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Christward Collective

Sip It, Don't Dip It

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  • Joe Thorn

The practice of intinction is the dipping of the bread into the wine and then consuming both together at the Lord's Supper. This article makes the case why this practice should not be followed, in light of the instruction of the Lord Jesus.

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Making the Most of Sunday

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  • Joe Thorn

This article outlines ways to make the most out of corporate worship. It shows ways to prepare, participate, and reflect.

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Four Characteristics of Earnest Preaching

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  • Joe Thorn

What makes preaching earnest? This article offers four characteristics: know the text, feel the truth, love the people, and keep the sermon simple.

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The Time and Manner of Family Worship

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  • Scott Redd

This article discusses the timing or frequency of family worship, and the manner in which it could be carried out.

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The Heart of Family Worship

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  • Scott Redd

This article discusses the heart of family worship, that it helps us be better worshippers of God on the Lord's Day. This is seen in four ways: reading God's Word, practicing family prayer, celebrating the Lord's Supper, and improving upon our baptism.

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Suffering, Love and Glory

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  • Matthew Holst

Sometimes the Lord visits us with hard providences. Our default reaction is prayer for an end to the trial. Yet what happens when our suffering continues? This article draws out precious lessons regarding this issue from the account of the raising of Lazarus in John 11.

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A New Frame of Mind

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  • Matthew Holst

This article addresses the question, "With what should I fill my mind?" with the aid of Romans 12:2.

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Wisdom for Reading the Proverbs

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  • Matthew Holst

This article provides seven pointers on how to glean as much as possible from reading Proverbs.

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Twelve Things to Know about the Anti-Christ

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  • Matthew Holst

This article provides some reflection on Scripture's teaching about the man of lawlessness, or the Antichrist.

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How Not to Ask for Forgiveness

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  • Matthew Holst

Every Christian sins, so every Christian needs to ask forgiveness. Yet how we ask forgiveness speaks to the quality of our repentance. This article mentions five ways we can evaluate whether our repentance is sincere or not.

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Ten Ways to Resolve Conflict with Your Pastor

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  • Matthew Holst

This article offers guidelines for a congregation member to consider when he has problems with his pastor's ministry. These are of help for living peaceably with one another, and avoiding conflict.

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A Note to Christian Men

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  • Matthew Holst

This article reminds men of the power of lust and the desire for self-gratification, even through brief visual stimulation. It offers four thoughts on how men can reorder their thinking in this regard so that they think with Christ-like minds.

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Christocentric or Christomonic?

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  • Matthew Holst

Christ-centred preaching is vital for the church. Yet there is a fine line between preaching that is Christocentric and Christomonic. The latter preaches Christ from Scripture to the neglect of the Father and the Spirit. This article explains the tendency to slip into Christomonic preaching, and reminds from Scripture how Jesus' work of redemption includes the Father and the Spirit working with him to that end.

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Six Ways to Benefit from Reading Genealogies

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  • Matthew Holst

Genealogies in the Bible are often neglected in our reading of Scripture. This article offers six tips for reading them that will benefit the reader.

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Seven Exoduses (Part 3)

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  • Matthew Holst

Israel's exodus from Egypt is one of the central redemptive-historical events in the Scriptures, so central that it is the pattern for at least seven events in Scripture that may themselves be called “Exoduses.” This final article in a series shows the theological centre of the Exodus principle, namely, Christ and his experience.

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Seven Exoduses (Part 2)

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  • Matthew Holst

Israel's exodus from Egypt is one of the central redemptive-historical events in the Scriptures, so central that it is the pattern for at least seven events in Scripture that may themselves be called “Exoduses.” This second article in a series outlines the exodus experiences of Isaac (Genesis 26:6-16), Jacob (Genesis 27-Genesis 31), Israel, God's people through the death and resurrection of Christ, and Peter (Acts 12).

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Seven Exoduses (Part 1)

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  • Matthew Holst

Israel's exodus from Egypt is one of the central redemptive-historical events in the Scriptures, so central that it is the pattern for at least seven events in Scripture that may themselves be called “Exoduses.” This first article in a series determines the main elements of the exodus, and then considers how these are manifested in the events of the exodus of Abram in Genesis 12 and Genesis 20.

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Faith-Ful Exegesis

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  • Joe Holland

This article is a word study on the word faith in Scripture. It shows how someone can be saved by faith, can explain the faith, and yet be of little faith. The article then makes some applications regarding faith-ful exegesis.

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From Zeus to Zilch: Evangelism and Post-Christian Culture

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  • Joe Holland

This article considers the way Paul and Barnabas engaged with the Lycaonians in Acts 14:1-20. It shows that evangelism that begins with God as Creator is the point of contact to common human experience, for no one can deny that they were created. Paul argues that all men are already in the debt of a gracious God, and so are to repent of sin and place their faith in Christ. Preaching is to proclaim the Creator and Redeemer of all things.

