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The Epistle of James is now Available!
October 3, 2017 by Sam Storms
Several weeks ago I announced that my entire series of sermon notes on the book of Hebrews was available on my website. Today I’m happy to tell you that all twenty-two lessons on the book of James are now posted. If you are unfamiliar about how to access these documents, simply click on Resources at the top of the Home page, and then on Articles. Look under Biblical Studies, and at the bottom of the list you will see both Hebrews and James. These twenty-two articles are essentially a verse-by-verse analysis of James. I hope and pray you will find them helpful in your life or ministry, or in both.
“What is a woman?”
By: Sam Storms
“What is a woman?”
By: Sam Storms
[An insightful article by Carl R. Trueman.] Carl R. Trueman | Even our dictionaries are unclear now As the most perplexing and intractable question of the hour for our cultural elites seems to be “What is a woman?”, it is interesting to see that the Merriam Webster Dictionary has provided them with some help. This comes in the form of an addition to its definition of “girl,” one meaning of which we are now told is “a person whose gender id...Read More ➔
What Does It Mean To Be Winsomely Reformed?
1By: Sam Storms
What Does It Mean To Be Winsomely Reformed?
By: Sam Storms
October 12, 2022 Michael Kruger [This article by my friend, Michael Kruger, is one that all need to read and heed.] There’s been a lot of discussion in the last year (and the last week) of what it means to be winsomely reformed. And, sadly, the loudest voices have been undeniably against the idea of being winsome. It has been critiqued as wishy-washy, a failed cultural strategy, or as an expression of weakness rather than strength. While this is certainly an imp...Read More ➔
What's going to happen 30 seconds after the Rapture?
1By: Sam Storms
What's going to happen 30 seconds after the Rapture?
By: Sam Storms
That was the title to an article that appeared at the Christian Post a couple of weeks ago. I’m quite sure that it caught the attention of many who then read it with unbridled joy. If you’re wondering what the cause of their joy might be, the answer was clear: escape from the wrath of God. Before I give you my answer to the question in this title, let me say a brief word about “escape from the wrath of God.” Those who argue for a pretribulational...Read More ➔
Do You Live in Fear of Divine Judgment?
By: Sam Storms
Do You Live in Fear of Divine Judgment?
By: Sam Storms
Richard Baxter takes up a topic that often plagues the souls of many Christians. Notwithstanding the gloriously reassuring promise that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1), many live in fear that they will suffer the condemnation that Christ Jesus has already endured and exhausted in himself on the cross. So, Baxter writes: “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (Rom. 8:33)? Will the law condemn us? No!...Read More ➔
The Comfort in Knowing that Christ will Return!
By: Sam Storms
The Comfort in Knowing that Christ will Return!
By: Sam Storms
Can you imagine what life now would be like if we had no assurance that Jesus will return to consummate his kingdom? Here is how Baxter addressed this issue in The Saints’ Everlasting Rest. “Imagine, fellow Christian, what would we do if our Lord did not intend to return? What misfortune! But will he really leave us among wolves (Acts 20:29), in the lions’ den (Dan. 6), among a generation of serpents (Matt. 23:33), and here forget us? Would he buy us a...Read More ➔
“Your Everlasting Comfort”: The Promised Security of the Love of God
1By: Sam Storms
“Your Everlasting Comfort”: The Promised Security of the Love of God
By: Sam Storms
Richard Baxter speaks directly to the fear of many that perhaps God’s love for us is temporary or conditional or will, for some unexplained reason, ultimately die. In his classic work, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, he seeks to silence this fear once and for all. “Know this, believer, to your everlasting comfort, that if these arms have once embraced you, neither sin nor hell can ever pluck you from them (John 10:28-29). The sanctuary is inviolable and ...Read More ➔
Do You Think You can Overlove God?
1By: Sam Storms
Do You Think You can Overlove God?
By: Sam Storms
Have you ever thought about the incredible privilege granted to us to love God? More than that, how often do you reflect on the depths of God’s love for you? Today we continue our meditations on Richard Baxter’s incredible book on heaven, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, and reflect on the reality of being loved by Love himself. “What a great favor it is that God will give us leave to love him, that he will graciously allow himself to be embraced by...Read More ➔
How Memory in Heaven will Serve to Increase our Joy!
By: Sam Storms
How Memory in Heaven will Serve to Increase our Joy!
By: Sam Storms
Today we continue our meditations on Richard Baxter’s incredible book on heaven, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest. Baxter here reflects on the role that memory will play in our experience of heaven. Rather than bring sadness or regret, it will only serve to highlight the majesty of what is ours in heaven. “To compare past with present things must surely raise in the soul an inconceivable esteem and sense of its blessed condition. To stand at that height wh...Read More ➔
What Is the Difference between God’s Discipline and God’s Punishment?
1By: Sam Storms
What Is the Difference between God’s Discipline and God’s Punishment?
By: Sam Storms
[Here is the transcript of a brief interview that I did with Crossway. It is based on my book, A Dozen Things God Did With Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do).] November 10, 2022 God Doesn’t Repay Sin There are things God will never do with our sin—one of which is that he will never repay us. He will never count it against us. It's interesting when you contrast this with human behavior. We are very good at repaying people for their sins. We mi...Read More ➔
When the Blessings of Heaven Threaten to Blow your Mind!
By: Sam Storms
When the Blessings of Heaven Threaten to Blow your Mind!
By: Sam Storms
Today we continue our deep dive into Richard Baxter’s classic work, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, as edited and abridged by Tim Cooper. “This rest,” says Baxter, “contains as the highest part our deepest enjoyment of God the highest good. And here, reader, do not be surprised if I am at a loss. When I know so little of God, I cannot know much of what it is to enjoy him. When I know so little of my own soul while it is here in this tabernacl...Read More ➔
The Incomprehensibly Glorious, but Real Blessings of Heaven for the People of God
By: Sam Storms
The Incomprehensibly Glorious, but Real Blessings of Heaven for the People of God
By: Sam Storms
Are you ready to die? I trust you aren’t put off by that question. I’m not asking if you want to die right now, although reading what Paul wrote in Philippians 1:19ff. appears to suggest that if the decision were up to him, he would prefer to die and be with Christ. So, let me ask again: are you ready to die? If the answer is No, it may well be due to your failure to understand what awaits the believer on the other side of life in this world. Have you given ...Read More ➔
To Whom was the Land Promised and for Whom will it be Ultimately Fulfilled? Or, Does the Current Secular State of Israel have a Biblical Claim on the Land?
By: Sam Storms
To Whom was the Land Promised and for Whom will it be Ultimately Fulfilled? Or, Does the Current Secular State of Israel have a Biblical Claim on the Land?
By: Sam Storms
I’ve been asked on countless occasions the question posed in the title to this article. Space does not allow a lengthy and detailed response, so let me sum up what I believe the Bible says in five short points. (1) From the original covenant promise to Abraham, the land has been a central feature of God’s purpose for his people. Genesis 15:18, “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your offspring I give this land, from the ...Read More ➔
When You and Scripture Disagree, Who Wins?
2By: Sam Storms
When You and Scripture Disagree, Who Wins?
By: Sam Storms
I have often written about the diminishing presence in the professing church of what might be called the “functional authority” of Scripture. Most professing Christians contend that they believe in the “authority” of the Bible in some vague sense of the term. But when it comes to how the Bible actually “functions” to exert its authority over our beliefs and behavior, well, that is another matter. Let me give you one example from histo...Read More ➔
Is it Okay to Pray a Curse on My Enemies? (Psalm 5)
2By: Sam Storms
Is it Okay to Pray a Curse on My Enemies? (Psalm 5)
By: Sam Storms
The so-called imprecatory psalms have always posed a problem for Christians who wonder if it is permissible for them to pray a curse or ask for judgment on the unbelieving of the world. I’ve written extensively on this in my book, More Precious Than Gold: 50 Daily Devotions on the Psalms (Crossway). Yesterday (October 27), Crossway published a short article by C. John Collins addressing this question in light of Psalm 5. Here is the portion of the psalm that Colli...Read More ➔
Christians and the Recreational Use of Marijuana
By: Sam Storms
Christians and the Recreational Use of Marijuana
By: Sam Storms
A few years ago, when I was preaching through Proverbs, I address the question of whether or not Christians should make use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Last week, Joe Carter of the Gospel Coalition wrote an excellent article explaining why his answer is No. I urge you to read it here. Below is the summation of the reasons why I agree with Carter. These comments are taken from my sermon on the subject. As most of you know, this past November (2013) the citiz...Read More ➔
The Outrage of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
The Outrage of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
October 06, 2022 / by: D. A. Carson Expressions of Grief Today it is considered good form to weep discretely, dab tears and turn away, to be quiet and subdued. We go into a mortuary, and our voices go down to a whisper as we talk quietly. We might well consider it good taste to let the bereaved family member go to the tomb in peace and privacy. But in many cultures in the world, including the Jewish culture in the first century, that was simply not the way it was. They...Read More ➔
Two Truths You Must Believe When You Feel Stuck in Your Sin
By: Sam Storms
Two Truths You Must Believe When You Feel Stuck in Your Sin
By: Sam Storms
[The following brief article is adapted from my book, A Dozen Things God Did With Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do), and appeared on October 1st at the Crossway blog.] See Your Sin, Break the Cycle There are certain people who are just stuck in this seemingly endless cycle of sin. Oh, I feel conviction. Oh, I confess and repent and I receive forgiveness. And then the next day it happens all over again, and they are in this seemingly endless cycle. There ...Read More ➔
Did God Change His Mind about Judging the Ninevites?
2By: Sam Storms
Did God Change His Mind about Judging the Ninevites?
By: Sam Storms
Many people are confused by what happened with the Ninevites because of the way Jonah 3:9-10 has been translated by some versions of the Bible: “Who knows,” asks the king of Ninevites? “God may change his mind and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God changed his mind concerning the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it” (Jonah 3:...Read More ➔
The Countless Reasons why the Only Wise God is deserving of All Glory Forevermore
1By: Sam Storms
The Countless Reasons why the Only Wise God is deserving of All Glory Forevermore
By: Sam Storms
When Paul, in Romans 16:27, refers to God as “the only wise God” (cf. 1 Tim. 1:17) he doesn’t mean that there are a bunch of other gods that are foolish and only our God is wise. No. There is only one God, and he is infinitely wise. He knows precisely what to do in every situation. He is never caught scratching his head, trying to decipher which of multiple options is the most effective way to achieve some goal he has in mind. When you think back over R...Read More ➔
Complete 70-Part Series on the Gospel of John now Available!
By: Sam Storms
Complete 70-Part Series on the Gospel of John now Available!
By: Sam Storms
I’m pleased to announce that my verse-by-verse study of John’s gospel is now available here at www.samstorms.org. These studies are the complete manuscripts of my sermon series at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City. If you’ve ever wanted to read and understand John’s gospel, I trust that this series of studies will be a blessing to you. Click on Resources at the top of the Home page, and then click on Articles. The Gospel of John series is located...Read More ➔
The Gospel is for the Evangelization and Salvation of the Nations
By: Sam Storms
The Gospel is for the Evangelization and Salvation of the Nations
By: Sam Storms
In Romans 16:26 Paul explicitly declares that it is the “command of the eternal God” (v. 26) that we take the glorious, good news of the gospel to every tribe and tongue and people and nation. In other words, evangelism and mission are not optional! If you wonder why here at Bridgeway we have devoted at least 12% of our income to missions, both local and global, both to church plants and ministries that make the gospel known around the world, here is the answ...Read More ➔
The Gospel is the Source of Strength for Weak People
3By: Sam Storms
The Gospel is the Source of Strength for Weak People
By: Sam Storms
I fear we often have an unrealistic image of the Apostle Paul. We tend to think of him as if he were some combination of a Navy Seal and a Super-Hero. And yet, Paul knew what it was like to experience human weakness. When he described his ministry in the city of Corinth he said that he was with them “in weakness and in fear and in much trembling” (1 Cor. 2:3). I don’t need to tell any of you what it is like to feel weak and inadequate and overwhelmed. B...Read More ➔
Our God is Able!
1By: Sam Storms
Our God is Able!
