Reformed Thinking

Deep Dive into Questions in the English Bible The church's eschatological question is voiced in the book of Revelation as, " How long, O Lord? " This profound inquiry emerges from the longing of the saints amidst tribulation. It is crucial to understand that this question is not an expression of despair or unbelief; rather, it represents a sanctified impatience that actively fuels en...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Pray with Constancy and Company Corporate prayer is a vital aspect of the Christian life, deeply modeled by Jesus and the early church. To enhance this communal practice, five key counsels are suggested. First, make it regular by establishing a planned time and place with finite commitments to ensure consistency and prevent burnout. Second, start wi...

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Government and Unity of the Church Church governance generally falls into four basic forms : episcopal, presbyterian, congregational, and nongovernmental, ranging from highly structured to minimally organized. The episcopal system places authority primarily in the office of the bishop , who governs groups of churches and ordains minist...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Pray in Secret "Closet prayer" refers to private prayer , a concept derived from Jesus's instructions in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus taught his followers to pray in their rooms, in secret, rather than in public spaces to be seen by others. This practice is considered an infallible test of spiritual integrity , serving as a crucial i...

Deep Dive into Sins of the Heart: Covetousness/Greed Combating covetousness in Christian life involves a dual approach: profound theological reorientation and consistent practical disciplines , recognizing covetousness as a "central treachery of the heart" and idolatry . Theological frameworks establish that covetousness is a "worship disorder," where security and identity are...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Enjoy the Gift of Having God's Ear God, "the God of all grace," initiates a profound relationship with humanity, demonstrating amazing love and extravagant grace . He is the Creator, and we are His creatures, yet He invites us to interact. He first expresses His heart and reveals Himself through His word , and then, wonderfully, He ope...

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - Confirmation of This Doctrine from Scriptural Testimonies Calvin's doctrine of election and reprobation posits that God's absolute sovereignty and independent will are the sole, unconditioned causes for both salvation and condemnation, entirely apart from any human merit or foreseen action. Election is not based on God's foreknow...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Resolve to Be a LIfelong Learner To be a "disciple" literally means to be a "learner," a concept central to the Christian faith where teaching and learning are paramount. The focal point of Christian learning is "the Word"—incarnate, spoken, and written—at its center , specifically the person and work of Christ . This p...

Deep Dive into Original Sin by Johnathan Edwards - Thus I Have Gone Through with My First Argument; Having Shown the Evidence of the Truth of the Proposition Laid Down at First, and Proved Its Consequence. But There Are Many Other Things, That Manifest a Very Corrupt Tendency or Disposition in Man's Nature, in His Present State, Which I Shall Take Notice of in the Following Sections The ineffi...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Memorize the Mind of God Scripture memorization is important today because it offers immediate, present-day benefits that profoundly shape a believer's mind, soul, and daily life, rather than merely storing truths for an uncertain future. It's an active "asset working for us right now." This practice actively shapes our minds &quot...

Deep Dive into The Greatest Motive to Repentance (Zechariah 12:10) by Charles Spurgeon The essence of the gospel is the substitution of Christ for the sinner . This fundamental truth explains why Jesus, "the pierced One," suffered and died. While a Roman soldier physically pierced Jesus, it was humanity, through "our sins" and transgressions , that was ultimately responsible fo...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Build the Bible Home to Your Heart The main goal of Bible intake is to achieve a profound internal transformation , moving beyond mere intellectual understanding or a simplistic "to-do list" approach to being deeply shaped by God's word. This process primarily aims at cultivating an "astonished heart" , where one is amazed at...

Deep Dive into Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.8: Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms - Psalm 14 Men become useless when they "have gone out of the way" , a state rooted in profound spiritual failings and a misdirection of their core affections. At the heart of this uselessness is loving this world and not loving God , a choice that profoundly corrupts the soul and blinds...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Warm Yourself at the Fire of Meditation Christian meditation is defined as "deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer." This practice fundamentally differs from secular meditation, which often entails emptying the mind; instead, Christian meditation...

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - Scriptures is Needed as Guide and Teacher for Anyone Who Would Come to God the Creator The Word , which the sources consistently refer to as Holy Scripture , plays an indispensable and multifaceted role in humanity's understanding of God, acting as a direct and certain guide that general revelation cannot provide on its own. It p...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Read for Breadth, Study for Depth Bible reading is a unique endeavor that combines both a science and a profound art . The "science" involves the foundational, teachable elements like understanding the basics of language and communication (subjects, verbs, conjunctions), using study aids such as overviews and commentaries, and employing simple metho...

Deep Dive into דרך The Hebrew verb " דָּרַךְ " ( darak ) fundamentally means to tread or march . In its Qal (simple) form, it describes direct physical actions like treading upon land, trampling enemies, or pressing grapes in a winepress. A significant technical use is to bend or string a bow , often by planting the foot in its middle. This verb can also mean to "come forth" or...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Shape Your Life with the Words of Life Gospel self-preaching is a vital and central strategy for Christians in their ongoing "fight for joy." It is a habit of grace that actively engages believers with the truth of the gospel, particularly in confronting life's challenges and internal struggles. At its core, this practice involves pausing and intent...

Deep Dive into Mormonism Mormonism defines revelation as an ongoing, open process that can expand doctrine beyond the traditional biblical canon, often channeled through a living prophet . This stands in direct contrast to how many other Christian traditions view divine communication. For Latter-day Saints (LDS), "Scripture" is not limited to the Bible alone, but includes a "quadrup...

Deep Dive into Habits of Grace by David Mathis - Grace Gone Wild David Mathis's "Habits of Grace" sets itself apart from other literature on spiritual development due to several key distinctions. Perhaps the most notable is its simplified threefold organizational scheme . Rather than enumerating numerous practices, the book condenses them into three core principles : hearing God’s voice (His word)...

Deep Dive into How to Rebuild Ukraine's Judicial and Political Institutions after War Ukraine's post-war reconstruction prioritizes establishing legitimacy before capacity , beginning with a "Phase One" period of 0–3 months immediately following the war. This initial phase is designed to re-anchor fundamental principles and establish guardrails against the abuse of emergency powe...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Strategic Approaches An effective Excursion Ministry is fundamentally centered on effective gospel proclamation and receptivity from the community . Its core purpose is to clearly present the gospel message to lead individuals to salvation and, ideally, to be integrated into the church. For an Excursion Mini...

Deep Dive into Word Order in the English Bible Heavy shift , also known as heavy NP shift or end-weight , is a principle of English word order where longer, more complex, or "heavy" grammatical elements are placed towards the end of a clause or sentence . This preference for "end-weight" helps manage information flow and emphasis in English prose. The primary purpose of heavy s...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - 1 Corinthians 9 Christians should balance personal freedoms with loving restrictions by fundamentally voluntarily setting aside their own rights and liberties for the sake of the gospel , rather than employing freedoms to evangelize. The apostle Paul's example in 1 Corinthians 9 teaches this principle, s...

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Role of the Church The edification of believers is a primary function of the church, designed to directly benefit and build up its members. While worship focuses on God, edification concentrates on the spiritual growth of believers, a process Paul frequently emphasized for the body of Christ. It involves mutual upbuilding by all member...