moral Participation

Citizenship in early America meant more than legal paperwork. It assumed participation in a moral community shaped by Christian assumptions about family, authority, law, and virtue. Immigrants were welcomed with the expectation of assimilation into that order.

This expectation reflected the conviction that shared moral commitments were necessary for national coherence. Citizenship required loyalty to the moral vision that sustained the republic.

Pluralism existed, but it existed downstream from a dominant moral consensus.

Implications for Migration

The founding vision assumed a shared legal and moral framework, while toleration permitted differences in worship. It did not grant permission to undermine the nation’s moral foundations.

A people cannot remain free when its moral assumptions fracture beyond repair. Liberty depends on shared agreement about justice, authority, and moral responsibility. When those agreements dissolve, law becomes an instrument of power rather than a guardian of order.

The founders understood this intuitively. Modern confusion arises from denying it.

Scripture and Moral Jurisdiction

Scripture treats nations as morally accountable before God. Nations are judged. Rulers are called servants of God. Law is tasked with rewarding good and restraining evil. Psalm 2 addresses kings and judges directly. Romans 13 presents civil authority as instituted by God. Proverbs declares that righteousness exalts a nation.

God’s authority extends beyond the private conscience. Christ’s kingship encompasses nations, laws, and magistrates. Moral jurisdiction belongs to God, and civil authority answers to Him.

Neutrality toward God has never been a biblical category.

Where the Modern Church Erred

The modern church accepted neutrality as a virtue and withdrew from moral responsibility. In doing so, it surrendered the public square to secular ideologies that now define liberty apart from God.

This retreat undermined peace and generated confusion. When Christians refused to speak about law, morality, and public order, others spoke in their place. The state filled the space with its own moral vision.

Religious liberty eroded when Christians surrendered moral truth.

A Final Word

Religious liberty exists to safeguard faithful obedience within a moral order. It assumed a people formed by Christian convictions and governed by laws reflecting justice.

Liberty severed from moral order collapses into domination by rival authorities.

The recovery of religious liberty requires the recovery of moral seriousness, biblical clarity, and confidence that Christ reigns over nations as surely as He reigns over hearts.

Share this if you think religious liberty was meant to protect obedience, not erase moral truth.

Should Christians Tell Unbelievers “Jesus Loves You”?

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Many Christians assume they are obligated to tell every unbeliever “Jesus loves you.” The phrase sounds warm and welcoming, and it often comes from sincere motives. The question is not whether Christians should speak with kindness, but whether this language communicates the gospel truthfully. Scripture calls believers to accuracy as well as compassion. Love that obscures the sinner’s true standing before God does not help them come to Christ.

Scripture speaks about God’s love with careful distinctions. God shows real kindness and patience to all people. He gives life, provision, restraint of evil, and time to repent. This is His benevolence toward the world. Scripture also speaks of covenantal love, which belongs to those who are brought into fellowship with Him. Above all, Scripture speaks of God’s saving love in Christ, which reconciles sinners through the cross and unites them to the Son by faith. These categories are not interchangeable. When they are collapsed into a single statement of assurance, the gospel loses clarity.

Apart from Christ, unbelievers stand alienated from God. Scripture describes them as dead in sin and under just wrath, yet still objects of God’s patience and kindness. This diagnosis is important. A person cannot understand the good news unless they first understand why reconciliation is needed. Scripture calls unbelievers to peace with God, not to assume they already possess it. The call of the gospel is an invitation grounded in truth. It is not a declaration of settled peace.

Biblical evangelism proclaims Christ as Lord and Savior. It announces His finished work, commands repentance and faith, and promises forgiveness and reconciliation to those who come to Him. The apostles did not preach assurance apart from conversion. They called hearers to respond to Christ with repentance and trust. God’s kindness leads sinners toward repentance.

Christians must guard their language. Covenant peace must never be declared where repentance has not occurred. If the phrase “Jesus loves you” is used, it must be carefully defined. It can only mean that God is patient and merciful, calling sinners to turn and live. It must never communicate acceptance, assurance, or salvation apart from faith in Christ. Words shape understanding, and unclear words produce confused converts.

Biblical love seeks the true good of the other. It speaks honestly about sin, judgment, mercy, and hope. It warns because it cares. It invites because Christ saves. Love that avoids truth leaves sinners comfortable in danger. Love that tells the truth points them to life.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Saying ‘Jesus loves you’ is just a simple way to show compassion and open doors.”

Response: Scripture governs compassion with truth. The apostles never opened gospel conversations by declaring peace without repentance. God’s kindness, as Romans teaches, leads to repentance and not to assurance without faith. Compassion that obscures the call to repentance misrepresents the character of God and weakens the gospel invitation.

Truth That Withstands

Faithful proclamation honors God’s love by speaking of it as Scripture does. God’s love is holy, purposeful, and saving in Christ. Christians serve unbelievers best by declaring God’s mercy truthfully and calling them to enter His saving love through repentance and faith.

Truthful love matters. Pass this along.

When Sovereignty Is Tested by Lawlessness in the Church

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Belief in God’s sovereignty is rarely tested first by abstract questions of election. For many, the strain comes later, when prolonged exposure to unrepentant sin within the visible church collides with the promises of Scripture. It is one thing to confess that God rules all things. It is another to watch His people ignore plain commands, abandon discipline, and treat covenant faithfulness as a threat rather than a gift.

I have defended the doctrines of sovereign grace for years without hesitation. I have never doubted that God reigns, that He saves whom He wills, or that His purposes cannot fail. Yet there was a season when belief in those truths did not spare me from anger, grief, and rebellion. That season exposed how deeply trust in God’s sovereignty is tested when His people refuse obedience.

This tension arises in real shepherding and covenant faithfulness, where the cost is personal.

The Promise of a New Heart and the Weight of Time

Ezekiel 36:26–27 stands as one of the clearest promises in all of Scripture.

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments.”

This promise leaves no room for uncertainty about God’s intent. He causes obedience. He does not merely invite it. He does not wait helplessly for cooperation. He acts. Yet the same promise assumes process, discipline, and time. God’s work unfolds through means, often slow and painful ones, rather than through immediate visible transformation.

That distinction matters when obedience seems absent, when discipline is neglected, and when lawlessness persists among those who confess Christ. The promise remains certain. The pathway often involves suffering.

When Lawlessness in the Church Provokes Anger

Around 2019, I entered a dark season. The anger that surfaced was not rooted in disbelief in God’s authority. It grew from grief over His people’s refusal to obey Him. Commands were clear. Discipline was commanded. Repentance was named in Scripture and dismissed in practice. Faithfulness was treated as rigidity. Correction was labeled unloving.

Over time, anger hardened. I watched sin ignored, families wounded, and leaders refuse accountability while demanding submission. The absence of discipline was experienced in real life. Matthew 18 was sidelined. First Corinthians 5 was treated as extreme. Hebrews 12 was preached as metaphor rather than mandate. The letters of Revelation 2 and 3 were treated as records of past failures, not as covenant warnings that still stand over Christ’s church.

That anger turned inward. I rebelled. Not against God’s sovereignty, but against His timing and His methods. I did not excuse my sin then, and I do not excuse it now. Rebellion is rebellion, even when it grows out of grief. I sinned plainly, and I own it without qualification.

God did not abandon me in that season. He corrected me. He disciplined me. He exposed the pride that had confused zeal with control and faithfulness with impatience. He restored me, not by validating my anger, but by humbling it.

Suffering, Isolation, and the Silence of the Church

That season was marked by real suffering. Loss compounded isolation. Meaningful church support was materially absent and plainly felt. When discipline collapses, shepherding collapses with it. People fall through cracks that should not exist.

Suffering sharpened the tension. I believed God governed all things. I also watched unchecked sin produce harm without consequence. The contradiction felt unbearable at times. I wanted resolution. I wanted visible justice. I wanted God to act in ways that aligned with my sense of urgency.

He did not.

Instead, He taught me patience that did not excuse sin and discipline that did not seize control. Scripture binds both together. Righteous correction belongs to God’s design. So does waiting on His hand. Impatience is not faithfulness, even when the cause is just.

Discipline, Patience, and Obedience

Scripture never presents discipline as optional. Matthew 18 establishes it as obedience. First Corinthians 5 shows its necessity. Hebrews 12 reveals its love. Revelation 2 and 3 demonstrate Christ’s active judgment among His churches.

Scripture also never authorizes forcing outcomes that belong to God. Discipline is obedience. Patience is obedience. Both are governed by God’s Word rather than by emotion or frustration. The temptation to demand immediate results reveals a lingering desire for control rather than trust.

God used that season to deepen my understanding of human depravity, especially within the visible church. That knowledge does not produce confidence or superiority. It weighs heavily. It tempers expectations. It removes illusions about quick reform and easy faithfulness.

Sovereignty Tested and Refined

That season deepened my understanding of God’s sovereignty and clarified how it works through correction and patience. I learned that trusting God includes trusting His discipline of His people, His discipline of me, and His refusal to operate on my timetable. Ezekiel’s promise remains true. God causes obedience. He does so through means that expose sin, humble pride, and stretch faith beyond comfort.

The church’s failure to discipline is a covenant failure. It does not merely reflect weakness in leadership or poor judgment. It contradicts Christ’s explicit commands and leaves His people exposed, confused, and unguarded. When discipline disappears, sin gains room to breathe, victims are left without protection, and repentance is treated as optional rather than necessary.

This failure tests belief in sovereignty precisely because it tempts the faithful to conclude that obedience does not matter or that God is indifferent to His own standards. Scripture teaches neither. Christ walks among the lampstands. He rebukes churches. He removes them when they refuse to repent. Revelation 2 and 3 reveal the Lord exercising present authority through warning, correction, and discipline over His people.

God’s sovereignty establishes accountability and judges lawlessness.

That truth reoriented my anger. I learned that outrage over sin must be governed by obedience just as surely as mercy must be governed by truth. God does not call His people to silence, nor does He authorize them to seize control of outcomes that belong to Him alone. He commands correction according to His Word and patience according to His providence.

Ezekiel’s promise remains unbroken. God gives new hearts. God causes obedience. He does so through time, suffering, discipline, and means that expose what cannot be healed by denial. Delayed obedience reflects the unfolding work of God’s promise rather than its collapse.

The visible church will continue to test belief in God’s sovereignty because it continues to reveal the depth of human depravity. That exposure serves to humble. It strips away naive expectations. It presses believers to trust God’s rule without demanding immediate vindication.

I no longer assume that zeal proves faithfulness. I no longer confuse urgency with righteousness. God corrected me by teaching that patience belongs to obedience and discipline belongs to love. Both are acts of obedience when governed by Scripture.

God confronted my rebellion and brought it to repentance. He refined my anger into obedience. And He did not abandon His church, even when its failures cut deeply.

Sovereign grace remains certain. Obedience remains commanded. Discipline remains necessary. And God remains faithful to accomplish what He has promised, even when the path exposes more sin than success.

That is where faith learns to bow.

Share this piece with someone who believes in God’s sovereignty but feels the strain of prolonged disobedience and unanswered grief within the church.

Why Modern Christians Think Any Use of Power Is Unchristian

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Many modern Christians carry a deep unease with power. Authority feels suspect. Force feels immoral. Enforcement feels unloving. Borders, policing, punishment, and even self-defense are often spoken of as necessary evils at best and outright betrayals of Christ at worst.

This instinct feels virtuous to those who hold it. It feels compassionate. It feels Christlike. It often presents itself as humility or peacemaking. Yet Scripture does not share this instinct, and the church did not hold it for most of its history.

Modern Christian concern for love has been detached from justice, authority, and moral seriousness, leaving love unmoored from the biblical order that gives it weight and direction. When this happens, power itself is treated as unchristian rather than as a tool God explicitly assigns and judges.

The Modern Moral Reflex

The reflex is easy to spot. Any use of coercion is framed as incompatible with the gospel. Any exercise of authority is assumed to be oppressive. Any attempt to restrain evil through law or force is accused of lacking grace.

This reflex often borrows language from Jesus while quietly importing moral assumptions from modern liberalism, post-war trauma, and pietistic withdrawal. It assumes that faithfulness looks like disengagement from public responsibility and that Christlikeness requires non-resistance in every sphere of life.

Scripture never trains God’s people to think this way.

God’s Own Use of Authority

From the opening chapters of Genesis, authority is treated as a moral necessity. After the flood, God establishes a covenantal principle for human society:

“Whoever sheds man’s blood,

By man his blood shall be shed,

For in the image of God

He made man.”

Genesis 9:6

Justice here flows from the dignity of the image of God and the moral responsibility to restrain evil. God authorizes restraint because unchecked violence destroys His world. The use of power here is not contrary to love. It is an expression of love for human life and order.

This pattern continues throughout Scripture. Kings are judged for failing to restrain evil. Shepherds are condemned for neglecting discipline. God rebukes rulers who allow injustice to spread unchecked.

“To do justice is pleasure for the righteous,

But is ruin to the workers of iniquity.”

Proverbs 21:15

Justice produces relief for the faithful and fear for the wicked. Scripture treats this as a moral good.

Christ and the Limits of Personal Ethics

Much confusion arises from collapsing all authority into personal ethics. Jesus teaches His disciples to turn the other cheek, to forgive, and to love enemies. These commands govern personal conduct, not the totality of human responsibility.

Jesus Himself affirms the legitimacy of civil authority even under pagan rule. He acknowledges the authority of Pilate while holding him accountable before God. He warns cities of judgment. He speaks of consequences, accountability, and final reckoning.

Paul makes the distinction explicit:

“For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same;”

Romans 13:3–4

Civil authority is described as God’s servant. The restraint of evil is not a concession to sin but a moral duty under God’s law.

The Crusades as a Mirror

The Crusades are often invoked as proof that Christian use of power always ends in corruption. History does record grave sins, excesses, and false theology surrounding them. Those realities must be named honestly.

Yet the more revealing question is whether modern Christians would even recognize the moral question the medieval church believed it was answering. The question was not whether love permits authority. The question was how authority should be exercised under God in a violent world.

Modern Christianity often refuses to ask that question at all. The issue has shifted from discernment to abdication. Power is simply surrendered to those who reject God’s law entirely.

Abdication Disguised as Piety

Scripture consistently warns against this kind of retreat. When authority collapses, evil multiplies.

“Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.”

Ecclesiastes 8:11

Refusal to restrain evil allows disorder to spread and corrodes peace. Silence trains lawlessness. Withdrawal invites tyranny by those with no moral restraint.

This pattern explains much of the modern church’s paralysis. Christians hesitate to speak, govern, discipline, or act publicly because they have absorbed a false equation between love and passivity.

Love, Justice, and Moral Weight

Biblical love carries weight. It protects the innocent. It restrains the violent. It confronts rebellion. It acts for the good of neighbor and community, even when action is costly.

Psalm 2 portrays the nations raging and rulers resisting God’s authority. God’s response is not retreat but command:

“So now, O kings, show insight;

Take warning, O judges of the earth.

Serve Yahweh with fear

And rejoice with trembling.”

Psalm 2:10-11

Kings are addressed as accountable moral agents under divine law. Christ’s reign brings public authority under His judgment and rule.

The Question Before the Church

The question is not whether power can be abused. Scripture assumes that it can and will be judged. The question is whether Christians believe truth has public consequences or only private comfort.

Christians who reject all use of authority do not escape power. They merely hand it to others. Scripture offers no blessing for that exchange.

Christ reigns now. His law orders love, justice, and authority together. Faithfulness requires discernment, not withdrawal.

The church must recover the courage to affirm moral seriousness without cruelty, authority without arrogance, and love that acts rather than retreats.

Share this to provoke reflection on how Christians understand love, authority, and responsibility today.

The Covenantal Significance of the Name Yahweh

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Scripture presents God as one who speaks, acts, and reveals Himself personally by name, making His identity known rather than leaving Him as an abstract force or distant power inferred only through effects. In the biblical world, a name signifies identity, commitment, and relational standing, carrying deliberate covenantal weight rather than serving as a mere label. When God reveals His name, He is not merely labeling Himself. He is binding Himself to a people in history.

The name Yahweh functions this way throughout Scripture. It is God’s covenant name, through which He makes Himself known as faithful, present, and bound to His promises. Losing clarity around this name weakens the Bible’s covenantal structure and leaves the church vulnerable to flattening God into abstraction.

God Reveals His Name

At the burning bush, Moses seeks clarity about the One who sends him by asking for God’s name. The question reaches toward covenant relationship and accountability. God answers by revealing Himself as Yahweh, the God who is, the God who remains, the God who will be with His people according to His promise (Exodus 3:13–15).

This moment establishes an important pattern. God rules by revealed commitment, binding Himself through oath and self-disclosure. His name bears covenant weight, identifying Him as the God who commits Himself in promise and faithfulness rather than a mere title of authority.

Yahweh as God’s Covenant Name

In Exodus 6:2–8, God explicitly ties the name Yahweh to covenant fulfillment. He contrasts His prior dealings with the patriarchs with the present act of redemption. The point is not that God was unknown before, but that His covenant faithfulness is now being displayed with clarity and power. Yahweh is the God who keeps His word across generations.

The name becomes inseparable from promise, presence, and deliverance. Yahweh is the God who hears the groaning of His people, remembers His covenant, and acts in history. This reveals personal, covenantal faithfulness rather than abstract philosophical existence.

Personal and Relational, Not Impersonal

By using His covenant name, God distinguishes Himself from distant deities and abstract absolutes. Yahweh is the living God who speaks, disciplines, forgives, restores, and dwells among His people in covenant faithfulness. Scripture repeatedly presents Him as near, involved, and attentive.

Reducing God to generic lordship blunts this reality. The covenant name guards against turning God into a vague authority detached from historical promise and relational obligation.

Historical Continuity Across Redemptive History

The same Yahweh who calls Abraham is the God who delivers Israel, gives the Law, disciplines His people through exile, and promises restoration. Psalm 105 rehearses this continuity explicitly. God’s faithfulness is anchored in His name.

Scripture does not fracture God’s identity between eras. The New Testament does not introduce a different deity or a softened version of the same one. Redemptive history remains unified because the covenant name remains constant.

Exclusive Allegiance and Polemic Against False Gods

The name Yahweh also functions polemically. Isaiah records God declaring, “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 42:8). The name draws a clear line between the true God and every rival claim.

Using the covenant name preserves Scripture’s insistence on exclusive worship. It resists religious pluralism and generic spirituality. Yahweh requires exclusive covenant loyalty from His people.

Christological Fulfillment

The New Testament applies Yahweh texts directly to Jesus. When Jesus declares “before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), the claim is unmistakable. Paul’s confession that “Jesus is Lord” draws directly from Joel’s declaration about Yahweh, applied without hesitation to Christ (Romans 10:9–13).

Philippians 2:9–11 presents the exaltation of Jesus in covenantal terms. The name given to Him is the name before which every knee bows. Confessing Jesus as Lord declares that the covenant God has brought His promises to fulfillment in the Son.

Jesus makes the covenant God known in His person and work.

Why This Matters for the Church Today

When the covenant name is flattened or avoided, theology becomes vague. Worship loses historical grounding. Christology becomes abstracted from redemptive promise. The church begins to speak of God in ways Scripture does not.

Preserving the name Yahweh safeguards biblical literacy. It strengthens worship by rooting it in covenant faithfulness rather than emotional generality. It anchors confidence in God’s promises across generations.

The God of Scripture bears a revealed name marked by faithfulness. He binds Himself to His people, keeps His word, and remains the covenant Lord whose name still carries weight because His promises endure.

Why Scripture That Refuses to Soften God’s Voice Feels Offensive

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Translation Philosophy Is Never Neutral

Every Bible translation makes judgments. Those judgments are not limited to grammar or syntax. They reflect assumptions about authority, clarity, audience, and purpose. A translator decides whether Scripture should sound commanding or conversational, weighty or casual, covenantal or therapeutic. These decisions shape how readers hear God speak.

Translation philosophy therefore reveals theology. When Scripture is rendered with precision and consistency, the reader is placed under the text. When Scripture is rendered with smoothing and adaptation, the text is placed under the reader. This distinction reaches beyond technique and exposes a spiritual posture.

Scripture presents itself as the voice of God, not as a religious resource to be curated. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). That sharpness belongs to the way God has chosen to speak and stands as part of His design.

The Modern Expectation That Scripture Should Accommodate

Many Christians today approach the Bible with an unspoken expectation. Scripture should feel accessible, emotionally safe, and immediately affirming. When it does not, discomfort follows. That discomfort is often explained away as a translation issue rather than received as a theological confrontation.

This expectation has trained readers to evaluate faithfulness by tone rather than truth. Passages that command obedience, pronounce judgment, or expose sin are judged by how they feel rather than by what they say. Scripture is weighed against modern sensibilities, and any friction is treated as a flaw in the text rather than a feature of God’s authority.

The prophet Isaiah addresses this instinct directly. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord (Isaiah 55:8). Scripture speaks to accomplish God’s purposes and form obedience, not to preserve human comfort.

What the Legacy Standard Bible Intentionally Preserves

The Legacy Standard Bible provides a useful case study because of what it refuses to do. Its translation philosophy prioritizes formal equivalence, consistency in key theological terms, covenant language, and grammatical transparency. It aims to present the text as it stands rather than as readers might prefer it to sound.

This approach does not make the LSB spiritually superior. It does, however, make its theological posture clear. The goal is submission to the text, not mediation of it. The translators assume that God’s words carry authority as given and that the task of the church is to hear them faithfully.

That commitment can feel confrontational to readers accustomed to smoother renderings. Commands sound like commands. Judgment sounds like judgment. Covenant language remains covenantal. The text refuses to negotiate its own weight.

Why This Feels Confrontational

Unsoftened Scripture unsettles modern readers because it disrupts a therapeutic framework. Therapeutic Christianity treats Scripture as a source of reassurance before it treats it as a source of command. The fear of the Lord fades, and the expectation of comfort rises.

Jeremiah records the Lord’s rebuke of this impulse. “Is not My word like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29). Fire and hammers exist to do work, to break, to refine, and to shape what they strike.

When Scripture confronts, it exposes resistance in the heart. That resistance is often misidentified as a preference issue. In reality, it is a question of submission.

Submission Before Understanding

Scripture has always confronted before it comforted. Israel encountered God’s law before enjoying His rest. The prophets spoke judgment before restoration. Christ preached repentance before announcing consolation.

Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a clear dividing line. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). Obedience follows hearing. Comfort follows faithfulness.

Understanding grows within submission. Scripture exercises authority through trustful submission, with confidence rooted in God’s Word rather than emotional resonance.

The Danger of Wanting a Curated God

When believers prefer softened Scripture, they are often seeking a curated God. A God who affirms before He commands. A God who explains before He judges. A God who comforts without confronting.

Psalm 19 presents a different vision. “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” (Psalm 19:7). Restoration flows from perfection, not accommodation. Scripture restores because it speaks with clarity and authority.

A curated God trains believers to bargain with obedience, while the God who reveals Himself commands it.

The Real Question for the Church

The issue at stake is larger than translation preference. The question is whether Christians desire God to speak as He has spoken or as they wish He had spoken. Scripture remains profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Those functions require weight, clarity, and authority.

Scripture addresses the reader with the aim of transformation, bringing life under the authority of God rather than preserving personal comfort. When God’s voice feels offensive, the offense lies not in the text but in the posture of the heart.

The church flourishes when God’s Word is received with submission and obedience, rather than reshaped to soften its authority.

Why Christians Must Recover Imprecatory Prayer

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern Christianity often treats the imprecatory psalms as an embarrassment. They are quietly avoided in public worship, skipped in devotional reading, and explained away as remnants of a harsher stage of faith. This discomfort arises from a theology that has grown uneasy with judgment, impatient with righteousness, and uncertain about how justice relates to prayer under Christ’s reign.

Imprecatory psalms are inspired Scripture. They remain part of the church’s prayer book because evil remains real, God remains just, and His people still live in a world where righteousness is opposed and the innocent suffer. Recovering these prayers restores a biblical understanding of justice and covenant faithfulness.

What Imprecatory Psalms Are and Why They Exist

Imprecatory psalms are prayers in which God’s people call upon Him to act in judgment against persistent, unrepentant evil. Psalms such as 2, 58, 69, 94, and 109 give voice to this cry. These prayers flow from zeal for God’s holiness, concern for the oppressed, and trust in the Lord who governs the moral order of the world.

These prayers exist because God revealed Himself as a righteous Judge who hears the cries of His people. They teach believers how to bring anger, grief, and moral outrage into the presence of God rather than allowing those impulses to fester or explode into vengeance. Scripture includes these prayers because the Lord intends to train His people to respond to evil in a Godward direction.

Biblical Legitimacy and Continuity

Imprecatory psalms are inspired Scripture. They were sung by Israel, preserved by the Spirit, and received by the church without apology. Nowhere does Scripture revoke them or suggest that they belong to a lesser covenant.

The New Testament confirms their moral framework. Paul writes, “Never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God” (Romans 12:19). That command assumes that God’s wrath is real, righteous, and awaited. The martyrs cry out from beneath the altar, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10). Scripture presents heaven affirming these prayers with assurance that judgment will come in God’s time.

As redemptive history unfolds, Scripture presents divine judgment with increasing clarity and weight.

Imprecation as God-Centered Justice

Imprecatory prayer places judgment where it belongs. It removes it from human hands and entrusts it to God. This is its moral strength.

When believers pray for God to act against evil, they refuse the path of retaliation. They refuse to take justice into their own hands. They submit their anger, grief, and longing for righteousness to the Lord who judges with perfect knowledge and equity. This posture restrains violence rather than fueling it. It confesses that only God sees fully and judges rightly.

Imprecatory prayer trains patience by placing justice firmly in God’s character rather than human impulse.

Christ and Imprecation

The teaching of Jesus brings imprecatory prayer to its fullness and rightful place.

Jesus pronounced woes against unrepentant cities and religious leaders. He warned of judgment more frequently and more clearly than any prophet before Him. Matthew 23 records His denunciation of hardened hypocrisy. Revelation presents Him as the rider who judges and wages war in righteousness (Revelation 19).

The cross stands as proof that judgment governs God’s dealing with sin. Christ bears it for those who turn to Him, and it remains upon those who persist in refusal. Imprecatory prayer aligns with this reality. It confesses that evil will be addressed by God, not overlooked.

Moral Boundaries and Guardrails

Scripture places clear boundaries on imprecatory prayer. These prayers are directed against persistent, unrepentant evil. They are shaped by concern for God’s name and the protection of the innocent. They remain submitted to God’s timing and purposes.

Imprecation never replaces evangelism. It never negates mercy. It never excuses personal bitterness. The same Scriptures that teach imprecation also command love of enemies and calls to repentance. Biblical prayer holds these together without confusion.

New Covenant Practice

Christians today pray imprecatorily by asking God to restrain evil, to defend the vulnerable, to vindicate His righteousness, and to bring either repentance or judgment according to His will. These prayers recognize Christ’s present reign and His future judgment.

They train believers to wait upon God rather than seize power. They strengthen confidence in divine justice when human courts fail. They keep the church from mistaking silence for virtue or passivity for love.

Why the Church Needs This Today

When the church sets aside imprecatory prayer, it frequently trades biblical justice for activism or retreat. Evil is either ignored or confronted without theological grounding. Prayer turns inward, aimed at managing feeling rather than appealing to God’s rule.

Recovering imprecatory prayer restores moral clarity. It teaches the church to hate evil rightly, to love righteousness deeply, and to trust God fully. It steadies prayer in a world where injustice persists and reminds believers that the Lord reigns even when judgment delays.

A Closing Word of Weight

Imprecatory psalms remain part of the church’s inheritance because God remains holy and His justice remains sure. These prayers form the heart to submit rightly to God’s justice. They teach believers to entrust judgment to God and to wait for His righteous rule to be made visible.

Until Christ comes to consummate His kingdom, the church prays in submission to God’s revealed will. With reverence. With restraint. With confidence in the Judge of all the earth who will do what is right.

Share this for the sake of biblical prayer and a clearer grasp of God’s justice. These psalms shape how Christians love righteousness, name evil, and entrust judgment to the Lord rather than themselves.

Why the Church Feels Foreign to Faithful Christians

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Many sincere believers attend church regularly, listen attentively, sing earnestly, and leave feeling hollow. They are hungry for substance, longing for depth, and seeking a form of church life that aligns with Scripture. They simply sense that something essential is missing. The experience feels thin, disconnected, and strangely impersonal.

This dislocation is often dismissed as preference or personality. It is explained away as generational difference, unrealistic expectation, or spiritual immaturity. Scripture does not support those dismissals. The ache many faithful Christians feel reflects a deeper mismatch between the biblical vision of the church and the dominant model that now defines it.

What feels foreign is not Christ. What feels foreign is the shape the church has taken.

The Biblical Shape of the Lord’s Day

Scripture presents the gathering of God’s people as covenant renewal. God summons His people. They come together as one body. They hear His Word. They confess sin. They receive forgiveness. They are instructed in righteousness. They respond with praise and prayer. They are sent out again in obedience.

This pattern appears throughout redemptive history. Nehemiah 8–9 shows the people gathered for extended reading of the law, confession, weeping, repentance, and renewed obedience. Psalm 95 calls the people to worship, confession, and submission before the Lord who made them. Acts 2:42–47 describes a church devoted to teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer as a shared life rather than a weekly event.

Scripture presents the Lord’s Day as the center of covenant life, the appointed time when God gathers His people for renewal, instruction, and worship. God forms His people through gathered obedience.

What Modern Churches Offer Instead

Many churches now offer a compressed experience shaped by efficiency rather than covenantal rhythm. Songs are sung. A prayer is offered. A sermon is delivered. Children are separated. Hands are shaken. The congregation disperses.

None of these elements are sinful. The problem lies in what they have replaced. The structure trains believers to consume religious content rather than live as a people bound together under Christ. The gathering becomes a program to attend instead of a covenant to renew.

Over time, Christians learn to measure faithfulness by attendance rather than shared obedience. Worship becomes something done for an hour rather than a life ordered under God’s Word.

The Loss of Shared Life

As covenant renewal fades, shared life fades with it. Confession becomes private rather than communal. Prayer becomes brief and scripted. Burden bearing is rare. Discipline is avoided. Shepherding is minimal. Meals are occasional rather than formative.

Scripture presents the church as a body that grows through every joint supplying what is needed, as taught in Ephesians 4. When these practices erode, relationships become shallow and faith becomes fragile. Believers remain isolated even while sitting in crowded rooms.

The result is a church full of individuals who know Christian language but lack Christian life together.

Why Faithful Believers Feel Out of Place

Those who long for deeper fellowship, accountability, and shared obedience often feel strange in such settings. Their hunger is misread as dissatisfaction. Scripture reads it differently. Hunger for covenant life reflects spiritual vitality.

Regeneration produces a desire for the people of God, the Word of God, and the obedience of God lived together. When those instincts have no place to land, believers feel displaced. The problem is not that they want too much. The problem is that the church offers too little of what Scripture promises.

The Cost of Ignoring Covenant Renewal

When covenant renewal is lost, discipleship weakens. Faith becomes private. Perseverance becomes uncertain. Families carry the weight of formation alone. The witness of the church grows thin.

Without shared obedience, the church struggles to withstand pressure. Without discipline, sin spreads quietly. Without deep fellowship, believers drift unseen. These outcomes are the predictable fruit of a church that has forgotten its covenantal identity.

A Call to Seek One Another Out

Scripture calls believers to assemble, exhort, confess, bear burdens, and stir one another to good works. Hebrews 10:24–25 frames this as obedience, not preference. Faithful Christians must pursue one another intentionally, even when it costs comfort.

This may require patience. It may require discernment. It may require seeking smaller gatherings, informal fellowship, or reform within existing churches. Christ commands love expressed through shared obedience.

Hopeful Conclusion

Christ is building His church. The hunger for covenant life is evidence of His work, not a sign of failure. Faithful believers are not alone, even when they feel scattered.

The church needs remembrance. When God’s people recover the pattern of covenant renewal, life returns. Obedience deepens. Fellowship strengthens. What feels foreign becomes familiar again.

Christ continues to build His church through gathered obedience, covenant faithfulness, and a people ordered by His Word.

Can You Understand the Gospel Without the Old Testament?

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

A Christian who reads the New Testament apart from the Old Testament loses the framework needed to understand it. The gospel stands on a long history of God’s revelation. Christ came as the fulfillment of what God had already spoken, not as the founder of a new religious vocabulary. The New Testament rests on the Old at every point, and Christ is misread when that foundation is ignored.

Christ Reveals Himself Through the Old Testament

After His resurrection, Jesus grounded His disciples in the Scriptures they already had and revealed how those writings spoke of Him.

Luke records that Jesus rebuked the disciples for being slow of heart and then explained “the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures,” beginning with Moses and the Prophets (Luke 24:25–27). Christ taught that He could not be known rightly apart from the Old Testament.

Jesus said the same to the religious leaders in John 5. They searched the Scriptures, believing they had life in them, yet they refused to come to Him. Christ declared that those Scriptures testified about Him and that Moses himself accused them (John 5:39–47). Jesus treated the Old Testament as the witness that revealed who He is.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus affirmed the permanence and authority of the Law and the Prophets. He came to fulfill them, not to discard them. He declared that obedience and teaching must flow from what God had already spoken (Matthew 5:17–19). Christ acted in full continuity with the mission revealed in the Old Testament.

The Apostles Preached the Gospel From the Old Testament

The apostles proclaimed the gospel as the fulfillment of God’s prior revelation. Paul taught that the Scriptures were written for the instruction of the church so that believers would possess endurance and hope (Romans 15:4). When Paul spoke of Scripture, he was referring to the writings God had already given, what we now call the Old Testament.

Paul also told Timothy that the sacred writings were able to give wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15–17). Timothy learned those writings long before the New Testament existed. The Old Testament formed the categories by which he understood sin, righteousness, judgment, and redemption.

The book of Hebrews makes this dependence unmistakable. Christ’s priesthood, sacrifice, covenant mediation, and kingship are explained entirely through Old Testament categories. Without the tabernacle, the sacrificial system, the promises to David, and the covenant structure revealed through Moses, Hebrews becomes unintelligible.

The Cost of Neglecting the Old Testament

When the Old Testament is sidelined, the gospel is reduced. Sin becomes personal failure rather than covenant rebellion. Grace is reduced to emotion instead of mercy granted to those who stand guilty before God. Repentance loses its weight. Obedience becomes optional. Judgment is softened. Christ’s kingship is diminished.

The Old Testament reveals the holiness of God, the seriousness of sin, the necessity of blood atonement, and the nature of covenant faithfulness. These truths are assumed throughout the New Testament. Without them, Christ is reshaped into a figure who saves without reigning and forgives without demanding obedience.

This is not a call to place Christians under the Mosaic covenant. It is a call to receive the whole counsel of God as unified revelation. The law reveals God’s character. The prophets proclaim His purposes. The writings shape wisdom and fear of the Lord. Christ fulfills all of it and cannot be known apart from it.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: The Old Testament belonged to Israel, not the church.

Response: Jesus, the apostles, and the early church treated the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. Christ taught from it. The apostles preached from it. The church was formed by it. Covenant distinctions remain, but continuity is real. The same God speaks, the same holiness stands, and the same redemptive purpose unfolds in Christ.

Objection: “The New Testament reveals Christ clearly, so the Old Testament is no longer necessary.”

Response: The New Testament itself denies this claim. Jesus told the Jews that Moses wrote about Him and that refusing Moses made belief in Him impossible (John 5:46–47). After His resurrection, He rebuked His disciples for failing to understand what the prophets had spoken and then explained His suffering and glory from Moses and the Prophets (Luke 24:25–27). The clarity of Christ in the New Testament depends on the categories supplied by the Old. Sacrifice, priesthood, covenant, kingdom, and judgment are not explained anew. They are assumed. The New Testament reveals Christ as the fulfillment of what was already spoken, not as a replacement for it.

Objection: “The Old Testament law brings bondage, while the New Testament brings freedom.”

Response: Scripture defines freedom differently than modern assumptions. Paul teaches that the law is holy, righteous, and good, and that sin uses the law to produce death, not that the law itself enslaves (Romans 7:12–13). The problem is not God’s law but the sinful heart. Freedom in Christ is freedom from condemnation and from slavery to sin, not freedom from obedience. The Old Testament reveals the character of God, the nature of holiness, and the seriousness of rebellion. Without these, grace is misunderstood and freedom becomes license. The apostles consistently used the Old Testament to instruct believers in obedience, endurance, and hope (Romans 15:4), showing that freedom grows from truth, not from forgetting God’s prior revelation.

Truth That Withstands

Christ is revealed through Moses and the Prophets. The gospel stands on the foundation God laid long before the incarnation. When the Old Testament is neglected, the church loses its bearings and the gospel loses its depth. Faithfulness requires the whole Word of God, received as one unified testimony to Christ.

Many Christians struggle with shallow doctrine because they were never taught how the Old Testament shapes the gospel. Sharing this may help correct that.

The Return in Glory

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The King has come.

He was born in Bethlehem, laid in a manger, and wrapped in cloth, yet from the first cry of His human voice His rule stood certain before God. Angels announced His birth and gave glory to God. Shepherds came in haste to see what the Lord had made known to them. Herod trembled on his stolen throne. Mary rejoiced in the God who brings down the proud and lifts up the humble.

Christ came to redeem and to reign. He came as the covenant Son who would purchase a people for Himself and rule them in righteousness. His work of salvation and His exercise of dominion belong together and cannot be separated.

This is the thread Advent must keep before the eyes of the church. The Son came to accomplish salvation for His people. His birth fulfilled the promises made to Abraham. His life fulfilled the Law in perfect obedience. His death broke the power of the serpent and bore the curse that lay upon us. His resurrection disarmed death and opened the way to life. His ascension was His public coronation as Lord and Christ.

He now sits at the right hand of the Father. He rules in the midst of His enemies. He is discipling the nations through His Word and Spirit. His gospel is going out to the ends of the earth. His government is increasing. His kingdom is advancing through faithful preaching, worship, obedience, and patient endurance. The world is moving toward harvest under His hand.

He will also come again. He will appear in glory. Every eye will see Him. The last enemy, death, will be destroyed. The dead will be raised. The final judgment will reveal the full extent of His righteousness and mercy, and the new creation will display His glory without shadow.

This is the joy of Advent. The church does not wait for the possibility of a kingdom. We live in the light of the King’s present dominion. The child has come. The Son has been given. The throne of David is occupied by the risen Christ. The increase of His government and of peace will never come to an end.

Let every knee bow before Him in faith.

Let every home rejoice in the certainty of His victory.

Let every believer take courage that Christ reigns.

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over His kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

from then on and forevermore.”

(Isaiah 9:7, LSB)

Merry Christmas. He was born. He reigns. He is with us. Christ is King!

📲 To receive next year’s Advent series by text

Text advent to +1 (833) 240-9722 or scan the QR code.

Testing Theology in an Age That Fears Correction

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Problem Beneath Our Defenses

Many Christians inherit their theology the way they inherit habits or accents. It is absorbed early, defended instinctively, and rarely examined carefully. Positions become familiar. Familiarity turns into attachment. Attachment hardens into reflexive defense.

This is the point at which personal inclinations start to claim the authority of settled belief. When beliefs are challenged, the response is often emotional rather than biblical. Questions are treated as threats. Correction is treated as hostility. The goal quietly shifts from obedience to self-protection.

Scripture forms God’s people toward obedience, submission to truth, and steadiness under correction rather than emotional reassurance or psychological certainty. That obedience requires examination. Faith that resists examination reveals a fear of correction rather than confidence in God’s truth.

The Biblical Mandate to Test

Scripture explicitly commands God’s people to examine what they believe.

In Acts 17, the Bereans are commended because they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether the apostolic teaching they received was true. Their posture was not suspicion but submission. They tested teaching because they believed Scripture held final authority.

Paul issues the same command in 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

“But examine everything; hold fast to that which is good.”

Examination is not optional. It is the means by which truth is recognized and retained.

The apostle John presses the point further in 1 John 4:1.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”

Scripture assumes falsehood will exist alongside truth. Discernment is therefore a duty, not a personality trait. Blind loyalty to teachers, traditions, or personal interpretations is never commended. Scripture demands testing because Scripture governs belief.

Why Testing Strengthens Faith

Truth withstands examination and emerges with greater clarity and strength.

Beliefs that collapse under questioning were never grounded in Scripture deeply enough to endure. Untested theology often survives only because it has never been required to account for itself. When pressure comes, such faith either hardens defensively or dissolves quietly.

Biblical confidence is different. Confidence rooted in God’s Word expects correction where error exists and welcomes it as mercy. Faith grows stronger when assumptions are exposed and refined. Obedience becomes clearer when confusion is confronted.

Testing yields clarity and steadiness of conviction.

Tools Are Servants, Not Authorities

Study tools can assist examination. They can surface assumptions, identify tensions, and expose areas that require deeper study. They can never determine truth.

Modern tools can assist examination, but they also reveal the posture of the one using them. Artificial intelligence does not sanctify, submit to God, or carry authority. It cannot discern truth, repent, or obey. It reflects. It accelerates what is already present in the heart.

When a person approaches such tools seeking affirmation, they will find ways to receive it. When a person approaches seeking correction under Scripture, those same tools can surface assumptions, expose weak reasoning, and force engagement with the text. The effect is not neutral because the user is not neutral. Scripture has long warned that God gives people over to their desires when truth is resisted. Tools merely make that process visible.

AI therefore functions as a mirror rather than a teacher. It exposes whether theology is being tested or protected, whether Scripture is ruling or being managed. Responsibility remains entirely human. Judgment remains entirely God’s. The question is never what the tool produces, but whether the heart submitting the question is willing to be corrected by the Word of God.

When tools are treated as arbiters, theology becomes mechanized. When tools are treated as servants, Scripture remains central. The authority never shifts. God’s Word judges every claim.

The Danger of Self-Confirmation

One of the greatest dangers in theological inquiry is the desire to be affirmed rather than corrected. People frame questions in ways that protect conclusions. They seek reinforcement rather than illumination.

Scripture identifies this posture as suppression of truth. Pride resists exposure. It prefers reassurance over repentance. It fears the possibility of being wrong more than it fears disobedience.

This instinct reveals itself when testing is avoided, when correction is resented, and when disagreement is dismissed without engagement. Theology becomes something to defend rather than something to submit to.

Proper Use Under Scripture

Faithful engagement follows clear principles.

Scripture must rule every discussion.

Correction must be welcomed rather than feared.

Text and context must be demanded.

Arguments aimed at winning must be rejected.

No tool, teacher, or method can replace repentance, worship, or obedience. Theology exists to shape faithfulness, not to preserve comfort.

A Disciplined Prompt for Testing

What follows is an example of how to frame a theological question when the goal is correction rather than confirmation.

To use it, replace “this doctrine” with the belief or position you want examined, and then work carefully through the responses with an open Bible. The value is not in speed or agreement, but in whether Scripture is allowed to confront assumptions.

Examine this doctrine using Scripture alone. Present the strongest biblical arguments for and against it. Identify any assumptions I may be making. Show where my position may fail to account for the full counsel of God. Correct me where Scripture requires it.

Such a request seeks truth rather than affirmation. It invites correction rather than applause. It places Scripture above preference.

A Call to Courageous Obedience

Christ calls His people to steadfast courage shaped by faithfulness. Refusing correction produces shallow faith and weak churches. Submission to Scripture produces clarity, humility, and strength.

Faithful Christianity welcomes scrutiny because it rests its confidence in God’s Word rather than personal instinct. The church requires beliefs shaped by obedience to God rather than insulated from correction.

Test your theology. Submit it to Scripture. Receive correction as grace. Hold fast to what is true.

The Child Already Inside the House

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Child Already Inside the House

In most Christian households, children are treated as belonging from the moment they can walk and speak. They are taught to pray. They are catechized. They are disciplined in the name of Christ. They are instructed to obey Scripture. They are expected to submit to parental authority as an expression of submission to the Lord. They are included in worship. They are addressed as sinners in need of grace and as image bearers accountable before God.

In every meaningful way, covenant children are already treated as members of the Christian household.

One covenant sign is commonly withheld from covenant children: baptism.

This tension often goes unnoticed because the rest of life assumes inclusion. The child is raised as a Christian, addressed as a disciple in training, and expected to walk in obedience. Yet the covenant sign that marks belonging remains delayed. The result is a quiet inconsistency that many Christians inherit without examining.

Baptism stands as the lone exception within an otherwise covenantal practice of household faith. The Lord’s Table is also withheld, yet the church typically explains that delay by appeal to discernment at the table rather than by treating children as outside the covenant.

What Covenant Membership Already Assumes

Scripture does not treat children as spiritual neutrals awaiting evaluation. From the earliest pages of redemptive history, covenant membership includes households. God addresses families as units under authority. Promises are given to fathers and extend to their children. Instruction, discipline, and responsibility are assumed before articulation or maturity.

In Genesis 17, the covenant sign was given to children before they could understand its meaning. In Deuteronomy 6, parents are commanded to teach children who already belong. In Acts 2:39, Peter declares that the promise is for believers and their children. Throughout Acts, households receive the covenant sign together. Paul assumes covenant inclusion when he speaks of children as holy within believing households in 1 Corinthians 7.

Children are never treated as strangers standing outside the covenant until they pass an examination. They are treated as members who must be taught, trained, and shepherded toward maturity.

This pattern places faith within the ordinary direction of discipleship. Belonging precedes articulation. Instruction precedes examination. Accountability grows within membership rather than as a condition for it.

The Inconsistency of Delay

Despite affirming covenant inclusion in practice, many churches delay baptism for covenant children. This delay is rarely applied consistently elsewhere. Adults are baptized upon profession and then discipled over time, often with visible immaturity and inconsistency. The Lord’s Table belongs to a different category, since Scripture requires self-examination and discernment in those who partake. Baptism serves another function. It marks covenant inclusion and places the recipient under covenant obligation. Delaying baptism therefore carries a different theological meaning than delaying communion. Children, by contrast, are required to demonstrate a level of certainty and articulation that Scripture never defines as a prerequisite for covenant signs.

The burden of proof shifts. Children are treated as outsiders until proven worthy of inclusion, while adults are treated as insiders despite ongoing weakness. This reversal is not demanded by Scripture. It is a habit formed by fear.

The inconsistency becomes clearer when examined honestly. If children are already expected to obey Christ, already disciplined for sin, already taught to pray and trust the Lord, and already addressed as part of the Christian household, then baptism alone becomes the exception that requires explanation.

Fear Versus Faithfulness

The most common reason given for delaying baptism is fear of false assurance. This fear is understandable. It arises from a desire to guard sincerity and avoid presumption. Yet Scripture addresses false assurance through discipline and instruction, not by withholding covenant signs.

Fear reshapes theology when it governs practice. Revivalistic assumptions place extraordinary weight on individual certainty, inward experience, and verbal articulation. These assumptions are then projected backward onto Scripture. The result is a system where children must prove faith according to standards Scripture never establishes.

Faith in Scripture is not defined by introspective certainty. Faith is trust, dependence, and receiving. Christ places the burden of correction on adults whose pride obstructs the kingdom and holds up children as those who receive it with trust and openness.

The Effects on Children

Withholding baptism while granting every other mark of belonging creates confusion. Children learn that they are expected to live as Christians while being told that they do not fully belong. The household functions as covenantal in practice while denying covenant clarity in sign.

This confusion weakens assurance and complicates discipline. A child understands belonging long before doctrine is articulated. When the sign of belonging is withheld, the child receives mixed signals about identity and responsibility. Discipline becomes harder to frame. Instruction loses coherence. The household speaks with two voices.

The Biblical Pattern of Signs and Belonging

Covenant signs have always clarified identity. They marked who belonged, who was accountable, and who stood under promise and warning. Covenant signs establish the context of faith and responsibility rather than serving as substitutes for belief. They shaped identity before maturity and held members accountable as they grew.

This pattern runs consistently through Scripture. The sign follows God’s promise, not human certainty. It places the recipient under covenant accountability and summons them to obedience.

A Word to Parents and Elders

I approach this subject with restraint because I recognize the fear involved. I once shared it. Yet Scripture calls parents and elders to trust God’s ordinary means rather than exceptional anxiety. Faithfulness flows from obedience to what God has revealed, not from guarding against every possible misuse.

The question that remains is simple and unavoidable. If covenant children already belong in every practical sense, why is baptism alone withheld?

A Closing Affirmation

The issue at stake is faithfulness. Scripture presents covenant children as members to be discipled, not candidates to be interrogated. Baptism does not create faith, but it does clarify belonging. The inconsistency of delay requires more explanation than the practice of administration.

This question deserves careful attention, not defensive reaction. The answer shapes how the church understands covenant, assurance, discipline, and trust in God’s promises.

Share this with parents, elders, and churches who already live covenantally but hesitate at the sign that clarifies it.

The Weight and Joy of Covenant Headship

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Cultural Tension Around Ordered Homes

Strong, ordered households have become rare, and when they do appear, they are often treated with suspicion. A father who speaks with clarity, sets direction, and takes responsibility for the spiritual shape of his home is easily accused of control, insecurity, or ego. Leadership itself is framed as inherently oppressive, and joy in authority is treated as moral failure.

Modern culture has trained people to associate leadership with domination and obedience with loss. The result is a quiet hostility toward fathers who lead and families that follow. Even within the church, men are often encouraged to soften their presence, dilute responsibility, and apologize for conviction.

Scripture does not support this suspicion. God speaks of household order as a good gift, not a threat. He presents leadership as stewardship, accountability, and blessing. Strong households are absent because confusion and abdication have taken their place.

The Biblical Pattern of Household Leadership

The pattern of covenant headship begins early in Scripture. God speaks of Abraham in Genesis 18:19 as a man chosen to command his household after him, directing them in the way of the Lord so that God’s promises would be fulfilled. This leadership is purposeful, deliberate, and generational.

In Deuteronomy 6:4–9, fathers are charged with teaching God’s words diligently to their children, speaking of them in ordinary life, and shaping the rhythms of the home around obedience. Joshua 24:15 records a public declaration that begins at the household level. “As for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.” The statement assumes authority and responsibility without embarrassment.

The Psalms reinforce this vision. Psalm 127 presents children as a heritage from the Lord, entrusted to a household rather than left to chance. Psalm 128 describes the blessing of a man who fears the Lord, whose household reflects stability, fruitfulness, and peace.

We see this continue through the New Testament. Ephesians 6:4 charges fathers with raising children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. First Timothy 3:4–5 ties household leadership directly to fitness for church leadership, establishing the home as the proving ground for covenant faithfulness.

God assigns household leadership intentionally. Covenant faithfulness begins in the home and moves outward to church and society. Disorder in the home eventually appears everywhere else.

Strength and Joy Properly Understood

Biblical strength is not brute force or emotional intensity. Strength is ordered love expressed through protection, clarity, and consistency. A strong father provides direction without chaos and correction without cruelty. His presence brings steadiness rather than fear.

Joy, in this context, is gratitude for obedience and its fruit. Scripture permits rejoicing in faithfulness when God is the end. Psalm 128 speaks plainly of blessing and gladness flowing from obedience. Paul speaks of boasting only in the Lord, which includes gratitude for the work God accomplishes through obedience.

Sinful pride seeks recognition. Faithful confidence acknowledges responsibility fulfilled under God. There is a difference between self-exaltation and glad acknowledgment that obedience bears fruit. Scripture condemns the first and encourages the second.

A man may take sober joy in leading his household faithfully because the joy rests in God’s order, not in his own image.

Covenant Leadership Lived Out

Covenant leadership takes visible shape in ordinary life. It begins with establishing and maintaining family worship that is regular, Scripture-centered, and unremarkable in its consistency. Faithfulness is formed through repetition rather than spectacle.

Children are trained patiently in the Word through instruction, correction, and example. Discipline is exercised with justice and restraint, shaped by God’s character rather than parental frustration. Authority is clear, predictable, and anchored in love.

Leadership includes repentance. When a father sins, he leads confession openly and honestly, teaching his household that authority submits to God first. This strengthens trust rather than weakening it.

Influences are guarded thoughtfully without fear-driven isolation. The household is neither naive nor withdrawn. Rhythms of life teach stability, responsibility, and faithfulness over time. The aim is faithful consistency rather than flawless performance.

Addressing Common Objections

Many object that leadership inevitably becomes control. Scripture defines leadership differently. Biblical authority exists for the good of those led, not for personal advantage. Faithful leadership gives a household clarity, stability, and order.

Fears of authoritarianism often arise from abuses of authority, not from authority itself. Scripture warns against harshness and against abdication with equal seriousness. Both distort God’s design.

A home without leadership drifts into instability and disorder. Children learn quickly whether authority exists. When it does not, other forces fill the space.

Pastoral Exhortation to Fathers

Men are called to embrace responsibility without apology. Leadership arises from a God-given calling that carries responsibility rather than temperament. A father may lead while weary, and steady faithfulness over time is what forms households that endure.

The work is generational. The fruit often appears slowly. Christ reigns now, and His order produces fruit according to His timing. Obedience is never wasted.

A Final Word on Covenant Faithfulness

Covenant faithfulness in the home remains one of the primary means by which Christ strengthens His church. Strong households form strong congregations and stable generations.

Fathers are called to lead with humility, courage, and glad obedience. This leadership glorifies God and blesses those who follow. The work reaches beyond the present moment and serves generations yet unborn.

Christ rules over households as surely as He rules over nations. Obedience under His lordship is neither oppressive nor small. It is strong, dignified, and filled with lasting joy.

Share this to remind others that glad obedience in the home is strength, not arrogance.

The Reign of Christ

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The story of Advent begins with a King.

The One born of the virgin came as the rightful ruler of heaven and earth. The prophets spoke plainly. Isaiah declared that the government would rest upon His shoulders. The angel told Mary that He would receive the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob forever. The heavenly host proclaimed peace on earth because the true King had entered His world.

Christ is on the throne. His session is not a future hope but a present reality. After His resurrection, He ascended and took His place at the right hand of the Father. From there He rules in the midst of His enemies. Their resistance does not trouble His purpose. His authority is already complete.

The apostles preached this without hesitation. They announced that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ. The throne is occupied. The nations belong to Him by covenant promise. The world is being discipled through His Word and Spirit, as the leaven of His truth works through peoples and cultures in every place.

We live within the unfolding of that reign. Psalm 110 teaches that He rules while His enemies are being placed under His feet. First Corinthians 15 teaches that He must reign until every enemy is subdued. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Until that final removal, every other foe that exalts itself against God will fall under the steady advance of His kingdom.

The church needs to hold this vision firmly again. Christ does not stand at the edges of life as a symbolic figure. He is the reigning Lord of all. His dominion touches marriage, family, work, government, education, art, language, and law. The kingdom of God begins in renewed hearts, yet it extends outward to shape homes, churches, and nations. Its influence spreads wherever His Word is believed and obeyed.

Through the gospel, He is bringing the nations into submission. By His Spirit, He makes His people willing in the day of His power. His rule does not rest on human permission and cannot be overturned by human rebellion. No election, decree, or upheaval can dislodge Him from His throne or halt the increase of His government.

He reigns now. He continues to reign until every enemy is put beneath His feet. He will reign forever in the new heavens and new earth.

“For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”

(1 Corinthians 15:25, LSB)

There’s still time! Subscribe to receive the daily Advent devotional via text.

📲 Text advent to (833) 240-9722 to join the 25-day journey or scan the QR code below then click send.

Let the world know that the throne is not empty. Christ is King.

When Unrepentant Sin Silences the Christian Voice

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

A consistent pattern runs through Scripture and through lived Christian experience. Those who refuse to confront their own sin steadily lose the ability to confront sin in others. This loss strikes at moral authority and covenant faithfulness, not merely at the level of feeling. It hollows out families, disables churches, and leaves Christian witness brittle and incoherent across generations.

Scripture frames correction as faithful love aimed at the good of the one being corrected. What Scripture condemns is hypocrisy, the posture of demanding righteousness from others while excusing rebellion in oneself. When repentance disappears, courage follows it into silence.

Correction Is a Command Rooted in Love

Scripture consistently binds love and correction together. Jesus teaches this plainly in Matthew 7, He warns against hypocrisy, not discernment. The command to remove the log from one’s own eye exists so that one may see clearly to remove the speck from a brother’s eye. The goal is restored vision, not permanent withdrawal from judgment.

Matthew 18 establishes correction as a duty within the covenant community. Private confrontation, patient escalation, and eventual discipline exist for restoration, not humiliation. Galatians 6 calls the spiritually mature to restore the one caught in transgression with gentleness, vigilance, and humility. Proverbs ties love directly to reproof, teaching that faithful wounds preserve life. Hebrews 12 teaches that discipline confirms sonship and proves that God receives His children as heirs.

The biblical pattern is consistent. Repentance restores clarity. Repentance restores authority. Concealed sin corrodes both.

How Silence Is Trained in Real Life

This erosion rarely announces itself. It develops quietly.

A man who has divorced and remarried without repentance struggles to address his daughter’s divorce. He senses the tension immediately. Correction would require honesty about his own choices. Silence feels safer.

Parents who tolerated sexual sin in their own youth often soften when the same sin appears in their children. They speak of understanding, grace, and timing. What they avoid is truth that would indict their own past.

Elders who refuse accountability become cautious, evasive, and procedural. They enforce submission downward while insulating themselves upward. Discipline becomes theoretical rather than practiced.

In each case, unrepented sin trains avoidance. Confrontation begins to feel unloving. Silence begins to feel virtuous. Over time, the community absorbs the lesson. Sin becomes normal. Correction becomes rare. Moral clarity dissolves.

The Church Crisis This Pattern Produces

This dynamic sits beneath much of the present crisis in the church. Discipline faded as leaders abandoned repentant living and surrendered the moral clarity Scripture requires.

When elders refuse correction, they lose the authority to correct others. When pastors protect their reputations, they lose the courage to protect their flocks. Therapeutic language replaces biblical categories. Emotional safety replaces holiness. Moral confusion spreads under the banner of compassion.

The pattern unfolds exactly as expected. Churches tolerate what Scripture condemns. Leaders speak boldly about abstract sins while remaining silent about concrete ones. Authority collapses because integrity has already collapsed.

How the Gospel Is Distorted

This failure often takes shelter beneath a warped understanding of grace. Forgiveness is spoken of apart from repentance, mercy is treated as a suspension of moral responsibility, and the fear of shame outweighs the fear of sin.

Scripture teaches something far stronger. Forgiveness flows through repentance. Grace restores obedience. Confession clears the conscience and strengthens the hand. Silence preserves nothing.

The gospel establishes accountability by restoring sinners to responsible obedience before God. Christ cleanses His people so that they may walk in the light, speak truthfully, and love one another without deceit.

A Call to Repentant Courage

The remedy Scripture gives is to confess sin honestly. Repent without qualification. Reform patterns of disobedience. This path costs pride but restores authority.

Fathers regain strength when they repent openly and lead clearly. Mothers recover clarity and courage when truth governs their choices rather than accommodation. Elders regain credibility when they submit to the same standards they teach.

Repentance grounds leadership in honesty and authority before God. Obedience orders relationships according to truth and covenant faithfulness.

Covenant Strength Restored

Repentance restores covenant order and responsibility within the relationships God has established. Families regain stability when sin is named and forsaken. Churches regain clarity when discipline is practiced without partiality. Christian witness regains weight when truth is spoken by those who live it.

God honors obedience over comfort. He restores authority where repentance takes root. The fear of the Lord produces courage that no amount of relational anxiety can replace.

The call remains clear. Fear God more than discomfort. Love truth more than reputation. Walk in repentance and speak with clarity. Christ rules His church, and He restores strength where His Word is obeyed.