By: Sam Storms
As most of you know by now, I concluded my sermon series on Romans on August 21st. The final three verses of Romans are a glorious summation of the greatness and glory of our God. In this brief article I simply want to highlight what Paul says about the ability or power of God. I trust you have noticed in Scripture how often the ability or power of God is emphasized and extolled. I often think of the question Jesus asked the two blind men in Matthew 9. “Do you bel...Read More ➔
1) That You May Believe! John 1:1-5; 20:30-31
By: Sam Storms
1) That You May Believe! John 1:1-5; 20:30-31
By: Sam Storms
Last year, Ligonier Ministries in Florida conducted their annual theological survey among professing Christians. The results were shocking and disturbing. Read More ➔
2) No Longer a Slave: I am a Child of God! John 1:9-13
By: Sam Storms
2) No Longer a Slave: I am a Child of God! John 1:9-13
By: Sam Storms
If you don’t know this about me by now, you should be aware of the fact that I don’t do well in the presence of surgical procedures or detailed descriptions of bodily functions or our internal organs. As a result, I was not in the room for the birth of either of our daughters. I know that in today’s world it is expected that fathers be present when their wives give birth, but I come from a slightly older generation. After all, the doctor needed to focus on Ann and our newly-born babies and not on trying to revive me from having passed out on the floor!Read More ➔
3) The Mystery of All Mysteries John 1:14-18
By: Sam Storms
3) The Mystery of All Mysteries John 1:14-18
By: Sam Storms
There are so many things in this world of ours that I don’t understand that I often wonder if I understand anything at all. I don’t understand how an ugly, slimy little caterpillar can become a beautiful, graceful butterfly. I don’t understand how a rectangular box in my house can transform electrical impulses into a movie or sporting event of remarkable color and sound. I don’t understand how typing on the keyboard of my laptop produces letters and words and images on the screen in front of me. I don’t understand why all of us have an appendix. Do you understand where the end of the universe might be? Can you explain gravity? How does the human brain work? Why is there something rather than nothing? Since this is Mother’s Day, I suppose I should ask: How does a baby not drown or suffocate in its mother’s womb? And while we’re at it, who really shot President John F. Kennedy?Read More ➔
4) The Fullness of Christ Overflowing to You and to Me! John 1:14-18
By: Sam Storms
4) The Fullness of Christ Overflowing to You and to Me! John 1:14-18
By: Sam Storms
When you hear the word “glory”, what comes first to mind? Perhaps it is the pomp and festivities surrounding a royal wedding, such as that between Prince Harry and Megan Markle last year. Or maybe the first thing that comes to mind is the Presidential Inauguration here in the U.S. Or does “glory” evoke images of a world-class athlete standing on the podium at the Olympic Games as he/she receives a gold medal for having set a world record?Read More ➔
“What is a woman?”
1By: Sam Storms
“What is a woman?”
By: Sam Storms
[An insightful article by Carl R. Trueman.] Carl R. Trueman | Even our dictionaries are unclear now As the most perplexing and intractable question of the hour for our cultural elites seems to be “What is a woman?,” it is interesting to see that the Merriam Webster Dictionary has provided them with some help. This comes in the form of an addition to its definition of “girl,” one meaning of which we are now told is “a person whose gender id...Read More ➔
5) The Lamb of God, Atonement, and Baptism in the Spirit John 1:19-34
By: Sam Storms
5) The Lamb of God, Atonement, and Baptism in the Spirit John 1:19-34
By: Sam Storms
Humility is not easy to define. It’s even more difficult to experience in one’s life! The apostle Paul has perhaps given us the best working definition of humility in Romans 12:3, where he writes:Read More ➔
6) “He brought him to Jesus” John 1:35-51
By: Sam Storms
6) “He brought him to Jesus” John 1:35-51
By: Sam Storms
We all know that Jesus is the central figure in all of Scripture. In fact, he is the central figure in all of human history. We’ve already seen this in John 1. John the Apostle has made it clear that the Son of God is eternal. He never began to be but has always been and always will be. He is God. He is the Creator of all things. He is the source of understanding and intelligence. The only reason we know anything at all is because of the enlightening work of the Son of God, whom John calls the “Word” (John 1:1). He is the reason we have been born again and adopted into the family of God. And at a point in time, centuries ago, this Word literally became flesh in the person of Jesus, without at any time ceasing to be God (John 1:14).Read More ➔
7) Water, Wine, and Wonders! John 2:1-12
By: Sam Storms
7) Water, Wine, and Wonders! John 2:1-12
By: Sam Storms
It comes as no surprise to me that there is a wide variety of opinion among Christians concerning the nature and frequency of miracles. Let me explain what I mean.Read More ➔
8) The Poison of Commercialized Religion John 2:13-25
By: Sam Storms
8) The Poison of Commercialized Religion John 2:13-25
By: Sam Storms
[The place of the Temple cleansing/judgment in John’s gospel needs to be addressed. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all place the record of Jesus cleansing the Temple at the conclusion of their gospel accounts, during the final week of Jesus’ life, only days before his crucifixion. But John describes it as occurring at the very beginning of our Lord’s public ministry, some three years earlier than what we find in the synoptic gospels. One of two explanations is given for this. Some believe that John has moved the story to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry for literary and theological purposes. It isn’t uncommon for the gospel writers to rearrange the chronology of certain events in order to make a theological point. Perhaps that is what John has done. But it is unclear what that theological point would be. Most believe, on the other hand, that Jesus entered and cleansed the Temple twice, once at the beginning of his public ministry, which is the event that John describes here in chapter two of his gospel, and a second time, some three years later, at the close of his ministry, just prior to his crucifixion. Therefore, Matthew, Mark, and Luke describe the second of the two Temple cleansings. Although we can’t be absolutely certain, I think the weight of evidence points to two cleansings, not one.]Read More ➔
9) Why You Must Be Born Again John 3:1-15
By: Sam Storms
9) Why You Must Be Born Again John 3:1-15
By: Sam Storms
A major corporation in America recently re-structured its management team and embraced a new mission statement. This corporation then declared: “We are born again!” Because of urban renewal efforts, city leaders declared that the south side of Chicago has been “born again”! Civic leaders in Boston said much the same thing about its west end. In fact, you hear similar claims being made about virtually every movement, political party, educational institution, and most individuals when they make some life-altering decision. There is simply no escaping the fact that the world at large has co-opted the language of being “born again” from Christians and in doing so has thoroughly corrupted the true meaning of the term.Read More ➔
10) Immeasurable Love, Unending Life: John 3:16-21
By: Sam Storms
10) Immeasurable Love, Unending Life: John 3:16-21
By: Sam Storms
I found myself this past week asking a question as I prepared for today: “How does one preach on a biblical text already known by virtually everyone in the world? What can one say that hasn’t already been said? How do I prevent people from mentally checking out because of their frustration at having to listen to yet one more sermon on a passage they committed to memory decades ago?” Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t have a good answer. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to skip over John 3:16 and pretend that all of you know everything that can be known about what is probably the most famous verse in all the Bible.Read More ➔
11) A Case Study in “Teeter-Totter” Theology John 3:22-30
By: Sam Storms
11) A Case Study in “Teeter-Totter” Theology John 3:22-30
By: Sam Storms
Most of what we find in the Bible is designed to comfort and encourage us. But there are a few texts that are deliberately designed to frighten us. By “frighten” I mean they are there to wake us up and shake us up.Read More ➔
Why I Am An Amillennialist
5By: Sam Storms
Why I Am An Amillennialist
By: Sam Storms
Before I begin let me say with all sincerity that the debate over the millennium is a secondary issue. It should never divide Christians. What unites us is our common confession that Jesus is coming back! Let that be the basis for our unity. My departure from premillennialism was gradual and came as a result of two discoveries as I studied Scripture. In this article I will only deal with one. My change came about as I devoted myself to a thorough examination of what the...Read More ➔
12) The Spirit-Filled Life of Jesus (and yours and mine too) John 3:31-36
By: Sam Storms
12) The Spirit-Filled Life of Jesus (and yours and mine too) John 3:31-36
By: Sam Storms
In his book, Rediscovering Holiness, J. I. Packer makes the point that being a Christian is largely concerned with living our lives as Jesus lived his. Therefore, says Packer, Christians are to:Read More ➔
13) Is God’s Pursuit of his own Glory an Act of Megalomania? John 4:1-26
By: Sam Storms
13) Is God’s Pursuit of his own Glory an Act of Megalomania? John 4:1-26
By: Sam Storms
Jesus is bushed. He’s tuckered out. He’s bone-tired from his journey. He’s hot, thirsty, and hungry. It’s high noon and the disciples have nothing to eat. So while they go shopping for lunch, Jesus sits down at a well to drink. It is here that he decides to enlist yet one more person into the ranks of those who will worship the Father. But it isn’t just any person. It isn’t a recent graduate of the local theological seminary. It isn’t a respectable businessman or a housewife with three kids, a cat and a dog. He chooses to speak with a person who, in the opinion of the ancient world, has already struck out. This person is a Samaritan. Strike One! This person is a woman. Strike Two! This woman is sexually immoral. Strike Three!Read More ➔
14) Intellectual Light, Spiritual Heat, and the True Worship of the True God John 4:1-42
By: Sam Storms
14) Intellectual Light, Spiritual Heat, and the True Worship of the True God John 4:1-42
By: Sam Storms
Last week we spent all our time unpacking the significance of what Jesus said in John 4:23. In his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, he told her that God is seeking people to worship him in spirit and in truth. That’s the sort of statement that will either offend you and make you angry and cause you to turn and run away from God, or it will fill you with joy and delight and excitement as you realize that in your worship of God you find your greatest heart happiness and soul satisfaction. But I don’t won’t to preach last week’s message again, so today we turn our attention to the story as a whole.Read More ➔
15) Deciphering the Mysteries of Healing John 4:46-5:17
By: Sam Storms
15) Deciphering the Mysteries of Healing John 4:46-5:17
By: Sam Storms
Does the subject of divine healing ever confuse you? I’m almost embarrassed to ask that question, because everyone answers in the same way: Yes! And I’m not sure I trust those who say No. I agonize over the question of why one person is healed and another is not, why some healings are instantaneous and total while others are gradual and partial. Does it strike you as odd, as it does me, that notwithstanding a multitude of prayers a Christian suffers and dies while a non-Christian recovers and lives without the aid of so much as one prayer? Do you find it baffling, as I do, that on occasion those who sin the most suffer the least, and those who sin the least seem to suffer the most?Read More ➔
16) The Inescapable Imperative of Honoring Jesus as God John 5:18-29
By: Sam Storms
16) The Inescapable Imperative of Honoring Jesus as God John 5:18-29
By: Sam Storms
Even though the Jehovah’s Witnesses have stopped ringing my doorbell, they will on occasion leave at my front door a copy of their magazine published by The Watchtower Society. It is very easy for undiscerning or uninformed people to think that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a Christian group who confess Jesus as Lord. After all, the magazine several times will refer to the knowledge of Jehovah and everlasting life “through Jesus Christ.”Read More ➔
Pleased to Praise
By: Sam Storms
Pleased to Praise
By: Sam Storms
This brief article by John Piper was the key to my becoming a Christian Hedonist. Read and ponder it closely. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! (Psalm 67:3, 5) Why does God demand we must praise God? C.S. Lewis: Just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: “Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent?” The Ps...Read More ➔
17) Witness for the Defense: Indisputable Testimony Concerning the Deity of Jesus John 5:30-47
By: Sam Storms
17) Witness for the Defense: Indisputable Testimony Concerning the Deity of Jesus John 5:30-47
By: Sam Storms
Last week we looked at the most amazing claim that any human being ever made concerning himself. We listened as Jesus of Nazareth, carpenter and itinerant preacher, claimed to be equal in power, dignity, deity, and glory with God the Father. It is one thing for a man in a mental institution to claim to be Napoleon or for a woman to insist she’s Amelia Earhart. But Jesus claimed to be God. He claimed to be the long-awaited Messiah, foretold and foreshadowed in the OT Scriptures.Read More ➔
18) The Bread of Life Never Grows Stale John 6:1-15, 25-35, 48-51
By: Sam Storms
18) The Bread of Life Never Grows Stale John 6:1-15, 25-35, 48-51
By: Sam Storms
I’ve told one particular story a number of times over the years, but for whatever reason it remains vividly impressed on my mind. It’s almost as if it were yesterday, even though it took place on January 5th, 1976. I can still recall everything I heard, where I was standing, the cold of that winter night, and what I was thinking as Ann and I stood outside in the parking lot as we watched the fire creep closer and closer to our apartment. I learned a lot about myself that night, and it wasn’t pretty. Read More ➔
“In the end, we are all losers”
By: Sam Storms
“In the end, we are all losers”
By: Sam Storms
