I always enjoy finding short, concise explanations of the Gospel.

The Bible says the wages of sin is death. Jesus Christ went to the cross, died our deserved death for us, and thereby took the penalty for our sin on Himself. If we will accept His death and believe that He died for us, He will free us from the penalty of sin and purify us from the stain of sin.

John F. MacArthur, Hebrews: An Expository Commentary, p. 18.

Yep, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything of any substance. I’m fully aware. It’s been a busy time of year, with homeschooling starting up and small groups for church starting up again.

I do have a few things in the works, though:

• I’m about to finish up a book study with a friend – Disciplines of a Godly Man, by R. Kent Hughes. As soon as I’m done with that, I’ll be posting a review.
• As I said, small groups have started up again for our church. This year, the small group I’m in is studying Hebrews, and this year, I have the honor of taking the lead in the teaching. I plan to blog through much if not all of this book, but I’d better get started soon before I get too far behind the schedule…
• Right now, I’m in the middle of about 5 books, a bad habit of mine. I’m hoping to finish up some of those and get reviews posted soon.

I also, of course, want to post more on things I see in the news. And sometimes, just to post on silly stuff, like the fact that I finally got around to making one of these.

This past Sunday, we were blessed by the opportunity to dedicate McKaylyn and Atticus to the Lord in our church.

What does this mean? Well, it basically means that we, Shannon and I, pledge to raise our children in a Christian home, in the fear and instruction of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 4:9-10

9 “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— 10 how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ (ESV)

It also means a commitment from our church to support us as parents and teachers, and to help us and hold us accountable in the way we raise them.

It does not represent a commitment on our children’s part to God. As a church, we do not exercise infant baptism, nor is this a replacement for baptism. We practice believer’s baptism, so when and if McKaylyn or Atticus accept Christ as their Lord and savior, they can then be baptized.

We thank our brothers and sisters in Christ at Centennial for their commitment to us as a family, and to everything they have done for us in Him throughout the past 2 1/2 years. We love you all, and God bless you.

Proverbs 22:6

6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it. (ESV)

httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=4qr9_vryE98

Transcript here.

The prevailing doctrine of justification today is not justification by faith alone. It’s not even justification by good works or by a combination of faith and works. The prevailing notion of justification in Western culture today is justification by death. It’s assumed that all one has to do to be received into everlasting arms of God is to die.

- R. C. Sproul, The Truth of the Cross

HT: Pure Church

According to this article, a chaplain in a Florida hospital was fired for praying “in the name of Jesus.”

While this sort of thing seems to be more and more common, what particularly struck me was this quote from the president and CEO of the hospital:

“It would be very appropriate to say Jesus’ name in the presence of a Christian family. That’s no problem,” Bremer said in the statement. “What must be understood is knowing the audience and what is appropriate for that particular situation.”

Bremer clearly misunderstands the basics of prayer. The audience is not the people in the room, but God. The chaplain clearly knew his Audience, and I have no doubt his Audience was supremely pleased by a prayer in the name of His Son, regardless of how the others in the room felt.