What does the Bible teach on the existence of the soul? This article gives seven biblical teachings on the soul from creation of man to his new creation.
The 95 Theses written by Martin Luther could not have been written if it was not for Luther’s conversion. This article explains Luther’s conversion and how it let to the writing of the Theses.
What are the benefits of the Lord’s Supper? The Lord’s Supper is the communion of the body and blood of our Saviour. It serves to show us his love in dying. It seals to us the blessings of the covenant of grace. The Holy Communion expresses both the inward and outward unity of the people of God.
Old age has its challenges, but it is in regular church attendance that God works to sustain the aged. This article discusses six ways in which the aged Christian can benefit from worship service in his church attendance.
What are the consequences of salvation by grace? For those who are saved, grace has an impact on their lives. Grace gives assurance, stimulates evangelism, promotes worship, and strengthens and sustains the believer.
Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31 record words that came to be known as the golden rule. This article explains that the heart of the golden rule is the fulfilment of the command to love your neighbour.
Old age has its challenges, but it also has its trials, including loss of strength, loss of memory, loss of friends, and living in dependence on others. This article examines how to live facing those trials.
Old age has its challenges, but it also has its temptations. This article discusses temptations of old age and how to stand firm in faith while facing such temptations.
When the early church referred to "second repentance," it wanted to convey that the Christian life is one of repentance. This article explains why this is so.
At the heart of every form of addiction are lies. All addicts lie about God, themselves, sin, and others. This article explains these four lies, and gives the truths that can uproot them.
Church planting should not only focus on the city and urban areas, because there are tens of millions of people scattered throughout small and rural communities who are not worshipping Jesus Christ. This article explains the obligation, reasons, and vision for rural church planting.
John Calvin is in many ways seen as the father of Reformed evangelism. This article points to his vision for planting churches in France and Brazil, and his sending out of pastors to plant churches. He is thus an encouraging model for Reformed churches to engage in evangelism and church planting.
How should Christians respond to the issues of homosexuality and same-sex marriage? This article explains that Christians should focus on behaviour, understand the nature of their sin, and learn to show biblical love.
It is often said that it is natural for children to play. Did you know that there is something more to the playing of children? This article shows through Zechariah 8:5 that children's playing is a sign of the blessing of the Lord.
The church has a calling to provide education to its members. This article discusses how the church can fulfil the mission of Christian education through evangelism and discipleship.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. What is wisdom? This article distinguishes four aspects of true wisdom: scriptural, personal, spiritual, and practical wisdom.
What is the purpose of Christian education? Christian education exists to glorify God, teach students to love him, integrate biblical truth into learning, help students to love their neighbour, and to live a life of service to God.
Christian education strives for God’s glory and praise for his glorious work in creating and upholding the universe. This article explains what such education means for the student and the Christian teacher.
Why is it that psalm singing is experiencing somewhat of a revival in various places? This article suggests that the main reason is in their therapeutic value. The Psalms minister powerfully to the emotional life of the believer.
To John Calvin, the doctrine of the providence of God rested upon three central pillars: God’s control, man’s limited knowledge, and the authority of Scripture.
How can you reach out to those grieving? If the aim is to bring comfort in times of grief, then there are two rules to follow: know what not to say and know what to say.
How can Christians find comfort in times of grief? They will find comfort by looking not at what they have lost but at what they have gained in Christ.
Do you have grief because of broken dreams? This article explains that with every lost dream there is a divine opportunity for both the unbeliever and the believer.
How should a Christian grieve a miscarriage? This article unpacks the comfort that Christian parents have in a time of miscarriage. Their comfort will come by remembering that children are conceived in sin, the sovereignty of God, and salvation is by grace.
Do afflictions really work for your good? This article explains that they do: they humble you, promote a hatred of sin, produce godly fruit, draw you closer to God, and more.
How do you encourage your child to read the Bible? This article suggests buying them their personal copy, as well as being an example to them, teaching them why the Bible is special, helping them to reflect on what they read, and encouraging them to pray.
How should we interpret the Song of Songs? What is its primary message? Is its primary message about human love, or about the love between Christ and his church? This article weighs in.
