Brian G. Hedges's Blog, page 15
October 20, 2011
John Owen's Ten Observations about the Legal Nature of Justification
Since I'm preaching through Romans, I recently decided to bite the bullet and plow through John Owen's treatise on justification in volume 5 of his Works (Full Title: The Doctrine of Justification by Faith Through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ; Explained, Confirmed and Vindicated.) It is well worth the work.
Here is a series of ten observations Owen makes about the legal (his
Here is a series of ten observations Owen makes about the legal (his
October 19, 2011
What is the Unforgivable Sin?
What is the unforgivable sin? This is a video answer I gave several months ago for Christianity.com.
October 14, 2011
What is Sin?
Revolt against God
"Scripture identifies the essence of sin as ungodliness…God's complaint is that we do not really 'seek' him at all, making his glory our supreme concern, that we have not set him before us, that there is no room for him in our thoughts, and that we do not love him with all our powers. Sin is the revolt of the self against God, the dethronement of God with a view to the
"Scripture identifies the essence of sin as ungodliness…God's complaint is that we do not really 'seek' him at all, making his glory our supreme concern, that we have not set him before us, that there is no room for him in our thoughts, and that we do not love him with all our powers. Sin is the revolt of the self against God, the dethronement of God with a view to the
September 27, 2011
Active Spirituality: The Relationship Between God's Grace and Your Effort in Living the Christian Life
One of the most important questions I am asked as a pastor is how to understand the relationship between God's grace and our effort in living the Christian life. We know that we are supposed to walk in the power of the Spirit. But what does this look like?
Some forms of spirituality promote an unhealthy passivity in their approach to sanctification, by using such slogans as "Let go and let God
Some forms of spirituality promote an unhealthy passivity in their approach to sanctification, by using such slogans as "Let go and let God
August 17, 2011
Dynamics of Corporate Spiritual Renewal
(Adapted from Tim Keller's Church Planter Manual)
One way the Spirit applies the gospel to a whole church can be likened to the two-stroke cycle of a gasoline engine. The first stroke is the "intake compression stroke." In it, the piston moves up the cylinder pulling in a fuel-air mixture and compresses it. Then the spark plug ignites the mixture creating an explosion. This causes the second
One way the Spirit applies the gospel to a whole church can be likened to the two-stroke cycle of a gasoline engine. The first stroke is the "intake compression stroke." In it, the piston moves up the cylinder pulling in a fuel-air mixture and compresses it. Then the spark plug ignites the mixture creating an explosion. This causes the second
August 11, 2011
Trinitarian Spirituality: John Owen and the Doctrine of God in Western Devotion by Brian K. Kay (Book Review)
While Evangelicals are hungry for authentic spiritual experience, we are, it seems to me, rather confused about how to get it. This hunger is a good thing, evidenced by the many books now available on spiritual formation and the disciplines, not to mention the plethora of devotional guides now on the market. But evidence of the confusion is seen in the actual content of some this material.
On
On
July 26, 2011
John Owen on the Proper End and Design of Evangelical Truth
The gospel-centered movement may be new, but gospel-centeredness itself isn't a novelty. Love for the gospel lies at the center of the rich heritage of evangelicalism, reaching back hundreds of years.
I'm (very) slowly plodding through The Works of John Owen, the most important theologian in my Christian life. Tucked away in Owen's 250 pages on The Nature and Causes of Apostasy from the Gospel
I'm (very) slowly plodding through The Works of John Owen, the most important theologian in my Christian life. Tucked away in Owen's 250 pages on The Nature and Causes of Apostasy from the Gospel
July 21, 2011
Links Worth a Look
Darryl Dash on A Pastor Who Reads His Journals
A chance to get a free book by J. I. Packer in Tony Reinke's latest book giveaway
A review of Licensed to Kill
Magic Isn't Might, No Matter What Warner Brothers Says - A good review of the latest Harry Potter installment. (I think the latest Harry Potter movies and all the Narnia movies are making the same mistake: eliminating the best elements
A chance to get a free book by J. I. Packer in Tony Reinke's latest book giveaway
A review of Licensed to Kill
Magic Isn't Might, No Matter What Warner Brothers Says - A good review of the latest Harry Potter installment. (I think the latest Harry Potter movies and all the Narnia movies are making the same mistake: eliminating the best elements
July 14, 2011
The Expository Discipline of John Calvin
Expository preaching takes discipline. It is hard work to do careful exegesis of the next passage and craft a fresh, well-balanced message that is both biblically faithful and culturally relevant, with clear explanation of the text, engaging and colorful illustrations, and thoughtful application to the lives of our people.
Sunday mornings come back around with relentless speed and the
Sunday mornings come back around with relentless speed and the
July 8, 2011
How Evil Masquerades as Victimization and Leads to Isolation
For the last couple of months I have been studying and preaching through the 2nd half of 1 Samuel. The narrative presents a compelling contrast between David, the anointed future king of Israel, and Saul, the de facto king whose disobedience to God has led to the loss of his kingdom.
Saul Attacking David Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (1591-1666)
Few places in Scripture give us more insight
Saul Attacking David Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (1591-1666)
Few places in Scripture give us more insight
