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God Judges the Secrets of Men

"For whenever Gentiles, who do not have the [Mosaic] law, by nature (φύσις) do the things of the law, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the [Mosaic] law. They show that the work of the [natural] law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also testifies, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men (τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων) through [the agency of] Me...

The Three "Handing Over's"

"Therefore God (ὁ θεὸς) handed them over (παραδίδωμι, aor.) in the cravings of their hearts to dirtiness, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves...." - Romans 1:24"For this reason God (ὁ θεὸς) handed them over (παραδίδωμι, aor. act.) to dishonourable passions." - Romans 1:26"And just as they did not approve God, to hold him in recognition, God (ὁ θεὸς) handed them over (παραδίδωμι, aor.) to a worthless mind to do what ought not to ...

Handed Over to Dirtiness

"Therefore God (ὁ θεὸς) handed them over (παραδίδωμι, aor.) in the cravings (ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις) of their hearts to [sexual] dirtiness (ἀκαθαρσία), to the dishonouring (ἀτιμάζω, pres. mid.) of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged (μεταλλάσσω, aor.) the truth of God (τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ θεοῦ) for the lie (τῷ ψεύδει) and reverenced (σεβάζομαι, aor.) and served (λατρεύω, aor.) the ...

Men Became Fools

"Confidently claiming to be wise, men became fools (μωραίνω), in that they exchanged (ἀλλάσσω) the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image (ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος) resembling corruptible man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles." - Romans 1:22-23Paul continues to discuss what we have done with the clear evidence that God exists. Instead of worshipping and thanking God for life, beauty, and creation, we confidently claim to be wise apart from G...

Without Excuse

"For the wrath of God (ὀργὴ θεοῦ) keeps being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (ἀσέβεια) and unrighteousness (ἀδικία) of men, who in unrighteousness keep trying to suppress the truth. For what may be known about God is plain (φανερός) to them, because God himself made it known to them. For his invisible attributes—his eternal power (ἀΐδιος…δύναμις) and divine nature (θειότης)—from the creation of the world are clearly perc...

Serving with Our Spirit in the Gospel of God's Son

"For God is my witness, whom I [Paul] serve (λατρεύω, pres.) with my spirit (πνεῦμα) in the gospel of his Son (ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ), that without ceasing I make mention of you [believers in Rome] always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s desire I may now at last succeed in coming to you." - Romans 1:9-10Before Paul begins to discuss theology, he wants the Roman believers to know how much he thinks about and prays for them. H...

True and Rational Words

"And as [Paul] was saying these things in his defense (ἀπολογέομαι) Festus said with a loud voice, 'You’re out of your mind (μαίνομαι), Paul. Your great learning/knowledge (γράμμα) is driving you out of your mind (μανία).' But Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words (ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα ἀποφθέγγομαι).'" - Acts 26:24-25As Paul finishes his legal defe...

Rise and Stand on Your Feet

"But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you [Paul] for this purpose, to appoint you as a helper/assistant (ὑπηρέτης) and witness (μάρτυς) to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, as I deliver you from your people and from the nations—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn (ἐπιστρέφω) from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of...

Why Do You Wait?

"And [Ananias] said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you [Paul] to know his desire, to see the Righteous one and to hear a voice from his mouth. For you will be a witness (μάρτυς) for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait (μέλλω, pres.)? Rise, be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'" - Acts 22:14-16Paul is bound in chains in Jerusalem, and the military tribune has given him the opportunity to speak to the hostile crowd gathered...

Seeking Compassion from the God of Heaven

"Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions (חבְר), and told them to seek compassion (רַחֲמִין) from the God of heaven concerning this mystery (רָז; LXX mysterion), so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." - Daniel 2:17-18Daniel's back is against the wall. If the king doesn't receive an interpretation of his dream, Daniel and every other wise man in Babylon are...

The Apostles Whom He Had Selected

"The first account [the gospel of Luke] I [Luke] composed, O Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day, after he gave orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had selected (ἐκλέγομαι), he was taken up." - Acts 1:1-2It strikes me how often the word "selected" and "office" is found in this first chapter of Acts. Jesus was very careful in whom he selected for the office of apostleship. The eleven were likewise careful in how they determined who sho...

On Conflict Resolution in the Church

In order for a local church to thrive, it must from time to time sort out significant personal and theological conflicts. A biblical and theological framework is needed to resolve such conflicts. This short essay provides an introduction to this framework.The experience of conflict can destroy a church, or it can make it incredibly strong for years to come. The believers involved get to decide that in how they handle the conflict. If your church is going through a conflict, I pray the Holy Spiri...

On Dante

Dante Alighieri’s long poem, The Divine Comedy, is perhaps the greatest book of the Middle Ages and one of the greatest books of all time. Dante himself can be called the greatest of all writers in Italian, being the first to write a great book in the Italian language rather than Latin. He inspired Petrarch, Bocaccio, and hundreds more. The Divine Comedy is a synthesis of the medieval worldview, in which he adopted the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas with additional insights from Aristotle and Ar...

