Posts by Don Johnson
Distortions of Sanctification
Don Johnson An occasional series on the doctrine of sanctification: Part One; Part Two; Part Three. This is Part Four. In this essay, I’d like to address the tendency we have as Christians to fall into error by over-emphasizing a truth. When I say ‘error’, I don’t mean ‘heresy’. Heresy, according dictionary.com, is “an opinion…
Read MoreChoosing the Good Part
Don Johnson Luke 10.38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much…
Read MoreThe Certainty of Sanctification
by Don Johnson An occasional series on sanctification — Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here. We’ve covered two topics in this series so far, the Strategy of Sanctification (Rm 6) and the Struggle for Sanctification (Rm 7). God offers us the former and we generally experience the latter. When you get to the…
Read MoreThe Struggle of Sanctification
by Don Johnson An occasional series on sanctification — Part 1 is here. In my first article on sanctification, I discussed God’s Strategy for Sanctification, found in Romans 6. Four big words dominate the chapter: Know, Reckon, Yield, Obey. The strategy starts with Knowing something – the full meaning of your identification with the death…
Read MoreGod, Gossip and Internet Discussion Boards
by Don Johnson Scandals come and scandals go, but internet rumour mongers abide forever. Or so it seems. If you were a vigilant Googler (is that a word?), you could probably find a scandal a day, at least, among the many religious groups in America alone, not to mention around the world. We aren’t encouraging…
Read MoreSanctification: God’s plan for the believer
By Don Johnson A lot of ink (and pixels) has been spilled over the years on the subject of sanctification. Having recently completed a lengthy series of messages on Romans 6-8, I am now taking my turn at bat. Sanctification can be considered under three aspects. There is the setting apart unto God at conversion,…
Read MoreBuilding Trust Relationships
by Don Johnson This article was written for a young man and a young woman who are now the parents of the author’s one and only granddaughter. The author’s good friend and the father of the future bride gave permission to share these thoughts with his daughter as the dating relationship between the young people…
Read MoreWhen deeds are the only ‘words’ preached, do you have a gospel witness?
An article review: Works and Words: Why You Can’t Preach the Gospel with Deeds And why it’s important to say so. Duane Litfin| posted 5/30/2012 10:43AM The article is located at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/may/litfin-gospel-deeds.html by Don Johnson We’d like to call your attention to an article by Duane Litfin, president emeritus of Moody Bible Institute. The article…
Read MoreArchaeology and Biblical Evidences
by Don Johnson Today is a travel day for your correspondent, so we will have no ‘Around the Web’ feature this week. Instead, I’d like to offer you two highlights from my recent trip to London, England. At the moment this article posts (1 AM Eastern Time) I should be heading for Heathrow on my…
Read MoreWorldliness a quality of temper and life
submitted by Don Johnson (HT: Pastor Sam Souza, Brandon, Manitoba) One of the unending debates is over the meaning of worldliness and how concerned we should be about it. Preachers of former days were not quite so uncertain on the subject: “Our ecclesiastical ancestors were in the habit of condemning in Christian men, not merely…
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