At least, that’s the opinion of Irish actor Gabriel Byrne. In the August 19, 2022, issue of The Week Byrne reflects on the pain of his childhood and the sexual abuse he suffered. Here is what Byrne said about his perspective on life and death: “One of the things I realize as I get older is that part of reconciling oneself to life is the acceptance that we lose everything: we lose parents, we lose friends. And eventually we get to the stage where we l...Read More ➔
19) Truly, You are the Son of God! John 6:16-21; Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52
By: Sam Storms
19) Truly, You are the Son of God! John 6:16-21; Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52
By: Sam Storms
I realize those words of the medieval mystic, Bernard of Clairvaux, sound a bit dated and more than a little cheesy to some of you, but stay with me as I use them to make a point. “Jesus, the very thought of Thee, with sweetness fills my breast.”Read More ➔
20) Three Impossibilities and the Sovereignty of God in Salvation
By: Sam Storms
20) Three Impossibilities and the Sovereignty of God in Salvation
By: Sam Storms
Churches often divide over certain theological issues, such as the role of women in ministry and leadership, charismatic gifts, water baptism (infant baptism vs. believer’s baptism), and matters related to eschatology or the end times (the timing of the rapture, the role of Israel, etc.)Read More ➔
21) “Eating” and “Drinking” for Eternal Life: John 6:47-59
By: Sam Storms
21) “Eating” and “Drinking” for Eternal Life: John 6:47-59
By: Sam Storms
I am constantly amazed by the lengths to which people will go, and the sacrifices they will make, in an effort to cleanse their consciences of the stain and guilt of sin. One example of this is the Ganges River and the pagan beliefs concerning its alleged cleansing and purifying powers. Read More ➔
22) If not to Jesus, to whom will you go? John 6:60-71
By: Sam Storms
22) If not to Jesus, to whom will you go? John 6:60-71
By: Sam Storms
I wonder if you’ve ever given much thought to how much of our lives is spent trying to avoid offending people. I thought about it this week, and I was amazed at the steps we take to be as inoffensive as possible. Most of it goes back to the way our parents raised us.Read More ➔
23) When the Spirit Flows out like Rivers of Living Water: John 7:37-44
By: Sam Storms
23) When the Spirit Flows out like Rivers of Living Water: John 7:37-44
By: Sam Storms
We are going to do something different today as we come to John 7. It is a long chapter of 52 verses. But I have decided that we will focus in on the most important section in the chapter and spend only this one week in our study of it. The reason for this will soon become evident.Read More ➔
24) “Go, and sin no more”: John 7:53-8:11
By: Sam Storms
24) “Go, and sin no more”: John 7:53-8:11
By: Sam Storms
I don’t often take time to address some of the more technical issues regarding the trustworthiness and integrity of the Bible, but our text today is unique and calls for some additional comment.Read More ➔
25) When Man is Big and God is Small, or Vice Versa: John 8:12-30
By: Sam Storms
25) When Man is Big and God is Small, or Vice Versa: John 8:12-30
By: Sam Storms
Jesus was never one for ambiguity. When something of eternal importance needed to be said, he said it in no uncertain terms. He pulled no punches. He cut no corners. He was rigidly opposed to compromise. And this is nowhere seen more clearly than when it came to his identity. If people left the presence of Jesus confused about who he was and what he claimed, it was their own hard-heartedness and spiritual blindness that must be blamed.Read More ➔
Nancy Heche is a Model of Faith and Perseverance
9By: Sam Storms
Nancy Heche is a Model of Faith and Perseverance
By: Sam Storms
By now you have certainly heard the news that the actress, Anne Heche, has died after driving her car at 90 mph into the home of an unsuspecting individual in Los Angeles. Anne was 53, and leaves behind two sons, Homer (age 20) and Atlas (age 13). Anne’s mother, Nancy, and Anne’s older sister, Abigail, have become two of my wife’s and my closest friends. We first met them in 1998 when they attended a conference we hosted in Kansas City. Something click...Read More ➔
26) Freedom! John 8:31-36
By: Sam Storms
26) Freedom! John 8:31-36
By: Sam Storms
For the Christian, freedom may be experienced in any number of ways: freedom from the world and the pressure to conform to its ways; freedom from the fear of being rejected by those whose expectations we don’t meet; freedom from allegiance to anyone other than God; freedom from selfish preoccupation with what others think of us. Freedom! What a wonderful word.Read More ➔
27) The Five Marks of a True Disciple, or Who is a Christian and how might we know? John 8:31-47
By: Sam Storms
27) The Five Marks of a True Disciple, or Who is a Christian and how might we know? John 8:31-47
By: Sam Storms
I can’t think of a time in history when there was as much confusion about what it is to be a Christian as there is in our day.Read More ➔
28) Yes, We Die, and, No, We Don’t: John 8:48-59
By: Sam Storms
28) Yes, We Die, and, No, We Don’t: John 8:48-59
By: Sam Storms
At precisely this time of year, every year without fail, newspapers, magazines, and numerous TV documentary shows provide a list of the more notable figures, both male and female, who died in the past twelve months.Read More ➔
29) I Once was Blind, but Now I See: John 9:1-41
By: Sam Storms
29) I Once was Blind, but Now I See: John 9:1-41
By: Sam Storms
I’m asking you to do something today that may strike you as odd, but bear with me. I want all of you to close your eyes and not to open them until I tell you to do so. Now, try to envision in your mind what it’s like to be blind from birth. How would it feel never to have seen anything? Not the words on the pages of your Bible. Not the shoes on your feet. Not the smile on a friend’s face. Nary a star in the sky above. Nothing. Just darkness. It’s a terrifying thought, but try. Read More ➔
30) The Good Shepherd and his Love for “his own”: John 10:1-21
By: Sam Storms
30) The Good Shepherd and his Love for “his own”: John 10:1-21
By: Sam Storms
As far as the world was concerned, and based on its standards by which “success” is measured, “Steve” had every reason to be miserable. After all, he wasn’t particularly attractive physically speaking. He wasn’t gifted athletically. He was of average intelligence and held down a job that paid him just enough to get by.Read More ➔
31) Safely Secured in the Gracious and Great Grip of God: John 10:22-30
By: Sam Storms
31) Safely Secured in the Gracious and Great Grip of God: John 10:22-30
By: Sam Storms
As all of you know, there are theological differences among those who call themselves evangelicals. By “evangelical” I mean those who affirm the fundamental and foundational truths of Christianity, such as the inspiration and authority of the Bible, the deity, virgin birth, sinless life, and substitutionary death of Jesus, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the reality and necessity of being born again, salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and of course his second coming at the close of human history.Read More ➔
32) Do You Believe This? John 11:1-48, 55-57; 12:9-11
By: Sam Storms
32) Do You Believe This? John 11:1-48, 55-57; 12:9-11
By: Sam Storms
I’m happy to say today that Jesus and I share at least one thing in common: neither of us likes funerals. But, then again, I’ve never met anyone else who does enjoy funerals, with the exception of the mortician! Read More ➔
“I Am Who I Am”
1By: Sam Storms
“I Am Who I Am”
By: Sam Storms
On September 8, 2012, John Piper preached a sermon entitled, “I Am Who I Am” based on Exodus 3:13-15. I mention it today because I’ve been greatly perplexed, indeed, somewhat haunted by the question, “Why is God?” There is a lot wrapped up in that question, such as: Why is there God rather than no God? Why is the God who is, good? Where did this God come from? These are mind-blowing questions, and the answers aren’t easily available. B...Read More ➔
33) Worship and the Worth of Jesus: John 12:1-8
By: Sam Storms
33) Worship and the Worth of Jesus: John 12:1-8
By: Sam Storms
The portrait of Jesus that the four gospels have sketched for us is truly stunning. Jesus, described by his enemies as the friend of sinners, was uninhibited in the presence lepers and unafraid to confront demonic spirits. He was unembarrassed by prostitutes and unimpressed by religious leaders. He is unoffended by your weaknesses, undeterred by your sin, and unashamed to call you his own. How do you respond to someone like this? Matt Redman asked the question in the lyrics to one of his songs: “What can be said, what can be done, to so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?”Read More ➔
34) When Hating is Loving: John 12:20-26
By: Sam Storms
34) When Hating is Loving: John 12:20-26
By: Sam Storms
If you look up the word “paradox” in Webster’s dictionary you will find this definition: “a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense, and yet is perhaps true.”Read More ➔
35) The One Prayer God Always Answers: John 12:20-36
By: Sam Storms
35) The One Prayer God Always Answers: John 12:20-36
By: Sam Storms
I’ll be the first to admit that prayer can often be quite frustrating. Why is it that sometimes God says “Yes” and at other times “No” and in most cases, “Wait”? It can be frustrating and confusing to watch as one person receives an answer and another does not. There are numerous other unanswered questions about prayer that I could mention, but let me come to my primary point: There is one prayer to which God is always quick to say, “Yes!” Read More ➔
36) Holy, Holy, Holy! John 12:37-43; Isaiah 6:1-10
By: Sam Storms
36) Holy, Holy, Holy! John 12:37-43; Isaiah 6:1-10
By: Sam Storms
There was an old and godly man named Simeon who would often linger in the Temple in Jerusalem, because “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple, along with the appropriate sacrifice, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God.Read More ➔
37) Sovereign Love on Bended Knee: John 13:1-11
By: Sam Storms
37) Sovereign Love on Bended Knee: John 13:1-11
By: Sam Storms
Picture yourself in the most painful situation imaginable. Your finances are in a shambles, your health is deteriorating daily, and you are all alone. No one seems to care how you feel. You have a splitting headache, the house is an unmitigated mess, and tomorrow has all the signs of being worse than today . . . and the telephone rings. Sure enough, it’s that one person in your life who never calls or seems to care until they need something from you. And today, of all days, you’re in no condition to give. How would you react?Read More ➔
38) It Takes God to Believe God; John 13:1-5; Ephesians 3:14-21
By: Sam Storms
38) It Takes God to Believe God; John 13:1-5; Ephesians 3:14-21
By: Sam Storms
Today is the second message in our new series in John 13-17 that we are calling, Last Words. That is to say, we are looking at what has also been called The Farewell Discourse of Jesus, the concluding words of instruction and encouragement that Jesus gave to his disciples on the night on which he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. Some have referred to these five chapters as The Upper Room Discourse because that is where they gathered to celebrate the last supper. Read More ➔
39) Jesus is the Servant and We are the Served: John 13:1-20
By: Sam Storms
39) Jesus is the Servant and We are the Served: John 13:1-20
By: Sam Storms
If someone were to ask you what it is about Christianity that makes it unique among the many world religions, how would you answer them? What is it about the Christian faith that sets it apart and in doing so helps to confirm its truthfulness? What is it about Christianity that makes it so appealing? Read More ➔
John Owen on Limited Atonement
1By: Sam Storms
John Owen on Limited Atonement
By: Sam Storms
One of the more challenging books I have read in my life, a book, in the reading of which I found myself actually learning how to think, is John Owen’s (1616-83), The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. It has long been recognized as the most persuasive biblical and theological defense of definite atonement. The latter is the doctrine that it was only for the elect of God that Jesus suffered and died and exhausted the wrath that we deserved. I seriously doubt i...Read More ➔
40) The Treachery of Judas Iscariot and the Sovereignty of God over Sin: John 13:1-32
By: Sam Storms
40) The Treachery of Judas Iscariot and the Sovereignty of God over Sin: John 13:1-32
By: Sam Storms
This may sound a bit strange, but there are some things in the Bible that are not so much to be understood as they are to be trusted. Here’s what I mean. The Bible is meant for our instruction. God moved on the hearts and minds of its authors over a 1,500 year period to record his revelation of what is true and right and good. In doing so, we also have in the Bible a revelation of what is false and wrong and evil. The Bible is there for God’s people to lead us into what we should believe and how we should behave. And for that we should be eternally grateful.Read More ➔
41) What’s New about the “New” Commandment? John 13:34-35
By: Sam Storms
41) What’s New about the “New” Commandment? John 13:34-35
By: Sam Storms
You may not be familiar with the name Tertullian. I don’t of anyone who has named their child after him. Tertullian lived and ministered in the early years of the third century a.d. He was one of the greatest of the early church fathers and was actually the first man to use the word “Trinity” to describe the nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Read More ➔
42) Jesus Christ: The Cure for Troubled Hearts: John 14:1-11
By: Sam Storms
42) Jesus Christ: The Cure for Troubled Hearts: John 14:1-11
By: Sam Storms
I had originally planned on beginning today with a question, until I realized it was a silly question, the answer to which is always, “Yes.” But just because it is a silly question and everyone will always respond with the same answer, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be asked. So here goes: “Do you ever find yourself troubled in heart?” Read More ➔
43) Doing the (Miraculous) Works of Jesus: John 14:12
By: Sam Storms
43) Doing the (Miraculous) Works of Jesus: John 14:12
By: Sam Storms
Is it ok to pray for a miracle? To hope for a miracle? To seek God for a miracle? For many years I thought it was unspiritual to desire or seek for any spiritual gifts, especially those of a more overt miraculous nature. I had been taught it was an indication of immaturity to seek signs in any sense, that it was a weak faith, born of theological ignorance, that it was only the biblically illiterate and emotionally unstable people who prayed for healing or a demonstration of divine power. One author I read actually said that to desire miracles is sinful and unbelieving! But then I noticed Acts 4:29-31, which records this prayer of the church in Jerusalem:Read More ➔
Books OR Prayer, or, Books AND Prayer?
