Author: Pastor Rich Lusk
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Just Friends?
I don’t necessarily agree with everything Tolkien and Lewis have to say on this topic, but I do think their views are worth considering. — Can men and women “just be friends”? J R R Tolkien answers: “In this fallen world the ‘friendship’ that should be possible between all human beings, is virtually impossible between…
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Red Pill Proverbs: Hard Edged Advice for Life
Fake friends are like shadows. They stay close to us while we’re in the sunlight, only to leave us immediately as we step into the darkness. — Understand that not everything is meant to be understood. Live, let go, and don’t worry about what you can’t change. — You can apologize over and over but…
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Calvin and Lewis on Liturgy
John Calvin on liturgy: “As to what concerns a form of prayer and ecclesiastical rites, I highly approve of it that there be a certain form, from which the ministers be not allowed to vary: That first, some provision be made to help the simplicity and unskillfulness of some; secondly, that the consent and harmony…
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“Sin Boldly”: Righly Understanding Luther’s Counsel to Melanchthon
Melanchthon was having another one of his bouts of conscience. His sins and sinfulness were weighing on him. He wrote to Luther, wondering aloud if he was really and truly a Christian. Luther responded with straight gospel fire: “Sin boldly. But believe even more boldly in Christ, and rejoice.” In other words: yes, you are…
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A primer on patriarchalism versus complementarianism — It’s Good to be a Man
This was a Facebook comment of mine, turned into a short article on the “It’s Good to Be a Man” website, posted on August 19, 2020. Bnonn Tennant made a few edits. Summary: Complementarians are primarily concerned with male and female roles in marriage and church; the patriarchal-household view is concerned with how male and…
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1 Samuel 29 Sermon Follow-Up: David’s Surprising Salvation
The stories in 1 Samuel 28-29 are out of chronological order. The dischronologization serves both a literary and theological/ethic purpose. How do we know the stories are out of order? The geographical and chronological details make it clear that the events of chapter 29 actually happened before the events of chapter 28. The writer has…
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Old X Posts, #2
Another post from the archives: — Every book in the New Testament teaches that our eternal destiny hinges on doing good works There is no salvation without obedience Good works are necessary if we are to be saved You will not be forgiven without repentance Do not be deceived: You will reap what you have…
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Quotebook #7
“Charity means pardoning the unpardonable, or it is no virtue at all. Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all. And faith means believing the incredible, or it is no virtue at all.”— Chesterton — “A good man’s work is effected by doing what he does, a woman’s by…
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Jesus and the Nations: What the Christian Nationalism Debate Is Really About
What kind of nation do we want to live in? What kind of nation should America be? Or to put it yet another way, what is good for America? What is good for Americans? Christian Nationalism is an attempt to answer that question. Of course, there isn ’t just one version of Christian Nationalism. Some…
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Genesis 17:7: Christian Parenting 101
“And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your children after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your children after you.” (Genesis 17:7) God never rescinded this promise. It is still in force. Christian parenting is not law, it is gospel. It is…
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