Passion News

With the Supreme Court hearing two cases last week about same-sex marriage, this issue continues to be huge.  As Christians, we need to think carefully about this issue.  Happily, a lot of good thinking and writing is being done.  Here are some posts for your consideration:

Marriage in the Dock – Albert Mohler
This is a helpful introduction to the Supreme Court and same -sex marriage.
For Christians, the issue of marriage is not merely a legal or constitutional issue. The Bible reveals marriage to be the sacred union of a man and a woman for a lifetime. The goods of marriage are revealed to be intimacy, union, companionship, friendship, procreation, children, and a host of related gifts. Christians must see marriage as essential for human flourishing and not open for human negotiation.

Why the Arguments for Gay Marriage Are Persuasive – Kevin DeYoung
A very helpful look at the issues behind the issue.
I don’t think the arguments for gay marriage are biblically faithfully, logically persuasive, or good for human flourishing in the long run, but they are almost impossible to overcome with most Americans, especially in younger generations….it fits in perfectly with the dominant themes and narratives shared in our culture. Gay marriage is the logical conclusion to a long argument, which means convincing people it’s a bad idea requires overturning some of our most cherished values and most powerful ideologies….

A Few Things to Consider Before Supporting Gay Marriage – Kevin DeYoung
By recognizing gay unions as marriage, just like the husband-wife relationship we’ve always called marriage, the state is engaging in (or at least codifying) a massive re-engineering of our social life. It assumes the indistinguishability of gender in parenting, the relative unimportance of procreation in marriage, and the near infinite flexibility as to what sorts of structures and habits lead to human flourishing.

Read the Fine Print Before Supporting “Marriage Equality” – Trevin Wax
As the Supreme Court considers the merits of adopting or banning same-sex marriage, many politicians are voicing their support for changing the law.  But just as smart shoppers know to look beyond an advertisement to read the fine print, Americans should look beyond the surface issues to the surprising details no one is discussing….

Bracketing Morality – Albert Mohler
The “seismic shift” on the issue of homosexuality is a profound moral revolution as well. And yet, what makes this moral revolution so vast in consequences and importance is this: the moral dimension has virtually disappeared from the cultural conversation….

Five Gay Marriage Myths – Robin Phillips at Salvo
Not sure if I agree with everything here, but there are some good points to consider.
The issue of same-sex marriage is often framed in terms of a choice between either preventing or allowing gay people to get married. When the issue is framed in these terms, that is usually a good indication that the person has fallen victim to another key myth. The reality is that legislation to introduce gay marriage would not remove a ban on same-sex couples getting married because no such ban exists. There is no more of a ban on same-sex couples getting married then there is a ban on two-wheeled unicycles or square triangles. The very nature of what marriage is necessarily excludes same-sex unions.

Passion Points

Here are some good posts for your Easter Weekend reading:

9 Things You Should Know About Holy Week – Joe Carter (via Gospel Coalition)
Holy Week is the week before Easter, a period which includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Here’s what you should know about the days that commemorate the Passion of Christ

Take Time to Stop – Trevin Wax
The best way to celebrate this week is to sense the stopping of time, and to remember the moments at the heart of our faith. To simply marvel at the Word of God and what these precious events mean. To listen for the Old Testament echoes, to catch the Old Testament overtones and familiar melodies that resound through the Gospel writers’ symphony of the cross. To look at Jesus – the One crucified in our place, who loved us and died for us.

Christ Forsaken – Joel Beeke (Ligonier)
The great High Priest enters Golgotha’s Holy of Holies without friends or enemies. The Son of God is alone on the cross for three final hours, enduring what defies our imagination. Experiencing the full brunt of His Father’s wrath, Jesus cannot stay silent. He cries out: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Why the Resurrection Changes Everything – Matthew Barrett (via Gospel Coalition)
Because Christ is risen, we, as those who are in Christ, have every assurance that our labor in sharing this gospel of the risen Christ is not pointless or without purpose, but will matter for all eternity. Therefore, do not forget this Easter that the resurrection of Christ changes everything. Without it, we have no gospel, no salvation, no saving message, and certainly no future hope.

Hope you have a great weekend celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus.

He is risen.  He is risen indeed!

Some Easter Posts

My top-viewed post for the last few weeks has been an Easter timeline and map that I found a few years back, which you can find here.

Also worth reviewing are 10 Questions to Ask at Easter Gatherings from Donald Whitney.

And then this brief video is worth watching every year too: It’s Friday…But Sunday’s Coming!

Passion Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading.