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Ephesians 6: Wielding the Sword in a Turbulent World

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  • Jason Helopoulos

How do the Christian and the church stand in a hostile world? This article considers Paul's instructions to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 6, particularly the command to use the sword of the Spirit.

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The Uniqueness of Christian Parenting

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  • Jason Helopoulos

Christian parents seek to prepare their children for this life and at the same time life in heaven. This article offers numerous insights into what makes Christian parenting unique in this broken world.

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Thought of Thoughts

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  • Jason Helopoulos

This article offers seven reasons why we should take great delight at the fact that God is our Father, through our adoption as sons in Christ Jesus.

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An Open Letter to Christian Parents of Unbelieving Adult Children

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  • Jason Helopoulos

This article offers three pastoral encouragements to Christian parents of an unbelieving adult child: remember the seed sown in the past, pray in the present, and hope for the future.

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The Heart-Cry of the Christian

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  • Jason Helopoulos

Why is it worth longing for the day when our eyes shall see Christ? This article shows that our seeing now by faith and our seeing then by sight differ in at least three ways: now we only see Christ partially but then we shall enjoy a full view; now our view of Christ is mediated, but in the future we will revel in an immediate view of the glory of God in Christ; now our view of Christ is too often disrupted by sinful barriers, but then our view will be uninterrupted.

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The Visible Word

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  • Jason Helopoulos

Is there value in showing a video in a worship service in order to press home the truth of the Scriptures? This article shows that God has given the church the sacraments as the Word for our eyes.

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Why Not Sin?

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  • Jason Helopoulos

What is stopping you as a Christian from sinning? One of the best answers is given by Paul in Romans 6. There he points out that our sanctification cannot be separated from our justification. This article shows that Paul would have us realize that our union with Christ marks every aspect of our salvation, including our justification, sanctification, and glorification.

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Was Christ's Death Divine Child Abuse?

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  • Jason Helopoulos

It has been argued that it was unjust of God to make Christ our substitute, that this was some sort of divine child abuse. This article shows that is far from so. It offers four reasons why our debt had to be paid by Christ.

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Eight Causes of Spiritual Depression

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  • Jason Helopoulos

This article considers eight common causes of spiritual depression. Among them are physical fatigue, neglect of the means of grace, sin, lukewarmness, and God withdrawing a sense of his delight.

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Nine Reasons to Pray

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  • Jason Helopoulos

Why should you pray if God already knows your heart? This article offers nine reasons, going beyond the simple truth that the Bible commands prayer.

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At Just the Right Time

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  • Jason Helopoulos

In speaking about the providence of God, many Christians are reluctant to speak of secondary causes, since they think this somehow robs God of his glory. Yet this article demonstrates that God uses means to accomplish his purposes, particularly the spread of Christianity in the early church. The author discusses several conditions ideal for such a spread, and they pertain to Judaism, the Roman Empire, Greek philosophy, syncretism, and persecution.

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Martin Bucer: Carer of Souls (Part 2)

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  • David Owen Filson

This article considers the work of Martin Bucer, Concerning the True Care of Souls, a pastoral manual. Bucer lays out five main tasks to which carers of souls should give themselves, and this article outlines the last three: to help in the reformation of church members who have grievously sinned, to strengthen the somewhat feeble and sick in the Christian life, and to protect the healthy sheep from all offence and falling away.

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Martin Bucer: Carer of Souls (Part 1)

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  • David Owen Filson

This article considers the work of Martin Bucer, Concerning the True Care of Souls, a pastoral manual. Bucer lays out five main tasks to which soul-carers should give themselves, and this article outlines the first two: to bring to Christ those who are still estranged from him, and to restore to Christ those who had once been brought to him but have been drawn away again.

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When Your Spouse Won't Join a Solid Church

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

What is a believer to do when their spouse refuses church attendance? What is a godly wife to do when her husband refuses to join a solid church? What is a godly woman do when her husband forbids her from joining a solid church? This article offers a few thoughts for those who are in these difficult situations: we need to obey God rather than man, we are to respect our spouse, we are to be willing to be reproached for what is right, and we are to pray for the spiritual well-being of our spouse.

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Little Eternal Beings

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Every child the Lord entrusts to parents will spend an eternity either in heaven or in hell. This article offers several helpful practices for parents to put into place in order to aid their goal in being faithful stewards of these little ones.

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The Serpent-Conquering Last Adam and True Israel

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article explains that Christ's victory over the devil in the temptation narrative was his initial victory, after which he went around Israel casting out demons. This was how the Lord Jesus was "binding" the devil. Christ is the last Adam and true Israel, coming to take possession of the inheritance by expelling all the enemies of God.

