Especially now . . .
Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world. –Francis Schaeffer
Posts from March 2020
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Fighting Anxiety in Pandemic
I have said, since I arrived here, that the “main thing” is threefold: Word, prayer and fellowship. This is because they are means to God’s sovereignly-appointed and happily-given grace, His gifts. They are the way God gives us Himself, in His Son, by His Spirit, until we see Him face to face. And now, one […]
Coronavirus and the Sovereignty of God
In times like this, the most healthy, sanity-inducing thing we can do is revisit the basic doctrines of our faith. One such doctrine is the sovereignty of God. We love Isaiah 40:29-31: 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and […]
Holding Dueling Truths
One of Christianity’s requirements, and one of its gifts to the world, is the ability to hold two seemingly irreconcilable truths at the same time. For instance, we hold that God is sovereign, and man is culpable, for his actions. The word for this is antinomy. The greatest antinomy is Jesus, who was both all God and […]
On Technology and Church
On Tuesday we initiated a flurry of technological stop-gaps to the problem of not being able to gather right now. The role of technology in the church, however, deserves further reflection. First, let me say, I don’t like not meeting together. Nor do I like technological substitutes for face-to-face contact. Not one bit. Because that’s just what […]
The Good Math
It is not a true Gospel that gives us the impression that the Christian life is easy, and that there are no problems to be faced. That is not the New Testament teaching. The New Testament is most alarming at first, indeed terrifying, as it shows us the problems by which we are confronted. But […]
Together in the Chaos
A word from an Elder… Chaos is described as disorder or disarray. Well, here we are in CHAOS. Our church is in a time of not able to “gather together.” To the church it means a lot. Not seeing one another face to face or “in person fellowship.” We are encouraged to spend time together […]
Don’t Waste Your Coronavirus Isolation
Our greatest danger right now is wasting our isolation, by stewing in fear and numbing ourselves in streams of entertainment. God causes all things to be for our good, but that doesn’t just happen automatically. We need to act to ensure we don’t waste our isolation. Two passages come to mind; first 1 Cor. 7:5: 5 Do […]
Government Coronavirus Directives and Individual Liberty
I affirm that the decision maker for health decisions is the individual. We have freedom to make our own health decisions. However, there are limits to that freedom. For instance, if sin is involved, as with abortion.* Furthermore, we need to think clearly about how the Bible usually talks about the exercise of our freedom […]
Responding to the Coronavirus . . . and the Government
There are two basic responses that the Bible requires of us, to the coronavirus outbreak. The first is submission to the governing authorities. Presently, the CDC has called for self-isolation for those over 65, “strong” social distancing and canceling events over 50 people. I see no sin in these. Therefore, Romans 13:1-7 straightforwardly applies: Let every […]