A La Carte: Where abortion policies stand now / Misconceptions about sports betting / You shall surely die / Does evolution care about you? / Ministering to orphans in Africa / Book and Kindle deals / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (October 8)A La Carte (July 16)A La Carte (July 3)
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I think we have all felt the temptation to modify the gospel, to preach a gospel that is inaccurate or incomplete. I think we have all felt the desire to avoid the reproach that may come upon us when we preach the whole gospel and true gospel—the gospel that is so very bad before it is so very good. The fact is, the true gospel is not complimentary. It is not admiring or flattering. Rather, it describes humanity in all our sinfulness and depravity, all our hopelessness and lostness. Not so long ago I came across some words from the old preacher De Witt Talmage that describe this well. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. You see this is not a complimentary gospel. That is what makes some people so incensed. It comes to a man of a million dollars, and impenitent in his sins, and says, “You are a pauper.” It comes to a woman of fairest cheek, who has never repented, and says, “You are a leper.” It comes to a man priding himself on his independence, and says, “You are bound hand and foot by the devil.” It comes to our entire race and says, “You are a ruin, a ghastly ruin, and a limitless ruin, and, unless the grace of God rebuild you, an everlasting ruin.” Satan sometimes says to me; “Why do you not preach that truth? Why don’t you preach a gospel with no repentance in it? Why don’t you flatter men’s hearts so that…See AlsoA La Carte (October 31)Everyday GospelEvangelize 2024: Growing a Church That Proclaims The Gospel
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A La Carte: A warning about having children / Leave church a little tired / Making virtues out of what isn’t virtuous / Is Exodus a myth? / A theology of leisure / Kindle deals / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (August 21)A La Carte (July 16)Weekend A La Carte (May 25)
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A La Carte: Why women use pornography / I want God’s wrath on my enemy / Looking at photos with my mum / 10 things you should know about your conscience / I love being a pastor / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (October 8)A La Carte (October 1)A La Carte (July 3)
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This week the blog is sponsored by P&R Publishing. In the newest release by Leland Ryken, A Treasury of Nature, he joins great works of poetry, hymnody, prose, and art with accessible literary analysis. As Ryken says in the Introduction to his book: “The overall goal of this anthology is to enable nature to be all that it can be in our lives. God created nature to bless us. He does not wish us to neglect such a great gift. Under this overall goal, the individual entries and their accompanying explications serve a range of purposes. One is to celebrate certain features of nature. Another is to set our affections or emotions in right tune (to borrow John Milton’s delightful phrase). A note of exhortation is also prominent—one that encourages us to do better. A plausible order of festivities is first to read an entry, then to study its commentary and devotional note, and finally to reread the text in light of any new understanding gained.” “John Calvin referred to nature as the theater of God’s glory. Dr. Ryken’s superb anthology offers us a front-row seat to take in nature’s artistry, beauty, and awe. Here we meet poets and pastors, hymnwriters and philosophers, all giving us better eyes to see and better ears to hear God’s glorious revelation in nature.” —Stephen J. Nichols, President, Reformation Bible College; Chief Academic Officer, Ligonier Ministries “As we read the entries in this anthology, we are helped by taking a trip back in time to the contemplative exercises of…See AlsoA La Carte (9/26)Book Review – Art for God’s SakeBook Review – City on a Hill
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