Countries are not Christian; only people are, and they become Christian by believing biblical truth through the work of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul makes mind-renewal the lynch-pin for Christian living: ‘Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2). The new birth brings…
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Evangelical churches would do well to upgrade their thinking about and use of biblical doctrines. How is doctrine-building possible? I think of it as something like making a Lego model, fitting the bits together when reading Scripture or listening to biblical preaching. And the big thing is that, unlike merely human ideas, this brings…
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More Christian teaching than ever before is available today in books, on the internet and via special events, but many evangelicals and churches seem strangely indifferent to doctrine. The doctrinal indifference of evangelicals is only bettered by the flabbiness found in liberal churches. This doctrinal downgrade has been going on for a long time.…
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I have a number of books on my shelves with ‘truth’ in the title: No place for truth; Scripture and truth; Thy Word is truth; The Word of truth; Truth under Attack. These remind me that the life of a Christian, and especially a Christian minister, is based on truth and dedicated to living…
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A Christian country? The debate has been engaging the air-waves and print-runs again. Is Britain a Christian country? Or was it ever? Of course, it all depends on what we mean by ‘Christian’. There was never a time when every Briton was a Christian; nor even when the majority of Britons attended church. Even…
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‘It has been said by someone that “the proper study of mankind is man”. I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God’, said C. H. Spurgeon. I would like to propose that God’s elect might also usefully give a little…
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The promise is clear, when the Holy Spirit comes, he will convict the world. About what? Jesus Christ says, about sin, righteousness and judgement (John 16:8ff). The word translated ‘convict’ points to facts for which there will be ample evidence. What facts? By nature we are in the wrong. In particular we have wrong…
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‘The fear of God’ is not a term heard often. It once was. Exactly when it fell out of popular use, no one can be sure. What seems more certain is that it no longer occupies a central place, even in the thinking of professing Christians! That is strange. Why? Because it should have…
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Suffering is an everyday event. We turn on the news and hear of earthquakes and typhoons. We open our newspapers and read of murders and rapes. In the street we see emergency vehicles rushing to people in need. Our friends ask, ‘If God is loving, why does he permit suffering?’ God is love Three…
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The incident of Peter preaching to the Roman centurion, Cornelius, is a prime example of the gospel being received, in the book of Acts (chapters 10-11), by Gentiles. But Acts 11:19-26 was probably just as significant for the gospel’s spread to the Gentiles. This reads: ‘Now those who were scattered after the persecution that…
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The movie Inside job tells the story of the banking crisis of 2008 from within the world of banking itself. Narrated by Matt Damon, it tells a story of greed from the world of bankers, regulators and ratings agencies. At the heart of the whole system is profound human fallenness, which can only lead…
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We all know the story of Jonah — the reluctant prophet tasked with taking a message of good news to his nation’s enemies. A reluctant prophet who comes good in the end — except he doesn’t; not really. The book ends as it begins, with a rebellious prophet whose heart is not really in…
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