Blog: February 2024

In the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Romans, chapter 3 turns the corner from devastating problem to glorious solution.  Chapter 1 indicates that all people are guilty of sin.  Chapter 2 clarifies:  this includes the Jewish people.  Chapter 3 begins with the grave and pressing truth:  “None is righteous, no, not one” (3:10). And we cannot appeal the verdict:  “every mouth is stopped” (3:19). But in 3:21-26, Paul unpacks the most spectacular solution to our dreadful predicament:  people can be “justified by his grace as a gift, through the ...

I just finished Thaddeus Williams’ new book, Don’t Follow Your Heart:  Boldly Breaking the Ten Commandments of Self-Worship. He offers a creative and penetrating critique of the popular quest to find your­self and fashion your own identity by looking within. Bible readers know the genuine Ten Commandments, as recorded in Exodus 20:1-17.  And followers of Jesus recognize that he takes up and affirms (and even intensifies) God’s moral law:  hate is a kind of killing, and lust is a kind of adultery (Matthew 5:21-30). Williams takes a ...

Last Sunday’s sermon touched on the interwoven biblical themes of divine sovereignty and human responsibility.  Consider: Human choice and will; necessity of a personal response to God: Deut 30:19 (choose life, so you and your children may live) Josh 24:15 (choose this day whom you will serve) Matt 11:28 (come to me … and I will give you rest) Mark 1:15 (repent and believe the good news) Acts 2:38 (repent and be baptized, every one of you) Acts 16:31 (believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved) Rom 10:9 (if you confess and ...

We sent the following message out this morning (Feb. 8) to our church's general email distribution list:   Goshen Family, I’ve been hearing this morning that several Goshen people have received emails claiming to be from me—but they are NOT from me.  It is a SCAM. The emails say things like: Can you spare a moment? I have a discreet request that I'd like you to attend to. I'm currently headed to a meeting and would prefer communication via email rather than phone calls. Kindly respond promptly to my email I would be glad if I ...