Come Down, Lord!

In a recent article , Rosaria Butterfield and Jared Moore suggested that “annihilationism and celibate gay theology are twin heresies and should be denounced as such.” I have great respect for Rosaria, and I believe I understand that concern that lies behind her comments. In an age where many are abandoning the old paths, I am grateful for her faithfulness and her willingness to contend earnestly for the faith. But is annihilationism, like celibate gay theology, heresy? I do not believe it is. The article by Butterfield and Moore raises a question that extends beyond annihilationism itself. When does error become heresy? At what point does a mistaken interpretation of Scripture place a person—a pastor, leader, or layperson—outside the bounds of Christian orthodoxy? It seems to me that these are critically important questions. Though I am not an annihilationist, I know believers who are. They live near to the Lord, they love His Word, and they are determined to keep their consciences c...

I often hear Christian leaders define love as if it were little more than a decision. We are reminded that Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15), and so we are told that love is obedience. Love, in other words, is keeping His commandments. It is what we do, not how we feel. These days we are often reminded that love is not niceness. On the contrary, it is said that genuine love doesn’t care what people think. It cares only about upholding God’s standard. I can understand the impulse to say such things, especially in an age that often appears marked by soft sentimentalism and virtue signalling. But this is not how the Bible defines love, nor is it how our forefathers understood it. Biblically speaking, love is what constrains us to obey. It is not merely what we do ; it is why we do it. Consider the Pharisees. They were doers. They were often exact in their obedience. Yet Jesus said our righteousness must exceed theirs (Matthew 5:20). Why? Because for all the...