Working on a message on Ephesians 6:10-24, I came across this timely gem from Eugene Peterson in his book Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ. The message to the Ephesians is a solid orientation for the entire Christian church in the conditions created by God in Christ through the Spirit for a life …
Moving Beyond Church Idealism: Bonhoeffer on the Gift of Disillusionment with the Church
In my sermon this past weekend, "A Crash Course in Church Growth," I paraphrased some thoughts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together about how disillusionment in the church is a gift from God. I mentioned the need to give thanks for the gift of disillusionment with the church that God gives to us. Here are …
Growing into Christ: Andrew T. Lincoln on Ephesians 4 and the spiritual growth of the Church
This from Andrew T. Lincoln in his commentary on Ephesians, which is part of the Word Biblical Commentary series: So Christ's giving of gifts to the Church is to enable the Church to move toward its goals, and that movement is seen in terms of believers' growth toward Christ. In Paul's letters, believers' faith can …
We Belong to God: John Calvin on the Duty of Believers
As I read through John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion this summer, occasionally I am sharing sections that strike me with particular force. Here is Calvin reflecting on the summary of the Christian life beginning in self-denial in order that the life of Christ might spring up within us by God's grace. Even though the …
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Christ Alone: John Calvin on drinking our fill from the fountain of Christ
I came across this the other night as I was reading through John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. This overflowing reflection on Christ's person and work caps off Calvin's theological reflections on The Apostles' Creed. We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ [Acts 4:12]. We should therefore take …
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Matthew Erickson 