Come Down, Lord!

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...

  I have chosen the words for the title of this article carefully and deliberately.  We are facing a crisis, and I fear it is worse than we realize.  I have written before explaining my reasons for refusing the mask.  I have also publicly expressed concern over the decision in some churches to mandate masks.  I believe in doing so those churches are placing a stumbling block in the way of God’s people and legislating where they have no right to legislate.   But I have a growing concern in another direction .  It isn’t with those mandating the mask, but with those on both sides of this issue who have allowed this matter to trump most everything else.  These are people who ordinarily say very little (if anything) about their Saviour on social media, b ut they have plenty to say about masks (for or against).   They have never had the courage to tell the cashier about the gospel, but they can look that same worker in the eye and boldly refuse th...

Dear brothers and sisters, greetings in the name of King Jesus.  I am writing to you (as I have written to my own Session) because I believe that we - the Church in North America - have let the Lord down.  Like Peter we have made big promises, but in a moment of trial we have in this way denied Him.  We have compromised and we have sinned.  I don't say that lightly.   Many better men than me hold an entirely different position. Still, I believe our decision to submit to the government is wrong.  I believe it’s seriously wrong.  I believe one day we will look back on this with sorrow at how easily we gave in to the pressures of government and society.   I know it’s well intended but still wrong.   As you know churches almost everywhere (including our own) have closed.  Gathering together for worship has been replaced almost everywhere by live-streaming, so that there is no more ‘meaningful’ gathering of believers for the preaching...