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Political Revolution in the Reformed Tradition, One: Romans 13:1-7
How does a Christian faithfully serve God when he or she lives under a civil authority that either denies God’s existence or treats God as a subordinate? What happens when civil authorities exalt themselves above the Lord and try (for example) to usurp authority in the Church or the home? Is “do as they say”…
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By Faith, Not By Sight
In the last episode, we talked about the power of what God has guaranteed to His children. The hope for any Christian is that after Yahweh saves a person, He does not leave them alone. He stays with them and perseveres with them until the end. Some of the wonderful treasures the Lord has provided…
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Joy’s Crucial Ingredients
When the New Testament writers use the word joy, what they are referring to is “delight,” “cheerfulness,” or a “calm gladness.” So joy is a settled frame of mind and a fixed orientation of the heart: it is a solid state of contentment and confidence. Joy is not something superficial and external: it is not…
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The Power of the Promises
In Mortification of Sin, John Owen famously wrote, “be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” Owen’s piercing language touched upon a spiritual reality: that biblical Christianity is a good fight and those who refuse to take up arms will be conquered. Hence, all true Christians will actively be striving to mortify sin, because…
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The Spirits of Ahab and Jezebel (I Kings 21:1-17)
King Ahab and Queen Jezebel are two historical monarchs who appear in the narratives of the Old Testament. Ahab is best known for his failure to lead and his open endorsement of idolatry. Jezebel is best known for her bad behavior unbecoming of a queen, so much so that calling a woman a “Jezebel” is…