In this short series I am looking at the three temptations of Christ as recorded in Matthew 4:1-11. In part 1, I considered a possible temptation that occurs prior to Jesus’ going out to the desert. This is a kind of “proto” temptation, a temptation within a temptation. This is the test of having to wait and be tested at all. It comes when one feels absolutely ready to start the mission God has called one to do but then... Read more
In this short series I am looking at the wilderness temptations of Jesus, who is the Christ. In part 1, I considered the very act of Christ going into the wilderness after his baptism as itself part of His trial. Christ’s having to wait to start His public ministry after being empowered by the Spirit to commence his mission, is akin to a president winning an election (legitimately, of course), but having to wait until the following calendar year to assume... Read more
In this short series I am looking at the first temptations of Christ (that we know of). These three, wilderness temptations of Jesus are mentioned in all the Synoptic Gospels (Mark 1, Matthew 4 and Luke 4). While Mark only mentions that Jesus was tempted, without any specific details, Matthew and Luke’s accounts contain the same details, albeit in a different order. I will use Matthew’s account of Jesus’ trial in the wilderness, the order of the temptations being irrelevant... Read more
During major human tragedies I often look at local news stories. Right now the world’s attention is focused on the atrocities in the Ukraine. This focus is entirely justified. Our horror at the human devastation and our righteous indignation at Vladimir Putin is not misplaced. However, in moments like these, one must also realize that similar atrocities are occurring all around us, every day. Atrocities like this one and this one are no less evil, no less malevolent and no... Read more
There are four moral battles that the Church today must fight, and fight without ceasing. Any historical and ecumenical church that holds to a high view of Scripture cannot defer to other voices in the culture on these issues. When I say “a high view of Scripture,” I mean, roughly, the adherence to the divine inspiration of the totality of the Bible’s propositional content. Also, just to avoid any rhetorical criticism from those who utilize the political tactics of Critical Theory, when... Read more
Over the last week politicians and pundits across the globe, some religious some not, have offered their “thoughts and prayers” for the Ukraine. President Biden opened his statement on the unprovoked Russian invasion saying: The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. In the English-speaking world, offering up thoughts and prayers in the wake of a public tragedy has become a type of political... Read more
In this series I am addressing four prominent and urgent moral battles of our times. These are battles that churches cannot ignore as they pertain to fundamental human concerns– concerns about human freedom, love, dignity and justice. In the first post I discussed the growing sense of totalitarianism in what is now a very politicized scientific community. In the last post I argued that the church must take a stand against LGBTQ+ ideology and reaffirm the God-given design for human... Read more
In this series I am taking a firm stance on four moral battles of our times. These are philosophical and spiritual battles that any authentically apostolic church must engage in. Churches that ignore these issues, or that affirm the preferred position of the majority culture, are hardly worthy of one’s membership or commitment (in my opinion). That is how freighted these issues are with ethical and spiritual significance. They are moral issues that pertain to deep existential realities relating directly... Read more
In attempting to survey the cultural landscape in which the church resides with as much scrutiny as I can muster, I have come to believe, in spite of natural constraints on both time and ability, there are four urgent issues that every Christian church must now address without fail. Not only must churches address these four issues, they must do so with moral gravity, spiritual fervor, intellectual rigor and, most of all, with personal courage. While I live in America... Read more
Arrogance and stupidity often go hand in hand. I, for one, should know this better than anybody. Fortunately, from time to time, God reminds me of this dangerous dynamic. When He does, and when I listen, I turn back to those fundamental sources of humility and wisdom: the Bible and its divine Author. Reading good books, like this one, and communing with God’s people (in prayer and worship) can also help in the process of being humble and acting wisely.... Read more
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