Bible, theology, culture, etc.
A few weeks ago I wrote an article on what Christians should do in response to vaccine mandates, looking specifically at Matthew 5:38-42 and leaning heavily on Mathew Henry, John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. From that post I concluded three basic conclusions for Christians under the vaccine mandate: If receiving the vaccine would … Continue reading A “Steel-Man” Argument to Resist the Vaccine Mandate
Social media platforms do not care about what is good, true, or beautiful--all they care about is engagement. They want to curate content that is perfectly tailored to our own tastes so that we will spend as much time as possible on their platform. When you hop on Instagram or Facebook, you aren't seeing the … Continue reading Social Media is Dangerous For Your Soul
On these shows, the preacher is tops. God comes out as second banana.Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death, p. 117 Neil Postman wrote his classic, prophetic work, Amusing Ourselves to Death, a jeremiad on the consequences of television on American society, over 35 years ago. He details how TV has permanently altered not only how … Continue reading Your Church Livestream Isn’t Neutral
"Both the commands of the Law and the thunderings of the prophets spread out before us the gigantic truths of God, the metanarrative that makes sense of everything. But we need more. We live day by day where 'there are details of character small enough to escape the mesh of the law and the broadsides … Continue reading What is Wisdom?
Previously I discussed the distinction between creational norms and cultural norms in regards to gender. There are some things we can do or embrace in our particular culture that accord with God's intention for manhood or womanhood, and others that contradict it. In 1 Cor. 11:2-16 we saw that men should not adorn themselves or … Continue reading Boy-Stuff, Girl-Stuff: Four Questions
In a sermon I recently preached on the innateness of gender and its connection with our physical bodies, I referenced 1 Cor 11:14-15: "Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair … Continue reading Nature and Gender: 1 Cor. 11:2-16
One doesn't need to be an expert in cultural analysis to recognize that there is a growing hostility towards any notion of traditional gender roles in society. The recent centralization on stories of abuse and oppression have made all of us highly sensitized to stories of individuals (and groups) with power who have used their … Continue reading Gender Roles Aren’t Just True, but Good
We have all been deeply influenced by the medium of the internet. Whether or not you are a denizen of the world wide web, the digital ecosystem has affected the vast majority of people in our wider culture. So, even if you don't use social media, don't have a smartphone, and don't read the news … Continue reading How to Be Less Stupid About Difficult Things
What does the Bible say about domestic violence? While men are also victims of domestic violence (see statistics here), I want to look primarily at the circumstances of women as victims of domestic violence, since this is far more common and also (as I will detail below) this is what the Bible warns of most … Continue reading Domestic Violence and the Bible
Let’s imagine that the Christian life is a road trip. At your conversion, Jesus Himself climbs into your car and He tells you: No matter what, you are going to make it to Heaven. My Father’s election of you, my death and resurrection for the forgiveness of your sins, the Holy Spirit’s indwelling in you have … Continue reading Christian, You Need Warning Passages
Marc Sims 