When Survival Is Not Enough: Human Self-Destruction and the Question Evolution Cannot Answer

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern accounts of human origins frequently begin with survival. Natural selection explains behavior through adaptation, reproduction, and the preservation of life across populations. This framework has descriptive power. It helps explain why humans fear danger, avoid pain, protect offspring, and cling to life under threat.

Yet another reality presses against this account. Humans also destroy themselves deliberately. They do so with awareness, reflection, and intention. They abandon life not by accident or malfunction alone, but because they judge life to be unbearable, meaningless, or morally irredeemable. This phenomenon cannot be reduced to biology without remainder. It forces an anthropological question. What kind of creature evaluates existence itself and decides it is not worth continuing?

The tension centers on human experience itself, touching meaning, judgment, and the lived weight of reality as persons perceive and assess it.

What Evolutionary Theory Actually Claims

Evolutionary theory describes how traits that aid survival and reproduction tend to persist across populations over time. It explains why organisms develop instincts for self-preservation, cooperation, and avoidance of harm. It does not claim that every individual action maximizes survival. It does not promise perfect outcomes. It accounts for maladaptive behavior as part of variation within populations.

When applied carefully, evolutionary explanations describe tendencies rather than moral reasoning. They operate at the level of mechanism and inheritance. They do not speak in the language of guilt, despair, obligation, or meaning. They offer a grammar of survival pressures rather than a vocabulary of purpose.

At this level, evolutionary theory functions as a descriptive tool. It explains patterns. It does not interpret the inner life of human judgment.

The Reality of Meaning-Driven Self-Destruction

Human self-destruction frequently occurs after deliberation. People articulate reasons. They speak of shame, failure, despair, futility, and moral exhaustion. They act not because instinct fails, but because instinct is overridden by a judgment about reality.

This kind of action differs categorically from animal behavior. It involves reflection on identity, worth, and future. It involves an evaluation of truth claims about the self and the world. People end their lives because they conclude something about existence itself. Survival loses authority when meaning collapses.

This reality resists reduction to malfunction language. The action is intentional. The reasoning is coherent to the actor. The decision is framed as a conclusion.

The Problem of Normativity

Evolutionary explanations frequently rely on normative language. Terms like dysfunction, breakdown, and disorder appear regularly. These concepts assume a standard of proper function. They assume that something is for something.

Yet blind processes do not establish purpose. They describe what happens, not what ought to happen. They can chart correlations, but they cannot explain why certain outcomes are tragic, wrong, or grievous rather than merely unfortunate.

When human self-destruction is described as a breakdown, the description borrows moral weight that the system itself cannot generate. The language points beyond mechanism toward meaning.

Meaning as the Governing Force

Human beings live and die by judgments about meaning. Comfort, instinct, and survival yield authority to perceived truth. A person will endure extreme suffering if life is judged meaningful. A person will abandon life if meaning is judged lost.

This reality explains why people sacrifice themselves for causes, endure hardship for love, or surrender survival for moral conviction. It also explains why despair can extinguish the will to live even when biological capacity remains intact.

Meaning governs instinct. Judgment governs appetite. Biology serves anthropology rather than ruling it.

Biblical Anthropology

Scripture presents a coherent account of this reality. Humanity is created in the image of God, designed for truth, communion, and purpose. Genesis 1 and 2 describe man as oriented toward God, endowed with reason, responsibility, and moral awareness. Life is received as gift and governed by obedience.

Genesis 3 introduces fracture. Humanity suppresses truth and seeks autonomy. This rebellion introduces guilt, fear, and alienation. The drive to live remains, but the harmony of meaning collapses. Romans 1 describes this condition as suppression of truth leading to disordered desire and judgment. Life persists, yet it becomes unbearable when severed from its source.

Ecclesiastes gives voice to this tension. The Preacher speaks as one who possesses life, reason, and capacity, yet finds existence empty when God is excluded. Psalm 14 names the moral dimension. The denial of God produces corruption that reaches into judgment itself.

Scripture explains why humans cling to life and why they abandon it. Life bears the imprint of God’s design. Death becomes attractive when truth is suppressed and meaning implodes. The contradiction belongs to fallen image-bearers, not to animals governed solely by instinct.

Why the Biblical Account Fits the Data

Evolutionary theory describes patterns of survival behavior across populations. Scripture explains why individual humans judge survival insufficient. Scripture accounts for guilt, despair, moral judgment, and the evaluation of existence itself.

The biblical account does not deny biology. It places biology within a larger frame. Humans possess instincts because they are creatures. Humans override instincts because they are moral agents. Self-destruction emerges when truth is rejected and meaning collapses under the weight of autonomy.

This account holds explanatory coherence. It addresses the full range of human experience without reducing persons to mechanisms or instincts to ultimate authority.

Life, Death, and the Question of Truth

Human beings are governed by meaning before they are governed by survival. Biology serves life. Truth governs judgment. When truth is suppressed, life loses coherence and survival loses authority.

Scripture provides the only account that explains why humans both cling to life and willingly abandon it. Man is an image-bearer created for truth. When truth is denied, the soul fractures. The will to live survives, yet it falters under judgment.

The gospel speaks here with clarity. Meaning is restored where truth is received. Life regains weight where God is acknowledged. Humanity finds coherence again under the Word who gives light to every man.

In Him, survival is no longer the highest good. Truth is.

Survival does not govern humanity. Meaning does. Share this.

Fasting and the Preservation of Body and Soul

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Fasting feels strange to many Christians because our age has trained us to distrust bodily restraint. We live surrounded by abundance, constant stimulation, and immediate satisfaction. Hunger is treated as a problem to be solved rather than a condition to be governed. Discomfort is viewed as a failure rather than a teacher. In such an environment, fasting appears extreme or unnecessary.

Scripture presents a different posture. Fasting has always been part of the ordinary shape of a life ordered under God. The problem is that the church has been formed by comfort rather than discipline. In an indulgent culture, fasting feels abnormal because obedience itself feels abnormal.

What Fasting Is According to Scripture

Fasting, according to Scripture, is voluntary bodily restraint undertaken for spiritual clarity, repentance, and readiness for obedience. It is the deliberate setting aside of food for a time in order to humble oneself before God and sharpen attention to His Word.

Jesus assumes fasting as part of discipleship. He does not command a calendar or prescribe frequency, but He speaks as one who expects His people to fast.

“Now whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Matthew 6:16–18 LSB

Throughout Scripture, fasting accompanies prayer, repentance, and decisive moments. Ezra proclaimed a fast before a dangerous journey to seek God’s protection. The church in Antioch fasted before sending out Paul and Barnabas. Fasting consistently appears where clarity and submission are required.

Scripture presents fasting as a practical act of obedience shaped by humility, discipline, and submission to God.

Fasting and the Soul

Fasting humbles the soul by exposing dependence. Hunger strips away the illusion of self-sufficiency and reveals how quickly desire seeks control. It confronts pride by reminding the believer that life does not consist in abundance.

Fasting also clarifies repentance. Joel calls Israel to return to the Lord with fasting, weeping, and mourning, not as a display of sorrow but as a posture of submission.

“Yet even now,” declares Yahweh, “return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

Joel 2:12 LSB

The restraint of the body presses the heart toward seriousness. It sharpens prayer. It exposes disordered loves. It brings the soul into alignment with confession and obedience rather than emotional release.

Fasting and the Body

Fasting trains the body toward ordered strength and faithful self-governance. Scripture affirms the goodness of the body while demanding that it be governed rather than indulged. The body is not an enemy to be punished, nor a master to be obeyed. It is a servant to be disciplined.

Paul speaks plainly about bodily governance.

“But I discipline my body and make it my slave, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified.”

1 Corinthians 9:27 LSB

Fasting restores order to appetite. It teaches restraint without hatred. It cultivates temperance without asceticism. The body learns that it is not sovereign. The soul learns that obedience governs desire.

Isaiah’s Warning

Scripture warns against fasting divorced from righteousness. Isaiah 58 confronts a people who fasted while maintaining injustice, strife, and self-interest.

“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?”

Isaiah 58:6 LSB

God rejects fasting that does not lead to obedience. Hunger without repentance is empty. Restraint without justice is hypocrisy. Biblical fasting produces action. It aligns the heart with God’s commands and the hands with His will.

Why Christians Resist Fasting

Resistance to fasting often reveals deeper loyalties. Comfort resists restraint. Consumption resists discipline. Autonomy resists submission.

Modern Christianity often frames bodily restraint as unnecessary or unhealthy because the governing assumption is that faith exists to preserve ease. Fasting contradicts that assumption. It declares that obedience matters more than appetite and that discipline serves freedom rather than suppresses it.

The resistance usually arises from habits of comfort and convenience rather than from careful theological conviction. Fasting threatens what rules us.

Exhortation Without Legalism

Fasting functions as a disciplined act of obedience governed by wisdom rather than a marker of spiritual status. Scripture never turns fasting into a sacrament or a test of righteousness. It remains a discipline freely undertaken under Christ’s authority.

Pastors, fathers, and leaders should model fasting as an example of submission rather than a tool of control. The aim is the formation of faithful readiness for obedience, carried out without spectacle and ordered toward action.

Practical Direction

Scripture shows fasting connected to significant moments. Fasting before major decisions cultivates clarity. Fasting in repentance aligns confession with action. Fasting as a household discipline teaches restraint, prayer, and seriousness together.

Fasting should be joined with Scripture, prayer, and obedience. Hunger without the Word can produce irritation rather than repentance. Hunger with prayer sharpens discernment and prepares the believer to act faithfully.

A Call to Ordered Obedience

Fasting trains strength rather than weakness. It restores order to appetite and clarity to obedience. It prepares the believer for action under Christ’s lordship rather than withdrawal from responsibility.

The church requires fasting practiced with discipline, governed by Scripture, and ordered toward obedience. Fasting belongs to a confident faith that governs the body, submits the soul, and acts decisively in the world Christ rules.

In a distracted and indulgent age, fasting remains a gift. It preserves both body and soul by teaching the believer how to live under authority with clarity, restraint, and readiness.

Share this piece with someone who can benefit from fasting. Scripture presents it as a sober discipline that trains obedience, restores order to desire, and prepares believers for faithful action under Christ’s rule.

Delaying Baptism and the Inversion of Faith

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In many churches today, covenant-raised children are held at arm’s length from baptism for years, sometimes well into adolescence. The stated reason is caution. Elders and parents want evidence. They want clarity. They want assurance that faith is real and not merely borrowed.

Yet this practice sits in tension with the way Christ speaks about faith, children, and discipleship. The church often scrutinizes children while extending charity to adults. It examines the young while presuming the sincerity of the old. The result is an inversion of trust that Scripture never teaches.

The question is not whether baptism should be administered carelessly. The question is whether the church has quietly adopted standards that Christ never imposed.

Christ and the Direction of Correction

When Jesus speaks about faith, His rebukes consistently fall on adults. He confronts pride, self-assurance, and gatekeeping. He warns those who think they see clearly while remaining blind. He calls grown men to humility and dependence.

When children are brought to Him, He does not interrogate them. He does not delay His welcome. He does not warn parents about false assurance. He receives them and identifies them as models of the very faith adults struggle to learn.

“Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18:16, LSB).

Christ presents children as models of faith rather than subjects of suspicion. The burden of correction falls on adults who complicate what God has made plain.

Faith as Scripture Defines It

Scripture defines faith as trust, dependence, and receiving. Faith rests in the promise of God. It does not require introspective certainty or mature articulation. It looks outward, not inward.

Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. The thief on the cross entrusted himself to Christ with a sentence, not a system. Children trust before they analyze. They receive before they explain.

The Bible never sets developmental thresholds for faith. It never requires psychological self-assessment. It never equates saving faith with adult-level reflection. These categories arise from modern assumptions, not from Scripture.

The Burden of Proof Problem

In practice, covenant children are often presumed unbelieving until proven otherwise. Their words are treated as suspect. Their prayers are discounted. Their obedience is explained away as imitation.

Adults receive the opposite treatment. Inconsistency is excused. Immaturity is tolerated. Professions are accepted with minimal scrutiny.

This imbalance does not come from Scripture. It comes from fear. It reflects anxiety about misuse of baptism rather than confidence in God’s promises. The sign meant to clarify belonging becomes a reward for performance.

Personal Confession and Reform

I participated in this error.

I delayed baptism for my children while waiting for a level of articulation Scripture never demands. My children trusted Christ, prayed to Him, and rested in Him long before I recognized their faith as sufficient.

The baptism of my youngest child brought clarity to our covenant life and removed an unnecessary ambiguity about belonging. It aligned practice with reality. It removed an unspoken separation and affirmed covenant belonging already present.

That experience did not create my convictions. Scripture did. Experience merely confirmed what obedience had delayed.

Even Within Credobaptist Categories

Baptist convictions deserve careful treatment. Scripture requires a profession of faith. It does not require age, sophistication, or extended delay.

Nothing in the New Testament mandates postponing baptism into adolescence. Nothing teaches that covenant-raised children must be held outside the visible church until they meet modern standards of certainty.

Prolonged delay often exceeds what Scripture commands, even within credobaptist frameworks.

What This Reveals About Modern Theology

This practice reveals underlying theological assumptions that often go unexamined. Revivalism prioritizes crisis moments over ordinary formation. Individualism treats faith as a private possession rather than a covenantal reality. Fear of false assurance eclipses confidence in God’s means.

Children become projects to manage rather than disciples to train. Elders become examiners rather than shepherds. Baptism becomes a hurdle rather than a sign of belonging.

Pastoral Exhortation

Parents are called to trust God’s work in their children. Elders are called to steward Christ’s ordinances faithfully. The church is called to obey Scripture without fear-driven additions.

Faith grows through teaching, discipline, prayer, and example. Baptism clarifies this life. It does not replace it.

Toward Covenant Faithfulness

Adults are summoned to childlike faith. Children receive discipleship as members of the covenant community. The church is summoned to administer God’s means with humility and obedience.

Reform begins when we submit even careful practices to the authority of Christ and allow Scripture to speak more clearly than our fears.

Christmas, Joy, and the Strength of Ordered Faithfulness

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

I love Christmas.

I love the cold air, the weight of winter, the quiet that settles over towns and homes. I love candlelight, music, full tables, laughter, wrapped gifts, and the deliberate slowing that invites people to gather. I love the way beauty presses in during the darkest part of the year and reminds us that God delights in giving good gifts to His creatures.

Scripture affirms this posture. God made a material world and called it good. He designed feasting, music, family bonds, seasons, and rhythm as part of human flourishing. Joy rooted in creation belongs to holiness as its proper expression. A table shared in gratitude, children delighting in gifts, and households warmed by generosity all reflect the goodness of a Creator who gives abundantly.

I receive Christmas with gratitude and thanksgiving before God. Yet gratitude always requires order, and joy always requires governance. Joy that floats free from obedience weakens the soul. Joy shaped by faithfulness strengthens it.

Winter settles over Auke Bay, where ice, water, and quiet vessels bear witness to God’s enduring order. By Ken Duffy.

Biblical Boundaries

Scripture regulates worship with clarity. God alone determines how He is to be approached, how He is to be honored, and what He commands of His people in gathered worship. The Lord’s Day stands apart because God set it apart. The means of grace remain fixed because God instituted them.

Scripture assigns no inherent sanctity to December 25, and it grants no divine authority to any calendar date associated with the incarnation. The birth of Christ stands at the center of redemptive history, yet Scripture never commands an annual feast to commemorate it. This distinction matters because obedience flows from God’s Word, not from tradition or habit.

Romans 14 addresses days that fall under Christian liberty. Colossians 2 warns against binding consciences where God has not spoken. Galatians 4 confronts the danger of returning to calendar observance as a measure of righteousness. These passages preserve joy by guarding the purity of worship and the freedom of the Christian conscience.

The incarnation is essential doctrine. It must be confessed, taught, preached, and believed year round. It does not require a festival to remain central. Christ reigns whether December passes quietly or loudly.

The Substitution Problem

Many churches drift into a pattern where seasonal emotion stands in for sustained obedience. Attendance swells. Language softens. Doctrinal edges blur. Discipline pauses. The tone shifts toward warmth without weight. This posture trains Christians to associate faith with feeling rather than faithfulness.

The prophets warned Israel against this pattern. Isaiah spoke to a people who honored God with words while resisting His authority. Amos rebuked feasts that masked injustice and rebellion. Their warnings apply wherever religious expression becomes detached from obedience.

When Christmas becomes the high point of Christian engagement, it forms a brittle faith. People learn to respond to atmosphere rather than truth, to moments rather than commands, to warmth rather than repentance. Over time, churches shaped by seasonal energy lose the capacity for courage, discipline, and clarity.

Christmas as Household Joy

Christmas belongs most naturally in households. Homes provide the proper setting for feasting, gift giving, hospitality, and cultural tradition. Families can sing, decorate, cook, exchange gifts, and speak of Christ without confusing these practices with commanded worship.

This ordering preserves freedom. It allows joy to flourish without burdening consciences. It prevents tradition from hardening into obligation. Festive culture flows best downstream from faithful worship rather than attempting to replace it.

When churches resist the urge to legislate Christmas, families gain space to celebrate with integrity. When worship remains governed by Scripture, households gain confidence to rejoice without confusion.

A Faith Shaped for Generations, Not Seasons

A victorious faith does not rely on seasonal reinforcement. Christ reigns now. His kingdom advances through ordinary obedience, generational formation, and steady faithfulness. Long-term fruit grows through discipline, not emotional spikes.

Hope grounded in Christ’s present reign orders our expectations. It looks for households that endure, churches that mature, children who are catechized, and communities shaped by righteousness over time. A calendar event cannot carry the weight of formation. Only truth lived consistently can do that.

Christmas flourishes as a confident expression of faith grounded in Christ’s reign. It adorns a life already ordered under Christ. It does not prop up a fragile faith.

Practical Guardrails for Faithful Celebration

Faithful celebration grows from clear and ordered principles. Joy is shaped by obedience to Christ, and feasting is governed by restraint and gratitude. Generosity flows from stewardship rather than excess, and hospitality reflects disciplined love rather than impulse. Speech remains truthful, shaped by reverence for God and neighbor. The Lord’s Day retains its central place in the life of the church, repentance continues to mark Christian living, sin is addressed honestly, and Christ is openly confessed as King. When these anchors govern the season, Christmas strengthens the household and the church, forming gratitude, warmth, and delight that remain ordered under Christ’s authority.

Ordered Joy Under a Reigning Christ

Christ reigns now.

He governs time, seasons, households, and history. Joy flourishes when it walks in step with His authority. Christmas remains safest when it follows faithfulness rather than attempting to create it.

Embrace the season with gladness. Reject the pressure to sanctify it. Welcome beauty without surrendering obedience. Celebrate under authority rather than emotion.

The kingdom of Christ advances through ordinary, disciplined, generational life. Christmas finds its proper place when it serves that end.

Joy is strongest when it stands under the rule of the King who never leaves His throne.

The Arrival of the King

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The birth of Christ is the invasion of a King.

He entered a world under occupation. The powers of the earth, the idols of men, and the spiritual rulers of darkness had claimed authority over nations and families for generations. Their claims were loud, but they were never ultimate. They were permitted for a time under the sovereign hand of God, and that time was drawing to a close.

When the Word became flesh, the throne of heaven drew near to the dust of the earth. The eternal Son did not come to test His chances. He came to lay open claim to what was already His by right as Creator and as the appointed heir of all things. In His birth, God kept His promise to David that one from his line would sit upon the throne forever. In Him, the first promise given after the fall moved toward its fulfillment. This is the Seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head. This is the true Light who shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overpower Him.

Mary carried in her womb the child who would unsettle kingdoms. Herod sensed enough truth to be afraid and chose rage instead of repentance. The chief priests and scribes could quote the prophecy that named Bethlehem, yet showed no desire to go and worship. The shepherds, called from their work in the fields, heard the heavenly host proclaim glory to God and peace on earth among those with whom He is pleased. That peace flows from victory. It is the fruit of a King who conquers sin, death, and the devil.

Every moment of Christ’s incarnation moved under the precise wisdom of God. The manger held the One who upholds all things by the word of His power. Nothing in His lowliness cancelled His majesty. Nothing in His humility weakened His authority. The Lord of glory chose to come in this way in order to redeem His people and begin, in visible form, the kingdom that will fill the earth.

In time He would grow, teach, and act with unquestioned authority. He would call sinners to repent and believe. He would forgive sins by His own word. He would cast out demons, heal the sick, calm the sea, and speak to the dead so that they rose at His command. The cross and the empty tomb would display the depth of His obedience and the greatness of His power. Yet all of this rests on the reality we remember in Advent: He came.

The church does not stand on the edge of the kingdom, wondering if it will ever arrive. We live within the days of its advance. The King has been born. He has accomplished redemption. He has been highly exalted. His reign is present. The increase of His government is sure. His enemies are being subdued. His name is being confessed in the nations.

“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.”

(Philippians 2:9, LSB)

Don’t miss the short, daily, text devotionals for advent! Receive the daily texts straight to your phone. There’s still a couple weeks left!

📲 Text advent to +1 (833) 240-9722 to join the 25-day devotional or scan the QR code with your smartphone and click send.

Sovereignty on Trial: When the State Punishes Privacy and Calls It Justice

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In April 2024, the founders of Samourai Wallet, Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, were arrested and charged by the United States Department of Justice in the Southern District of New York. The prosecution occurred under the authority of the Biden administration’s Justice Department and reflected its stated enforcement priorities regarding cryptocurrency, financial surveillance, and anti-money-laundering regulation.

The government charged Rodriguez and Hill with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. The theory of the case was that Samourai Wallet, a Bitcoin privacy tool, facilitated illicit transactions by allowing users to obscure transaction histories.

In July 2025, Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill entered guilty pleas to a single count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business under federal statute. As part of the plea agreement, the government dropped the more severe conspiracy to commit money laundering charge. Sentencing occurred in November 2025, with Rodriguez receiving a sixty-month sentence and Hill receiving forty-eight months.

Keonne Rodriguez is scheduled to surrender to federal custody on December 19, 2025. William Lonergan Hill is scheduled to report to prison on January 2, 2026.

The prosecution was led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, specifically the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew K. Chan, David R. Felton, and Cecilia Vogel handled the case. Public announcements were issued under authority attributed to Nicolas Roos, acting for the United States under 28 U.S.C. § 515.

The investigation involved coordination with the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, led in New York by Harry T. Chavis, Jr., and the FBI New York Field Office, under Christopher G. Raia. International cooperation included Europol and foreign law enforcement agencies.

U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote presided over sentencing proceedings.

These facts are not disputed. The question is how they should be understood.

Defining the Core Issue

This case is not fundamentally about cryptocurrency enthusiasm, criminal sympathy, or technological novelty. It is about whether the state may treat privacy itself as criminal, punish the creation of lawful tools, and collapse knowledge into guilt.

Samourai Wallet did not transact funds. It did not take custody of user assets. It provided software that users could employ, lawfully or unlawfully, according to their own intent. The state’s theory expanded liability beyond direct action and into association, awareness, and refusal to build surveillance into a product.

The issue is sovereignty. Who defines justice. Who sets limits. Who answers to whom.

Government Authority Under God

Scripture teaches that civil authority is real, delegated, and limited. Magistrates are servants of God, not autonomous moral legislators.

“For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

Romans 13:1

Authority exists to punish evil and reward good according to God’s standard, not to invent crimes where Scripture grants liberty. When rulers exceed their mandate, Scripture recognizes a higher obedience.

“We must obey God rather than men.”

Acts 5:29

Psalm 2 warns rulers directly. Kings are commanded to serve the Lord with fear, not to assert independence from His law. Civil authority that punishes righteousness and protects injustice stands under judgment now, not merely later.

Legal Guilt and Moral Guilt

Rodriguez and Hill pled guilty under federal statute. That establishes legal guilt within the American system. It does not establish moral guilt before God.

Scripture distinguishes between coerced compliance and righteousness. Unjust systems have always extracted confessions without producing justice. Biblical history is filled with courts that functioned lawfully according to human codes while violating divine law.

The prophets condemned such courts repeatedly.

“Woe to those who enact evil statutes and to those who constantly record unjust decisions.”

Isaiah 10:1

A plea agreement reflects power dynamics. It does not resolve moral truth.

Naming the Injustice

After the facts are established, the injustice becomes visible.

The state expanded the definition of money transmission beyond clear statutory language. It punished knowledge rather than action. It treated a tool as a crime. It collapsed intent into liability.

This prosecution did not rest on direct theft, fraud, or violence. It rested on refusal to comply with a surveillance regime that Scripture does not authorize.

The officials who advanced this theory acted as if regulatory interpretation carries the force of moral law. That assumption is false.

Privacy and Biblical Justice

Scripture never treats privacy as sin. It treats unjust rulers who spy, steal, and exploit as criminals.

“The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.”

Proverbs 17:23

God condemns false weights, dishonest scales, and rulers who enrich themselves through control and deception. Total transparency to the state is not a biblical virtue. Stewardship belongs first to God, then to household authority.

A system that criminalizes privacy inevitably centralizes power and weakens households. Scripture consistently opposes that pattern.

The Church’s Obligation to Speak

Silence places a man on a side whether he admits it or not.

Christians are commanded to speak truth about justice, authority, and law. The church has historically resisted overreach, whether Roman, medieval, or modern. The Reformation itself was born from refusal to submit conscience to unlawful authority.

The American church increasingly confuses compliance with faithfulness. That confusion is sin.

A Warning to the Church

Statism has discipled many believers more thoroughly than Scripture. Fear of controversy has replaced fear of God. Economics, sovereignty, and governance are treated as secular territory.

This case exposes that error. A state willing to criminalize privacy will not stop at technology. It will reach households, churches, and pulpits.

A Call to Action

Rulers are commanded to repent. Magistrates are summoned by Christ to submit their authority to His law.

Christians are commanded to discern, resist injustice, and speak publicly. Rights must be defended, but righteousness must be advanced. The church must raise men who will not lie for approval and households that fear God more than regulators.

Prayer is required. Witness is required. Silence is disobedience.

Accountability Before the King

Christ reigns now. Governments answer now. No administration escapes His scrutiny. No court renders final judgment.

“Now therefore, O kings, show insight; take warning, O judges of the earth.”

Psalm 2:10

When the state punishes privacy and calls it justice, Scripture calls it rebellion. Christ will judge it. His kingdom will outlast it.

Share this article to expose how the state punishes privacy and calls it justice.

For readers who wish to assist with legal costs and/or read more related to this case, a fundraising page is available here: https://billandkeonne.org/

Supporting legal defense does not require agreement with every decision made by the defendants, but it does recognize the danger of criminalizing privacy under expanding state power.

Navigating the Theological Minefield of Modern Churches

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The modern church landscape is a minefield for those who do not test everything by Scripture. Nearly every form of doctrine, lifestyle, and rebellion can be affirmed somewhere. Many who search for a church today are not choosing between preferences. They are choosing between orthodoxy and apostasy. Scripture warns that this confusion is the consequence of a generation that has tolerated false teaching and normalized counterfeit religion.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.”

2 Timothy 4:3

This article seeks to bring clarity where confusion reigns and to direct young believers to discernment shaped by the authority of Jesus Christ.

The Chaos of the Modern Church Landscape

The number of churches creates the illusion of choice. In reality, many pulpits have abandoned biblical authority. Some affirm homosexuality. Others permit divorce and treat it as a doorway to a better life. Some ordain women as pastors. Others preach a progressive gospel that denies the historic faith. Many no longer distinguish the church from the world. Some replace Scripture with mystical experience. Others treat all doctrines as negotiable.

This chaos is not new. The apostles warned that false spirits would enter the churches.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”

1 John 4:1

Christ Himself warned the churches in Revelation that false teachers corrupt congregations from the inside. Nothing about this age is surprising. What is surprising is how complacent Christians have become.

True Churches and Counterfeit Churches

Historic Christianity identified three marks of a true church:

• the pure preaching of the Word

• the right administration of the sacraments

• faithful discipline

Where these marks collapse, the institution may retain the name “church,” but it is no longer a church under Christ’s authority. The issue stands on the authority of Scripture rather than the loyalties of any denomination. When Scripture is softened, when sin goes uncorrected, and when Christ’s ordinances are treated without reverence, the assembly no longer walks under the rule of its Shepherd. The issue is fidelity to the Lord of the church.

Why This Crisis Exists

The confusion around us has deep roots.

There has been a rejection of God’s law, replaced by emotion and the desire to appease the age. Evangelicalism has relied on emotionalism instead of doctrine. Eschatological despair has convinced many that victory is impossible. Secularism has shaped church priorities. Male headship has been abandoned. Catechesis has withered. Worship has become entertainment. Shepherds fear offense more than they fear God. Unrepentant sin is tolerated in the name of love.

“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture.”

Jeremiah 23:1

“They were scattered for lack of a shepherd.”

Ezekiel 34:5

The crisis exists because leaders have abandoned their calling and congregations have accepted it.

Biblical Tests for Discerning a Faithful Church

The Lord gives His people clarity, and Scripture provides the criteria by which a gathering can be recognized as faithful.

A faithful church teaches doctrine that submits to the authority of Scripture.

Scripture establishes the boundary for every message, and the apostolic word governs all preaching.

“If even we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, he is to be accursed.”

Galatians 1:8

A faithful church proclaims the gospel that Christ gave to His apostles.

The message of the kingdom confronts sinners with the reality of their guilt before God. Repentance and faith stand at the center of true preaching, and every sermon names sin plainly and directs sinners to the only Redeemer.

“Repent and believe in the gospel.”

Mark 1:15

A faithful church displays fruit that accords with holiness.

The presence of discipline, reverence, and ordered worship reveals the work of God among His people.

“You will know them by their fruits.”

Matthew 7:16

A faithful church entrusts leadership to qualified men.

Elders who embody the standards of Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3 guide the flock with courage, sobriety, and the fear of God.

“For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward.”

Titus 1:7

A faithful church confesses the fullness of Christ’s kingship.

The entire life of the congregation reflects the truth that Christ rules over creation, providence, and redemption.

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:17

These tests establish the pattern Christ gives for recognizing His church.

They define fidelity.

They form the standard by which every gathering must be measured.

Subscribe to receive future War Journal articles on churches, doctrine, and faithful discipleship as soon as they are published.

The Problem of Personal Preference

The modern believer often chooses a church the same way they choose a restaurant. They consider the atmosphere, the music, the personality of the pastor, the sense of connection, or the emotional tone. Scripture never grants this freedom.

Your preferences are trustworthy only when shaped by Scripture. Preferences that contradict Scripture are idolatry.

The heart cannot guide you.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick.”

Jeremiah 17:9

What feels right may lead to destruction.

“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

Proverbs 14:12

Your task is not to find a church that fits your taste. Your task is to submit your taste to Christ.

Why So Many Young Christians Feel Lost

Many young believers feel overwhelmed by the choices. Their confusion is understandable. Most grew up without catechesis. They were not taught the authority of Scripture. They were told doctrine divides. They sat under pastors who feared conflict. They live in a world where sincerity is treated as truth.

Christ remains present with His people. He walks among the lampstands and exercises His authority by evaluating, correcting, and strengthening His churches. Revelation 1 through 3 reveals His ongoing pattern of care and judgment. Believers who feel disoriented can stand on solid ground because the Lord speaks with clarity. His Word sets the path before them.

Practical Steps for Finding a Faithful Church

Here are concrete steps.

Listen to several sermons with attention to expository clarity, doctrinal precision, and authoritative proclamation from Scripture.
Speak with the elders and examine their confession, their practice of discipline, and their commitment to guard the flock.
Observe how the congregation honors the Lord’s Day in worship, rest, and reverence.
Look for the active practice of church discipline and the pursuit of holiness among members.
Evaluate the fruit of ordered households marked by strong male headship, modest and faithful women, and children walking in obedience.
Examine the marriages and family life of the congregation to see the fruit of the Word in daily conduct.
Listen for preaching that declares the whole counsel of God with conviction and without hesitation.
Identify whether their commitments arise from Scripture as the final authority in doctrine, worship, and morality.
Assess the courage of the elders who must guard the sheep, confront error, and withstand opposition.

Finding a faithful church requires diligence.

Encouragement and Warning

A warning is necessary.

Shepherds who trade the Word of God for preference, novelty, or cultural approval place their people in spiritual danger. Aligning yourself with such leadership invites harm to your soul and to your household. Remaining in that setting expresses disobedience to Christ.

Encouragement is necessary as well.

Christ preserves His faithful churches. He upholds congregations that cling to Scripture, exercise discipline, preach repentance, and labor for holiness. Seek these churches. Strengthen them. Build alongside them. The future is secured by the risen Lord, and His church inherits that future.

Final Exhortation

Christ rules His church.

His Word establishes the measure of fidelity.

Truth stands independent of emotion.

Righteousness proceeds from His authority rather than personal inclination.

Christian maturity grows through discernment and courage. Young believers must learn to evaluate doctrine carefully, recognize unfaithful shepherds, embrace faithful oversight, and stand openly with Christ in the public realm.

The Lord grants clarity, conviction, and steadfast allegiance to those who seek Him. The present confusion will pass. Christ refines His bride. He protects His people. He advances His kingdom.

Walk in faith.

Stand in truth.

Choose your church with the fear of God and with a heart set upon obedience.

If you know someone who is struggling to find a faithful church, share this with them.

Does God Really Punish the Wicked Forever?

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Many today insist that God would never punish anyone forever. They argue that the wicked simply vanish after judgment. The question is unavoidable. Does Scripture teach extinction, or does it present a judgment that endures for all eternity?

Eternal Punishment in the Teaching of Jesus

In Matthew 25:46 Jesus places eternal punishment and eternal life together. The duration is the same for both. Scripture never separates the two into temporary judgment and endless reward. Christ speaks clearly, and His words carry final authority.

In Mark 9:47-48 He describes hell as the place where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. These images communicate continuation, not exhaustion. The judgment does not run its course and end.

The Biblical Picture of Unending Judgment

Revelation 14:10-11 states that the smoke of the torment of the wicked rises forever and that they have no rest. The language in Scripture gives no place for the idea of passing out of existence.

Isaiah 66:22-24 confirms the same truth. The final vision of Isaiah shows the judgment of the wicked standing as an everlasting witness to the righteousness of God.

These passages uphold a single truth. The punishment of the wicked is conscious and eternal.

The Cross Confirms Eternal Judgment

The gospel does not present Christ as saving His people from disappearance. He saves them from the wrath of God. If judgment ends in extinction, then the suffering of Christ loses its meaning. Scripture teaches that He bore what His people deserved. Real sin required real wrath, and Christ endured the full weight of it.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Matthew 10:28 says God destroys the soul, so the wicked must cease to exist.”

Scripture often uses the word “destroy” to speak of ruin under judgment rather than erasure. Jesus Himself clarifies the nature of final judgment in Mark 9:48 when He describes a place where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Matthew 10:28 establishes God’s authority to judge. Other passages explain the judgment as ongoing.

Objection: “Second Thessalonians 1:9 speaks of destruction, not continued punishment.”

Paul describes an eternal destruction that occurs away from the presence of the Lord. Location and duration both imply conscious existence. Destruction describes their condition under wrath, not the end of their being.

Objection: “Revelation is symbolic, so Revelation 14:10-11 cannot describe real torment.”

Symbols communicate truth. They heighten it. The text says the wicked have no rest and that their torment rises forever.

Truth That Withstands

The doctrine of eternal judgment reveals the holiness of God and the gravity of sin. Christ endured wrath so that sinners might receive mercy. God warns because He loves. Hell magnifies the worth of Christ and the glory of salvation. To deny it is to diminish both.

If this challenged you or strengthened your confidence in Scripture, consider sharing it so others can see what God’s Word actually says about judgment.

The Exception Clause and the Words of Jesus We Try to Escape

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The modern church treats the so called exception clause as a doorway out of covenant. The assumption is that if adultery occurs, Scripture grants permission for divorce and remarriage. This belief is so entrenched that any challenge to it sounds foreign and unwelcome. Yet Jesus never granted such permission. The controversy exists because many are committed to finding a loophole, not to hearing the Word of God.

When Jesus addressed divorce in Matthew 19, He made clear that covenant vows are not negotiable. He upheld the permanence of marriage. He dismantled the Pharisees’ excuses. He restored creation order. The exception clause does not create a justified pathway out of marriage. Christ is simply identifying unions that carry no covenant standing before God and therefore cannot be preserved.

This article examines what Jesus said, why He said it, and why the modern church prefers to avoid His meaning.

The Beginning of the Argument: Jesus Returns to Creation

Before Jesus ever mentions porneia, He grounds marriage in Genesis. The Pharisees want a legal discussion. Jesus gives them a creational one. He begins where God begins.

“And He answered and said, ‘Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.’”

Matthew 19:4-6

Jesus does not answer by appealing first to Moses but to the Creator Himself. He sets aside their procedural categories and confronts the reality of the covenant God ordains. God joins a man and a woman in a one flesh union. No human authority has the right to dissolve what God joins.

The Pharisees ask why Moses allowed divorce. Jesus answers that Moses permitted separation only because of their hardness of heart, not because God ever approved of dissolving what He created. Jesus directs them back to creation because that has always been the true standard, not the allowances given through Moses.

The Meaning of Porneia: Unlawful Unions, Not Adultery

When Jesus finally mentions an exception, He does not use the word moicheia. He uses the word porneia.

Porneia and moicheia are not interchangeable. The Holy Spirit inspired the distinction. Scripture uses moicheia to mean adultery. Porneia covers sexual sin that violates God’s creation order, including unions God never recognized as lawful.

This is the category revealed in Leviticus 18. Certain relationships are forbidden because they violate the creational boundaries God Himself set. These unions were never lawful marriages. They had to be ended because they never possessed covenant legitimacy.

Deuteronomy 22 gives a particular example. A man discovers on the wedding night that the woman he married had concealed a previous sexual relationship. The supposed marriage is exposed as illegitimate. This specific case sits within the larger Levitical category of unlawful unions.

Jesus is not granting divorce for adultery. He is identifying the reality that some unions were never joined by God and therefore must be ended by obedience. That is why He chooses porneia and not moicheia. He is not describing covenant violation. He is describing a relationship that was never a covenant.

Why Adultery Never Dissolved a Covenant

Scripture is always consistent in treating adultery as a grave sin. It violates covenant and wounds households. It is never presented as grounds for dissolving marriage. The prophets use adultery as a metaphor for Israel’s idolatry. God does not divorce His people. He disciplines, restores, forgives, and redeems. Covenant remains covenant even through grievous sin.

If Jesus intended to permit divorce for adultery, He would have said so. Jesus intentionally distinguishes porneia from adultery, directing the reader to the category of unions that violate creation order rather than to marital infidelity.

If you want articles that hold the line where Jesus held it, subscribe below.

Why the Disciples Responded with Shock

After Jesus rejects the Pharisees’ reasoning and asserts that marriage is permanent, except in cases where the union was never lawful, the disciples react strongly.

“If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.”

Matthew 19:10

Their shock is evidence of what Jesus had just taught. They understand that Jesus has closed the door on divorce. He has removed every excuse. He has affirmed that marriage binds for life. The only exception relates to unlawful unions that God never joined. A man cannot dissolve what God has created.

The disciples see the weight of this and respond honestly. If the union cannot be dissolved, the only path available is lifelong faithfulness. Jesus affirms that they understood Him correctly.

Paul’s Witness in 1 Corinthians 7

Paul never contradicts Jesus. He applies the same creation order and the same covenant permanence. He writes:

“But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband, but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband, and the husband should not divorce his wife.”

1 Corinthians 7:10-11

Paul assumes that marriage is permanent. He gives no allowance for remarriage. His instruction is simple. Remain unmarried or reconcile. This matches Jesus perfectly.

Later, when addressing abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, Paul does not grant permission to remarry. He acknowledges that separation may occur because sin is real. Yet he never grants covenant dissolution. The believer is never freed to enter another marriage.

Paul’s teaching only makes sense if Jesus did not permit remarriage and did not treat adultery as grounds for dissolving covenant.

Deuteronomy 22 and the Torah Categories Jesus Assumes

When Jesus speaks of porneia, He draws on the categories that Israel knew well. Deuteronomy 22 describes a situation in which a supposed marriage is exposed as fraudulent. The union must be ended because it was never a marriage in the first place.

This case sits within the wider Leviticus 18 framework. Both identify unions that violate creation order and therefore cannot be maintained.

Jesus assumes these categories. The Pharisees know them. The disciples know them. The early church fathers know them. That is why the early church unanimously rejected remarriage after divorce. They understood that Jesus did not alter the permanence of marriage. He clarified the difference between adultery within a real covenant and the exposure of a union that God never recognized.

The Modern Desire for Loopholes

The modern appeal to the exception clause does not come from careful exegesis but from the urge to defend divorce. It reflects a heart that seeks release from covenant rather than obedience to Christ.

People want a loophole because they do not want to repent. They want their decisions affirmed. They want freedom without responsibility. They want covenant without cost.

Jesus offers no such permission, because He requires inward fidelity that cannot coexist with self fashioned loopholes. He confronts the human instinct to escape duty. He exposes the desire to break what God has joined.

The Desire That Drives Misinterpretation

For most people, the discussion of the exception clause has nothing to do with devotion to God. It has everything to do with the human heart. The argument is driven by feelings. The aim is self justification.

Jesus’ teaching remains clear. Marriage is permanent. Adultery does not dissolve covenant. Remarriage after divorce is adultery. The only unions that must be ended are those God never joined.

If this unsettles the reader, it is because Jesus’ words still carry weight. They cut through the excuses and force the question. Will you obey Christ, or will you cling to a loophole that He did not grant?

The Covenant Demand

The words of Christ do not leave room for the modern debate. He restored marriage to the permanence God declared in the beginning. He removed the excuses that hardened hearts had invented. He confronted the search for loopholes and called His people to covenant fidelity.

Many appeal to the exception clause because they hope it will justify what God has forbidden. Jesus does not ease God’s standard but makes its full force unmistakable. And even if someone insisted on a different reading of His words, it would not grant what they desire. Scripture only permits remarriage when death has ended the covenant bond. No other release exists.

The call of Christ is clear. Repent of attempts to escape His Word. Submit your heart to what He has spoken. Receive the mercy that restores sinners and the strength that upholds those who fear Him. Marriage is a covenant established by God Himself, and no man can dissolve what He has joined.

Stand before the Lord with a whole heart. Yield every desire to His command. Walk in the obedience that accords with His truth.

Share this if you want the real meaning of the exception clause stripped of modern excuses and restored to the authority of Christ’s Word.

An Open Letter to the Elders of Auke Bay Bible Church

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Update: I have edited this post for clarity and tone, including tightening language and rephrasing some claims to better distinguish facts from conclusions. The substance of the concerns remains the same. The original publication date remains December 8, 2025.

To Mick Ewing, Eric Hotchkiss, Larry Walsh, and Mark Morris,

Grace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I write as a Christian man in Juneau with no membership at Auke Bay Bible Church and no office among you. I am not issuing church discipline. I am appealing to Scripture and urging careful examination of matters that affect the public worship and teaching of the church. I have sought private engagement over time and have not received meaningful discussion on the concerns below. I am attempting to speak soberly before Christ, who judges every shepherd and every man, and I welcome correction where I have misapplied His Word.

The Responsibility of Elders Before God

Christ has entrusted elders with the care of His flock, and that trust carries a weight that cannot be measured by personality, preference, or church tradition. Scripture commands that an overseer “hold firmly to the faithful Word” so that he may exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it (Titus 1:9). Elders are to watch over the souls of the flock as men who will give an account (Hebrews 13:17). This means your authority is real, but it is not autonomous. It is accountable at every point to Christ and to His Word.

Why I Believe These Concerns Cannot Remain Only Private

It has been stated that these concerns should have remained private. I agree that private sins and personal conflicts should be handled privately and in order. My concern is that questions touching public teaching, public worship, and settled church practice affect the whole congregation and therefore require open biblical clarity, even if the initial approach begins privately.

Scripture shows that public actions and public teaching can require public clarity. Paul opposed Peter when his conduct carried public implications for the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:11–14). Scripture also teaches that elders are accountable and that persistent, evident sin is not to be protected by secrecy (1 Timothy 5:19–20). I am not claiming the standing of an apostle or a church court. I am arguing the principle that public matters do not remain purely private simply because they are uncomfortable.

I did attempt private engagement. I asked for discussion and clarity from Scripture over time. When I sought a meeting with a witness present, that was declined. My concerns were repeatedly treated as preference, “fit,” or theological flavor rather than addressed directly from the Word. If I have misunderstood any of this, I am willing to be corrected. My aim in stating this is to explain why I believed the matter required broader warning and discussion.

Concerns Raised for Biblical Clarification

I raised concerns that I believe Scripture speaks to directly, and I sought clarification on how your leadership understands and justifies these practices:

The leadership and teaching roles assigned to women in the gathered assembly
Women reading Scripture and speaking publicly, and the question of head coverings and how you interpret and apply 1 Corinthians 11
A prior concern raised about specific lyrics, and the manner in which that concern was handled.
The frequency of the Lord’s Supper and whether the church should aim at weekly communion
Eschatology and the clarity and consistency of what is being taught

These are not matters of personal taste to me. They are questions of obedience and faithfulness before God. I did not receive substantive biblical engagement on them. Instead, I was told in various ways that I did not “fit,” or that these concerns reflected a distinct theological background. I am not asking you to adopt my entire framework. I am asking you to answer the Scriptures you claim as final authority with open Bibles and plain reasoning.

When biblical correction is reframed as negativity, personality conflict, or mere theological preference, the issue is no longer tone but submission. The question becomes whether Christ’s Word will govern His church or whether it will be filtered through tradition and comfort.

The Danger of Refusing Examination

Proverbs commends the reception of life giving reproof (Proverbs 15:31), and Scripture commands God’s people to test everything and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). When questions about public worship and teaching are repeatedly deflected without biblical engagement, the congregation is deprived of clarity and the conscience is trained to accept tradition without testing. My concern is not that leaders are questioned. My concern is that Scripture is not being answered.

Elders should be able to answer Scripture plainly, because Christ Himself examines all shepherds.

A Warning to the Flock and Those Considering Attending

I do not write this lightly. Scripture does require discernment and warnings when stumbling blocks are placed before Christ’s people (Romans 16:17). I am not telling anyone to outsource their judgment to me. I am urging believers to examine teaching and practice by Scripture, and to take seriously the obligations of elders before God.

If you are part of ABBC or considering it, examine everything by the Word of God. The Lord will judge every shepherd who mishandles His people, for teachers will receive a stricter judgment (James 3:1). Christ walks among His churches and judges them. That should sober every elder and every member.

An Appeal to the Elders to Reexamine These Matters

I do not write because I despise you. I write because I fear God and because elders will give an account. I appeal to you to reexamine these matters with open Bibles, to answer questions plainly, and to resist the instinct to treat doctrinal and worship concerns as mere preference or “fit.” If I have spoken falsely about any facts, I should be corrected. If you have erred in doctrine or practice, I urge you to correct it. Christ is patient, and His patience is meant to lead to repentance.

A Word to Believers Who Are Discouraged

Many faithful Christians in Juneau and beyond have grown weary of churches that dismiss correction and follow tradition instead of Scripture. The Lord sees your grief. Do not abandon Christ’s bride, for He has not abandoned her. Christ is purifying His church, and every exposure of error is part of His sanctifying work. Scripture even says that divisions must occur so that those who are approved may be evident (1 Corinthians 11:19). Hold fast. Christ reigns, and He is refining His people.

Final Appeal

I do not seek vindication. I seek obedience. I believed remaining silent would be unfaithful to my conscience before God. My conscience is captive to Scripture, and I must speak plainly. To the elders: you may reject me, but I pray you will not dismiss the Scriptures I appealed to without answering them. To the saints: cling to Christ, test all things, and walk in the truth without fear.

May the Lord grant repentance, protect His flock, and glorify His name in Juneau.

For His glory,

Ken Duffy

When Courts Rebel Against Christ: Enoch Burke and the Idol of Sexual Autonomy

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Establishing the Public Record

Before addressing the theological weight of this moment, the facts must be stated plainly and without exaggeration. The following details are drawn from court records and major national reporting in Ireland.

The School

Wilson’s Hospital School, County Westmeath, Ireland.

The Original Order

Principal Niamh McShane issued a written directive requiring staff to use a student’s new name and “they, them” pronouns. The directive was framed as a pastoral accommodation but functioned as a compelled speech mandate.

Subsequent Leadership

Principal Noel Cunningham later presided over the school during additional disciplinary and legal proceedings. Principal Frank Milling also served in a transitional role before departing in May 2025.

The School Board

The Board of Management, chaired by John Rogers, placed Burke on paid administrative leave after he refused to comply with the pronoun directive.

The Injunctions and Imprisonments

Multiple High Court judges enforced or escalated sanctions against Burke:

Mr Justice Max Barrett issued the interlocutory injunction ordering Burke to stay off school property.
Mr Justice Alexander Owens later granted a permanent injunction and presided over contempt proceedings.
Mr Justice Michael Quinn ruled on contempt and ordered committal.
Mr Justice Mark Heslin ordered additional committal.
Mr Justice Brian Cregan issued further contempt rulings, fines, and invoked criminal contempt.
Mr Justice Brian O’Moore oversaw reviews, releases, and fines.
Mr Justice Mark Sanfey handled multiple contempt reviews and continuations of sanctions.

The Legal Nature of the Case

Burke has not been imprisoned “for misgendering.” He has been repeatedly imprisoned for civil contempt of court after continuing to appear on school property in defiance of injunctions. His refusal is based on conscience and conviction. The State’s escalation is a conscious attempt to break that conviction.

There is no need to embellish this. The reality is grave enough. The school pressed him to deny reality and the courts backed that demand. He would not comply.

Now we turn to Scripture.

All Human Courts Stand Under Christ

No civil power stands outside the judgment of Christ.

Christ is King of kings. His authority does not wait for earthly recognition.

“On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” - Revelation 19:16

Magistrates serve under His rule.

“There is no authority except from God, and those which exist are appointed by God.” - Romans 13:1

Civil rulers have a divine mandate: reward good and punish evil according to God’s standard. When they command falsehood, redefine morality, or punish obedience to Christ, they step outside their God given jurisdiction.

Every ruling issued by Barrett, Owens, Quinn, Heslin, Cregan, O’Moore, or Sanfey will be weighed before the court of Christ, whose judgments fall in history and will be perfected at the last day.

The Law of God They Have Violated

What stands before us is not a procedural dispute but a moral rupture in which the commands of God are dismissed as though they can be overruled.

The Ninth Commandment

Compelled pronoun usage demands speaking what is false.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” - Exodus 20:16

The school and courts require participation in a lie about what God made.

The First and Second Commandments

The sexual revolution functions as an idol. It demands ritual acknowledgment and public confession.

Compelled speech is a form of compelled worship. To force participation in gender falsehood is to require homage before another god.

The Creation Order

Christ Himself declared:

“He who created them from the beginning made them male and female.” - Matthew 19:4

No civil authority has jurisdiction to redefine what God has defined.

Romans 1

When rulers suppress truth and formalize rebellion, they become participants in the very judgment Scripture describes.

Compelled speech is the final stage of Romans 1 idolatry. It is not content to only be tolerated. It requires praise.

Naming the Ministers of Injustice

Scripture never condemns injustice in abstraction. Prophets name kings, priests, elders, rulers, and judges. Faithful Christian analysis must do the same.

The record stands:

• Principal Niamh McShane issued the initial compelled speech directive.

• Principal Noel Cunningham enforced disciplinary actions that furthered the conflict.

• Chair John Rogers and the Board of Management suspended Burke and supported the enforcement mechanisms.

• Judges Barrett, Owens, Quinn, Heslin, Cregan, O’Moore, and Sanfey have each played concrete roles in ordering injunctions, fines, or imprisonment.

Scripture calls such acts what they are.

“Woe to those who enact unrighteous statutes and to those who constantly record harmful decisions.” - Isaiah 10:1

Biblical Repercussions for Corrupt Rulers

Judges who pervert justice invite the wrath of God.

“The princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are wolves at evening.” - Ezekiel 22:27

“You shall not distort justice.” - Deuteronomy 16:19

God treats unjust rulings as violence, theft, and oppression.

A ruler who punishes truth and rewards rebellion forfeits legitimacy before God. In a rightly ordered Christian society, such judges would be removed from office, stripped of authority, and held accountable under just law.

The Idolatry That Demands Submission

The modern sexual regime is not content to coexist. It demands devotion.

It rewrites identity.

It demands catechism through pronouns.

It punishes dissent.

It seeks public affirmation.

It is a false religion.

Romans 1 reveals how a culture moves from suppressing truth to enforcing falsehood. Once that happens, those who speak plainly become targets. That is why Burke has been dragged into repeated courtrooms. This is a confrontation between the authority of Christ and an idol that demands allegiance.

Why American Christians Must Pay Attention

Many Americans instinctively comfort themselves by saying, “That is Ireland.” That reaction is no longer available. The same ideology governs American school boards, universities, HR departments, corporate policies, federal agencies (though currently being remedied), state courts, and medical institutions. The pressure to speak falsehood already exists here, and it will only intensify if ignored.

Two errors must be rejected. The first is treating Burke as if every tactical choice he made is beyond examination. The second is imagining that his situation has nothing to do with our own context.

Christians must defend conscience rights and oppose any law or policy that demands participation in falsehood. They must raise sons and daughters whose integrity will not collapse when pressured to lie. They must support or become magistrates who fear Christ rather than public opinion. They must refuse to surrender any public ground through slow, quiet concession.

The sexual revolution advances when Christians retreat. If the people of God do not stand with clarity, they create the very space where lawlessness grows.

Call to Repentance and Faith

Christ now commands all people in every position of authority to repent. Judges must repent for punishing truth. Principals must repent for compelling lies. Legislators must repent for codifying rebellion. Citizens must repent for silent complicity.

The blood of Christ is sufficient even for corrupt officials who turn from their sins and submit to the King they have opposed.

The church must pray. Pray for Burke’s faithfulness and humility. Pray for the repentance of those who have misused authority. Pray for courage in the believers who will face similar tests.

Christ will judge the nations. No court can overrule His decree. No injunction can erase His law.

“Now therefore, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O judges of the earth.” - Psalm 2:10

Magistrates may set themselves against the Lord, yet His authority remains firm. Christ rules over every court, and no injustice escapes Him.

When the Noise Will Not Stop: Chronic Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Tinnitus is a quiet teacher. It is a sound that does not ask your permission, does not honor your plans, and does not bend to your will. It intrudes, persists, and reminds you every waking hour that the body is not sovereign and the world is not under your command. For many, tinnitus becomes the emblem of chronic suffering. It is not a momentary affliction. It is a companion that refuses to leave. Scripture does not ignore suffering like this. It speaks directly to it with clarity, authority, and hope.

The Affliction That Cannot Be Escaped

Chronic noise dismantles the illusion that life can be managed. It strips away the expectation that the body should obey and that peace should be available whenever we want it. Many describe tinnitus as a sound that cannot be escaped. It follows into silence, into rest, and into prayer. It creates disorientation because the mind was not made to carry unceasing noise.

This kind of suffering belongs in the biblical category of affliction that endures, the kind that forces the soul to ask deeper questions about God, the body, and the meaning of weakness.

God’s Sovereignty Is the Only Stable Ground

Scripture never presents chronic suffering as random or meaningless. God governs the senses. He governs the nervous system. He governs the limitations and malfunctions of the body.

“Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?” - Exodus 4:11

The biblical mind does not attempt to protect God from responsibility for suffering. It rests in the truth that His governance is fatherly, wise, and purposeful. Even affliction arrives only by His decree.

“Who is there who speaks and it happens, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good go forth?” - Lamentations 3:37–38

This is the foundation that prevents despair. If suffering is random, the world is chaos. If suffering is governed, the world is meaningful. Tinnitus, like every chronic affliction, belongs to the days God ordained before you lived a single one of them.

“Your eyes have seen my unshaped substance. And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” - Psalm 139:16

Chronic Suffering Exposes the Lie of Self Sovereignty

Modern people collapse under chronic suffering because they assume life must be controllable. This is a false anthropology. Man is not sovereign. Man is not the master of his senses. Tinnitus exposes this lie with merciless clarity. It shows that peace cannot be seized. It can only be received from God.

Despair grows wherever sovereignty is misplaced. If a person believes he must manage everything, then any affliction that cannot be managed becomes a personal indictment. Scripture answers this with humility. God humbles His people so they learn to depend on Him rather than themselves. Chronic weakness is one of His tools.

God’s Purpose in Persistent Weakness

Paul’s thorn was not removed. It was sustained. God ordained it so Paul would learn a strength beyond himself.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

The apostle does not treat weakness as an interruption. He treats it as a means of sanctification. Chronic noise has the same effect. It forces deeper prayer. It strips away pride. It teaches sobriety and seriousness. It trains endurance.

Scripture describes this pattern repeatedly.

“We exult in our afflictions, knowing that affliction brings about perseverance. And perseverance, proven character. And proven character, hope.” - Romans 5:3–4

“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith brings about perseverance.” - James 1:2–3

Chronic suffering does not merely wound. It forms.

The Temptations Chronic Suffering Reveals

Tinnitus does not remain a physical problem. It becomes a spiritual battlefield. It reveals fears and assumptions buried deep in the heart. Scripture shines light on these temptations.

Fear of the future: the dread that it will worsen
Irritation and anger: the sense that the body has betrayed you
Obsessive monitoring: the urge to control what cannot be controlled
Unbelief: the suspicion that God has abandoned you
Self pity: the temptation to view oneself as forsaken

The gospel confronts every one of these. Suffering reveals what was already present. Grace transforms what is revealed.

Christ Meets His People in the Groaning of the Body

Christ does not observe suffering from a distance. He knows the groaning of the human body from within. He sympathizes with weakness.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” - Hebrews 4:15

The presence of Christ is priestly nearness. He intercedes when believers can barely form prayers. He carries their weakness.

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” - Romans 8:26

Chronic suffering tests endurance, but it also becomes the place where communion with Christ deepens.

Dominion When the Body Becomes a Battleground

Dominion does not always look like conquering circumstances. Sometimes dominion looks like obedience under pressure. It looks like perseverance rather than panic. It looks like faith that refuses to collapse even when the body rings without pause.

Suffering refines the believer’s calling. God shapes courage in the very places where control disappears. He teaches men and women to walk by faith.

Resurrection Hope for the Sufferer

Chronic affliction has an expiration date. Scripture anchors suffering in the hope of resurrection. The body that groans will be raised in glory. The noise that does not stop now will be silenced forever.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” - Romans 8:18

The hope of the resurrection is the promise of a body healed, senses restored, nerves calmed, and weakness swallowed up in life.

A Pastoral Exhortation

Endurance is faith applied to weakness. Every night of ringing is seen by God. Every groan is heard. Every moment of perseverance is used for holiness. Not one moment of chronic suffering is wasted.

Cling to the promises of God. Stand firm in the truth that the Father governs every affliction with purpose. Rest in the sympathy of Christ. Trust the strength of the Spirit when your own strength is gone. Remember that suffering is temporary and glory is eternal.

The noise will one day stop. Christ will silence it. The resurrection will end all groaning. Until that day, walk in faith, not fear. The God who governs your suffering will also complete your healing.

The Promise of Hope

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The first candle of Advent burns in a world that needs to remember who God is.

The world into which Christ was born was quiet, but it was not abandoned. God had already spoken. The prophets had declared His Word. The covenant had been given and confirmed. The line of promise had been preserved by His hand. The Lord does not forget what He swears to His people.