1By: Sam Storms
Books OR Prayer, or, Books AND Prayer?
By: Sam Storms
On October 4, 1911, at the autumn conference of Princeton Theological Seminary, Professor B. B. Warfield delivered an important message to the students of what was at that time one of America’s finest evangelical institutions. It was titled, “The Religious Life of Theological Students.” But please don’t read this as if it were intended solely for seminary students. Every Christian, whether pastors or average church members, must resist the temptat...Read More ➔
44) The God Who Supplies the Spirit, or Miracles Re-Visited: John 14:12; Galatians 3:1-5
By: Sam Storms
44) The God Who Supplies the Spirit, or Miracles Re-Visited: John 14:12; Galatians 3:1-5
By: Sam Storms
What precisely is a miracle? What events in life would qualify as miracles? When you make a trip to Penn Square Mall on the day before Christmas and discover that the parking lot is not only completely full but has spilled out onto the grassy median and even across the street, do you pray for a miracle? And when you then make one more loop through the parking lot only to discover that a spot has suddenly opened up for you directly in front of the store where you planned on shopping, do you regard that as having happened by direct intervention from God? Was that a miracle?Read More ➔
45) “In Jesus’ Name”: Magical Incantation or Pathway to Power? John 14:13-14
By: Sam Storms
45) “In Jesus’ Name”: Magical Incantation or Pathway to Power? John 14:13-14
By: Sam Storms
There are numerous reasons why non-Christians struggle to believe the Christian faith. I won’t burden you by listing them. But when it comes to Christians themselves, believers in Jesus, there are typically only two. If you should ask a born-again-justified-by-faith-in-Jesus-man-or-woman what their greatest struggle is when it comes to Christianity, they will most likely point to one of two thiRead More ➔
46) The Joy and Power of Friendship with the Holy Spirit: John 14:15-24
By: Sam Storms
46) The Joy and Power of Friendship with the Holy Spirit: John 14:15-24
By: Sam Storms
"The Holy Spirit has long been the Cinderella of the Trinity. The other two sisters may have gone to the theological ball; the Holy Spirit got left behind every time. But not now. The rise of the charismatic movement within virtually every mainstream church has ensured that the Holy Spirit figures prominently on the theological agenda. A new experience of the reality and power of the Spirit has had a major impact upon the theological discussion of the person and work of the Holy Spirit" (Alister McGrath).Read More ➔
The Transgender Fantasy. What I Wish Every Pastor Knew
1By: Sam Storms
The Transgender Fantasy. What I Wish Every Pastor Knew
By: Sam Storms
Article by Andrew T. WalkerProfessor, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Pastors have no shortage of issues that they are called up to address in their ministries. The pressure to be an expert on every new issue can be daunting when thinking about everything else on the pastor’s plate. Most pastors need fewer burdens, not more. But when issues of what it means to be human surface — and this is at the center of the debate over transgenderism — it...Read More ➔
47) So, You Say You Love Jesus? John 14:15-24
By: Sam Storms
47) So, You Say You Love Jesus? John 14:15-24
By: Sam Storms
We live in a rather odd season in the history of the church of Jesus Christ. What isn’t odd or strange is the spread of new and unbiblical doctrines. That, sadly, is something of a commonplace in church history. There always have been and always will be people who profess to know Christ and claim to believe in the authority of the Bible who promote false teachings, some of which are undeniably heretical. Read More ➔
48) Hope for the World in the Words of Jesus: John 14:25-31
By: Sam Storms
48) Hope for the World in the Words of Jesus: John 14:25-31
By: Sam Storms
I can’t begin to tell you how many times during the course of a normal week that someone asks me, in an obviously distressed and confused tone of voice: “Sam, what’s wrong with our world? What is happening? Is there any hope at all?”Read More ➔
49) The Vine, the Branches, and Abiding in Jesus: John 15:1-11
By: Sam Storms
49) The Vine, the Branches, and Abiding in Jesus: John 15:1-11
By: Sam Storms
Last week I came across an article (www.mattmoore.org, “Is Your Heart Good Soil?”) that instantly captured my attention. The author confessed both his “sadness and terror” as he thought about the departure from Christianity on the part of several of his close friends. “One moment they appeared to be joyfully walking with God,” he writes, “and then out of nowhere — to my shock and horror — they began trampling all over his Son . . . . I'm not talking about just a little backsliding or a bit of stumbling. These guys and gals flat out rejected Jesus. Today, they proudly admit that they couldn't care less about the biblical realities of sin, judgment, or God's gracious offer of redemption. They are utterly finished with Christianity.”Read More ➔
Beni Johnson, Wife of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson, Has Died (Healing – Part Three)
1By: Sam Storms
Beni Johnson, Wife of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson, Has Died (Healing – Part Three)
By: Sam Storms
So, if God still heals, why doesn’t he always heal? Why wasn’t Beni Johnson healed? I don’t have all the answers to this question (no one else does either). But here are a few things to consider. God loved the Apostle Paul. Yet God sovereignly orchestrated his painful thorn in the flesh and then declined to remove it, notwithstanding Paul's passionate prayer that he be healed. We are not apostles. Yet, as his children, no less so than Paul, God loves u...Read More ➔
50) The Pursuit of Happiness: John 15:11; Psalm 1
By: Sam Storms
50) The Pursuit of Happiness: John 15:11; Psalm 1
By: Sam Storms
Blaise Pascal, a 17th century French philosopher and mathematician, once said, and I quote: “All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they may employ, happiness is their end. The reason why some go to war and others avoid it, is the desire for happiness. . . . This (happiness) is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves” (Pensees, no. 425).Read More ➔
51) Was Jesus a Christian Hedonist? John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13
By: Sam Storms
51) Was Jesus a Christian Hedonist? John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13
By: Sam Storms
There was a time when I thought the verb “enjoy” and the noun “God” should never be used in the same sentence. I could understand “fearing” God and “obeying” God, even “loving” God. But “enjoying” God struck me as inconsistent with the biblical mandate both to glorify God, on the one hand, and deny myself, on the other. How could I be committed above all else to seeking God’s glory if I were concerned about my own joy? My gladness and God’s glory seemed to cancel each other out. I had to choose between one or the other, but embracing them both struck me as out of the question. Worse still, enjoying God sounded a bit too lighthearted, almost casual, perhaps even flippant, and I knew that Christianity was serious business.Read More ➔
Beni Johnson, Wife of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson, Has Died (Healing – Part Two)
2By: Sam Storms
Beni Johnson, Wife of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson, Has Died (Healing – Part Two)
By: Sam Storms
In the previous article I spoke about the nature of healing gifts in the life of the local church. In this second article I want to focus on the question of faith and its relationship to healing. If I have enough Faith, will I always be Healed? When it comes to the relationship of our faith to physical healing, Christians will often gravitate to one extreme or the other. Some argue that the sort of faith God honors by granting us healing is altogether devoid of doubt. ...Read More ➔
52) What a Friend We Have in Jesus! John 15:12-17
By: Sam Storms
52) What a Friend We Have in Jesus! John 15:12-17
By: Sam Storms
I’ve had the privilege in life to know a good many so-called “famous” people. I hesitate to say this because it may sound like name-dropping, something I deplore. The fact that God has providentially orchestrated my life so that I have had the opportunity to become friends with famous and quite successful Christians has nothing to do with me. It says nothing about me. So I mention this only to draw attention to the fact that no earthly acquaintance or friendship can come remotely close to the glory and honor and joy of being friends with Jesus. His is the only name worth dropping!Read More ➔
53) When the Beloved of God are Hated by the World: John 15:18-16:4
By: Sam Storms
53) When the Beloved of God are Hated by the World: John 15:18-16:4
By: Sam Storms
The author of the book of Hebrews said something in chapter five of his letter that is extraordinarily relevant to the lives of Christian men and women today. He said that “solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Heb. 5:14). By “solid food” he means the deep things that God has revealed to us. A lot of Christians would prefer never to be challenged or stretched when it comes to biblical truth. They much prefer to be constantly fed with a liquid diet of revealed truth. They don’t want the meat of the word. Sometimes it’s hard to chew, and at other times even harder to swallow.Read More ➔
Beni Johnson, Wife of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson, Has Died (Healing – Part One)
4By: Sam Storms
Beni Johnson, Wife of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson, Has Died (Healing – Part One)
By: Sam Storms
Actually, the title to this article is incorrect. Although Beni Johnson is no longer alive on this earth, she is very much alive in the presence of her Savior. But I trust all of you know that. Now, to the main point of this brief article. Although they are doing their best to hide their true feelings, cynical internet bloggers and rigid cessationists are speaking out concerning Beni Johnson’s passing. They preface their comments with denials that they are being i...Read More ➔
54) Why the Spirit Inside You is Better than Jesus Beside You: John 16:5-15
By: Sam Storms
54) Why the Spirit Inside You is Better than Jesus Beside You: John 16:5-15
By: Sam Storms
Let me be clear right from the start. I stole the title for today’s message from the sub-title to J. D. Greear’s book, Jesus Continued: Why the Spirit Inside You is Better than Jesus Beside You. It’s an excellent book that I recommend you read. Even if you don’t get around to reading it, I suspect that the sub-title will surely capture your attention. Is it really true that having the Holy Spirit live inside us forever is actually better than walking and talking in the physical presence of Jesus at our side?Read More ➔
55) Enjoying the Joy that Lasts Forever: John 16:16-24
By: Sam Storms
55) Enjoying the Joy that Lasts Forever: John 16:16-24
By: Sam Storms
I despise the term, Indian-giver. If you look it up in Webster’s Dictionary it is defined as “a person who gives something to another and then takes it back.” I was happy to discover that the Concise Oxford English Dictionary doesn’t even include a listing for the term. I don’t know where it came from or when it was first coined, but it is derogatory of Native Americans and perhaps even racist. It suggests that an “Indian” is by nature the sort of individual who cannot be trusted when he gives you something because he is just as likely to take it away without cause or justification. So let’s dispense with the term altogether.Read More ➔
56) A Wide Open Window into the Heart of Jesus: John 17:1-5
By: Sam Storms
56) A Wide Open Window into the Heart of Jesus: John 17:1-5
By: Sam Storms
On a somewhat regular basis, young married couples will come to me and ask my advice about how they might learn to pray together. Often, it is either only the husband or the wife who comes and complains that his/her spouse remains silent when the other prays aloud. For any of you to whom this applies, please don’t take offense or feel any shame. Ann and I struggled with this for several years early on in our marriage. I couldn’t understand why Ann was so reluctant to pray in front of me, and it was only after quite a few years that I discovered the reason: she didn’t entirely trust me with her heart and her deepest desires and fears.Read More ➔
57) Knowing God: The Eternal Life of the Elect: John 17:1-5
By: Sam Storms
57) Knowing God: The Eternal Life of the Elect: John 17:1-5
By: Sam Storms
Last week I indicated to you that there are four glorious truths found in the opening five verses of John 17. We looked at the first two of them last Sunday. The first is found in v. 1 where Jesus affirmed the absolute sovereignty of God the Father over his life and the time of his death. This we see in his words, “Father, the hour has come.” The second truth is stated both in v. 1 and again in vv. 4-5. There we were given a glimpse into the love of God for his people. I won’t repeat myself again today, but let me simply sum up the second of these two glorious truths by saying this.Read More ➔
58) The Loving-Kindness of our Keeping King: John 17:6-19
By: Sam Storms
58) The Loving-Kindness of our Keeping King: John 17:6-19
By: Sam Storms
Is there a unifying theme to the extended prayer of Jesus in John 17? I mentioned to you in an earlier message that John 17 ought to be called “The Lord’s Prayer” insofar as it is a prayer that he himself actually prayed. What we typically call the Lord’s Prayer is found in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:9-15. But there is one thing in that prayer that Jesus never could and never would have prayed. Jesus instructs his disciples to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12). But Jesus had no sin, he had no debts, he committed no trespasses that needed to be forgiven. So the prayer in Matthew 6 is the “Lord’s Prayer” only in the sense that it contains his instruction on how you and I are supposed to pray.Read More ➔
59) The Mysterious Nature and Evangelistic Power of Christian Unity: John 17:20-23
By: Sam Storms
59) The Mysterious Nature and Evangelistic Power of Christian Unity: John 17:20-23
By: Sam Storms
Most people in this room was either not yet born or far too young to remember the momentous events of 1948. This was the year that witnessed the formation of what is known as The World Council of Churches. The driving force behind the establishment of this organization was a desire for Christian unity. Read More ➔
60) The Unfathomable Love of God and Seeing the Glory of Christ: John 17:20-26
By: Sam Storms
60) The Unfathomable Love of God and Seeing the Glory of Christ: John 17:20-26
By: Sam Storms
I know some of you don’t like your jobs. And I can understand why. You struggle to get up each day and return to a task that either bores you or wears you out or feels unproductive. But you do it anyway because you know that God honors hard work and you know you have an obligation to pay your bills and you know that others depend on you. I say this because I want to say Thank You to everyone at Bridgeway. Thank you for paying me to do something that I enjoy more than anything else in the world. I’m never bored with what I do. I never struggle to get up each day and resume my responsibilities as senior pastor of this church. I get worn out on a fairly regular basis, but that’s largely because I’m getting old. Sometimes I feel unproductive because I don’t see the fruit or results in some people’s lives that I had hoped to see. But aside from that, I can’t begin to imagine doing anything else than what I do. So, thank you!Read More ➔
Understanding Spiritual Warfare great deal on Kindle!