The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture teaches that the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for saving faith and the Christian life are revealed in the Bible. This article explains the biblical ground for this teaching and the implications it has for the believer and the church.
Hermeneutics is the art of interpreting the Word of God, explaining it accurately and helpfully in our own language. This article explains why hermeneutics matters.
How can you grieve in a way that you can bring maximum glory to God? There are three important things that shape your grief: your thoughts, emotions, and belief. This article explains how Christians can control these three in a way that produces godly grief.
What are the challenges facing Reformed evangelicalism? This article discusses a number of challenges to Reformed evangelicalism; that is, it discusses challenges to biblical sufficiency, moral purity, cultural flexibility, doctrinal fidelity, ecclesiastical simplicity, and experiential piety.
How can parents encourage children to read? It is by letting the children see you reading, and reading aloud to them. This article considers ways of encouraging children to read.
Is reading theology for you? This article argues that reading theology can be a blessed and encouraging experience for every child of God. This is possible when reading theology is done in these three ways.
How can you read the Bible for true growth? This article suggests a number of principles: read with certain presuppositions (regarding its authority, infallibility, sufficiency, etc.), read with a plan, and read with purpose.
Readinggood books is essential to the growth of every Christian. How do you know a good book from a bad one? This article gives guidance on reading with discernment.
Assurance of faith is the conviction that one belongs to Christ through faith and will enjoy everlasting salvation. However, assurance of salvation is not something enjoyed by every Christian. This article gives five reasons why this is the case.
Profession of faith marks the beginning of spiritual warfare. As a soldier of Christ, a Christian has to face and fight against his enemies, the devil, the world, and one's own sinful flesh. This article looks at these three enemies of a Christian, and how a Christian can continue in faith even when at times he may fall into sin.
Assurance of faith is the conviction that one belongs to Christ through faith and will enjoy everlasting salvation. Therefore, assurance of salvation is essential to every Christian, and this article gives five reasons why.
Profession of faith leads to a life that is against the world. This article shows that confessing Christ leads to a life that is shaped by the gospel and is against the world. It looks at the biblical evidence, and the example of the early church in living the Christian life in the world without being of the world.
Profession of faith opens the door to participation in the Lord’s Supper. Yet the call is that one who is eligible to participate must do so in a worthy manner. That calls for self-examination. This article explains that those partaking in Holy Communion should examine themselves in three areas: misery, deliverance and gratitude.
Though John Calvin’s conviction was that God uses the church to nurture Christian growth, he did not see this as undermining the need for personal piety. Piety must also be cultivated personally. This article shows how Calvin saw prayer, repentance, self-denial, cross-bearing, meditation on the future life, and obedience as essential for the development of personal piety.
This article looks at the practice of the celebration of the Lord's Supper from the Bible and the early church. It shows that it has always been the practice that profession of faith and self-examination are required for attendance at the Lord’s Supper.
Pastors and elders have to visit the dying. This article shares guidelines on pastoring the dying and the mourning. It explains the need for visitation and how it should be done. The author also discusses how to conduct the funeral and comfort the family after the funeral. Essential to this is the ability of the elders and minister to point to Christ as the true Comforter.
Christian growth or piety is impossible apart from the church. This article offers the thoughts of John Calvin on the matter. Calvin said that God uses the church to nurture Christian piety. He does so specifically through the preaching of the word, the administration of sacraments, and the singing of psalms.
Worldliness delivers a death blow to the ministry. Ministers must fight against it. This article gives three reasons that should persuade ministers to fight worldliness.
How do you know that you will be with Christ? The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints answers this question, as it points to the faithfulness of God in keeping his promise.
What is God’s goal with creation and salvation? Soli Deo Gloria is the answer that the Reformers gave. This article shows how "glory to God alone" came to characterize the Reformation and the implication this has for church life.
What caused the Reformation? It was born out of protest against abuses in the church. This article names and discusses those abuses, and it shows how the Reformation spread in its Calvinistic and Lutheran forms. Focus here is on the development of Calvinism.
