There's loads of knowledge to be found, but wisdom is a rare commodity. Why? Because wisdom is one of sin's first casualties. It's hard to admit, but true none the less: sin reduces all of us to fools. And the fact is that no one is more victimized by your foolishness than you are.

You see the empirical evidence of the foolishness of sin on almost every page of Scripture. For example, you see foolishness in full operation in the tragic story of David and Bathsheba. This is why David says, "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place" (Psalm 51:6 NIV).

You read the story of David's sin, and you say to yourself, "What was he thinking? Did he really b…

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According to Jonathan Edwards, Satan's desire to destroy man in the garden grew out of envy. His haughtiness and pride were insulted to see earthborn creatures receiving such honor while he, a native of heaven with such natural strength and knowledge, was cast down and dishonored. Thus, in this jealousy, Satan deceived Eve to bring an end to the insult.

Edwards paints the scene, and then he exposes the irony:

And oh, how may we conclude Satan triumphed when he had brought 'em down! How did he as it were laugh, to think how sorrowfully they found themselves disappointed in their expectations of coming to higher honor and being like gods.

But their fall has been the occasion of the…

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On Friday we pointed to Justin Holcomb's response to Project Reason and Fast Company's mutual misrepresentation of the Bible. Since that post, a couple other notable responses have been issued as well.

While Holcomb gives a solid, high-level answer to the "contradictions in Scripture" claim, Doug Wilson's response serves readers by getting nitty-gritty with a sampling of supposedly contradictory verses and showing how, in context, they aren't antithetical after all.

And Matt Perman's response is helpful in its diagnosis of what is really happening when we think we see contradictions in the Bible, and why identifying and chasing them down (as Wilson has done) is really a healthy and good …

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I talked this morning at our Friday morning chapel on why sound doctrine grounds and leads to effective action for good. I asked six questions in my message:

First, does the Bible teach this—that is, does the Bible teach that doctrine grounds and leads to diligent and zealous practical action for good? Second, if so, why does sound doctrine lead to effective action? Third, is doctrine alone enough? Fourth, what are some historical examples of this? And fifth, what are the implications of this?

Here’s part of what I had to say on my first point:

To show that the Bible teaches that sound doctrine is the foundation of good works and leads to good works, there are two pieces of evidence I …

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Today in the United States we celebrate the great and many sacrifices our war veterans have made over the years in service to our nation. (Two years ago, John Piper wrote of his gratitude for such veterans in his post "Thankful They Embraced the Risk.")

The History Channel recently created this short video to tell the story of when and why November 11th became the day for remembering our veterans, and what changes the holiday has seen since that time:

At this very moment, you’re multi-tasking:

1. you’re likely at work, home, or at a “third space”;
2. have multiple windows open on your screen;
3. are listening to music;
4. are reading another blog post;
5. are talking to/thinking about someone;
6. reading or writing an e-mail;
7. are blinking;
8. have a pulse.

Okay, scratch the last two. (And lest you surmise I suffer from the “I’m okay, you’re not okay” malady, ironically I’m multi-tasking even as I compose this blog post.)

So let’s pause now—really, right now—stop all multi-tasking: turn off your cell phone, don’t check e-mail, take a break from anything media related, and slowly work your way through this quotation from James Davison Hunter:

The very na…

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It has been my experience, in talking with fellow evangelicals, that many of us are quick to equate the Old Testament to mean little more than what the Pharisees thought it meant in Jesus’ day. It is a book of Jewish religion, and if there is any Christian doctrine in its pages, it is veiled to the reader who hasn’t first become acquainted with the New Testament.

Of course, regardless of whether we are ethnically Jewish or Gentile, we have to first admit that we are able to approach the OT only because of Jesus Christ. The promises of God contained in its pages are only for those who are sons of Abraham by faith in the Messiah (Romans 4:9-16). So I’m not saying we should try coming to t…

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Jonathan Edwards, from Miscellanies #139:

I am convinced that there are many things in religion and the Scriptures that are made difficult on purpose to try men, and to exercise their faith and scrutiny, and to hinder the proud and self-sufficient.

John Piper addresses this same issue, speaking particularly about difficulties we encounter in Scripture, in his sermon, "Why God Inspired Hard Texts." He says God has given us hard texts to prompt at least four things, which seem to match well with Edwards' thoughts above:

1. Desperation - A sense of utter dependence on God's enablement.
2. Supplication - Prayer to God for help.
3. Cogitation - Thinking hard about biblical texts.
4. Education -…

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Recently I expressed some frustration to my pastor about how I am not "applying the gospel to my children." So this past Sunday he lovingly took me aside to make sure I wasn’t legalistically trying to "apply the gospel" in a slavish, duty-bound way.

It's easy to allow slavish obedience to muddy the gospel, isn't it? We discover something beautiful about Christ and the gospel, but then after some time, instead of it remaining transforming good news that overflows in worship and good works, we turn it into a means of gaining acceptance, once again taking up the yoke of our former master.

But obedience that flows from joy is so different than obedience that flows from duty! The first …

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One of our dear small group members recently sent all of us this hymn by John Newton. It was refreshing to my soul. Thank you, God, for John Newton—and for my friend!

If you’ve been praying for greater faith and love and freedom from selfishness and more of God, you probably need to read this and take heart. Our Father “disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

Prayer Answered by Crosses
By John Newton

I asked the Lord that I might grow 

In faith and love and every grace, 

Might more of his salvation know, 

And seek more earnestly his face.

‘Twas he who taught me thus to pray; 

And he, I trust, has answered prayer; 

But it has been in such a w…

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