By: Sam Storms
Understanding Spiritual Warfare great deal on Kindle!
By: Sam Storms
From today through August 1, you can get my book, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan) on Kindle for only $3.99. Here is the link. Blessings!...Read More ➔
Did Jesus Descend into Hades to give Lost Souls a Second Chance to be Saved?
1By: Sam Storms
Did Jesus Descend into Hades to give Lost Souls a Second Chance to be Saved?
By: Sam Storms
Anyone who has studied 1 Peter knows that chapter three, verses eighteen through twenty-two are the most challenging to interpret. Many have concluded from this passage, wrongly in my opinion, that during the time between his death and resurrection Jesus descended into hades and preached the gospel to lost souls in order to give them a second chance to be saved. But is that really what Peter is saying? In my opinion, no. Here is the text. (18) For Christ also suffered...Read More ➔
61) Jesus in Gethsemane: The Paradox of a Supplicating Savior: John 18:1-11
By: Sam Storms
61) Jesus in Gethsemane: The Paradox of a Supplicating Savior: John 18:1-11
By: Sam Storms
Before we dive into the deep end of our Lord’s experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, you need to understand that he did it for you. You need to come to grips with the remarkable and mysterious truth that what motivated Jesus to persevere through the pain of Gethsemane was his love for you. Knowing what was in the heart of Jesus will make all the difference in the world when you turn to understand, make sense of, and appreciate what he did.Read More ➔
62) Peter’s Denial of Jesus and the Look of Love: John 18:15-18, 25-27; Luke 22:61-62
By: Sam Storms
62) Peter’s Denial of Jesus and the Look of Love: John 18:15-18, 25-27; Luke 22:61-62
By: Sam Storms
The anguish of Gethsemane is over. Jesus has pressed through, submitting his will to the will of his Father. He will drink the cup that is prepared for him, the cup of God’s righteous wrath and judgment against those for whom Jesus soon will give himself as a substitute on the cross.Read More ➔
63) The Torture and Trials of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
63) The Torture and Trials of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
There are a number of things in this world that make my blood boil. Like you, I become enraged when I hear of a child being abused, or perhaps of a wife being physically assaulted by her husband. My reaction when I hear of a vulnerable and elderly widow being scammed out of what little money she has provokes only a slightly less intense anger in my heart.Read More ➔
64) Which “Son of the Father” Do You Want Me to Release?
By: Sam Storms
64) Which “Son of the Father” Do You Want Me to Release?
By: Sam Storms
As I was studying and preparing this week to preach on this passage that concerns Jesus and Barabbas, it struck me that most non-Christians are likely to be perplexed as to why we would spend so much time and energy talking about something that happened 2,000 years ago. I suspect that even a few believers might wonder about that as well. After all, our country is in one of the worst financial crises in its history. Swept up in this Covid-19 pandemic, everything we’ve come to expect day in and day out has changed. Countless people have filed for bankruptcy and untold numbers of small businesses will likely never re-open. Read More ➔
Are You Afraid of Dying?
By: Sam Storms
Are You Afraid of Dying?
By: Sam Storms
That is a question all of us need to ask. More important still, we need to answer it honestly. J. I. Packer wrote an article titled, We’ll Be Truly Alive on Our Third Birthday, that should put to rest your fear of death. Entering Eternity My baptism looks on to my third birthday. What is that? It is the day entered from eternity in God’s private calendar, as my first two birthdays were, on which my heart is due to stop beating. When or how it will happen I...Read More ➔
65) There They Crucified Him: John 19:16b-30; Mark 15:16-32
By: Sam Storms
65) There They Crucified Him: John 19:16b-30; Mark 15:16-32
By: Sam Storms
Aside from a few notable biblical exceptions such as Enoch and Elijah, all people die. I suppose I should also include as exceptions to that otherwise unbreakable law the final generation of Christians who will be alive when Jesus returns. But, again, aside from these obvious and unusual exceptions, the law of life is that all people die.Read More ➔
66) They Laid Jesus There: John 19:31-42; Mark 15:42-47
By: Sam Storms
66) They Laid Jesus There: John 19:31-42; Mark 15:42-47
By: Sam Storms
As you know, there are significant differences between ancient forms of capital punishment and our modern approach to the issue. Today, every effort is made to sanitize the execution of a criminal. Elaborate steps are taken to ensure that his or her death be as painless and inoffensive as possible.Read More ➔
67) “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose” John 20:1-18; Mark 16:1-8
By: Sam Storms
67) “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose” John 20:1-18; Mark 16:1-8
By: Sam Storms
Wheaton College graduate and missionary Jim Elliot is most widely known for having lost his life trying to bring the gospel to the Auca Indians in the rainforest of Ecuador. If Elliot is known for anything else, it is the statement he made that largely accounts for why he was willing to sacrifice his own life for the sake of this Indian tribe. Said Elliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”Read More ➔
A Complementarian Case for Women as Pastors
6By: Sam Storms
A Complementarian Case for Women as Pastors
By: Sam Storms
The evangelical world has been abuzz over whether or not it is biblical for a woman to be called a pastor. This came to a head once again at the recent annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Anaheim, California. A few years ago, I wrote an article defending the notion that women may rightly be referred to as pastors. I revisit that issue in this article. As you might expect, many pushed back hard against my argument. In addition to the original post, I here...Read More ➔
68) The Impartation of Peace and Power: John 20:19-23
By: Sam Storms
68) The Impartation of Peace and Power: John 20:19-23
By: Sam Storms
I have a confession to make. There have been times in my Christian life when I’ve felt intimidated by the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). When I think about the command of Jesus that we are to “go”, I worry that I might not have the required courage to obey. When I hear him tell us to “make disciples of all nations” and to “baptize” them, I feel profoundly inadequate. And when he exhorts us to “teach” others to observe or obey everything he has commanded, I realize that such applies equally to me. I am responsible not simply to “teach” others to obey but also to do so myself.Read More ➔
69) “Doubting” Thomas or “Devoted” Thomas? John 20:24-31
By: Sam Storms
69) “Doubting” Thomas or “Devoted” Thomas? John 20:24-31
By: Sam Storms
Aside from Judas Iscariot, who betrayed our Lord into the hands of his enemies and later committed suicide, the apostle who has had to endure the greatest assault on his character is Thomas. What do we know about this man, and why should we care? Do his life and experience and relation to Jesus have anything of practical value for us today? The answer, I assure you, is Yes!Read More ➔
70) The End of the Story is only the Beginning: John 21:1-25
By: Sam Storms
70) The End of the Story is only the Beginning: John 21:1-25
By: Sam Storms
Some who study John’s gospel suggest that we should simply ignore this final chapter. It doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the gospel account of the life and ministry of Jesus. They insist that there is very little, if anything, of spiritual or practical value in these verses. I disagree. And I believe that once you look closely at them with me, you will also agree that there is much for us to learn here.Read More ➔
Four Compelling Reasons I Am Pro-Life, by Tim Counts
By: Sam Storms
Four Compelling Reasons I Am Pro-Life, by Tim Counts
By: Sam Storms
By Tim Counts / June 25, 2022 The overturning of Roe v Wade after 63 million pre-born babies have been killed in our nation is birthing new dialogue. We are not only discussing it with our children, we are explaining to them why we are pro-life. It is simply a matter of time before a relative or neighbor or co-worker brings up the topic of abortion with you or you see an opportunity to talk about why you are pro-life. While much more could be said, these four reasons I ...Read More ➔
How Long, O Lord?
1By: Sam Storms
How Long, O Lord?
By: Sam Storms
The psalms come to us in a variety of spiritual colors. Some are glorious, green, glad-hearted hymns of praise. Others are filled with bright blue, unrelenting gratitude. There are psalms of confidence, of remembrance, wisdom psalms, kingship psalms, and even the crimson of imprecatory psalms that call for God’s judgment against the wicked. But nothing can compare with the dismal grey of the psalms of lament. These psalms are “the polar opposite of the hymn ...Read More ➔
Listen to me discuss my new book on the Laymen’s Lounge
By: Sam Storms
Listen to me discuss my new book on the Laymen’s Lounge
By: Sam Storms
Here is the link to a recent podcast interview I did with The Laymen’s Lounge. The focus of the discussion was my new book, A Dozen Things God Did with Your Sin (and Three Things He’ll Never Do) (Crossway). I think you’ll enjoy it....Read More ➔
30 Reasons Why I am an Amillennialist (Part Two)
2By: Sam Storms
30 Reasons Why I am an Amillennialist (Part Two)
By: Sam Storms
As noted in the previous article, I conclude my book, Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative, by describing what I call a cumulative case for amillennialism. This “cumulative case” entails 30 reasons why I find amillennialism to be the most cogent and convincing and biblical of all eschatological systems. In the previous article I set forth the first 15 of the 30. Here today I explain the remaining 15 reasons. (16) A careful reading of Acts 15 also reinfo...Read More ➔
30 Reasons Why I am an Amillennialist (Part One)
By: Sam Storms
30 Reasons Why I am an Amillennialist (Part One)
By: Sam Storms
In my book, Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative, I conclude by describing what I call a cumulative case for amillennialism. This “cumulative case” entails 30 reasons why I find amillennialism to be the most cogent and convincing and biblical of all eschatological systems. In this article and one to follow I will set forth those 30 reasons. (1) Amillennialism best accounts for the many texts in which Israel’s OT prophetic hope is portrayed as bein...Read More ➔
Hypocrisy!
2By: Sam Storms
Hypocrisy!
By: Sam Storms
I love to watch professional golf. Nothing in this article should be taken as a commitment on my part to cease following and enjoying the game. But the hypocrisy of some who comment on recent developments is on vivid display these days. Let me explain. In case you hadn’t heard, there is a new professional golf tour launching soon, to be known as LIV (the LIV golf tour was actually formed in 2020). The “LIV” isn't an acronym, but simply stands for the R...Read More ➔
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part Four
By: Sam Storms
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part Four
By: Sam Storms
“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life – to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that” (1 John 5:16-17). Physical Death The interpretation of Benjamin B. Warfield is one deserving of careful attention. Warfield agrees with Marshall on two points. The “brother” is a Christian, and it is pos...Read More ➔
Pentecost!
