Reformed Thinking

Deep Dive into Growth Groups: How to Lead Disciple-Making Small Groups by Colin Marshall - The Games People Play In "The Games People Play," Colin Marshall explains that members of small "Growth Groups" often unconsciously adopt specific roles that dictate how they interact with others. These roles are described as "games" —long-developed patterns of behavior that a l...

Deep Dive into The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments by Thomas R. Schreiner - Psalms The Book of Psalms serves as a God-centered collection that invites humanity into a personal relationship with a sovereign Lord. While the psalms capture a wide spectrum of experience—ranging from agonizing lament to exuberant joy—the collection is fundamentally a call to praise...

Deep Dive into Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon - Where Can We Find Anecdotes and Illustrations? Charles Spurgeon advises ministers that while illustrations are vital for engaging a congregation, they must never be fabricated. Instead, preachers should draw from the vast "storehouse" of the real world. One rich source is current history found in daily newspapers, where ordinar...

Deep Dive into ὁρίζω The Greek verb ὁρίζω ( horizō ) is fundamentally tied to the concept of boundaries, deriving from the root word ὅρος ( horos ), meaning “boundary” or “limit.” Its original, literal meaning is “to separate entities and so establish a boundary,” whether defining physical territory, such as the Nile separating continents, or limiting a span of time. This concept is the origin of...

Deep Dive into Wisdom That Walks: James’s Test of True and False Wisdom (James 3:13–15) The Apostle James challenges the common assumption that wisdom is defined by intellectual ability, eloquence, or confidence. Instead, he asserts that true wisdom is fundamentally moral, proven not by words but by works, and displayed through a consistent pattern of good conduct and humble posture. For James, wi...

Deep Dive into Not Proud Judging, Not Naïve Casting: Holy Discernment (Matthew 7:6) Matthew 7:6 provides a critical lesson in holy discernment, situated between the dangers of proud judgment and naïve indiscretion within the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus first condemns the hypocrisy of those who eagerly diagnose a "speck" in others while ignoring the "log" in their own eye, requir...

Deep Dive into From Babel’s Tower to God’s Line: Quiet March of Promise (Genesis 11:12–13) The two verses of Genesis 11:12–13, detailing Arpachshad’s life and the birth of Shelah, are a crucial link in the redemptive storyline, contrasting sharply with the preceding Tower of Babel narrative. Babel is characterized by humanity’s loud, proud, and ambitious attempt to "make a name" for itse...

Deep Dive into A History of the Work of Redemption by Jonathan Edwards - From the Calling of Abraham to Moses The work of redemption advanced significantly during the period from the calling of Abraham to Moses, fundamentally establishing a separate lineage for the future Redeemer in a world rapidly falling into widespread idolatry. God called Abraham out of Chaldea, the land where idolatry origin...

Deep Dive into The Biblical Expositor, Volume 2: Job–Malachi by R. Laird Harris - Psalms Introduction The Psalter, or Book of Psalms, is structured into five distinct books, each concluding with a doxology. While the specific arrangement of individual psalms may have been influenced by musical considerations, the collection is primarily studied through classification by subject matter. Key categor...

Deep Dive into The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon - Psalm 26 Psalm 26, a work of David enduring reproach, is interpreted as an encouraging example of carrying slander to the throne of grace. It is an appeal to God, the supreme Judge, based on the testimony of a good conscience regarding his upright walk, avoidance of evil counsel, and dedication to holiness. Facing false charges, David bold...

Deep Dive into Luther’s Commentary on Galatians by Martin Luther - Galatians 3 The Apostle Paul sharply reproves the Galatians, calling them foolish and "bewitched," not out of spite but with fatherly affection and Christian zeal, for departing from the truth of the Gospel after having received it with fervor. This strong language is permissible for a minister because the anger stems fro...

Deep Dive into The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments by Thomas R. Schreiner - Job The comprehensive biblical narrative spans from the initial creation mandate given to Adam and Eve, their subsequent sin, and God's promise of ultimate victory over the serpent through the woman's offspring. This promise drives the history of Israel, beginning with Abraham...