First are two good posts from Kevin DeYoung related to Stephan in Acts 7:

If You Expect Fruit Without a Tree, You’re Nuts
How To Prepare For Hostility

And then a couple on selfishness:

Six Types of Selfishness – R. W. Glenn
Don’t Worry, No One Will Remember You – Trillia Newbell (via Gospel Coalition)

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Passion News

Here are some good posts regarding some important recent news items:

Massachusetts Eliminates Gender Distinctions in Public Schools – Gospel Coalition
The long and short of it is that a boy can now claim to be a girl and shower with the girls, and the girls will be disciplined if they complain….

Arkansas Adopts Restrictive Abortion Law – NY Times
New law prohibits abortion after 12 weeks, but the lawsuit is coming….

Why Should Evangelicals Care About the Contraceptive-Abortifacient Mandate? – Gospel Coalition – Good overview for those who have missed past posts on this important issue.

An Evangelical Looks at Pope Benedict XVI – Russell Moore
With the choosing of a new pope yesterday, here is a helpful reflection on the last one.

Passion Points

Here are two good posts for your weekend reading.  Both are packed with a lot to ponder and apply.

The Glory of God: Quotes – Trevin Wax
Contains several good quotes on God’s glory.  Here is one:
“The work of God in the cross of Christ strikes us as awe-inspiring only after we have first been awed by the glory of God.” – Matt Chandler

Church Was Great! Let’s Not Talk About It – Colin Marshall (Gospel Coalition)
We’ve just heard the Word read and proclaimed, sung the praises of our great God, and petitioned him for mercy in our time of need. And then we spend our time afterward talking about last night’s movie, the game, the hobby, the state of the nation, or whatever. Anything but the great truths of the gospel we’ve just heard and by which we’re saved. Why do we do this?

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day pondering God’s glory and actually talking about the things of God!

Passion Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

I Bought Some Joy (But Dropped It Down the Stairs) – Tim Challies
My iPhone threatens to be an iDol in my life. It represents so many of the things I value...

How to Have Communion with the Spirit – J.D.Greear
The Christian life is not just about doctrines or spiritual disciplines, but about fellowship with God—koinonia. But how can you experience moments of fellowship with God?

The Abundance of Giving – John MacArthur
God’s Word clearly teaches that our giving is actually a direct pipeline to His blessings.

When My Love Grows Cold – Tim Challies
When my love for the Lord begins to grow cold, I will almost always find that I have not been spending time with him in his Word. When I have not been spending time with him in his Word, I will find that my love has grown cold, or lukewarm, at least.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day with God’s people loving, communing with, and giving to the true source of all Joy!

Passion News

Here is a collection of articles from the past few months related to the current administration’s attempt to force businesses and non-profits to pay for abortion-inducing contraceptives as part of their insurance package.  The last link is a good summary of where we are at.

11/17/12 – Tyndale House Wins Mandate Court Battle – Mickey McClean (World)

11/18/12 – Court Sides with Bible Publisher Challenging Abortion Pill Mandate – Joe Carter (Gospel Coalition)

11/21/12 – Who is Hobby Lobby? – Denny Burk

12/20/12 – Wheaton College Wins Partitial Victory in Religious Liberty Lawsuit – Joe Carter (Gospel Coalition)

12/28/12 – Does Anyone Care What Happens to Hobby Lobby? – Denny Burk

1/7/13 – Courts Issue Contradictory Rulings as Contraceptive Mandate Fines Begin – Melissa Steffan (Christianity Today)

1/8/13 – Why You Should Care About the Hobby Lobby Case – And Be Alarmed – Kevin DeYoung

1/8/13 – Pastor Rick Warren Releases Statement on Hobby Lobby Morning-After Pill Lawsuit – Deseret News

2/1/13 – Obama Administration Tweaks Rules on Contraceptive Coverage – Ted Olsen and Melissa Steffan (Christianity Today)

2/3/13 – The FAQs: Changes to the HHS Contraceptive-Abortifacient Mandate – Joe Carter (Gospel Coalition)

Passion Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

Toward a Theology of Church Unity – Kevin DeYoung

Why Did God Use Spurgeon? – Chris Castaldo
There is one thing on which many Christians today agree–we need genuine revival…

Why Pastors and Elders Need Your Prayers – Kevin DeYoung

Six Ways To Encourage Your Pastor – Charles Stone
Being a pastor is a high calling, yet pastors often face loneliness and discouragement...

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day praising the Lord with your local church!

Passion Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading to help you grow in the Lord:

23 Reasons To Be Joyful – Paul Tautges
Re-training your heart for joy.

10 Point Inventory – Steve Cornell
Ten questions to examine your heart.

How Do We Grow In Holiness – Part One and Part Two – Tim Chester
Excerpts from You Can Change – highly recommended!

The Pursuit of Holiness – Part One and Part Two – Desiring God
Discussion on video between John Piper and Kevin DeYoung

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day with your local church!