By: Sam Storms
Pentecost!
By: Sam Storms
Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday. My Redeemer Church in New York invited me to record a sermon on the significance of Pentecost for Christians today. Here is the link to it. I hope and pray you find it helpful and encouraging. Blessings, Sam...Read More ➔
Another Pentecost Sermon!
By: Sam Storms
Another Pentecost Sermon!
By: Sam Storms
Yesterday I was in Peoria, Illinois, preaching at Northwoods Community Church. They asked me to speak on Pentecost Sunday on the subject of spiritual gifts. Here is the link to it. You can fast forward to the 32-minute mark to pick up where I began. Blessings, Sam...Read More ➔
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part Three
By: Sam Storms
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part Three
By: Sam Storms
“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life – to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that” (1 John 5:16-17). Thus far we’ve looked at two views of this passage. The first argued that the “sin” in question is apostasy, or the loss of salvation. The second view argued that the “sin&rd...Read More ➔
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part Two
By: Sam Storms
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part Two
By: Sam Storms
“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life – to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that” (1 John 5:16-17). In the previous article we looked at the view which says this “sin” is apostasy, the loss of salvation. In this second article in the series, we look at the view which says it is blasphe...Read More ➔
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part One
By: Sam Storms
Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? Part One
By: Sam Storms
“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life – to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that” (1 John 5:16-17). Whenever we hear words like, “There is sin that leads to death,” we instinctively ask, “Have I committed it?” Let’s be honest: statements like this in Scripture are sca...Read More ➔
Christ has Welcomed You!
By: Sam Storms
Christ has Welcomed You!
By: Sam Storms
I recently preached Romans 15:1-7 and was powerfully impacted by a statement that many carelessly overlook. In his appeal for Christians, both the “strong” and the “weak”, to accept, receive, and love each other, Paul grounds his exhortation in the fact that “Christ has welcomed you.” He writes: “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Rom. 15:7). He is, of course, addressing C...Read More ➔
The Great Tribulation: Past or Future?
1By: Sam Storms
The Great Tribulation: Past or Future?
By: Sam Storms
There is an on-going disagreement among Christians as to the nature and time of the so-called Great Tribulation mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24:21. There he says: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be” (Matt. 24:21). Many insist that this “great tribulation” (v. 21a) cannot refer to the events of 70 a.d. when the Romans armies sacked Jerusalem and des...Read More ➔
An Evening of Eschatology
1By: Sam Storms
An Evening of Eschatology
By: Sam Storms
As many of you know, several years ago I participated in a panel discussion with John Piper, Doug Wilson, and Jim Hamilton on the subject of eschatology. It was a two-hour event that was hosted at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. A few weeks ago I was invited to do something similar at Frontline Church here in OKC. The major difference is that I was the only participant. I presented the various schools of thought on eschatology for about 50 minutes and then answ...Read More ➔
The Central Message of My Book, The Singing God
By: Sam Storms
The Central Message of My Book, The Singing God
By: Sam Storms
For as long as he can remember, the little boy had heard people talking about the Great King. Everywhere he went, he listened with rapt attention as they spoke of how big he was and how beautiful and strong. The mere thought of meeting the King would set his heart pounding within his chest. His mouth would dry up and his palms became sweaty. Still, he knew that if he could only see this Great King, his questions would all be answered, his fears forever relieved and his l...Read More ➔
Is Killing your Unborn Baby a “Sacred” Right?
2By: Sam Storms
Is Killing your Unborn Baby a “Sacred” Right?
By: Sam Storms
“Sam, why do you use such inflammatory language?” The answer is simple: I want to be inflammatory. I also use it because that is the language being employed by pro-abortion advocates. Consider this one statement from John Fetterman, the Lt. Governor and U.S. Senate candidate from Pennsylvania: “Let’s be clear: The right to an abortion is sacred.” I took the time to look up the word “sacred” in the Oxford English Dictionary....Read More ➔
What are the “Greater Works” in John 14:12, and Who performs them, and When?
By: Sam Storms
What are the “Greater Works” in John 14:12, and Who performs them, and When?
By: Sam Storms
Whenever the subject of the miraculous or the spiritual gift of miracles is raised, people immediately turn to the words of Jesus in John 14:12. There he spoke to his disciples, saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). Most of the interpretations of John 14:12 are driven by the perceived disparity people feel betw...Read More ➔
Why Andrew Brunson never heard from God in prison
By: Sam Storms
Why Andrew Brunson never heard from God in prison
By: Sam Storms
[On Sunday, December 12, 2021, Andrew and Norene Brunson were at Bridgeway Church here in OKC and shared their story. It was a powerful time, to say the least. In the wake of that event, I thought you would be blessed to read this interview with the Brunsons.] September 7, 2021 by Lindy Lowry in Europe / posted at www.opendoorsusa.org on 4/23/22. For 735 days, we prayed for him. With each court hearing and each delayed verdict, we poured out our hearts and voices for A...Read More ➔
The Christus Victor theory of the Atonement. Whence the Victory?
By: Sam Storms
The Christus Victor theory of the Atonement. Whence the Victory?
By: Sam Storms
In a March 21, 2022, article on the Christianity Today on-line website, Bonnie Kristian wrote a piece entitled, “What Atonement Theories Tell Us About Our Politics.” I’m not concerned today with the “political” dimension to her article. My focus is her endorsement of Christus Victor. She rightly points to the risen Christ, whom we celebrate at Easter, and then asks the question: “But how did our salvation take place, exactly?” S...Read More ➔
Prophetic Gifting, Proper Grammar & Possible Tattoos
By: Sam Storms
Prophetic Gifting, Proper Grammar & Possible Tattoos
By: Sam Storms
Here is the link to an interview I did with the Expositor’s Collective. We cover a lot of ground on a variety of topics. I hope you enjoy it....Read More ➔
“Imagine”! Then again, don’t! In spite of what John Lennon Says and Sings
2By: Sam Storms
“Imagine”! Then again, don’t! In spite of what John Lennon Says and Sings
By: Sam Storms
Julian Lennon, now 59 years old, John Lennon’s son, promised long ago that he would honor his father by never singing the song, “Imagine.” He recently changed his mind. I’m not concerned with his reasons for this. My focus is the song itself. Haunting in its melody, so soothing in many ways, and yet profoundly misguided and incoherent, please don’t join Lennon and others in imagining the sort of world he proposes. I’m sure you know it...Read More ➔
One of the Most Overlooked Arguments for the Resurrection
1By: Sam Storms
One of the Most Overlooked Arguments for the Resurrection
By: Sam Storms
April 13, 2022 Michael Kruger Well, soon it will be Easter. That wonderful time of the year when we remember (and celebrate) the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. But, not all will be celebrating. There are many that find Easter to be a senseless holiday—apart from, perhaps, the joys of Sunday brunch or chocolate eggs. After all, it is argued, we all know that people don’t rise from the dead. And there are no reasons to think it happened in the case of ...Read More ➔
What Kind of Church is Bridgeway?
1By: Sam Storms
What Kind of Church is Bridgeway?
By: Sam Storms
On April 7, 2022, Trevin Wax posted a fascinating and informative article on the Gospel Coalition website in which he identified and described the many different Christian denominations in the U.S. He briefly described their history, their form of governance, their theology, and other unique features that set them apart from one another. This got me thinking about my church, Bridgeway, here in Oklahoma City. People often ask me, “What kind of Church is Bridgeway?&...Read More ➔
The Unifying Power of Singing
By: Sam Storms
The Unifying Power of Singing
By: Sam Storms
By Andrew Wilson | Thursday 29 July 2021 Corporate singing is back, even if it remains cloth-covered in many churches (including mine), and reintroducing it to people who have not sung for nearly eighteen months is vitally important. Why? A couple of nights ago I had the chance to speak to our worship team, and I tried to answer that question, specifically by explaining why song is such a unifying expression of worship. Singing unites five things which are often separat...Read More ➔
My Podcast on Spiritual Gifts with Steve Greene
By: Sam Storms
My Podcast on Spiritual Gifts with Steve Greene
By: Sam Storms
I recently recorded a podcast with Steve Greene of Charisma Podcast. The focus of our discussion was my book, Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan). I think you will enjoy it. Here is the link....Read More ➔
Adam and Eve and Evangelical “Options”
By: Sam Storms
Adam and Eve and Evangelical “Options”
By: Sam Storms
Today a book review was posted on the Christianity Today website that calls for a very brief response. The book is, When Did Sin Begin? Human Evolution and the Doctrine of Original Sin. Its author is Calvin University physics professor Loren Haarsma. According to the review, Haarsma outlines various evangelical proposals for harmonizing human evolution and original sin. “Drawing from a dozen recent books on the subject, Haarsma runs through the four main options.&r...Read More ➔
Gender Questions Should Send Us To Scripture
By: Sam Storms
Gender Questions Should Send Us To Scripture
By: Sam Storms
An Article by Tom Schreiner, January 14, 2022 Many questions have recently been raised about complementarianism. We are keenly aware of the many stories of pastoral and spousal abuse—some of whom are noted complementarians. Such stories make many people wonder if complementarianism is simply a form of power grab, an attempt to hold onto male authority in order to exercise their selfish will. Cultural questions have been raised as well. Is the complementarian visi...Read More ➔
Knowing God. A Reader’s Guide to a Christian Classic
1By: Sam Storms
Knowing God. A Reader’s Guide to a Christian Classic
By: Sam Storms
[First published at www.desiringgod.org on March 19, 2022] Article by Sam Storms Theocentricity is a big and imposing word that simply means “God-centered.” To be theocentric means that God himself is the core of all you believe, and the governing, gravitational force of all you do. And in my judgment, no one in recent memory more readily embodied this perspective on life more than the late J.I. Packer (1926–2020), especially in his classic work, Know...Read More ➔
The Madness of March Madness
1By: Sam Storms
The Madness of March Madness
By: Sam Storms
[It’s time for my annual rant about the madness, the lunacy, the stupidity, if you will, of March Madness, in particular, the annual ritual in which a national champion in college basketball is determined on the basis of a single-elimination tournament. Many of you have read it before, so feel free to move on to other things. But if you missed it, you need to read it.] If you aren’t a fan of college basketball here in the U.S., stop reading and go about your...Read More ➔
Bonhoeffer on the meaning of love
By: Sam Storms
Bonhoeffer on the meaning of love
By: Sam Storms
“Nothing can be more cruel than the tenderness that consigns another to his sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe rebuke that calls a brother back from the path of sin.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community (New York: Harper & Row, 1954), 107....Read More ➔
There is No Such Thing as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill
By: Sam Storms
There is No Such Thing as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill
By: Sam Storms
[The following article was written by Michael Brown and is well worth your serious consideration.] By MICHAEL BROWN Published on March 11, 2022 When you’re on the side of truth, you can present the facts as they are without manipulation, exaggeration, or distortion, since those facts will speak for themselves. But when you’re hiding something or trying to obfuscate, facts are your enemy. That’s the case with the misrepresentation of Florida’s re...Read More ➔
The Importance of the Spiritual Gift of Prophecy in the Life of the Local Church
By: Sam Storms
The Importance of the Spiritual Gift of Prophecy in the Life of the Local Church
By: Sam Storms
Some may be wonder if it’s possible to place too much of an emphasis on the spiritual gift of prophecy. I’m sure there are some churches that focus on this one spiritual gift in an inordinate way, perhaps to the neglect of other gifts of the Spirit and disciplines of Christian living. Having said that, let’s consider the way in which the NT portrays this one gift. First, we know from the events on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 that Peter, quoting the ...Read More ➔
Links to podcasts concerning my book, A Dozen Things God did with Your Sin
By: Sam Storms
Links to podcasts concerning my book, A Dozen Things God did with Your Sin
By: Sam Storms
Here are links to a couple of podcasts I did on my new book. This one is with The Ridley Institute and this one is with Susie Larson. Enjoy!...Read More ➔
What does Paul mean in Colossians 2:18 when he speaks of “the worship of angels”?
By: Sam Storms
What does Paul mean in Colossians 2:18 when he speaks of “the worship of angels”?