When the flood covered the earth, Scripture says, “God remembered Noah… and God caused a wind to pass over the earth” (Genesis 8:1). That remembrance was not a move from forgetfulness to awareness. God does not misplace His people and then suddenly recall them. When Scripture speaks of Him remembering, it describes His covenant faithfulness entering into visible action. His remembrance is His resolve in motion.

So when God remembered Noah, He sent the wind and began to restore the earth.

When He remembered Abraham, He brought Lot out from the overthrow of Sodom (Genesis 19:29).

When He remembered Israel, He heard their groaning, looked upon their bondage, and shattered the pride of Egypt (Exodus 2:24).

When He remembered mercy in the fullness of time, He sent His Son (Luke 1:54).

Christ came as the fulfillment of what God had sworn. The Seed promised in Genesis 3 entered history. The blessing spoken to Abraham took on flesh and blood. The throne pledged to David received its true and final King.

The promises of God are sworn declarations from the Lord of heaven and earth. When He says that a child will be born who will rule the nations, He speaks of a real King and a real kingdom. When He declares that the increase of His government and of peace will have no end, He describes the future of the world under Christ. That future has already begun.

The church remembers Advent as the decisive act of God’s faithfulness in time. The birth of Christ is the moment when the covenant promises stand before us in a human face. He came to redeem His people, to rule as the Son of David, and to bring reconciliation that reaches from individuals to families, churches, and nations.

The same child Isaiah foresaw, the one called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, has already entered our history. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He must reign until every enemy has been placed under His feet. The reign has begun. The enemies are being subdued. The hope of Advent rests on that certainty.

God has remembered His mercy. He has kept His Word to Abraham and to his seed forever. The King has come, and He is not finished with the world.

“He has given help to Israel His servant,

in remembrance of His mercy,

as He spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and his seed forever.”

(Luke 1:54–55, LSB)

If you would like to receive daily Advent meditations that follow this line of truth, you can join the text devotional.

Text advent to (833) 240-9722 to receive one Scripture-rich message each day through the rest of Advent.

You are welcome to share the number with others who need to be steadied by the faithfulness of Christ. The King has come, and His promises do not fail.

Flags, Covenant Signs, and the Public War over Moral Allegiance

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Scripture teaches that symbols communicate allegiance, identity, and covenant loyalty. They declare who rules and what moral order governs a people.

“We will sing for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners.” - Psalm 20:5

Israel marched under banners that identified each tribe and proclaimed their unity under the Lord. Their flags were public theology. Their symbols were sermons.

“He has brought me to his house of banqueting, and his banner over me is love.” – Song of Solomon 2:4

A banner declares the authority one lives under. It tells the world which kingdom shapes one’s life. There is no neutrality in symbolic speech. Every flag preaches.

God’s Covenant Sign of the Rainbow

Genesis 9 gives the original meaning of the rainbow. It is a divine sign, a covenant seal, and an oath God swore to creation.

“I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.” - Genesis 9:13

The bow belongs to God. It reveals His mercy after judgment. It testifies that He, not man, rules history and restrains wrath according to His covenant promises. The rainbow therefore carries theological weight that no culture has the right to redefine.

To take a sign God created and assign it a new meaning is covenant theft. The rainbow is a sign of divine sovereignty, judgment, mercy, and promise.

The Reformers on Sexual Sin and Public Morality

The Reformers taught sexual rebellion is a disordering of creation that harms households and destabilizes nations. Calvin, Luther, the Magisterial Reformers, and the Reformed confessions treated sodomy and related sins as grave violations of God’s created order and dangerous to the health of the commonwealth.

“For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.” Romans 13:3

The Reformers held that civil rulers are ministers of God who maintain justice by restraining public wickedness. Sexual sin that attacks the created order was treated as a threat to families, inheritance, community stability, and the covenantal structure that God established at creation.

Their approach was driven by a serious view of God’s law and a sober understanding of human society. They believed what Scripture teaches. When a people celebrate what God condemns, they unravel the very foundations that hold a nation together.

The Rainbow Flag as Rival Catechesis

The modern rainbow flag is claimed to be a gesture of tolerance. But it is actually a rival catechism. It preaches a moral order that denies the authority of God and replaces His covenant sign with a new meaning.

The flag claims to define identity apart from creation. It asserts authority over anthropology. It demands affirmation from the public square. It presents a worldview in which desire is sovereign and God is irrelevant.

This is why the symbolism is so powerful and so contested. The rainbow flag does the work that idols did in the ancient world. It claims loyalty. It declares a new vision of humanity. It reinterprets creation. It preaches autonomy as salvation.

Symbols are sermons, and nations are discipled through banners.

How the Modern Church Became Numb to Symbolic War

Many Christians no longer recognize what is happening. Modern evangelicalism taught believers to retreat from cultural life. Secularism convinced them that symbols are neutral. Theological drift produced churches that coddled confusion rather than confront it.

When the church forgets that public morality shapes households and nations, rival moral orders move in. When Christians treat worship as private and faith as internal, the enemy seizes every visible space.

The result is numbness. Christians see the rainbow flag everywhere and assume it is harmless. They fail to grasp that it is a competing claim of sovereignty. It redefines what God defined. It proclaims a kingdom built on self rule rather than the rule of Christ.

A Call to Recover Christian Discernment and Allegiance

Christian parents must teach their children what the rainbow truly means in Scripture. Christian churches must refuse to affirm any symbol that contradicts the law of God. Christian households must see that this struggle is not a dispute over colors or design. It is a matter of allegiance, an open declaration of which authority governs the world and shapes the future.

The flag one raises teaches the world who one serves.

Christians must raise the standard of Christ. They must confess that the covenant signs belong to God alone. They must proclaim that identity is not self constructed but God given. They must step into the public square without apology, knowing that Christ reigns over every nation.

The battle is not ultimately about flags. It is about sovereignty, truth, and allegiance. God will not share His glory with rival kingdoms.

The Call Before Us

The rainbow belongs to the Lord. The covenant belongs to the Lord. Creation belongs to the Lord. The public square belongs to the Lord. Christians must recover courage, clarity, and joy as they bear witness to the kingdom of Christ in a culture that preaches a rival gospel through its symbols.

Raise the banner of Christ. Teach your children the meaning of God’s signs. Refuse the liturgies of rebellion. Stand upright in the kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Christ is King.

Does Your Faith Restrain God?

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern preaching often claims that God is waiting on us. The idea is repeated everywhere: God wants to act, but He cannot unless we have enough faith. This turns the living God into an anxious bystander who depends on human will. Scripture gives no place for such a view. The God of heaven does whatever He pleases, and no lack of faith can bind His hand.

Doctrinal Clarity:

Unbelief is sin, but it does not limit God.

Faith is the means by which we receive His promises, not the power that enables Him to keep them. The Lord rebukes unbelief because it dishonors Him, not because it weakens Him. He parted the sea for a fearful Israel. He healed Naaman before Naaman understood the God who healed him. He raised Lazarus while everyone around Him doubted, and Lazarus was not merely sick. He was dead. Faith glorifies God by trusting Him. It never supplies ability to Him.

Scripture teaches that God is sovereign in mercy and judgment.

Psalm 115:3 says, “Our God is in the heavens. He does all that He pleases.”

Romans 9:16 says salvation does not rest on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy.

John 6:63 teaches that the Spirit gives life. Flesh accomplishes nothing.

Faith is commanded, but faith does not empower God. Faith is the response God awakens by His own grace so that all glory belongs to Him alone.

Application:

Examine the hidden belief that God remains inactive unless you stir Him by effort. This mindset turns faith into a tool of manipulation instead of an expression of trust. The question is not whether God can work. The question is whether we will bow to His authority, receive His Word, and repent when He exposes our unbelief.

Semper Reformanda:

Objection: “Jesus could not do many works in Nazareth because of their unbelief.”

Response: The text says their unbelief revealed their hardness, not that it reduced His power. Christ judged them by withholding miracles. Their unbelief did not restrain Him. It condemned them.

Objection: “God waits for us to activate His promises.”

Response: Scripture teaches the opposite. God initiates. God grants faith. God fulfills His Word according to His will. The promises are certain because the Promiser is sovereign, not because the believer is strong.

Truth That Withstands:

God is never limited by man. Unbelief blinds sinners, but it never weakens the Almighty. Faith is a gift that honors Him, not a force that controls Him. He acts according to His will, for His glory, and for the good of His people. The call is simple. Trust Him because He reigns, not because He needs assistance.

Share this for every Christian who has been told their faith was too weak for God to move.

Christian Parents Must Teach the Hard Things

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Parents carry a responsibility that no one else can take from them. God commands fathers and mothers to shape their children with truth, courage, and wisdom. This work belongs to the household. It does not belong to the state. It does not belong to schools. It does not belong to peers. It does not even belong primarily to the church gathering.

“And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons…” - Deuteronomy 6:6–7

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” - Ephesians 6:4

“He established a testimony in Jacob and set a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children…” - Psalm 78:5

The calling is direct. Parents must teach the hard things.

Sheltering Children Does Not Prepare Them

Protection is a father’s duty, but protection is not the same as hiding reality. Solomon did not hide the world from his son. He trained him to understand it.

He warned him about adultery.

He warned him about wicked companions.

He warned him about violence, greed, rebellion, and seduction.

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” - Proverbs 1:10

“Hear, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path.” - Proverbs 23:19

Solomon named sin plainly and explained its consequences. This is what faithful parents do. They guard their children by instructing them. They prepare them by telling them the truth.

Silence Creates Vulnerability

A child who knows nothing of sin becomes naïve. Scripture calls this the condition of the simple.

“The naive believes everything, but the prudent man considers his steps.” - Proverbs 14:15

When parents refuse to teach the nature of evil, they leave a vacuum. The world will fill it. Schools will fill it. Screens will fill it. Friends will fill it. Temptation itself will fill it.

If parents do not disciple their children, the world will. And the world will teach them to love what destroys them.

Covenant Children Must Be Formed for Faithfulness

The children of believers are are covenant heirs. God commands that they be taught so they can stand in a day of testing.

Timothy learned Scripture from childhood.

“And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” - 2 Timothy 3:15

Israel was commanded to explain the meaning of the Passover to every generation.

“And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.’” - Exodus 13:8

Judges warns us of the consequences when parents fail.

“There arose another generation after them who did not know Yahweh…” - Judges 2:10

This is what happens when the hard things are not taught. Children drift. Families collapse. A generation rises that does not know the Lord.

Parents Must Speak Plainly About Sin

Children must be taught what rebellion is. They must understand why sin destroys. They must know how temptation works. They must be shown the glory of obedience and the beauty of holiness.

Faithful parents name sin honestly.

They explain its cost.

They prepare their children for a world that hates righteousness.

This is the kind of instruction Scripture requires from parents who understand the stakes of raising covenant children.

Point Them to Christ Above All

Children do not need perfect parents. They need faithful ones. They need fathers and mothers who open Scripture, who speak the truth, who discipline with justice, and who point the household to Christ.

“For Yahweh gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and discernment.” - Proverbs 2:6

The goal is not to raise children who are merely informed. The goal is to raise children who love Christ, fear God, honor righteousness, and stand firm in a world at war with the truth.

A Pastoral Call to Parents

Teach your children the hard things.

Do not hesitate.

Do not wait until the world speaks first.

Do not assume innocence will protect them.

Instruct them. Prepare them. Shape them.

Talk to them about sin and why it destroys.

Talk to them about holiness and why it brings life.

Talk to them about Christ and why He alone can save them.

Parents who teach with clarity give their children strength. Parents who speak with courage give their children sight. Parents who lead with conviction give their children a foundation that will not break.

This is your calling.

This is your covenant duty.

God will give you grace to fulfill it.

If this helped you think more clearly about raising faithful children, subscribe for the next War Journal entry. I write to build strong families under the rule of Christ.

The New Idolatry of Christian Zionism and Its Parallels to Marian Devotion

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The modern Christian fixation on the state of Israel is not rooted in biblical theology. It is rooted in emotional impulse, confusion, and a refusal to receive the fullness of Christ’s kingship. The impulse behind Christian Zionism mirrors the same theological error that produced Marian devotion in Roman Catholicism. God acted through Israel. God acted through Mary. In both cases, God moved history forward in Christ. When Christians cling to the vessels God used rather than to the Christ who fulfilled every promise, they repeat the same error in a new form.

Scripture teaches that the covenant people of God are no longer identified by ethnicity, land, temple, or bloodline. They are identified by union with Jesus Christ. The prophets and apostles testify that the old order has been fulfilled and transformed. Christ is the seed of Abraham. Christ is the true Israelite. Christ is the cornerstone who joins Jew and Gentile into one new man.

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruit of it.” - Matthew 21:43

“Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say ‘and to seeds’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘and to your seed,’ that is, Christ.” - Galatians 3:16

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes.” - 2 Corinthians 1:20

The New Testament does not leave room for a parallel covenant with a nation that rejected its Messiah. The kingdom has moved forward in Christ. The people of God have moved with Him.

How Marian Devotion Grew from the Same Root Error

Marian devotion emerged from a fear that recognizing Christ’s supremacy would eclipse the role God gave to Mary. Instead of rejoicing in the fulfillment of God’s promises, they attempted to preserve the earlier stage of redemptive history. Mary was blessed. Mary was chosen. Mary was honored by God. Yet God never called His people to build a shrine around her.

Christian Zionism grows from the same instinct. Israel was chosen. Israel was blessed. Israel received the covenants, the temple, the law, and the promises. Scripture never commands believers to preserve Israel’s former identity once Christ has fulfilled the covenant promises.

“For the law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year make perfect those who draw near.” - Hebrews 10:1

The point is simple. When the substance arrives, the shadow yields. When Christ fills the world with His presence, the old forms do not retain their covenant authority. Fear often hides beneath the appearance of loyalty when believers refuse to release what God has fulfilled.

Why Christian Zionism Feels Sacred to Many Believers

Many Christians hold tight to the modern state of Israel because it feels connected to biblical history. They imagine that defending the nation itself is an act of fidelity to Abraham. They confuse their emotional connection to Old Testament narratives with covenant loyalty to Christ. It feels sacred to them because Israel was sacred in the story of redemption, and they fear that acknowledging fulfillment in Christ dishonors that history.

This is the same psychological impulse behind Marian devotion. People feared that giving Christ His full glory diminished the honor given to Mary. They clung to a vessel God used because they did not know how to move forward in Christ without feeling disloyal to the past.

Scripture confronts this fear with clarity. Christ is the heir of every promise. Christ is the fulfillment and anchor of every covenant. Christ is the one in whom Jew and Gentile are brought near.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” - Ephesians 2:13

The church is not a parenthesis in God’s plan. The church is the fulfillment.

The Danger of Misplaced Loyalty

When Christians elevate the modern nation of Israel to covenant status, they confuse their mission, distort their politics, and weaken their confidence in Christ’s present rule. They begin to speak as though the kingdom of God advances by defending borders in the Middle East rather than proclaiming the authority of Jesus Christ over all nations.

They begin to treat the cross as unfinished. They treat the church as incomplete. They treat Christ’s reign as postponed. This is not a small doctrinal error. It is unbelief in the present kingship of Christ.

“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘Uncircumcision’ by the so called ‘Circumcision,’ that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near.” - Ephesians 2:11-13

The church is not waiting for the restoration of national Israel. The church is the restored Israel. The heirs of Abraham are those who belong to Christ.

“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” - Galatians 3:29

Returning to Shadows After the Substance Has Come

The entire argument in Hebrews is a warning against returning to earlier stages of redemptive history. The priesthood is fulfilled. The temple is fulfilled. The sacrifices are fulfilled. The promises are fulfilled. To return to the old forms is to deny the work of Christ.

This is the exact mistake Christian Zionism makes. It attempts to preserve a covenant identity that no longer carries redemptive authority. It directs Christians backward when the Spirit directs them forward.

God has not abandoned His promises. He has fulfilled them.

A Pastoral Call to Clarity

Christians must learn to honor the Old Testament without confusing old covenant structures with present covenant realities. The history of Israel matters. The story of Mary matters. The law, the temple, the sacrifices, the land, and the people all reveal Christ. They lead to Christ. They bow to Christ.

True honor for Israel comes through acknowledging that Christ has completed every promise given to the fathers.

Christ reigns. He rules the nations. He is building a global kingdom. He is gathering a people from every language and tribe and nation. He is the true Israelite who accomplishes what the nation could not. The church is the new covenant people who inherit the world through Him.

Walk in this clarity. Stand in this confidence. Do not cling to shadows when the King has come. The substance is Christ. The promises are fulfilled in Christ. The future belongs to the kingdom He is advancing.

Jesus is on His throne.

If this helped clarify the confusion surrounding Israel and the finished work of Christ, share it with others who need the same clarity.

Ask for Biblical Counsel

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Biblical Counsel by Text

This ministry exists to help believers live faithfully under the reign of Christ. Some questions cannot wait for a long article or a Sunday sermon. Some situations require simple clarity from Scripture and a steady voice.

For that reason, I offer a free text line for brief, Scripture-rooted counsel. You can ask about doctrine, family life, moral decisions, or anything that needs biblical clarity.

This is not therapy. It is not a substitute for the local church. It is a way to receive short, pastoral direction rooted in the Word of God. When you send a question, you will receive a concise, biblical answer anchored in clear passages of Scripture.

If you need guidance, you may text your question anytime.

Text your question to 833-240-9722

Or scan the QR code:

Christ rules every part of life. Sometimes you only need a verse, a few sentences, and a steady reminder of His sovereignty. This line exists to serve that purpose, for your good and for His glory.

Launching the Biblical Counsel Text-Line

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

TLDR: I am opening a biblical counsel text-line for Christians who want clear, Scripture-rooted guidance. Text your questions to (833) 240-9722.

The church is living in an age of confusion. People walk through life with spiritual questions and moral crises, yet many have never been taught how to think biblically. Pastors hesitate to speak plainly. Churches avoid confronting sin. Christian homes suffer because fathers and mothers feel unsure of how to instruct, correct, or lead. The result is a culture where every problem feels complex and every answer feels soft.

Scripture is not soft. Scripture is clear.

That is why I am launching the Biblical Counsel Text-Line. It is a simple idea with a serious purpose. You can send a question, a situation, or a struggle, and you will receive direct counsel from Scripture. Not therapy. Not guesswork. Not emotional validation. Scripture.

This is not life coaching. This is not a place for loopholes. This is a place where the Word of God is applied without compromise.

Why a Text-Line

The need is everywhere.

Christians face real problems in marriage, parenting, sexuality, church life, work, conflict, forgiveness, bitterness, anxiety, temptation, and cultural pressure. Many are trying to walk faithfully with little guidance. Others are trapped in sin because no one has ever told them plainly what God requires.

There are churches where the gospel is preached, but there are far fewer churches where biblical wisdom is applied to daily life. The Biblical Counsel Text-Line exists for this reason. God’s Word is sufficient. It speaks with authority. It is meant to be obeyed.

This text-line is simply a tool to bring that authority closer to the people who need it.

What You Can Text About

You can ask about anything that requires biblical clarity.

Marriage and conflict.
Divorce and reconciliation.
Parenting and discipline.
Sexual sin and temptation.
Pornography and masturbation.
Forgiveness and bitterness.
Church issues and false teaching.
Workplace injustice.
Moral decisions.
Government and obedience.
Cultural confusion.
Discipleship questions.
Repentance.
Boundaries.
Courage.
Obedience.
Faithfulness in chaotic times.

If Scripture speaks to it, this line will speak to it.

What This Line Is Not

This is not an emergency hotline.

This is not mental health counseling.

This is not a replacement for your elders.

This is not a place for gossip.

This is not a place to seek permission for sin.

This is not a way to avoid accountability.

I will answer from Scripture. The goal is truth, not comfort.

The Distinctives

The counsel you receive will be:

Expository.
Reformed.
Covenantal.
Pastoral.
Direct.
Clear.
Without compromise.
No neutrality.
No evasiveness.
No softening of Scripture to match cultural expectations.

If you reach out, expect Scripture. Expect obedience. Expect confrontation where needed and encouragement where possible.

The Goal

The Biblical Counsel Text-Line is built to strengthen Christian households in a collapsing society.

The goal is to help:

Fathers lead.
Mothers disciple.
Marriages heal.
Sons grow into men.
Daughters grow into wisdom.
Church members walk in holiness.
Believers understand the times.
Families stand firm in a world at war with Christ.

This is discipleship for people who want to obey God and live in the light of His Word.

How It Works

Text your question or situation.

You will receive confirmation.

Your message will be answered directly and personally.

Every reply will be anchored in Scripture.

Responses may take time depending on volume, but they will come.

Privacy will be respected.

Simple. Direct. Biblical.

A Pastoral Invitation

If you are uncertain, ask.

If you are struggling, reach out.

If you are trying to lead your home but need clarity, use this tool.

If you are weary of soft answers and want the solid ground of Scripture, this line is for you.

Christ rules. His Word is sufficient. His truth is stable when everything else feels unstable. My prayer is that this text-line becomes a small but faithful way to help Christians walk in obedience, courage, and clarity.

When you are ready, text your inquiry to:

(833) 240-9722 - or - scan here with your smartphone camera:

You will receive a response and a place to speak honestly.

I will answer with the authority of Scripture.

Let the Word of God be your light.

Soli Deo gloria.

Should Christians Send Their Children to Public School?

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Why do so many Christian parents claim that public school is neutral when Scripture teaches that all instruction is discipleship? The myth that government education can be separated from the fear of the Lord has shaped the modern church more than the Bible has. The question is simple. Who is forming your children?

The Claim

Scripture commands parents to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. God did not hand this task to the state. He gave it to fathers and mothers. Public school is clearly not a neutral environment. It is an institution built on unbelief that teaches children to interpret the world without God, without His law, and without His truth.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” - Ephesians 6:4

To give your child to a system that rejects Christ is to place them under a rival teacher. Discipleship shapes affections, loyalties, habits, and identity. Scripture gives no category for handing children to those who despise wisdom.

“These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children.” - Deuteronomy 6:6–7

Obedience requires more than occasional correction or weekend devotionals. It requires daily instruction. Public school replaces this with a curriculum built on the fear of man instead of the fear of God.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” - Proverbs 1:7

Every subject begins with a worldview. When God is excluded, all knowledge is twisted. When parents choose public education, they hand the formation of their children to a worldview that opposes the very foundation of wisdom.

Christian parents must repent of believing that they can delegate the discipleship of their children to unbelievers. The Christian home is a sanctuary. God holds fathers responsible for the teachers they appoint over their sons and daughters.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “We want them to be a light.”

Response: Children are not missionaries. They are disciples. Scripture never instructs parents to expose their sons and daughters to false teaching in the hope that they might influence unbelievers. Light is cultivated through formation in righteousness, not immersion in darkness.

Objection: “Our school is different.”

Response: If Christ is not Lord over the curriculum, the school is not different. Good teachers cannot undo a system that is designed to disciple children without the fear of God. A kindly environment built on unbelief is still unbelief.

Objection: “We cannot afford alternatives.”

Response: Scripture never treats financial hardship as permission to hand children over to unbelieving instruction. God commands fathers to raise their children in His discipline, and His commands do not shift with circumstance. Hardship calls for dependence, prayer, and sacrifice, not surrender of parental duty.

Truth That Withstands

God gave children to their parents, not the state. Education is discipleship, and discipleship must be rooted in the fear of the Lord. Public school cannot provide what God requires. Christian parents must obey His Word, protect their children, and give their sons and daughters to teachers who honor Christ.

If you believe Christian parents must disciple their own children, not hand them to a system built on unbelief, share this. The next generation will not be kept by the world. They will be kept by the Word.

The Biblical Case Against Masturbation and the Call to Redeemed Masculinity

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

People often approach the topic of masturbation with awkwardness or with clinical excuses. Scripture refuses to treat sexual sin that lightly. The Bible speaks with clarity about desire, purity, and the purpose of sexuality. It does not offer a single proof text that uses the modern word for this act, but it does give clear moral categories that make its nature unmistakable. God created sexual desire for covenant union, not private indulgence. When Scripture speaks of sexual expression, it speaks of marriage, communion, fruitfulness, and shared delight. Nothing about self stimulation fits inside that design.

Sexual Desire Was Created for Covenant Union

God gave sexual desire as part of the goodness of creation. It was ordered toward a union that reflects His covenant love. Women also face sexual temptation, and Scripture calls them to holiness. This study focuses on men because God has entrusted men with the task of guarding and leading their households. When a man disciplines his desires, he strengthens his wife, shields her from unnecessary temptation, and nurtures the covenant intimacy God designed for marriage. His purity influences the spiritual stability and joy of the people under his care.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” - Genesis 2:24

One flesh is a covenant bond that produces life, joy, and unity. The Song of Songs displays marital delight as something shared, mutual, and overflowing. It is a garden enjoyed together. Paul tells husbands and wives that their bodies belong to each other. Scripture consistently places sexual expression inside marriage, with a posture of generosity and affection.

“Let the marriage bed be undefiled.” - Hebrews 13:4

Masturbation breaks that pattern. It detaches desire from covenant love. It trains the body to pursue inward gratification instead of self giving joy. It rewires the instincts God created for intimacy and fruitfulness. It forms habits that oppose the very purpose of sexuality.

Christ Condemns Lust and the Imagination That Fuels It

Jesus treats sexuality as a battleground for the soul.

“Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” - Matthew 5:28

Masturbation feeds on lust. It requires the mind to entertain fantasies, images, or erotic imagination. Even if pornography is not involved, the act depends on inward desire that Scripture calls adultery of the heart. Christ commands His people to fight this corruption ruthlessly.

“If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you.” - Matthew 5:30

He speaks of decisive removal, not negotiation. Paul teaches the same.

“Put to death the deeds of the body.” - Romans 8:13

“Put to death whatever is earthly in you.” - Colossians 3:5

Sexual sin begins inside long before it is acted out. Masturbation is not morally neutral because it depends on the very desires Christ commands men to put to death.

The Historic Christian Witness Has Always Called This Sin

The church recognized what Scripture teaches on this matter. The Westminster Larger Catechism speaks of the seventh commandment as forbidding “unclean imaginations” and “self pollution.” Puritan pastors, early church fathers, and Reformed teachers all treated masturbation as sexual uncleanness because it arises from lust and trains the body in impurity.

Christians before us did not hesitate to name this for what it is. They understood that the fruit of such practice is spiritual weakness, relational distortion, and the loss of self control.

The Lie of Modern Therapy

Therapeutic culture tells men to “release” for health, to indulge for emotional balance, to treat their bodies as pressure valves. Scripture teaches the opposite.

“The grace of God trains us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires.” - Titus 2:12

“This is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:3

The Spirit produces self control, not self indulgence.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.” - Galatians 5:22-23

Modern counseling excuses what God plainly calls sin. It blesses what God condemns. It encourages men to obey their impulses rather than crucify the flesh.

Grace That Rebuilds the Impure Heart

God does not leave His people imprisoned in former sins. Scripture shows men and women who fell sexually yet were restored through the mercy of God. David’s adultery brought judgement into his house, yet the Lord refined him into a man who loved righteousness. Rahab began in prostitution, yet God brought her into His covenant and placed her in the line of Christ. The woman at the well lived in patterns of relational sin, yet Christ confronted her with truth and made her a witness to an entire region. These accounts show that sexual sin does not have the final word. Restoration belongs to all who turn to God in repentance.

And because God restores so fully, the call to men is unmistakable. No man is chained to his weakness. Christ rebuilds what sin destroyed. He calls men to rise, to take responsibility for their bodies, their thoughts, their households, and their future. Sexual purity is the soil in which godly masculinity grows.

Repentance is the path to restored masculinity. Shame cannot change a man. Discipline without grace cannot set him free. But repentance brings a man under the authority of Christ. It sets him on the path of obedience. It awakens in him the purpose God gave from the beginning.

Modern men are drowning in a sin the church refuses to confront. Scripture speaks with clarity. Christ offers real freedom. This War Journal entry is for every man who wants to walk in the strength God designed. Share it.

Practical Counsel for the Fight

Men need structure. The fight is winnable, but not without order.

• Confess sin honestly, without hiding

• Build accountability with godly men

• Eliminate digital access to temptation

• Discipline sleep, schedule, and habits

• Guard the imagination ruthlessly

• Replace lust with worship, obedience, and service

• Pursue covenant joy in marriage with intentionality

• Lead your household so you do not drift into idleness

Holiness does not grow by accident. It grows through obedience, vigilance, and the strength God provides.

Christ Calls Men to Mature Masculinity

Sexual purity forms a man for the responsibilities God intends him to carry. It shapes a man into someone capable of covenant, responsibility, and leadership. It forms the kind of strength God uses to build households, guard communities, and advance His kingdom.

God calls men to reject the loneliness and inwardness of pornography and masturbation. These habits deform a man’s character. They rob him of courage. They hollow out his affections. They weaken his resolve. They direct energy inward instead of toward the duties God gives.

Christ calls men to become builders instead of consumers, protectors instead of indulgers, and leaders who bless rather than boys who hide.

Covenant Intimacy Strengthens a Man’s Purity

Scripture teaches that marital intimacy is a gift for joy, unity, and protection. “Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.” - 1 Corinthians 7:3. God created this union so that desire would not wander into corruption but would be satisfied in covenant faithfulness. A man who guards his purity strengthens his marriage, honors his wife, and protects her from the distortions that arise when desire turns inward.

Covenant intimacy requires a man to be present, disciplined, and self giving. It calls him to know his wife, to honor her, and to treat her with understanding. It is one of the ways God teaches a man to govern his strength for the good of another. Purity sharpens that calling. Lust weakens it. When a man turns from self indulgence to covenant love, the home gains stability, the marriage grows in joy, and the design of God is displayed in fullness.

Purity Is the Path to Strength

Sexual purity leads a man into the freedom God promises. It is part of God’s work to restore men to maturity, courage, and fruitfulness. Christ receives His people and shapes them into holiness. He brings men out of bondage and forms them into steady, disciplined strength.

The call is clear. Put sin to death. Walk in the light. Govern your desires. Lead your household. Guard your imagination. Stand firm in the strength Christ gives.

Jesus is on His throne. He restores what sin has broken. He makes men whole.

Solomon’s 120,000 Sheep and the Theology of God Dwelling With His People

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

1 Kings 8 records one of the most staggering worship events in all of Scripture. Solomon offered twenty two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep, and Israel held a feast before the Lord for seven days. These numbers are intentional. God includes them to reveal the weight of the moment and the greatness of the One being worshiped. The size of the offering proclaims the greatness of the God who received it and the joy of a nation living under His blessing.

This moment revealed what life under God’s blessing looks like. Israel celebrated because the Lord had drawn near…

The Peace Offering: A Meal With God

To understand Solomon’s feast, we must understand the peace offering. The Old Testament peace offering was a table shared with God, priests, and worshipers together. God invited His people to His table. The priest ate. The worshiper ate. God received His portion upon the altar. It was reconciliation made visible. It was communion expressed in food, fellowship, and joy.

Solomon’s feast was a national peace offering. This was not Israel performing religious duties. This was a nation eating before the living God who had taken up residence in their midst. Households, tribes, and families gathered under one covenant and one King. It was a visible declaration that God dwelt with His people and that His people delighted in His presence.

Covenant Renewal for an Entire Nation

The scale of this feast teaches us something modern Christians often forget. God is not only the God of individuals. He is the God of peoples. All Israel participated. Every tribe was represented. Families came before the Lord together.

This was covenant renewal. It followed the same pattern seen at Sinai, in Joshua’s covenant at Shechem, and in the restoration under Nehemiah. When God blesses a nation, He gathers it to His Word, and He binds it together in worship. He forms a people. He establishes order. He brings unity through faithfulness.

Israel’s joy in 1 Kings 8 was the fruit of obedience. It rose from a king who honored God’s law and from a people who lived under the shape of covenant faithfulness.

The Glory of God Filling the House

The heart of this chapter is the moment when the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Priests could not stand to minister. God had come near. This theme runs through the entire Bible.

God walked with Adam.

God dwelt in the tabernacle.

God filled Solomon’s temple with His glory.

God came in the flesh in Jesus Christ.

God dwells in His people by the Spirit.

God will fill the earth with His presence as the waters cover the sea.

Solomon’s feast is a shadow of something far greater. It points to Christ, who is the true temple. It points to the Spirit-filled church, which is the dwelling place of God. It points to the final feast of God when the nations gather before the throne.

The Poverty of Modern Worship

Solomon’s feast confronts the thinness of our worship today. Many churches approach the Lord’s Day lightly. Communion is taken with small cups and little thought. Preaching lacks gravity. The holiness of God is softened. The presence of Christ among His people is barely acknowledged.

Solomon’s feast rebukes us. Worship is not an accessory to life. It is the center of covenant existence. Those countless animals marked a moment when Israel recognized the weight of God’s holiness and celebrated His nearness with overflowing joy. Where worship is strong, culture is strong. Where worship is light, the life of a people collapses.

If you want more essays that take Scripture seriously and apply it to real life, subscribe. I write for households who want to build in the fear of the Lord.

The Household as the First Sanctuary

If we long for this kind of strength, it begins in the home. Men must lead their households in worship. Children must learn that God is not distant but near. Families must structure their lives around the Lord’s Day and the Word of God.

Scripture teaches that the household is the smallest covenant community and the first place where love, order, and reverence take root. A nation cannot feast before God if its homes do not.

The Promise of Christ’s Kingdom

This passage does not point us back to something we can never see again. It points forward to what God intends to accomplish through Christ. The King has taken His throne. His kingdom is spreading. His presence is working through the nations and households He is reclaiming. What Israel tasted at Solomon’s feast serves as a shadow of the joy Christ will bring to the world He is restoring.

Solomon’s feast was magnificent. It was not the end. It was the beginning of a story that reaches its fullness in Christ.

Prepare for the Feast to Come

Solomon offered one hundred forty two thousand animals because God is great and because Israel knew what it meant to rejoice in His presence. Christ is greater still. His feast will be richer. His kingdom will be wider. His glory will fill every corner of the earth.

Build households that honor Him. Treat worship as holy. Guard the Lord’s Day. Train your children to delight in God’s presence. Pray for the day when nations rejoice before Him again.

The feast has already begun in Christ. The fullness is yet to come.

The Emasculated Church and the Call for Men to Repent

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The weakness of the modern church is the fruit of soft men. Scripture lays this out in Genesis 3. Adam’s silence was covenant breach by the man appointed to guard the world God entrusted to him. He stood by while the serpent deceived his wife. Adam failed to take responsibility for the garden and for his wife, and that failure marked all who came after him.

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife… cursed is the ground because of you.” - Genesis 3:17

Every generation repeats that pattern unless God intervenes. Men often shrink back from the responsibilities God gives them. They step away from leadership, avoid hard words, and leave their households exposed. That’s why households collapse and churches soften. The fall taught men how to hide.

Effeminate Pulpits Produce Effeminate Churches

A church cannot be stronger than its pulpit. When preaching avoids the weight of God’s Word, men learn to avoid the weight of God’s call. Scripture teaches that shepherds answer directly to the Lord for what they refuse to say.

“Be strong and act like a man… keep the charge of the Lord your God.” - 1 Kings 2:2–3

When the pulpit refuses the weight of God’s Word and sets aside discipline, the Lord withdraws His favor and leaves a people to the consequences of their blindness.

A church takes on the character of the pulpit that feeds it. If a pastor refuses to speak with courage, the men entrusted to him slowly adopt the same posture. If he treats correction as optional, households will eventually do the same. If he fears the world’s judgment, the men under him will learn to fear it as well. The consequences are detrimental. Churches weaken. Families split. Children grow up without godly leadership. We can trace the pattern. A community without strong preaching eventually becomes a community without strong men.

The Fear of the Lord Restores Strength to Men

Scripture teaches that strength in men begins with the fear of God. I will repeat that because it carries the entire weight of biblical manhood: strength begins with fearing the Lord. The man who trembles before the Lord can stand before any enemy. The man who trembles before men will abandon every duty God assigns.

“Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

Joshua was told to be strong because God Himself would walk with him. David told Solomon to act like a man because obedience to God’s law was the only way he could carry the weight of the throne. Paul urged men to stand firm because they belonged to the risen Christ. These men were not naturally bold. God made them strong as they learned to fear Him.

“Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong.” - 1 Corinthians 16:13

These commands rest on a single truth. Strength grows where the fear of God abides.

Modern men collapse because they fear embarrassment, rejection, conflict, or cultural hostility. Scripture calls men to fear the Lord instead. That fear produces real courage. That courage produces obedience. And that obedience produces stability for households, churches, and communities. There is unmistakable beauty when God’s design starts working as He intended.

If this War Journal entry strengthened you, subscribe for more. I write to equip men to lead their households, guard their churches, and stand firm in Christ’s kingdom.

The Household Is the First Place Where Masculinity Fails or Flourishes

A man’s first realm of responsibility is his household. Scripture commands men to lead family worship, guard doctrine in the home, discipline with justice, protect with wisdom, and provide with faithfulness. These duties are the ground on which all other responsibilities stand.

“He must manage his household well.” - 1 Timothy 3:4

Many households collapse because fathers abandon these basic commands. They stop shepherding the souls under their roof. They hand their children to institutions that despise the Lord. They avoid discipline because they fear their own disobedience being exposed. They outsource spiritual leadership to their wives. They become spectators in their own homes. Scripture calls this failure sin. It is imitating Adam’s passivity in a world that still suffers from the consequences of his failure to protect.

Christ Restores Failing Men

The hope of Scripture is found in the One who restores what sin destroyed. Christ empowers men to stand firm when their surroundings decay, and He prepares them to take part in the rebuilding of a world that belongs to Him.

“The cowardly… will have their part in the lake that burns with fire.” - Revelation 21:8

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Cowardly apostles became bold preachers. Fearful disciples became martyrs. Unsteady men became pillars of the early church.

Repentance is the path to restored masculinity. Shame does nothing. Guilt achieves nothing. It’s repentance that reconciles a man to God’s design. It aligns a man’s life with the dominion mandate that God gave to Adam and fulfilled in Christ.

The Future Belongs to Faithful Men

Christ is raising up men who will lead their households with courage and conviction. He is purifying His church by removing the softness that has weakened the witness of entire denominations. He is calling men to reject passivity, embrace responsibility, confront evil, protect women and children, teach their households, guard their churches, and refuse to bow to the spirit of the age.

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” - Ephesians 6:10

The future belongs to men who obey Christ. We don’t need better programs or new strategies. We need men who fear the Lord, repent of their passivity, and take responsibility for the households and communities entrusted to them.

Christ is purifying His church. He is strengthening His people. He is raising up men who reflect His courage, His authority, and His love for righteousness.

Walk in the strength God gives. Stand firm. Lead your home. Guard the truth. Take your place in Christ’s advancing kingdom.

Jesus is on His throne.

If you’re tired of passive men and fragile churches, this War Journal entry lays out the root and the remedy. It is time for men to repent and stand firm. Share with those who need it.

The Outcasts God Honors: Why Faithfulness Makes You Unwelcome in Compromised Churches

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Photo by Nik on Unsplash

Scripture gives a clear pattern. The ones rejected by the visible people of God are often the ones most faithful to Him.

Elijah stood alone while Israel followed Baal. Jeremiah was despised for speaking what God said. John the Baptist was imprisoned for confronting the sin of a ruler. Christ Himself was rejected by the leaders He came to shepherd. The apostles were cast out of synagogues and cities for preaching truth in the face of rebellion.

The faithful remnant has always been pushed to the margins of the visible church. This is the normal cost of walking with Christ in a world that hates His authority.

Why Modern Churches Create Outcasts

Many American churches have built their identity on comfort instead of obedience. They want programs, not discipleship. They reject church discipline. They tolerate divorce. They normalize feminism and refuse to teach biblical submission. They treat the public school system as neutral. They bless people who reject God’s commands as long as those people remain pleasant and quiet.

When someone insists upon obedience, that person becomes a problem. Not because he is divisive, but because he refuses to pretend that neutrality is possible. Faithfulness exposes compromise. Compromised churches prefer peace on the surface to righteousness in the household of God. They call the faithful “rigid,” “judgmental,” or “too intense” because holiness reveals what they are trying to hide.

When Separation Is Obedience

Scripture gives clear instruction for dealing with professing believers who live in rebellion.

“But now I am writing to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Not even to eat with such a one.” - 1 Corinthians 5:11

Paul does not say to protect unity at all costs. He commands separation for the sake of holiness. He repeats this in 2 Thessalonians 3, where believers are told to avoid those who refuse obedience. Romans 16 gives the same instruction.

This is not about personal preference. It is about covenant integrity. When a professing Christian chooses sin and refuses correction, the faithful must create distance. Separation protects the household of God and confronts the sinner with the seriousness of his rebellion.

If you are walking the hard path of faithfulness and want consistent, Scripture-anchored direction, subscribe to the War Journal. I write to help the obedient stand when others bow.

When Loved Ones Choose Teachers Who Approve Their Sin

This is one of the most painful realities for faithful believers. A family member divorces without biblical grounds. Another embraces homosexuality. Another rejects biblical headship. Another hands children to a pagan school system. Another refuses discipline or accountability. They do not want correction. They want affirmation.

So they look for teachers who will bless what God condemns. Scripture prepared us for this.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires.” - 2 Timothy 4:3

When someone chooses a teacher who blesses rebellion, the household fractures. Churches divide. Relationships tear. The faithful become the villains because they refuse to call sin something else.

The Pain of Being Pushed Out

This pain is real. Losing a church or losing the people you love leaves deep wounds. When you stand for obedience, many will accuse you of being unloving or harsh. They will project their guilt onto your faithfulness. They will say unity matters more than clarity. They will blame you for the division their sin created.

Christ told us this would happen.

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” - John 15:19

Soft churches often protect comfort instead of confronting sin. They turn a blind eye to rebellion and turn their criticisms toward those who obey Christ. This pattern is painful, but it is the road Christ told His people to walk.

God Never Loses His Remnant

The remnant is never destroyed. God always preserves those who refuse to bow.

Elijah thought he was alone, yet God had kept seven thousand who had not followed the idols of the age. Christ continues this work today. When the faithful are pushed out, God is often clearing the ground for future reformation. The outcasts of one generation become the foundation stones of the next.

Hebrews 13 calls us to go outside the camp and meet Christ where He stands. The place of reproach is often the place of revival.

What the Faithful Should Do Now

Guard your household. Stay planted in Scripture. Strengthen the bonds of your family. Seek or build a faithful community that honors Christ without compromise. Keep your heart from bitterness or despair. Being pushed to the margins does not mean you have failed. It often means the Lord is protecting you from deeper compromise.

Christ is purifying His people. He is strengthening homes that stand on righteousness. He is gathering His faithful in ways the compromised church cannot see.

This moment is preparation.

Outcasts Become Reformers

History belongs to the faithful. The believers cast out by compromised institutions become the future of Christ’s church. Those who bear reproach for the sake of obedience will watch the Lord establish work that cannot be shaken.

The institution that despises holiness will be humbled. The households that cling to Christ will endure and bear fruit.

The remnant always outlasts the crowd. Christ is building His church. He uses the outcasts to do it.

Do You Think God Is Pleased Because You Read More?

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Why do so many Christians believe that reading more Scripture would make them more faithful? Many treat spiritual guilt like a hunger that can be satisfied by consuming more chapters, even while ignoring the truth already revealed. This mindset trades obedience for the pursuit of more information. It treats information as transformation. And God is not honored by a fuller reading log if the heart remains unchanged.

How Scripture Confronts Us

The Bible itself warns against this error. Jesus confronted the religious teachers who searched the Scriptures diligently yet refused to come to Him in obedience. John 5:39–40 shows that reading cannot replace repentance or faith. Paul described those who are always learning but never arriving at a knowledge of the truth in 2 Timothy 3:7. James commanded believers to be doers of the Word, not hearers only, because hearing without obedience produces self-deception in James 1:22. Scripture reading is a gift that leads to holiness only when it is joined with submission. The issue is never whether believers should read less. The issue is that reading without obedience cultivates pride and false assurance. True devotion bears fruit. Real knowledge produces repentance, obedience, and transformed affections.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Scripture reading is always good. Even if someone struggles to obey, it is better for them to read more than less. God can work through His Word over time, so urging obedience too strongly risks discouraging people from reading at all.”

Response: Scripture never separates hearing from obeying. Jesus confronted people who read the Word while refusing to submit to it. James teaches that hearing without doing is self-deception. The Spirit works through the Word, but He never sanctifies rebellion. Reading without repentance does not soften the heart. It confirms hardness. Encouragement must be rooted in truth, and the truth is that the Word demands obedience from every hearer.

Objection: “Learning more Scripture can never harm maturity. People fall into legalism when they are pushed toward obedience too quickly, so it is safer to let growth happen naturally through more study.”

Response: The apostles never treated delayed obedience as safe. Jesus said the wise man is the one who hears His words and does them. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their failure to move beyond knowledge into holiness. Scripture warns that knowledge without obedience produces arrogance rather than maturity. The danger is not that obedience is urged too quickly. The danger is that obedience is delayed at all.

Truth That Withstands

Christian maturity is not measured by how much Scripture is consumed, but by how faithfully its truth is obeyed. God is pleased with hearts that submit, repent, and walk in His ways. Reading is a means to that end. Obedience is the evidence of genuine devotion.

Unjust Scales: The JPMorgan Scandal and the Battle for Honest Money

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Our financial order is collapsing because it was built on a lie, and God does not permit lies to endure. When money is created by decree, controlled by centralized institutions, and shielded from transparency, injustice will follow. The newest controversy involving JPMorgan and the MSCI Lupin weighting failure sits in the same lineage as the metals manipulation scandal, the counterfeit gold discovered in institutional vaults, the widening practice of debanking, and the ESG pressure that shapes entire sectors. These events reveal the moral character of the fiat system itself. Scripture already gives the categories for understanding this: dishonest measures, corrupt rulers, and economic structures that strip households of stability and inheritance.

The pattern is covenantal. When a monetary order rejects God’s law, corruption becomes its normal condition.

God Commands Just Weights and Transparent Measures

The Word of God consistently speaks about wealth, trade, and value. None of it is exempt from His standards of justice. He binds rulers and merchants to honest scales and transparent measures.

“You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or measurement of volume. You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am Yahweh your God.” - Leviticus 19:35-36 (LSB)

“A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh.” - Proverbs 11:1

“Differing weights and differing measures are both an abomination to Yahweh.” - Proverbs 20:10

“Hear this, you who trample the needy… saying, ‘We will make the ephah smaller and the shekel bigger and deal deceitfully with false balances.’” - Amos 8:4 to 6

“Woe to those who enact evil statutes… to turn aside the needy from justice.” - Isaiah 10:1-2

“Her princes within her are like wolves tearing their prey… to make dishonest gain.” - Ezekiel 22:27-29

God condemns manipulated pricing, debased currency, rigged markets, and economic oppression. They are acts of injustice that God condemns.

JPMorgan’s Metals Spoofing Scandal

JPMorgan traders spent years manipulating gold, silver, platinum, and palladium futures markets through coordinated spoofing. Federal prosecutors exposed a desk-wide operation that placed large false orders to move prices, then canceled them after achieving the desired effect. Multiple convictions followed. The bank paid $920,000,000 in penalties.

This behavior fits Scripture’s definition of dishonest scales. It distorts value, steals through deception, and preys on households and smaller market participants. It is economic oppression.

Counterfeit Gold in Institutional Vaults

Investigators uncovered counterfeit gold bars circulating within the custodial systems tied to JPMorgan vault networks. The immediate point is not whether the bank knowingly accepted forgeries. The deeper issue is that the system relies on opacity, centralization, and blind trust. When counterfeit bars slip into major vaults, the weakness of the entire system is exposed.

Scripture condemns environments where value is hidden behind layers of authority and where trust depends on institutional power instead of verification. A righteous economy cannot rest on structures that allow counterfeit value to move undetected.

If this helps you see the corruption built into our monetary order, pass it on. Christians need to think biblically about money again.

MSCI, Lupin, and the Failure of Index Fairness

The current controversy involving MSCI and Lupin (LUMPY) reveals another weakness of the fiat financial order. Global capital flows follow index weightings. When MSCI miscalculates or misclassifies, billions move in or out of companies and nations. These distortions expose the weakness and bias that sit at the foundation of index-driven markets.

Passive investing depends on trust in the index. When weightings elevate the wrong companies or misallocate value, households bear the consequences while institutions remain insulated.

This mirrors biblical warnings against corrupted judgment.

“Woe to those who enact evil statutes and to those who constantly record troublesome decisions.” - Isaiah 10:1

Scripture condemns partiality in court. The same principle applies when financial authorities direct value unjustly. Index weightings function as rulings. When those weightings are twisted, the system becomes a form of judicial corruption carried out through financial decisions.

Debanking and Financial Gatekeeping

JPMorgan and similar institutions increasingly use financial power to enforce social and political priorities. Account restrictions, closures, ESG evaluations, and coordination with regulatory agendas create gatekeeping systems. These systems often target households, small businesses, Christian ministries, political dissidents, and Bitcoin users.

Scripture condemns this kind of partiality.

“Her princes within her are like wolves tearing their prey… by dishonest gain.” - Ezekiel 22:27

Debt, credit, access, and participation are used to steer society. We are not living in a free market. We are living in an administrative economy where financial power shapes what people may do and how far they are allowed to go.

The Fiat System as Covenant Rebellion

These scandals flow from the same root. Fiat currency itself violates God’s law. It cannot remain stable because its value depends on the decree of rulers rather than objective measure. When rulers expand the money supply, households lose purchasing power. This is theft.

Inflation is legal plunder. It transfers wealth from families to governments and institutions. This is the very thing Scripture calls false weights. A system built on manipulated measures rejects God’s rule and functions as covenant rebellion.

Honest Money Produces Honest Prices

A righteous economy operates on transparent money. When money cannot be manipulated, prices reflect real productivity. As productivity increases, prices fall. This form of deflation grows out of God’s blessing. It strengthens productive labor, encourages innovation, and supports the stability of households across generations.

Fiat systems suppress natural deflation through forced inflation. This hides the true cost of government, distorts investment decisions, and burdens families with rising prices.

Bitcoin illustrates the principle that transparent and objective measures strengthen households. Its fixed issuance schedule prevents rulers from debasing value. Its transparency aligns more closely with biblical ethics than fiat ever can.

Honest money belongs to moral duty. Dominion cannot rest on anything less.

Corrupt Systems Collapse Before Christ Reforms Them

The world interprets the unraveling of corrupt systems as disorder. Scripture names it as the Lord exposing and judging what cannot stand. Judgment clears the ground for reformation. Reformation prepares the way for renewal. Christ governs history. His kingdom grows through exposure and correction.

The fall of corrupt systems is God beginning to replace them with structures that reflect His justice.

If you want more writing on Christ’s rule, honest money, and covenantal clarity, you can subscribe below.

The Duty of Believers in an Unjust Monetary System

Christians must evaluate every financial system through the lens of God’s Word. Money is not neutral, and participation in unjust scales carries moral weight. Households should learn to recognize corruption, avoid compromised structures where they can, and position themselves for forms of exchange that reflect transparency and righteousness. Believers ought to support monetary tools that honor God’s law rather than strengthen systems built on manipulation. Economics belongs to Christ, and His people are responsible to build with integrity wherever they stand.

Christ Will Overthrow Every Dishonest Scale

Christ rules the nations. He will judge every corrupt measure and every dishonest system. The fiat era will not stand. The future belongs to honest money, righteous scales, household strength, and Christ’s advancing kingdom.

Should the State Tear Down False Worship?

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern Christians assume the civil government must stay neutral toward religion. Scripture never teaches this. God commanded rulers to remove idolatry, tear down its places, and guard the public square from false worship. Neutrality is the expectation of our age, but God demands allegiance.

The Biblical Pattern

The Lord ordered civil rulers to uproot false worship from their lands:

“You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire.”

Deuteronomy 12:2–3

These commands were not limited to priests. Kings like Josiah led nation-wide reforms that destroyed temples, altars, and idols. Their reforms were counted as righteousness because they carried out the duty God gave to civil authorities.

2 Kings 23 records that Josiah tore down idols, broke altars, removed mediums, and restored true worship.

2 Chronicles 14 shows Asa removing foreign worship and commanding Judah to seek the Lord.

Scripture presents these kings as models for all rulers because the moral law binds every nation. Psalm 2 teaches that all kings must kiss the Son and serve Him with fear. Pagan rulers were judged for idolatry because their authority is derived from God and accountable to His law.

If this stirred you, subscribe and walk this road with me. Christ is King and His truth is worth the clarity.

This pattern does not dissolve in the New Covenant. Christ received all authority in heaven and on earth. Matthew 28:18 is a proclamation of universal kingship. Romans 13 describes rulers as servants of Christ who bear the sword to punish evil. Idolatry is evil. Public worship of false gods is a violation of the first table of the law, and rulers are obligated to uphold the entire moral law in public life.

Suppressing public idolatry does not intrude on private conscience. The state has no authority to compel saving faith. It does have authority to restrain public acts of false worship because these acts shape a culture, teach a people, and defy the rule of Christ. Historic Christian theology recognized this distinction clearly: the conscience belongs to God alone, but the public square belongs to the jurisdiction of the magistrate.

The Reformed Consensus

This has been the position of the Church through the centuries.

Calvin taught that magistrates must uphold the pure worship of God and abolish idolatry.

Bullinger wrote that Christian rulers must remove false religion from public life.

Knox labored to persuade Scotland’s rulers to tear down Roman altars and reestablish true worship.

The Second Helvetic Confession affirms the duty of rulers to preserve the ministry of the gospel and remove public corruption.

The original Westminster Assembly agreed that magistrates must protect true worship and suppress public false religion as part of their office.

Christ rules nations, not only individuals. Rulers are accountable to Him now.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “The magistrate must remain religiously neutral and protect all faiths.”

Response: Scripture denies the existence of neutrality. Psalm 2 commands kings to serve the Lord. Romans 13 calls rulers servants of Christ. God judged pagan nations because they promoted false worship. A civil ruler who protects idolatry is not neutral. He is in rebellion. He shields the very thing God condemns.

Objection: “Protecting true worship violates liberty of conscience.”

Response: Liberty of conscience protects inward belief. Civil authority deals with public acts. The magistrate cannot make a man love Christ, but he can restrain practices that publicly deny Him. The Reformers saw this clearly. Scripture divides private faith from public worship. God alone governs the heart, but rulers govern the order of society.

Truth That Withstands

Christ is King of the nations. His law binds all people. Civil rulers are not free to bless what God condemns. Public idolatry destroys nations because it defies the One who rules them. The magistrate must restrain it because Christ commands it. Neutrality is a myth. Allegiance is required. Rulers will answer to Christ for how they governed, and nations will rise or fall according to their obedience to Him.

When Obedience Divides: Why Following Christ Separates Us From Those We Love

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Christ warned that obedience brings real pain. It separates His people from those they love.

He said,

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Matthew 10:34

He spoke of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, households split because one person bowed to His authority while another refused. He was not commanding us to seek conflict. He was telling us that His truth exposes every heart, and that exposure always creates a line.

Luke 14 is even more direct. If anyone treasures family loyalty above loyalty to Christ, he cannot be His disciple. Christ does not compete for second place. When He confronts sin, anything built on sentiment or compromise will crack.

This is the normal cost of discipleship. It is painful, but it is not surprising. Christ told us to expect it.

The Modern Church Is Terrified of Obedience

Many churches have trained believers to fear obedience more than disobedience. Unity has been redefined as avoiding conflict. Confronting sin is treated as cruelty. Separation for the sake of holiness is condemned as division.

Evangelical culture rewards the person who keeps the peace at any cost and shames the believer who stands on Scripture when others refuse to repent. The result is predictable. People feel guilty for obeying Christ and feel virtuous for tolerating rebellion.

This is not the mind of Christ. It is the fruit of sentimental religion. It is the confusion that comes when churches prefer calm environments over holy households.

Serious Sin Creates Division Because It Rejects Christ

I am not speaking about differences in music style or other secondary doctrines. These are not matters that break fellowship or require separation. But Scripture is clear about the issues that destroy homes, churches, and consciences.

There are sins that tear families apart because they are direct rejections of the authority of Christ.

Unbiblical divorce.

Sexual rebellion.

Homosexual attraction that is embraced rather than fought.

Feminist households that reject order and headship.

Parents who hand their children to pagan schools for the sake of convenience.

Men who refuse responsibility and character.

Family members who refuse correction and search for teachers who will bless their sin.

These actions divide because they strike at the heart of covenant loyalty. They divide because they deny Christ while claiming His name. They divide because rebellion always separates itself from holiness.

The Biblical Mandate to Separate From Professing Rebels

Scripture is clear. When someone claims to follow Christ but refuses repentance, the church must separate from them.

Paul wrote,

“Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

1 Corinthians 5:13

He did not give the church the option to tolerate the rebellion. He commanded them to act. He commanded them to treat the man as an outsider until repentance restored him.

Second Thessalonians 3 says that we must take note of the one who refuses obedience. Romans 16 commands us to avoid those who cause division by rejecting the doctrine they once confessed.

Separation from a professing rebel is an act of love because it refuses to lie about sin. It protects the church and calls the sinner back to Christ. What many call compassion is often the opposite, since tolerating open rebellion abandons both the flock and the one who needs repentance.

Subscribe for more War Journal essays that confront the hard issues of obedience, household order, and the cost of following Christ.

When Loved Ones Choose Teachers Who Affirm Their Sin

One of the most painful realities in the modern church is the speed with which people flee faithful counsel and run toward false teachers who will affirm their rebellion.

Paul said this would come.

“They will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires.”

2 Timothy 4:3

I have seen this pattern many times. A person sins. A faithful family or friend confronts them. They do not repent. They search for a pastor who will nod and bless their disobedience. The family that stands on Scripture becomes the villain. The rebels become the victims.

This kind of rebellion tears families apart and fractures churches because it refuses the character of God Himself. Christ told us that whenever His truth confronts hard hearts, division will follow.

Soft Churches Will Blame the Faithful

When a church refuses to confront sin, it will always turn its suspicion toward the obedient. The one who insists on holiness will be labeled harsh. The one who refuses compromise will be labeled divisive. The one who stands on Scripture will be told he lacks love.

Christ said the world would hate us for His sake. Many churches now join that chorus. They call for peace while rejecting the clarity that produces it. They call for unity while resisting the truth that sustains it. Their sentiment replaces Scripture, and the result is households that fall apart.

If obedience makes you the problem in a soft church, consider it an honor. Christ was treated the same way.

The Pain of Losing People You Love and the Promise of Christ

Obedience is costly. It can take friendships, relationships, and even family ties. Christ acknowledged the weight of this. He told us it would come. He told us that those who lose father or mother or houses for His sake will receive a hundredfold.

Faithfulness leaves real gaps in a family. It brings sorrow and exposes how deep the rebellion of this age runs. Yet Christ meets His people in that loss. Christ meets us in the loss with a faithfulness that holds when relationships fail and provides a family that remains secure in Him.

Micah spoke of a time when households turned on each other. His answer was simple.

“As for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord.”

Micah 7:7

Christ remains faithful even when others abandon obedience.

The Call to Stand Firm When the Cost Is High

The Christian life does not run from division. It accepts the cost and trusts Christ to sustain what obedience requires. Unity comes when people bow to the Word. Peace grows where sin is confronted and forsaken. Love speaks with clarity instead of blessing rebellion.

I write as a man who has paid relational costs for obedience and has watched households split where Christ’s commands were resisted. This is a reminder to myself and to every believer who feels the sting of separation that faithfulness is worth the price.

