The Tulip Driven Life

By: Thomas F. Booher In my rough estimations, I would bet there are between 35-45 million non-Reformed Evangelicals that attend church weekly and would be willing to listen to biblical teaching, even Calvinism so long as it was presented carefully. There's probably another 35-45 million Evangelicals that wouldn't care to listen. The side that would be less likely to listen is far more likely to vote for Trump. Given that Obama won the 2012 election by about 5 million votes, it should be apparent that if Evangelicals were voting in accord with Christian and biblical principles, they would have chosen Cruz (or another candidate) in a landslide over Trump. Instead they have propelled Trump to the nomination. Consider that Cruz himself said that half of born again Christians do not vote. I've read that only half who identify as "born again" are registered to vote, and of that half only half of them actually make it to the polls. So it's quite possible th...

By: Thomas F. Booher Without the gospel, we are lost. Without the gospel, we have nothing. I can think of no greater truth than the truth of the cross. I can think of no greater need than a recovery of the truth of the cross in our churches. As American culture continues to slip and slide into secularism, as unbelievers increasingly overthrow their consciences, the Christian church will be seen as the most peculiar institution in existence. This means you and I will be seen as the most peculiar people in our land. This is a scary thing, perhaps, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. When persecution comes, and Christ promises that it will come, we have opportunity to stand firm and faithfully. We have the privilege and duty to speak the truth, to shine light into the darkness. But our own light has been partially eclipsed by the darkness of the world. Obviously, light cannot be dimmed by darkness, for darkness is the absence of light. Yet we Christians too often fear the darknes...

By: Thomas F. Booher I suppose you have heard the Geerhardus Vos quote, "The best proof that God will never cease to love us lies in that He never began." This delightful truth is confirmed in Scripture, for God has loved us from everlasting (Jer. 31:3). His love for us never began. It has always been.  I was thinking about why God would choose me for salvation and not the guy down the street. I don't deserve salvation, he doesn't deserve salvation, yet I get grace and he gets justice. God Has mercy on some and hardens others (see Romans 9). Why was I the object of His love? Why was I made a guest? Why were you? I don't have the ultimate answer. It is a great, glorious mystery. The answer I can give you is little more than a sophisticated "because He always has loved you, and has never loved the reprobate." That may seem redundant, but I do think there is some insight to be seen here, and that insight goes back to the infra versus supral...

By: Thomas F. Booher 2 Corinthians 13:5 is an exhortation for Christians to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith. It says that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you fail the test. This is not because failing the test takes Christ from you, nor does the passage mean that passing this test is how you came into union with Christ in the first place. No, the reality is that passing this test is evidence that Christ is in you, because Christ works in believers both to will and to do His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). This test is a working out of your salvation with fear and trembling (2:12). It is a check on how well you are putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the power of the Spirit. In my experience, and taking the temperature as best I can of American reformed preaching and teaching today, it seems right to say that we are no longer preaching the necessity of sanctification in order to obtain final salvation. Put another way, it seems to me we do not really teach, ...

The Doctrines of Grace – Elect According to Foreknowledge, Part 1 In his first letter, Peter wrote to certain exiles as those who were elect according to the foreknowledge of God, 1 Pet 1:1,2. These exiles are believers scattered in ancient Asia Minor (modern Turkey ). Precisely who these saints are is somewhat difficult to answer, that is, is Peter writing to Jewish believers who were interspersed among the Gentiles, or are they believers in general, Jewish and Gentile? Good arguments can be made for both interpretations. What is striking is that Peter uses language that is similar to Paul’s in his letters to Gentiles, e.g., Ephesians. Yet, generally speaking, Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, while Peter went to the Jews (Gal 2:7). Regardless, whoever his readers were, what Peter declared to them is true for all of God’s people, and that declaration is this-- they are elect according to the foreknowledge of God.  Election refers not to a general choice by God to sav...

Passion 2012 has just wrapped up. It really is an interesting conference because it manages to draw all stripes of Christians from a broad theological spectrum. Notice, I did not say multiple religions or those with differing views on the essential nature of Christ and God. I believe all the speakers, musicians, and most of the students were genuine beleivers who were genuinely passionate for the things of God, to some degree or another. And people of various theological persuasions, which were represented at Passion, will be together in heaven worshiping God as well. To gather with other believers who don't share all the same convictions as I do yet are still genuinely passionate for Christ and living for Him was refreshing and encouraging, and on the other hand reminded me how important good theology actually is. Having said all that, much of Passion this year felt a bit like a pep rally, more so than last year. There is a place for that- I am not saying it is wrong- but I was ...