By: Sam Storms
Paul issues a stringent warning about those who are engaged in the “worship of angels” (Col. 2:18b). This is a notoriously controversial statement due to the ambiguity of Paul's words. I'll try to briefly explain the options for its interpretation. On the one hand, it could refer to the worship that the angels themselves offer to God (cf. Revelation 4-5). If so, the false teachers were claiming to be extraordinarily spiritual because their worship of God was...Read More ➔
Eternal Union and Experiential Communion: So What’s the Difference?
By: Sam Storms
Eternal Union and Experiential Communion: So What’s the Difference?
By: Sam Storms
In this short video I explain the difference between our eternal union with Christ and our experiential communion. It is a vitally important distinction that all Christians must understand. ...Read More ➔
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Five of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Five of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Matt Tully Maybe there’s a Christian listening right now who has his/her theology straight and buttoned down and would affirm with you the idea of the perseverance of the saints—the idea that once we’re saved by trusting in Christ for salvation, God has forgiven our sins and he will not lose us. Nothing will jeopardize our salvation. We have that eternal union. But they maybe look at their own lives—their continuing struggle with sin—and th...Read More ➔
Sickness is an Enemy
3By: Sam Storms
Sickness is an Enemy
By: Sam Storms
By Michael Brown / January 21, 2022 [This is a fascinating and controversial article posted a few weeks ago by Michael Brown.] There are wonderful, godly people who are sick. And there are terrible, ungodly people who are healthy. So, being sick or healthy, in and of itself, is not a proof of divine blessing or divine judgment. That being said, there is absolutely no question that the Bible sees sickness and disease as negative, destructive forces. And all of us, intui...Read More ➔
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Four of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Four of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Matt Tully What would you say to the Christian listening right now who says, I believe that. I believe what you’re saying about Christ’s work on my behalf and how I am cleansed. Intellectually I get that, but I just struggle with my feelings. I do wake up every morning and my mind just automatically goes to this thing in the past that I feel like defines me and it haunts me. Is that just something that they’re going to have to struggle with for the res...Read More ➔
Is Joy in Christ Possible When All I See Is My Sin?
By: Sam Storms
Is Joy in Christ Possible When All I See Is My Sin?
By: Sam Storms
Here is a short video on this topic....Read More ➔
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Three of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Three of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Matt Tully I want to return back to that Etch A Sketch metaphor that you used a few minutes ago. I think it’s powerful because we know that with an Etch A Sketch, once you shake that thing and turn it upside down, it’s gone. There’s no undo button, unlike maybe a computer today where anything you do can be brought back with a quick shortcut. I wonder if people might be thinking, Does that metaphor work with God? This fits in with another one of the thi...Read More ➔
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Two of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part Two of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Matt Tully That’s a good moment to take a big step back, and I want to talk about sin. I know it’s a very basic concept that probably all of the believers listening right now would think, I know what that is. I know how to define that. But I think it’s worth taking that step back and actually trying to understand those terms a little bit more comprehensively. I have three questions that I was wondering if you could answer. First, What is sin? How would...Read More ➔
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part One of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Why We Struggle to Grasp What God Has Done with Our Sin – Part One of my Interview with Matt Tully of Crossway
By: Sam Storms
Below is Part One of the transcript of a podcast I recorded with Matt Tully of Crossway Books on my new book, A Dozen Things God Did with Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do). The book is now available for purchase at Amazon. I will follow up with Parts Two through Five every few days. Matt Tully Sam, thank you so much for joining me again on The Crossway Podcast. Sam Storms I’m glad to be back. I’ve been looking forward to this. Matt Tully ...Read More ➔
How Can An All-Knowing God Not Remember My Sin?
1By: Sam Storms
How Can An All-Knowing God Not Remember My Sin?
By: Sam Storms
[This article was published at the Crossway blog on January 18, 2022. It is an adaptation from one of the chapters in my new book, A Dozen Things God did with Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do).] Does God Ever Forget? Can an all-knowing, omniscient God ever truly forget? Is it not an essential element in being God that nothing ever slips his mind? Could God ever not remember? In Isaiah 43:25 we hear God declare of himself, “I, I am he who blots out...Read More ➔
Miracles Are Outlasting the Arguments Against Them
By: Sam Storms
Miracles Are Outlasting the Arguments Against Them
By: Sam Storms
[You may recall that Craig Keener’s book, Miracles Today, was my number one book of 2021. Here is an interview of him from Christianity Today, January 24, 2022.] New Testament scholar Craig Keener investigates contemporary accounts of “signs and wonders,” while suggesting that many grounds for skepticism are behind the times. In the halls of the academy as well as on the street, there is no more controversial aspect of the Bible than its accounts of m...Read More ➔
If My Sins Are Fully Forgiven, Why Must I Confess My Sins Daily?
2By: Sam Storms
If My Sins Are Fully Forgiven, Why Must I Confess My Sins Daily?
By: Sam Storms
I answer this question in this short video that I recorded for Crossway Books. They have recently published my book, A Dozen Things God did with Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do), from which the content of this video was taken....Read More ➔
God’s Way of Dealing with Sin vs. Our Way
By: Sam Storms
God’s Way of Dealing with Sin vs. Our Way
By: Sam Storms
[The following is an article of mine published at the Crossway blog. It is an adaptation from my new book, A Dozen Things God did with Your Son (and three things he’ll never do).] God’s Way of Dealing with Sin vs. Our Way Consider for a moment how we “deal” with others. We keep fresh in our minds their injustices toward us. We nurture the memory of their faults and failings. We never let them forget what they did and we often make sure others ar...Read More ➔
The Only Way We Can Overcome the Debilitating Power of Shame
By: Sam Storms
The Only Way We Can Overcome the Debilitating Power of Shame
By: Sam Storms
Here is a brief video of me describing the effects of shame on the soul and how we can overcome its paralyzing power....Read More ➔
5 Myths about Sin
2By: Sam Storms
5 Myths about Sin
By: Sam Storms
By Sam Storms [This article was published at the Crossway blog on January 20, 2022] The Nature of Sin Sin is deceptive, both in its capacity to tempt us to follow its lead and in the way it confuses and clouds our thinking. It is the latter and sin’s many myths that I want to address in this article. Myth #1: The sin of unbelief is not so serious as to warrant eternal condemnation. What should we say when a person lives what appears to be a civil and faithful ...Read More ➔
A Dozen Things God Did With Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do)
By: Sam Storms
A Dozen Things God Did With Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do)
By: Sam Storms
My new book from Crossway, A Dozen Things God Did With Your Sin (and three things he’ll never do), 224 pages, is now available at Amazon and in bookstores. I’ll have more to say about it in the coming days, but for now here are a few endorsements for it. “Sam Storms has written a wonderful book on the cross of Jesus and how to live in the power of God’s forgiveness.” Jack Deere, Associate Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Dallas Theolog...Read More ➔
Biblical Mysticism
3By: Sam Storms
Biblical Mysticism
By: Sam Storms
Starting later this week I will be devoting my twice-weekly podcast to the subject of mysticism. Four episodes are forthcoming. There is a lot of confusion and misrepresentation when it comes to mysticism, and I will do my best to dig down deeply into precisely what it means and how it has been expressed in the life of the church. So perhaps we should begin with a definition. Mysticism cannot in any way be conceived as a movement for the simple fact that it is, by defi...Read More ➔
Three (among untold countless) Glorious Blessings of Salvation
1By: Sam Storms
Three (among untold countless) Glorious Blessings of Salvation
By: Sam Storms
As glorious as it is that we are “saved” from divine judgment and wrath, it is more glorious still to consider what we are “saved” for or to. In other words, what blessings or privileges or gifts do we receive when we believe and are justified, when we confess and are saved? Paul mentions three in particular in Romans 10:11-12. First, we have the absolute, unassailable, rock-solid, blood-bought assurance that we will never “be put to shame&...Read More ➔
My New Book is Now Available for Pre-Order!
1By: Sam Storms
My New Book is Now Available for Pre-Order!
By: Sam Storms
A Dozen Things God Did with Your Sin (And Three Things He'll Never Do) from Crossway By Sam Storms What Did God Do with Your Sin? Every Christian has experienced days or even seasons of feeling extreme guilt over past or present sins, thinking that God is angry or disgusted with them—sometimes even wondering if they’re truly saved. This often happens when believers fixate on their sins while forgetting what Christ has already done on their behalf at the cr...Read More ➔
Do You Pray for Lost Souls? If so, How?
2By: Sam Storms
Do You Pray for Lost Souls? If so, How?
By: Sam Storms
I assume that you, like Paul, pray fervently for the salvation of close family members or colleagues at work. In Paul’s case, they were the many Jewish men and women of his day who had openly and persistently denied that Jesus was the Messiah. He expressed his profound and persistent sorrow and grief over their lost condition back in Romans 9:1-3. In Romans 10:1 he declares unashamedly that his “heart’s desire and prayer to God” is “that the...Read More ➔
The Word became Flesh – A Christmas Meditation on the Most Breathtaking Verse in the Bible
1By: Sam Storms
The Word became Flesh – A Christmas Meditation on the Most Breathtaking Verse in the Bible
By: Sam Storms
“The Word became flesh” (John 1:14) Let's think for a moment of the beauty of Jesus as revealed in the act of incarnation. For some of you that’s a new and unfamiliar word. It may sound esoteric, but without it we are a hopeless people. Without it Jesus is nothing to us and we are nothing to him. So what exactly do I mean by the word "Incarnation"? The idea is found in several texts which speak of Jesus as "coming in the flesh" (1 Jn. 4:2; 2 Jn. 7), b...Read More ➔
Best Books of 2021 – Part Four
By: Sam Storms
Best Books of 2021 – Part Four
By: Sam Storms
Finally, the fourth and last installment in this series of articles talking about the best books of 2021. It was difficult deciding which books would make it into the top five. The first fifteen that I’ve already listed in previous articles could easily have made the final five. But enough, already. Here they are. (5) The Glory Now Revealed: What We’ll Discover about God in Heaven, by Andrew M. Davis (Baker Books, 232pp.). I know that there have been numero...Read More ➔
Sam Storms on Spiritual Warfare at the Bible Gateway Blog
By: Sam Storms
Sam Storms on Spiritual Warfare at the Bible Gateway Blog
By: Sam Storms
I recently participated in an interview with Bible Gateway on the subject of spiritual warfare. The entire episode is now posted here. I think you will enjoy it. Blessings! Sam...Read More ➔
Best Books of 2021 – Part Three
By: Sam Storms
Best Books of 2021 – Part Three
By: Sam Storms
This is the third installment of four in my series on the best books of 2021. As I noted in the previous articles, there were so many great books published this year that I couldn’t keep it to only ten. So here are numbers 10-6. (10) The Plurality Principle: How to Build and Maintain a Thriving Leadership Team, by Dave Harvey (Crossway, 192 pp.). I so greatly appreciated this book by Dave Harvey that I agreed to write the Foreword to it. Few books on local church...Read More ➔
Did Jesus Exist Before Christmas?
1By: Sam Storms
Did Jesus Exist Before Christmas?
By: Sam Storms
That may sound like a strange question to ask, but such was the title of an article I recently read. 63% of church-going Christians said Yes, which means that 37% said No. When the survey included all American adults, only 41% believe Jesus existed before his birth in Bethlehem. So, let’s get this straight. What I’m about to say may at first sound heretical, but be patient with me. No, Jesus, the human being who walked the earth, died on a cross, and was rai...Read More ➔
Best Books of 2021 – Part Two
By: Sam Storms
Best Books of 2021 – Part Two
By: Sam Storms
This is the second installment of four in my series on the best books of 2021. As I noted in the previous article, there were so many great books published this year that I couldn’t keep it to only ten. So here are numbers 15-11. (15) Shadows and Substance: The Truth About Jewish Roots and Christian Believers, by Neil Silverberg (Trilogy Christian Publishers, 253 pages). When Neil Silverberg contacted me earlier this year with a request to read his manuscript, I ...Read More ➔
Best Books of 2021 – Part One
1By: Sam Storms
Best Books of 2021 – Part One
By: Sam Storms
2021 may turn out to be the best year for new books in recent (or even distant) memory. As I sat down to compile my list, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the list far exceeds the typical ten best books that I have selected in previous years. And I now know why. The Covid-19 pandemic! If there is one good thing that came from the pandemic it is that many of us were confined to home for a considerable period of time and had ample opportunity to write more than...Read More ➔
Did Joshua Really Make the Sun Stand Still?
1By: Sam Storms
Did Joshua Really Make the Sun Stand Still?
