The following is a post by Pastor Rob Golding of First Artesia Christian Reformed Church. He also writes for the Westminster Theological Seminary Magazine. Penal substitutionary atonement is difficult to understand, in part because we fail to conceive of the parties involved properly. Matters are complicated when the likes of N.T. Wright hyperbolically refer to “justification” in … Continue reading Defending Penal Substitution
I saw the effects of it in an old friend ravaged by a virus that attacked his motor skills to the point he lost the ability to speak. I saw it in another friend fighting the grief of losing their spouse to disease. It reared its head in the news of another family friend who discovered their six-year-old has … Continue reading The Tyranny of Sin
Why is Palm Sunday significant? When we celebrate the Triumphal Entry, we are celebrating an occasion with great spiritual meaning. As we see Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey and allow the people to praise Him as king, many things stand out. Here are three of the most significant things we should keep in mind. ..CLICK TO READ
The imputation of Christ's righteousness to us is essential to the gospel, but many people still seem to lack clarity as to why. They ask, is it not enough that Jesus bears our guilt on the cross making us guiltless? Is not guiltlessness and righteousness the same thing? Here is a short and simple illustration of why our salvation is incomplete without imputed righteousness... CLICK TO READ MORE
Can there be any greater blessing than being forgiven of our sins? The answer is, “Yes!” The man or woman whom the Lord does not count their sin against them is blessed indeed. However, as wonderful as forgiveness is, and how necessary it is for our salvation, we must not stop there in our understanding … Continue reading Understanding the Active Obedience of Christ
Right now, you and I are experiencing the effects of sin, even if we are not conscious of it. When Adam fell and sin entered this world, it wreaked all kinds of havoc. One of sin’s most detrimental effects is that it causes separation, specifically, four types of separation. Francis Schaeffer once laid these out in his book, Genesis … Continue reading The Four Separations of Sin
The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor. 3:6) The law of God is holy and just and good; it is inexorable, and we have fallen under its just condemnation. That is at the bottom of what Paul means by the “the letter kills.’ He does not mean that attention to pedantic details shrivels … Continue reading The Letter Kills, but the Spirit Gives Life
Verbal inspiration is the doctrine that the Bible is precisely word-for-word what God wanted to say. It is not merely the thoughts and truths of scripture that are inspired but the very words themselves. Upon first hearing the term, many people confuse the word “verbal” with “audible.” The verbal inspiration of scripture is not the … Continue reading How Can Scripture Be Verbally Inspired?
You cannot cast your cares on Jesus without a biblical worldview. Often, when we are dealing with a problem that has us worried, a friend will remind us of 1 Peter 5:7, which says, "Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." Though it is a great verse, we rarely know what … Continue reading How to Cast Your Cares on God
Those who teach works must be added to faith as a condition for salvation can never tell you when you have done enough. This fact alone exposes the reason why you will never find assurance of salvation in their systems. The problems with believing our right standing before God is a result of Christ’s work … Continue reading Set Aside Your Corroded Crown
The Fight of Faith 