Why We Need the Book of James in the New Testament Canon
In many ways, the book of James has not had an easy journey into the New Testament canon. We have few references to it in the earliest stages, it was doubted by some church fathers, and, of course, Luther himself referred to it as “an epistle of straw.”
However, we should be immensely grateful that God has preserved this book for us. Despite its detractors, the book of James provides essential theological balance for the key doctrinal debates in the church today. Several key contributions:
1. James reminds us that one can offer extended moral exhortations without being a “moralist.” In an effort to avoid the charge of “moralism,” many … Continue reading...
Does Sanctification Require Effort?
There has been a quite a vigorous debate in Reformed denominations over the last number of years regarding the nature of sanctification and the role of our own efforts in that process. Some have insisted that sanctification is really only about coming to grips with our justification. Others have given the impression that if we preach sermons about Christian obedience (what some call “do” sermons) then we are merely preaching moralism and not preaching Christ.
However, I think many of these trends miss the radical call of discipleship that Christ so plainly offers. For this reason, I was grateful to Mark Dever who recently gave the Harold O.J. Brown Lectures… Continue reading...
Why Do (Modern) Christians Rarely Talk about Rewards in Heaven?
When is the last time you heard a sermon that suggested that a motive for our obedience should be the rewards we receive in heaven? I imagine for most of us it has been a long time, maybe even never. Whenever a sermon (or book) provides a motive for obedience, it is almost always thankfulness for what Christ has done. And certainly that is a wonderful and foundational motivation. But is it the only motivation?
The New Testament writings suggest it is not. For those who faithfully endure persecution, Jesus makes it clear, “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven” (Luke … Continue reading...
The Real “7 Minutes of Terror”
I have been captivated this week the successful landing of the Mars rover Curiosity. NASA has gone to great lengths to explain that this mission is unprecedented in regard to its complexity, intricacy, and difficulty. In their fascinating video “7 Minutes of Terror,” the folks at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) describe the harrowing 7 minutes as the capsule enters the Martian atmosphere at 13,000 mph, deploys the strongest high-speed parachute ever built, then is slowed further by rockets, and then finally the rover is lowered to the surface by a complex “sky crane” maneuver—and all of this happens during the “black out” phase when there is no radio … Continue reading...