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A Spiritual Brotherhood

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article speaks to the blessing that comes from a spiritual brotherhood among ministers. The author mentions tangible ways in which the Lord uses this: the imparting of wisdom through counsel, the exchange of valuable theological resources, and the extension of ministerial outreach and visitation.

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Discovering Christ in the Psalms

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article shows how Christ appears in the Psalms. It speaks of typical Messianic psalms, directly predictive psalms, mystically Messianic psalms, psalms of trust in Christ, and creation/new creation Messianic psalms.

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What Are You Waiting For?

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article summons many Scripture passages to show that our heart is to be wholly set on the hope of the return of Christ. It also illustrates this with an excerpt of a sermon by J.C. Ryle.

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Giving and Receiving Commendation

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article provides some scriptural principles on how we are to give and receive commendation: praise is not for ourselves but for others, we must guard against all forms of flattery, and we must learn to honour others in the Lord.

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Preaching the Funeral of an Unbeliever

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Preaching at the funeral of someone who was almost surely an unbeliever is very difficult. This article offers a few things worth considering if you are given such an opportunity: talk about the fall, death, and judgment, exalt Christ, hold out the hope of the resurrection, emphasize the role of faith, and stay away from eulogizing.

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A Biblical Theology of Clouds

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

The Scriptures have much to teach us about the redemptive-historical significance of clouds. This article traces the matter through Scripture, and shows how the Lord used clouds to remind us of his immanence and the promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus.

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Killing Envy

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Do you struggle with envy? Did you know that the root of envy is pride? This article offers several ways in which to put to death the sin of envy: know who you are in Christ, remember God's promises, thank God for the gifts of others, learn from the gifts and accomplishments of others, and be content with however God is pleased to use you.

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The Offices of Christ and the Marks of the Church

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article makes the observation that the marks of the true church flow out of Christ's threefold office as the head of the church.

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The Blessing of Visiting the Sick

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article outlines three benefits that come from the pastoral work of visiting the sick: God calls us to be servants of his people, we become reminded of the frailty of our own lives, and we realize afresh that we are entirely dependent on the Lord.

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The Internal Witness of Scripture

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

How can we know whether the Bible is the authoritative Word of God? This article shows that the most substantial answer concerns the self-attestation of Scripture. The Bible witnesses internally to its own authority and inerrancy.

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Mountaintop Theology

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

The Bible has a lot to say about mountains and their theological significance. This article shows that mountains are used as a measurement by which man may better understand the attributes of God. Mountains of importance are the Garden of Eden, the Mount of Olives, the Mount of Transfiguration, Mount Calvary, and Mount Zion.

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Teaching Our Children the Raw Parts of Scripture

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Is it right or wise to expose children in the worship service to the deep depravity of men as revealed in various parts of Scripture? This article offers three reasons to do so: God commands it, the culture necessitates it for the defense of the faith, and our hearts need it. The article does advise sensitivity to the way in which those raw parts of Scripture are preached, and encourages ministers to help prepare the parents for what the children will hear.

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Five Reasons to Keep the Children In

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article presents five reasons to include children in the worship service: it is the pattern of Scripture, a model for the children for life, the place of God's promised blessing, an encouragement to other families, and an encouragement to the parents. The article also offers some caveats regarding infants and toddlers.

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Jesus' Miracles: Types of Spiritual Realities

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article explores the thesis that the healing miracles of the Lord Jesus are really spiritual parables for us. It offers five observations, drawn from Herman Ridderbos' The Coming of the Kingdom, about what the miracles teach us, concluding with the note that Jesus took the sickness of his people upon himself at the cross.

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Eternalizing the Old Testament

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

How we are to harmonize the Old Testament's mention of an "everlasting" ordinance, covenant, possession, and priesthood with the New Testament's lack of continuation of these things? This article demonstrates how Christ gives all these elements their eternal significance.

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Jesus' Ark

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article discusses redemptive-historical elements of the flood narrative. It considers the role of Noah as a type of Christ, the redemptive-historical foreshadowing of the new creation, the redemptive-historical purpose of the animals, and the redemptive-historical preservation of the Redeemer.

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Fear and Sonship

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

What role should the fear of God play in the believer's life of obedience to God? This article explains that there is a difference between slavish fear and filial fear, and shows that godly fear belongs to the realm of sonship.

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The Cursed and Blessed Ground

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article offers a biblical-theological consideration of sacred space in Scripture, particularly "the ground." It moves from Eden to Abel to Noah to Abraham to the book of Revelation, which likens the church to a garden, land, city, and temple.