Deep Dive into Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis - We Have Cause to Be Uneasy The author opens by acknowledging that the conclusion of the previous discussion—that a power or "Somebody" beyond the material universe is influencing us through the Moral Law—might lead some readers to feel annoyed, thinking they have been led into a predictable religious sermon. The author counters this skept...

Deep Dive into חסה The Hebrew root ḥāsâ is predominantly used as a poetic and figurative verb in the Qal stem, carrying the fundamental meaning of "to seek refuge" or "to take shelter." Its literal sense connects to earlier meanings of "to cover" or "to hide oneself," found in related Akkadian and Ethiopic roots. Figuratively, it evolved to mean "to con...

Deep Dive into Christ the Fullness: Walk in Him, Refuse Captivity (Colossians 2:6–10) The Christian church in every age faces the danger of accepting the subtle offer of "more than Christ"—a spirituality that promises fullness but actually leads to captivity. Paul's remedy is to cling to the Savior they first received: "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.&quot...

Deep Dive into Specks, Logs, and Clear Sight: Repentance First, Restoration Next (Matthew 7:1–5) The source material explores Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 7:1-5, emphasizing that the command "Do not judge" targets self-righteous condemnation, not righteous evaluation. Jesus is not instituting moral silence; rather, He is forbidding the spiritual arrogance of acting as the final judge, a p...

Deep Dive into After Babel: God’s Quiet Providence in the Generations of Shem (Genesis 11:10–11) The story of the Tower of Babel details humanity’s coordinated rebellion, where people sought self-salvation and significance by building a city and tower to “make a name” for themselves apart from the Lord. God judged this act of human pride by confusing their language and scattering them across the e...

Deep Dive into A History of the Work of Redemption by Jonathan Edwards - From the Flood to the Calling of Abraham The work of redemption proceeded powerfully from the Flood to the calling of Abraham, with God orchestrating multiple events to prepare the way for the great Savior. The Flood itself was essential to this work, acting to remove the numerous enemies who violently opposed God’s church, w...

Deep Dive into The Moody Handbook of Theology, Revised and Expanded by Paul Enns - Theology of the Edenic Era The biblical account of the Edenic era focuses on the Creator, God, who is revealed as Elohim, a name suggesting great power and sovereignty. God is shown to be both transcendent and immanent, having created humanity specifically for fellowship and relationship. The world itself was create...

Deep Dive into The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon - Psalm 25 Psalm 25, attributed to David, serves as a deeply personal miniature reflecting the King’s holy trust, numerous conflicts, significant transgression, and bitter repentance. It is traditionally identified as the second of the seven Penitential Psalms, illustrating how the sorrows of a believer lead them to confront their sins and d...

Deep Dive into Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon - Open-Air Preaching - A Sketch of Its History Open-air preaching is asserted to be a practice as old as preaching itself, lending a halo of reverence to the custom. Its roots stretch back to the earliest biblical figures, including Enoch and Noah, and continued with Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, and Jonah, all of whom addressed large ass...

Deep Dive into The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments by Thomas R. Schreiner - Ezra-Nehemiah The book of Esther is a delightful narrative that chronicles God’s sovereign work in preserving the Jewish people from annihilation, even while they live under pagan rule. The theology of the book is unique because God is never explicitly mentioned; the deliberate omissio...

Deep Dive into The Life And Diary Of David Brainerd by Jonathan Edwards - Preaching Met with Remarkable Success The diary excerpts provide a detailed look into the demanding life and profound spiritual experiences of David Brainerd during his missionary work among the Indians, primarily at the Forks of Delaware and during arduous travels to places like Susquehannah. Brainerd continually grappled w...

Deep Dive into Financing Ukraine for the Long War: A Sustainable Funding Architecture Beyond One-Off Aid A prolonged war necessitates a comprehensive funding architecture for Ukraine to ensure its long-term endurance, moving beyond ad hoc emergency aid. This architecture must address a recurring fiscal gap caused by disrupted production and surging defense and social spending. A core principle of...

Deep Dive into The Great Exchange: How God Reconciles Sinners in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) The apostle Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 5:21 stands as a core explanation of the gospel, serving as the theological ground for the urgent appeal to "be reconciled to God." To achieve divine reconciliation, God’s justice must be satisfied, as He cannot simply overlook sin. Paul reveals the u...