Cities need walls but they need more than walls

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The other Sunday I was preaching on Nehemiah 11.  It struck me that there was a crucial link between what was happening here and what the situation was described as back in Nehemiah 7 where we are told: 4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had… Continue reading Cities need walls but they need more than walls

Biography does not guarantee accuracy

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One of the interesting things about blogging is that every so often someone links to your blog. Sometimes that’s other bloggers offering a list of recently read articles, sometimes someone engages to challenge you and sometimes they just reference your article as an example of something.I had one of the last kind the other day.… Continue reading Biography does not guarantee accuracy

Headship and submission, sacrificial love and entrusting to

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A lot of the debate about complementarianism in marriage focuses on two questions. I have argued that yes, Ephesians 5:21 does describe mutual submission and that this flows into Paul’s instructions for marriage. So, my approach is that husbands and wives do submit to one an other in marriage, within the context of the husband’s… Continue reading Headship and submission, sacrificial love and entrusting to

Reckoning

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Luke 16 brings together two parables, one is the story of a shrewd manager who is identified at first as dishonest but ends up commended.  The second story tells us the fate of a rich man and the beggar who lived at his gate. Both parables are unique to Luke.  Sandwiched between them is some… Continue reading Reckoning

Are the government really about to make you report Sunday School Attendance?

Evangelicals Now reports that “parents could be forced to report Sunday School attendance” to the authorities.  This offers a helpful example of being careful about how we report and react to news stories.  The headline might give the impression that the state are about to start prying into all of our private and religious lives… Continue reading Are the government really about to make you report Sunday School Attendance?

Matthew Roberts on sin desire and temptation (more on the contemporary debate)

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As a postscript to my article about the contemporary debate concerning sin, desire and temptation, here’s a look at Matthew Roberts’ book “Pride”. I have picked up  a copy on Kindle since I wrote the first article.  Roberts book is primarily focused on the ethical debate around LGBT+/same sex attraction and the Gospel.  His starting… Continue reading Matthew Roberts on sin desire and temptation (more on the contemporary debate)

Sin, desire, temptation and the contemporary debate

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I’ve been spending a bit of time looking at the debate about concupiscence.  It’s probably about time to engage with the contemporary debate a bit more. So, let’s go back to where we started.  In a new book, “Ruined Sinners to Reclaim”, last year, David and Jonathan Gibson accused John Stevens, National Director of the… Continue reading Sin, desire, temptation and the contemporary debate

“They’re only words”: temptation and confusion in a debate about desire

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John Stevens recently shared my article about John Calvin”s views on Concupiscence (desire) via Social Media. Oddly, at the time of writing, I haven’t seen anyone come back either directly to me or via John’s Facebook page to argue that I’ve got the case wrong. instead, a couple of people were very quick to complain… Continue reading “They’re only words”: temptation and confusion in a debate about desire

More reformed perspectives on sin, temptation and desire

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We’ve had a look at what John Calvin has to say about desire (concupiscence).  It is worth widening out our look at the Reformed tradition.  The Westminister Confession The Westminster Confession’s 6th chapter is all about sin.  I note that in the version I’ve got in front of me, the term concupiscence doesn’t appear in… Continue reading More reformed perspectives on sin, temptation and desire