10 Life Lessons from Luke 1

"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." - Luke 1:45Our discipleship group has started reading through Luke at five chapters per week. They found Psalms a bit too difficult to understand, so we're going to something easier to understand. Here's ten life lessons from Luke chapter 1 that stuck out to me this morning. Pray for Hunter, Garth, and Nick as they read through Luke 1-10 in time for our next D group meeting. 1. The histor...

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

"Yahweh, who shall sojourn (גור) in your tent (אֹ֫הֶל)? Who shall dwell (שׁכן) on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly (תָּמִים), does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart...." - Psalm 15:1-2In this psalm of David, the big question is: what are the requirements for us to be able to live closely to God (v. 1)? The answer is personal integrity, especially in the way we treat one another (vv. 2-5). The benefit of personal integrity is being able to dwell closely to G...

Corruption

"They have all turned aside. Together they have become corrupt. There is none who does good, not even one." - Psalm 14:3.Here's some life lessons from Psalm 14:It is extremely foolish to say to ourselves God does not exist (v. 1). Most of us are not philosophical atheists, but many of us are practical atheists. Every single one of us is thoroughly sinful (vv. 2-3). These verses are quoted prominently by Paul in Romans 3.Evildoers eat up God’s people and do not call on God. They do this be...

10 Life Lessons from Rebecca McLaughlin's The Secular Creed (2021)

McLaughlin, Rebecca. The Secular Creed: Engaging Five Contemporary Claims. Kindle ed. Austin, TX: The Gospel Coalition, 2021. Rebecca McLaughlin’s The Secular Creed (2021) is required reading for this year’s Colson Fellows Program. It is a quick read at about 100 pages. McLaughlin’s insights are helpful, especially on the topic of women’s rights and feminism. Her arguments are well-reasoned and backed up by evidence. My biggest takeaway is that the coming of Jesus and the advance of Chri...

With a Double Heart They Speak

"Save (ישׁע), Yahweh, for the godly (חָסִיד) one is gone, for the faithful (אֵמוּן) have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbour. With flattering lips and a double heart they speak." - Psalm 12:1-2In this psalm, David expresses his deep concern that godly men and women are vanishing from the earth. The whole human race is pack of liars. The powerful are enslaving weak. Their power is their god, and they don't recognise any master above them....

Break the Arm of the Wicked

"Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, 'You will not call to account'? But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands. To you the helpless commits himself. You have been the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer. Call his wickedness to account till you find none." - Psalm 10:13-15Psalms 3-9 were written by David. We don't know who wrote this psalm. Whoever it was was upset at the wicked's oppression of the he...

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American Nietzche

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was a Bostonian minister, magazine editor, diarist, essayist, lecturer, poet, and philosopher who has had an enormous influence on writers and thinkers in America and abroad. Much of his finest thought is distilled in his Essays (1841) and Essays: Second Series (1844), largely based on earlier lectures and journal entries. His optimism and boundless self-confidence was highly encouraging to the young American psyche. Emerson called for a g...

Sunk in the Pit

"The nations have sunk in the pit that they made. In the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. Yahweh has made himself known. He has executed judgment. The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion (הִגָּיוֹן). Selah" - Psalm 9:15-16 In these verses, David pictures the nations sinking into a pit of their own making and being caught in a net they themselves have hid (v. 15). At the same time, God makes himself known and executes judgment for his people (v. 1...

What Is Man that You Are Mindful of Him?

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" - Psalm 8:3-4 In this psalm, David ponders why the God who made the sun, moon, and stars cares about man, who is seemingly small and insignificant? Why does God pay attention to us, given the universe is so huge and we are so small? Dr. Ross Pettigrew of Dunedin gives a wonderful talk about how the bigness...

You Who Test the Minds and Hearts

"Yahweh judges the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts, righteous God! My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day." - Psalm 7:8-11Modern man rejects the idea of judgment. But the Bible reveals God does indeed judge us (v. 8), as i...

The Sound of My Weeping

"Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping. Yahweh has heard my plea. Yahweh accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled. They shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment." - Psalm 6:8-10In this psalm, David is very greatly troubled and begs God to intervene. David's body is weakening (v. 2), he is surrounded by enemies (v. 7), and he cries in his bed every night (v. 6). He asks God to turn and deliver him (v. 4). Finall...

Make Your Way Straight before Me

"But I, through the abundance of your loyal love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. Lead me, Yahweh, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before me." - Psalm 5:7-8This is another psalm of David, and it includes, like Psalm 4, the concept of God as a shield (v. 12). The stanzas alternate between a focus on the righteous and a focus on the wicked. In vv. 7-8, David enters God's house, bows down toward God's temple in f...