Christ is worth the cost.

Stand firm. Love deeply. Confront sin. Hold fast to the Word of God. Obedience may divide us from those who reject Christ, but it binds us to the One who never fails His covenant.

And He is enough.

When Judges Become Wolves: The Biblical Duty to Remove Corrupt Magistrates

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Corruption in civil office is never treated as a small matter in Scripture. It is not a matter of poor administration or professional weakness. God speaks of it as a moral offense that brings real harm to the people and invites His judgment on the nation. Judicial corruption is violence. It is theft. It is covenant treason. When those entrusted with God’s authority twist justice, the Bible treats their actions as bloodshed.

Modern Americans have been trained to think of corruption as sloppy ethics or a partisan frustration. God does not use that vocabulary. He describes corrupt rulers as wolves who devour the people. He calls their decrees destruction. He treats their decisions as weapons that kill the innocent and protect the guilty.

To understand justice, the church must recover the category Scripture uses. The fall of a judge is moral collapse and a direct assault on the God who placed him in office.

Corruption Acts as a Violent Assault on the People

Ezekiel twenty two paints a picture that strips away every sentimental illusion about civil corruption.

“Her princes within her are like wolves tearing their prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to make unjust gain.”

Ezekiel 22:27

God views corrupt rulers as predators who consume the weak and leave destruction behind, men who spill blood through the power of their office instead of through physical violence.

Isaiah ten adds the same indictment.

“Woe to those who enact evil statutes and to those who constantly record harmful decisions.”

Isaiah 10:1

Unjust rulings are evil acts. Scripture treats harmful judgments as moral crimes that destroy the innocent and uphold the wicked. They are deliberate violations of righteousness, carried out under the color of authority.

When a judge twists justice, Scripture identifies it as a violent act. When a magistrate hands down a decree that crushes the poor, God calls it theft. Legal language can disguise the reality, yet God identifies these acts as bloodshed.

Judges Stand in the Place of God

Because judges carry delegated authority, their corruption reaches beyond man. They betray God Himself.

Jehoshaphat understood this when he instructed the judges of Judah.

“Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for Yahweh who is with you when you render judgment.”

2 Chronicles 19:6

A judge does not operate as his own authority. He serves under the gaze of the Lord and carries out a task that reflects God’s own character. When he rules unjustly, he bears false witness about God. When he corrupts justice, he commits treason against the One who entrusted him with the sword.

Paul teaches the same truth.

“For it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it does not bear the sword in vain.”

Romans 13:4

If a magistrate is God’s servant, then corrupt rulings are rebellion against the Master.

Faithful Christians throughout history never believed the magistrate could rule apart from the Lord who appointed him. Calvin called magistrates “guardians of God’s law.” Knox warned that corrupt rulers destroy nations. The early confessions expected rulers to maintain righteousness because they were answerable to the Judge of all the earth.

A corrupt judge therefore commits a theological crime before he commits a civil one. His office was designed to reveal the justice of God.

Judicial Corruption Classified as Bloodshed and Theft

Scripture uses criminal categories to describe unjust rulers.

Ezekiel twenty two continues:

“The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and the poor and needy have been crushed.”

Ezekiel 22:29

These crimes are traced directly to those in authority. The context exposes corruption flowing from the top. When rulers twist judgments for personal gain or to favor the wicked, God identifies it as theft committed under color of law.

Isaiah drives the charge deeper and exposes the full weight of their guilt.

“To rob the needy of justice and to take what is right from the afflicted of My people.”

Isaiah 10:2

God identifies twisted judgment as robbery against the weak. He treats bribe taking as violence. He counts destructive rulings as acts that tear apart the lives of the innocent. Scripture speaks this way because these are deliberate assaults against righteousness.

Proverbs speaks with the same clarity.

“A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice.”

Proverbs 17:23

When a ruler corrupts judgment, he commits violence through the authority God entrusted to him. He uses lawful process to break covenant and to harm those he is charged to protect.

Lex Talionis and the Punishment of Corrupt Judges

God establishes a principle in Deuteronomy nineteen that reveals the seriousness of false judgment.

“Then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother.”

Deuteronomy 19:19

False judgment carries penalties equal to the harm caused.

When a judge condemns the innocent, he incurs the guilt of the blood he shed. When a judge destroys a man’s livelihood, he becomes liable for the economic harm. When he dissolves families, he becomes guilty of the fracture. When he protects violent criminals, he shares the guilt of the crimes he permits.

This is why certain forms of judicial corruption rise to a capital level. The judge who authorizes murder is a murderer. The judge who shields theft is a thief. The judge who ruins households through wicked decrees is an oppressor.

God’s law does not tolerate corrupt judges. It removes them.

American History Once Agreed With Scripture

The early American vision of justice aligned with Scripture far more closely than modern myths pretend.

The Founders knew that the collapse of righteous judgment would destroy the republic. John Jay warned that an unjust judge is a curse upon the people. Many state constitutions required moral character, public virtue, and even Christian confession as qualifications for civil office.

Impeachment was once understood as a moral duty. It was the rightful response when a magistrate violated the covenant of justice. Early America treated judicial integrity as essential to the survival of the nation.

Modern citizens may wave this off as an old idea, but Scripture identifies the removal of corrupt rulers as faithfulness to God’s standard of righteousness.

The Modern Evangelical Failure to Understand Justice

Much of modern evangelicalism has abandoned the biblical doctrine of justice. Christians have been trained to respond to corruption with silence, sentiment, or private prayer alone. They treat Romans thirteen as a command to accept criminal rulings rather than confront evildoers.

This passivity enables public wickedness. It leaves wolves in office. It destroys the righteous. It trains Christians to fear confrontation instead of fearing God.

God commands His people to remove corrupt judges. Silence or endurance in the face of that corruption is disobedience.

What Faithfulness Requires Today

We must learn to see corruption through Scripture’s eyes. It is not a matter of political preference but righteousness and bloodshed.

Legislators must refuse cowardice and uphold their duty to remove corrupt officials.

Sheriffs and law enforcement must treat corruption as a breach of the public trust and a direct violation of God’s law.

Those in office must refuse the soft language people use to soften corruption. They must speak the truth plainly and name it as God does.

Pastors must teach biblical justice again. A church that refuses to name injustice will train a nation to tolerate it. A church that retreats from conflict will raise a generation of fearful citizens who cannot preserve justice.

Removing corrupt rulers is an act of covenant loyalty to God’s standard of justice.

The Church Must Recover Courage

A corrupt judiciary is one of the clearest signs of a nation under judgment. When judges become wolves, the people suffer and the land groans.

God has spoken plainly about this. He has revealed what justice requires, He has identified corruption as a punishable offense, and He has assigned His people the duty to confront magistrates who abandon righteousness.

A timid church creates a corrupt nation. A courageous church confronts wickedness with conviction.

Christ the Judge reigns. His people must reflect His justice.

If the church will not confront corrupt magistrates, the wolves will rule without restraint. If the church recovers courage, the wolves will scatter.

The choice before us is clear.

The Lie of Secular Neutrality

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Christians in the modern West live under a constant demand to keep their faith out of politics. The claim is repeated until it feels unquestionable. Government must be secular. Public life must be neutral. Religion must stay private. Scripture must stay out of law.

What people call neutrality is simply a refusal to acknowledge Christ’s rule over the public square. It strikes at His crown rights and attempts to place another authority over the nations.

The modern appeal to “secular government” is not an argument for fairness, tolerance, or peaceful coexistence. It is the enforcement of a new orthodoxy. Secularism presents itself as an empty space, but it is a full religion that rejects revelation, refuses Christ, and demands allegiance to the self and the state.

The Bible does not permit this framework. It never has.

The Biblical Mandate for Christian Magistrates

Scripture tells rulers what they are and what they must be. The magistrate is not a free agent. He is not morally autonomous. He is a servant whose office is defined by God.

Second Samuel twenty three says, “He who rules over men must be righteous and must rule in the fear of God.” Exodus eighteen commands rulers to be able men who fear God, men who hate dishonest gain. Psalm two warns kings and judges that they must kiss the Son or perish. These passages do not describe optional ideals. They require rulers to confess and obey the true God.

Christ speaks to nations, not merely to individuals. In the Great Commission He declares, “All authority has been given to Me.” Nations must obey everything He commanded. Civil law is not exempt. There is no realm outside His jurisdiction.

Romans thirteen defines the magistrate as God’s servant. He is to punish evil and reward good. Evil and good are defined by Scripture.

A civil ruler who rejects God has already abandoned his calling. A government without the fear of God is already in revolt.

There is no neutrality in any of this.

Subscribe for more essays that confront cultural lies with Scripture and covenant truth.

The Reformed Tradition on Godly Magistrates

The idea of secular civil authority would have been unrecognizable to the Reformers.

Calvin taught that the magistrate was to uphold piety and justice as an act of obedience to God. Knox charged rulers to defend the true faith and overthrow idolatry. The Scottish reformers insisted that Christ’s lordship must shape public life.

The original Westminster Confession states that magistrates are responsible to maintain truth, protect the church, and suppress public blasphemy. Turretin and Gillespie taught that rulers must guard the moral order because God holds them accountable for the public square.

These were mainstream Reformed doctrine.

The modern objection to Christian magistracy arose from Enlightenment rationalism, not from Scripture or historic Protestantism.

The Reformed tradition never believed in secular neutrality. It believed in the crown rights of Christ.

America’s Founding Was Not Secular

The claim that the United States began as a secular nation is historically false.

At the founding:

Eleven of the thirteen states required officeholders to be Christians.

Several required explicit belief in the Old and New Testaments.

Some required affirmation of the Trinity.

Others required adherence to the Protestant religion.

These requirements were embedded in state constitutions. They were not accidents. They were expressions of a Christian people organizing their civil order under God.

This is the real American heritage.

The modern myth of a secular founding is a revision designed to dethrone Christ from public life.

What the First Amendment Actually Meant

The First Amendment was not written to create a secular government. It was written to prevent Congress from interfering with the Christian self governance of the states.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” meant that Congress could not impose a national church. It did not forbid states from maintaining Christian establishments. It did not ban religious tests for office. It did not prohibit open Christian government.

Institutional separation is not moral separation. The founders wanted separate institutions, not separate gods.

The First Amendment protected the Christian character of the states from federal interference. It was never written to empower secular ideology.

Secularism Is a False Religion

Secularism denies God, revelation, and divine authority. It claims that society can build its foundations without Scripture. It presents unbelief as the default posture of the public square.

Romans one teaches that this is impossible. There is no neutral space. Every society worships something. Every law reflects a moral vision. Every moral vision flows from a god.

The state cannot remain godless. If it rejects Christ, it will bow to another authority. Secularism crowns either the self or the state. In both cases the result is idolatry.

When people demand a secular government, they are insisting that a false god rule the nation instead of Christ.

The Moral Collapse of Secular Rule

A civil order that refuses to acknowledge God eventually loses its ability to define justice at all. The state begins to treat its preferences as moral law. What is wicked is excused, and what is good becomes suspicious. Those who should be protected are exposed, and those who should be restrained are empowered. Children are left undefended. The vulnerable become easy prey. The public square grows hostile to anyone who speaks truth with conviction.

Isaiah three gives this as a sign of judgment. Romans one explains the process. When a nation rejects the knowledge of God, He allows that nation to be governed by confusion and ruled by those who cannot see. Secular authority decays into blindness. It cannot sustain justice because it refuses the God who defines it.

A government that attempts to rule without God’s law will never become neutral. It has no ability to do so.

Christian Responsibility in Civil Office

Christians cannot retreat from the civil realm. Retreat is rebellion. Scripture commands rulers who fear God. That means Christians must encourage, support, and elect rulers who confess Christ. It also means Christians must be ready to take office themselves for the sake of righteousness.

Public authority is a ministry. The magistrate is a servant of God. Believers must treat the civil realm as a place of obedience, not as a place off limits to Scripture.

To claim that Christians should stay out of civil government is to deny what God commands.

Closing Exhortation

The vision of a secular government cannot be neutral. It is a direct denial of the rule of the King of kings. Scripture demands rulers who fear God. The Reformed tradition upheld the magistrate’s duty to serve Christ. America’s founding assumed the civil role of Christian truth.

The First Amendment was written to preserve Christian self governance by protecting the states from federal intrusion.

The church must reject the myth of neutrality. The state belongs to God. Law belongs to God. Nations belong to Christ. The people of God must call rulers to repentance and support leaders who will acknowledge the Lord.

Christ rules the nations. Civil authority must confess Him.

When Preference Becomes a God

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Culture of Preference

We live in an age where feelings speak louder than Scripture. Christians read the Bible the way consumers choose products. If the text is pleasant, they receive it. If the text is uncomfortable, they reinterpret it until it resembles their own desires. This habit did not form overnight. It grew out of a culture shaped by therapeutic language, personal autonomy, and religious convenience. The result is predictable. Personal preference becomes a functional god. The final authority is no longer the Word of the Lord but the emotional state of the individual reading it.

Many evangelicals now speak as if the commands of God are suggestions, opportunities, or options. Conviction is treated as a private experience, not an objective responsibility. Obedience becomes negotiable. Sin becomes subjective. Scripture becomes flexible. This is covenant infidelity.

Objective Sin and Subjective Conscience

Scripture is clear. Sin is whatever God declares to be sin. His Word defines righteousness. His law stands outside us and over us. Our feelings do not create moral standards.

“Everyone who does sin also does lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.”

(1 John 3:4)

Jesus leaves no room for subjective morality.

“The word I spoke is what will judge him on the last day.”

(John 12:48)

Conscience matters, but it does not override the commands of God. Romans 14 teaches that personal conscience applies in matters where God has left freedom. It guards individuals from violating their own sense of right in areas of food, days, or practices that are indifferent to the law. Romans 14 never gives authority to reinterpret clear commands.

Christian liberty protects believers from human inventions. Christian liberty does not exempt believers from obedience to God.

A conscience shaped by preference is a darkened conscience. A conscience shaped by Scripture is a faithful one.

Eden and the Rise of Personal Gospels

Genesis 3 reveals the origin of this rebellion. The serpent did not simply tempt Eve with fruit. He offered a competing path to moral authority. “You will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The temptation was to reinterpret God’s command according to personal desire. Eve believed she could weigh the Word of God against her own judgment. Adam stood silent and joined her in rebellion.

This same instinct lives today. When Christians decide that obedience depends on inner conviction, they repeat the first lie. They trust their interpretation of reality more than the Word of God. The Fall introduced the desire to reshape God’s authority into a form that suits us. Preference-driven Christianity is Eden rehearsed.

How Preference Rewrites Discipleship

This spirit has shaped entire categories of modern church life.

Women preach because obedience feels inconvenient.

Divorce becomes acceptable because emotions are strained.

The Sabbath is ignored because comfort feels superior to worship.

Children’s church replaces family discipleship because parenting requires sacrifice.

Modesty disappears because cultural pressures make purity costly.

Courtship is dismissed because biblical order seems outdated.

Sexual morality is softened because Scripture feels restrictive.

Education is compromised because the world’s methods seem easier.

In each case the language is predictable. “I do not feel convicted.” As if conviction is the standard for righteousness. As if obedience waits for emotional agreement. Scripture does not bend to human comfort. Scripture calls for submission. The refusal to obey is rebellion.

Liberty of Conscience

The Westminster Confession works this out with clarity. God alone is Lord of the conscience. Christian liberty frees believers from the traditions of men and the inventions of the church. It does not free them from the revealed law of God. Liberty protects us from tyranny, not from obedience.

When Christians use liberty to excuse disobedience, they treat God’s gift as permission to ignore His Word. True liberty produces joyful submission. False liberty produces chaos and self-rule.

If you want more writing that confronts the drift in the church and calls Christians back to obedience, subscribe below.

Pastoral Consequences of Preference-Based Faith

Preference-based faith destroys households. Men become weak because obedience is optional. Women become insecure because leadership has no structure. Churches soften discipline because clear lines offend modern sensibilities. Families drift because Scripture no longer binds them. Communities weaken because righteousness loses definition.

The result is predictable. Disorder. Compromise. Confusion. Generational decline. A church shaped by preference becomes a church shaped by self. The next generation receives a faith without boundaries and a Bible without authority.

Covenant Theology Restores Authority

Covenant life depends on obedience. Scripture presents obedience as blessing. The promises of God rest upon the pattern He establishes.

“You shall teach them diligently to your children.”

(Deuteronomy 6:7)

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked.”

(Psalm 1:1)

“Be careful to do according to all the law.”

(Joshua 1:7)

“Forever, O Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens.”

(Psalm 119:89)

Households anchored in Scripture produce stability and joy. Churches that preach obedience produce maturity and holiness. Men and women who receive God’s commands as the path of life are not ruled by preference. They are ruled by Christ.

A Call to Repentance

The path forward requires humility. Christians must repent for treating Scripture as negotiable. We must submit interpretation to God rather than demanding that God submit to us. The first step toward maturity is not a deeper sense of personal conviction. It is a deeper commitment to obedience.

Preference is a poor guide. Scripture is a perfect one.

Closing Charge

The church does not need a new gospel. It needs renewed allegiance to the old one. God’s law is good. His commands bring life. His Word is the standard for every home and every church. When preference becomes a god, the true God is ignored. When Christ is Lord, preference submits and obedience thrives.

Serve the god of self or serve the Lord of Scripture. One leads to ruin. The other leads to life.

The Idolatry of Personal Preference

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

War Journal Expansion

Personal preference has become a modern idol. Countless Christians treat the commands of God as optional so long as they do not feel personally bothered by their disobedience. The question is simple and painfully revealing. Why do so many believers act as if conviction is the standard of righteousness instead of the Word of God that will judge them on the last day?

Sin is never defined by how we feel about it. Sin is “lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). Sin is the violation of God’s revealed will. Jesus said His words will judge every man (John 12:48). God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). Scripture is not waiting for our internal confirmation before it binds our conscience. It binds us because God has spoken.

Many Christians reverse that order. They live as if obedience becomes obligatory only when they feel it deeply. If a command seems uncomfortable or inconvenient, they file it under “personal conviction,” then claim liberty where God has given none. This is rebellion. It is the worship of self disguised as personal piety.

Romans 14 does not rescue us from obedience. It deals with matters God has left indifferent, not commands He has laid down with clarity. Paul says that “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). He does not say that a lack of conviction creates moral neutrality. The psalmist declares, “Your word, O Lord, is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). God speaks with authority. Our preferences do not.

To treat obedience as a matter of preference is to enthrone the self in the place of God. The conscience is not the voice of personal desire. It is the internal witness that must be shaped, disciplined, and ruled by Scripture. When God commands, the only faithful response is submission. Anything less is idolatry.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “It is only sin for me if I feel convicted.”

Response: Scripture does not allow this excuse. Conviction is not the measure of guilt. Truth is. When God names something as sin, it is sin for every person. The conscience can be weak, confused, or seared. Romans 14 speaks about food and days, not adultery, not worship, not obedience, and not matters where God has already spoken. To rely on personal conviction in the place of Scripture is to elevate the self above God.

Objection: “Romans 14 gives freedom to follow our own views.”

Response: Romans 14 gives freedom only in matters where God has given no command. It never authorizes Christians to override God’s law with personal preference. Christian liberty is the freedom to obey, not the freedom to ignore God’s voice.

Truth That Withstands

God’s Word defines righteousness for all people. Personal preference does not cancel obligation. Obedience brings joy because it aligns the soul with the will of God. The path of wisdom is the path of submission to Scripture. Where God speaks, we follow. Where He commands, we bow. And where His Word confronts the idols of our own desires, we repent with gladness and walk in the light.

Advent 2025 – The King Has Come. The King Is Coming

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The birth of Christ was the fulfillment of promises made long ago, the outworking of God’s eternal purpose, and the beginning of a kingdom that shall never pass away.

Each year, as Advent begins, the church is given an opportunity to remember and rejoice. We look back with gratitude at the incarnation of the Son of God. We look forward with confidence to the consummation of His kingdom. And in the present, we rest under His sovereign care, knowing that He is ruling now at the right hand of the Father.

This December, I will be sending a daily message by text, accompanied by a weekly longer post here, to expound on that week’s theme. Each message is short, rooted in Scripture, and written to nourish your faith and strengthen your hope. From December 1 to December 25, we will walk together through the story of God’s promises, the glory of Christ’s appearing, and the certain increase of His government.

If you would like to receive these messages, you can subscribe by texting advent to +1 (833) 240-9722 or scan the below QR Code and click send. There is no charge to join. You may unsubscribe at any time.

If at any point you have a question, a comment, or simply wish to share how the Lord is working in your heart, you are welcome to reply. I would be glad to hear from you.

In every generation, the people of God have been sustained by the Word of God. Advent is a time to be quieted by truth, renewed by Scripture, and anchored again in the person of Jesus Christ.

He is the Savior of sinners. He is the Lord of history. He is the King who reigns now and forever.

Let your heart be strengthened. The Lord is near.

Scan with smartphone camera and click send

WHY THE RICH BUILD EMPIRES WHILE CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO BUILD GENERATIONS

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Moment We Are Living In

Our age seethes with frustration toward the wealthy. People look at billionaires and feel cheated, overlooked, or taken advantage of. They see men with vast resources who build private worlds no one else can enter. They watch fortunes grow while communities fracture. The anger is real. The confusion is deeper.

The problem is not the existence of wealth. The problem is that modern wealth has been severed from covenant. Scripture never condemns abundance. Scripture condemns abundance without righteousness. What people resent is not inequality. It is sterility. It is the sense that the rich are building for themselves and for no one else.

Secular men build empires to preserve their own names. Christians are called to build generations for the glory of God. The difference is covenant. Without covenant, wealth becomes a monument to the self. With covenant, it becomes strength for children’s children. One produces resentment. The other produces stability and blessing.

Biblical Wealth Before the Fall

Before sin entered the world, God spoke a blessing that defined human purpose.

“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it. Exercise dominion.”

Genesis 1:28

This mandate was given to a household. Adam and Eve were to cultivate, fill, and guard the world together. Wealth begins there. True abundance is the fruit of faithful stewardship under the rule of God. It is not defined first as money, but as work, land, children, skill, and the ordering of life under God’s law.

Genesis 2 shows Adam placed in the garden “to cultivate it and keep it.” Productivity is part of the created order. And God’s covenant with Abraham expands the picture. Abraham is promised descendants, land, and blessing that will extend to the nations. Covenant wealth multiplies outward. It is meant to spill past the self.

The Bible defines wealth as fruitful households, inherited land, covenant loyalty, and a legacy that blesses others.

Wealth as Generational Capital

Proverbs teaches this plainly.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

Proverbs 13:22

Wealth, in God’s design, looks past one lifetime. Psalm 112 describes the household of the righteous as durable, generous, and stable. Psalm 128 ties prosperity to fearing the Lord. Deuteronomy 6 and 8 command Israel to remember the Lord and teach their children so that their households might flourish in the land.

Biblical wealth is covenant capital. It is a trust. It is not for personal glory but for generational faithfulness. A Christian who only thinks about his own retirement is thinking too small. Scripture trains a man to think in centuries.

The Fall Corrupts Wealth

Sin fractures everything. Genesis 3 breaks the household. Genesis 11 shows humanity using wealth, technology, and unity to rebel against God. The tower of Babel is a monument to human pride. It is the blueprint for secular empire building.

When wealth is detached from covenant, it becomes either empty or oppressive. Ecclesiastes 2 shows Solomon’s despair as he builds everything imaginable yet finds no joy because none of it is rooted in righteousness.

Modern billionaires repeat the same pattern. They build companies and cities and foundations that have no moral spine. They accumulate influence with no covenant purpose. Their wealth does not bless the world. It isolates them from it. This makes them targets of public resentment, and rightly so. Wealth without covenant cannot produce harmony. It only multiplies envy, fear, and disorder.

If your desire is to build a family that lasts beyond you, subscribe for more covenant grounded writing on dominion, discipleship, and generational strength.

Christ Restores Generational Dominion

The gospel restores creation’s pattern. Christ saves sinners, but He also restores households.

“The promise is for you and for your children.”

Acts 2:39

“From whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.”

Ephesians 3:15

“Fathers, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Ephesians 6:4

The cross rebuilds household order. Christ renews the covenant structure through which dominion flows. Christian wealth is about generational faithfulness. It is about handing down truth, land, vision, discipline, and worship.

Scripture calls men to provide not only for today but for those who will come long after they are gone.

“If anyone does not provide for his own, he has denied the faith.”

1 Timothy 5:8

Provision is covenant obedience.

The Problem With Secular Wealth

Secular wealth is fundamentally barren.

It gathers resources but creates no legacy.

It multiplies influence but creates no inheritance.

It centralizes power but produces no lasting household.

Pagan wealth folds inward. It isolates rather than gathers. It dies with the generation that built it. Even when fortunes survive, the spiritual and moral vacuum behind them destroys the next generation.

This is why resentment grows. People instinctively know that wealth is supposed to produce blessing. When it does not, they recognize something unnatural is happening.

Biblical wealth produces stability, generosity, justice, and community. Secular wealth produces alienation and suspicion. The contrast is covenant.

The Christian Calling: Build Households, Not Empires

God told Israel in exile:

“Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens. Marry. Multiply. Seek the welfare of the city.”

Jeremiah 29:5–7

Dominion begins with households. Proverbs 31 shows a household that functions like a small economy. Psalm 78 commands fathers to teach their children so that their descendants might continue the faith.

Christian men must think in terms of patrimony. They must build structures, habits, and holdings that their sons and daughters can inherit. They must plan for continuity, not just comfort.

This means building households that stay near one another, support one another, and grow into strong multi generational communities. It means recovering the vision of family as an institution, not an emotional cluster of individuals.

Personal Reflection: Why I Want to Build for Generations

When I think about my children and their children, I do not think about giving them a pile of money to spend. I think about building a structure that keeps them strong. I think about a household name rooted in Christ. I think about land, stability, worship, unity, and a vision worth inheriting.

I want my sons to raise their families near me. I want my daughters to marry men who understand covenant and want to build households of their own. I want to plan in ways that gather my family rather than scatter it. That means building toward something larger than myself. It means establishing a momentum that endures after I am gone.

Scripture commands this. The righteous look past their own lives because they know God works through generations. I want to build something my grandchildren can stand on. I want my home to be a place where blessing passes from one generation to the next because we walked in the fear of the Lord.

Why the World Would Rejoice Under Covenant Wealth

A household built by covenant creates stability, order, justice, and generosity. It blesses neighbors. It strengthens churches. It reduces the need for state intervention. It anchors communities with righteousness.

Secular wealth does none of this. That is why the world distrusts the rich. They provide no blessing. They answer to no covenant. They build nothing that anyone wants to inherit.

When Christians build households that reflect Scripture’s pattern, the watching world sees something different. They see order instead of chaos. They see joy instead of envy. They see blessing instead of resentment.

This is dominion under Christ. This is wealth that glorifies God.

Closing Pastoral Charge

Christians are called to build households that stand firm across generations. A godless world trembles under secular wealth because it has no moral center. A godly world flourishes under covenant wealth because it reflects the righteousness and order of God.

Build for generations. Build for your children’s children. Build households that will stand when everything around them collapses. Wealth that ends with you is wasted. Wealth that blesses generations proclaims the wisdom and goodness of the Lord.

Christ is Lord over every generation. Walk faithfully, and build something worth inheriting.

How a Contentious Spirit Trains Men to Retreat

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The problem is older than marriage counseling and deeper than personality differences. When a wife becomes sharp, quarrelsome, anxious, or controlling, many husbands pull back, grow passive, or disappear into silence. People call it many things: she is “strong” or “bossy,” he is “quiet” or “checked out.” Scripture has older names and deeper insight. What we witness in modern homes is the same fall pattern first revealed in Eden. Professionals like to explain this as psychological imbalance, but the real issue is covenant disorder. And it destroys marriages, children, churches, and entire societies.

This is not about blaming one gender. Both husband and wife are responsible before God. Both sin in different directions. Both must repent. But we must name the pattern honestly so that Christ can restore what sin has broken.

The Biblical Categories

Scripture gives language that exposes the heart of the problem. Proverbs warns repeatedly of “a quarrelsome,” “contentious,” or “nagging” woman in the home. She brings unrest, tension, and despair. Peter sets before women the opposite virtue: “a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4). This is a woman’s posture before her God.

Genesis reveals why this struggle exists. After the fall, God declared to Eve, “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16). Her response is shaped by a pull toward control and resistance, not by the affection God designed her to give. At the same time Adam displayed the opposite failure. He stood silent while the serpent deceived his wife. When confronted, he blamed her instead of leading her. The fall produced a double distortion: women tempted toward control and men tempted toward abdication.

Isaiah 3:12 presents this disorder on a national scale. When the covenant breaks down, women dominate and children rule. This is not an insult to women. It is a warning about the inversion of God’s design. Israel’s disorder began in the home and spread to the nation.

The same pattern plays out in marriages today.

The Created Pattern

God’s design is good. The man is called to lead, protect, provide, initiate, and take responsibility. He is the head, not by tyranny, but by covenant calling. Genesis 2 shows Adam receiving the mandate, the work, and the Word before his wife was created. First Corinthians 11 and Ephesians 5 present this headship clearly, without apology. A man who refuses to lead fails his covenant role.

The woman is created as a helper suitable for him. She complements his strength with her own, walking in respect, gentleness, discretion, and wisdom. Titus 2 calls her to train younger women in keeping the home and honoring their husbands. First Peter 3 describes her beauty as the adornment of meekness and peace.

This order is not a product of culture. It comes from God’s own covenant design and is woven into creation itself.

The Fallen Pattern

Under sin, the same talents and strengths God gave become distorted.

Women often bend toward fear, anxiety, and control. They use urgency instead of gentleness. They correct their husbands with sharpness. They take the reins out of frustration and then resent carrying the load. Scripture calls this contentious, quarrelsome, or domineering.

Men often bend toward passivity. Instead of leading, they retreat. Instead of initiating, they wait for direction. Instead of confronting sin, they hide. Instead of loving sacrificially, they sulk or avoid conflict entirely.

A contentious woman does not cause a man to retreat, but she invites and intensifies his sinful pattern. A weak man does not cause a woman to become contentious, but he invites and intensifies hers. Both sin. Both feed the other’s sin. No one is innocent in this cycle.

The Cycle of Destruction

The pattern is painfully common.

A husband begins to withdraw instead of taking responsibility. The wife feels insecure and overwhelmed. She expresses that insecurity through criticism or control. The sharper she becomes, the more he retreats. The more he retreats, the sharper she becomes. The home turns tense, resentful, and cold.

Proverbs says it plainly. Living with a quarrelsome woman is like constant dripping. It wears a man down. But Scripture also condemns the man who refuses to lead and who abandons his household. The passive husband mirrors Adam’s silence. The contentious wife mirrors Eve’s distrust.

This is not a harmless habit or personality issue. It is a fracture in the covenant order God established for the home.

If you want more writing that cuts through the noise and deals with the root issues facing our homes, churches, and nation, subscribe and stay with me in this work.

The Household as Covenant

Marriage is a covenant shaped by God, and its order displays the reality of Christ and the church. When a wife treats her husband with contempt, she mirrors the unfaithfulness God rebuked in Israel. When a husband refuses to lead, he imitates the shepherds in Ezekiel 34 who abandoned their flock.

The disorder in the home becomes disorder in the church and disorder in the nation. Isaiah 3 shows exactly this. The collapse of households is the first sign of covenant judgment.

If we cannot govern marriages, we cannot govern churches. If we cannot govern churches, we cannot govern society. Every collapse begins in the household.

Where This Shows Up Today

We see this pattern everywhere.

Wives who publicly correct their husbands because they no longer trust them to lead.

Wives who make every decision and carry every burden while quietly resenting the weight.

Husbands who answer every question with “whatever you want,” not out of humility but avoidance.

Husbands who disappear into hobbies, gaming, work, or silence instead of leading their families spiritually.

These patterns reveal failures deep in the structure of the home.

The Positive Pattern

God calls both men and women to repentance and obedience.

A godly wife speaks with honesty but without contempt. Her words strengthen her husband instead of undermining him. Her strength is real, but it is guided by humility and honor.

A godly husband takes responsibility. He initiates prayer, conversations, decisions, and direction. He shields his wife from unnecessary burdens. He confronts sin with gentleness but firmness. He does not run. He does not pout. He leads as Christ leads.

When husband and wife obey the roles God assigned, the home stabilizes. Peace begins to take root. Growth becomes possible again. Disorder fades because order is finally honored.

Repentance and Restoration

The gospel restores what sin distorts.

Christ restores men to courageous, sacrificial headship.

Christ restores women to respectful, gentle help.

Christ restores marriages to harmony under His rule.

There is no technique that fixes this cycle. Only repentance fixes it. Both must confess sin, not simply negotiate behavior. Both must return to what God called them to be.

A Pastoral Charge

The contentious spirit and the retreating spirit are enemies of the home. They must both die. The cross kills them and Christ raises something better. What makes a marriage endure is not how well two personalities blend but how seriously both husband and wife take God’s design.

Men, stop retreating.

Women, stop contending.

Both of you, return to the Lord who made you for one another.

Walk in the creation pattern. Reject the fall pattern.

Build a home that reflects the kingdom of Christ rather than the rebellion of Adam and Eve.

This is how the cycle breaks. This is how households are restored. This is how the next generation learns what covenant faithfulness looks like.

The home is a battlefield, but Christ is a perfect commander. Follow Him, and He will teach you how to build peace where sin once ruled.

Should Christians Ignore the 6 7 Trend?

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

A meme doesn’t need to be mystical to be dangerous. The “6 7” chant exploded online as a joke, but its source is not a mystery at all. Skrilla, the artist behind the trend, openly practices Santería and references Palo Mayombe. These practices don’t come from a neutral place and we shouldn’t treat them as such. They belong to religious systems that call upon spirits and use rituals the Bible clearly speaks against. Scripture warns that these systems involve real spiritual corruption. Christians don’t need secret codes or hidden symbols to be concerned. The concern is the spiritual world from which the trend comes. When a trend that comes from occult religion turns into a game for children, Christians need to take it seriously. What enters the home shapes the heart, and the enemy knows it.

The Lord has spoken plainly about these things.

“You shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations… there shall not be found among you anyone who practices divination or sorcery or interprets omens or calls up the dead.”

Deuteronomy 18:9–12

Pagan systems always involve more than cultural expression. Scripture teaches that false worship involves spiritual powers that oppose God and corrupt His image bearers.

“The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God.”

1 Corinthians 10:20

This is why Christians must guard the heart and the household with sober minds and clear sight. Trends reach the heart long before anyone notices. Jokes lower discernment, and repetition makes forbidden things feel familiar. A chant can sound meaningless, yet a culture saturated in occult symbols will slowly reshape what people accept.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Proverbs 4:23

We are in a real spiritual conflict. The enemy doesn’t need believers to simply bow to idols. He only wants us to stop caring that idols are in the room.

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against rulers, authorities, and spiritual forces of evil.”

Ephesians 6:12

There’s no need for Christian parents to be anxious about numbers or invent secret meanings. The real threat is the loss of discernment that grows when idolatry starts to feel ordinary. The real issue is that the meme draws households toward a careless posture about occult themes. God calls His people to stay awake, guard their hearts, and refuse anything that dulls discernment.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “It is only a meme. Kids are not summoning spirits.”

Response: Scripture teaches that idolatry corrupts through exposure, affection, and imitation. Israel was warned because they were growing comfortable with the culture that produced idols. Christians cannot guard their hearts if they welcome the atmosphere of the occult into their homes.

Objection: “We should not over spiritualize trends.”

Response: Scripture teaches that the world is already spiritual. The question is whether the influence draws us toward Christ or away from Him. When a trend rises out of a system that seeks help from other spirits, Christians must respond with sober clarity and not with careless assumptions.

Truth That Withstands

Christians are called to discernment, holiness, and courage. Idolatry shapes affections and dulls vigilance. The “6 7” trend may look like empty fun, yet it spreads through humor that reaches children first. Young hearts are impressionable, and the world knows it. A culture shaped by occult symbols tries to reach the next generation before parents even notice. Christ calls His people to guard their homes and their own souls, to protect their children from influences that twist what is holy, and to refuse anything that makes the works of darkness feel ordinary. Those who belong to the light must walk in the light with wisdom, clarity, and firm conviction.

Trends shape children faster than parents realize. Share this if you want others to see what is actually going on.

Digital ID and the Boundaries of God-Given Authority

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

There are moments in history when a society must decide whether it will live as a free people under God or as a numbered population owned by the state. The rise of state-controlled digital identification is one of those moments. This is not a matter of convenience or technological advancement. It is a matter of sovereignty. The state has no biblical jurisdiction over personal identity. Digital ID systems represent a structural violation of God’s ordained limits for civil power. Christians must refuse such systems through every lawful means because they redefine what it means to be a person under God.

The Magistrate’s Mandate Has Boundaries

Romans 13 teaches that civil authority is established by God to judge evil and uphold what is right. First Peter 2 instructs believers to honor rulers because they are appointed to restrain wrongdoing. First Timothy 2 urges prayer for kings so that they will preserve quietness and peace in the land. These passages describe the purpose of the magistrate and they also make clear that his work is limited by God’s design.

The state receives authority to administer justice. It does not receive authority to claim ownership of a person’s inner life or identity. When a government turns from restraining criminals to indexing and monitoring ordinary citizens, it steps outside the work God assigned to it.

In First Samuel 8 Israel asked for a king who would rule like the surrounding nations. God responded by describing a pattern of domination that grows when rulers grasp for power. The king would gather people into his own system, reduce them to resources, and treat them as subjects who exist for his purposes. Digital ID follows that same trajectory of control.

Second Samuel 24 reinforces this warning. David’s census was an assertion of control over the people, as if their number and strength were his to claim. God alone holds that authority. The judgment that followed shows how seriously He treats any ruler who crosses that line.

Revelation 13 presents a moral pattern of corrupt power. The beast establishes control by making the population fully visible and fully dependent, tying economic life to a system of enforced identification. The point is not to chase click-bait predictions but to expose how tyranny works. When the state gathers identity, access, and livelihood into its grasp, it steps into the pattern of domination that Scripture clearly identifies as corrupt.

Reformed Political Theology Has Always Rejected State Ownership of the Person

John Calvin taught that the magistrate’s power is great, but it is also tightly bounded. In the Institutes he warns that civil rulers sin when they claim authority God never gave them. Abraham Kuyper later grounded this principle in sphere sovereignty. God has ordered human life in distinct realms: family, church, and state. Each has its own authority. The state that absorbs the others is at war with God.

Digital ID dissolves these God-given boundaries. It hands the state a permanent key to the household, the church, the market, the conscience, and the soul. Identity becomes something granted by the government rather than something given by God. This is a fundamental redefinition of personhood.

The Reformers rejected every attempt of rulers to seize authority over conscience, worship, infancy, household, and vocation. Digital ID is the modern version of that same error. It allows the state to declare that a person exists only as it recognizes and records him.

The Moral Consequences Cannot Be Separated from the Structure Itself

Some will argue that digital ID is simply efficient. But Scripture never gives the civil power the right to expand its reach in the name of efficiency. The issue is not technology or convenience. The issue is sovereignty. Systems built for total visibility will always enable control. They will track movement, purchases, associations, beliefs, and eventually compliance with whatever moral order the state demands.

This is how tyrannies function. They do not begin with guns and prisons. They begin by claiming to keep you safe. They begin with numbers. They begin with registrations. They begin with systems that turn free people into monitored subjects.

The Bible consistently warns against rulers who seek to consolidate power through numbering and oversight. God’s people are not to belong to the state. They belong to God.

Covenant Identity Belongs to Christ Alone

Man is made in the image of God. He is a steward under God’s rule, not an asset of the civil authority. Identity is covenantal before it is civil. The magistrate has no right to define, number, categorize, or condition a person’s existence on approval from the state.

The moment the state claims the power to authenticate identity, it has already crossed the line God established. Personal identity is not granted by the state. It is established by God. You are known first by God, then by your household and your church. This is biblical anthropology. The state that demands total identification claims a lordship that does not belong to it.

Share this if you want others to see why digital ID is not a small policy debate but a direct challenge to God’s order.

A Pastoral Charge to Christians and Civil Rulers

Resisting digital ID is an act of faithfulness to God’s order and an acknowledgment that the state may not claim what belongs to Him. Christians must not surrender identity, movement, or economic access to a system that denies the limits of civil authority. Pastors must warn their people. Fathers must guard their households. Churches must resist the pressure to comply.

Civil rulers who name Christ must reject systems that place them in the position of God. They must protect liberty of person, household, creed, and conscience. They must repent of policies that absorb jurisdictions Christ did not give them.

Christ alone is Lord. No state may number His people as property. No ruler may condition personhood on approval. The authority God grants has boundaries, and those boundaries must be honored.

The rise of digital ID is a test of allegiance. A free people under God will reject it. A nation that accepts it trades away the very liberty God established through lawful limits on civil power.

Christ’s kingdom sets men free. Every system that attempts to own identity places itself against His throne.

The Idol of Simpler Times: Nostalgia, Dominion, and the Kingdom of Christ

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Yearning for Yesterday

Our age is haunted by its own memories. Everywhere we turn, nostalgia sells. Retro clothes return. Old TV shows are remade. Even politics and religion speak the language of restoration, promising to bring back what was lost: “We just need to get back to how things used to be.” The world clings to the idea that somewhere behind us lies the version of life that worked.

The longing makes sense. People remember a time that felt safer, cleaner, and more certain. Families seemed stronger, communities more stable, and life less chaotic. But that ache is theological. It is not merely cultural sentiment. It is creation groaning for redemption, as Paul writes, “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Romans 8:22, LSB). The human heart remembers what peace once felt like and aches for what only Christ can restore.

The problem is where we aim it.

Subscribe to the War Journal to build what endures.

The Theology of Nostalgia

Scripture warns against the temptation to glorify the past. “Do not say, ‘Why is it that the former days were better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this” (Ecclesiastes 7:10, LSB). The wise man knows that the answer is not behind him. It is ahead.

Abraham “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10, LSB). His hope was not in recovering Eden but in walking faithfully toward the new creation. Nostalgia, by contrast, turns the longing for God’s kingdom into a yearning for man’s past. It wants the fruit of righteousness without submitting to the King who brings it.

That is why nostalgia becomes idolatry. It promises comfort through memory instead of hope through faith. It makes an idol out of yesterday because it cannot see Christ’s dominion increasing today.

How the Church Imitates the World

Christians are not immune to this disease of memory. We see it whenever the church mourns the loss of “the 1950s family,” “the founding fathers’ faith,” or “the America we used to be.” We imagine that if we could only go back, things would be right again. Holiness isn’t found in the past but in a heart that obeys God today.

Much of the church’s nostalgia is simply the world’s despair expressed in religious language. It mistakes cultural memory for covenant faithfulness. It dreams of the benefits of Christendom while avoiding the work of reformation. Christ’s kingdom is not a museum to be preserved but a kingdom that grows. “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace” (Isaiah 9:7, LSB). To retreat into longing for what was is to deny His promise of what will be.

The Danger of Passive Memory

When memory becomes an idol, it paralyzes action. We preserve relics instead of reforming culture. We talk about what we’ve lost instead of laboring for what we’re called to build.

Biblical remembrance is never passive. God commanded Israel to set up memorial stones in the Jordan (Joshua 4), not to trap them in the past but to point them forward in faith. The stones declared that God had been faithful and therefore would be faithful again. Memory was meant to provoke mission. Covenant memory is about proclamation.

When we romanticize the past, we forget our role in God’s unfolding story. He calls every generation to build on what has been given. Nostalgia tells us to keep the past safe. Faith tells us to take up the tools and keep working.

Dominion and the Duty of Hope

The cure for false nostalgia is covenant hope. The postmillennial vision does not look backward to “the good old days.” It looks forward to the day when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9, LSB). That future comes through labor.

God calls His people to take dominion, to build households, churches, and institutions that will stand for generations. Faithful memory produces builders. The Christian who truly loves history is the one who carries it forward, handing its inheritance to his children.

True remembrance is covenant continuity. It connects the faith of our fathers to the faith of our children. It does not lament over what once was but rather obeys in the present so that the future may rejoice.

Turn Memory into Mission

The temptation toward nostalgia is strongest when the world feels unstable. It offers comfort without calling for repentance. But God calls His people to be courageous. “We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, and His strength and His wondrous deeds that He has done” (Psalm 78:4, LSB).

The church must let remembrance become obedience. We remember so we can act, not so we can hide. Every act of obedience today builds the world our grandchildren will inherit. Despair looks backward. Faith builds forward.

The Christian’s hope is in a stronger kingdom. The King we serve does not retreat. His reign is increasing, His people are maturing, and His promises stand. Nostalgia cannot restore what is lost, but the gospel of Christ will make all things new.

The Greater Love

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Every true act of courage, sacrifice, and service reflects a moral imprint of God’s own character. Veterans who gave or risked their lives for others show a shadow of that greater love that was fulfilled at the cross. Their valor preserves order in a fallen world, yet only Christ’s valor redeems it.

Civil defense is one of God’s instruments of common grace. The sword of justice exists to restrain evil and protect peace (Romans 13:4). Those who bear it lawfully serve under His providence, whether they know it or not. But courage apart from Christ is still temporary. Nations rise and fall, and even the noblest sacrifices cannot conquer sin. Gratitude that ends with man stops short of worship. So let us give thanks this Veterans Day not only for those who fought to preserve peace, but for the Prince of Peace who makes it lasting. Every medal and memory of courage points beyond the battlefield to the cross, where victory was won once for all.

The Christian who honors veterans must look higher. Christ is the warrior who laid down His life to destroy the last enemy, death itself. His obedience secured everlasting peace by redeeming his enemies. To thank soldiers rightly is to thank the Savior who gives courage its meaning, turns duty into worship, and transforms temporary valor into eternal glory.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Honoring veterans is just nationalism.”

Response: Giving thanks for defenders of justice is recognition of God’s providence in preserving peace. True patriotism sees every victory as mercy and every life laid down as a reminder that all nations must bow to Christ.

Objection: “Faith and service should stay separate.”

Response: Scripture never divides them. Every calling, whether in battle or in the home, is sacred when done unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). To serve lawfully is to serve God. To forget Him is to lose the reason for serving at all.

Truth That Withstands

Courage, duty, and sacrifice are good gifts only when they serve the King who first laid down His life. To honor veterans rightly is to remember the Lord who defines valor and grants peace that no war can win.

This Veterans Day, thank a veteran—and point them to the One who gives courage its meaning. Share this and honor both the soldier and the Savior who laid down His life for His friends.

Is Mass Deportation Obedience?

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The question of deportation is not first political but theological. God establishes nations, defines borders, and appoints magistrates to uphold justice. “He executes judgment for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, and sets prisoners free” (Psalm 146:7). Yet the same God “removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21) and uses nations as instruments of judgment.

When a land is overrun with lawlessness, invasion may be God’s chastisement. When a ruler acts to restore peace and order, his duty is obedience. But justice is never blind to righteousness. The civil magistrate must wield the sword lawfully, not vindictively (Romans 13:1–4).

Scripture gives both precedent and warning. God commanded Israel to remove the nations of Canaan, “that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominations” (Deuteronomy 7:5). Yet He also commanded Israel to “love the sojourner” and remember their own deliverance from Egypt (Deuteronomy 10:18–19). Both commands are moral, and both remain instructive. Deportation can be obedience when it restores covenant order, but it becomes rebellion when it abandons mercy.

Nehemiah commanded the expulsion of unlawful marriages that polluted the covenant community (Nehemiah 13). Ezra mourned and repented as the people confessed and acted to purify themselves (Ezra 9–10). These were acts of covenant renewal. Yet Amos condemned the nations that exiled others for gain and pride (Amos 1–2). The same God who blesses righteous judgment curses self-serving vengeance.

God’s law requires rulers to discern between guilt and innocence, protecting the peaceful while restraining the wicked. To act without that discernment is to bear the sword in vain. True justice never separates righteousness from mercy, or authority from accountability before God.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “All deportation is cruel.”

Response: Scripture rejects that sentimentality. God Himself ordered expulsions for covenant preservation. The issue is not whether deportation is harsh but whether it is holy. Justice and mercy are not opposites. They are companions when ruled by God’s law.

Objection: “Mercy means open borders.”

Response: Mercy never means lawlessness. A nation that refuses to restrain evil or defend its people does not show mercy. It abandons love of neighbor. The same law that commands compassion also commands order and protection.

Objection: “Judgment belongs only to God.”

Response: God delegates judgment to lawful rulers. The magistrate is “God’s servant, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4). To ignore that calling is to sin by omission. The ruler who fears God must act with justice, compassion, and restraint.

Truth That Withstands

Deportation can be obedience when it restores righteousness and peace according to God’s law. It is rebellion when it exalts pride, cruelty, or partiality. Justice that ignores mercy is tyranny, and mercy that ignores justice is lawlessness. The magistrate must govern by both, for the Lord “loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His steadfast love” (Psalm 33:5).

Share this with anyone who thinks righteousness stops at the border.

The Real Threat: Islam and the Collapse of a Secular West

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The False Frame of Fear

Commentators across the West are recognizing Islam as an imminent cultural threat. They note the growing influence of Muslim populations in Europe, the spread of Sharia-inspired enclaves, and the moral timidity of governments unwilling to name the problem. Yet most stop short of asking the only question that matters: Why has Islam gained ground at all?

Photo by Jason Steele on Unsplash

The problem is not primarily immigration, race, or geopolitics. It is covenantal. A civilization that rejects Christ’s rule invites other lords. Islam is not conquering a strong Christian West… it’s simply walking into a godless one. When a people abandon the covenant that made them, they lose both clarity and courage.

Jesus warned of this pattern. In Matthew 12:43–45, He described an unclean spirit cast out of a man that later returns with seven others more wicked than itself. “The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” The same truth applies to nations. When a society sweeps its house clean of Christ, the empty space will not remain vacant. It will be filled by stronger idols, crueler powers, and darker spirits. The vacuum left by unbelief never stays empty for long.

Join the War Journal for bold, Scripture-rooted essays that confront the rebellion of our age with the kingship of Christ.

The Nature of Islam: A Rival Law-Religion

Islam is far more than a mere set of private beliefs. It is clearly a rival covenant. Its law claims authority over every sphere of life: civil, religious, and moral. Its confession is total: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.” The Qur’an offers no savior. It presents a system built on obedience without grace, a religion of submission without redemption.

Christianity is no less total in its claim, but it is true. Christ does not share His throne. Psalm 2 declares, “The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take counsel together against Yahweh and against His Anointed.” Every law, every policy, every creed either bows to the Son or wars against Him. John writes, “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23, LSB).

Islam is therefore not merely another religion. It is a counterfeit kingdom, a rival structure of law and dominion built on denial of Christ’s deity and rejection of His cross.

The West’s Disarmament: Secularism as Self-Destruction

The West’s downfall began long before Islam arrived at its gates. Enlightenment philosophy stripped the soul from Christendom. Humanism replaced Scripture with sentiment. Pluralism rebranded unbelief as tolerance. The modern West became convinced that it could preserve morality without the moral Lawgiver.

But Scripture is clear: “He who is not with Me is against Me” (Matthew 12:30, LSB). There is no neutrality. Colossians 1:17–18 teaches that all things hold together in Christ, and apart from Him they collapse. Secularism’s promise of peace through unbelief was always a lie. It disarmed nations morally, leaving them incapable of recognizing false gods when they appeared.

Islam cannot prevail where Christ reigns. It advances only where His lordship is rejected.

Covenant Consequences: When Christendom Breaks Faith

The rise of Islam in the West is not an invasion but a judgment. It is God’s reminder that neutrality is rebellion and rebellion brings bondage. Scripture shows us the pattern: when Israel abandoned God’s covenant, He delivered them into the hands of foreign rulers (Deuteronomy 28:47–48; Judges 2:10–14). Isaiah lamented, “O My people! Their oppressors are children, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray and confuse the direction of your paths” (Isaiah 3:12, LSB).

Every civilization lives under covenant blessings or covenant curses. The moral decay of the West, the rise of false gods, and the confusion of its leaders are all signs of divine chastisement. God has given our nations over to what they have worshiped—autonomy, tolerance, and self-rule—and the fruit is chaos.

The False Hope of Secular Defenses

Many conservatives hope to resist Islam through nationalism, constitutionalism, or appeals to “Western values.” But these foundations are sand. Jesus warned that every house not built on His words will fall when the storm comes (Matthew 7:26–27).

Without Christ, liberty has no anchor. Freedom becomes license. Law becomes tyranny. A nation that denies the living God forfeits the strength to stand against false ones.

Secularism is a suicide pact. It promises peace while dismantling the only authority that could preserve it.

The Christian Response: Dominion, Not Despair

Christians are not called to panic or withdraw. Our duty is to build again, beginning with repentance, renewed obedience, and the bold proclamation of Christ’s rule over every part of life.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19, LSB). The answer to Islam is found in the dominion of the gospel, not in secular nationalism. Parents must train their children to know that every law and every nation belongs to Christ. We must bring the truth to Muslims without compromise, showing mercy rooted in conviction and love grounded in sound doctrine.

Christ’s commission leaves no room for neutrality: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:18–19, LSB). To tolerate false worship in the name of peace is treason against our King.

The Choice Before the West

The rise of Islam in the West is not conquest but judgment. God is giving rebellious nations over to what they have chosen. Those who refuse to confess Christ will find themselves ruled by those who worship false gods. The only path forward is repentance and return to the true King.

“The LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us” (Isaiah 33:22, LSB).

We should not be driven by fear of Islam but by reverence for God. When the West submits again to the reign and law of Christ, courage and peace will return. Until that day, false religions will remain instruments of His judgment.

Share this to remind others that the collapse of the West is not from Islam’s rise but from Christendom’s fall. Repentance, not fear, is our only defense.

Should a Nation Be Led by Unbelievers?

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Civil government is not morally neutral. Scripture declares that every ruler is God’s servant and that the magistrate “does not bear the sword in vain” but is “a minister of God” (Romans 13:1–4). The civil ruler governs under the law of the true King, Jesus Christ.

When unbelievers like Zorhan Mamdani—whether Muslim, atheist, or secular—rule a nation, they do not govern neutrally. They serve under a false god. Every ruler serves someone, and every law reveals which god he fears. When a nation rejects Christ’s law for the will of men, it has already chosen its religion.

God never permitted rulers to serve apart from His law. Moses commanded that the king “write for himself a copy of this law… that he may learn to fear the Lord his God… and not turn aside from the commandment” (Deuteronomy 17:18–20). The magistrate’s authority is covenantal. His duty is to uphold God’s moral law, not invent his own.

Psalm 2 warns the rulers of the earth: “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear… Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way” (Psalm 2:10–12). To reject Christ is rebellion against the King.

The state exists to uphold justice under God’s authority. Isaiah 33:22 declares, “The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us.” Every government stands or falls by how it reflects that truth.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Rulers don’t need to be Christians; they just need to govern fairly.”

Response: Fairness without faith collapses into relativism. True justice flows from God’s character and His revealed law. A ruler who does not fear God cannot rightly define good and evil. Pluralism sounds tolerant but it empowers rebellion. The first commandment forbids serving any god but the Lord (Exodus 20:3). Civil neutrality is covenant infidelity.

Objection: “The gospel is spiritual, not political.”

Response: The gospel proclaims Christ as King of kings. His lordship is not limited to the church. When nations reject His rule, they invite His wrath. Every law and policy reflects a theology. The only question is whether it bows to Christ or defies Him.

Objection: “A mixed nation requires secular leadership.”

Response: God’s standard for rulers never changes with demographics. Every nation is called to kiss the Son. The magistrate who rules without submission to Christ governs in sin, and the people who consent share in that guilt.

Truth That Withstands

Nations are judged by whom they enthrone. A ruler who will not submit to Christ cannot govern in righteousness. Governments that reject God’s law lose both justice and peace. There is no neutral ground in Christ’s kingdom. The magistrate must fear God, uphold His law, and rule as His servant, or the nation he leads will fall under divine judgment.

Rulers are not neutral. They are servants of God, judged by how they honor His Son. Read and share.

Biblical Jurisdiction and the Failure of Modern Welfare

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Illusion of Compassion

Modern welfare sounds merciful. It promises to feed the hungry, house the poor, and lift the oppressed. Programs like SNAP, Section 8, and a thousand others claim to reflect justice and equity. But beneath the surface, these systems are neither merciful nor just. They are counterfeits of God’s design.

Subscribe to the War Journal to receive new essays on Christ’s dominion over family, church, and state. Where theology meets real order.

True mercy, according to Scripture, is covenantal, personal, voluntary, and accountable. It flows from obedience. When compassion is detached from covenant, it becomes coercion. When the state seizes what belongs to the family and church, charity becomes control, and compassion becomes currency for power.

Modern welfare replaces love. It promises redemption without repentance and sustenance without stewardship. It undermines the very structures God created to protect the poor.

The Biblical Foundation: The Three Jurisdictions

God established three distinct governments in creation: the family, the church, and the state. Each was given limited, defined authority under His law.

The Family was the first economy. God placed Adam in the garden “to cultivate it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15, LSB). Provision, inheritance, and stewardship belong first to fathers. Paul is explicit: “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). The family is where work, wealth, and care begin.

The Church is the ministry of mercy. In Acts 6, deacons were appointed to oversee the care of widows so that no member of Christ’s body was neglected. In 1 Timothy 5:16, Paul charges the church to care for true widows so that “the church may assist those who are widows indeed.” The church’s compassion is voluntary, personal, and accountable to Christ’s commands.

The State is the ministry of justice. Romans 13:1–4 describes civil authority as God’s servant “for your good,” bearing the sword to punish evil and reward good. The state is not called to provide food and housing but to uphold law and order, protecting the innocent and restraining the wicked.

When these jurisdictions blur, corruption follows. When the family abdicates its responsibility the state intrudes into the family. When the state overreaches we see the church become silent. Each sphere collapses when it confuses its God-given boundaries.

The Rebellion of Socialism

The call for a state provider is not new. In 1 Samuel 8, Israel demanded a king to “judge us and fight our battles.” They traded God’s covenantal rule for human control. The same spirit animates socialism and its modern welfare offspring. It promises safety but delivers nothing but bondage.

Socialism is idolatry. It replaces God’s law with human decrees and substitutes grace with coercion. It punishes diligence, rewards dependency, and destroys gratitude. The Apostle Paul wrote, “If anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The Mosaic law affirmed the same principle: “There will never cease to be poor in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land’” (Deuteronomy 15:11).

Biblical mercy is commanded to the willing hand, not the bureaucratic system. God calls His people to charity through obedience.

The Economic Consequence of Moral Rebellion

When the state claims jurisdiction it does not possess, it destroys the economy it pretends to save. Inflation, housing crises, broken families, and generational dependency are judgments. Every economic collapse is first a moral one.

When fathers cease to provide, sons forget to work. When charity becomes entitlement, gratitude dies. When provision is severed from accountability, poverty becomes permanent. Economics is never neutral. Every price, every policy, every welfare check reflects someone’s theology. When the covenant order collapses, both people and prices break.

Tested by the Reformers

The Reformers understood this order. Calvin, Bucer, and the Puritans all upheld the separation and cooperation of family, church, and state. The magistrate was to be a minister of justice. Calvin’s Geneva established diaconal care under church oversight. The Puritans treated welfare as covenant duty.

This vision was biblical obedience. The Reformers restored jurisdictional order.

