Stopping to Think

Photo by  Keyur Nandaniya  on  Unsplash   In an article for the Calvin Theological Journal titled, “Just what do you mean-Kingdom of God?” (Volume 51 (2), 2016) , John Bolt quotes Richard Niebuhr, who contested that “the distinguishing characteristic of the” Protestant Reformation was the kingdom of God. In Niebuhr's view, this difference comes down to the “contrast between visio dei and regnum dei.” Or, in English, the vision of God and the reign of God. While I wonder about the historical validity of such a claim - it would seem to me that doctrines such as the perspicuity of Scripture and justification by faith are far more central to the Reformation project - it did make me ask a question. Why would there need to be any conflict between the idea of living under God's rule and having a vision of who he is? Should we not long to “see the King in His Beauty?” (Isaiah 33:17) Surely we can only see him if we are right with him. At the same time, living under the rul...

What I am about to say applies in large part to women as well, but I want to address men. Most men have a vision for their life that is far too small. Perhaps you are among them. Many of you may have no vision for your life at all. I want to get at what lies behind that. There obviously can be many reasons for not having a driving vision for your life, but what I want to propose is that many of you simply need to wake up to the reality that you think far too little of God, and consequently, you expect far too little of what He can do in you and through you. Perhaps you hope to be a nice person. Perhaps you hope to raise a nice family. Perhaps you hope to be a good worker. Perhaps you hope to go to heaven when you die. These are all nice things. But it that is all you expect out of life, something is missing. In the book of Ecclesiastes chapter seven, Solomon says this: "A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better ...