A friendly Reminder

Some view pride as a virtue, but Scripture is clear that the believer is to detest it. Charles Bridges states in his excellent commentary on Proverbs, “On no point is the mind of God more fully declared than against pride.” 1  Unfortunately, in our increasingly backward culture,  pride  is often valued as a prized commodity.  The apostle Paul heralds in stark contrast to self-importance,  “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live …”  (Galatians 2:20).

Often in ministry, pastors in counseling situations end up dealing with the felt needs of individuals. But underlying those felt needs are the actual needs. The real needs are usually related to incorrect actions that stem from aberrant thinking, i.e., biblical ignorance or poor theology.  For as he thinks in his heart, so is he , states Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV).  Accordingly, and to shape proper thinking, a person must be guided by God’s Word. But to manifest right actions, God’

The New Testament book of Galatians is one of the two books of the Bible that fueled the Reformation—and is the basis of what today is termed the Protestant Work Ethic—two phenomena that profoundly shaped the development of our nation and culture.  Every public servant should have a working understanding of the connection between Galatian theology and manifest personal and cultural significance. Such knowledge would indeed impact policy decision-making as well.  This small Ne

How you view the inspiration of Scripture— whether it was penned by God or a fabrication of man—is critically important relative to what is authoritative in your life.  Some time ago I was speaking to a friend on the Hill whom we all know. He said, “Ralph, you have almost convinced Congressman_______ that Scripture is inspired by God. But he realizes that if he agrees with you, then the Bible will become the final arbiter for his life and policy decisions…. You’ve got him thi

This study will take an objective look at our level of spiritual maturity. Let us embark on a period of spiritual introspection. In this study, I will attempt to investigate with clarity and insight what the Scriptures reveal as the delineators between spiritual maturity and immaturity.  As I prepare this study for you, I pray it will aid the promptings of the Holy Spirit as you ponder your development in Christ. May God richly bless you as you embark on a journey of personal

Many people currently do not believe in the total depravity of man; however, Scripture is clear that man is fallen. In fact, God ordained the institution of government primarily to restrain the latent sin nature of man: to believe the opposite—that man is basically good—is to reject scriptural truth.  The late Francis Schaeffer, in his classic work  How Should We Then Live?  spoke euphemistically regarding the statue of David (located in Florence, Italy), stating that it was

Here in the capital, you have chosen a career that is based on intellectual property. As a public servant, your ability to execute vocationally, therefore, is directly related to the agility you possess in reasoning. One observation I have made in ministry in the capital is that this quality—to quickly and effectively reason—separates the senior members of the community from the novice. Solutions to social problems, ideas to benefit your constituency, and the ability to persu

Has anyone ever responded to your biblically based reasoning with, “Well that’s your interpretation of the Bible.” How do you respond to that? How should respond? I usually say something like, “So then, what school of biblical interpretation do you subscribe to?” If you ask that question you’ll probably get a blank stare: “What do you mean by that?” Which makes my point…. We all need to be clearheaded and educated when it comes to our understanding of hermeneutical presupposi

The legitimacy of the Christian faith rests on the finished work of Christ on our behalf. His conquest over sin is authenticated by His rising from the dead; therefore, the resurrection is the crux of Christianity. In contrast to other major religions of the world—all of which are works-based, soteriological systems—it follows that without the resurrection an individual remains in his or her sin, unacceptable to a holy, righteous God. This week I want to concentrate on this b

Epistemology is “the division of philosophy that investigates the nature and origin of knowledge” ( The American Heritage Dictionary ). I like what  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary  adds in the formation of a working definition: “The study of the method and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity.” It is extremely important to take the time to consider the limitations or non-limitations, the validity or invalidity of one’s sources of knowledge

The Scriptures are replete with verses that emphasize how the believer must be characterized first and foremost by love. Love is essential and preeminent! A close second to love is the believer’s lifetime pursuit of knowledge. In fact, Proverbs calls those who are lacking in knowledge  simpletons , whereas those who have knowledge are called  wise .  A public servant can be neither unloving nor a simpleton if he wants to be a good witness for Christ, as well as be effective i

Without  love  as the center of your faith, your trajectory in office will be less than it could be otherwise. For you to be influential, your spouse, family members, and colleagues must know in their heart of hearts that, first and foremost, you are a loving person. Paul states in the opening portions of 1 Corinthians 13, without  love I am nothing . What then are the defining aspects of  love  that both you and I need to be continually working on and growing in? This study

What you are about to read is not anything that you will find in typical, secular, pump-you-up, self-help seminars.  It has nothing to do with what personal growth gurus hawk in countless audio series, their volumes of books, or in fiery seminars after they roll into town with much fanfare and bluster to teach you how to live in the moment, aim for the stars, and grow into your greatest and most powerful self.  What you are about to read has nothing to do with any of that pan

In my years of ministry in D.C. and before that in the California State Capitol, I have often heard the following excuses surface regarding Bible study:  “Some people worship the Bible rather than Jesus.”  “Right now in my life, fellowship is more important to me than studying the Bible.”  “Studying doctrine can be divisive, so I’d rather just love Jesus.”  Do any of the following thoughts come to mind as you ponder this subject? Notice I didn’t include “I just don’t have the

In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount He states,  “You are the salt of the earth; … You are the light of the world.”  (Matthew 5:13–14). Often, well-meaning believers invoke this passage as a means of encouragement and prodding others to step up to the plate and affect the world.  In this study, I desire to provide you with a greater understanding of the Greek verb that Jesus uses.  “   You are”  is not an imperative command; it is an indicative verb. This distinction is very importa

The foremost need of public servants is to know Christ. This need is why Capitol Ministries is focused on changing hearts by sharing the gospel. Good legislation is important, but men and women can hardly be expected to make policies in accordance with sound, biblically based principles if they are at odds with the Author of Scripture. Only the gospel has the efficacy to change a heart. We believe that foremost in the capital community is the objective of evangelizing and dis

In the same-sex marriage debate, there is increasing reluctance by believers to mention the book of Leviticus. In this study, I will attempt not only to familiarize you with this book, but also explain how it impacts the debate.  By way of introduction, a simple, sobering observation is worth making. In the time of God’s giving of the Torah wherein the Old Testament (OT) book of Leviticus exists, surrounding the set-apart-by-God Hebrews were the permissive Canaanites.  The pe

When Jesus said,  “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s”  (Matthew 22:21b), He was proclaiming a huge new distinction—something quite different for the coming Church Age, relative to the past with Old Testament (OT) Israel. This passage, among other New Testament (NT) passages, represents the biblical basis of  institutional  separation of civil government from God’s ordained institution of the Church. (Lest you misunderstand wha

The Scriptures teach that God designed five institutions to establish order on the earth—institutions that have precise roles, responsibilities, and objectives that are unique to each of them.  Each institution is to fulfill the purposes it was assigned by God to achieve. It follows that each institution is woefully inefficient and ineffective when it tries to achieve the purposes of another. Recent events bear this out as we experience the calamitous effects of the instituti

The Bible teaches that believers are to impact the world around them with God’s precepts and for His glory. The ways in which this Christian influence happens vary, respective to the call God has placed on each believer. We are called to have an impact for God in our chosen field.  While some churches teach that believers should be involved only in evangelism and abstain from a career in politics, that’s not what the Bible teaches.  “You are the salt of the earth…”  and  “You