True Repentance

Legal vs. Evangelical Repentance In Chapter 15 of To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, Renihan explains the crucial difference between two forms of repentance: legal and evangelical. Legal repentance is characterized by remorse and regret stemming from a troubled conscience. It is driven by the fear of consequences and judgment, with no appeal to God’s mercy or grace. There are many examples of this type of repentance in the Scriptures....

December 18, 2023 · 4 min · Harin Lee

Boss of Bosses

Workplace Holiness In chapter 3 of Holiness, Ryle paints a vivid picture of true practical holiness, which extends far beyond mere outward appearances or isolated expressions of godliness. He explains that holiness should be holistic: “A holy man will follow after faithfulness in all the duties and relations in life” (Ryle 52). Holiness is not a matter of putting on a façade on Sundays or during Bible studies with other Christians; rather, it involves a faithfulness that characterizes every aspect of one’s life....

October 24, 2023 · 4 min · Harin Lee

Deacons

Introduction If you’ve put your trust in Christ, you are already a deacon in a broad sense diakonos is usually just a generic term for “servant” - hence the attribution to non-Christian rulers (Romans 13:4) and even demons (2 Corinthians 11:15) Deacons shoulder practical tasks so that the elders can channel their energies to the ministry of the Word and to prayer. We rob ourselves of the benefits of God’s revealed wisdom when we either unduly elevate the role of deacons (say, to de facto elders) or unduly reduce their role (say, to glorified janitors) The Backstory and the Blunders: How Deacons have functioned In the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition, deacons have always functioned mainly as mercy ministers, caring for the needy and distressed and often helping oversee the finances of the church In the Anglican communion, deacons are either “transitional”, moving toward the priesthood, or “vocational”, appointed for life; all are theologically trained and formally ordained....

June 29, 2023 · 6 min · Harin Lee

Elders

Don’t Assume You know you are qualified to be an elder if You want to be an elder (1 Tim 3:1, 1 Peter 5:2) You exemplify godly character (1 Tim 3:2-3, Titus 1:7-8) Above reproach, blameless Self-controlled, no addictions Gentle Not greedy You can teach the Bible You lead your family well A one-woman man An effective father Manages household well, having his children under control with all dignity Hospitable You are male You are an established believer Smell like Sheep Elders are shepherds and their primary role is to shepherd the flock (church members) Elders are to engage in relationships with their church members Elders minister with the goal of growing church members in Christian maturity....

June 5, 2023 · 5 min · Harin Lee

Family Shepherds

Introduction Familes crumble under the weight of paternal neglect Young men wander aimlessly, looking for answers their fathers should have given them in both word and deed Christian women grow weary of begging God to make their husbands the spiritual leaders of the home Helping men to overcome a legacy of passivity, incompetence, and indifference. Chapter 1: The Bible and the Family’s Role in Discipleship From Genesis to Revelation, we see a clear picture of the role of the family in redemptive history, and the role of the father in the family....

January 28, 2023 · 9 min · Harin Lee