Thursday, March 22, 2012

Take Up and Read

John Piper shows how grace takes a very practical priority in Paul's letters. He begins and ends each letter with grace. Pastor Piper tells us why this is important.

Over at Ligonier they discuss what Charles Spurgeon believed about unconditional election. Several of Spurgeon's quotes are pure gold.

Translating the Bible into various languages is one of the primary ways the Church reaches into lost countries and cultures.  Without a Bible in their own language people will have a difficult time learning about Christ and obeying his commands. However, there is always the danger that a translation will not be faithful to the text.  Some Islamic translations are attempting to make the Scriptures less offensive by removing the term "Son" when referring to Jesus. Gene Veith addresses that particular issue here.   And here is a lengthy note by a missionary on why this translating to accommodate a  particular culture is rotten.

I remember a pastor preaching on Proverbs 7 and adultery saying, "Dread the first step."  How many lives, marriages, and churches have been destroyed because men and women do not dread that first step?  They play with knives and wonder why they and those around them end up bleeding on the floor.  Andree Seu over at World Magazine describes how affairs often begin with a very small first step.

Here is a tribute to John Knox. One of my favorite men from the reformation. He is a great example of how clinging to Christ gives one courage.

Finally, Carl Trueman has great quote from B.B. Warfield, a professor at Princeton when it was still reformed.  The quote hits at the center of the Christian life; an understanding that we are saved by grace through no merit of our own.


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Let the saints be joyful in glory, let them sing aloud on their beds, let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind the kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron. Psalm 149:5-8