The Christian Duty to Rebuild

Christians must reclaim what God assigned to them. The modern welfare state thrives only because the family and church abandoned their posts. Fathers must again see provision as covenantal duty. Elders must again train deacons to lead in mercy and hold members accountable to work and serve.

Charity belongs to the people of God. Education belongs to the family. Justice belongs to the magistrate. When each fulfills its calling, society flourishes under Christ’s reign. When any abdicate, tyranny fills the void.

Silence is complicity. Christians who bless the welfare state or simply ignore it are likewise in rebellion. The time has come to rebuild what the state has stolen.

The Crown Rights of Christ Over Economics

Christ’s kingdom is righteous dominion. His law alone restores order to the world. Isaiah declares, “For Yahweh is our judge, Yahweh is our lawgiver, Yahweh is our king; He will save us” (Isaiah 33:22, LSB).

The welfare state will not save us. Only the gospel can restore what sin and socialism have destroyed. But the gospel restores through order and obedience.

Christ reigns now. His Word governs economics as surely as it governs worship. Every act of provision, every system of law, and every hand that feeds the poor must bow to His authority. Only then will mercy and justice walk together again.

Every broken system traces back to rebellion against God’s order. Share this and call others to rebuild mercy under Christ’s reign.

Who told the Church to surrender Halloween?

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Don’t hide your light. Subscribe and join the fight to reclaim what belongs to Christ.

Christians do not fear the darkness. They confront it because Christ already reigns.

When the Son rose from the grave, He claimed what was always His. The resurrection was not only victory over death but the coronation of the world’s true King. From His throne at the right hand of the Father, Christ rules the nations by His Word and Spirit until all His enemies are placed beneath His feet.

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’” (Psalm 110:1).

There is no neutral ground. Every day, every season, every home exists under His authority. The Reformers taught that Christ’s redemption extends to all creation, reclaiming what sin had marred. Calvin called the world “the theater of God’s glory,” where every act of obedience and every holy celebration shines as a testimony to the King who reigns.

Every inch of creation, every moment of history, and every corner of the calendar belongs to Christ. There is no night so dark that His light does not shine through.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains” (Psalm 24:1).

The believer does not withdraw from the world in fear. He walks into it with light. Evil is overcome by truth, righteousness, and faithfulness. When parents teach their children to rejoice in what is good and to laugh at evil without partaking in it, they declare that Christ has conquered. Every hymn sung, every table blessed, and every act of joy under His law is a victory over the darkness.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

The calling of the Church is not to retreat from corrupted days, but to reclaim them through holiness. The same Christ who made all things good is renewing all things through His people. Every corner of life is being brought under His order and blessing.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Believers should separate completely from the culture of this world.”

Response: Separation from sin is required, but separation from creation denies redemption itself. God’s covenant with Noah established the world as the stage for grace. Christ sends His people into the world, not to imitate it, but to bring truth and blessing to it. The saints are the light of the world and cannot hide what God has lit.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

Objection: “Christians should not claim days that were once pagan.”

Response: The Lord redeems what the world profanes. The early Church gathered on the first day because Christ’s resurrection renewed time. Every feast or day of joy becomes holy when it is kept in thanksgiving and truth. To sanctify time under Christ’s rule is to declare His dominion over all creation.

“For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28).

Objection: “We must wait for Christ’s return before His kingdom comes.”

Response: Christ’s kingdom is present and active through His reign in heaven and His work on earth. The Spirit applies His victory, subduing hearts and nations through the gospel. The Reformers understood this as the kingdom of grace advancing until it becomes the kingdom of glory. The Church lives and labors in that victory now.

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

Truth That Withstands

Christ reigns now, and His kingdom is increasing. Creation groans for redemption, and the saints serve as instruments of its renewal. Evil cannot overcome holiness, and darkness cannot resist light. Every home ruled in faith, every table blessed in thanksgiving, and every heart devoted to obedience declares the triumph of Christ. The world is His, the victory is His, and the glory is His forever.

If you’re done letting darkness steal the headlines, share this post.

The Glory of God in Election

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Predestination is the unfolding of God’s own nature, where His sovereign freedom, mercy, and justice are revealed.

Salvation exists for one reason alone: to display the glory of God’s mercy and justice.

Truth this big doesn’t fit in one post. Subscribe to keep climbing.

From beginning to end, Scripture presents election as an act of divine freedom. God chose His people, not because of faith or worth, but because of grace. “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy” (Romans 9:15). The choice belongs to God, not to man. The wonder is not that some are passed over, but that any are saved at all.

Man resists this because it destroys pride. Heaven rejoices because election exalts God as the sole Author and Finisher of salvation. It humbles every sinner and turns every boast into worship.

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace” (Ephesians 1:4–6).

Salvation does not begin with man’s choice but with God’s mercy. “It does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy” (Romans 9:16). The heart that grasps this truth finds rest. The heart that rebels against it still clings to its own throne.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit” (John 15:16).

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Election makes God unfair.”

Response: Justice would condemn us all. Election displays the mercy of God toward those who deserve none. His choice does not violate justice but fulfills it in Christ, who bore the penalty in the place of His people. Grace that can be demanded is no grace at all. The protest of Romans 9 still sounds off from the streets and even pulpits: “Why does He still find fault?” The answer stands firm: “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” The Creator owes nothing, yet gives everything. His mercy magnifies His glory.

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31).

Objection: “Election removes human responsibility.”

Response: God’s sovereignty establishes human responsibility. The call to repent and believe is genuine, and all whom the Father has given to the Son will come. The same God who ordains the end also ordains the means. Election guarantees the triumph of grace.

“As many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48).

Objection: “Election discourages evangelism.”

Response: Election fuels evangelism because it secures the harvest. The preacher goes forth knowing the word will not return void. Every soul drawn to Christ proves His purpose stands. The doctrine that begins with God’s decree ends in missions, prayer, and bold proclamation, for the Lord Himself gathers His people through His gospel.

“My word shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish what I purpose” (Isaiah 55:11).

Truth That Withstands

The doctrine of election silences pride and awakens worship. It is the blazing center of grace, where God’s mercy and sovereignty shine together. This truth unveils the depth of His compassion, the certainty of His purpose, and the glory of His saving will. God chose to save according to His pleasure and promise, and every redeemed voice will declare, “Salvation belongs to the Lord.”

Someone in your feed still thinks grace is fair. Share this with them.

No Kings Is the Mantra of Anarchy

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The cry of “No kings” sounds like freedom, but when you listen closely to their protest, you see it for what it is: rebellion. Scripture teaches that authority is not man’s invention but God’s design. From Eden to now, every attempt to cast off rule is an attempt to cast off God Himself.

Truth belongs in public again. Subscribe and stand with those who refuse the rebellion.

When Adam followed Eve instead of obeying God, chaos entered the world. When Israel cried, “We have no king but Caesar,” they were rejecting Christ. And when modern men chant “No kings,” they are not rejecting tyranny as they claim. They are displaying their heart by rejecting the King of kings.

Every law reveals a god. The question is never whether we will have a ruler but which ruler we will have. Authority isn’t the problem. Sin is. The Lord established rule to reflect His justice, to restrain evil, and to bless righteousness. The destruction of authority is the destruction of order itself.

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us’” (Psalm 2:2–3).

Romans 13 says that governing authorities are “ministers of God,” appointed to reward good and punish evil. Law and order are mercies from God. The breakdown of justice in the streets, in the home, or in the church is God’s judgment.

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

Christ reigns now. Revelation 1:5 calls Him “the ruler of the kings of the earth.” His authority is not waiting to begin. It is ignored at our peril. True freedom is found only in submission to His rule, where law and mercy meet.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “We don’t want kings or theocrats; we just want freedom.”

Response: True freedom comes only under God’s law. Lawless freedom is slavery to sin. God’s law is righteous. To reject His rule is to choose bondage to sin.

Objection: “Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world.”

Response: His kingdom is not from this world in origin, but it is very much in this world in scope. He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). His rule spreads across the earth like leaven through a lump of dough.

Objection: “We need secular neutrality.”

Response: Neutrality is a myth. Every law and every ruler serves a god. Psalm 2 commands the kings of the earth to “serve the LORD with fear” and “kiss the Son.” Justice that ignores Christ is rebellion and must be rejected.

Truth That Withstands

The world does not need fewer kings. It needs righteous rulers who bow to Christ.

The rebellion against authority is a rebellion against God.

Every kingdom will fall except those ruled by the Son.

Christ reigns now. Obey Him, love His law, and uphold His order.

If Christ reigns, silence is not an option. Share truth before anarchy spreads.

Why It’s So Hard to Find a Faithful Church

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Common Frustration

“It’s hard to find a good church.”

Every sincere believer has said it. Some whisper it with grief. Others say it with frustration after another Sunday that felt hollow or compromised. The reason runs deeper than music style or small-group options. It’s belief. Every pulpit preaches a worldview, and that worldview becomes the pattern of its people.

Join the War Journal to stand for clarity, courage, and confessional truth in an age of confusion.

A church’s theology eventually shows up in its families, its discipline, its marriages, and its children. The issue isn’t that people are picky. It’s that belief builds culture. The teaching of a church shapes its homes, its worship, and its witness. What it believes about God, covenant, and kingdom determines how it lives.

Belief Builds Culture

Every church confesses something about God’s nature, Christ’s reign, and man’s duty, and those convictions eventually grow into the habits of its members. Where the teaching is wrong, the culture will rot. Where the doctrine is sound, holiness and order take root.

A church’s view of Christ’s kingdom will determine whether it retreats or rebuilds. If it sees His reign as future only, it will wait for rescue. If it knows His reign is now, it will labor to disciple nations.

A church’s covenant theology will determine how it treats its children. If it sees them as outsiders, its homes will starve and its gatherings will be full of trendy kids programs. If it raises them as covenant heirs, its families will thrive in faithfulness and unite children in the weekly gathering.

Its view of purity and marriage will determine whether it trains for covenant faithfulness or tolerates the world’s dating culture. Churches that believe marriage is sacred build homes that last.

Its view of discipline reveals its faithfulness. Churches that neglect correction will decay and drift further into rebellion, while those that obey Christ’s command to confront sin will endure.

Its view of authority and creation order will determine whether pulpits stay under Scripture or surrender to cultural trends. When headship is denied, women fill pulpits and homes lose their stability.

And its understanding of Israel and the Church will reveal whether it grasps the gospel’s unity. Those who divide what God has joined—treating national Israel as the center rather than Christ—fracture the covenant promise. Scripture is clear: “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:29).

Theology always bears fruit. What a church believes about these things will determine its endurance. Doctrine is not a preference or a detail. Doctrine is the framework that builds or destroys everything else.

The Modern Drift

Modern evangelicalism treats doctrine like wallpaper when it is really the framework that keeps the house from collapsing. Sermons trade substance for sentiment. Orthodoxy becomes optional so long as everyone is “nice.” But sincerity that lacks structure breeds chaos.

Every time a church softens doctrine, it softens holiness, family, and mission. When theology bends to emotion, the fruit is predictable: weak men, confused homes, and churches that tolerate sin while pretending to love people.

This is why so many faithful believers feel spiritually homeless. They can sense the fruit is rotten even if they can’t name the root. They see worship without reverence, preaching without conviction, and fellowship without truth. The problem isn’t that Christians expect too much. It’s that too many churches expect too little from God’s Word.

A Sincere Appeal

Sound doctrine is love protected by truth. Choosing a faithful church is covenant obedience. Theology that stays on pamphlets doesn’t honor Christ. Theology shapes life.

Fathers and mothers must discern what their children learn from the pulpit as carefully as what they learn at home. The same command given to Israel still stands:

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children.”

(Deuteronomy 6:6–7, LSB)

If we won’t guard the teaching of the church, the teaching of the world will gladly fill the gap.

The health of a nation depends on the pulpits of its churches, and the health of those pulpits depends on their theology. The faithful must not settle for comfort and compromise. Find a church that fears God, disciplines sin, and preaches Christ as King over every sphere of life.

Closing Charge

Doctrine is life. Wrong belief builds ruin, but sound teaching builds strong saints. If Christ reigns now—and He does—then every sermon, home, and law must submit to His Word.

Find a church that believes this, and you’ll find a place where your family can thrive. The faithful church is not the perfect one, but the repentant one, the ordered one, the one that loves both truth and holiness. And if you cannot find such a church, start one. In an age of confusion, clarity is courage. Stand where Christ stands.

If this resonates, share it. The church needs fewer critics and more reformers.

Who’s Holding the Apple?

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Scene Repeats Itself

The apple has always been more than fruit. The apple represents the false promise that you can have knowledge without obedience, wisdom without submission, and truth without God.

Since moving to Alaska, I’ve watched that same lie play out in another form. Parents are told they can “homeschool” through state correspondence programs that offer funding, technology, and access to “resources.” The pitch is simple: you’ll still be in control.

But “control” has conditions. The state requires registration. It assigns educational advisors. It reviews quarterly progress reports and portfolios. It enforces graduation standards and oversight that ensure every student aligns with state objectives. Parents can choose curriculum, but only within the boundaries of what the state approves or accepts for reimbursement.

This isn’t freedom. And it surely isn’t the order of authority and jurisdiction God has designed.

Subscribe for essays that call men and families to rebuild under the Lordship of Christ.

So the question must be asked again: Who is teaching your children, and under whose authority? Scripture answers that question clearly. God gave educational authority to fathers within the covenant household. The state has none.

The First Classroom

Genesis 3 opens in the world’s first classroom. The serpent was the teacher. Eve was the student. Adam was silent.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which Yahweh God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Indeed, has God said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden”?’” (Genesis 3:1, LSB).

Eve received doctrine from the deceiver. The serpent questioned God’s Word, redefined obedience, and promised enlightenment. “Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The sin was rebellion that was disguised as education. Eve listened to a voice that did not have the right to teach… and even used Scripture to do it. Adam, who did have that right, stood by. And the world fell.

Paul grounds this pattern in creation order:

“I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first formed, then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression” (1 Timothy 2:12–14, LSB).

The created order places authority and accountability with the man. When that order is reversed, deception follows.

The Family as God’s School

Education was never designed as a neutral endeavor. It is moral, covenantal, and worshipful. God commands fathers to teach His Word diligently to their children.

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7, LSB).

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, LSB).

Education is not the government’s business. It is a covenant duty given to the household, governed by the father, and aimed at godliness. The family is the first classroom. The father is the first teacher. The home is the first seminary.

The Reformers and Puritans understood this well. Calvin wrote that fathers must “bring up their children in the fear of God, to the end that the seed of the godly might not be cut off.” Richard Baxter warned that men who neglect family catechism betray their charge. The Westminster Directory for Family Worship called every home “a little church.”

God’s order is not complicated. But it is costly. The family instructs, the church disciples, and the state restrains. When the state assumes the role of teacher, it commits theft against God’s design.

The Serpent’s Strategy Reborn

The serpent still whispers. Only now he speaks through classrooms, screens, and funding programs. He promises that state-sponsored education can be both “free” and “faithful.” But the moment the state claims oversight, it claims lordship.

The message is the same: “You can have wisdom and still be free.”

But freedom without obedience is slavery. A people who will not submit to God’s truth become slaves to man’s systems. Their learning leads them away from the Lord who gave them minds to think. The more they learn apart from Him, the less they know.

This is how civilizations collapse. Knowledge divorced from truth corrupts a nation faster than ignorance ever could.

Many fathers repeat Adam’s failure. They let the serpent teach their children under the promise of safety, savings, or convenience. But there is nothing safe about surrendering your duty. There is nothing convenient about losing your children’s minds to unbelief. Abdication always leads to destruction.

And wives who shoulder the full weight of teaching alone bear a burden they were never meant to carry. God calls men to lead, to be faithfulness to teach, guard, and guide in love.

A Call to Fathers

Fathers, the education of your children is your calling. God entrusted you with their formation. You cannot outsource it. You cannot delegate it to the world. You are accountable for every influence that shapes their hearts and minds.

Oversee what they read. Guard what they hear. Speak truth often. Correct error quickly. Pray over their lessons as earnestly as over their souls. Education is discipleship, and discipleship is warfare.

Teach your sons to love truth more than ease. Teach your daughters to see wisdom as obedience, not self-expression. Build your homes into strongholds of truth where the serpent’s voice finds no audience.

“Hear, O sons, the discipline of a father, and give attention that you may know understanding, for I give you good instruction; do not forsake my law” (Proverbs 4:1–2, LSB).

The Tree Still Stands

The apple still gleams. The serpent still teaches. The classroom may have changed, but the question remains.

Who is teaching your children, and who holds authority in your home?

The fruit of obedience still brings life. The fruit of rebellion still brings death.

Christ, the true second Adam, restores what the first man lost. He renews fathers. He rebuilds households that stand on His Word.

Let your home become the garden again. Guard it. Tend it. Teach within it. And silence the serpent at the door.

Share this to strengthen families and call fathers back to their God-given post.

When Empathy Becomes a Tyrant

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

They’ll tell you it’s love. That it’s Christlike. That feeling someone’s pain is all the righteousness you need. When empathy takes truth’s place, it stops healing the wounded and starts blessing the infection.

True compassion confronts sin. Empathy excuses it. Scripture never tells us to feel everyone’s pain at the cost of truth. It calls us to love by walking in obedience to God’s commandments.

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments.” (1 John 5:2–3)

Empathy has become a moral tyrant. It demands silence in the face of rebellion. It trains Christians to feel instead of think, to accept instead of discern, to confuse affirmation with holiness. It calls good “kindness” and evil “judgmentalism.” But the love of God is never severed from the law of God.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” (Proverbs 27:6)

Biblical compassion speaks the truth, even when the truth hurts. Jesus didn’t confuse pity and approval. When Peter tried to spare Him from suffering, Jesus rebuked him: “You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23). That was perfect love that refused to let emotion overthrow obedience.

“Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)

When empathy becomes the standard, discernment becomes the enemy. Churches are filled with those who mistake softness for grace and tolerance for mercy. But empathy that refuses to confront sin is not love at all. It is cowardice claiming to be sentiment.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “But didn’t Jesus show empathy to sinners?”

Response: Jesus showed compassion, not indulgence. He healed, forgave, and restored those who repented. He never comforted rebellion. His mercy always led to holiness.

Objection: “Shouldn’t we be sensitive to people’s pain?”

Response: Yes. But compassion must serve truth, not replace it. Feelings are not the measure of righteousness. God’s commandments are. To love someone is to lead them toward obedience, not to affirm their sin.

Truth That Withstands

If you elevate empathy over obedience, you will trade the cross for comfort. True love bleeds for sinners. It never blesses sin. The church must recover compassion that corrects, mercy that magnifies Christ, and hearts that love enough to wound for the sake of truth.

Share this with someone who thinks ‘be nice’ is the eleventh commandment.

The Sword and the Cross: The Biblical Foundation, Purpose, and Limits of the Death Penalty

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Confusion and the Stakes

Our generation has forgotten what justice is. Many Christians now reject what Scripture clearly affirms. Some claim to be “pro-life” but deny the magistrate’s right to punish murder with death. Others pit Jesus against Moses, mercy against justice, or grace against law. Yet the Word of God speaks plainly.

The death penalty is a narrow, sober tool of public justice ordained by God. Its purpose is reverence. It honors the image of God in man. It restrains bloodguilt. It declares that life is sacred because it belongs to God.

The question is not whether we should be merciful, but whether we will uphold the holiness of life as God has defined it. Scripture joins mercy and justice. It is man that tears them apart.

Subscribe to the War Journal for essays that sharpen conviction and strengthen the church under Christ’s kingship.

The Foundation in Creation

The first clear statement of the death penalty appears in Genesis 9:5–6. After the flood, God made a covenant not only with Noah, but with all humanity:

“Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every living thing I will require it. And from man, from each man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man” (LSB).

This was universal and moral. It binds all nations because it is grounded in creation. The reason God gives this law is the imago Dei. Man bears the image of God. To shed innocent blood is to assault God Himself.

Capital punishment, therefore, is not a denial of life’s sanctity but its defense. It exists because human life is holy. It teaches that the one who destroys God’s image forfeits his right to his own. Genesis 9 establishes a moral principle for every nation: life must be avenged lawfully, not by private vengeance but by just authority.

The Mosaic Principles

The law given through Moses did not replace the creation standard. It preserved and applied it to Israel’s national life. In those civil statutes, God revealed lasting principles of due process, proportionality, and moral purity in justice. The Westminster Confession summarizes this continuity:

“To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging any other now further than the general equity thereof may require” (WCF 19.4).

The general equity of those laws still teaches us how to think about justice.

Due Process and Evidence.

Deuteronomy 19:15 required “two or three witnesses.” A single accusation was never enough for death. False witnesses were to receive the penalty they sought to bring on another (Deut. 19:16–21). Numbers 35:30–34 demanded that guilt be established beyond question: “You shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.”

These principles protect both the innocent and the righteous exercise of the sword. They demand impartial judges, open proceedings, and punishment for perjury.

Intent and Proportionality.

The law distinguished between accidental death and deliberate murder. Manslaughter sent the killer to a city of refuge. Murder polluted the land and demanded blood for blood (Num. 35:31–33). The difference was intent. The punishment fit the crime.

The law also prescribed death for other acts that destroyed the moral fabric of society, kidnapping (Ex. 21:16), adultery (Deut. 22), bestiality (Ex. 22:19), persistent blasphemy, and open idolatry. These reveal the gravity of crimes that unravel civilization.

From all of this we learn that God’s justice is not rash. It is careful, proven, proportionate, and public. It is never mob violence. It is measured holiness applied through lawful authority.

Prophets and Wisdom: Innocent Blood and Impartial Justice

The prophets spoke boldly against nations that shed innocent blood. Jeremiah 22:3 commands, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one robbed from the power of his oppressor. Do not mistreat or do violence to the sojourner, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”

Proverbs 17:15 warns, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.”

God hates both injustice and apathy. To refuse to punish the guilty is as evil as punishing the innocent. He demands that rulers bear the sword without partiality. No bribes, no favoritism, no manipulation of justice.

The wisdom literature makes clear that justice and mercy flow from the same holy fountain. Mercy toward the repentant sinner does not negate the magistrate’s duty to uphold law. It ensures that even punishment is administered in reverence for God.

The New Testament: Continuity, Not Abolition

Christ fulfilled justice. In Matthew 5:17–19, He declared that not a stroke of the Law would pass away until all was accomplished. He deepened the law’s intent, forbidding private retaliation and heart-hatred, but He never stripped authority from the magistrate.

When Jesus said, “Turn the other cheek,” He was speaking to His disciples about personal vengeance, not civil justice. Romans 13 makes the distinction unmistakable:

“For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God… for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:1–4, LSB).

Peter echoes the same: rulers are sent “for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good” (1 Peter 2:14). Paul himself declared before Caesar, “If I have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die” (Acts 25:11). Even at the cross, the penitent thief confessed, “We are receiving what we deserve for our deeds” (Luke 23:41).

The apostles did not revoke the use of the sword. As we can see clearly, they clarified its holiness. Justice remains God’s instrument to restrain evil and honor His image.

Church and State: Keys and Sword

God has given different tools to different offices. The church holds the keys of the kingdom: Word, sacrament, and discipline. The state bears the sword: law, judgment, and protection. Confusing the two brings tyranny or chaos. We are seeing plenty of that in our day.

Forgiveness is the church’s duty. Justice is the state’s duty. One cannot replace the other. When the magistrate executes justice, he acts as God’s servant in the temporal realm. When the church proclaims grace, it declares God’s mercy in the eternal realm.

Christ rules both. The magistrate must never presume to save souls by law, and the church must never attempt to govern nations by grace alone. Both serve under the same King, who is righteous and merciful.

Objections Answered

While I normally reserve objections answered for shorter Reformlets, it is essential here because the subject is both crucial and widely misunderstood. So let’s answer some of the common objections we hear when discussing the death penalty.

“The sanctity of life forbids taking life.”

The opposite is true. The death penalty affirms life’s sanctity. It says that to take innocent life is to strike at God’s image. Genesis 9:6 and Numbers 35:33 bind justice and sanctity together: the land is defiled when blood goes unavenged. This is why the only faithful response to those who take the life of the unborn, with malice and aforethought, must pay with their life.

“Jesus taught mercy, not execution.”

Jesus taught mercy to sinners, not impunity for the unrepentant. He commanded His followers to forgive personal wrongs, but He upheld the magistrate’s duty to bear the sword through His apostles. Mercy and justice are not opposites. They are distinct expressions of the same divine righteousness.

“What about wrongful convictions or bias?”

Scripture forbids hasty or corrupt justice. It demands multiple witnesses, public trials, and severe punishment for perjury. Prudence dictates restraint. Where systems are unjust, reform them. But do not deny what God ordained because men have failed.

“The gospel cancels the death penalty.”

The cross does not nullify earthly justice. The cross fulfills earthly justice. The thief who repented still died, yet he was received into paradise. Grace saves from eternal judgment, not from temporal consequence.

“Vengeance is God’s, not man’s.”

Yes, and God delegates a portion of that vengeance to His servant, the magistrate (Romans 13:4). Public justice prevents private revenge. It channels wrath through lawful righteousness and brings peace where chaos would reign. When justice is upheld, vengeance loses its grip. The sword restrains blood feuds and settles the matter under God’s order.

“The early church opposed it.”

Early Christian attitudes varied, often shaped by persecution. But the apostolic writings never question the sword’s legitimacy. The Reformed confessions reaffirmed it clearly: “The civil magistrate may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasions” and “punish evildoers” (WCF 23.2; Belgic 36).

Guardrails and Standards

Because the power of life and death is so serious, Scripture surrounds it with strict limits.

Proof: Two or three credible witnesses. Evidence must be corroborated. Secret trials are forbidden.
Process: Impartial judges, open hearings, penalties for false testimony.
Categories: Distinguish negligence from malice.
Protection: Cities of refuge in the old covenant find their modern parallel in appeals and review, protecting against mob justice and political abuse.
Clemency: Lawful clemency may be extended for repentance or mercy without erasing the principle of justice.
Equality: Justice must be blind to wealth, race, or class. “You shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great” (Leviticus 19:15).

The magistrate must wield the sword with trembling hands. The church must call him to righteousness.

Pastoral Charge

To rulers and officers: Your calling is sacred. You are God’s ministers of justice. Do not abuse your office or shrink from your duty. Uphold law with equity. Refuse corruption. Fear God, not men.

To pastors and churches: Teach your people the full counsel of God. Do not reduce justice to politics. Comfort victims. Call the guilty to repentance. Pray for righteous rulers. Rebuke lawless ones.

To citizens: Demand justice and mercy together. Reject the sentimentalism that excuses murderers while condemning lawful authority. Pray for the land, that the shedding of innocent blood may be purged by truth and righteousness.

The Cross and the Sword

The cross and the sword are not enemies. They serve the same King.

The sword preserves order in a fallen world. The cross redeems those who deserve the sword. Both declare that God is holy, just, and merciful. The blood of Christ speaks a better word than the blood of Abel, yet it does not erase the principle that gave rise to justice in the first place.

Psalm 85:10 says, “Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” That is the harmony of the gospel and the law of grace and justice under Christ’s reign.

The church keeps the keys. The magistrate keeps the sword. Christ is Lord over both.

Share this to help restore clarity and courage where justice and mercy have been confused.

The Curse of Usurping Headship

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Since the fall, women have wrestled with an impulse to control or dominate men. It is a distortion of the good order God established at creation. In Genesis 3:16, God said to the woman, “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” The word “desire” is not about affection. It is the same word used in Genesis 4:7, where sin’s desire is to rule over Cain. It pictures a struggle for mastery. From that day forward, this conflict has played out in every home, every church, and every society where headship is resisted.

“Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)

The same impulse that distorts marriage also seeps into every other sphere of life. When women reject God’s design or when men refuse to lead, confusion multiplies. In civil life, this curse is seen when women rule as magistrates. Scripture describes this as judgment.

“My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people, those who guide you lead you astray and confuse the direction of your paths.” (Isaiah 3:12)

God’s design was harmonious. The man was created to lead with love, and the woman to help with honor (Genesis 2:18; Ephesians 5:22–24). Sin turned harmony into competition and strife, but the gospel restores what was lost. When women seek control, or when men surrender leadership to keep peace, both reject the covenant pattern of Christ and His Church.

The answer to feminine domination is not masculine tyranny. The answer is redeemed order. Men must lead with strength, humility, and courage. Women must follow with faith and gladness. The cross restores what the curse corrupted.

“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church.” (Ephesians 5:22–23)

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “That’s just patriarchy or cultural bias.”

Response: This is not cultural bias. It is creation order. Paul roots it in Adam and Eve, not in Roman society. Redemption redeems headship.

“For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.” (1 Timothy 2:13)

Objection: “But strong women lead too.”

Response: Scripture honors strength. “Strength and dignity are her clothing” (Proverbs 31:25). But true strength is not rebellion but obedience. A godly woman’s strength is fruitful, wise, and aligned with God’s design.

Objection: “Women can serve as rulers if they are capable.”

Response: Scripture warns that when women rule over men it is a mark of disorder and judgment (Isaiah 3:12). Capability does not cancel calling. God’s order extends from the home to the nation. Authority belongs to those He has appointed, not to those who seize it.

Truth That Withstands

The gospel fulfills creation’s order. A woman’s redeemed glory is found in magnifying Christ through joyful submission to godly headship. When both men and women walk in this pattern, their home becomes a living picture of Christ and His Church. And when nations honor this order, they reflect the wisdom of God rather than the confusion of the world and are blessed through it.

Share this one. The world needs reminders that God’s order is still good.

Ministers at the Border: Law, Order, and the Gospel in an Age of Lawlessness

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Present Barrage

We live in a time when lawlessness is celebrated and authority despised. Officers who keep order are treated as enemies. Federal agents who serve in Border Patrol, ICE, and those who help them are cursed for enforcing the laws they swore to uphold. The crowd cheers those who break boundaries and condemns those who guard them. Politicians often remain silent, and many pulpits do too.

Join the War Journal and stand for truth, order, and courage in Christ’s kingdom.

This hostility is far more than political. This is spiritual warfare. When men reject lawful authority, they are rejecting God who established it. It is yet another way that man wars against God. When they despise boundaries, they are despising His design. The border crisis, immigration, and the outrage surrounding it, are not first about policy but about rebellion against God’s order. God formed nations, appointed their times, and set their boundaries. What He ordains cannot be erased, and so it is opposed.

Law Enforcement as God’s Ministry

Scripture calls the civil authority a servant of God.

“For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (Romans 13:1–2, LSB).

The magistrate does not bear the sword in vain. He is God’s minister for good, sent to punish evil and reward righteousness. Peter says the same:

“Submit yourselves for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good” (1 Peter 2:13–14, LSB).

Authority is an ordinance of God. The officer who upholds justice serves under Christ’s kingship. His duty reflects God’s own righteousness. Acts 17:26 teaches that God “made from one man every nation of mankind… having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.” Borders are part of God’s providence. Defending them is a lawful act of stewardship.

Compassion and Law Together

Scripture joins compassion and justice. You cannot have one without the other. God executes justice for the widow, orphan, and sojourner, and He commands His people to do the same (Deuteronomy 10:18–19). Exodus 23:9 instructs Israel not to oppress the sojourner, for they knew what it was to be foreigners in Egypt.

But compassion does not negate law. The sojourner was to live under the host nation’s order. To love him meant to treat him justly within that order, not to ignore it. Mercy without righteousness becomes an excuse for disorder. We see that God’s compassion always walks within His commands.

Christians must love the stranger and serve those in need. We are commanded to feed, clothe, and care for them. But we must not help them in rebellion against law. We must not encourage them and others to flee from justice and order. True compassion upholds justice. It honors the God who is both merciful and righteous.

The Spirit of Lawlessness

The Apostle Paul spoke of “the mystery of lawlessness” already at work in his time (2 Thessalonians 2:7). It continues today. Rebellion against authority is rebellion against God Himself. Psalm 2 describes the pattern: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against Yahweh and against His Anointed.”

When people riot, defy authority, and mock those who keep order, they act out that same defiance. Their anger is not simply against men. The rage that we are witnessing is against the God who gave them rule. Those who revile authority and celebrate chaos will not escape His judgment. Scripture warns plainly: “Those who resist will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:2).

A Word to the Officers

To those enforcing immigration laws in the interior and at the border, your work is meaningful. It is a calling under God. The same Lord who commands pastors to preach commands you to restrain evil. Both are ministries of righteousness.

John the Baptist said to soldiers, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or extort anyone, and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:14). Your work must be marked by honesty and restraint. Do your duty with integrity. Serve without bitterness. Refuse unlawful orders, but never shrink from lawful ones.

When you are slandered, remember this promise: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9). “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The Lord of hosts sees every act of courage. He will not forget.

A Word to the Church

The greater shame lies with the church. Many pulpits have grown silent where they should speak. There is an unrighteous fear of speaking about controversial matters, yet it is often in those very places that hope and clarity are most needed. Many Christians repeat the world’s slogans of compassion while neglecting God’s justice. They have lost their understanding of the magistrate as God’s servant.

Law and order are gifts from God. When they fall, society collapses and the gospel’s witness is weakened. The church must teach this again. Pray for those who serve. Encourage them. Feed them. Stand beside them. Honor their calling as part of God’s common grace to a fallen world.

Pastors must preach a full theology of authority and justice. Congregations must reject the world’s false mercy that excuses sin while condemning righteousness. True compassion keeps the law of God. True justice honors His name.

Courage for the Faithful

To those who serve with courage and integrity: stand firm. “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). The God of order stands with His servants.

And to the church: stop being silent. Speak truth into the storm. Pray for peace by upholding justice. Defend those who serve lawfully. The sword borne in righteousness is not evil. It is ordained for good.

The God of peace and order will vindicate His servants. Until that day, remain steadfast. Uphold truth. Hold the line. The Lord reigns, and His justice will not fail.

Share this to encourage those who serve with integrity and to remind the church that law and order are ministries of God.

Should Men Manage the Family Finances?

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern households often treat finances as a matter of preference. Whoever’s better at math or spreadsheets takes charge. However, Scripture places the weight of provision and stewardship on the husband.

“For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church.” (Ephesians 5:23)

Here’s an easy financial decision: Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

The man is called to lead the home as Christ leads the Church, to provide for his household (1 Timothy 5:8), and to exercise dominion over the resources God entrusts to him (Genesis 2:15). Though this calling doesn’t exclude his wife’s industriousness and wisdom as a helper. Proverbs 31 praises a woman who “considers a field and buys it,” whose hands “hold the distaff” and “reach out to the needy.” Her work strengthens the home, but it does not replace her husband’s responsibility to direct it.

Biblical manhood embraces financial leadership as covenantal accountability. The husband guides the household’s resources toward faithfulness, fruitfulness, and the glory of Christ. When men abdicate this duty, their homes often drift toward worldly priorities instead of covenantal faithfulness.

“If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

The biblical pattern of provision and leadership was established from the beginning. Adam was charged “to work and to keep” the garden (Genesis 2:15). His calling was faithful stewardship. Every husband today bears that same responsibility.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Finances should go to whoever’s more gifted, regardless of gender.”

Response: God’s order is not built on efficiency but on covenant roles. Skills may be shared but authority may not. The husband is answerable before God for how his household is governed, including its economic direction.

“The head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Truth That Withstands

Financial leadership in the home is not about control but covenant. The man’s headship is sacrificial, accountable, and purposeful. When husbands lead well, homes are ordered toward faithfulness and equipped for fruitfulness.

This post is pubic. Share it with someone who still thinks ‘head of household’ is just a tax category.

The Rapture Theory Is a Modern Lie

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Dispensationalism has sold millions of books and shaped much of modern evangelical culture. Its foundation, however, is a distortion that undermines the gospel’s announcement of Christ’s present reign.

The system claims Jesus offered His kingdom to Israel, Israel rejected it, and the kingdom was postponed until a future millennium. To bridge the newly inserted gap, John Nelson Darby in the 1830s introduced a “secret rapture” in which believers are removed before tribulation. This was not apostolic teaching and was not historical church doctrine or belief. It was a nineteenth-century invention.

History shows this for us. Margaret MacDonald’s 1830 vision hinted at a secret coming but was vague and mystical. Scholars debate how much Margaret MacDonald influenced Darby, but Darby was the one who systematized the idea. C. I. Scofield then popularized it through his reference Bible, and American evangelicalism embraced it as if it were apostolic truth.

This new system fractures Scripture by splitting God’s people into two parallel tracks, Israel and the church, despite the Bible’s insistence on one olive tree, one people of God, and one new man in Christ.

This scheme also denies the plain words of Jesus and the vision of Daniel. Daniel saw the Son of Man coming on the clouds to receive the kingdom from the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13–14). Jesus applied that prophecy to Himself before the Sanhedrin, declaring, “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64). He was proclaiming His enthronement as King and judgment on Jerusalem. To claim the kingdom was postponed is to say Daniel’s vision and Christ’s own testimony were false.

Jesus said the kingdom arrived with His own ministry.

“If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28)

From the start He preached the same.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

At Pentecost the apostles proclaimed that Jesus now sits on David’s throne.

“Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne… this Jesus God raised up again… For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:30–36)

Matthew 24 is not a rapture chart or some mystical future event for us. In its plain sense it addresses judgment on that generation and the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. Jesus said so.

“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (Matthew 24:34)

The Bible does not teach two returns of Christ in stages. Paul says the Lord will descend with a shout, the dead will rise, and the living will be caught up together to meet Him.

“The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God… and we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17)

Christ returns, believers are preserved in Him, the wicked are swept away, and the saints inherit the world (Matt. 13:41–43; Matt. 5:5). Christ’s already-inaugurated reign advances through the nations now, and His return will consummate, not postpone, His promises.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “We are rightly dividing the Word by distinguishing Israel and the church.”

This claim fractures Scripture. Gentiles are grafted into Israel’s olive tree (Romans 11:17–24). Paul blesses the church as the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). In Christ, Jew and Gentile become one new man (Ephesians 2:14–16).

Objection: “Matthew 24 describes a future rapture timetable.”

Jesus placed the bulk of Matthew 24 within the horizon of His hearers. “This generation” signals judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70 and the end of the old-covenant order. The New Testament elsewhere describes a single, public return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:23–26).

Objection: “The kingdom was offered, rejected, and postponed.”

Jesus announced the kingdom present and active in His ministry (Mark 1:15; Matthew 12:28). Peter preached Christ enthroned on David’s throne now (Acts 2:30–36). Postponement is not the apostolic message.

Objection: “The secret rapture is historic Christian teaching.”

The documented trail runs through MacDonald’s 1830 vision, Darby’s system, and Scofield’s notes. The church and the Reformers confessed a single visible appearing of Christ, not a secret extraction of the church.

Truth That Withstands

Christ reigns now. The kingdom arrived with His first coming and advances through Word and Spirit as the nations are discipled and taught to obey Him. Matthew 24 chiefly foretold judgment on Jerusalem, not a secret evacuation of the church. Scripture teaches one public return of the King, when the earth will be renewed and the meek will inherit it. To cling to postponement and secret raptures is to trade the gospel’s present power for a nineteenth-century invention of despair.

How Should Christians Pursue Marriage Faithfully?

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Our Culture vs. God’s Word

Our age treats marriage like a preference. It is marketed as a lifestyle choice, like a career path or a diet plan. Some pursue it. Others delay it. Many discard it altogether. But Scripture does not present marriage as optional. It presents marriage as creation ordinance, covenantal duty, and a gift from God. To neglect or despise it is to despise God’s design.

The Beginning: Genesis 2

God Himself declared, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18, LSB). Adam did not invent marriage. God did. He created Eve, brought her to Adam, giving the woman to the man as his covenant helper. Genesis 2 ends with this pattern: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” (v. 24). This is covenantal language. The man is called to leave the household that raised him and to establish a new covenant household with his wife. Marriage is public, permanent, and fruitful. It is the first institution God gave, the foundation for households, nations, and the church itself.

Subscribe to the War Journal for Scripture-saturated essays on life under Christ’s reign.

Marriage Held in Honor

The writer of Hebrews declares, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4, LSB). Marriage is not just for some. It is to be honored by all. To treat it lightly, delay it without cause, or tolerate its corruption is sin. The Westminster Confession of Faith is blunt: “Marriage is to be between one man and one woman… it was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the church with a holy seed, and for preventing of uncleanness” (WCF 24.1–2).

Singleness: Rare and Exceptional

Paul speaks of singleness in 1 Corinthians 7, but he speaks of it as a gift given only to some. “But I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each has his own gift from God” (1 Corinthians 7:7, LSB). It is not the ordinary call. It is the exception. Paul counsels widows to remarry (1 Cor. 7:9) and exhorts younger women, “I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no opportunity for reproach” (1 Timothy 5:14, LSB). Scripture assumes marriage as the norm, not the outlier. To pursue singleness as a standard or delay it until later in life is to invert God’s order and subvert His plan.

The Household Mandate

Marriage creates households. And households are the building blocks of Christ’s church and kingdom. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). Wives are called to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ (Ephesians 5:22–24). Children are commanded to honor father and mother (Ephesians 6:1). Households are the covenantal pattern we are to live by.

The Heidelberg Catechism makes this plain. Q/A 108 asks: “What does the seventh commandment teach us?” The answer: “That all unchastity is accursed of God; and that we should therefore loathe it with our whole heart, and live chastely and modestly, whether in holy wedlock or single life.” Q/A 109 then presses further, teaching that God forbids not only outward impurity but even unchaste thoughts, words, and looks. Purity is covenantal obedience worked out in bodies, marriages, and households.

Covenant Examples

Scripture is filled with examples of covenant households being built through marriage. Abraham did not leave Isaac to wander the land looking for a bride. He sent his servant under oath to secure Rebekah, showing the weight and deliberateness of covenant marriage (Genesis 24). Boaz did not take Ruth in secret. He redeemed her publicly at the city gate with witnesses, tying her to the line of David and ultimately to Christ (Ruth 4).

We also see Jacob laboring fourteen years for Rachel, his household bound to covenant promises (Genesis 29). Moses received Zipporah from Jethro, her father giving her in marriage (Exodus 2:21). Even Samson’s tragic story assumes that marriage is a family-governed covenant, arranged and recognized within the community (Judges 14:2).

In every case, marriage was never private, experimental, or casual. It was covenant. Families were involved. The community bore witness. Fruitfulness was expected. Faithfulness was the goal. To separate marriage from family oversight and covenantal accountability is a modern distortion, not the biblical pattern.

The Church’s Failure

Our churches have too often treated God’s commands as preferences. We delay marriage as if a decade of extended adolescence were normal. It has become normal to send our daughters away to “experience life” at school before marriage or pursue careers and work outside of the home, as if household fruitfulness were a distraction from their real calling or even viable alternatives.

We fail to train sons to work, to lead, and to take wives. Instead, we allow them to waste their strength in gaming and endless scrolling on social media, rather than forming and strengthening young men to shoulder responsibility early. We treat them like children and they remain a child. We fail to train daughters to love fruitfulness, discern godly men, and build households. We leave marriage to chance, like a hobby, and then act surprised when our churches are filled with broken families. Elders fail to speak clearly, even promoting dating cultures that foster adultery rather than covenantal faithfulness. Parents fail to act deliberately. The church then suffers because marriage is despised in practice even if honored in words.

But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. - James 1:22

Recovering Faithful Practice

What then should we do? Parents must recover their role in preparing sons and daughters. Sons should be trained to work diligently, to lead with wisdom, to seek wives and establish covenant households. Daughters should be raised to prize faithfulness, to love their husbands, to love children, and to discern godly men. Elders must counsel, affirm, and warn in the process. Marriage must be pursued in the light, with prayer, with the Word, and with purity.

Churches must move beyond warnings against fornication and actively cultivate marriages. Parents must network with like-minded families, creating opportunities for their children to know and be known. Fathers must guide sons toward responsibility. Mothers must help daughters prize fruitfulness above the shallow ambitions of careerism. Elders must not wait passively but actively shepherd young men and women into covenant faithfulness.

The church must learn again that preparing for marriage is not “old-fashioned” but obedience to God. When households are strong, churches are strong. When churches are strong, society is strong. When marriages produce holy offspring, the kingdom advances. This is covenantal faithfulness for the glory of Christ.

Theological Conclusion

Marriage is theological. It is a picture of Christ and His church. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:31–32, LSB). To despise marriage is to despise God’s image. To delay it or treat it as optional is to treat lightly what God calls holy.

Pastoral Exhortation

Marriage is not optional. It is a creation ordinance, a covenantal duty, and a gift from God. It builds households, guards purity, and advances Christ’s kingdom. The church must recover the honor of marriage. Parents must prepare their children. Elders must guide their flocks. Sons and daughters must seek to walk faithfully into covenant households.

The enemy knows that to despise marriage is to despise Christ’s order. That is why the world delays, mocks, and destroys it. But the church must not follow. We are called to honor what God calls holy.

Marriage is not a preference. It is obedience. It is joy. It is covenantal faithfulness. It is a weapon in the hand of Christ to build His kingdom.

Share this essay to call the church back to covenant faithfulness.

Is Opposing Christian Nationalism Opposing the Gospel?

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The gospel is not a vague offer of spirituality. It is the royal announcement that Jesus Christ is Lord, crucified, risen, and enthroned. This good news is not limited to the private heart. It demands obedience from kings as well as common men.

“Now therefore, O kings, show insight; take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He become angry and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:10–12)

Photo by Cody Otto on Unsplash

Christ’s authority is universal. He Himself said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28:18–19). Revelation declares Him “the ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5). To oppose the public rule of Christ is to oppose the gospel itself.

Christian rulers are not permitted to govern neutrally. They must “kiss the Son” by ruling in obedience to His Word. The magistrate holds a distinct office from the church. He bears the sword (Romans 13). The church proclaims Word and sacrament. Both remain accountable to Christ.

God’s law is not fragmented. The ceremonial shadows are fulfilled in Christ. Israel’s civil code as a nation has passed away. Yet the abiding moral principles remain. The Westminster Confession says, “The moral law doth for ever bind all” and that the civil laws expired “save only the general equity thereof” (WCF 19.4). That equity still governs nations. When God commanded Israel to build railings on rooftops to protect life (Deuteronomy 22:8), He revealed His enduring concern for justice and safety. Rulers today are no less bound to reflect His standard.

The civil magistrate must legislate by God’s moral law and the principles revealed in Scripture. Neutrality is a lie. Every ruler confesses a god, whether Baal, Allah, the “will of the people,” or Christ. The gospel requires that kings bow to Jesus.

Semper Reformanda

Objection: “Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world.” Many take this to mean Christ’s rule is entirely inward and spiritual, with no claim over politics, nations, or public life. But Jesus was speaking of the origin of His kingdom, not its reach. His authority is from above, not from men. Yet He immediately commanded His disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28:18–19). John 18:36 does not limit Christ’s kingship; it proclaims its heavenly source and worldwide scope.

Objection: “We must avoid theocracy.” The fear here is of a church-run state or coerced religion. And they are right to fear it, because worship cannot be forced, and the church does not wield the sword. But this misses the point. The magistrate still answers to Christ. Romans 13 says rulers are “ministers of God” who must punish evil and reward good. The church and state have distinct roles, but neither is free from Christ’s authority. A faithful Christian nationalism is not about priests in parliament, but rulers governing in obedience to God’s law.

Objection: “Pluralism protects liberty.” The claim is that neutrality is the safeguard of freedom, and that rulers must not favor one religion above another. But neutrality is a myth. Every law reflects morality, and every morality flows from a confession of who or what is ultimate. If Christ is not Lord in the public square, then another god will be. Scripture warns rulers of this false neutrality: “Now therefore, O kings, show insight; take warning, O judges of the earth. Kiss the Son…” (Psalm 2:10–12). Liberty is only safe where Christ reigns.

Objection: “The gospel is about saving souls, not nations.” This is perhaps the most common retreat. But it divides what Scripture holds together. The same Christ who saves sinners is the One who rules nations. The Great Commission does not stop at individuals but commands, “make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). Isaiah foresaw the day when kings would “shut their mouths” because of Him (Isaiah 52:15). The gospel is personal, but it is never private. To reduce it to soul-saving only is to cut off its cosmic scope and deny its full power.

Truth That Withstands

Some say Christ’s kingdom is only spiritual. Others fear theocracy. Still others cling to pluralism or shrink the gospel down to saving souls. Each of these objections misses the point. Christ is Lord already, not by our permission but by the Father’s decree. His kingdom is not from this world, but it fills this world. The church does not wield the sword, but the magistrate still answers to Him. Neutrality is a myth, and every ruler serves some god. And the gospel that saves sinners is the same gospel that commands nations to bow.

The gospel announces a reigning King. Christ is Lord over heaven and earth, over private men and public rulers alike. To oppose His kingship in the civil realm is unbelief. Christian rulers must govern by His Word, and the church must proclaim that no authority stands above Him.

An 18-Year-Old’s Path to Marriage in a Reformed Home

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In this candid father–daughter conversation, we talk about what it’s like to prepare for marriage as an 18-year-old raised in a Reformed home without dating. She shares the blessings and challenges of our family’s approach, her hopes for a godly husband, and her honest reflections on exploring platforms like HelpMeetSingles.com. Together we discuss the scarcity of mature, theologically sound men, the importance of family involvement, and how Scripture shapes expectations for marriage. This is a living room conversation about faith, family, and walking faithfully in a confused age.

The Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

A Public Contrast

Two voices came out after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. His widow, Erika, spoke of forgiveness. Ilhan Omar, on the other hand, spit on his name. She wanted his memory buried. One voice was the voice of true faith. The other, the voice of unbelief. This is about two kingdoms colliding in public.

Faith in Suffering

Christians are not called to bitterness in grief. We are called to faith. To not seek revenge when wronged. “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44, LSB). This only comes from union with Christ.

From the cross, Christ prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34, LSB). That prayer was not blanket absolution but an appeal to the Father’s mercy, knowing some of those very enemies would later repent at Pentecost. Stephen echoed it as the stones struck, entrusting his persecutors to God’s judgment and mercy. What both show us is the posture of faith in suffering: not vengeance, but handing justice into God’s hands. Erika, through tears, displayed the same posture. It is not the denial of justice. It is refusing to answer evil with evil and leaving the final word to God.

Forgiveness of the repentant and not turning evil for evil is not pretending justice doesn’t matter. It is refusing personal revenge and handing the sword back to God. “Never take your own revenge… for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19, LSB). That is why the magistrate exists. “For it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:4, LSB). Forgiveness and justice are not enemies. They belong together. They must both be upheld.

The Way of Unbelief

But unbelief has no Judge. If there is no God, there is no final accounting. So grief turns to rage. Sorrow becomes scorn. Vengeance must be taken in this life, because unbelief denies any reckoning after death. Death becomes a chance to erase the enemy’s name. That is what Ilhan Omar put on full display. Not correction. Not justice. But malice.

James is blunt: “This wisdom is… earthly, natural, demonic” (James 3:15, LSB). Where bitterness rules, there is disorder. This is slavery. And this is why we proclaim there is only one way to be set free.

Jesus said, “The good man brings forth what is good… the evil man brings forth what is evil” (Luke 6:45, LSB). The fruit shows the root. Grace produces forgiveness. It entrusts revenge to the Lord. Flesh produces rage. We saw it in plain sight.

A Point of Clarity

Forgiveness does not mean sin disappears. It does not mean we never weigh a man’s words. It does not forsake justice. Charlie Kirk, like all men, must be measured against Scripture. But mocking a dead man is evil. It is suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. And that hatred reveals unbelief.

This moment has revealed the wickedness of Islam and that its end is the way of death.

The Church’s Test

The question is for us. What kind of Christians are we raising? Are we preparing households to grieve with hope? Or to grieve like the world: angry, bitter, and without Christ? Hebrews says, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, LSB). Our grief must be sanctified. Our anger must be sanctified. Our actions must walk in the Light.

Closing Word

This assassination showed more than politics. It exposed hearts. One chose grace. The other chose bitterness. One looked to Christ. The other to the flesh.

Grace is the break in the cycle. It overcomes evil with good and proclaims the power of the gospel to the world.

“Free Palestine” and the Rebellion Against Christ

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Deceptive Slogan

“Free Palestine.” The words sound like a cry for liberty. They carry the weight of suffering and the allure of justice. But slogans deceive. Behind them often lies a very different reality. This one has become a banner for terrorism, bloodshed, and hatred of order. It glorifies chaos instead of peace. It calls rebellion against God’s law “freedom,” when in truth it is slavery to sin.

The Word of God Speaks

The Bible tells us to expect such movements. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples meditate on a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against Yahweh and against His Anointed” (Psalm 2:1–2, LSB). Every rebellion is ultimately against Christ.

Isaiah warns, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20, LSB). That is what happens when terrorism is called liberation and violence is named justice.

Paul reminds us of God’s order: “For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God… for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain” (Romans 13:1, 4, LSB). True justice is the restraint of evil, not its celebration.

And Christ exposes the root: “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44, LSB). Bloodlust and rebellion are not freedom. They are the devil’s work.

Counterfeit Freedom vs. True Liberty

The gospel proclaims real liberty: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore stand firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, LSB).

This isn’t the freedom mobs or militias seek. It is freedom from sin, the liberty to obey Christ, to live in righteousness, and to walk in peace. The “freedom” of Hamas and of Western radicals waving the same slogans is no such thing. It exposes their bondage to rage. It is slavery to lawlessness. It promises liberation but delivers only chains.

Covenant Theology Brings Clarity

The confusion deepens when Christians misread Israel and Palestine through the lens of covenant. Covenant theology guards us from this error.

The promises to Israel were types and shadows fulfilled in Christ. “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ” (Galatians 3:16, LSB). The old covenant pointed to Him.

The church, united to Christ, is the true Israel of God. “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19, LSB). Paul ends his letter to the Galatians blessing “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16, LSB), speaking of the church.

Hebrews reminds us that Israel’s institutions were “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5, LSB). They were never ends in themselves.

Neither modern Israel nor Palestine holds covenantal title to God’s promises. The inheritance is not a strip of land. “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as Your possession” (Psalm 2:8, LSB). Christ said, “Blessed are the lowly, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5, LSB). The covenant points us to Christ, who owns the whole world.

Rejecting False Alignments

Christians fall into error when they choose sides on false terms. Christian Zionism wrongly assigns covenantal promise to a modern nation-state. “Christian Palestinianism” romanticizes rebellion as liberation. Both are covenantal errors. Both distract from the truth: Christ is the true Israel, and in Him the church inherits the nations.

Calvin warned that civil order is God’s gift, given to restrain chaos. The Westminster Confession (23.3) affirms that magistrates are to punish evildoers and preserve good order. When Christians align with movements that despise such order, they deny God’s design.

A Pastoral Call

Compassion is not compromise. We ought to grieve for civilians suffering under tyranny and war. We should pray for both Jew and Gentile to find life in Christ. But compassion does not mean blessing lawless movements. To endorse rebellion is to bless the works of the flesh.

Christians must learn to discern slogans. Not every cry for freedom is the freedom Christ gives. Not every call for justice is rooted in God’s justice. Compassion for individuals must never become allegiance to causes that hate Christ.

Christ, the Prince of Peace

The kingdom of Christ is the only true hope of peace and civility. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will be on His shoulders… There will be no end to the increase of His government or peace” (Isaiah 9:6–7, LSB).

Every movement that wars against civility ultimately wars against Him. Their slogans cannot hide their rebellion. But Christ reigns now, and His kingdom is advancing. His peace will fill the earth.

No One Has Ultimate Free Speech

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Every Word Matters

No one has absolute free speech. Not before God. Not before His law. The claim of “ultimate” liberty of speech is a lie. Every word will be judged. “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36, LSB).

That means speech that celebrates terror is not liberty. Celebrating terror brings guilt. When men cheer the murder of a Christian for his words, they are not “just speaking.” They are standing as accomplices before the throne of God.

The Word of God Speaks

Paul writes of the ungodly, “Although they know the righteous requirement of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them” (Romans 1:32, LSB). To approve of murder is to share in it.

The magistrate exists to restrain such evil. “For rulers are not a terror to good work, but to evil… for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain” (Romans 13:3–4, LSB). Evil words that promote murder are not neutral. They are part of the crime.

From the beginning, God established justice: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:6, LSB). Murder demands judgment. But those who fuel it with their words are not free. They too come under God’s condemnation.

Complicity Is Treason

Celebrating Charlie Kirk’s murder is not just a matter of opinion. It is complicity in terror. To approve of assassination because one hates a message is to declare war on God’s order. Such speech is treason against Yahweh, who made rulers to defend the righteous and punish the wicked.

The magistrate must not hide behind the shield of “absolute free speech.” Approving violence is not protected by God’s law. It is exactly the kind of evil that invites His wrath.

The Reformed Witness

The Reformers never imagined “ultimate” free speech. They knew that every word was accountable before God, and they charged rulers to restrain public evil. Calvin wrote: “For if they (magistrates) are appointed protectors and vindicators of public innocence, modesty, honesty, and tranquility, their sole endeavor must be to provide that their office be not profaned and polluted with impunity by public blasphemies against God’s name, by public slanders against His truth, and other offenses against religion.” (Institutes 4.20.3).

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) declared that magistrates are “to take order, that… all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed” (WCF 23.3).

The Belgic Confession in its original form confessed the same: “He has armed them with the sword to punish evil people and protect the good. And their task of restraining and sustaining is not limited to public order but includes protecting the ministry of the church, in order that the kingdom of Christ may come.” (Article 36).

The Reformers denied that “speech” which destroyed life, corrupted worship, or incited rebellion could ever be left unchecked. They upheld liberty for the gospel, not license for blasphemy and terror.

Liberty, But Not Impunity

This is where modern confusion lies. There is real room for debate, for searching out the truth, for public disagreement. The Reformers themselves argued fiercely, even publishing works that defended open discussion. But they never equated liberty with impunity.

Speech that exposes truth is one thing. Speech that calls for blood or rejoices in it is another. One builds the common good under Christ’s reign. The other tears it down and must be punished.

A Word to the Church

Christians must not be naïve. Words matter. God will judge every one of them. To minimize speech that incites murder as “protected activity” is to despise His Word. We must name evil clearly, call rulers to their duty, and pray for justice to be done.

At the same time, we do not lose hope. The kingdom is not silenced by terror. The Judge of all the earth hears every careless word, and He will bring every deed into judgment.

Closing Exhortation

Every word matters to God. Speech that celebrates murder cannot be left unpunished, it is complicity in terror. And the magistrate bears the sword for this very reason: to punish evildoers, to defend those who do good, and to uphold God’s order in the world.

The church must keep her courage. Christ reigns. Terror cannot silence the Word of God. History shows that persecution advances, not silences, the gospel.

Terror Cannot Silence the Word of God

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When Speech Is Met with Murder

Charlie Kirk has been murdered because of his speech. However one judged his words, this act must be named for what it is. When speech is responded to with blood, it is terrorism. The aim was silence, not just of him but of others who share the same message. The intent was to plant fear. Such murder is rebellion against the God who gave both life and truth.

And there is something especially revealing here. Kirk was known for debate, for conversation, for saying, “let’s talk about it.” By killing such a man, the terrorists showed their hand. They were not rejecting his arguments. They were rejecting the very possibility of conversation. This was an act of desperation. When words are met with murder, terror has declared it has no defense except the sword.

The Word of God Speaks

God’s Word does not leave such crimes undefined. “For rulers are not a terror to good work, but to evil… for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain” (Romans 13:3–4, LSB). The state exists to punish evil.

“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man”(Genesis 9:6, LSB). Murder is not simply against man; it is an assault on God’s image.

Paul warns that approving such crimes is itself wickedness: “Although they know the righteous requirement of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them” (Romans 1:32, LSB).

