Dr. Alexander Whyte of Edinburgh, Scotland, was famous for his pulpit prayers which always included words of thanksgiving. One stormy morning a member of the congregation thought to himself, “The preacher will have nothing to thank God for on a wretched morning like this!” Dr. Whyte began his prayer, “We thank Thee, O God, that…
After a lengthy discussion of the need for and basis of justification by grace through faith in Christ (i.e., salvation or conversion), Paul now explains how this same truth should transform our mindset and lifestyle as Christians (i.e., sanctification or Christian growth). The believer’s close identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection places him or…
A Lesson in Maturity and Patience In Philippians 3:15, after a lengthy treatment discussing the supreme importance of following Jesus Christ, Paul writes, “Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” (ESV) During sermon preparation on this passage, I…
Two weeks ago, I quoted Beale’s History of Fundamentalism where Dr. Beale made the claim that Steve Pettit has led BJU into broader evangelicalism. I did not express agreement or disagreement with Beale’s statement, I just noted it and wondered if there would be a further explanation. Several have pointed out to me that my…
Years ago the God-Is-Dead Movement began. This theological position did not argue that God had died; it was more the idea that man had created God (or gods) in the past, and now we had become intelligent and sophisticated enough that we no longer need a god. Similarly, and sadly, for some segments of Evangelicalism,…
Just days before Christmas of 1970, a package arrived at my home, addressed to me. As a child, of course, I received very little mail, so to have a parcel arrive with my name on it was very exciting. I had started to tear open the brown paper to find out what was inside the…
Many of you have had the experience of visiting an aquarium or terrarium. In the aquarium tank, you may have seen divers go in to feed the fish. Terrariums include plants and animals. Many times, the aquariums or terrariums will have many windows through which you can view the exhibit. Each new window gives you…
Every evangelical church I’m aware of places its belief regarding the Bible first in its Statement of Faith. Article I of our church’s confession says: We believe the Holy Scriptures to be the very Word of God: the product of the breath of God and thus verbally inspired in all parts, and therefore wholly without…
Our mouths are moving. Our tongues are wagging. The words coming out of our mouths sound familiar to each of us, but we do not seem to be communicating. Part of the problem is that we have the same vocabulary, but different dictionaries. Curtis Lee Laws is credited with coining the term fundamentalist in the…
September/October 2021 | VOLUME 31 | NUMBER 5 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? (Ps. 85:6) Throughout the history of the Church, individuals and groups of believers have longed and prayed for the moving of God, and God in His grace and His timing has responded. Today we…