A La Carte: How to know if you’re using God / The soul-poison of the little word ‘should’ / True, false, or heresy? / Truthful thinking is greater than positive thinking / Unless the seed dies / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (December 2)A La Carte (9/11)A La Carte (08/30)
Read More
This week the blog is sponsored by P&R Publishing and is written by Ralph Cunnington. Years ago, I stumbled repeatedly on an ancient phrase that altered my thinking forever. Distinct yet inseparable. The first time I encountered this phrase was while studying the Council of Chalcedon’s description of the two natures of Christ. Soon after, I found that Augustine had used it to describe the relationship between the three persons of the Trinity. Then I saw that John Calvin had used it to describe the relationship between justification and sanctification. It was so beautiful and clarifying, so simple: there can be distinction without separation. We can experience unity within diversity and diversity within unity. “Someone should write a book on that one day!” I thought. Fast-forward to 2020. Lockdown. COVID-19. George Floyd. Marches. Riots. Tensions were running high, and debates raged both in society and in the church. To mask or not to mask? Should we take down statues of people we now find problematic? What is gender? What is real and true, and what is not? I saw the church struggle to respond, and the phrase that had altered my thinking years ago suddenly came to back to me in a brand-new way. Distinct yet inseparable. I was sitting on an ancient concept that could bring clarity to these divisive issues. And that’s how “Someone should write a book on that one day!” became “I need to write that book.” Distinct yet inseparable explains who God is and how God works in his…See AlsoLet’s Be Clear: Clarity in Bible TranslationHCSB: Pursuing ‘Optimal Equivalence’Web Stuff Wednesdays
Read More
For many years there was a little potted plant on our kitchen window sill, though I’ve long since forgotten the variety. Year after year that plant would put out a shoot and from the shoot would emerge a single flower. And I observed that no matter how I turned the pot, the flower would respond. If I turned the pot so the flower was facing the room, within a day or two it would have turned to face the light.See AlsoIn a Distant LandChildren Who Bloom in an InstantA Side Of Perfect Beauty in Every Providence
Read More
A La Carte: God is good and does good—even in our pain / Dear bride and groom / Sin won’t comfort you / Worthy of the gospel / From self-sufficiency to trusting God’s people / The gods fight for our devotion / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (January 6)A La Carte (7/14)A La Carte
Read More
Here is another Sunday devotional—a brief thought to orient your heart toward the Lord. God takes the initiative in establishing relationship by reaching out to helpless humanity. He reveals himself to the creatures he has made. But what does it mean for him to provide such revelation of himself? John Calvin began his Institutes by saying, “Nearly all the wisdom which we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” This is exactly the knowledge God provides us. He takes us into his confidence to share what would otherwise remain hidden from our understanding. He enlightens our minds to know and our hearts to receive the truth about himself and the truth about ourselves, for these are the keys to any true wisdom. God provides such revelation not because we deserve it or are in any way owed it, but only because he is gracious, because he delights to give us those things we do not deserve. Because of his grace, we have access to information that would otherwise remain hidden, information we need if we are to be saved from our sin. Praise God for revealing himself to us!See AlsoTrusting God with Creation But Not ProvidenceBig Beliefs!Daily Devotional Roundup
Read More