And Christ Himself warned, “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well” (John 15:20, LSB). The killing of a Christian for his speech is no surprise in a world that hates Christ. Yet Acts tells us that persecution does not stop the gospel. “Therefore, those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word” (Acts 8:4, LSB).

Defining Terror Biblically

Violence aimed to silence the righteous is terror. Murder for speech isn’t just political rebellion. What we are seeing is spiritual war against God’s order. The purpose is fear, but the fruit is condemnation. This kind of terror is the coward’s weapon against the truth.

The Guilt of Complicity

Evil does not end with the one who pulls the trigger. Those who celebrate or approve of the death of a Christian because of his words share the guilt. To advocate or applaud this act is treason against God’s justice. It is to stand with Cain against Abel, with the mob that stoned Stephen, with the persecutors who scattered the church. Such complicity is not neutral. This is sin that cries out for judgment. The guilty must face justice. The guilty will face justice

The Magistrate’s Duty

God gave the sword to rulers to punish crimes like this. When murder is committed to silence the truth, the magistrate must act swiftly and decisively. Calvin wrote, “For if the Lord has appointed them guardians of righteousness and defenders of innocence, they are obligated to give their diligence that God may be honored, that pure religion may flourish, that honesty may be maintained, and that innocence may be safeguarded.”

If rulers fail to punish evil, they invert their calling. They become a terror to the righteous instead of to the wicked. To allow terror to go unanswered is itself an act of injustice.

Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:11, LSB)

A Word to the Church

Christians must name this evil clearly. Pray for justice. Pray for the comfort of the grieving. But do not be afraid. The blood of the martyrs has always advanced the kingdom. Luther once said, “The blood of the Christians is the seed of the church.” What men mean for terror, God turns to triumph.

Our hope is not in the calm of this age but in the reign of Christ. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and all authority belongs to Him. Murder cannot silence His Word.

Stand Firm

Church of Christ, do not retreat. Do not let fear make you silent. The world hated Christ, and it will hate those who follow Him. But Christ reigns. His kingdom cannot be shaken.

Terror cannot silence the Word of God. It only proves again what Scripture has promised: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it” (John 1:5).

WitchFest in Juneau: The Church’s Call in an Age of Open Paganism

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

How Did We Get Here?

This September, Juneau will host something that would have shocked earlier generations: a festival openly celebrating witchcraft. The posters advertise tarot readings, astrology, and a gathering of “witchy brethren.” What was once hidden in the dark is now promoted as a weekend attraction.

The question is not why unbelievers do this. The question is why it feels so ordinary. How did a city once touched by the witness of Christ grow comfortable with the public exaltation of sorcery?

Photo by Brendan Stephens on Unsplash

God’s Word on Sorcery

The Bible is plain. “You shall not allow a sorceress to live” (Exodus 22:18). “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer… For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh” (Deuteronomy 18:10–12).

When the gospel reached Ephesus, those who had practiced magic brought their books and burned them before all (Acts 19:19). Paul calls sorcery a work of the flesh that leads to death (Galatians 5:20). Revelation warns that sorcerers are among those cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8).

None of this is entertainment. None of it is harmless. It is demonic rebellion against the living God. Yet Christ has already disarmed every power. “Having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him” (Colossians 2:15).

The Real Problem

Unbelievers acting like unbelievers should not surprise us. Witchcraft belongs to a world at war with God. The greater scandal is the silence of the church.

In Juneau, paganism finds a home not because Satan has grown stronger but because Christ’s people have grown quieter. Men have abdicated headship in the home. Congregations divide instead of standing shoulder to shoulder. Pulpits too often preach distraction rather than the unflinching gospel of Christ against the idols of the age. Darkness advances because the light is hidden.

Why Christians Must Engage

Paul commands, “Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). To ignore WitchFest is not faithfulness. It is cowardice.

The gospel confronts public rebellion. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He determined” (Acts 17:30–31).

When the church retreats, paganism steps into the empty square.

What Engagement Could Look Like

Faithful engagement does not mean ranting on street corners or lashing out in anger. It means clarity, courage, and love.

Preaching: Pastors must speak plainly against the occult from the pulpit.
Public witness: Christians can gather to pray and bear gospel witness during such events, not as hecklers but as heralds.
Pastoral care: Shepherds must warn their people about the “lighter” forms of witchcraft marketed as harmless, from horoscopes to crystals.
Leadership: Men must lead in holiness within their homes and churches, refusing compromise.

Engagement is not about silencing unbelievers. It is about shining the light of Christ until the shadows scatter.

Encouragement for the Faithful

Do not forget: Christ has already triumphed. Pagan rituals may gather a crowd, but their power is empty. Even a small and faithful witness has weight. Division can be healed when churches repent and reform. And God has said He looks to the one who trembles at His Word (Isaiah 66:2).

Calvin once wrote that the human mind is “a perpetual forge of idols.” The forge burns hot in Juneau today, but Christ has already quenched its fire.

A Closing Exhortation

Darkness feels safe here because the church has been sleeping. WitchFest is not the true problem. It is a symptom. The real issue is whether Christ’s people will rise in holiness, unity, and courage.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it” (John 1:5).

Let the church wake. Let Juneau see a people who tremble at God’s Word and stand without fear before the powers of this age. Christ is Lord here, too.

Why Do Witches Feel Safe Celebrating in Public While the Church Stays Silent?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In towns across the country, festivals like ‘WitchFest’ openly celebrate tarot cards, astrology, crystals, and spells as entertainment. Fortune-tellers set up booths, and crowds treat sorcery like a novelty, no different than a food fair. What God calls rebellion, our age shrugs off as harmless fun.

But His Word is clear.

“You shall not allow a sorceress to live.” (Exodus 22:18)

“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh.” (Deuteronomy 18:10–12)

Sorcery is not harmless. It is an abomination. In Acts 19, when the gospel pierced the city of Ephesus, the people didn’t shrug and make peace with magic. They burned their books in public repentance:

“And many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” (Acts 19:19)

Here’s the real scandal. It isn’t that unbelievers act like unbelievers. The scandal is that the church has grown weak, divided, and silent. Failed leadership and inward bickering have given darkness room to parade without fear. Paul’s command could not be clearer:

“Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)

The church was never called to hide. Christ has already triumphed over every power and authority.

“When He had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them in Him.” (Colossians 2:15)

He disarmed them at the cross. He shamed them before heaven and earth. If Christ has already crushed the powers of darkness, then why do witches feel safe while Christians stay quiet? Because the church has forgotten her duty. We were saved to shine, not to retreat. We were called to proclaim, not to accommodate. When the gospel is preached with courage and holiness, darkness trembles.

Semper Reformanda

Some excuse these festivals by saying, “It’s just harmless fun.” God says otherwise. “Whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh” (Deuteronomy 18:12). To laugh at rebellion is to join in it. Others say, “The church should stay out of culture.” Scripture disagrees: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Silence is not an option. The church is commanded to be salt and light in the midst of a crooked generation.

Truth That Withstands

Christ is Lord. Sorcery is rebellion. Witchcraft is not a game but open war against God. The church must not remain silent while darkness parades. Our King has already triumphed over every power, and His people are called to expose the works of darkness with holiness, courage, and public witness.

For the deeper dive, watch for my next War Journal post where I will trace this through Scripture, the Reformers, and our own fractured witness today.

Read here: WitchFest in Juneau: The Church’s Call in an Age of Open Paganism

Should Women Work Outside the Home?

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The world preaches that a woman’s value is found in her career. Scripture declares something very different: her first calling is the household. God does not measure greatness by climbing corporate ladders but by faithfulness in the sphere He has assigned.

“Older women… are to encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be slandered.” (Titus 2:3–5)

Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

The home is the center of a woman’s vocation. It is the field where covenant children are raised, where hospitality is extended, where the faith is handed down.

When women seek roles outside of their God-given sphere, the order of creation itself is blurred. From the beginning, God made man the head and woman the helper (Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:3). The household is the place where that order is lived out most clearly. When the home is abandoned, headship is despised and the helper role is replaced with rivalry. The result is confusion. To exchange God’s pattern for man’s inventions is to undo the beauty of creation itself.

Proverbs 31 shows the true pattern. The excellent wife is industrious and creative. She plants vineyards, spins fabric, and trades goods. Every task is ordered around the strength and prosperity of her household. Her business flows out of her vocation, not in place of it. Lydia in Acts 16 was known for her trade, but her glory in Scripture is opening her home to the church.

The Reformers spoke the same. Luther said that bearing and raising children was the highest, holiest calling of womanhood. Calvin warned against despising the duties of the home, calling them the very means by which women fulfill their salvation in Christ.

Our culture has despised God’s design. Feminism declared the household bondage, and women were driven into the marketplace as if that were the path to freedom. The result is bitter: broken families, fatherless homes, and children discipled by strangers.

Christian women must not be ashamed of God’s order. The home is a kingdom outpost. To raise covenant children, to keep the household in godliness, to labor in love for husband, children, and neighbor—this is dominion work. It lays the foundation on which the church and nation stand.

Semper Reformanda

Some argue that Proverbs 31 or Lydia justify modern careerism. But the Proverbs 31 woman’s ventures all served her household, strengthening her husband’s reputation and her family’s provision. Lydia’s business is mentioned only briefly, while her household became the place where the church gathered. Scripture commends industriousness, but never at the expense of the home. To turn these examples into endorsements of career-first living distorts the text.

Truth That Withstands

God designed the home as the primary sphere of a woman’s calling. To keep the household is not small work. It is kingdom work. When embraced in faith, it builds families, strengthens churches, and extends Christ’s dominion to the next generation. The home is no prison. It is God’s appointed field of glory.

What Is the Gospel?

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The gospel is the good news of what God has done in Christ to save sinners. It is not advice. It is not a moral system. It is the announcement of salvation.

Gospel

The Bible says plainly:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Every one of us has broken God’s law. We deserve His judgment.

“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

We cannot save ourselves. But God, in His mercy, sent His Son.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Christ died for sinners.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

His death was not an accident. He bore the curse we deserved.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13)

And He rose again.

“He was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:25)

Now He calls every person everywhere to repent and believe.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

This is not optional.

“Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)

Salvation is not by works. It is not by good intentions.

“By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)

Faith means resting in Christ alone. His finished work, His death, His resurrection.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

This gospel is certain.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

The question is whether you bow now to Christ the Lord, or meet Him in judgment.

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Semper Reformanda

Some say, “I’m a good person, so God will accept me.” But Scripture says, “By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20). Others think, “Faith is just saying a prayer.” Yet Jesus warns: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father” (Matthew 7:21). True faith is living, repentant, obedient trust in Christ, not empty words.

Truth That Withstands

The gospel is simple and unchanging. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, He was raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). God commands all people everywhere to repent and believe in Him. To those who do, there is full forgiveness and eternal life. To those who refuse, only judgment remains. Today is the day of salvation. Turn and live.

1… 2… Should Parents Count to Three?

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Photo by Marco Aurélio Conde on Unsplash

Many parents fall into the habit of saying “One… two… three…” before they expect obedience. It seems harmless. But what does it teach? That a child can delay obedience until the last moment. That a parent’s word is negotiable. That God’s command, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1), can be postponed.

Scripture does not call children to eventual obedience. It calls them to immediate obedience. Delayed obedience is disobedience. The parent’s job is not to bargain with the child, but to train the child in God’s ways.

“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7)

God calls fathers to bring up children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Discipline means setting clear expectations and requiring joyful obedience, not threatening or negotiating with countdowns. Every “one, two, three” shifts authority away from God’s Word and into a parent’s convenience.

Parenting is hard, but it is not guesswork. God’s standard is clear. Require obedience right away, not because you crave control, but because you are shepherding your child to learn submission to the Lord Himself. If we tolerate slow obedience to parents, we train slow obedience to God.

The Christian home is not built on counting games. It is built on truth, discipline, and love that points children to Christ.

Semper Reformanda

Some say, “Counting gives kids time to process.” But Scripture does not give room for parents to relax God’s command. “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). Others argue, “It avoids conflict.” Yet peace is not found in lowering God’s standard, but in consistently applying it with patience and love. To soften the requirement of obedience may feel gentle, but it trains rebellion.

Truth That Withstands

God calls parents to train children in immediate, glad obedience. Delayed obedience is disobedience. By requiring it right away, we teach our children to honor the Lord whose Word is never negotiable. Parenting with firmness and love is not harsh… it is faithful.

Treating God’s Clear Word as “Preference” Is the Spirit of Autonomy, Not the Spirit of Christ

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

The Problem of Preferences

We live in an age where God’s clear Word is often reduced to the level of personal taste. What Scripture calls command, many treat as suggestion. “That’s just your interpretation.” “I don’t see it that way.” “We all have our preferences.” This is the vocabulary of a people who have forgotten they live under a King. Christ has spoken, and His Word is not optional. To shrug at His voice as if it were one opinion among many is not humility. It is rebellion.

The Word of God Confronts

From the beginning, the serpent’s whisper was not, “There is no God,” but, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1–5). Sin entered the world when God’s command was treated as open to preference.

Yet God honors the one “who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2). The Spirit of Christ teaches us to tremble at God’s Word, never to treat it lightly.

Paul reminded Timothy that “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable… so that the man of God may be equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). He then warned of a time when men “will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting their ears tickled, will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3). That warning is fulfilled wherever God’s Word is replaced with the tyranny of preference.

John gave the test plainly: “We are from God; the one who knows God hears us; the one who is not from God does not hear us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). To ignore apostolic testimony is not a neutral option. It is to align with the spirit of error.

Preference-Christianity Exposed

Let’s name the error: preference-Christianity. It is the spirit of autonomy. The flesh craves to rule, but the Spirit calls us to bow. Where the Spirit produces meekness, autonomy produces arrogance. James contrasts the two: “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good conduct his works in the gentleness of wisdom… But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth” (James 3:13–14). The wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, and submissive. The wisdom from below is self-made.

Preference-Christianity is nothing more than worldly wisdom.

Witness of the Fathers and Reformers

The church has long confessed the clarity and sufficiency of Scripture. The Westminster Confession of Faith says: “All things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, are either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture” (WCF 1.6). The Belgic Confession adds, “We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein” (Belgic 7).

At Worms in 1521, Luther stood before emperor and council and declared, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience.” He was showing that the Word of God binds every man, no matter the pressure or cost.

Calvin insisted that Scripture carries its own light: “The highest proof of Scripture derives in general from the fact that God in person speaks in it… the Word will never gain credit in the hearts of men until it is sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit” (Institutes 1.7.4). The authority of the Word does not wait on councils or magisteriums. It shines with the light of its own Author.

The church’s task is not to invent new standards but to continually yield to God’s unchanging Word. We are not free to reduce His commands to matters of taste; we must always bound to conform to His truth.

Contemporary Patterns

The spirit of autonomy shows itself in many places:

The Lord’s Day: God commands His people not to forsake assembling together (Hebrews 10:24–25). Yet many treat attendance as optional, a lifestyle preference.
Truthfulness: Paul commands, “Speak truth each one of you with his neighbor… Let no rotten word proceed from your mouth” (Ephesians 4:25, 29). Yet gossip, slander, and coarse talk are dismissed as personality quirks, not sins.
Sexual ethics: Paul commands, “Flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). But in an age of expressive autonomy, even professing Christians justify fornication, pornography, or perversions of God’s design.
Authority and accountability: The church is told, “Obey your leaders and submit to them” (Hebrews 13:17), while leaders are warned to accept correction (1 Timothy 5:19–20). Yet both commands are neglected — members refuse to submit, and elders refuse rebuke.
Children in worship: Parents are charged to bring their children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Yet many treat the gathered worship of Christ’s church as optional for their little ones, sending them away to “children’s church” as though the preaching of the Word were not for them. This undermines the covenantal reality that the Word is for the whole household of faith.

The Path Back

The antidote is the fear of the Lord. “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). God looks to the one who trembles at His Word (Isaiah 66:2).

The Spirit leads us to sit under tested teachers (Ephesians 4:11–16), to repent quickly when we hear the Word (James 1:22), and to adopt the Berean posture of testing all things by Scripture (Acts 17:11). Leaders are to invite correction, as Paul corrected Peter (Galatians 2:11–14), and as Timothy was instructed to receive charges against elders (1 Timothy 5:19–20). Peter himself calls elders to shepherd “not lording it over” but modeling humility (1 Peter 5:1–4).

This is the Spirit’s work: producing trembling hearts and soft consciences.

Exhortation

We must not reduce God’s commands to preferences. The Spirit of Christ produces meekness before the Word. The spirit of autonomy produces rebellion.

Remember:

The Spirit makes soft hearts; the flesh makes soft commands.

Should Kids Be Sent to “Children’s Church”?

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

God never designed worship to be split by age. His people are called to gather together as one body before Him. Fathers, mothers, and children alike are meant to stand under the Word, sing His praise, and learn His ways together.

Photo by Carlos Magno on Unsplash

In the Old Testament, children were not dismissed when the covenant was renewed. They were included:

“Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the sojourner who is within your gates, that they may hear and learn and fear Yahweh your God and be careful to do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 31:12)

In the New Testament, Paul expected children to be in the congregation as the letters were read: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). If they were not present, he would not have spoken to them directly.

Children belong in worship. They need to hear the same Scriptures, sing the same psalms, and witness the same sacraments as the whole church. This is how they learn what it means to belong to Christ’s people. Removing them from the assembly weakens families and teaches children that the most important time of the week is not truly theirs.

Jesus said, “Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them” (Matthew 19:14). The most direct way we obey Him here is by keeping our children with us as we come to Him in worship. It may be harder. It may be noisier. But it is God’s design, and it is a blessing.

Reformation begins not by finding programs to take our children elsewhere, but by training them patiently at our side in the gathered assembly.

Semper Reformanda

Some say, “Children can’t understand.” But God calls them to be present under His Word, knowing the Spirit works even in the little ones (Romans 10:17). Others say, “They distract.” But the Lord calls parents to train them diligently (Deuteronomy 6:6–7), not to remove them. A noisy child in worship is not a distraction, it is a sign of God’s blessing and a field for discipleship.

Truth That Withstands

The gathered church is the whole family of God. Children are not outsiders waiting until they are grown; they are covenant members who belong with us before His throne. To bring them near is obedience, and to keep them near is joy. This is God’s pattern for His people, and it is beautiful.

Elders Who Refuse Accountability

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Church with Chained Door

The Problem of Unchecked Authority

One of the most dangerous distortions in the church is when those called to shepherd the flock of God make themselves immune from correction. Elders and pastors who insulate themselves from scrutiny are not protecting the church, they are protecting their pride. Such men often quote Hebrews 13:17 (“obey your leaders and submit to them”) as a shield against every question and challenge, while ignoring the many commands in Scripture that bind them to humility, correction, and accountability.

This is not shepherding in the pattern of Christ, but a mimicry of Rome’s great error: placing leaders above the Word of God, above rebuke, and above the people they are called to serve.

The Biblical Pattern of Accountability

Scripture never presents elders as untouchable men. Instead, it insists that correction is not only permissible but necessary when leaders err. Paul told Timothy,

“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful.”

(1 Timothy 5:19–20, LSB)

Far from being insulated, elders are explicitly held accountable before the congregation. Likewise, Paul records how he confronted Peter publicly when Peter’s conduct betrayed the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:11–14). If the apostle Peter himself was not above correction, what elder today could possibly claim exemption?

Proverbs reminds us:

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”

(Proverbs 27:6, LSB)

Correction is not cruelty but love. And Peter exhorts elders to shepherd willingly, not “lording it over those allotted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). The biblical vision of shepherding is one of humility and example, not insulation and pride.

Rome as the Warning Example

The medieval church’s corruption flowered from one root: the claim that its leaders were beyond correction. The papacy and magisterium placed themselves above the Word, and in so doing, enslaved Christ’s sheep.

The Reformers rose up against this very abuse. Martin Luther declared at Worms,

“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason… I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything.”

John Calvin likewise wrote,

“Pastors must not be permitted to rule in such a way as to refuse to be judged by Scripture, for the Lord has not made them masters, but ministers.”

And John Knox likewise said that,

“The Scriptures of God are my only foundation and substance in all matters of controversy; and without them I am not bound to believe.”

The Reformation was not only a protest against Rome’s false teaching, but against Rome’s refusal to be corrected. Semper Reformanda — always reforming — is a confession that Christ’s church is always under the judgment of His Word.

Parallels in Today’s Evangelicalism

We would be foolish to think Rome’s error has not found its way into our own Protestant walls. Today, evangelical churches often prop up celebrity pastors who are never questioned, elders who insulate themselves from the sheep, and boards that treat any critique as rebellion against God Himself.

How many times has a whistleblower been told to be quiet. How many church members have been branded divisive simply for raising a biblical concern? How prevalent is this problem within the professing body of Christ? This is not biblical shepherding. It is tyranny.

Testing Without Excuse

One of the more common shields raised today is the claim that you must first “get to know us” before raising questions, or that testing their doctrine without personal relationship is somehow unloving. But Scripture never sets relational familiarity as the standard for discernment. The standard is always the Word of God.

Paul tells the Thessalonians plainly:

“But examine everything; hold fast to that which is good.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:21, LSB)

The Bereans were commended not for their personal closeness with Paul, but because “they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). If even the apostle Paul welcomed that kind of scrutiny, what pastor or elder today can hide behind the claim of “who are you to question me?”

Nor does biblical love suspend testing. To “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) requires us to actually speak the truth, not to avoid it until we have achieved some undefined relational closeness. The idea that correction is unloving turns the gospel upside down. Christ Himself rebuked His disciples, and Hebrews reminds us that the Father disciplines every son He loves (Hebrews 12:6). Love and correction are inseparable.

To suggest otherwise is self-protection trying to portray a sense of piety. A church that refuses to test its leaders because it fears being called unloving is a church walking willingly into deception.

The Theological Stakes

The reason this issue matters is not merely organizational but Christological. Scripture says of Christ:

“And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church.”

(Ephesians 1:22, LSB)

“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

(Colossians 1:18, LSB)

When an elder refuses correction, he is not merely defending himself, he is usurping the headship of Christ. To be above correction is to claim equality with Christ, who alone is the sinless Shepherd and Head of the church. To excuse correction on the grounds of someone being “unloving” or “unfamiliar” is clearly and dangerously avoidance to accountability. Every human shepherd is an under-Shepherd, accountable both to Christ and to His body.

The Warning to Unaccountable Leaders

To those who shelter themselves from correction, Scripture warns:

“Let not many of you become teachers, my brothers, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

(James 3:1, LSB)

The Lord Jesus Himself said that the one who causes His little ones to stumble would be better off with a millstone hung around his neck and drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:6). What greater stumbling block could there be than a shepherd who twists God’s Word to protect his own pride? What doctrinal error are you walking in that is causing careless harm to others in your care?

Such leaders also risk earthly judgment. Churches led by uncorrectable men eventually collapse under the weight of hidden sin. God in His mercy often exposes what leaders refuse to repent of, so that “those who continue in sin” might indeed “be rebuked in the presence of all” (1 Timothy 5:20).

But the greater danger is eternal. The Chief Shepherd will appear, and He will not overlook shepherds who devoured the flock rather than fed it. Ezekiel 34 stands as an unflinching warning:

“Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?”

(Ezekiel 34:2, LSB)

To stand before Christ having usurped His authority, silenced His Word, and exalted self above correction is to invite terrifying judgment. Unless there is repentance, such men will hear not “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but “Depart from Me.”

And let leaders not think that judgment is only future. Scripture shows that God sometimes takes the life of those who persist in arrogant rebellion. Ananias and Sapphira fell dead for lying to the Spirit (Acts 5). Herod was struck down for receiving the praise of men instead of giving glory to God (Acts 12). Paul warned the Corinthians that some had “fallen asleep” because they treated the Lord’s Supper with pride rather than reverence (1 Corinthians 11:30).

These are not words that should be held lightly. They are written as warnings for us. A shepherd who hardens his heart against correction should tremble, for the Lord may expose him, remove him, or even strike him down. Better to repent now than to be humbled by the hand of God.

Pastoral Application

To leaders: A true shepherd does not build walls around his authority, but opens himself to the Word of God, even when it comes through the mouth of a humble brother. Humility, not insulation, is the mark of a Christlike elder.

To churches: Resist the temptation to tolerate clerical pride. Hold your leaders to the Word, not out of rebellion, but out of love for Christ and His flock.

To members: Correction must be biblical, charitable, and governed by love. But it must not be absent. Silence in the face of error is cowardice. You will bear the guilt of those you silently tolerate in sin.

The Reformed Vision

The Reformed vision is a church under the Word, led by shepherds who know they too are sheep in need of correction. Semper Reformanda means we are always under judgment, always under Scripture, always called back to Christ.

A shepherd who cannot be corrected is no shepherd at all. Christ is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). He alone is above rebuke. The rest of us must bow.

So let the church not fear correction, but embrace it as God’s gift. Let elders welcome faithful wounds. Let members give them in love. And let all of us together live under the headship of Christ, whose Word cannot be broken and whose kingdom cannot fail.

Soli Deo gloria.

When God Walked Alone

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When God alone walked between the torn pieces, He was preaching predestination.

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

In the ancient world, covenants were sealed with blood. Animals were cut in half, and the two parties would walk together between the pieces. It was a solemn oath, saying in effect: “May I become like these slain animals if I break this covenant.” Both sides pledged themselves under the curse of death.

But in Genesis 15, Abram never walked through. After he laid the animals out, he fell into a deep sleep. Then, “a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces” (Genesis 15:17). God alone walked the path. He bound Himself to fulfill the promise.

“So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy.” (Romans 9:16)

This was God displaying a glorious truth: salvation rests entirely on His initiative, His promise, His decree. Abram contributed nothing. The covenant stood because God swore by Himself.

And this points directly to Christ. On the cross, He bore the covenant curse, suffering the death symbolized in those torn animals, so that His chosen people would inherit the blessing. God’s choice was not based on Abram’s performance, or foreseen faith, but on His sovereign grace. Paul declares the same truth: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

Predestination is God’s covenant to His people. The elect are secure because God Himself bore the curse and sealed the promise. If salvation depended on man’s cooperation, it would collapse. But because it rests on God’s unbreakable oath, it stands forever.

Our response is worship. Election strips away boasting and leaves us bowing in gratitude: “Those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). The chain cannot be broken.

Our salvation is as secure as God’s own oath.

Semper Reformanda

Some object that God’s covenant requires man’s cooperation, or that election depends on foreseen faith. But if that were true, Abram would have walked through the pieces. He did not. God walked alone. The Bible leaves no room for conditional election: “It does not depend on the one who wills or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy” (Romans 9:16). God’s choice is the cause of faith, not the other way around (Acts 13:48; Ephesians 2:8–9). To add human cooperation undoes the very message of Genesis 15.

Truth That Withstands

Predestination is God’s oath. In the covenant with Abram, He showed that salvation would rest on His faithfulness, not man’s. In Christ, He bore the covenant curse and secured the blessing. Our salvation is anchored in God’s eternal decree and finished in His Son. Nothing can undo it.

The Beauty of Patriarchy

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

God’s design for fathers is His gift to the world. Scripture is clear: patriarchy is not a curse or a cultural leftover, but God’s good order for the family, the church, and society. When we hear the word today, it is usually spoken with contempt. But what God created is not ugly. It is beautiful.

Photo by Josue Michel on Unsplash

“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Here we see the order: God, Christ, man, woman. This is not tyranny. It is a reflection of love, protection, and life. Patriarchy is modeled after Christ’s headship over the church. Christ does not crush His bride. He lays down His life for her.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25)

The world calls patriarchy oppressive. But God calls it sacrificial. True fatherly headship is not domination, but responsibility. It is a call to carry the weight, to guard and to serve, to provide stability when storms come. Patriarchy is a reflection of Christ Himself.

When patriarchy is rejected, families unravel. Children grow up without anchors. Churches bend to cultural winds. A society without fathers becomes a society of spiritual and emotional orphans. What God designed for blessing, the world casts aside in rebellion. The result is ruin.

Reformation begins at home. Fathers must embrace God’s design, not apologize for it. The church must recover the beauty of patriarchy, not shrink back from the world’s accusations. A generation of sons and daughters depend on it.

Semper Reformanda

Critics often say, “Patriarchy is oppressive,” citing Galatians 3:28 (“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”). But this text speaks of our equal standing in salvation, not a flattening of God’s good order in creation and family. Equality before God does not erase roles that He Himself established.

Others appeal to Ephesians 5:21 (“submitting to one another in the fear of Christ”) as if mutual submission cancels headship. Yet the very next verses command wives to submit to husbands and husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:22–25). Scripture interprets Scripture — and here, Paul is clarifying what Spirit-filled submission looks like in each relationship, not erasing authority.

The claim that “equality means sameness” runs against the grain of all creation. God made order. Christ is Head of the church, man is head of woman, and God is Head of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3). To reject this is not liberation but rebellion.

Truth That Withstands

God’s design of patriarchy is not a relic to be discarded but a reflection of Christ’s headship over His church. Fathers are called to lead with sacrificial love (Ephesians 5:25), to protect and to bless. When men embrace this order, families flourish, churches stand firm, and society is strengthened. To despise patriarchy is to despise the God who ordered creation. To receive it in faith is to rejoice in His wisdom and goodness.

Love According to Christ

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The world says love is a feeling. Many Christians confuse love with mere niceness. However, the Bible says it is obedience, covenant, and sacrifice.

Jesus could not be clearer:

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

Love is not a passing emotion, a rush of hormones, or a vague sense of warmth toward others. According to Scripture, love is covenantal faithfulness expressed in joyful obedience to God and sacrificial service toward others.

The apostle John defines it without compromise:

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

Love is obedience. It is not lawlessness disguised as kindness, nor affirmation of what God calls sin. Love rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). When we obey God’s commands, we are walking in the love He Himself has defined.

But love is also self-giving. Christ Himself shows us the shape of love:

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Paul says God demonstrated His love “in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Husbands are commanded to love their wives “just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

Love flows from the very nature of God. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). This does not mean love is whatever we wish it to be, but that God defines and embodies love. He is the standard. He is the fountain. And He has revealed love supremely in the cross of Christ, where covenantal obedience and sacrificial service meet in perfect harmony.

To love is therefore not to follow our feelings, but to reflect God’s character. It is to bind ourselves in covenant, to walk in obedience, and to pour out ourselves for others, even at cost. Love is not defined by us, but by Him.

Love is not defined by our feelings but by God’s truth. To love rightly is to love as He loves.

Semper Reformanda

Many object: “But doesn’t love mean accepting people as they are?” Yet Scripture says, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (2 John 6). Accepting sin is not love. It is hatred.

Others say: “But God is love (1 John 4:8), so love must be unconditional acceptance.” Yet the same letter says: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments” (1 John 5:2). God’s love never contradicts His holiness.

Still others insist: “Love is a feeling… you just know it when you feel it.” Scripture disagrees: “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). Love is action in accordance with God’s Word, not an undefined mood.

Truth That Withstands

The world’s definition of love is ever-shifting, but God’s Word is unchanging. Love is covenantal obedience to God, self-giving sacrifice for others, and it flows from the very nature of God Himself. To redefine love is to distort God. To obey God and serve others in truth is to love as He loves. The cross of Christ is the final and perfect picture of love: obedience unto death and sacrifice for the beloved. This is the truth that withstands.

Does Jesus Need to Be Invited Into Our Hearts?

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The most repeated altar call in modern evangelicalism is a lie. “Ask Jesus into your heart.” “Make Him Lord of your life.” These are phrases never found in Scripture, yet they’ve become the centerpiece of American revivalism. The problem? Jesus does not need our invitation. He is Lord already. “God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). We do not vote Christ into power; we bow before the One to whom “every knee will bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10–11).

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

The sinner’s prayer has birthed generations of false converts. People cling to the memory of a prayer they once whispered, as if salvation rests in syllables. But Christ says, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). On that Day many will say, “Lord, Lord,” recounting their religious actions, yet He will declare, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21–23). Words without Spirit-wrought repentance and faith do not save.

This is not just bad language. It is eternal deception. Millions think they are safe because they “asked Jesus in,” while they continue unrepentant, unbroken, unchanged. They have never bowed the knee to the King they claim to invite.

The true gospel is not a formula, not a prayer, not a sales pitch. Christ Himself preached it plainly: “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Repentance is turning from sin; faith is resting wholly in Christ’s finished work. Salvation is of the Lord, not of human invention, not of man’s vote, not of altar-call slogans.

Semper Reformanda

Many object: “But I was saved when I prayed the sinner’s prayer!” If you truly repented and believed, praise God. Your salvation rests not in the prayer but in the power of Christ. The danger is confusing the two. Scripture never commands us to pray a formula; it commands us to repent and believe. And that is the work of God.

Others say, “Isn’t asking Jesus into your heart the same as trusting Him?” Only if by that phrase you mean repentance and faith. But vague, man-centered slogans blur the gospel, making people rest in empty ritual rather than Christ crucified. God saves through the preaching of His Word, not through magic words crafted by man.

Truth That Withstands

Jesus is Lord, whether man acknowledges Him or not. Salvation does not come by a sinner’s prayer, but by Spirit-given repentance and faith in Christ’s finished work. Anything less is a false gospel that cannot save.

Is Youth Group Replacing Parents?

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Many parents assume that if their kids are at church events—especially youth group—they are being discipled. But here’s the sobering question: Has the youth group quietly replaced you as the primary spiritual influence in your child’s life?

Photo by S. H. Gue on Unsplash

God has never assigned the work of raising children in the fear and instruction of the Lord to a program, however well-intentioned. He gave that responsibility to parents (Deuteronomy 6:6–7; Ephesians 6:4). That means we are called to teach, instruct, correct, and shepherd—every day, not just on Sundays.

Youth ministry can be profitable. Faithful leaders can encourage, mentor, and model godliness for young believers. But they are not called to bear the weight of what God put on your shoulders. When parents rely on the “youth pastor” to do what God commanded them to do, they shift the center of discipleship from the home to the church basement.

Even worse, many modern youth programs often emphasize entertainment over holiness, peer approval over biblical truth. Scripture warns that “Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33), and yet, many teens spend more time being shaped by peers in a social setting than being shepherded by their own parents. The fruit is predictable: shallow faith, fragmented families, and a generation comfortable with a Jesus who demands little.

You cannot subcontract spiritual leadership. A faithful youth group should only ever supplement what is already thriving in the home, not replace it. Your children need to hear you open the Word, watch you repent when you sin, see you pray with urgency, and know that Christ is not just the family’s Sunday topic but the heartbeat of the household.

The call to parents is not optional: “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). No weekly meeting can do what God calls you to do daily.

Semper Reformanda

Some argue that youth group is necessary because parents are too busy, untrained, or unwilling to disciple their kids. Others point to Proverbs 27:17—“Iron sharpens iron”—to defend the value of peers building each other’s faith. While peer fellowship can be good, Scripture never transfers the primary responsibility for discipleship from parent to peer, or from home to program.

Others say, “My child’s youth group is solid and doctrinally sound.” Praise God if that’s true but even the best youth group is not a substitute for the God-ordained work of the family. The biblical model is home-centered discipleship, with the church equipping parents, not replacing them.

Truth That Withstands

When parents abdicate their role, even to good and godly programs, they trade God’s design for man’s convenience. The fruit of obedience comes not from outsourcing but from faithfully tending the vineyard God has given you—your own children.

Are Christians Commanded to Forgive Everyone, or Only Those Who Repent?

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern evangelicalism often treats forgiveness like a therapeutic feeling, something we offer to everyone no matter what, as if it were simply a way to “let go” for our own emotional health. But the Bible does not present forgiveness as an internal therapy session. It presents it as a covenantal transaction, patterned after God’s own forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is never given apart from repentance, and ours is to mirror His.

Photo by Felix Koutchinski on Unsplash

Jesus is explicit: “If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3–4). The condition is not hidden, it is plain. Forgiveness is not a vague, unconditional blanket we throw over sin; it is reconciliation in truth, granted when repentance is present.

Paul commands the same: “Forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32; cf. Colossians 3:13). How has God forgiven us? Not by ignoring sin or brushing it aside, but through the repentance and faith that flows from His grace (Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9). To forgive “as God forgives” means to forgive upon repentance, not before.

Loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44) is not the same as forgiving them. Love prays for their good, does not return evil for evil, and desires their repentance. Forgiveness, however, is reconciliation, and reconciliation requires agreement in truth (Amos 3:3). This is why church discipline in Matthew 18:15–17 follows a process: confrontation, witnesses, and only then—if repentance is refused—treating the person “as a Gentile and a tax collector.” If forgiveness were unconditional, this process would be meaningless. Likewise, 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15 commands that we “have nothing to do with” the disobedient so that they “may be put to shame,” while still admonishing them as a brother. This withholds reconciliation while maintaining readiness to forgive.

Psalm 86:5 says God is “ready to forgive,” and that is the pattern for us: our hearts are to be ready, willing, and eager to forgive the moment repentance comes. But “ready to forgive” is not the same as “premature forgiveness.” Premature forgiveness affirms sin, dulls the sting of conviction, and removes the very pressure God may be using to bring the sinner to repentance.

Even the historic Reformed witness understood this. John Calvin wrote, “Christ does not enjoin us to grant forgiveness to any but to those who repent.” The Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 194, teaches that in the Lord’s Prayer we are to forgive “those that wrong us, as we desire to be forgiven of God,” tying our forgiveness directly to the model of God’s own conditional pardon.

Forgiveness is not ours to redefine. God has shown us what it is: reconciliation through repentance. Anything else—no matter how kind it feels—pretends to be more merciful than God, and ends up being a counterfeit grace that leaves sin unchallenged and souls unhealed.

Semper Reformanda

One of the most common objections is, “But Jesus forgave them on the cross!” - a reference to Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” But Jesus was not granting blanket pardon to every unrepentant sinner in that moment. He was praying in accordance with His role as Mediator, interceding for those who would repent (Isaiah 53:12). This prayer was answered in part at Pentecost when many in that very crowd were “pierced to the heart” and cried, “What shall we do?”, and Peter told them, “Repent” (Acts 2:37–38). There is no biblical category of God forgiving the unrepentant in the sense of reconciliation; there is abundant biblical witness to His readiness to forgive the moment repentance is given.

Truth That Withstands

God does not forgive apart from repentance, and neither should we. To forgive as God forgives is to be ready, eager, and immediate in granting forgiveness upon repentance, while refusing to cheapen it by offering reconciliation without truth. Anything less is not grace, it is a false peace.

Are We Singing What God Commanded?

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Walk into many churches today and you’ll see the neat lights, drums and guitars, and the worship team on a stage launch into the latest hit from a chart-topping Christian band. Every week it’s something new. The Lord’s Day becomes a rotating concert setlist that seems to be driven by novelty and market trends. But is this what God commanded His church to sing?

Photo by John Price on Unsplash

The apostle Paul, by the Spirit, gives clear instruction: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Colossians 3:16). Again: “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

The Spirit’s triad here is not a buffet of whatever music style we prefer, it is a description of songs flowing from the Word of God and the theology of the church. Psalms are the inspired songs of Scripture itself. Hymns are weighty, doctrinally rich compositions the church has embraced to confess the faith. Spiritual songs are songs rooted in truth, directed to God, and filled with Scripture’s substance. None of these categories fit the shallow, man-centered ditties churned out to top Christian music charts.

God commands that our singing be the means by which “the word of Christ” dwells richly among us. That requires truth that can be taught, words that can admonish, melodies that can endure through generations. The music industry thrives on the disposable. God calls His people to sing the eternal. If the songs fade from memory as soon as the bridge ends, they cannot form deep, mature believers. Shallow songs form shallow Christians.

This is not a call to “old over new” for tradition’s sake. It’s a call to God-ordained song over man-driven entertainment. A newly written song can be as faithful to Colossians 3:16 as an ancient hymn—if it is saturated with Scripture, confesses true doctrine, and endures beyond the fleeting moment. But if we swap the Word for emotional highs, we have traded worship for amusement.

Semper Reformanda

A common defense of the endless stream of new, vapid worship songs is, “We’re told to sing a new song” (Psalm 96:1; 98:1). But in Scripture, “new song” is not a license for disposable trends, it is a description of fresh praise springing from God’s mighty works of redemption. When Israel sang a “new song,” it was often the ancient truth of God’s salvation proclaimed again with renewed joy (Psalm 40:3; Revelation 5:9). The content was still God’s mighty deeds and His unchanging truth.

The modern use of “new song” to justify replacing God’s pattern with whatever is fresh on the radio misses the point. God’s command is not “keep it trendy,” but “sing the truth.” When “new” means “fleeting and hollow,” we are no longer obeying the command… we are abandoning it.

Truth That Withstands

God has commanded His church to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs so that His Word dwells richly in us. The triad leaves no room for shallow, industry-driven substitutes. To replace God-ordained song with disposable entertainment is not innovation… it is disobedience. The songs that please Him are those that endure because they are filled with His truth.

If the State Oversees Your Homeschool, Is It Still Homeschooling?

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

If the state holds the ruler to measure your homeschool, it’s not homeschooling.

God gave the authority to educate children to parents, not the state. The command is direct:

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” —Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (LSB)

The father is charged with bringing up his children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). This stewardship belongs to the family under Christ. It is not granted to the civil magistrate.

God has given each sphere its jurisdiction: the family for nurture and training, the church for worship and discipleship, the state for justice and the sword (Romans 13:1–4). The state’s God-given tool is not the chalkboard but the sword. When it steps into education, it has left its lane and invaded the family’s calling.

And oversight—no matter how “hands-off”—is intrusion. Curriculum approval is intrusion. Progress reporting is intrusion. Funding restrictions on faith-based materials are intrusion. Mandated Individual Learning Plans are intrusion. All are claims of authority over a jurisdiction God did not give the civil ruler.

I’ve heard the claims: “It’s just a formality.” “They’re Christian-friendly.” “We’re only using the money for math.” None of these change the fact that the moment Caesar sets conditions, you’ve acknowledged him as having the right to set them. You’ve invited him to sit in the teacher’s chair and judge the work.

Even when they leave you alone most of the time, oversight assumes the right to stop leaving you alone whenever they decide. That’s not freedom. And every chain is already an admission of ownership.

If you truly believe education is discipleship, then you know whose authority must govern it: Christ’s, not Caesar’s.

Semper Reformanda

Some will argue, “They’re hands-off, so what’s the harm?” But if the oversight were truly meaningless, they wouldn’t require it. Authority claimed but “not exercised” is still authority ceded and it can be exercised at any time.

Others say, “We just use the money for neutral things like math.” But funding always comes with strings. The moment the state dictates how you can and cannot spend those funds—especially forbidding explicitly Christian curriculum—it has already decided that part of your child’s education belongs to them, not to God through you.

Then there’s the “few strings” argument: “It’s free money, and the restrictions are minimal.” But Christ’s lordship is not for sale, and His commands to parents are not negotiable. When the state mandates progress reports, Individual Learning Plans, or approved curricula, it’s not “partnership”. This is simply jurisdictional theft.

Romans 13 does not authorize the state to disciple your children. Its role is to punish evil and reward good, not to monitor your homeschool. Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6 put the chalkboard squarely in the hands of parents under Christ’s rule. To yield that, even partially, is to disobey the order God established.

Truth That Withstands

The state’s oversight—light, friendly, or “hands-off”—is still a breach of God’s sphere sovereignty. The family holds the authority for education under Christ, and Caesar’s approval, restrictions, or reviews have no rightful place in it.

The Watchman Principle

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The modern church has replaced biblical accountability with something safer and softer: “check-in” groups where everyone shares their struggles, nods sympathetically, and goes home unchanged.

But God’s standard for accountability is heavier than that: it’s the watchman.

“But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.”

—Ezekiel 33:6 (LSB)

Photo by Random Institute on Unsplash

A watchman’s job wasn’t to empathize with an enemy approaching, it was to blow the trumpet and save lives.

In God’s design, you and I are watchmen for each other’s souls. If you see sin, false doctrine, or drifting in a brother’s life and you stay silent, you’re not just “minding your own business.” You’re guilty of his blood.

This is why biblical accountability can’t be reduced to swapping confessions in private. True accountability is covenantal. It happens inside the local church and is enforced by the authority Christ gave His body (Matthew 18:15–17). It’s not a hobby; it’s war.

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

—Hebrews 3:12–13 (LSB)

The watchman doesn’t wait until next week’s meeting to “check in.” He calls out in the moment. He pulls his brother back from the edge. And if you think that’s too intense, remember… this is the standard of love God gives His people.

“Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”

—Proverbs 27:5–6 (LSB)

If your “accountability” never risks the relationship, it’s not love but self-preservation.

Semper Reformanda

Some will argue, “You can’t just go around confronting everyone… you’ll push people away.” They may point to Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged,” as if this forbids calling sin what it is.

Others claim accountability should only be mutual and voluntary, “Don’t speak into my life unless I’ve invited you.”

But Matthew 7:1 condemns hypocritical judgment, not righteous judgment (see John 7:24). And Scripture makes no allowance for passivity when you see a brother wandering:

“My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that the one who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

—James 5:19–20 (LSB)

The church is not a social club where privacy is king. It is a kingdom outpost where holiness is guarded.

Truth That Withstands

The watchman principle means your brother’s danger is your responsibility. Silence is not neutrality. Silence is betrayal. And in God’s economy, failing to warn is as deadly as the sin itself. Blow the trumpet.

Can Music Be Evil?

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Every generation has its “devil’s music” boogeyman.

It was jazz in the 1920s.

It was Elvis’ hip-shaking in the 50s.

It was electric guitars in the 70s.

Now it’s screaming vocals and double-bass drum pedals.

Christians have been pointing at styles for a hundred years and saying, “That’s Satan’s sound!”

devil playing guitar

But here’s the truth: Satan doesn’t own a single note. He’s never written a chord progression. God made sound, melody, and rhythm and called it good. The devil only twists it for idolatry.

Scripture never condemns a style of music. It condemns worshiping false gods, feeding your lust, glorifying rebellion, and using God’s gifts to celebrate sin.

“Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.”

—Psalm 33:3 (LSB)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.”

—Colossians 3:16 (LSB)

The Bible’s picture of worship is loud, varied, and skilled… cymbals, lyres, trumpets, choirs, new songs, even battle cries.

So what about screaming vocals? Well, if you can scream lies, you can also scream truth. If a man can scream obscenities in a bar, he can scream Psalm 46 in the assembly of God. Volume and tone aren’t the problem, truth and holiness are.

The music is just the vehicle. The morality depends on the driver and the destination.

If the lyrics are soaked in God’s Word, the heart behind it is humble, and the purpose is to glorify Christ, then whether it’s a harp or a full-on metal breakdown, it belongs to God. And if the lyrics mock Him, deny Him, or celebrate sin, then even the sweetest looking choir is an abomination.

“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

—1 Corinthians 10:31 (LSB)

Semper Reformanda

Some insist that certain beats or vocal styles themselves stir up the flesh in sinful ways. They point to how music has been used in pagan worship, sexualized dancing, or violent crowds, citing Exodus 32:17–18—the sound of Israel’s idolatrous feast—or Amos 6:5–6, where God condemns those who strummed harps while living in self-indulgence.

But the sin in those passages wasn’t a certain chord or tempo—it was the idolatry, pride, and rebellion that musicwas serving. In Exodus, the singing was to a golden calf. In Amos, the instruments were the soundtrack to arrogance and injustice. The problem was sin.

Screaming music? Same test. If it’s full of blasphemy, filth, or hate for God, then it’s wicked. If it’s full of Scripture and reverence and aimed straight at the throne of grace, then scream louder.

Truth That Withstands

God owns every note. Satan can’t create—only corrupt. The real question isn’t whether a style is “devil’s music,” but whether it’s proclaiming the truth of the Lord of Hosts or serving the kingdom of darkness.

Do Humans Have Free Will?

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Most Christians will say without hesitation:

“Of course we have free will!”

But what do they mean?

Photo by Letizia Bordoni on Unsplash

If “free will” means the ability to choose between wearing a red shirt or a blue one, sure. You make real choices, shaped by your nature, your mind, and your desires. No one’s denying that.

But if “free will” means the ability to choose spiritual good apart from God’s sovereign grace, then the answer is not just no… it’s Scripturally impossible.

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.’”

—John 8:34 (LSB)

“The intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”

—Genesis 8:21 (LSB)

“There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.”

—Romans 3:11–12 (LSB)

Man is not free in the way modern evangelicals claim. He is in bondage to sin, spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1), and unable to please God (Rom. 8:8). His “choices” are real but they flow from a nature that is hostile to God (Rom. 8:7).

A man dead in sin will always choose sin. Not because God forces him to but because his will is enslaved to darkness.

That’s why Jesus said:

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”

—John 6:44 (LSB)

“You did not choose Me but I chose you.”

—John 15:16 (LSB)

We don’t need our “freedom” preserved. We need it rescued. We need a new heart (Ezek. 36:26). A resurrection. A sovereign, supernatural deliverance from the God who “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11).

Biblical salvation is not about free will, it’s about free grace.

Semper Reformanda

Some will object, “But love must be free to be real! If God forces us, it’s not love!”

They may quote Joshua 24:15—

“Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…”

Or point to Revelation 3:20—

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock…”

But Joshua wasn’t asking idol-worshipers to exercise libertarian freedom. He was confronting a covenant people already claimed by Yahweh. And Revelation 3:20 is not a plea to unbelievers but a rebuke to a lukewarm church.

These texts don’t teach free will. They expose the responsibility of man within the sovereign claim of God.

“So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy.”

—Romans 9:16 (LSB)

“For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

—Philippians 2:13 (LSB)

Truth That Withstands

Man is not free in the way the world insists, he is enslaved to sin and dead to God until Christ makes him alive. The will is real, but it is not sovereign. God alone is truly free. And only His grace can set the captive free.

Does God Cause Sin?

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

It is a terrifying question—one that makes most Christians squirm: Does God cause sin?

Scripture’s answer is not soft, but it is clear.

Photo by Alexandra Slo on Unsplash

“Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” —Psalm 115:3 (LSB)

“Who is there who speaks and it happens, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good go forth?” —Lamentations 3:37–38 (LSB)

“Yahweh has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.” —Proverbs 16:4 (LSB)

God does not merely allow sin. He ordains all things that come to pass, including sin. Not as a passive observer, but as the sovereign author of the story, ruling every molecule and every decision, even evil ones.

But Scripture is equally clear: God is not the author of sin.

“This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” —1 John 1:5 (LSB)

“For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil does not sojourn with You.” —Psalm 5:4 (LSB)

So how do we hold both truths?

Because Scripture does.

God ordained that Joseph be sold by his brothers. Their motive was sin. God’s motive was salvation.

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to do what has happened on this day, to keep many people alive.” —Genesis 50:20 (LSB)

God ordained the greatest evil in human history… the crucifixion of Christ. And He did it “by His predetermined plan.”

“This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put Him to death.” —Acts 2:23 (LSB)

“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus… to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.” —Acts 4:27–28 (LSB)

The text does not say God merely allowed wicked men to crucify Jesus. It says He predestined it. It was His will, His plan, His decree. And those who did it were still guilty.

God ordains sin without being sinful. He decrees the fall of man, the betrayal of Christ, the rise of tyrants, and the horrors of Babylon, not because He delights in evil, but because He alone can ordain evil for the sake of good.

“You meant evil… but God meant it for good.” That’s not God turning a bad situation good. That’s intentional, premeditated sovereignty over sin itself.

God is not reacting. He is reigning.

Semper Reformanda

Many object:

“If God ordains sin, then He must be guilty of sin!”

They may cite James 1:13:

“God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”

Or Habakkuk 1:13:

“Your eyes are too pure to see evil, and You cannot look on trouble.”

Some use these texts to argue that God cannot even will for sin to occur, or else He would be impure.

But these verses don’t say God is unaware of evil or incapable of using it, they say He is not tempted by evil and does not do evil Himself. There is a massive difference between willing sin to occur and committing sin directly.

James does not deny God’s sovereignty over evil, he affirms God’s moral separation from it. God ordains the fall of Satan, the betrayal of Judas, and the crucifixion of Christ but never as one who delights in sin or commits it Himself.

This is the mystery: God’s will includes evil, but His nature excludes evil. He decrees sin, but He does not sin. He governs every act, but He is guilty of none.

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” —Romans 11:36 (LSB)

Truth That Withstands

The Bible plainly teaches that God ordains all things—even sin—without being the author of sin. To deny this is to deny His sovereignty. To misrepresent it is to stain His holiness. But to uphold both, as Scripture does, is to fear Him rightly and worship Him truly. God is sovereign over evil—never a servant to it. And every sin He ordains, He ordains with a purpose more righteous than we can comprehend.

Is It Really Sin to Say “Freaking” or “Gosh”?

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Most Christians wouldn’t dream of taking God’s name in vain or letting loose an F-bomb in church—but swap out a few syllables, and suddenly we’re all comfortable saying the same thing in disguise.

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

“Gosh” instead of “God.”

“Dang” instead of “damn.”

“Freaking” instead of… well, you know.

What changed? Not the intent. Just the veneer.

Jesus didn’t merely rebuke filthy speech, He rebuked empty speech, careless speech, and deceitful speech. He cut straight to the heart behind the words.

“The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

—Matthew 12:35–37 (LSB)

The problem isn’t that the word “freaking” appears in a lexicon of forbidden sounds. The problem is what it means when you say it… and why you reach for it.

We often reach for these substitutes when we’re angry, exasperated, lustful, mocking, or losing control. And rather than turning to truth, prayer, or restraint, we vent with baptized profanity. We try to keep the fire of cussing but swap out the fuel.

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for building up what is needed, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

—Ephesians 4:29 (LSB)

“But now you also, lay them all aside: wrath, anger, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.”

—Colossians 3:8 (LSB)

The world mocks this. But Jesus doesn’t grade on a curve. He doesn’t say, “As long as you only kind of curse in My name, it’s okay.” He says, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). And if your words are the overflow, don’t you want the well to be clean?

Semper Reformanda

Some will argue, “It’s just a word. It’s not really cussing. I’m not actually saying God’s name or the F-word.” They might point to Romans 14:14:

“Nothing is unclean in itself, but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”

Others appeal to Christian liberty in speech, suggesting that tone and culture matter more than intent. “Paul said some harsh things,” they might say, referencing Philippians 3:8, where he calls worldly gain “rubbish” (skubalon), arguing that strong language can be righteous.

But that view misunderstands the difference between bold truth and corrupted speech. Paul wasn’t cussing, he was condemning self-righteousness as worthless in comparison to Christ. Scripture does not give you liberty to substitute blasphemy or vulgarity with Christian-safe words and pretend it’s sanctified.

“If anyone thinks himself to be religious while not bridling his tongue but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.”

—James 1:26 (LSB)

Truth That Withstands

The issue is not the syllable—but the source. When we try to hold onto the emotional vent of sin while avoiding its social consequence, we’re exposing a heart still half-submitted. Jesus doesn’t clean the lips without cleansing the well. And what we excuse, He will expose.

Is Dating Even in the Bible?

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern dating is a cultural invention, not a biblical one. Scripture never commends pairing off for romance apart from the pursuit of marriage. Instead, God gives us categories like honor, sexual purity, family oversight, and the covenantal purpose of union. The Bible doesn’t treat romantic attachment as recreation but as a road to covenant.

“Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral man sins against his own body.” —1 Corinthians 6:18 (LSB)

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

The entire dating script teaches young men and women to form emotional and physical bonds without covenant, to pursue self-gratification under the guise of “getting to know each other,” and to delay responsibility while indulging in intimacy. This is not harmless exploration. It trains people to form and sever ties at will, which is a pattern Scripture warns against.

“Do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases.” —Song of Songs 8:4 (LSB)

Scripture presents marriage as the telos of romantic pursuit:

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from Yahweh.” —Proverbs 18:22 (LSB)

And that pursuit is not cloaked in secrecy or unaccountability. God places parents as stewards over their children (Eph. 6:1–4), calls older women and men to guide the younger (Titus 2:3–6), and upholds sexual purity until marriage (1 Thess. 4:3–7).

So, while Scripture does not prescribe an exact method of courtship, it offers a framework that excludes modern dating’s goals, habits, and timing.

Semper Reformanda

Some argue that dating is simply a cultural form, neutral in itself, and that Scripture doesn’t condemn it because it doesn’t mention it. They may appeal to biblical examples like Jacob pursuing Rachel (Genesis 29) or Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 3) as precedents for informal, emotional pursuit.

Others quote 1 Corinthians 7:9:

“But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”

They suggest this supports romantic exploration as long as it eventually leads to marriage.

But these examples and verses assume marriage is in view from the beginning. Ruth and Boaz were under cultural and familial structures. Jacob’s pursuit was marriage-focused and involved bride price and family consent. None of these examples support prolonged recreational romance apart from accountability.

Furthermore, Paul’s command in 1 Corinthians 7 is not an endorsement of dating, but of marrying rather than falling into sexual sin

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification—that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor… not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles.” —1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 (LSB)

The biblical witness consistently places romantic desire within the rails of marriage preparation, parental involvement, sexual purity, and covenantal intention. No amount of cultural normalization makes dating righteous if it fails these tests.

Truth That Withstands

The Bible does not support modern dating because it disconnects romantic pursuit from the covenantal aim of marriage and the structures God gives to protect it. While methods may vary, the biblical principles are not optional—and modern dating fails the test of honoring God’s design.

Jubilee, Bitcoin, and the Quiet Revolt of Christian Dominion

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,

and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”

— Proverbs 13:22 (LSB)

There’s a quiet revolt happening… and most Christians haven’t even noticed it.

Not the kind with flags and riots.

Not the kind that chases political power for its own sake.

This one is slower. Smarter. More subtle.

It’s a revolt of value, time, and sovereignty.

It’s called Bitcoin. And I believe it may be one of the most providential economic tools God has given this generation.

No, Bitcoin isn’t the Messiah. But it might just be a weapon in His hand.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if Satoshi Nakamoto was a Christian or a group of them. At minimum, I believe God used Satoshi the way He used Cyrus (Isa. 45:1): to tear down tyranny and deliver people into freedom they didn’t expect.

The World Runs on a cleaner version of Slavery

For generations, the rulers of this age have built systems not on value, but on control. They replaced money with fiat currency, government-declared paper backed by nothing but debt, fear, and manipulation.

Fiat punishes saving. It rewards spending. It bleeds value from your labor while enriching those closest to the printer.

Sound familiar?

“The borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

— Proverbs 22:7

And it’s not just corrupt, it’s designed to enslave.

Jubilee: God’s Built-In Reset

In Leviticus 25, God gave Israel a 50-year rhythm called the Year of Jubilee:

Debts canceled
Land restored
Slaves released
Fields rested

It was economic sabbath. A hard reset to prevent generational oppression and corporate land grabs.

It was mercy written into law.

But there’s no strong evidence Israel ever practiced it. Why? Because, like now, the powerful resist anything that threatens their control.

Jesus Is Our Jubilee. God’s Just And Justifier

When Jesus stood in the synagogue and declared the prophecy fulfilled (Luke 4:18–21), He was announcing more than personal forgiveness.

He was saying:

“The Kingdom has come.

The captives will be freed.

The world will be restored—under Me.”

Christ didn’t abolish Jubilee, He embodied it. He fulfilled the spiritual reality while upholding the principles of justice embedded in God’s law.

His reign teaches nations how to live, including how to build honest economies that reflect heaven’s order.

Enter Bitcoin: The Economics of Limits

When Satoshi Nakamoto launched Bitcoin in 2009, the first block included this message:

“The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks.”

That wasn’t just a timestamp.

