Some Crazy Ideas About Forgiveness

I read an article recently, “Why ‘Forgiveness Is a Gift You Give Yourself’ Is a Dangerous Myth”, which I largely agree with. It prompted me to want to clarify some of my ideas about forgiveness, as I realized I don’t have a single post to point to which lays these ideas out. If you think […]

Podcast 5: All About Communion

Our faith does not depend upon our love for God, but upon the real-world demonstration through the cross of His love for us. Mere belief in this knowledge is our entrance into the world of perfect love, where God’s love outlasts, outshines, and outlives our imperfections. It is His love for us which is the […]

Damaging Christianese: Godly Kids

I’m starting a little ongoing series called “Damaging Christianese” where I take pithy little quotes I happen across to unpack them and debunk them. I read this little jewel of a quote on someone’s facebook page. I’m sure to most people it seems innocent enough: The best thing moms can do for her faith is […]

This is your Fiery Sermon?

Someone might object that I am ignoring the context of 1 John 4. It says that if we say we love God and yet don’t love our brethren, we are all a sham (1 John 4:20). You have to love your neighbor; not doing so proves you don’t love God! Here’s what I’m saying—yes, that […]

podcast 4: A Conversation About Lordship Salvation

Dax Swanson is a graduate of Princeton University, doctor, medical missionary to Africa, and former student body president at John MacArthur’s Master’s Seminary, and is now pastor of Grace Church Bellingham. He counts it all rubbish with Jim McNeely as he discusses his amazing journey out of Lordship Salvation to become a gospel-centered radical grace […]

The Cross of Christ Declares the Gravitas of Sin

The cross of Christ declares that our sin has gravity. It is sobering in the weight of its badness. We may think it is not so bad, but the cross declares that it is much worse than we think. We may think that God is a great absent-minded grandfather in the sky, who is forgetful about our little foibles, but this is far from true. He is the ancient of days, the creator of all things, all-knowing and all-powerful. He acts decisively on His own schedule for His purposes. If you are in Christ, you have been rescued from a very just and a very certain weight of tremendous wrath and justice.

Book Review: PZ’s Panopticon

I just finished reading PZ’s Panopticon: An Off-the-Wall Guide to World Religion by Paul Zahl, and I wanted to at least spin off of a few thoughts before I move on. The overall idea of the book is simple and brilliant: what do a number of the more prominent world religions have to offer us […]

Counterfeit Grace and the Problem of License

The Wonderful Promise of Atheism and Agnosticism Richard Dawkins sponsored an ad campaign a while back that said, “There’s Probably No God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Isn’t this interesting? Belief in God is seen to be a source of worry and an impediment to the enjoyment of life. Of course, without the […]

The Cross of Christ Declares that God Understands my Suffering

With others, their suffering can become a badge of honor by which they can boast and best your suffering. They want to impress others with the fact that they are better because they have suffered more. With Jesus it is never so. His suffering serves to make Him all the more compassionate. In fact, He wears His suffering on into His resurrected body (John 20:27), and by His scars we recognize Him. He stands on the very throne of God as a lamb who was slain because He will forever be the compassionate savior who understands what we have been through.

Does Grace Lead to License?

The age old question: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Romans 6:1 (NASB) Why does this question keep coming up? Does grace grant us a license to sin? Why is this such an issue? This question is the perennial nut at the root of almost […]