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A Biblical Theology of Clothing

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article offers a biblical theology of clothing, starting from Genesis 3, moving ahead to the tabernacle, and then to the life of Christ. The Bible's teaching about the first and last Adam gives special colour to a biblical theology of clothing.

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Seven Things to Remember before You Quit a Pastorate

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Studies have shown that the average pastor quits a church within his first five years of ministry there. This article offers seven things that every pastor must remember when tempted to quit.

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Numbers 21:4-9 – The Serpent on the Pole and the Cross of Christ

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article provides fourteen points on how the account of Numbers 21:4-9 deepens our understanding of the gospel.

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Jesus, the True and Greater Gardener

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article considers the theological significance of two garden settings in which Christ carried out his redemptive work: the Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden-tomb. Since the first Adam was called to guard and keep the Garden, and failed, the second Adam was called to do the same—and he succeeded. This article draws the redemptive-historical line from the first garden to the final garden, showing how Jesus is the heavenly gardener and we are a garden to God.

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The Sin-Bearing, Curse-Removing True Israel

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article shows how Jesus Christ is the new and true Israel. It gives thought to how the covenant curses and the cross of Christ are interconnected.

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The Sin-Bearing, Curse-Removing Second Adam (Part 1)

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article shows how Jesus Christ became the representative curse for us: all of the curses that God placed on Adam were taken by the second Adam, so that those who believe in him might receive all the spiritual and eternal blessings of God. The article shows the relationship between the Lord Jesus and the curse of the covenant in Paradise.

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It All Leads Straight to the Cross

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Should every sermon bring its hearers to the cross, even if Christ himself did not do so? This article shows how everything the Lord Jesus said during his earthly ministry on the way to the cross must be read in the light of what he would accomplish at the cross. Thus, preaching needs to have the blood of Christ as its focal point every time again.

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A Biblical Theology of Burial

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article discusses the practice of burial versus cremation. It shows from Scripture and church history that burial was considered an act of faith.

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A Tale of Two Trees

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article unfolds the theological significance of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life, and their individual connection to the cross of Christ.

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How Jesus Read the Old Testament (Part 2)

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

In his life the Lord Jesus had to study and understand the Scriptures. How did he read and interpret the Old Testament? This article shows in four ways (in addition to part one of this article) that it was written not only about him, but also to him.

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How Did Jesus Read the Old Testament? (Part 1)

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

In his life the Lord Jesus had to study and understand the Scriptures. How did he read and interpret the Old Testament? This article shows in ten ways that it was written not only about him, but also to him.

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The Most Important Overlooked Doctrine (Part 2)

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article discusses the doctrine of positional sanctification, part of the biblical teaching on sanctification. It gives consideration to the notion that the Lord Jesus "learned obedience" in his life, and how Christ's sanctification becomes our sanctification by virtue of our union with Christ.

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The Most Important Overlooked Doctrine?

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

What is the most important overlooked doctrine in Scripture? The author suggests that it is the doctrine of definitive sanctification. He defines what the doctrine teaches, explains why it has been overlooked, and concludes by discussing how it should affect our lives.

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Death and Resurrection: The Key to the Old Testament

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Why does much of the Old Testament seem so foreign to us? This article explains that often we struggle to see that all the events of the old covenant were moving forward to the death and resurrection of Christ. It takes the reader through numerous examples from the Old Testament to illustrate the point.

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James and Justification: Which Court?

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article focuses on the difficult saying in James 2:21, where James speaks of Abraham being justified by works. The article compares this with Paul's theology, and shows that James is talking about our justification before men while Paul is talking about our standing before God.

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Does God the Father Love You Because of Jesus?

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

Does the Father love us because of his Son? It may surprise you to know that the answer is "No." This article explains why: the basis of God's love for us is his election of us.

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John 4 – Jesus and the Empty Waterpot

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

John 4, the episode of the Lord Jesus with the woman at the well, is full of instruction for the church. It provides us with an understanding of the nature of sin and salvation, and a picture of a theology of desire and satisfaction.

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Luke 15:11-31 – The Parable of the Three Sons

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article shows how Luke 15:11-31 is actually the parable of the three sons. It does this by way of the immediate context as well as the redemptive-historical context.

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What Would Jesus Drink?

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

What exactly did the Lord Jesus mean when he spoke of the cup he had to drink? This article examines what the Old Testament prophets foretold about that cup, and its impact upon the soul of the Lord when he made mention of it.

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We See Jesus: New Testament Use of the Old in Hebrews 1:4-14

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  • Nicholas T. Batzig

This article offers a six-step guide that assists us in understanding the New Testament's use of the Old in Hebrews 1:4-14. These steps are valuable for interpreting other instances where a New Testament text cites an Old Testament text.

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The church no more created the canon than Newton created the law of gravity; recognition is not creation. J. I. Packer
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