It was a declaration.

At the height of fiat corruption, a system with no central controller, no inflation, and no gatekeeping was released to the world.

Bitcoin is:

Deflationary
Decentralized
Permissionless
Fixed in supply (21 million)
Immune to state tampering

It acts more like biblical money than anything the modern world has produced.

Sound money. Honest scales.

“A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh,

but a just weight is His delight.”

— Proverbs 11:1

What If Satoshi Was a Christian?

No one knows who Satoshi is. But the ethics embedded in Bitcoin: limits on power, decentralization, personal responsibility, and truth in value, embody biblical dominion.

Whether Christian or not, it wouldn’t be the first time God used anonymous nobodies to rattle empires.

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…”

— 1 Corinthians 1:27

Satoshi’s identity is less important than the result:

The world’s most dishonest money is being challenged by the world’s most honest code.

And the tyrants don’t know what to do about it.

My Kids Are Learning What Schools Won’t Teach

We gave our kids some Bitcoin, not to get rich, but to teach value. They started watching the price. Then they wanted to earn more. Not spend it. Earn it.

They talked to each other about it. Discussed it with their friends.

They saw their fiat cash fade with time and inflation.

They saw their sats hold and grow.

Cash became what you spend.

Bitcoin became what you keep.

When they tried to move Bitcoin out of their Cash App accounts and realized minors can’t send or receive—only buy and sell—now they’re learning: “If I can’t move it, do I really own it?”

We got them a hardware wallet.

Now they hold their own keys.

Now they own what they’ve earned.

That’s sovereignty.

That’s discipleship.

That’s dominion.

Don’t Miss What God Might Be Doing

No one thought fiat could be challenged. But lines of open-source code might be toppling it right now.

Praise God for His providence.

That’s Jubilee thinking.

“Of the increase of His government and of peace, there will be no end…”

— Isaiah 9:7

Bitcoin won’t save you. But it might serve you as you take dominion under Christ’s rule.

Because if it teaches men to reject debt slavery, build generational wealth, and think in decades—not pay periods—then it’s part of the King’s tools.

Christ is King.

Fiat is Pharaoh.

Raise free men.

Take dominion.

Lone Ranger Elders and the Fractured Body of Christ

Tue, 06 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The church is not a playground for personal visionaries. It’s not a stage for entrepreneurs cloaked in ecclesial language. It is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim 3:15), the dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Eph 2:22), and the bride of Christ purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). We shouldn’t tinker with that.

And yet, our landscape is filled with what I can only call spiritual freelancers—men who bear the title “elder” but live as if they are exempt from the structure, order, and mutual accountability Christ ordained for His church.

They say things like:

“We’re not part of a denomination—we’re just following the Spirit.”

“We don’t have outside accountability; we’re autonomous.”

“Our elders are accountable to God alone.”

That last one should send a chill down the spine.

Photo by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash

A Body Without Joints

Let’s be clear. Scripture teaches a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5), mutual submission (Eph 5:21), and real accountability (1 Tim 5:19–20). Elders are shepherds, yes—but they are also sheep. They are not above discipline, correction, or the wisdom of the broader body of Christ. No man is above rebuke. Not even Peter.

Paul opposed Peter to his face when he was out of step with the gospel (Gal 2:11). Can you imagine someone doing that in your average modern church plant? We don’t breed Pauls anymore—we breed brands.

There’s a kind of ecclesial crossbreeding happening today. Men claim the mantle of elder without taking on the yoke of accountability. They gather a board of yes-men or sideline their fellow elders until leadership becomes functionally a one-man show. The congregation watches, the Scriptures are quoted, the charisma flows—but Christ is dethroned in practice.

The Drift Into Dysfunction

This is not just a matter of personality or style. It is theological. Ecclesiology isn’t a side doctrine—it’s Christology applied to the church. Christ is the head. Elders are under-shepherds. They must serve His agenda, not their own.

When elders answer to no one, they subtly (or not-so-subtly) shift the authority of the church away from Christ and onto themselves. The local church becomes detached from the catholicity of the Church. Accountability is reduced to podcasts and platform apologies. And wounded sheep are left wandering.

It doesn’t always start as rebellion. Sometimes it starts with zeal. A man plants a church in a hard place. He’s been burned. He doesn’t trust others. So he keeps it small, keeps it tight, keeps it “clean.” But over time, his instincts for self-preservation lead to isolation. His boldness becomes brittle. He doesn’t answer to anyone—and that begins to feel like freedom.

But it’s not freedom. It’s danger. It’s the slow death of mutual edification and the erosion of Christ’s glory in His body.

Confessional Wisdom

The historic Reformed confessions warned against this. The Second London Baptist Confession (1689) affirms the need for associations between churches: “As each church…has need of mutual help, so churches ought to hold communion amongst themselves for their peace, growth, and edification.” Our forefathers were not suspicious of authority—they were suspicious of unchecked authority.

We need more of that.

True Reformation doesn’t isolate; it reforms under the authority of Scripture, within the household of faith. It insists on shepherds who shepherd one another, churches who stay connected, and decisions that are weighed by a multitude of counselors (Prov 11:14).

Shepherds Who Bleed

If you’re a pastor or elder reading this, let me exhort you: Don’t lead in the dark. Don’t build a ministry that no one can speak into. Don’t settle for loyalists when you need brothers.

The best shepherds are the ones who’ve bled. Who’ve been corrected. Who’ve repented publicly. Who’ve submitted to others for the good of the flock. Christ builds His church with men like that.

And to the congregant—pray for your elders. Encourage accountability. Discern the difference between confidence and control. And if you’re in a place where the elders answer to no one—raise your voice.

The sheep belong to Christ. And He does not entrust them lightly.

Worship on the Lord’s Day Through Song

Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Worship on the Lord’s Day Through Song

The Lord’s Day is not like any other day. It’s not “the Christian Sabbath” as a mere label, but a resurrection celebration to the glory of Christ. The tomb is empty, Christ is seated, and we gather to rejoice in His finished work. And one of the most beautiful, powerful ways we do that is through song.

But let’s be honest—how often have we treated singing as filler? Or as the warm-up before the “main thing” of preaching? In reality, worship in song is not frivolous. Singing is covenant renewal. It is a part of the meeting of God and His people—an actual presence and interaction with Yahweh.

The Psalms say, “Make a loud shout to God, all the earth; Sing praise for the glory of His name” (Ps 66:1–2). From beginning to end, Scripture is soaked in song. Israel sang on the other side of the Red Sea. David sang in caves. Paul sang in prison. And the church sings on the Lord’s Day, not because it feels good (though it often does), but because Christ is worthy of our praise.

Worship Through Song Is a Command

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16, LSB).

Singing isn’t optional. It’s discipleship. It’s how the Word dwells richly. It’s how we teach and admonish each other. And it’s not just vertical—directed to God—but horizontal, forming one another in the truth.

Singing Is Warfare

When we lift our voices in faith, we’re not just having a pleasant moment—we’re storming the gates of hell. Psalm 149 says:

“Let the exaltations of God be in their throats, And a two-edged sword in their hand…” (v.6, LSB)

What kind of church goes to battle by singing? A post-resurrection church. A victorious one.

Singing Unites the Church Across Time

When we sing Psalms and biblically sound hymns, we’re joining the songs of saints past and future. These aren’t just “our favorite songs”—they are a form of confession, a binding together of the body across generations. Singing the Psalms on the Lord’s Day reminds us that our God reigns, not Caesar, not D.C., not the digital powers of this age.

Singing Shapes the Soul

We become like what we sing. That’s why doctrine matters in worship music. Cotton-candy choruses produce thin Christians. But deep, Scriptural song builds hearts that can endure suffering, stand against evil, and persevere in joy.

Final Thought

When your church gathers on the Lord’s Day, don’t mumble your way through the music. Don’t spectate. Sing like men and women who know the King is alive. Sing like saints who know Sunday isn’t a cultural checkbox but the thunderclap of a new creation.

Lift up your voice. Teach your children. Join the saints. And make melody in your heart to the Lord.

Christ is risen—let the Church sing.

Why are there so many churches?

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

I have a desire to see churches formed everywhere. It is a passion the Lord embedded deep within my heart long ago. And in today’s climate, it is a arduous task. My thoughts today aren’t in light of the challenges of the unbelieving world. My soul has groaned long enough with the need to appeal to believers that are content in divisive, cult-like, mindsets that disparages unity and forsakes the gospel.

Why are there so many churches?

It’s a strange question for someone who just expressed a desire to see churches all over the place. But my contention isn’t about how many churches there are, it’s about how many churches exist because of superficial and ungodly divisions. I thought about analyzing passages that speak of watching out for those who are divisive (Romans 16:17), how we ought to seek unity (1 Corinthians 1:10), and how we should labor to encourage and nurture the growth of new believers who come into the gathered church (Romans 14:1). But do you know what loses appeal when many slump into comfortable cliques, music styles, and likable leaders? God’s word. When our preferences usurp God’s instruction, we divide.

Who am I speaking to?

One of the evident truths about correction is that those who belong to God desire correction and those who don’t, hate it (Proverbs 12:1). Speaking publicly guarantees a response from both. It’s those who have read this far, without thinking how wrong I am and how you might correct me, that I want to engage. The others still need the gospel.

It’s obvious that sentiments like this will carry different meaning for various groups. There are healthy, thriving churches all over the place. But I am speaking regarding my context, and my thoughts will go as far as the Lord wills them to.

You don’t really know why you divide…

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. - John 13:35

Far too many professing Christians are disparaging unity over doctrines and opinions they can’t defend, even if it were in order to win a new car. Though many would try if a new car were at stake! But it’s not a new car, it’s how others know we belong to Christ! And for that far too few show concern.

It is without a doubt that the word of God divides, but it’s supposed to divide the believing from the unbelieving, not those belonging to Christ. John says that love reconciles, and if you don’t, you’re not actually a Christian. So what reasons have you established are grounds for the division you are content with? Can you actually articulate the position or doctrine that divides you or were you just taught it by someone or inherited a tradition that you believe with ignorance?

Division is Sin

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. - 1 Corinthians 1:10

Christians have and always will disagree over doctrine. I have found it is usually a matter of maturity in the faith. But division is sin. It is why elders are supposed to put those who cause divisions under church discipline.

What we do with disagreement reveals whether we love God and are obeying his law. Today, we are content dividing from another believer and gathering with those that agree with us. This ungodly and unloving attitude has propagated this practice everywhere. This has weakened some gatherings and resulted in the removal of the lampstand from others.

We ought to be striving for unity, working painstakingly through disagreements to find answers in the Word. There is one truth (John 14:6). Where two disagree, one or both are wrong. Why would any Christian be content with possibly being wrong about what God has said?

Unity Reveals Christ to the World

The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. - John 17:22-23

Jesus prays for his own. His prayer is that those the Father gave him would be united. The unity of his church will 1) display the love of the Father for his Son, and 2) cause the world to believe Jesus was sent by God to save sinners.

What does disunity do? It distorts the image of God and destroys the witness of the church.

All the work done to train and send missionaries, witness to friends and neighbors, start new churches, schools and seminaries… how much effort has actually been put into what method will actually work to accomplish these ends that Jesus has revealed? How much effort do we put towards unity?

Time for Change

This isn’t just an article to ponder… it is an endeavor to observe and anticipate the power of God in the world, beginning in the small town of Silver Bay, Minnesota. My partner in ministry and I will be laboriously working toward unity among professing believers going forward. Where an attitude of division and unwillingness is met, judgement will be made on the sin and against those protecting and otherwise submitting to it. Where unity is desired, in that we will labor, and in that work God will bless and prosper.

Who am I to make such a claim and to accomplish such a task?

For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. - 1 Corinthians 4:20

It is a work that God will accomplish here for his glory and his love for the world.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Head Coverings in the Church (Part 2)

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:10-13 (Part 2)

Topic: Head Coverings

Question: How should angels affect our worship?

Due to the significance of Paul’s conclusion as to why women should have a symbol of authority on her head, in specific circumstances in the church, I have separated this into 2 parts. View the first in this series here: Head Coverings in the Church (Part 1).

Also, in an effort to regularly remind myself and my readers, I want to reiterate that I am in a perpetual state of learning and growing. We pursue Christ together, as his children, and all have a vital role to fulfill within his body, for one another, as we seek his honor and glory. The accuracy of what I write is only as valuable as it is interpreted and applied correctly. “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” - Romans 14:12

angels watching people worship God in church

How angels affect our worship

How quick are we to make God’s word about us? Even when we are aware and fight against our inclination to do so, we still fall victim to it.

The principle runs through all life from top to bottom. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favorite wishes every day and the death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find him, and with him everything else thrown in. - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

In Paul’s exhortation to the church at Corinth, he clearly articulated God’s created order and why that affects how we worship. Why did I keep verses 10-13 for their own article? In God’s providence, I have been captivated by the conclusion Paul made regarding head coverings… Because of the angels!

Later in his same letter, Paul addresses the practice of tongues and prophecy. On that topic, he correlates, in part, how spiritual gifts impact both believers and unbelievers. But he didn’t do that for the topic of head coverings. No. Head coverings correlate to creation. God’s design of man and woman. Let’s take a deeper look.

A symbol of authority

10 Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

Paul exhorts that woman ought to have a ‘symbol of’ authority. More literally, “the woman ought to have power on her head” or “the woman ought to have authority on her head.”

His argument for woman covering her head when she prays or prophesies is based on creation (v.8-9).

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” - Genesis 1:26

We are going to see, momentarily, that Paul plainly displays why this is not about value, but the image of God. For now, we see in Genesis 1, that God created male and female in his own image. He created man with distinct purpose and woman with distinct purpose, but both to image him wholly and completely as one. There is an essential completeness to the image of God that is displayed in the proper unity of male and female.

Man is the image and glory of God (v.7) but is incomplete apart from woman (Genesis 2:18) because she is the image and glory of man (v.7). Man, alone, does not image God as he desires to be portrayed in creation.

Because of the angels

While it would be wonderful for Paul to elaborate on this a bit more, we can make a couple of assertions. 1) Angels are ministering spirits sent to serve the church (Hebrews 1:14); and 2) Angels eagerly watch and learn about the wisdom of God by observing how he works out our salvation, specifically through the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:12)!

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. - Colossians 1:16

We exist for the glory of Christ. All things exist for the glory of Christ. Something that has deteriorated from the practice in our churches over time is understanding it’s not just the act of worship that honors and glorifies Jesus… it’s how we worship that honors and glorifies Jesus. This is known as the regulative principal.

How we worship forms our understanding of God

How we worship forms our understanding of God. And as Paul appeals to here, how we worship also teaches the angels of the wisdom and beauty of God. It’s not just Christians that worship God in the gathering on the Lord’s Day, the angels also worship God as they revel in his wisdom, as they watch us, worship him!

Authority—or casting off authority—on the head of woman also reveals to the angels how to minister to the church. Is it comfort for a submissive woman in the gathering who’s husband was harsh with her that morning? Is it answered prayer for a man who is convicted for not leading his household well? Is it protection from the lies of the Enemy who whispers into the ear of a woman that she would do a better job at teaching than the elders shepherding her soul? There are many ways that angels minister to believers.

11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.

The idea of man being superior to woman is removed from any possible thought of the reader. Woman are subject to man but they are not independent of each other. It is the same type of language Paul uses when exhorting husbands in Ephesians 5.

So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are parts of His body.

Men are designed as protectors. A modern attack on the image of God today is the feminist claim that women no longer need protecting. Likewise, women today are told they can be independent of man, casting off his God-given authority and taking his place in the home, church, and society.

Paul asserts, neither of you are independent of the other. Ironically, it is the pursuit of liberation from the opposite sex that causes the subjection and abuse of woman and the cowering of men into weak boys.

Woman came from man and now man is born of woman. Everything is from God.

13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

This is a rhetorical question. It was covered in part 1. Why did I bring it over here? Because the answer is, no. It’s not proper. Paul answered that even if you don’t understand why it’s improper, there is no other practice among the churches. Uphold tradition, which is what he praised the church for doing at the beginning of the passage (v.2).

Why is this a contentious issue?

I feel, like Paul, there are bigger issues at hand here.

God’s judgement on woman for her sin was increased pain in childbearing and a desire to take authority over man. It was also that rather than the man nurturing and protecting her, he would lord his authority over her. Genesis 3:16.

To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you shall deliver children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.’

God’s judgement on man for his sin was pain and difficulty in providing and protecting, and returning to the cursed ground rather than living in the presence and glory of God.

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; With hard labor you shall eat from it All the days of your life. “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; Yet you shall eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”

The purpose of women having a symbol of authority on their head is to display the restoring and redemptive work of God in all creation and mankind, for the angels that turn in praise and worship to the wisdom and glory of God.

“If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.” - 1 Corinthians 11:16

Christians and Jewish Holidays

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Should Christians observe Jewish holidays and practices?

Answer:

The church does not celebrate feasts and holidays that were prescribed to Israel in the older covenant in the way that they celebrated them because those were a shadow of the things to come (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:1). Today Christians celebrate the greater sacrament of these festivals by feasting on Jesus (John 6:56; Luke 22:19) and being baptized into his death, into newness of life (Romans 6:3). These are sacraments overseen by biblically qualified elders as the church communes together (Matthew 16:19).

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins. (Mark 2:22)

jewish festival

Text:

Hebrews 1:1-7

1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body have you prepared for me;

6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

Overview:

There’s an increasing awareness of the Old Covenant practices of Christianity. This is causing Christians to incorporate Jewish religious customs into their worship and lives. This raises the question: should Christians observe Jewish holidays and practices?

Jewish holidays encompass regular events like Purim and Chanukkah, along with seven feasts mandated by the older covenant of the Law. The feasts have historical and spiritual significance related to God’s plan of redemption through Christ. The feasts also had very specific commandments involving sacrifices, dietary restrictions, prayers, and temporary shelters. Jewish traditions and various interpretations led to differing practices over time.

The seven festivals or feasts on the Jewish calendar are important for grasping the concept of the seventh-day rest as portrayed in the Bible. These feasts bear symbolic significance, drawing connections to the creation narrative in Genesis and the Exodus story. Their primary purpose was to serve as a means of remembrance and instruction.

Passover (Pesach):
- Purpose: Commemorated the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt.
- Significance: The Passover lamb’s blood spared the Israelite firstborns during the tenth plague.
Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot):
- Purpose: Celebrated immediately after Passover, focusing on the removal of leaven (yeast) from households.
- Significance: Symbolized the haste of the Israelites leaving Egypt and their journey into freedom.
Feast of Firstfruits (Yom HaBikkurim):
- Purpose: Acknowledged the beginning of the barley harvest in Israel.
- Significance: Offering the first bundle of the harvest as a thanksgiving offering to God.
Feast of Weeks (Shavuot or Pentecost):
- Purpose: Celebrated seven weeks (50 days) after Passover, marking the wheat harvest.
- Significance: Recognized the giving of the Law (Torah) to Moses on Mount Sinai and later became associated by many with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah):
- Purpose: Marked the beginning of the Jewish civil year, a day of rest, remembrance, and blowing of trumpets.
- Significance: Prepared the people for the Day of Atonement and symbolized God’s kingship and the call to repentance.
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur):
- Purpose: A day of fasting and repentance, seeking forgiveness for sins.
- Significance: The high priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle or Temple to make atonement for the people’s sins, symbolizing reconciliation with God.
Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot):
- Purpose: Commemorated the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness and God’s provision.
- Significance: Jews built temporary booths (sukkot) and dwelled in them for seven days, symbolizing dependence on God and gratitude for His blessings.

These feasts had both historical and spiritual significance, often pointing to deeper spiritual truths and prophetic elements. They ultimately point us to our inherent desire for eternal rest in Jesus.

“for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” - Hebrews 4:10.

Should Christians observe Jewish holidays and practices?

Since the Bible teaches that Christ fulfilled the law, freeing believers from its requirements, keeping older covenant feasts as theological obligations is tantamount to putting new wine in old wineskins. While the early church was entering the new covenant from the old, questions were brought up and dealt with as to how Jews believing upon Jesus were to handle their former instructions (Romans 14). Those are a different set of doctrines to address, which teachings are often used to inappropriately erode obligations to Christian practice that are upheld by scripture.

From the perspective of the regulative principle of worship, as the church, we participate in these festivals in their fullness, during the gathering on the Lord’s day. The main purpose today is to serve as a 1) remembrance of Christ’s completed work, and 2) instruction for believers on how to live faithfully today, submitting to Jesus reigning as King.

Today, Christians celebrate the greater sacrament of these festivals by feasting on Jesus (John 6:56; Luke 22:19) and being baptized into his death, into newness of life (Romans 6:3). The sacraments of the church which are to be overseen by biblically qualified elders as the church communes together on the Lord’s Day (Matt. 16:19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10).

Head Coverings in the Church (Part 1)

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:3-9, 14-15 (Part 1)

Topic: Head Coverings

Question: If Paul says that a woman’s hair is given as her covering, how could she pray or prophesy with her head uncovered?

Read Part 2: How angels affect our worship.

3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Paul begins his response to the Corinthian church regarding, what we imply is the reason for his writing, women apparently removing their head coverings and casting off submission to her authority in the gathering. Before making specific arguments, he appeals to God’s divine and created order. God is the head of Jesus, Jesus the head of man, man the head of woman*. Head, here, is kephalē, which is a position of authority. This appeal to order displays that the issue he is addressing is regarding the submission of woman to man (On a side note, to avoid heresy, a proper understanding is needed of the incarnation/condescension of Jesus in the flesh).

4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.

If a man covers his head while praying or prophesying, he dishonors Jesus. Consequently, if a woman’s hair is the covering being referred to in his argument, then a man’s covering would be long hair (v.14). However, if Paul is referring here to a material covering of some sort (hat/cloth/veil/etc.) and argues for continuing to use such an item, then it would likewise be referring to a man not physically covering his head with such an item/cloth during prayer or prophecy.

5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.

While it cannot be unequivocally asserted, it does appear that it was a custom in first century Jewish culture to wear some sort of garment over the head. The reasons for this garment also vary greatly. Verse 5 indicates that a woman can apparently have long hair and her head still not be covered. So the issue being addressed, as indicated in verse 3, is much greater than hair and clothing. This comports with other passages, like 1 Peter 3:4, indicating that God is concerned with the heart over appearance.

6 For if a woman does not cover her head, have her also cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, have her cover her head.

Paul states that a woman who prophesies or prays in the gathering with her head uncovered is disgraced, as though she had her head shaved. Paul is not encouraging women to shave their heads, he is asserting that throwing off her covering is not an act of liberation but of degradation. She might as well shave her head, a sign of disgrace (offense/injury to reputation).

7 For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake.

Paul appeals to creation, Genesis 1:26-27, that woman was made from man and for man, as an ally in accomplishing God’s purpose for creation. In marriage, a man is the head, the authority, of the woman and household. Departure from this created purpose and order in marriage dishonors God and distorts his image, since the man is the image and glory of God.

14 Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering.

Some take verses 14-15 to indicate that a woman’s hair is given to her in place of her covering. However, Paul is using this in addition to his other lines of reasoning, from special revelation now to natural revelation, that because women are given long hair as her covering, she ought to wear a covering in the gathering. This is due to the rendering of anti “as” or “for”, rather than “instead of”. Resolving the impact of this small variation can be done simply by upholding a consistent interpretation. If a woman’s hair is a replacement for her covering, it does not explain the act of uncovering her head in verses 5-6. Male and female are distinct by nature. Long hair is a woman’s glory as it distinguishes and displays her womanhood by nature. Similarly, men ought not look or otherwise present themselves like women.

Application:

Paul appeals to creation to assert God’s purpose for submission and authority for men and women.
A man is to be in submission and subjection to Christ, as the image and glory of God.
A woman is to be in submission to man as Jesus was in submission to the Father, as the glory of man.
Any outward practice/display of a woman that signifies or otherwise portrays that she is not subject to man, or that a man is in subjection to woman, is in sin.**

*This post has been modified to use the more accurate usage of woman ‘γυνὴ’ (gynē) in the NASB.

**Sub points to application #4 have been removed to add and expand on in Part 2.

Part 2 will cover verses 10-13, as I feel it should be its own post.

Context:

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I handed them down to you. 3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, have her also cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, have her cover her head. 7 For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. 10 Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor have the churches of God.

17Now in giving this next instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18For, in the first place, when you come together [m]as a church, I hear that [n]divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19For there also have to be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become [o]evident among you. 20Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. 22What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.

Faith and Works

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In today’s podcast Ken Duffy and Jesse Heller discuss faith, practice, and the state of the professing Church in Silver Bay, Minnesota.

Photo by John Cafazza on Unsplash

How The Faithless "Church" Exacerbate True Believers

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

“There is no perfect church” … “Nobody is perfect” … “Everybody sins” … “Jesus said ‘judge not’…” — church member

When James addressed the division among those professing faith versus others boasting in their works, he concluded that a genuine faith, works (James 2:18). A claim to one without the other means you simply don’t belong to Jesus. Today, churches are still full of people professing Christ that knowingly and willfully disobey him.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” - Luke 6:46

Photo by Lynn Vdbr on Unsplash

I am broadly speaking about my context and not every specific church across the globe. However, if my small town context is any indication of a larger issue, than it’s a major problem that needs addressing. I’ve done the small town life for almost two decades. Small town churches and church “elders” are greatly suffering in more ways than I can express today.

Why bring this up? I’m tired of the destruction to faith, families, marriages, witness, and most importantly the assault against the kingdom of God that hypocrites cause. If it were the Lord’s desire for his church to sit idly by as others wreak havoc within, then so be it. But it’s not. He equips the church with garments of war (Ephesians 6:10-20) and sends her out to the ends of the earth to advance his kingdom reign (Psalm 2:8; Matthew 28:19-20), while equipping her for purity and beauty in her newness of life. But where does the enemy love to strike? From within (Acts 20:29).

(I will take a momentary interlude to confess that I am working on my tact and gentleness. I’ve even taken up a new writing project—DearJes.us—to focus on that effort. This is not that. And I believe it’s a good and God-fearing work of ministry today to be the prophetic voice of reason in a world raging against the seated King, especially when it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish the church from the world.) /interlude

Here are a few assertions that I believe should be made in light of the current state of many professing Christians today:

If your church does not practice church discipline, you are not a church.
If you don’t think your church needs discipline, you are not a pastor.
If your pastor is a woman, she is actually a ravenous wolf.
If your church does not advance the abolition of abortion or affirm and teach the simple truth that God created and instituted only male and female, you probably fit into one of the first three…

I’m not bringing up random sin. These are particular and egregious sins being committed in most churches today.

Church Discipline - I list the lack of discipline first, because I think it is the most prevalent and was overwhelmingly the main compromise that lead to leavened lumps across the globe (Galatians 5:9). If you deny the need your church has for discipline, John says the truth is not in you (1 John 1:8). If you do not follow the discipline of unrepentant sin to excommunication, you are in the sin of disobedience and should now be disciplined (Matthew 18:17). The simple truth is if we are not battling sin, we are being killed by it. Sin is present in every church and Paul said that if it is not dealt with it will destroy the church.

Unqualified pastors - The Holy Spirit appoints overseers (Acts 20:28) and the church tests to verify the calling. A pastor/elder/overseer must be above reproach (Titus 1:6-9). However, just like the excuse that “nobody is perfect” led to license to sin, we have compromised on the qualifications for elders that lead our churches. “The requirements are just too great!” … “Nobody would qualify if we actually obeyed what God’s word says…”. The Holy Spirit doesn’t appoint unqualified men to pastor the flock. My plea to unqualified pastors: step down. You are doing more harm than good. My plea to congregants with unqualified pastors: remove them from office. Christians will be far better off without overseers than with unqualified ones.

The lady “pastor” - There is no such thing as a female pastor and a female placing herself in such a role commits the same image-marring sin as homosexual “marriage” does. God created and did it orderly. He cares about how we image him and the institutions he created to do it. A woman cannot exercise authority over a man (1 Timothy 2:12) and a pastor must be the husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2). Some have at least made embarrassing attempts to twist the text in defense of such abominable practices, but most just ignore those problem passages altogether.

Abortion and the LGBT agenda - I link these two together—as most reprobate “churches” affirm both together—purposefully. The aggressive agenda to sexualize society and destroy the family unit is driven by the LGBT movement. It’s a lot harder to sexualize a culture when the ramifications of sex exists… the child that is created. Birth control made great strides to this end starting in the 1950’s but wasn’t fullproof. If birth control doesn’t work today, murder the child. Now we have professing churches affirming both the murder of the unborn and an acronym for different ways people like to have and idolize sex. I came from a small town that didn’t flaunt this wickedness, but now live among small towns with churches openly celebrating both. In both contexts outwardly faithful churches would fellowship with the unfaithful. Paul said not to even associate with the sexually immoral who profess Christ. What was the response by professing Christians? Let’s do a joint potluck outreach event for the community! Did any of these congregations ever have actual Christians among them? The Lord only knows. But like the apostle said, a little leaven… it permeates.

I do want to make clear that my lament and call to repentance is accompanied by much pain and anguish over many, many, years. I do not write these words with my own skewed sense of activism. I see real faces, know real names, have watched marriages crumble, weak men fail their wives and families without recourse, husbands in tears over unfaithful wives, churchgoing parents give their children over to the government for indoctrination, and all while an unbelieving world watches the professing church in awe and ask, “why on earth would I want that?!”.

How does church discipline relate to failing marriages? Men are responsible for the health of their marriage and the sanctification of his wife and kids. The wife is to submit to her husband. What does she do with a disobedient husband? She should be able to go to the elders of her church, or other healthy church members, to correct the husband. But this also extends to qualification…
Qualified overseers would be active in the lives of those they shepherd. They would be involved in the lives and direction of the church. And when the need arises they would be able to exhort and correct sin because they usually wouldn’t also be guilty of the same thing…
Qualified overseers would raise up qualified church members. With the exception of the actual desire and appointment to the office, all matured men in a church should be qualified to serve as an overseer. Instead, we have unqualified men preaching feel-good story-saturated sermons to people still drinking milk. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” - Hebrews 5:12.
If men were properly taught and held accountable in their churches, women wouldn’t need to look with desperation at the lack of qualified men to pastor congregations and then volunteer to fill the need themselves. This is happening in great numbers in other countries right now! The church desperately needs strong, qualified, and able men to lead.

The worst part of all this is that we have always had a simple solution to all this chaos: Faith with works. Not as a means of salvation but as evidence of true conversion. God gave us his word to lead us in truth. There will always be cults and false Christians out there. But if we use the same simple statement Jesus made to distinguish his own from the unbelieving world, a lot fewer people would be hurt by the cults and the kingdom would advance with more clarity and glory.

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. - John 17:15-20

Exposing False Prophets in Grand Marais (and beyond)

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Photo by mahdi rezaei on Unsplash

Why are we to expose false teachers?

Why are we to expose false teachers? We are supposed to watch out for them. Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”. We are to be alert for false teachers because they outwardly make themselves look like Christians, but their aim is to destroy and devour the Church. Physical persecution rarely accomplishes Satan’s desire, because physical persecution is often purposed by God to spread the gospel (Acts 8:1-5). No, Satan (and those he works through) is crafty, but unoriginal. He works through distorting the word of God, as he has from the beginning. Genesis 3:1: "Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (emphasis mine). The word of God is what divides. The word of God is what has power. If you want to have any chance at thwarting God’s purpose (which you can’t), you have to deny or distort his living and active and eternal word. Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The word of God exposes the believing from the unbelieving. The word of God exposes false teachers.

Matthew 7:15-19: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."

What happened?

Recently, I was at an event in Grand Marais, Minnesota, that was designed to support and affirm LGBTQ practices, that which God charges as sexual immorality (Porneia). Porneia is a Greek word that essentially means “illicit sexual activity.” It is important here to broadly identify sexually illicit activity as being condemned by God (regardless of sexual orientation) because those who attempt to distort God’s word today are making claims like, “the word homosexual is not in the Bible”. Though untrue, we have more than a simple disagreement over translation of a word. We have a clear description of the activity. In Romans 1, Paul teaches about God’s judgement against mankind. God responds in judgement against those who actively suppress the truth by giving them over to their deprived minds. Romans 1:26-27: “For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.” It’s important to note that Romans 1 implicates all humanity, not just a particular group of people. It’s also important to note that there were believers in the church that practiced homosexuality (among other sins) that had since repented and been forgiven of their sin. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” From a heterosexual male and female living outside of the covenant of marriage, to those living within homosexual and other illicit lifestyles, it’s all unlawful works that God condemns.

People want to portray these movements today as “progressive” and “inclusive” movements. But they’ve been around and celebrated by cultures since the beginning of time.

God designed marriage, a permanent covenant between one man and one woman, to display the love of Jesus to his church. Any sexual activity outside of this marriage covenant is sin, as it distorts his image in his creation. Ephesians 5:31-32: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

What does sexual immorality have to do with false teachers?

There were those present at this event that were among a professing church… in support of the sexual immorality and attempted indoctrination of the youth of the city! They need to be named for the sake of the Church and the clarity of the gospel. We need to know them so that we can avoid them (Romans 16:17). They are liars and blind guides. Jesus says, “Leave them alone! They are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14). They are First Congregational United Church of Christ Grand Marais, MN. And one of the leading antagonists at this event? “Pastor” Enno Limvere. Not only was he making a mockery of the word of God being spoken, but he consistently watched his prey during the entire event, the gathered youth that were present.

The gathering that makes up First Congregational United Church of Christ are “openly affirming” of transgender, homosexual, and other illicit sexual activities.

Yes, sinners come to Christ in their sin, but they come to him in repentance, seeking forgiveness. Acts 13:38-41: "Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. 39 Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.”

Jesus went to the cross to pay for the sin of many (Hebrews 9:28). He was lifted up and now draws all people to himself (John 12:31-32). “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). Jesus proclaimed, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28).

The Bible teaches repentance and faith. The false teachers of this “church” proclaim an empty “faith” without repentance, without change. They are like the teachers warned about in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

A Call To Repentance

I appeal to those being deceived and those doing the deceiving here: repent and believe the gospel and you will be saved. Continue in your unbelief and you will perish. “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).

Romans 6:15-18: “What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey— either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.”

Those who live in their sin, die in their sin. When you teach others to embrace their sin, you are leading them down a road to destruction and judgement.

Colossians 3:1-4: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

A Word To The Victims Of Grand Marais "Pride"

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Photo by Eduardo Pastor on Unsplash

We are here because God is love (1 John 4:8), and He desires us to manifest His love to the world around us by proclaiming His truth (1 Timothy 1:5). Many truth claims are made, but only one is correct. Please take the opportunity to listen to what God says.

Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).

The event being celebrated in Grand Marais is leading up to “Pride” month. It is a celebration of sexuality, but not just sexuality, it is the celebration of men having sex with men and women having sex with women. It further confounds sex by distinguishing between sex and gender and then attempting to separate the two in order to form a new narrative of “acceptance”.

However, God has determined the sex (gender) for each individual, in His creativity, desire, and intricately designed purpose for them, and for you. Men and women war against God by nature because all people are in opposition to God from birth, due to being separated from God by their sin. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. This is just another way we reject and war against God and His created order.

God is holy. We have sinned against a holy God. The payment (or wages) for our sin against God is death.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

We are all guilty and all stand condemned. Nobody is righteous. “God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 53:1-3).

God further indicts humanity by specifying some of the types of unrighteous people that would die in their sin apart from Jesus. There is an emphasis about not being deceived about this truth.

“Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

The world will tell you to embrace your sin. Event coordinators here will tell you “love is love”, and “teaches children to follow their passions and embrace gender diversity in themselves and others". Don’t be deceived. Don’t let your children be deceived. Protect them from these lies and open your ears to the call from Jesus:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28).

Soli Deo gloria,

Ken

The "legal" status of a local church

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Editor’s note — April 25, 2026. This article first appeared July 15, 2021. It has been corrected and updated since. The IRS publication referenced is 1828, not 1028. § 508©(1)(A) waives specific filing and notification requirements within § 501©(3); churches remain a class of § 501©(3) organization. The list of federal burdens has been narrowed to what § 501©(3) actually imposes. A section has been added on the July 2025 consent judgment in National Religious Broadcasters v. IRS. The article’s central claim — that the church’s existence and authority do not derive from the civil magistrate — stands.

“I am not the only IRS employee who’s wondered why churches go to the government and seek permission to be exempted from a tax they didn’t owe to begin with, and to seek a tax deductible status that they’ve always had anyway”; “Churches are in an amazingly unique position”.

Steve Nestor, IRS Sr. Revenue Officer (ret.)

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

Many churches today follow what has recently become a standard for legally defining and recognizing their gathering. Many believe that in order to become recognized as a tax-exempt ministry or church they must file for nonprofit status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This process is an application for a request to be recognized as a 501©(3) nonprofit organization. § 501©(3) imposes substantive requirements on every organization that qualifies under it, including churches: the church must be organized and operated exclusively for one or more of the exempt purposes named in the statute, no part of its net earnings may inure to any private individual, no substantial part of its activities may consist of attempting to influence legislation, and it must not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate for public office. The annual Form 990 information return that other § 501©(3) organizations must file does not apply to churches; § 6033(a)(3)(A)(i) exempts them. Federal tax law does not dictate church polity, meeting frequency, agenda, sermon content, or the recording of services. Those concerns trace to state nonprofit corporation statutes and apply equally to any incorporated church, regardless of its IRS posture. Although the federal tax code recognizes churches as a class of § 501©(3) organization, the church is not constituted by nonprofit incorporation. The church is a gathering of redeemed people to glorify God through worship. We must also consider what was rightly established in the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

What many people do not know is that the United States government lawfully recognizes that they do not have authority over local congregations that gather as the church, nor should the Church be taxed by the government. Thoughtful effort has been made with both the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Code to protect local churches from government overreach. Churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventional or associations of churches are mandatorily exempt from taxation from the United States government without needing to take any action (see 26 U.S. Code § 508©(1)(A) - Special rules with respect to section 501©(3) organizations). This means that without ever requesting recognition from the government, churches are automatically considered tax-exempt and may receive deductible contributions without filing Form 1023. § 508©(1)(A) does not, however, place churches in a tax category outside § 501©(3). Churches remain a class of § 501©(3) organization, and the substantive operational rules of § 501©(3) — no private inurement, no substantial lobbying, and the political-campaign restriction — apply by their own terms. The federal courts have read § 508 this way consistently. In Branch Ministries v. Rossotti (D.C. Cir. 2000), the IRS revoked a church’s exempt status for political activity, and the court rejected the argument that § 508 placed churches in a category immune from such revocation. The point that survives is narrower than is sometimes claimed and still weighty: churches are not required to seek the state’s recognition in order to exist, gather, teach, ordain, hold property, or receive offerings. The civil magistrate recognizes the church; he does not constitute it. § 508©(1)(A) reflects that distinction at the federal level by removing the church from the queue at the IRS counter.

Update: National Religious Broadcasters v. IRS (E.D. Tex. 2025). On July 7, 2025, the IRS entered a consent judgment in National Religious Broadcasters v. IRS in the Eastern District of Texas. In a federal court filing, the agency stated that houses of worship may speak with their congregations about political candidates and elections, through their customary channels of communication on matters of faith, without endangering their tax-exempt status. This is the first time the IRS has stated such a position openly in nearly seventy-five years of Johnson Amendment enforcement. The settlement technically binds the agency only as to the plaintiff churches. Because the IRS made its interpretation public in a court filing, the practical risk of revocation for sermons and ordinary congregational teaching that touches on candidates or elections has been substantially reduced. The political-campaign restriction at § 501©(3) is still law. A church that endorsed a candidate in paid advertising, funded a campaign, or operated as a political committee in disguise would not be protected by this consent judgment and would still face the statute. The change is in agency posture toward customary pulpit speech, not in the operational rules of § 501©(3).

What is the legal status of a church? Churches are rightly identified, recognized, and exempted from oversight and taxation under 26 U.S. Code § 508©(1)(A).

The Church is local gatherings of freed individuals all over the world, people who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, gathered together to worship God, scattered to proclaim his kingship to the nations, and to ensure others are rightly brought under submission to his rule (Psalm 2:7-8; Matthew 28:19-20).

References and resources:

First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

508©(1)(A)

(a) New organizations must notify Secretary that they are applying for recognition of section 501©(3) status Except as provided in subsection ©, an organization organized after October 9, 1969, shall not be treated as an organization described in section 501©(3)

© Exceptions

(1) Mandatory exceptions Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to—

(A) churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches, or

(B) any organization which is not a private foundation (as defined in section 509(a)) and the gross receipts of which in each taxable year are normally not more than $5,000.

IRS Publication 557 - Churches, Integrated Auxiliaries, and Conventions or Associations of Churches

Churches (including integrated auxiliaries and conventions or associations of churches) that meet the requirements of section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are automatically considered tax exempt and are not required to apply for and obtain recognition of exempt status from the IRS. Donors are allowed to claim a charitable deduction for donations to a church that meets the section 501©(3) requirements even though the church has neither sought nor received IRS recognition that it is tax exempt. In addition, because churches and certain other religious organizations are not required to file an annual return or notice with the IRS, they are not subject to automatic revocation of exemption for failure to file. See Annual Return Filing Exceptions for a complete list of organizations that are not required to file.

To be tax-exempt under section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501©(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

Exemption purposes:

The exempt purposes set forth in section 501©(3) are charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, and preventing cruelty to children or animals. The term charitable is used in its generally accepted legal sense and includes relief of the poor, the distressed, or the underprivileged; advancement of religion; advancement of education or science; erecting or maintaining public buildings, monuments, or works; lessening the burdens of government; lessening neighborhood tensions; eliminating prejudice and discrimination; defending human and civil rights secured by law; and combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency.

IRS Publication 1828 (Page 2)

Recognition of Tax-Exempt Status

Automatic Exemption for Churches

Churches that meet the requirements of IRC Section 501©(3) are automatically considered tax exempt and are not required to apply for and obtain recognition of tax-exempt status from the IRS.

P1828 Introduction: Congress has enacted special tax laws that apply to churches, religious organizations and ministers in recognition of their unique status in American society and of their rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Churches and religious organizations are generally exempt from income tax and receive other favorable treatment under the tax law; however, certain income of a church or religious organization may be subject to tax, such as income from an unrelated business.

IRS Publication 526 - Organizations That Qualify To Receive Deductible Contributions

You can deduct your contributions only if you make them to a qualified organization. Most organizations, other than churches and governments, must apply to the IRS to become a qualified organization.

Table 1 - Examples of Charitable Contributions

Money or property you give to:

Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other religious organizations.

The Kingdom Of God. The Confusion Of Saints.

Fri, 12 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The Kingdom Of God. The Confusion Of Saints.

For the majority of my time as a Christian there has been an area of study that has brought me much confusion. The end times. The theological word used in this field is called “eschatology”, derived from the word “eschaton” (meaning the end of the world; or the end of time; or the last things). Which means the word eschatology is the study or a theology of the end times. The end times is talked about many times in the Bible, so it’s not an area where we don’t have much information or have to make too many guesses… generally. Which is one of the reasons I was often frustrated when trying to understand the events, as explained by many in my circles, because it just didn’t make much sense to me the way it was taught. But I accepted, begrudgingly, the general explanation given and tried to makes sense of it the best I could, figuring it was my mind not comprehending something that those much more scholarly did. In my reflections here I am not going to take time explaining the common teachings on the topic, but rather, I am going to briefly explain a position that finally seemed logical. Not simple or something I preferred, but logical. It fit what I had read throughout the Bible and didn’t take forming a new system of thought in order to make sense of it.

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

A New View On The End Times

No. I am not going to propose a new thought on the end times and blow your mind. If you didn’t know this already, that (first part) is what was attempted by the major view held in America today. It’s called Dispensational Premillennialism. The thought is only a couple of hundred years old and wasn’t held by the historical church for the past two millennia. Unfortunately, I didn’t know this for the majority of the time that I was trying to learn and understand this topic. That would have got me asking a lot more questions sooner, like, what was the common view of the early church fathers? What were people’s understanding in the time Jesus walked the earth and before? What were Jesus’ followers understanding when he explained it to them? I had assumed that what I had learned and was taught in the Bible belt I grew up in was the historical understanding. It wasn’t.

Essentially, a dispensation is the way of ordering things into a system or a form of management. Classically, there were seven dispensations taught, but there have been a range of as few as three to as many as thirty-seven proposed dispensations. They are a grouping and separating of defined periods or ages to which God has allotted distinctive administrative principles. Do you see how this can quickly get confusing without even beginning to mention the different periods or dispensations?

The word ‘millennium’ means a period of a thousand years. In the Bible, that 1,000 years is usually referred to when talking about the thousand year reign of Christ or the “millennial kingdom”. In dispensational premillennialism the millennial kingdom (understood to be a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth) is during the seventh/final dispensation. The majority of Dispensational Premillennialists understand the Kingdom of God or the reign of Christ on earth to be a future event that has not yet come. Or you’ll hear the confounding phrase, “here, but not yet…”. Basically, since the Kingdom of God is a defined dispensation of the thousand year period where Jesus reigns on earth in his Kingdom… it must logically be a future event that has not yet occurred. Dispensationalism essentially teaches that the Kingdom of God is not here, that Jesus did not bring his kingdom as he and the prophets said. People holding this view generally understand this to be a problematic claim to navigate.

Within this view you get more differing views on where the “tribulation” fits in relation to the second coming of Christ. Before, during, after? In the middle? There’s a period where Jesus followers suffer this incredible persecution… right?

Here are just a few problems: 1) The big one. If Jesus didn’t bring his kingdom then he’s a false prophet, along with the Jewish prophets preceding him, and Christians are wasting their life following him. This is one of the big reasons Jews don’t believe Jesus is the Messiah. They believe the Messiah was coming to bring an earthly rule and thought he didn’t. But he did. Although, this isn’t taught by most evangelicals today. 2) If Jesus’ earthly authority, kingship, and reign is a future event and not today, Christians don’t have any right to be going out as the prophetic voice of God into the world and telling people to kneel to this non-reigning king. He died and rose… sure… but he doesn’t have any earthly authority yet. You can’t claim he does nor call other people to subjection to his rule. 3) The classic view teaches the world is going to be overcome by evil. Things are going to become worst and worst until Jesus comes, in secret the first time, to rescue his Church from the corruption and persecution of this dying world. As is a common objection to this worldview, “Why polish brass on a sinking ship?”. It causes lethargy on the part of the Christian and the work in engaging in and transforming the world to Christ because they think Christianity will decrease and lawlessness increase until everything gets so bad that the end will come…

A New View Of A Rapture

An essential part of dispensationalism is the secret rapture of the church. Jesus’ second coming… well his prequel to his second coming… is when he comes again without anyone seeing him and takes his followers away with him. Here is one of the most common texts used to defend this “secret rapture”—like dispensationalism, this “rapture” of the church to snatch her away to heaven is also a newer idea.

“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” - Matthew 24:37-42

A very plain reading of this text brings your memory to the story Jesus references: Noah’s ark and the flood. Quick question: who was taken away and who remained in this text? Noah and his family remained and the wicked people receiving God’s judgement were swept away. They drowned to death. It takes no exegeting of this text to understand the judgement Jesus is talking about is going to be swift, and those judged (taken) are not going to a nice place. Dispensationalism teaches those taken, as referred to in this passage, are the church!!!

To date, the best evidence for a rapture I’ve seen is a lack of information in the Bible. The claim is made that the church is not mentioned by name from Revelation chapters 4-19. So… rapture! Even if that were true, we don’t make doctrines from a lack of information.

Here’s a simple explanation for the rapture of the church: there isn’t one. At least not in any way you’ve likely been taught. The word “rapture” in Scripture is taken from the Latin “rapio” for the two words “caught up” used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. This passage does not say we are going anywhere. It says we’re going to be caught up in the air with Jesus. Again, the simple fact remains that being caught up in the air with Jesus says absolutely nothing about leaving to go somewhere else.

A Historical View Of The End Times

What if that’s all wrong? What if Jesus did bring his kingdom like he said he was and like those before him foretold? What if these last days were understood more simply as revealed in the Scriptures? This was my transition into what was a refreshingly coherent and biblically sound explanation of the Kingdom of God in these last days. It’s called postmillennialism. In my remaining paragraphs I don’t intend to systematically defend and teach this view (or the complimentary amillennial view), but rather show a few key points that really solidified this teaching in my mind.

The common phrase you’ll hear when debating someone who holds to dispensational premillennialism is that they “take the Bible literally”. I totally respect that. So let’s do it.

Do we take Jesus literally when he says in Matthew 10:23 that his disciples won’t finish going to all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes? Do we take Jesus literally when he says in Matthew 16:28 that there are people standing before him that won’t die before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom? Who was Jesus talking to in Matthew 23:35 when he said that on YOU will come all the righteous blood that was shed on the earth? We should affirm the approach to take the Bible literally. I just think it’s use of an argument is often shallow and even condescending. Everyone takes some things literally and others figuratively in their hermeneutic… because some things are literal and some things are figurative in the Bible! When Jesus says he is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father but through him, that literally means he is the only way to be saved and be with him forever… but when he describes it in other passages, he describes himself as a door that we must go through!

There are two primary areas Jesus talks about when referring to the end times. In some places he speaks of the “end of the age”, which is the end of the old covenant era with Israel. There are other times that are referring to the end of the world and the finishing of all the work God has planned. What has happened is so many people in our current generation have abandoned so much of the Bible that comes before the book of Matthew. If we understand the language and context of the entire revealed story of God and who is being spoken to and when, we can use the Bible to interpret the Bible. But if you become estranged to the old covenant Law of God, the new covenant texts can be skewed and interpreted to say whatever creative thoughts come to the mind of the reader and teacher. My below example of language of judgement used in the Bible is just one critical area.

The Prophets spoke of the Kingdom

When Luke documented the foretelling of Jesus’ birth, he referenced Isaiahs prophecy in Isaiah 9:7:

“Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”

Also in Jeremiah 23:5:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a Righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land.”

Again in Daniel 2:44:

“In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.”

Jesus brought his Kingdom

You know something that I find ironic and quite intriguing in all of this? Many Jews of Jesus’ day didn’t believe he was the promised King spoken of by their prophets because he didn’t sit in some chair and take control over everyone like a typical earthly king would. Dispensationalism is derived from the same mindset. Jesus isn’t the king some thought, so we made up a worldview that explains it. Yes, it’s a strong sentiment, but no, it’s not fallacious. So many have been confused for decades on the topic because a movement arose that began redefining basic terminology in the Bible.

A simple hermeneutical test

In Isaiah 13, Isaiah gives a prophecy of the judgement of Babylon:

6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is near;

as destruction from the Almighty it will come!

7 Therefore all hands will be feeble,

and **every human heart will melt**.

8 They will be dismayed:

pangs and agony will seize them;

they will be in anguish like a woman in labor.

They will look aghast at one another;

their faces will be aflame.

9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes,

cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,

to make the land a desolation

and to destroy its sinners from it.

10 For the stars of the heavens and their constellations

will not give their light;

the sun will be dark at its rising,

and the moon will not shed its light.

11 I will punish the world for its evil,

and the wicked for their iniquity;

I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant,

and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. (emphasis added)

Did judgement come upon Babylon? It sure did. Was the sun darkened and stars not give light? Listen to the language used again here…

In Isaiah 19, he prophesies of the judgement of Egypt:

1 Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud

and comes to Egypt;

and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence,

and the **heart** of the Egyptians **will melt within them**.

2 And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians,

and they will fight, each against another

and each against his neighbor,

city against city, kingdom against kingdom;

3 and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out,

and I will confound their counsel;

and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers,

and the mediums and the necromancers;

4 and I will give over the Egyptians

into the hand of a hard master,

and a fierce king will rule over them,

declares the Lord God of hosts.

5 And the waters of the sea will be dried up,

and the river will be dry and parched,

6 and its canals will become foul,

and the branches of Egypt's Nile will diminish and dry up,

reeds and rushes will rot away. (emphasis added)

There’s that use of severe language again… Did hearts literally melt within these people? How many faces were set on fire!?

In Matthew 24, we get the same treatment:

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then tall the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

How many were looking for Jesus riding on a cloud. How many were looking for stars falling from heaven? You wouldn’t if you read and understood old covenant language. Was Babylon judged? Yes. Was Egypt judged? Yes. Was Israel judged?! She sure was.

Many of the passages that address the judgment that Jesus brought for Israel are used out of context and applied to propagate some new future rapture and judgement.

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. - Matthew 21:43

This is Jesus talking to the covenant breaking nation of Israel. Jesus brought judgement to Israel. That’s one of the reasons all the religious leaders kept getting all up tight. When he talked about coming in the clouds and such, they knew the way he was speaking. Jesus was plain with his followers too. Cursing the fig tree (Mark 11:12-25) is a clear indicator that the tree (Israel) will never bear fruit again. It is being cut off. The kingdom is given to another people.

Did a king replace David or is a king going to replace David one day?

If Jesus didn’t and isn’t reigning as king… then he’s not and won’t be. Jesus looked at people face-to-face, in his presence, and said: “there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:28). If those people all died before he brought his kingdom then he is reduced to the title of false prophet. But here are just a few passages that speak so plainly:

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” - Matthew 12:28

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” - Matthew 4:17

"But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” - Luke 22:69

“And saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” - Mark 1:15

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 14:17

But here’s a passage that really challenges the idea of a future millennial kingdom: “Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” - Luke 17:20-21. If Jesus shows up in a cloud in the sky for all to see and then establishes a thrown and physical dominion over the earth… it’s observed. Jesus said it won’t be like that.

There are so many passages that speak of this Kingdom of God, and if read plainly, can clearly be seen that Jesus came to bring it. And he did!

Why It Matters

Why was this new position thought up and taught within our churches? Why did people start to believe it and live accordingly? Why did it become so popular!? We should acknowledge that there are a lot of awesome, God-fearing, Bible-believing Christians who hold this view. I am always in fellowship with some of them. There are a lot of confusing teachings out there. But this isn’t a point of contention that should divide us within the church.

The purpose of this article is to encourage others to see the simple truth our understanding of the Kingdom of God has great implications for us today. Jesus came to judge Israel. That’s evident in the context of the synoptic gospels. It’s evident in the prophecies in the old covenant. Much more can be written on the topic… But this is meant to wet your appetite and stimulate your thinking to the simple truth. What truth?

Jesus did bring his Kingdom like he said (Luke 11:20). He did judge Israel like he said he would (70 A.D.). Jesus really is reigning with authority over this world like he proclaimed he had (Matthew 28:18-20). And he is currently using his Church to go forward with the gospel and conquer the world for himself. What does this mean for you as a follower and ambassador of this King?

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent - Acts 17:30

Evangelize from a position that demands the knowledge of the existence of God and his Kingship (Romans 1:19). Prophetically speak to the magistrates of our day that must obey the presently reigning King or parish (Psalm 2:12). Live your life knowing that God has predetermined your purpose (Ephesians 1:5). Your successes and failures are his divine plan, not you thwarting it… It is for your eternal good. Embrace the life God has intricately planned for you and live it out to his glory. He is conquering the nations, he is reigning as King today, and when he comes for his Church… we won’t be leaving this place! Live like this is your inheritance. Care for it. Make it beautiful. Make it new. Jesus is conquering this world. Preach with boldness and expectancy for the gospel to go forth with power. It is. He asserted all power and authority over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20) and based on that authority, he says, go.

Soli Deo Gloria.

The Secularization Of America Through Public Education And The Urgent Need For The Church To Respond

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In this article I am going to make a proposition that the secularization of American society is directly linked to and primarily caused by the embracing and utilization of the public school system. If this premise is true, then the response to correct the error is in abandoning public schools and taking back the responsibility of raising our kids.

Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash

The Link Between Public Education And The Irreligious

Speaking boldly against the public school system in my context has been widely criticized both in my time in the Midwest and the past decade that I’ve spent in the Southwest. People of all backgrounds seem to love their children’s School. Experience has also shown me that parents either outright ignore or ignorantly whitewash the crime, corruption, and inferior product put out by these public schools by simply normalizing it. Using the idiom ‘it is what it is’ is not the right mindset to take when talking about the welfare of our children and the state of our society. Public education was founded on the principals of socialism and totalitarian regimes. This methodology of educating children is foreign to the Bible. But the abysmal moral implications of being raised in the public school system is a result of breaking the Biblical tradition of doing what should be done, not a matter of restoring a system to something it never was so it can produce something else. Public schools were never designed to lift up and exalt the name of Christ. We should not be surprised that those coming out of them don’t either.

Those Who Know The Power Of Indoctrination Change History

Whether for better or for worst, those who understand the significance of educating a generation have had the most influence throughout history.

Hitler understood:

"I want to raise a generation of young people who are devoid of conscience, imperious, relentless, and cruel."¹

"As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."¹

So did Karl Marx:

"The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother’s care, shall be in state institutions."²

One generation is all it takes to flourish in freedom and prosperity or to crumble under socialism and governmental oppression.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction."³ - Ronald Reagan

Whether a movement is for freedom, social change, justice, or power, if you have control over the indoctrination of the next generation your agenda will come to pass. These things, of course, follow the everlasting truth of God’s Word in the proverb that teaches to “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, ESV) and the warning to “…be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live.” (Deuteronomy 4:9, ESV). God has given his people a timeless method for preserving the Gospel and advancing his Kingdom from generation to generation. It is no surprise then, that when we began falling away from the simple precepts of the Lord that we also began losing our children to the world.

Christians Will Suffer Greatly If We Fail To Take Action

From our foundation America quickly became the envy of the free world. The success of this country is undoubtably due to its founding on Judeo-Christian values. God’s law, in part, is meant to restrain evil. When we see laws forbidding murder, incest, theft, rape, limiting government, promoting and defending inalienable rights of individuals, and how to seek justice and see the government properly affect it, these are all truths derived from God with the intent of restraining evil and promoting righteousness.

Do not forget the Babylonian captivity! God used Babylon as his agent of judgement against Israel for their sins of idolatry and rebellion against him. He used an ungodly and unbelieving people as judgement against his chosen people. We do not need to reconstruct biblical prophesy or improperly interpret historical events. Simply realize that great suffering comes to God’s people when subjected to the rule of those not governed by his truth. The lack of God’s truth is lawlessness. Would he not continue to work in similar ways with his Church today?

Suffering Has Already Begun

We are seeing events in this country that were unthinkable only years ago. Christian businesses are being sued and closed for not advocating for immoral practices. Christian parents are being arrested for homeschooling their kids. Teachers are being fired for promoting Christianity. Socialism is openly promoted and embraced. Homosexual marriage is legal in all 50 states. Children are being dressed in drag and being subjected to the mentally ill. A baby, full term, can be legally murdered in the safety of its mothers womb seconds before birth. These are but a few dramatically shifting trends lately.

If we don’t take swift action not only is there no reason to think that things will improve but they will surely continue to deteriorate rapidly if we don’t.

What Christians Must Do To Reverse The Cultural Exodus From The Church And Corruption Of Society

I take a presuppositional apologetic when approaching any topic in this life. It really should be the only mindset that Christians have if they actually believe the Bible to be true. So whether some make the argument that not all schools are so bad or that they are sending their extremely malleable children to be lights in the world, pragmatism falls flat. You can’t change truth by changing thought. A “good” public school is still a bad choice for the Christian and placing a child you’re instructed to protect and train up in the faith into a godless and increasingly hostile place in which they’re expected to submit and conform to will always be an unfaithful and incorrect decision if made willfully.

