Posts by jjohnson
Self-Pleasure and the Gospel
Men (and women) in this age of social media are awash in a sea of sexual imagery. Yet there is nothing new under the sun. Sin has always been “lurking at the door” (Genesis 4:7), desiring to control and destroy lives. In Genesis 4, God warns Cain that he must master sin. So must we.…
Read MoreHow the Wrath of God Explains the Love of God
How a believer understands the atonement of Christ has a significant impact on how they respond to tragedy. In this post, I explain how a Biblical understanding of God’s wrath is essential to understanding and resting in the sufficiency of God’s love. God’s Wrath Although the idea of a wrathful God has fallen on hard…
Read MoreBaylen Levine: Child of Pseudomodernism?
It may seem surreal to some that a 21-year old man is able to make hundreds of thousands[1] of dollars walking around Wal-Mart performing expletive-laden “pranks”[2] sprinkled with sexual innuendo, “stealing” golf carts, and making noises of flatulation next to senior citizens. Yet that is the plight of Baylen Levine, who is at first glance…
Read MoreJesus Matters
Do black lives “matter”? John 3:16 is answer enough. Selah. But John 3:16 demonstrates something infinitely more “dope” than any particular cultural movement. This verse reveals that ultimately, Jesus matters…the One who demonstrated that the pinnacle of the human condition is suffering to the glory of God. Contrary to the culture of His day, the…
Read MoreWhen Perceptions of Reality Clash
Each one of us views life’s events through our own unique position in the world. We bring our own backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and personalities into how we view each and every situation. As a result, when trying to sort out a conflict, differing stories risk deepening the division. The truth is Biblical, right? So we…
Read MoreWhy the Doctrine of “Christ Alone” is Vital to Christianity
To trust in (πείθω, be persuaded in, won over to) Jesus Christ is to be convinced that He alone can rescue, He alone can save. The key phrase in the question above is “Jesus Christ alone”. “Alone” means that I trust in Jesus Christ and no one else, including myself. Neither my willpower nor my…
Read MoreIs secular psychology able to offer true & helpful information about the human condition?
A question I hear discussed frequently goes something like “what do Christian counselors think of drugs and secular psychology? Are they helpful?” I respond to that question below, but first, an understanding of the limitations of common grace and an understanding of special grace will prove beneficial. Common Grace Generally speaking, common grace is the…
Read MoreThe Dual Nature of Man
Scripture refers to man as a unified, complex, singular being having two elements: a body and a soul. Man is not a duality, he is a unity 1. God created mankind as a physical and spiritual being. Louis Berkhof said, “It is customary, especially in Christian circles, to conceive of man as consisting of two,…
Read MoreTrust: a key component of saving faith
Generally speaking, saving faith in the history of the church has been comprised of three elements, notitia, or “knowledge”; assensus, or “assent”; and fiducia, or “trust.” Faith is not a blind leap in the dark – as atheists would like us to believe. Faith has substance (Hebrews 11:6): knowledge rooted in the Word of God…
Read MoreThe Chief End of Medicine
“Patient-centered care” is often seen as the highest goal in medicine. But is patient-centered care the highest goal for the Christian physician? Most Christian physicians would, of course, say no. Jay Adams said that the highest goal of medicine is “to enable a man to use his body to honor God as an instrument of…
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