Christian Living

As Christians we are used to being told that we need to be leading godly lives. We know we should be following in Christ’s example. But what does that look like? Is it praying, studying scripture, attending and serving at church? These are all good things that we should do and they should be a response from our faith in Christ, but they are themselves not the core qualities a Christian should have. In 2 Peter 1:5-7 , we are given eight qualities that a Christian should have a

A few months ago I was invited to speak to a group of parents at a church. The topic: Standing on Truth in Love .  A few months prior I was invited to another church to speak on Identity and how to address it in a post-Christian culture (to book speaking engagements click: HERE ).  In both instances I started my talk on the topic the same way: with a quick note on conversations, and how to have them in different contexts. Over the past decade I have become convinced that on

Question:   Hi Dr. Stratton, I’ve been struggling with doubting my salvation. Do I have to know for certain I am saved in order to know I’m saved? Thank you, Lindsay Dr. Tim's Response:  Hi Lindsay, The easy answer I give to someone who is worried about whether they are saved or not is that if someone is worried that they aren’t saved – and they want to be – then they don't have much to worry about. This is because, at the end of the day, those who don’t want to be in an eter

The Grammy’s have long been a cultural symbol of transgression. The goal of the Grammy’s used to be to celebrate the best music artists in the world. It was an awards night. Or, at least, it used to be. They have always been edgy and culturally progressive. For instance, in 1973 Helen Reddy thanked God for her award but referred to God as “she” while doing so. The secular entertainment industry lends itself to this sort of subversive rhetoric. But recently the Grammy’s hav

Language is complex. Language provides the building blocks for communication in society.  What certain words or phrases mean within a given context helps to shape the understanding of the culture at large. Words, and their definitions, are what organize society. Words that define a culture’s foundational institutions most of all. Concise language provides clarity and direction for communities, cultures, and countries. Language matters. It is important to define what I mean

June 14th is (American) Flag Day. It commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes of the United States on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. On this day, we celebrate the Flag of the United States of America. To be clear, we ought not worship the American Flag, but we should spend time reflecting upon the philosophical and theological foundation in which the Star Spangled Banner represents. Contrary to popular opinion, The United States

For decades our country has been mired by a decision that enshrined the sacrifice of human babies to the god of Moloch (also known as Molech). You might know this practice by its current moniker, abortion, but the practice is essentially the same.. Sacrificing our children on the altar of prosperity is a tail as old as human civilization. Instead of molten hands the altar is often a Planned Parenthood operating table. We have chosen, as a nation, to ignore the obvious humani

No theology is developed in isolation. Throughout the history of the Church universal, the theological discourses that have developed our most beloved (and most contentious) doctrines, confessions, and dogma were embedded deep in controversy. It seems that no theological musings can be traced back to a bubble, untouched by prior or co-terminus views that fostered the climate or context for the development of doctrine in the Church.  This is one of the many reasons why the hi

Apologetics, when done with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15), is beneficial in evangelism as we see the Holy Spirit use it time and time again in the Scriptures through Paul’s “reasoning” and “persuading” to draw souls to the Lord.  However, in this article, I will show how apologetics in the local church has other benefits: equipping the saints and preventing apostasy.  Of course our entire Christian walk should be dedicated toward evangelism; that is a given.  But, not

Lil Nas X Back to where we started. What if I told you that the issue with Lil Nas X was not his being gay, but with how he perceived the Church’s response to his being gay? He has somehow come away with the understanding that he should hate himself because he has a natural proclivity to same-sex attraction.  For some reason, pointing out a lifestyle of sin has been equated to pointing out the evil of the person. I think this reason is tied to the idea of identity.  In this

As we enter into the final section of critiquing the objections to the orthodox view of homosexual activity as a sin, it is important to note, again, why I am spending such a significant amount of time on these particular points.  The rallying cry for the liberal theologian has been grace, mercy, and love, but as I established in part one ( HERE ), I believe that true grace, mercy, and love must be based on the Truth established in God’s word. To have proper compassion, we ca

Previously, we looked at the dichotomy between what it means to declare homosexual activity a sin and how those who believe in Christian orthodoxy deal with it.  We addressed the current cultural movement’s roots and introduced the idea of identity into the argument. It was necessary to do this so that we could have a strong foundation from which to build the following arguments.  We must first know why the liberal theologians seek to glorify homosexuality as an identity t

Lil Nas X Do you know the name?  I do not know why you would, but Lil Nas X has become a bit of a cultural icon in recent years.  He wrote a hit country/hip-hop song in 2019 called “Old Town Road” with country star Billy Ray Cyrus.  The success of the hit propelled Lil Nas X into the modern spotlight.  The song, and its remix, won him fourteen awards spanning from the Grammys to the Kids’ Choice Awards. As a result, Lil Nas X toured the country singing for elementary-age ki

Question: Dear Dr. Stratton,  I have a short but not so simple question: What type or form of government is the Kingdom of Heaven? - Mike Tim's Response: What a great question! If Heaven is "the way things ought to be," then humans ought to attempt to emulate this political standard knowing full well we cannot create a literal "Heaven on earth." Just as we cannot each live just like Jesus, we are called to "be Holy" and strive to approximate to His perfect standard, all whil

Complete this biblically-modeled prayer: “Dear God, help me to ______” a) seek Your face and strength. b) praise You even in time of suffering. c) love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me. d) hate White people. According to Chanequa Walker-Barnes, PhD ( https://www.drchanequa.com/ ) the answer does not exclude (d). Yes, even with the caveat that this prayer is modeled after Bible doctrine and scripture, Dr. Chanequa claims that asking God to help one to hate White

Many Christians believe that it is wrong to offer unbelievers evidence for the truth of Christianity. They argue that the traditional method of apologetics dishonors Scripture by not giving it the respect it is due. The concern is that offering evidence for the truth of Scripture gives evidence more weight than Scripture. The argument might be framed this way: If some activity requires us to treat something as a higher authority than Scripture, as Christians, we should not d

Don't merely pray about voting -- read your Bible! I've talked to a few Christians who are still undecided as to how they will vote in the 2020 election. They have expressed to me that they need to spend "more time in prayer." While I encourage "praying without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:17), if one merely reads their Bible one will find the answer as to how one OUGHT to vote in this year's election. Always start with the words of Christ! Consider the fact that Jesus constantly inte

John Piper was once my "theological hero." In fact, if it were not for his book, Don't Waste Your Life , I might not be married today. Indeed, it was after reading the chapter " Risk Is Right ," that I drummed up the courage to ask a beautiful girl -- way outta my league -- out on a date. That first date led to many more and eventually led to a wedding and now 15 awesome years of marriage.  Thank you John Piper!  With that said, although he gets a few things right -- like, to

Likely the first things a reader might think of from the above title is the suddenness of church closings, the innovative decisions of many to have virtual, on-line services or even worship outdoors, and possibly what some church leaders are saying back to governors or local officials who have banned either all services or have limited the size to fifty or more: “Do we obey God or man?” But that is not the focus of this essay. Rather, it is to ask the question: “Is there anyt

Christians have been called by God to change the world. Indeed, Christianity has radically transformed this world for the better. If anyone doubts this to be the case I highly recommend the book How Christianity Changed the World by Alvin J. Schmidt. It is also significant how many atheists are beginning to realize the importance of a biblical worldview for the sake of a civilized culture.  For example, atheist Phil Zuckerman says that when he thinks about Christianity, thr