Always Reforming

Christmas is not about gifts (we all know that, right?). Christmas is also not about  that  feeling you get  this  time of year; or ...the pretty lights, Hallmark movies, and idyllic blankets of snow; or ...the table full of Grandma's home cooking; or even ...family. No, Christmas is not about family. Now, all those things are good and wonderful in their place, gifts from God to be specially appreciated this time of year, but Christmas is not about any of those things. Christmas is about Jesus Christ. Christmas is Christ's Mass, a high feast day (season, actually) dedicated to the worship and remembrance of Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. Christmas is about Emmanuel, God with us, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity incarnate. Christmas is about the Word, tabernacled among us to save us from the guilt and corruption of sin. Christmas is about the Light of the World, come to dispel the darkness wrought by the Fall.  So, celebrate with your families.  Enjoy ...

Confession: I flirted with Full Preterism  (FP) for a minute back in the day. If you like to stay abreast of controversies within the conservative Reformed world, you have most likely caught wind of the goings on related to  Gary DeMar .  Once the well-beloved author, speaker, and President of American Vision, DeMar has recently becomes controversial, more for the things he refuses to say than for what he has actually said.  His critics can point to few statements made or views espoused, but have called him out for refusing to clarify his views regarding important doctrines like The Second Coming, The Physical Resurrection of the Body, etc.  In short, he has repeatedly refused to affirm the historic, orthodox positions on these matters, choosing rather to equivocate and misdirect. This would be a red flag for any theologian, but it is doubly dangerous when the aforementioned theologian's specialty is Eschatology.  The debate has mostly remained confined to ...

The idea that everyone should vote, that every voice matters , is patently false.   We all know this.   We do not allow certain groups of people to vote because we do not trust that they would make wise decisions.  For instance, we do not allow thirteen-year-olds to vote because we know that they are generally not mature enough to weigh issues or evaluate candidates and make well-informed decisions.  Certain criminals are barred from voting  because they have demonstrated that they do not respect the rule of law and are not qualified to influence the political direction of our nation.   We are all fully aware and supportive of this principle--certain people should not vote.   So it should not be shocking to suggest that we should have some sort of objective standard, say, a basic civic literacy test that one passes before he can participate in the electoral system. But it's my God-given right to vote! you declare.  Okay. ...

Cancel culture is easy. Cancel culture is the easy way out. Cancel culture is for the lazy and unmotivated. Cancel culture is for the weak of mind and faint of heart. It's easy to write someone off because he said a word, shared a social media post, or quoted an author. It's easy to assume guilt by association. It's easy to destroy a person's career or excise him from your life because he misspoke or holds an opinion that bristles the hair on the back of your neck. It's easy to pick sides and beat the tribal drum. It's easy to get offended or triggered. It's easy to hate. Getting along is much harder. Nuance is much more difficult. Forgiveness is far more complex. Maintaining relationships requires way more effort and sacrifice. Covering a multitude of sins with love is painful. Having conversations takes time.

For the last few months I have been studying the so-called New Perspective on Paul .  While there are, of course, disparate views held by proponents of the NPP, there are enough central tenets to categorize the NPP as a unique perspective within the history of Biblical exegesis.  I have found my study to be somewhat frustrating as I have failed to come to concrete convictions on some of the different issues that comprise the debate.  This post will be a shotgun expression of my thoughts on the subject with the goal of clarifying some of my own opinions. 1) I am generally dissatisfied with the way that modern Evangelicals and even many Reformed folks express the works/faith dynamic.  I affirm the Reformed doctrine that Justification comes by grace through faith alone, but I think that the arguments between Protestants and Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Church of Christ, etc. are often framed in improper categories.  Faith works.  It is more than assent....

I don't generally get excited about biopics, but when I heard that Baz Luhrmann was directing one about  Elvis , I thought it was the perfect pairing.  The final result did not disappoint.  Luhrmann managed to recreate the bright lights and pandemonium of Elvis's career, while simultaneously bringing a "bigger than life" rock star down to Earth.  Despite Luhrmann's lurid directorial style and Tom Hanks' caricature of Colonel Tom Parker, the film, equal parts entertaining and emotionally engaging, humanized a man most of us know only as a brand .  I suggest we allow Baz to helm all future biopics of pop culture icons. While my wife and I both thoroughly enjoyed the film, when the credits rolled, we were both left feeling what can only be described as sad .   As music lovers we were saddened that such talent and personal charisma were wasted.  Sure, Elvis had a relatively long and accomplished career by most standards, but he passed at a ...

My father was never a wealthy man, monetarily speaking, but among the few valuable physical possessions he left were his books.  Back in the Spring I decided to read Van Til's Apologetic by Greg Bahnsen after discussing it with a friend.  I went on Amazon to buy a copy, but, after seeing the price, I remembered that my father had a copy, so I claimed it and dug in.  I'm glad I did. Reading this book, this copy of this book, was one of the most surreal experiences of my life, primarily for two reasons.  Firstly, my father conveniently marked in this book (see pics below) with various colors of highlighters, which allowed me to underline in black pen without disrupting his markings.  I typically prefer to buy fresh, unmarked copies of books so that I can mark them up myself, but there was definitely something cool about reading and marking up a copy of a book that my father had so heavily marked himself.  It was as if I were following a path trodden by my fa...