God Instructs Parents To Raise And Train Their Children

There are some important biblical positions that are constructed from a lack of information that have had profoundly negative effects in our world recently, specifically in Christendom. I won’t open the can of worms of eschatology here, but briefly look at the view of dispensational premillennialism and where our world is headed. The idea is heavily dependent on a lack or absence of information (referring to the church not being mentioned in a chunk of Revelation) rather looking at what is evident. The belief was derived not from what was revealed but from something that was claimed to have not been. Based on this, countless Christians believe the world is going to become worst and worst until Jesus returns and rescues us from it. Where is there room for optimism and any motivation for effort if you have a fatalistic position of the degradation of all peoples and places until its inevitable destruction? That doesn’t sound like the reign of Christ, spread of the gospel, conquering of nations, and expansion of his Kingdom that I read about.

Likewise, the strongest argument Christian parents can make for supporting the use of the public school system for their kids is based on a lack or absence of information and instruction. But the reason that the church historically never entertained the idea of sending their children off to be trained by the government, or anyone else, is that they saw clearly the commands and pattern throughout the Bible that it was in fact their responsibility. All a parent has to do is open the Bible and submissively search out God’s truth for how they are supposed to educate their kids. If you think the Bible is silent on the topic, you’ve never researched it. And why would we not search and submit to God’s truth for one of the most important things we do with our lives?

If you are willing to submit to God’s Word, here are some places to start on this critical subject: Exodus 34:10-16, Deuteronomy 6:6 9, Psalm 1:1 2, Psalm 78:1 11, Psalm 127:3 5, Proverbs 4, Proverbs 6:20-23, Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 23:7, Ecclesiastes 4:12, Isaiah 54:13, Jeremiah 10:2, Ezekiel 33:1-9, Mal. 4:5 6, Matt 7:24 29, Matthew 18:1-7, Matthew 22:21, Luke 1:57-80, Luke 6:39-40, John 7:15, 1 Corinthians 15:33, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 6:4, 2 Timothy 2:15 and 3 John 4.

From Genesis onward the pattern and method used by God’s people for training up each generation has been the responsibility of the parent. If we don’t return to this important pattern we will quickly enter into a period of great persecution and lose countless more to the world.

Will the Church sit by in awe as an increasingly unbelieving and evil society militates against it or will we submit to God’s instruction and dress for battle? The unbelieving world is working tirelessly to indoctrinate your kids. It’s time to take them back and continue to advance the Kingdom of God to the glory of Christ.

“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” - Psalm 2:8

A Pastor's Toolbox

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

There are many critical and essential aspects to being a church. Most basically, properly administering the ordinances/sacraments of baptism and communion, and having at least one biblically qualified teaching elder/pastor/planter dedicated to faithfully expositing the Word of God and shepherding new members. But this post isn’t about those essentials. Today I’m going to be talking about one of the challenges most planters and church plant teams face when starting a new church: the toolbox.

When I say toolbox, I’m talking about things like software, hardware and practical methods for leading a service (and preparing for one) and working with people. When I started working through these issues and researching practical ways to leverage modern day tools available to me to save time and money, which most new churches are very limited on, I realized there isn’t any simple one-stop-shop that fits everyone. This isn’t going to be a comparison of similar products but rather the ultimate choice I made for each need based off the research I did. So hopefully my picks can help give others options and direction on some of these tough but important choices.

So let’s begin!

Photo by freddie marriage on Unsplash

Study and Sermon Preparation

Study habits vary. Where you are, how long you study for, what extrabiblical resources you use, etcetera. But what tools are helpful to get you these resources conveniently, accessibly, and affordably? As a bivocational church planter, time, cost, and accessibility were important factors. Here’s what I went with:

Logos Bible Software - In my opinion Logos Bible Software by Faithlife Corporation is unmatched in their industry. This is the area I’ve done the most extensive research. There are other good platforms and services out there, but I found Logos to be the most robust, reputable, and (functionally) portable platform available. They have applications for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Kindle Fire. As with most companies, the desktop applications are more functional than their mobile counterparts. However, I have found the mobile applications to be very well done and getting better with time.

Faithlife has an extensive library, as well as various sized and themed library packages available for purchase. They include everything from modern and historical books to lexicons, concordances, maps and more, not to mention all the features and study tools available in the software.

One of the biggest deterrents to Logos for many people used to be cost. I say used to be because recently Faithlife launched a new subscription plan that keeps you up to date on the latest software version and premium features, in addition to offering discounts on resources. I hate having to buy new versions of software I already own… so when this came out I jumped on it.

If you’re the type that prefers everything in the cloud, they have you covered there too. Logos Cloud provides an (more limited) online version of the software as well as content that you subscribe to rather than purchase. I don’t know much about this so I’m not going to talk about it…

Logos is flexible in the sense that you can buy books one-by-one as you want them or get crazy discounts for buying entire libraries of resources at once. I opted for the latter. I would have never had the money or space to have the theological library I do today. And it’s all searchable and all fits in my pocket!

I run Logos on a dual monitor setup in my office on a Macbook Pro, use it on the run or to study in the living room or coffee shop with my iPad, and can pull it up on my Google Pixel at work or on the road. It goes with me everywhere.

Google Slides - The counterpart to my scratchpad (yes I still use paper for some things) and Bible study software is my actual outline that I both write up for preparation and also reference Sunday mornings for preaching. Though Logos also offers a sermon editor that has some pretty neat features, it doesn’t work for my simple needs: a slide editor that is also portable and accessible like Google Drive. However, if you are a Power Point user, Logos may also work for you as they can export to that format.

I primarily chose to use Google Slides because I can use it on all of my devices and the latest version of my file is always available. It’s also free! Native Google docs don’t count against your Drive storage, so essentially you have an entire word processing suite available to you for free, forever.

My setup is simple with Slides. I do an outline, broken up into slides, which helps keep my focus as I preach through my sermon. I don’t present the slides to anyone, they’re private. I’m the only one that sees it. I just find flipping through slides while I preach an easier way to stay focused and not lose my position on my outline. This combined with being able to edit on the fly, anywhere, online and offline, from all of my devices… well it makes Slides a powerful tool for me. I’ve used it from the beginning.

I also plan on adapting Slides as we develop more pastors and teachers in our church. Sharing documents with Google is easy. We’ll be able to comment on, review, or suggest edits on sermons between other pastors and teachers, which can be a great blessing in fellowship together and also a healthy method for guarding against error in a church.

To give one more plug for Logos though… If they give sermon editor some type of player/viewer on a tablet, I’d use it. It has better categorization and other features that save time but aren’t currently worth adding another step to my studies to have to later export and reformat to Drive or PowerPoint.

I’ll also mention, Google gives G Suite (or Google Apps - which includes Slides) free to nonprofits and churches. This also gives you free branded email for your entire team… which is pretty cool. The only hiccup is you have to be incorporated as a nonprofit… which I won’t get into here… but explain here.

Music/worship

OnSong - Apple sometimes doesn’t realize how influential their developers are. I opted for an iPad simply because it’s the only way to get OnSong. OnSong is essentially a digital music binder. You can import PDF’s, plug in existing music library services like SongSelect, or create your own text files. I opted for text files for functionality with Chromecast (which I’ll touch on in a moment) and other helpful features. One of those features, which is one of my favorite, is Flow. Whether playing by yourself or in a band, one of the more common issues with playing is going to the wrong section… was the chorus or bridge next? Are we supposed to play the chorus three times here? …that’s not an issue with Flow. In the song file you write out your song flow by writing the first letter of the section you want to advance to next. “C” for Chorus, “V1” for Verse 1, etcetera. OnSong then puts those sections in your custom order from top to bottom. This not only keeps us from making mistakes while playing but can prevent singers and or musicians from becoming unnecessarily distracted from worship.

OnSong + Chromecast + PageFlip Firefly - Did I say “singers” and “musicians”? That must be nice! Here’s another struggle for the church planter… often times we start off doing most things ourselves! Yes, I’m a one-man-band and worship leader. Sometimes my daughter plays along with the box drum but most of the time I lead worship myself, with my guitar… while being the “PowerPoint guy”. That’s why I love OnSong with Chromecast.

Since my song files are text based, OnSong can strip the lyrics only from the current section of the song that I am playing and display them on any device connected to a Chromecast. That means the lyrics follow my lead on the TV without anyone (or me) having to take a lot of work to put slides together and then control it during service. That’s a huge plus. And that’s why I ditched my Android tablet for an iPad. It was worth it.

The PageFlip Firefly comes into play for controlling the advancement of the sections of the song, hands-free. It’s a foot pedal that connects as a bluetooth keyboard to the iPad and works with OnSong to “stomp” through the song sections. It’s had some serious issues with connectivity in the past but those bugs have mostly been worked out over the years. I’d say 99% of the time I don’t have any problems with it working. 1% of the time I’ll have to either power cycle the pedal or close and reopen the application.

Needless to say, this combination of software and hardware has been indispensable for me.

People Management

You can’t be a pastor without knowing and caring for the congregation. And for the beginning years where there might only be one pastor… that’s a difficult and important role to fill alone. I’ve found software to be an extremely helpful tool for keeping track and up-to-date with people. In this area there are a lot of choices… but not a lot of great ones. The amount of research I’ve done with CRM software for churches is right up there with the time I took to get the best Bible study software/library. I will say this: all of them leave something to be desired. One of the most simple aspects I feel a CRM should have is tracking topics, conversations, and events related to people. Nobody does this well because nobody does it well on mobile. Pastors are busy. Bivocational pastors are even busier. The fact that nobody has developed a fast and simple and mobile way to track conversations and events for people is beyond me. Now, I have found software that does… but not well… or simply. I have a lot of things to remember. Adding multiple people requesting prayer, needing help finding a job, asking for information about a message or topic, remembering family members, birthdays, deaths, anniversaries… it goes on and on. I won’t venture to say that a pastor should know everything about everybody in his congregation… however, I do like to know as much as I can about everyone and I feel some well designed software would be a huge blessing for many pastors out there to fill this gap. With all that said… here’s what I went with:

Planning Center Online - People - I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: tight budgets! We’re not currently financially supported by anyone outside of the church. Many church plants aren’t! CRM software can be very expensive. Why do all the big churches get all the cool stuff!? Not anymore. That’s why I’m giving big kudos to the PCO folks on this one. PCO People is free. Forever. That’s really crazy… but also really smart. It’s crazy because I can opt to use this really well designed software to keep track of as many people in my congregation as I want. They will never charge me for it. And it’s not limited in any way. That’s pretty awesome. With that said, it’s also smart because PCO is a suite of software programs that are integrated with the others (Giving, Groups, Registrations, etc.). Each one has it’s own pricing package depending on how many people you use it for. So PCO has good reason to hope you’ll pay for their other applications since they already have the database of the people in your church. Like I said though, that’s optional. But we’re not going to talk about those today.

PCO People lets you track all the basics about your people, like birthdays, spouses, family members, important dates, children and their schools, how to reach them and more. You can group people into groups like “member” or “visitor” and put people into households for quick identification of family units. One of my most hopeful features of PCO People is called Workflows. Workflows helps me do some of what I griped about above but hasn’t come fully to mobile yet, but you can add people to existing Workflows. Workflows lets you automate predefined steps for any given situation. A common and simple example is adding a new visitor to a workflow that reminds you to call them later. You can make this more complex through automatically adding certain people to certain workflows. Like if women who fit a certain age are added to PCO People, you can automatically have the ladies small group leader reach out to them. You can mix and match Workflows and they are really only limited to your imagination, how advanced and in depth you want them.

Another powerful feature of People (that’s still free) are lists. You can create lists by any criteria you want. A certain age range, gender, grouping, involvement in church, or a mix and match of those and more. Like with Workflows, lists can be really powerful and automated and save lots of time (which is like saving money!). This is where those perks of using their other software might come in. For instance, you can make a list of people who haven’t been to church for a few weeks or a list of people who volunteer for certain events. These lists can also be set to refresh automatically, pulling in new people who might not have previously fit the criteria of the list parameters. For instance, a list can be made up of every male over 65 years old. When Bob hits his 65th birthday, you don’t have to add him manually nor remember to do so.

I recently saw a description of PCO online that categorizes it pretty well, “PCO makes most other CRM software seem like legacy software”. While I found a few other well designed options out there… this claim is pretty accurate. PCO folks are coders at heart married to a good design team. Those are two essentials in any digital business today.

Microsoft Connections - Microsoft Connections is a “garage” product by Microsoft that helps fill the gap I described above with tracking people… kind of. It’s only on Android and it’s not a full release product. Connections tracks your phone calls/contacts and allows you to add notes to each call, organizing them by the most recent. What can be helpful with this is that when a phone call is coming in, your most recent note related to that contact pops up over the call screen (optionally). Alternatively, you can reference a note before following up with a contact, to see what you last spoke about. This is such a huge help for us forgetful type with much to remember. I’m hoping this is developed into a full product and not discontinued at some point… but time will tell. I’ve had a few issues with it, like reminders never working, and sometimes the little bubble not popping up for a call, but it gets my primary task accomplished: keeping notes on calls and conversations with people. Microsoft, if you’re reading this (which you probably aren’t… ha ha), fund this project and deploy it! I’m sure it would be a huge success.

Evernote - I’m going to make this one brief. But that’s not because it’s less important of a tool in my toolbox… it’s just too flexible of a tool to write all the ways that I use it. It also fits in multiple categories. Basically, Evernote works as my catch-all notebook for everything from prayer lists to apologetic resources. If I find a great video I find helpful and want to possibly reference later, say, on a the topic of pornography or alcoholism, I send it to Evernote and tag it accordingly. I find a well written paper on Spiritual gifts. Evernote. Good quotes, Scripture references and/or articles for when Mormons and Jehovah’s Witness come knocking… you guessed it. Evernote. This helps keep me prepared for many situations I encounter on a daily basis. Being able to search by word, tag and/or notebook helps me find what I need, fast. I don’t want to have to defer to a google search in hopes of finding something I liked that I read or saw “that one time”… If I come across something I like or feel I might be able to use later, I throw it in Evernote to find quickly later.

Well, that’s my short list of essential tools. I could write a paper on each product I mentioned… but there’s that whole time thing I talked about not having much of… Hopefully this can save you some! Feel free to mention any other resources you use in the comments. I’d love to hear about them!

Church Planting in a Small Town

Sat, 15 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

A new focus

It’s been over two years this month since my last post. I’ve been busy and focused on many other things. But I miss it. I miss writing. It is so time consuming but also so rewarding. It helps focus my thoughts, reflect on what’s going on in my life, and as I’ve been told by a few… some people enjoy reading my articles! But the other reason I feel I drifted away from writing is one of reasons people also drift away from reading. My blog didn’t have a particular purpose or focus other than simply writing what was on my mind at the time. Starting today I’ve decided to change that. For reasons that will become clearer shortly (hopefully), going forward I have decided to focus my writing on a specific topic. Small town church planting. I plan on it being more informative than instructive. And I hope that it can serve in some small capacity to bring encouragement and insight to other church planters and pastors out there who are laboring through the arduous process of church planting, as well as having a simple place to document the journey. I also look forward to mutual encouragement and insight from those that stumble on my articles. So if you haven’t guessed by now, here’s the reason for my new focus…

Photo by Terren Hurst on Unsplash

Starting Something From Nothing

On December 6th, 2015, we held our first church service in Douglas, Arizona. Douglas Church began… in our living room! It felt a little awkward preaching in my house to people sitting on my couch. It wasn’t totally foreign, as I’d been used to leading Bible studies in my home for years prior. However, this was no longer a Bible study. This was the gathering of the saints for corporate worship before her King. I’ve long held a high regard for the Church… and having such a simple service in such a small way was one of the challenges I initially faced. Is this God-honoring? Is he pleased with what we’re doing? It was nerve-wracking enough to be preaching/teaching the Word (James 3:1). Beginning and leading a new church caused me to get on my knees often. As nervous as I was before the Lord, I was confident it was where he had led me.

Initial Growth (not really)

It has been just over a year and a half since we began. This is the point where I’d love to share that we’ve experienced awesome growth and have tons of powerful testimonies to share about what the Lord is doing in Douglas… but I can’t. Not only have we not grown, we’ve shrunk! We started off with three families and were excited to see where things would go. In the beginning I warned our church that Satan hates new churches and to be prepared to go to battle. New churches are among the most effective ways to reach a community with the Gospel. Satan hates Jesus and him receiving glory. And boy did he show up as expected… only months in, temptation to sin began coming in all forms. I saw it. My wife saw it. But it wasn’t me or my marriage or even our family that was the initial target… You see, Satan hunts for the weak and vulnerable (1 Peter 5:8) and that’s exactly what he did with our church.

I faced the first, and very critical, challenge to one of my firm positions. Church discipline. At such a critical time of establishing a core group in a new church. Why Lord!? But I stayed the course. After a few months, we shrunk. Was I discouraged? Yes. Was I dissuaded? No. From the beginning there was a core set of doctrinal positions I was unwilling to compromise on. Dealing with unrepentant sin was among those.

Going forward

One of the big struggles with small town church planting is that there isn’t much of a support network to be a part of. Whether a denomination or a church planting network, small towns don’t usually have much to choose from. Nor, tragically, do small towns typically have thriving healthy churches to work with. Moving from major cities like those found in the Chicago suburbs down to a small border town was quite eye opening when we first came down here. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Small town ministry has become a passion of mine and Douglas has become a cozy little home for me and my family.

As part of the much needed partnerships in this line of work, I’ve recently decided to link arms with one of the more present and well-equipped denominations in the area. I won’t spill the beans yet… but the list of associations that remain faithful to orthodox Christianity are dwindling in number. I’m hoping this partnership works out, that I clear all the vetting, and that we can work together to advance the Kingdom of God here in Douglas.

Church planters need to be determined and ambitious… and thanks be to the Lord, he has strengthened me in those areas to press on. Douglas will see a growth of healthy, Gospel-preaching, multiplying churches in its near future. It’ll take time. But it’ll be worth it. All to the glory of God!

Your Kingdom Come

Mon, 06 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Worship. “Our Father who is in heaven,”

Reverence. “hallowed be your name.”

Desire. “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Dependence. “Give us this day our daily bread,”

Forgiveness. “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Deliverance. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

To Pray “Your Kingdom Come”

This part of the Lord’s Prayer is a prayer of the missionary heart. While we look at this area of the Bible today, I’m going to position it in two ways. One, that we pray this prayer and understand it’s implications in a very personal way. And two, as a forward-looking, hope-finding, promise-keeping, world-redeeming, finalization of all things the Lord has planned to accomplish. We want to pray this prayer with both a personal and global perspective.

Seek first the kingdom

In Matthew 6:33 we read, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Shortly after Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray, he told them to seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness above all things. He said it in the context of people’s worry and unrest. It is a prayer and position to counter the little faith and lack of trust people had in God, as a provider, sustainer, and fulfiller of life. But the dependency on God is what we’re going to cover next time (which in part is the “all these things” of Matthew 6:33). Right now we’re focus on the coming of his kingdom and what it means to seek it and desire it.

Personal prayer

So as individuals, more specifically as redeemed children of God, we seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness in our lives. The cry of the heart is, Lord I want to see you as holy, as you are holy. I want to know you as truth, because you are Truth. Lord I want my life to be in full and perfect submission to you. Drive out the impurities in me. Transform my life. Prepare me for your coming kingdom. Lord I know the end of all things is at hand, as you have said it so, and we wait eagerly for adoption as sons.

The glory of God and his kingdom

When we are kingdom focused, the trials and worries that often encompass our lives—which make themselves giants—shrink down to the reality of what they are. And then we can say with Paul, “… this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17 ESV)! Remember that Paul says this in his “light” affliction of being whipped, hungry, scorned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned, among many other things…

When we seek God’s kingdom, we are praying for God’s will to be done. One of the simple and practical motivations to pray like this, besides that Jesus told us to, is that the Lord’s will is being done. If we have a life of despair and fear or feeling of defeat, it could very well be because we don’t know nor pray nor trust the will of God in our lives.

In Job’s life we see that Satan himself is subjected to the will and authority of our almighty God. God permitted Satan to go after everything in Job’s life, but he restricted him from taking his life. God tells Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand” (Job 1:11). Job suffered a great deal and suffered great loss over an extended time. His struggle through the ordeal tested his faith, which weakened over the course of his trails. Nearing the end of Job’s trials (ch. 26-31) we see the renewed faith of Job and his reinforced trust in the sovereignty of God. One of the great lessons of Job’s suffering is to hold fast to God, whether in a season of deep suffering or great prosperity, God is good and in control. We can trust him in his being out for our ultimate good.

Likewise we read Jesus talking to Peter in Luke 22:31, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32). Here again we read of Satan desiring to defeat God’s chosen. (1) Satan comes in to destroy, (2) in mans strength he would fail, (3) but God intervenes:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:28-31

You know Jesus prays for us in the same way he did for Peter. In John 17:15 he prays: “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” Jesus did not pray that we be taken from the danger of the world and opposition, but to preserve us in the midst of conflict. Though Jesus would soon be taken from the world, his followers would remain in it.

We are in a time where perfection has not yet come. We can at times in our flesh have confidence in-and-of-ourselves, as Peter did after Jesus told him that he had prayed for him that his faith not fail, Peter responds with boasting in his own strength, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”. Jesus reveals what Peter’s own strength is in prophesying his upcoming denial. But not just his denial, also his restoration, when he says “after I strengthen you, strengthen your brothers”.

This is our prayer in, “your will be done, Lord”.

A Global Prayer

When we put focus on “the brothers” of Luke 22:32, we can segway into a global perspective of the coming Kingdom of God. Psalm 103:19-20 says,

“The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. 20 Praise the Lord, all His angels of great strength, who do His word, obedient to His command.” - Psalm 103:19-20

David declared the Lord’s dominion over all the earth. Therefore all of God’s creation in heaven and on earth should praise the Lord. But… not all do… What does this future rule look like? We read in Revelation 5:9-14 (HCSB):

“And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed people for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth. Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands. They said with a loud voice: The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

The magnificence of God’s glory, specifically here in the full revealing of the triune God, and the anticipation for his full revealing should light a fire under us! The excitement of being part of all peoples to come together in perfect worship of our King should be what motivates us in this fallen world.

Not all creatures in heaven and earth sing praise to the King today. Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Loving people and desiring their rescue is a good and godly motive for sharing the hope of Christ, but the ability to love people we don’t see or know can be an impossible task. God can and has given people a burden for faceless nations. But the primary purpose in our hearts for shouting out the praise and glory of Jesus Christ and him crucified should be for the praise of his name, not just from us, but specifically people from every tribe of the world. You see, our fuel for the days work should be knowing that there are places, or more specifically peoples, where God is not yet worshipped where he desires worship. That is God’s Word and will that went out from his mouth and is being done today, which we are either in that and doing that or we’re simply not. That is to live each day for our created purpose, to the praise and glory of his great Name amongst all the nations.

The question is, is that our hearts true desire? Do we really pray for the will of God in our lives and throughout the world? Are our prayers saturated with: Worship (Our Father in Heaven), reverence (make your name holy and honored by all), and desire (establish your Kingdom over all creation). Do we get excited with God for the day he proclaims, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Listen to these words from Andrew Murray (the south African writer, teacher, and pastor):

As we seek to find out why, with such millions of Christians, the real army of God that is fighting the host of Darkness is so small, the only answer is… lack of heart. And that is because there is so little enthusiasm for the King. (Andrew Murray, key to the missionary problem, 133)

Here’s another one from Peter Beyerhaus’ book Shaken Foundations:

We are called and sent to glorify the reign of God and to manifest His saving work before the whole world… Today it is extremely important to emphasize the priority of this doxological aim before all other aims of mission. Our one-sided concern with man and his society threatens to pervert mission and make it a secular or even a quasi-atheistic undertaking. We are living in the age of apostasy where a man arrogantly makes himself the measuring rod of all things. Therefore, it is a part of our missionary task courageously to confess before all enemies of the cross that the earth belongs to God and to his anointed…Our task and mission is to uphold the banner of the risen Lord before the whole world, because it is his own. (Peter Beyerhaus, Shaken Foundations: Theological Foundations for Missions, 41-42).

I ask again, does the thought of being able to worship God excite and motivate us? Does the thought of God’s rule and His glory filling all of creation make our knees shake and bow with reverence and praise of his name? Does the thought of being present in worship with all of the elect from all the nations, the peoples that he redeemed for himself for all eternity, singing praise to his name for the rest of existence… does that bring you joy and excitement?

In Isaiah 55:10-11 we read:

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

God decrees and it is done.

A future hope

We are praying and anticipating that which he has established in heaven to come and be established on earth. When Jesus says in Luke 22:18, “For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes”, he means that the kingdom is not merely a present, personal experience but also a future, historical event. Christ is going to come with his angels and “gather his elect from the four winds” (Mark 13:27) and establish his throne on the earth. Jesus described the second coming like this, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:41-43 ESV).

Also in Malachi 3:17-4:3

“They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. 4 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts." - Malachi 3:13-4:3

Supreme Court Ruling on Marriage

Sat, 04 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

On June 26, 2015, the United States became the 21st and most populous country to legalize so called “same-sex marriage”, as it ruled on Obergefell v. Hodges. Following this ruling were many celebrations. You can’t use the web today without seeing peoples profile pictures overlaid in rainbow colors, pride flags being waved on the streets, and photo ops being taken in front of and inside public buildings. Everybody is talking about it. On the other side you have arguments breaking out, store owners making the news for banning gay people from their businesses, and the usual violent responses that we see during highly publicized controversial public debates.

The homosexual agenda

For the past few decades societies have been pushing the homosexual agenda both in the United States and abroad. The gay rights movement began around 1970. But before we start thinking that this is an exclusive historic event in our nation’s history, we have to remember another tragedy took place in the early 70’s that is too regularly overlooked. It was Roe vs. Wade in 1973. Today, the most dangerous place to live is in the mother’s womb. So let’s start off by realizing the spiritual and ethical decline in America didn’t start last week. But this historic event of 2015 now reveals the world embracing and celebrating their sin.

Compassion and Justice

As individuals of the church we are called to two primary ministries, compassion and justice. We show the love and truth of Jesus Christ to the individual people around us. Christians are called to have a personal ministry as well as a broader ministry to the culture and to the world. As Christians we have a ministry of compassion and a ministry of justice. Being able to distinguish between these is important.

Compassion

In light of the recent court ruling, we will be dealing with this topic a great deal in the days ahead. Many of us will have friends and family struggling with this issue. Some of us ourselves may even be struggling with our identity. As a Christian we should hurt with those who are suffering. As a Christian we should show the love and compassion for those suffering. The identity crises is real and everyone experiences it, they just might describe it differently.

Coming to the reality that in our nature we are all broken is traumatizing (that is if we come to a correct perspective of it). Our nature can be described as selfish, hateful, murderous, lusting, dark, crooked, and depraved. The quick way to say that is we’re born sinners and we love our sin. That’s one important distinction to clarify in our minds as we have compassion on others… In our nature we love our sin, not hate it. That is what depravity is. The sinner in his darkness loves the dark and loves performing the sin.

The hope of the gospel comes after the Holy Spirit does the convicting work in their lives. It is when people are convicted of their sin that despair sets in. You feel dirty, wretched, stained, and broken. You feel hopeless. The despair only increases when you have people telling you to “be who you are”, or to “find yourself” and “love yourself for who you are”. The world says, “you are who you are, so embrace it.”. Compassion says, “look, I may not be able to identify with your particular struggle, but I know what it’s like to feel broken and guilty. The good news is that we don’t have to stay that way.” Compassion speaks the truth in love.

The Truth in regards to marriage is that God created marriage. The Bible—which is the inspired, authoritative, and inherent Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16)—says that God created marriage to be between one man and one women. Man has no right nor authority to redefine something God has decreed. In order for man to do something like this, he must first remove God. The ultimate target of all these things is God and His Word. People in their nature hate God (John 3:20).

Justice

We didn’t get to where we are overnight. The LGBT community is actively and passionately working to indoctrinate as many people that they can to accept their views and change the world. It is in the media, the government, marched on the streets, researched by psychiatrists, endorsed by politicians, and also in schools.

Something I see little of today is speaking in defense of the victims of this assault. You’ve probably seen many pictures in the media today of children wrapped in gay pride flags, marching in marches, holding up signs of support, and these little kids being lifted up on their parents shoulders being raised as the next generation that will be “open-minded” and “love” everyone. Men, women, and children that have not yet been exposed to godly influence are seeing the media and the response of the culture today in regards to such important matters. They are seeing by the world today that love and compassion is accepting everything in everyone despite what the truth is. They are accepting everything except for the Word of God. God has called us to a ministry of justice in this world and to this culture that we live in today. It is the same reason that when we see babies being murdered day in and day out that we cry out in grievance! We cry out not just for the unborn child that is about to be murdered in their mother’s womb, but we also cry for the mother who is so broken and dark and depraved and she’s going to take the life of her own child. There is hope for them both and we want to speak that hope into their lives with boldness and clarity.

As Christians we absolutely must have compassion and love for the broken who need Christ and the ability to tell them about him. And as Christians we absolutely must seek justice in a world that is being distorted and assaulted by Satan himself, whose desire is to suppress the truth and deny the glory of Christ. Jesus says that we are the salt of the earth and light in the darkness. Together we must know how and when to respond.

#LoveWins and the identity crises…

This hashtag, #LoveWins, is what is being pinned to the recent court decision and conversation surrounding it. It proclaims and affirms that love is some ambiguous feeling or physical attraction to another person. It hijacks the word love just like it did marriage and tells it’s hearers nothing but lies. It is a distortion of the truth.

Finding our identity in ourselves

So in order to find our identity we must look deep within and find what God values in us so much that he wanted to save us…? What did God see in you that made him love you?!

Nothing! NOTHING! NOT ONE THING!

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” - Jeremiah 17:9

"None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” - Romans 3:10-12

“We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” - Isaiah 64:6

If we try to find our identities in ourselves, namely in something we feel or something we prefer, we’re embracing something that isn’t supposed to be, which is in hostility toward God. When it comes to same-sex attraction, the argument will go something like, “I was born this way, so it can’t be wrong. It is natural for me. It’s not like I chose this.” The problem in the argument is not understanding the Christian perspective, which is that everyone is born in bondage to sin, not just homosexuals.

When I’m online reading the news and suddenly that picture pops up on the side, my eyes tell me to take a closer look… A quick click and no one will know… My nature says to commit adultery. My spirit says get ready to pluck that eye out!

We see in our society in this generation that it is now not only accepted but generally encouraged for a couple to live together before actually getting married. Any sexual relations outside of marriage is sin. It’s not okay, whether society accepts it or not.

The hashtag #LoveWins is true. Love won on the cross and love will have its final win at judgement.

“God is love.” - 1 John 4:8

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8

Our Identity in Christ

One of the major problems homosexuals have that are trying to find their identity in their relationships is actually the same problem many heterosexuals have in Christian marriages. It is an inward focus. It’s not too strange if you think about it, we either live to make much of ourselves or live to make much of Christ. But if we know the gospel, we know that we are what God is saving is from.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Paul himself identified quite well with this radical conversion when he went from being a persecutor of Christ to a proclaimer of Christ (Acts 9:5, 20-22). Before Paul met Christ he was a very self righteous man. He strived to follow the law perfectly. He, like the Pharisees, thought he could earn his good standing with God through his works.

Before his conversion Paul viewed Christ from an external perspective. He knew about Jesus and had facts about him, but did not know him personally. Mere information cannot transform a person from self-centeredness to selflessness.

That’s why in our witness we must be constantly in prayer. We must not simply be spreading information about Jesus but also be in tune with and reliant on the Holy Spirit to do the work.

Shotgun Jesus

Imagine Jesus walking up to you wielding a 12 gauge shotgun… He says, “I’m going to save your life!”, as he raises the barrel of the gun to center on your chest. Whoa whoa whoa! “Trust me”… Pow! Down you go.

When I think of new life, a new creation as we read in 2 Corinthians, I think of my old self that Jesus shot, laying on the ground behind my new spirit standing in front of it… One of the hard parts about sanctification is that I’m dragging this corpse around that still twitches and even somehow occasionally grabs things as I’m walking by them. That’s why I need to carry a sword around with me to whack my old body whenever it moves… I also count on trusted people when I’m distracted to kick it in the head when they see it twitching.

Knowing Christ

Paul really summed it up perfectly in Philippians. When comparing his old self to his new self, his selfishness to his selflessness… Knowing what the value of life is in his new identity, He says:

“7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” - Philippians 3:7-12

I have no greater joy...

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” - 3 John 1:4

Redeemed. A life for Christ.

On October 12th, 2014, I baptized our first child, Audrey, at church. Audrey is seven years old. For each of those seven years Cathy and I have been laboring day and night to show her Christ. For seven years through tantrums, lies, greed, and other ways that the sin that ruled her life (though masked by an adorable and deceptively soft exterior) revealed itself, we have not just taught much but have also learned much about the total depravity of man. It is with great joy today that I can witness the working of the Holy Spirit in Audrey’s life. It is a great peace in my soul to know that Audrey will be with us for eternity.

Being in the world but not of it

With Audrey we were new parents. Being new parents we made numerous common mistakes and probably invented new ones along the way… Thank God for his grace. Through the course of our learning and growing as parents we came to a pretty sharp reality that changed much of the way we parented. Our parenting had been structured by the culture that surrounded us, not by the God that created us. As I look back through my life, parenting has been one of the first and most profound ways the gospel has shaped my life and my families life. During the earlier years we deliberated topics from schooling to discipline. Our early years included contemplating public schools for education and likewise utilizing time-outs and taking away toys as a form of discipline… Our early years had no sense of shepherding a child’s heart and did not distinguish between discipline and punishment. Like most in our culture today we were encouraged to prioritize a secular education, utilize creative 21st century parenting techniques, and for our aim to be to produce a well polished and productive member of society. That’s right… our priorities were to provide a safe, comfortable, well-balanced, self-focused and self-advancing life for our child. Where was the gospel? Not in our home. What’s all the more interesting is that our lives at this point were yielded to Christ and the gospel, we just had not yet let it define what it meant for us as parents. Though I also believe today that had we had a deeper understanding of the bible when we became parents we would have been better parents from day one. God has and will continue to use our failures for his good purpose. Regardless of that fact, I still thank him daily for his grace.

Course correction

Though we’ve only begun realizing the eternal implications of parenting, I look at two decisions that have had the greatest impact (and highest importance) to date: Education and discipline (which could also be phrased “education in discipline”).

Education was one of the first topics that we discussed. Though we had heavily leaned toward homeschooling our kids from the beginning, we nonetheless discussed the options that we had. We made the early decision to homeschool but the discussion did not include the reality I can say with confidence today: we simply could not have discipled our children biblically had we sent them away. Raising children is a life investment. Every moment of every day forms into lessons and imparts wisdom from God into the heart and mind of the child. A significant amount of these opportunities take place during the “school day”. Observing and properly addressing things like frustration, anger, and laziness, take place while learning math or language arts. If my child were under the care and direction of the government for 8 hours a day not only would we lose the opportunity to raise our children but that is also 8 hours a day our child would be subjected to an education that completely removes God from its worldview. Despite the tangible benefits of being with our children day and night, the simple truth is that God has instructed parents to teach their children, not the government (Proverbs 22:6). When we look for parental instruction from God, the principals we extract from passages like Deuteronomy 11:19 is to be teaching the Word of God to our children all day and night, which just isn’t possible if our kids aren’t with us.

Discipline began as one of the most confusing concepts that we practiced in the home in our early years. It was an awkward mix between “creative” 21st century techniques and Proverbs 13:24. Something the culture had taught us is that given all the advancement in child behavioral studies, there were better and more effective methods for discipline. Essentially, the bible wasn’t sufficient for raising children. I’m convinced that this lie was Satan’s way of penetrating the family unit. I say this not simply because the majority of our cultures discipline methods are unbiblical but that its function is to change a culturally unacceptable behavior to a culturally acceptable one. The purpose of discipline in the bible is to correct disobedience (sin) against God. The early errors we made were things like mom and dad making the rules and enforcing the rules. If you broke the rules or misbehaved then you answered to me for disobeying me. We later realized that we are not the authority but are given authority to act as an agent on God’s behalf. The rules we now enforce are the rules God has created. Disobedience today isn’t simply against mom or dad but actually disobedience against God. God gives instruction to parents and gives authority to parents to give his instruction to their children. We are simply not at liberty to create our own instruction and methods.

Sound instruction

One of the major blessings I’ve personally received from the Lord in child rearing has been the deepening and strengthening of my theology. Now I’m sure one or two reading this are still fixated on the first quote in this post, 3 John 1:4, thinking something along the lines of: “Ken, you know Gaius wasn’t actually John’s son so using that verse to speak of your child walking with the Lord isn’t quite accurate… right?”. I joke about it but I am grateful for people like that in my life (you know who you are). This is one of dozens of “one-liners” in Scripture that have been corrected in my life because I now teach my children the bible. I use 3 John 1:4 instinctively because of the “one-line-theology” of my past, but maintain it because it still holds truth. Audrey is my student. Because of the grace of God, through my shepherding, Audrey today knows and obeys Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

I’ve become increasingly aware of odd sayings that we’ve adapted in our lives. Phrases like “spare the rod, spoil the child” aren’t actually found anywhere in the bible… not only is it not in the bible but it completely misses the point. The proverb “The one who will not use the rod hates his son” (Proverbs 13:24a) is best left in its original translation. If we did shorten it, it should be more along the lines of “spare the rod, hate your son”. It’s not a matter of spoiling them but hating them because an undisciplined child remains at enmity against God. Trusting in the bible and the bible alone in everything we believe and do has been one of the most critical decisions we’ve made in our lives. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

When it comes down to it, we either believe in God or we don’t. If we do believe, we obey his word (John 14:23). The way we raise our children testifies to whether or not we are a disciple of Christ. The world will tell us that raising our children the way the bible teaches is child abuse. I’ve literally heard that accusation countless times, everywhere from comments online to news articles. I’ve even been told this in “softer” ways by people in my life. The world hates God, hates those belonging to God, and hates the instruction and ways of God (John 15:19). It is no surprise that things from spanking to homeschooling are so violently attacked by the world today. The tragedy is that many are caving to the cultural influence and governmental threats that exist today. Who will we listen to?

More disciples to be made

Audrey is the first of our (currently four) children that we are confident has been redeemed by God. My focus shifts from showing why she needs Jesus’ forgiveness to now growing her relationship with him. As for the other three, the work continues. I don’t know how long I’ll have with each of my children. A few years? A few decades? Only God knows. What motivates this arduous life-investment in regards to my children is twofold: 1) As of today I am only confident of one of four of my children’s eternal security. I don’t want to waste a moment because I don’t know how much time I have. 2) God’s glory. All things we do are to be done unto the glory of God. The purpose of having children is to advance God’s Kingdom. Not only does having my own children allow us to disciple them around the clock, but it also allows us to raise up and send out workers into the harvest (Matthew 9:37). People joke about my little Duffy army, but in reality it’s not far from the truth. I’m training soldiers for battle (Ephesians 6:10-18).

We Fight

Sat, 31 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

“True Christianity is a fight” - J.C. Ryle

The distractions of life

In a world where we can video chat with friends across the globe from the comfort of our backyards, find and purchase a new weed eater in a couple clicks and have it delivered the next day from across the country, instantly and effortlessly start reading nearly any book (or even have it read to you), or sit back with a cold drink after a long day at work, it is a typical day to have our lives overwhelmed by everyday distractions. We have a limitless supply of information, an abundance of resources, but only hours in a day.

We are being deceived

It is important to remember to turn off the noise (including music, TV, and the kids) and find a quiet place to spend time with our Lord daily.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” - Ps. 46:10a

God is our refuge and strength. We often try to fight through the battles of life with our own strength, which will always ultimately result in our failure. Worst yet, we too often fight the wrong battles, the battles the Enemy distracts us with in order to prevent us from seeing the big picture, namely, the battle between life and death. We are easily distracted and easily overcome. When we look at the life of the Israelite’s and the Promised Land, living in a place where we have an abundance (Ex. 33:3), how easy is it to forget about God (Dt. 8:10-14; Ps. 106:21)?

What we are fighting for

Those who have received new life (2 Co. 5:17) are striving for holiness, to see God complete the work he started in us (Php. 1:6). When we look at the very purpose of our existence, I have yet to see it stated clearer than this: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever1. God created us for his glory(Is. 43:7). If our lives have not yielded to this simple truth, we are dead inside, we have no life in us, and we will one day experience the just wrath of a righteous God (Jn 3:36).

What we are fighting with

Since the day Eve was tempted by the Devil and gave in to that temptation, a battle was waged, and that battle is with SIN. Since the beginning, we have fallen to the desire to be god’s and to be equal to or even superior to God (Gn. 3:5). It is the sin of self-exaltation, idolatry. There are religions2 active and growing today that whisper this same evil into the ears of people around the globe; and others2that take a more deceptive approach, like the prosperity teachers. Do not be deceived. There is one God (Jm. 2:19) and one God alone, one receiving worship, and one receiving honor and praise, Christ Jesus (Jn. 10:30, 10:33, 8:58, 1:1, 20:28; Tit. 2:13; 2 Pe. 1:1; 2 Co. 5:21).

The fight for the faith

Jesus bore the wrath of God that we deserved. He bore the wrath for those who believe. He died for his flock (Jn. 10). Paul urges unity in the flock, to live lives worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Php 1:27-30), to live “with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel”. He exhorts Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith”, when warning him to take heed of the love of money, and to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Paul knows well and urges the necessity of what it is to die daily (1 Co. 15:31) and to carry our cross (Lk. 9:23). We must listen intently at the words of Jesus as he says: “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” - Mt. 24:13.

If we are not being transformed by Christ, we are being conformed to the world (Rm. 12:2). We cannot fight a battle we do not acknowledge. If we are not fighting, we’re losing. We are either living for the glory of Christ, or dying in our sin.

Fight with me brothers and sisters! Fight the good fight of faith! Flee the death of sin and cling to the cross. “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever, AMEN!”

Westminster Shorter Catechism
Mormonism; Prosperity Theology

Be Careful What You Pray For

Wed, 24 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”

My oh my, the depth of His Truth, the continuous challenge of growth, and the purpose He desires to show us!

Over the last few months we’ve been contemplating what seemed like a worthwhile opportunity to expand our backyard into an additional two lots, by purchasing a foreclosure next door. Oddly, this is during a time that we’ve been actively and passionately ridding ourselves of needless possessions and wasted spending, in an effort to invest more in the active and ever-present spiritual war that is going on in this world! My rationalization was that it was for a good cause, our family, our children, and enjoyment. Of course we want everything for our children. But the fight against the comforts and luxuries and other desires of this world are never-ending! It is a fight worth fighting!

Our purpose, our reason for existence, our “plan” that is so quickly missed in many lives… We are created for Gods glory! To enjoy him and his magnificence and his spring of abundant life that he wants everyone to experience! “Follow me”, He says, “all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me, go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”. Oh the depth and extensive battle that is taking place on this planet! Be the light and show Christ to the lost, hope to the poor, encouragement to our brothers and sisters! The more involved I get in Kingdom work, the more staggeringly clear the spiritual realm of this world around me becomes. I can still hear the words echoing in my head from a self-proclaimed atheist, “how much do you have to hate somebody to believe that eternal life is attainable and yet not share that with them?” Desiring Gods Kingdom on earth is to seek and save the lost and prepare for eternity with Him! That is my purpose. That is our purpose, during this short life in this fallen world! Oh the temptations of the world! The luring away… the distraction… comfort and possessions, all the while souls are perishing… Buy more! Want more! Need more! The Devils lure… wide is the path that leads to destruction… Satan smiles, as he benches another potential Soldier of Gods Kingdom. Not I! Away from me Satan!

We’ve prayed for leaders to rise up here. God answered. We’ve prayed for the Holy Spirit to begin stirring hearts. He answered. We’ve prayed for guidance and clear purpose. God is powerfully answering these prayers! It is only the beginning. We are at the frontlines of a battle here in Douglas and the enemy is becoming worried and reacting! We are mobilizing! I’ve frequently wondered in the past when I heard others talking of such things, things that never seemed to be clearly put into words when others would so passionately speak of them. Now it is I at a loss for words when trying to explain the power of the Holy Spirit moving in and around me, so clearly, yet difficult to find words to describe… People are responding to the gospel of Christ, leaders are rising, Satan is attacking the Church… I can see clearly now…

I sought reason for God bringing us to Douglas, remaining in a secular job (as many are to remain), and not allowing us to go to France as we had hoped to be used there… Gods Will, not mine be done! I still hope for the opportunity to serve full-time to unreached people one day, but will serve here as long as he would have me remain.

What does all this have to do with a bigger yard? Everything. We are discovering what it is to trust in Jesus, time and time again. I realize that when my prayers are his, my life is his, that it is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me! So I shouldn’t have been too surprised when I asked God if we should refinance the house and absorb another property, growing ours, that His plan might be a little different. “Lord, give me clarity in this decision, should I purchase more property? Would it be a wise investment?” … “No”, he answered. Now I would have been content with that… but then he added, “now sell yours”. Whoa whoa whoa, Lord… whoa… I… but… where… … … Yes, Lord.

With company coming, a child on the way, not knowing where we’ll live, and a number of other reasons to avoid (or at best postpone) a decision like this, we are faced with a reality of complete obedience to God in His timing. Something I’ve been guilty of in the past is attempting to “rationalize”, put off, or even ignore guidance from the Holy Spirit which seemed illogical or untimely. However, the fact is that obedience to God isn’t obedience if it’s done in our timing and not His. The most significant times of spiritual growth and joy we’ve experienced has been when we live with complete abandon to Christ.

Now in such drastic life-altering decisions I heavily rely on the Holy Spirit bringing unity in my marriage. Cathy loves our home. Sure it has its burdens and issues, but it fits us well and we’ve been happy here. Good luck with this one Jesus! She doesn’t want to let this one go! Well, he brought unity, and now we will obey. I’m not sure if this will work out like France did and fall through but change our course while strengthening us, or if it will sell and lead to the obvious. Regardless, the purpose is to follow Jesus faithfully and passionately to and through the unknown, reduce our living costs, and go all-in for Gods Kingdom.

I will not waste another day investing my life into the things that will end with this world. I will not raise my children to seek happiness and joy in the things of this world. Our joy will be in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our happiness will be in his service and being in his presence. All the glory be to God, forever and ever, amen!

Possessed By Possessions

Sat, 06 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

An allegiance to our possessions and to the deceitful promises of the world lead to our death. How easy is it to be comforted and ultimately controlled by the very things we have been blessed with. “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” The cause of death and destruction remain in the love of the world, and the root of life and joy remain in Christ.

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” - Luke 12:19

It is wise to heed the many warnings Jesus gave in regards to the destruction caused by clinging to our possessions (Mark 10:25), as a man turns away from Christ to keep his belongings (Matthew 19:16-30), and in knowing that we cannot be partially devoted to God (Matthew 6:24). We live in a place where the poor would be called rich and dependency on God is replaced with a reliance on self.

How many does God call a fool! How many does He spit from His mouth (Revelation 3:16)! How many are those insouciant to the coming Kingdom and wrath of a Righteous King! Christ desires a passionate devotion or outright rejection. Passion and devotion to the world to come, storing up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20) that will not be destroyed with this world.

Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. - Mark 4:19

It is understandable why many teachers have and continually warn of the idols that can be made of our belongings and lifestyles and why it is so regularly encouraged to live modest lives. When things take the place of or interfere with our service and devotion to Christ, we have a clear solution (Matthew 5:30)–CUT IT OFF!

Have you "crucified the flesh with its passions and desires"?

Tue, 25 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know that a King is coming in might and glory? A righteous King is coming that we stand no chance against, that we are too depraved and corrupt to stand alongside. The stains of our sin soak down deep into our lives and deceive us into thinking that the pleasures of this world are worth the eternal death and destruction they bring, and assure the perishing that there isn’t a real joy and abundant life attainable with a real and loving Father. Friendship and servitude to the awesome and loving King is found in the realization of the depravity and depths of that death-bearing stain that has driven a wedge between the Creator and created. The only reparation with the true King is by being clothed with Christ. Simply having the ability to acknowledge our depravity is an act of grace, it is undeserved. He died our deserved death for our undeserved life. A dying soul that has been reborn into life joyfully and faithfully seeks the continual discovery of the One that brought life; the new life trustingly abandons the deceit of the world for the riches of His truth.

I fear too many are expecting to give high-fives to the “buddy-jesus” that has been manufactured in this country. That when He returns, far too many are going to hear “I never knew you”, when they claimed association with Him. A righteous Judge is coming, who is going to separate those clothed in Christ from those who chose death. A Judge who said “if you love me, you will keep my commandments”. A Judge who said “whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me”. We are either conformed to the world or transformed by the renewing of our minds. If we are not being transformed, we are being conformed. We can only be transformed by the renewing of our mind if we have received the grace of forgiveness and are yoked with Christ. “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

We need to be sure where our treasures are, because “where [our] treasure is, there [our] heart will be also”. Don’t be deceived. Some sacrifices, works, and words, won’t save us. It is the response to the received grace, a transformed life, the love for the One that saved us, that will result in sacrifices, works, and words, praising and pointing to the Joy that was discovered.

Prophecies Of The Christ To Come

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Prophecies of the Christ to come

The death of Christ was foretold 1,000* years before Jesus was born. Gods plan to save us was set before our creation. The Bible shows us the wickedness of men and the grace of God in forgiveness and sacrifice. Rejected and hated by his own creation, yet he desires not one to perish. Life with our Lord and Creator Jesus Christ is more fulfilling than anything this world has to offer. We can know him. The one and only living God.

Silent before his accusers

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” - Isaiah 53:7

“And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.” - Mark 15:4-5

Hated without cause

“More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?” - Psalm 69:4

“If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’” - John 15:24

Crucified with criminals

“Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” - Isaiah 53:12

“Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.” - Matthew 27:38

Prayed for his enemies

“They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.” - Psalm 109:4

“And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” - Luke 23:34

A sacrifice for our sin

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” - Isaiah 53:5

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:6

There are hundreds of prophecies throughout Scripture. 66 books, historical evidence, the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin, and an unending and powerful testimony of all of creation who know Him. God does not call people to an ignorant and empty faith. God has revealed himself for our sake and has given hope in a dark and hopeless world.

Those who know the glory and joy of our Lord, tell someone about him today! Those who haven’t seen the Light that is Christ Jesus, ask me about him and you can receive new life.

What is the Church

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

One of the many topics on my mind as of late has been church structure and strategy. I am surprised to see in various areas, including Douglas, when multiple churches are erected and separately managed. It is unavoidable and understandable that there are those that depart from sound teaching and are given over to their depraved minds. Nonetheless there is a simple fact, there is one church, one Body of Christ. Some would say that they each have their own purpose, though I don’t support that. I believe there should only be one Bible believing and Bible teaching church within each community or city limits that is understood to be the church in that area. Over the decades and centuries we have clearly divided over preference, ritual, and other areas where such division is simply wrong. If we do not agree it could be an opportunity to sever a relationship and seek like-minded individuals to validate ourselves, but rather than divide, we should grow. We learn from each other, grow and support one another, and strive for unity even in difficult times. We grow in the knowledge and Truth of the Gospel, the only area we should concern ourselves with unifying as the assembly, and only when a false gospel is taught should it be used as a valid reason to depart from one another.

Methodist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist… the list goes on, as does the extent of the confusion and division in the church that we have played a large roll in. Myself and many others I find in my generation are seeing this division and wisely choosing to avoid, or at best, approach such practices cautiously. The ones I see approaching denominations more openly tend to prefer a set of rituals or specific atmosphere over sound teaching. It inherently promotes an institution catering to a people, rather than a people coming together for the glory of God as the very Body of Christ.

I think of my very own personal experience when searching for a Bible-teaching church here in Douglas. We skipped right over all the “P’s, C’s, and B’s” that promoted division before even entering the door to the church, so we headed right off to the next city. We eventually found what was generally a healthy Bible-teaching church. Though the Holy Spirit, in His infinite wisdom and purpose, kept drawing us back, to be a part of the local Body. I could give mention to negative observations and conflicts we observed in the church. Though, I won’t focus on them now, but rather on how to continually work toward the support and strengthening of the local church.

One of the many areas I am observing unity with, over many borders, is the desire to start breaking down the man-made walls that have divided the church over the centuries. There isn’t a deterioration of theology, but rather an acceptance that we can follow the same Christ and occasionally disagree and study and seek truth in unity.

One area that seems so simple and easily overlooked is what we refer to as the name of a church. The church, which the general population in America (and Merriam-Webster) has widely come to believe as being a building, needs to be settled and focused once again on being defined as the gathering of Christ followers for the purpose of Gods glory. So what are we here? Do we boastfully take ownership of the sect we’ve created and endorse, or are we simply the church? How would Paul have addressed us?

As we seek God’s glory together and as we take the same approach with the church as we do ourselves, in ridding ourselves with what displeases God, we will see Him bless that and add to it. When I see the other buildings on the corners here locally and spread over the country and world, people think the church is dying. What I see however is not the death of the church, but the crumbling of the man-made institution and the strengthening of the church that Jesus talked about building; “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” We can either be a part of the failing church men build or a part of the radical and life-changing and God-glorifying church that Jesus is building, that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against.

Changing how we refer to our gathering may seem nominal and inane, but I believe it is a clear and inspiring foundation of a simple truth; we are the church. Removing the focus on what appears and seemingly is referred to as a business will naturally emphasize the reality that the church is the people and the people are the members of the one Body of Christ. Simply being the Church, we take an important step in the breaking down of barriers that divide, and put focus on the members of the Body to know the Gospel, and that the beliefs of the church are in fact the beliefs of the Messengers that bring that gospel to the rest of the community and the world.

Spiritual Starvation

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I often feel like I am not only learning and growing but relearning and remembering things that I have already. Something I learned early on is that my relationship with God is an incredibly important one. He gets me through struggles, lights my path, strengthens my relationships, among many other important areas of my life. He is my rock, my purpose, the center of everything I am.

Recently I stopped dead in my tracks. I went from continual prayer and reading, to nothing. I was the Verizon “can you hear me now” guy, except I didn’t even bother to ask that much… Did I let my phone die and not recharge the battery? Was I in a no-coverage area? Why did this happen? I’m just not sure. Though distractions may affect my reading time, it shouldn’t have affected my prayer. I can theorize what the cause was, but the important thing I need to acknowledge is that it was voluntary and neglectful. So what resulted from this…

In only the matter of a couple weeks it hit me nearly as quick as I had stopped initially, except I didn’t put the cause and the problem together right away. I only knew there was a problem. I was more irritable, less focused, and wandering. I felt weak and then began to think about where my strength had gone. I was starving myself.

I started to listen again to what I allowed to become muffled noises. It chiseled and then broke through the darkness and confusion I had allowed to creep in: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Even as I write this, these words have been at the tip of my tongue ever since. A constant reminder. Continued guidance. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Satan craves these moments of separation, the moments of complacency and unreadiness. I put down my armor and made myself vulnerable. Thankfully there were no serious repercussions from this, this time. An important decision may have had to been made that could have been disastrous. A trial could have been put in front of me that I could have failed. God was gracious and let me be reminded of this without allowing something more severe to happen.

So in hindsight I’ll never allow such a thing to happen again! …right? Well, I think about my past. Periods that the extent of my time with Jesus would be on occasional Sundays, but more just being talked at than anything; or times when my prayer life consisted of me just thanking God for a few things and asking Him for even more… Learning, growing, falling down, then getting back up. Striving to look like Christ, to walk in His footsteps. It is a daily task. A lifelong goal.

Searching For Purpose

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Anyone who’s close to me recently knows the changes God is making in me. I have seen around me the things that we hear about in church regularly, about being looked at strangely by the world when you live passionately for Christ, even by the people close to you, who know you. I never thought I would be one of those “weird” people that many people feel a little more uncomfortable around. I see in a new way, I live for a new purpose. I wish I can show people what I feel, and what has been revealed to me, but I know that I can’t. The ones who know, are the ones who’ve seen, and that’s simply the only way to understand.

I was saved when I was in my mid-teens, at a youth camp, and at that very moment had a feeling inside of me that was indescribable and undeniable. That feeling slowly faded and leveled off as I re-entered the world and continued to live a worldly life, I had allowed my relationship with Christ to grow distant. I was “luke-warm”. Oh how many years it took me to realize why we’re supposed to put Jesus at the center of everything we see and do, because it’s Jesus that gives us the direction and passion that we need. I now have that feeling back, the presence of the Holy Spirit, energizing and rejuvenating… I’m not letting that distance back again.

I graduated in 2001 with a web design degree, but realizing that didn’t fulfill me, I pursued what I can best relate to my desires, to help people and to serve. Combining that with my natural desire to be an authoritative figure and leader, I pursued a career as a police officer… Years passed, test after test, timing never seeming to match up right as I just continued to press on, wondering how I could be so unlucky, so often. Jobs in government and related fields just continued to be a bland taste in my mouth, and to date never yet landing a police job has made me naturally wonder, “why”. I sit here now, not knowing if my future holds a law enforcement career or not, but more importantly realizing that I have never felt called by God to pursue a job in law enforcement. Does that mean I’m not supposed to? Or that it’s not the only thing I’m supposed to do? I’m not sure which. However, now I apply my desire to serve and lead, to that which Jesus called his first disciples and taught them to be fishers of men. When talking with my wife today, toying with the idea that God may be calling me to serve in a different way than I had previously thought, she asked me what I envisioned my life being like in a service capacity outside of law enforcement. I answered, “Waking up one day, helping fix up an old house for a humble man in need”, “waking up the next day, and for the next week building a team of other passionate people to serve the homeless”, “the next week I would be preparing a camping outing for some youth, to read and grow, and show the need for a one-on-one relationship with Christ”. I went on describing my desire for variety, and to do that which God puts on my heart at the time. After this conversation, I still couldn’t imagine what “job” out there would fit this profile. What I have decided, is that I do feel God calling me to a missional life… which still seems strange saying, even though it feels very right. The question I need him to answer for me now is if I’m supposed to pursue this as my life work or in my spare time, which I am currently feeling the prior, but don’t want to make any rash decisions… I mean, I’ve spent 8 years trying to be a cop, and now only months away from getting placed in a federal agency, getting that badge, NOW I have this drive!!?? Of all times…

The important part about this is that I have opened my heart and mind to what His will is for me, rather than what I think I want His will for me to be… Now I look, with a new set of eyes, to see if I’ve been overlooking something He has been trying to show me…

A New Light

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Today we got to spend a few hours with the Kami family from Bhutan/Nepal. We spent most of the time with the kids, as Sukmaya (grandma) and Bishnu (mom) were taken to get some paperwork filled out. I must say, for both Cathy and I, that this is an entirely new world for us. Being involved in a ministry like this shines a new light onto what things are important in the world, and what petty things we so easily allow ourselves to get consumed by on a regular basis.

Pictured to the right is Ruth, the eldest of the four Kami kids. She loves getting her picture taken and knows how to have fun outside. She looks after her siblings very well, and was a great help with taking care of the others. Ruth is already starting to say her ABC’s and can sing a little bit of English songs on cartoons. She likes to look through the bible and sings a LOT! You can actually here some praise words in their songs.

After watching the family for a few hours, we took off and started moving things into their apartment (which hopefully will be done by Friday). It is… a work in progress… but not bad with all things considered.

As I sit here and type, I think of how much time I’ve wasted worrying about petty things, stuff that really doesn’t matter all that much. However, I am very glad that I am able to re-prioritize my life, as I’m still young, and have plenty of time to focus on the more important things.

I am currently taking new light to this verse: “The King will reply ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” – Matthew 25:40

View Pictures