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  • Circumcision, Baptism, and Colossians 2:11-12

    What is the circumcision made without hands in Colossians 2? How does it relate to circumcision as the sign of the Abrahamic covenant? How does it relate to baptism? “[11] In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,… Read more

  • FV and Assurance

    An X post from November 2024: A comment on FV and assurance: Assurance is not found through a process of introspection, making sure I have a really regenerated heart (the human heart is too much of a labyrinth for that, and we are all too easily prone to self-serving forms of self-deception). Rather, assurance is… Read more

  • FV Summarized

    FV Summarized

    An X post from 8/8/24: Since discussions of the so-called Federal Vision are heating back up, I figured I’d give a quick, short summary of the key emphases of FV: 1. Creation is gift. This means there is no nature/grace dualism in the Bible and no merit theology in the Bible. Everything is grace. Grace… Read more

  • 1 Samuel 26 Sermon Follow-up: Sanctified Swagger

    1 Samuel 26 Sermon Follow-up: Sanctified Swagger

    1 Samuel 26 is a story of sanctified swagger. Women often doubt such a thing exists, but most men know it does.  What happens in 1 Samuel 26? David takes Abishai with him into the heart of Saul’s camp. They’re outnumbered 3000 to 2. David is a total underdog. But he knows God loves the… Read more

  • The Meaning of Old Covenant Circumcision

    The Meaning of Old Covenant Circumcision

    What was the meaning of circumcision in the Abrahamic covenant? Remember the context in which circumcision was instituted: right after Abraham tried to produce the promised seed in his own strength with Hagar. The sequence of Gen. 15-16-17 is critical. Abraham is given the promise of the seed (chapter 15). But then he tried to… Read more

  • Lessons from Judges 11

    In Judges 11, Jephthah had been tasked with leading his people and defending them from the Ammonites. At first he seeks a diplomatic solution. But it quickly becomes apparent there will be no peaceful resolution to the conflict. The king of Ammon responds to Jepthah by making a false accusation about Israel’s history – he… Read more