By: Sam Storms
How big is your God? Is he big enough to create the universe and uphold it by the word of his power and providentially govern its direction and bring about the consummation of all things in precisely the way that he planned? Or do you worship and love and serve a tiny god, a pygmy god, a diminutive deity, a wee little god who easily fits in your back pocket or in a box of your own making, a so-called god who is unsure of himself and can’t guarantee that anything he...Read More ➔
My appearance on the Susie Larson show to discuss Spiritual Warfare (again!)
By: Sam Storms
My appearance on the Susie Larson show to discuss Spiritual Warfare (again!)
By: Sam Storms
I think I’ve been on the Susie Larson radio program three times now. This episode is a deeper dive into the subject of spiritual warfare. Enjoy!...Read More ➔
My Struggle with Impatience
1By: Sam Storms
My Struggle with Impatience
By: Sam Storms
It’s time for a personal confession. There are times, more than I’d like to admit, when I get extremely impatient. In most of those instances, I feel entirely justified in my reaction to people that stand in the way of my getting somewhere on time or who do something that I regard as inexcusable that disrupts my schedule. It was last Friday morning, November 12th. I was in a hurry to get some errands accomplished before making my 9 a.m. appointment to have t...Read More ➔
Did Jesus Christ have a Fallen, Sinful Human Nature?
2By: Sam Storms
Did Jesus Christ have a Fallen, Sinful Human Nature?
By: Sam Storms
That the Son of God assumed or took on human flesh in what we call the Incarnation is beyond dispute. But what kind of “flesh” did the Son of God assume unto himself when he became human? Was it fallen, sinful flesh, like yours and mine? Or was it unfallen flesh, devoid of the inherent sinful impulses that we all experience? In other words, were the temptations that Jesus encountered (Heb. 4:15) entirely external to himself, or did he resist promptings and te...Read More ➔
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (7)
By: Sam Storms
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (7)
By: Sam Storms
As glorious and wonderful and reassuring as Romans 8:28 is, it’s important to know that it is not universal in its application. Paul specifically says that God orchestrates all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. No unbeliever, no non-Christian can have any assurance that any good will come from any “thing” he/she experiences. Of course, Paul is not suggesting that God is sovereign only over that portion o...Read More ➔
Best Arguments for the Continuation of all Spiritual Gifts
By: Sam Storms
Best Arguments for the Continuation of all Spiritual Gifts
By: Sam Storms
I recently recorded an episode with Remnant Radio in which I presented the best and most persuasive arguments for the continuation of all the spiritual gifts. You can watch it here....Read More ➔
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (5) and (6)
By: Sam Storms
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (5) and (6)
By: Sam Storms
As we turn our attention once again to Romans 8:28, note well that Paul does not say all things are good, but that God is more than capable of causing them to work together for good. Nowhere does the Bible suggest that things like disease or poverty or pain are good things. God is not saying to us in this text, “Hey, those bad things aren’t really all that bad.” God doesn’t minimize or trivialize your hurts and the harm that comes your way. Neith...Read More ➔
The Video Series of My Book, Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide, is Now Available
By: Sam Storms
The Video Series of My Book, Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide, is Now Available
By: Sam Storms
Earlier this year I recorded 18 video sessions on my book, Understanding Spiritual Gifts. This is a great resource to use in home Bible studies, community groups, Sunday School classes, and other venues. Each of the sessions ranges from 18-30 minutes in length. Here is a description of what you’ll find. In this 18-session video study on the spiritual gifts, Sam Storms addresses the many bizarre and misleading understandings of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit an...Read More ➔
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (4)
By: Sam Storms
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (4)
By: Sam Storms
What precisely are the “things” that Paul is talking about? Does he really mean “all” things? Every “thing”? No exceptions? Yes. What an awesome God we have who could embrace within his providential design all things, both great and small, both good and bad! You are probably familiar with the illustrations I’m about to use, but they are still relevant and helpful. The many events in our lives, both good and bad, both instructive...Read More ➔
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (3)
By: Sam Storms
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (3)
By: Sam Storms
Today we come to the third truth in Romans 8:28. But we have a problem. All along I’ve been saying that “God” causes or works all things together for our good. But the ESV translation doesn’t contain the word “God.” It simply says, “all things work together for good.” The NASB version includes a reference to God. So which is it? There are good Greek manuscripts that support both the exclusion of the word “God” a...Read More ➔
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (2)
By: Sam Storms
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (2)
By: Sam Storms
In the first of this series of articles on Romans 8:28 we looked at Paul’s confident declaration, “we know.” Today we move to examine the second of seven “pearls” of truth that comprise this text. I have said on numerous occasions that almost as important as what Paul or any other biblical author says is what they don’t say. Nowhere is that more evident than here in Romans 8:28. Observe closely that Paul does not say, “And we k...Read More ➔
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (1)
By: Sam Storms
Unpacking and Rejoicing in the Most Powerful and Precious Promise in the Bible (1)
By: Sam Storms
In the past few years we’ve all been confronted with a long list of tragedies, trials, and devastating events in our world. We’ve witnessed earthquakes and tsunamis and hurricanes and pandemics and racial division and economic hardships and recurring diseases and raging wildfires and military conflicts and political upheaval, and countless other issues. It’s fascinating to observe how these sorts of events turn everyone into theologians! We all feel co...Read More ➔
More on My Experience with Tongues, Prophecy, and Healing
By: Sam Storms
More on My Experience with Tongues, Prophecy, and Healing
By: Sam Storms
Here is yet one more podcast I did that covers such topics as speaking in tongues, the gift of prophecy, and divine healing. You can find it here. Sam...Read More ➔
My Journey
By: Sam Storms
My Journey
By: Sam Storms
If you would like to hear a somewhat detailed narrative of my spiritual journey, especially as it relates to my embracing and experiencing the gifts of the Spirit, go to this link. I delivered this last week at the Pursuit Conference at Woods Edge Church in Houston. My time begins at around the 56 minute mark. Sam...Read More ➔
What is the Third Wave of the Holy Spirit?
By: Sam Storms
What is the Third Wave of the Holy Spirit?
By: Sam Storms
I read a blog post recently that took its comments from the Apologetics Index. The article was designed to identity the distinctive theological beliefs of what is known as The Third Wave. If you aren’t familiar with that terminology, it was originally coined by C. Peter Wagner. The First Wave of the Holy Spirit was the revival that occurred at Azusa Street in 1906, followed by the formation of several distinctive denominations that are typically referred to as Cla...Read More ➔
A Question for all Complementarian Cessationists
1By: Sam Storms
A Question for all Complementarian Cessationists
By: Sam Storms
Many of my closest friends are cessationists when it comes to the issue of spiritual gifts. I have only the highest regard for them and thank God daily for their contributions to the body of Christ. But I do have a question for them, a challenge, if you will. It concerns their insistence that, on the one hand, all NT prophecy was inspired, inerrant, and possessed the same authority as that of the apostles and, on the other, that women are prohibited from teaching men or...Read More ➔
A Threat to Whom? The Colossal Insensitivity of the Pro-Choice Mind
2By: Sam Storms
A Threat to Whom? The Colossal Insensitivity of the Pro-Choice Mind
By: Sam Storms
The headline caught my eye: “Threat to Roe is a threat to women’s sports.” Oh, my. Say it ain’t so. Women’s sports are threatened by the possible reversal of Roe v. Wade. The article was in USA Today, September 21. It was written by Nancy Armour. Armour argues that if a woman does not have the right “to decide when or if to have children” it jeopardizes her potential for playing soccer or basketball or whatever sport she might c...Read More ➔
My Interview with Steve Greene on Spiritual Warfare
By: Sam Storms
My Interview with Steve Greene on Spiritual Warfare
By: Sam Storms
Steve Green is the host of one of the more widely followed podcasts hosted by Charisma. He recently interviewed me about my book Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan). You can link to it here, and of course you can purchase the book at www.amazon.com. Blessings!...Read More ➔
How does Hope Serve to Sanctify our Souls?
1By: Sam Storms
How does Hope Serve to Sanctify our Souls?
By: Sam Storms
The words of the apostle John in 1 John 3:2-3 are both inspired and inspiring. He tells us that if we put our hope in the return of Christ, in the prospect of seeing Jesus “as he is,” this will serve to purify or sanctify our souls. Here is the passage: “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hop...Read More ➔
My Second Interview on Spiritual Warfare with Susie Larson and Faith Radio
By: Sam Storms
My Second Interview on Spiritual Warfare with Susie Larson and Faith Radio
By: Sam Storms
A couple of months ago, Susie Larson interviewed me regarding my new book, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan). It generated considerable interest, so she asked me to come back and do a second hour on the subject. The program aired live last Wednesday, September 8. Here is the link to it....Read More ➔
The God-Belittling, Self-Exalting, Hell-Deserving Wickedness of Unbelief
3By: Sam Storms
The God-Belittling, Self-Exalting, Hell-Deserving Wickedness of Unbelief
By: Sam Storms
The question is often asked: “Why is unbelief such a big deal? Why would someone’s failure to believe in Jesus Christ lead to eternal damnation?” It isn’t uncommon to hear something like this. “Sally is a really nice person. She’s faithful to her husband. She is a wonderful mother to her four children. She has never used profane language or committed a felony. She helps out her neighbors when they are in trouble. She serves weekly at ...Read More ➔
Buckle-up Pro-lifers. They will say anything to silence us
1By: Sam Storms
Buckle-up Pro-lifers. They will say anything to silence us
By: Sam Storms
September 3, 2021 Denny Burk at www.dennyburk.com [This article by Denny Burk is a must read. It’s not an enjoyable read, but you must read it.] The left is apoplectic about the shutdown of death-dealing abortion mills in Texas. Nothing is more catastrophic to them than that babies would no longer be subject to legal execution. And there is hardly anything they won’t say or do to get the abortionists back to the important business of killing the unborn. F...Read More ➔
Is Montanism Heretical?
By: Sam Storms
Is Montanism Heretical?
By: Sam Storms
I often come across statements by cessationists to the effect that Montanism is heretical. Personally, I find this use of the word “heretical” to be historically misguided and unnecessarily inflammatory. A heretic is not simply someone who has a different understanding of secondary doctrines. Heresy is not simply a view of some biblical truth that you find objectionable. A heretic is not a Christian. Heresy is the denial of a foundational doctrine of Christia...Read More ➔
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Seven)
1By: Sam Storms
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Seven)
By: Sam Storms
Feeling weak today? Good. Yes, that’s right, good! I’m not talking about your weakness for chocolate or alcohol or your weakness for sexual lust or any such thing. The weakness I have in mind is not sin. It has nothing to do with your refusal to obey God or your propensity for jealous rage or greed or your disinclination to forgive someone who betrayed you. The apostle Paul would never boast in wickedness or gladly acquiesce to evil in any form (cf. 2 Cor. 1...Read More ➔
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Six)
By: Sam Storms
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Six)
By: Sam Storms
As noted in the previous article, there are four broad categories in which most of the interpretations of Paul’s thorn have fallen. We now turn our attention to the two most popular (and likely) views. Many take the view of Chrysostom, a famous preacher of the fourth century. He was the first to suggest that the thorn is simply a reference to all the enemies of the gospel who opposed and persecuted Paul during his evangelistic and theological labors. Alexander th...Read More ➔
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Five)
By: Sam Storms
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Five)
By: Sam Storms
It seems reasonable, does it not, that an experience of the magnitude Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 would serve to subdue and perhaps even eradicate sinful impulses from his soul? How could sin possibly continue to exert its influence in the heart of a person who saw and heard the things Paul did? Surely anyone who has been blessed with such a stunning privilege as was Paul would forever cease to sin. Surely anyone who heard such transcendently glorious things a...Read More ➔
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Four)
By: Sam Storms
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Four)
By: Sam Storms
Most people spend their lives worried sick that others will not think highly enough of them. So they disguise their weaknesses. They magnify their strengths. They labor not to give offense. Much of their personality and relational style is far from natural, but has been carefully crafted to elicit the approval and praise of those whose respect they covet. The apostle Paul, to say the least, was a bird of a different feather. One of his greatest fears was that people wou...Read More ➔
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Three)
1By: Sam Storms
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Three)
By: Sam Storms
What are we to make of people who speak so casually (if not flippantly) about multiple heavenly visitations that involve conversations with angels, apostles, and even Jesus? Let me be clear about one thing. I have no biblical or theological grounds for concluding that Paul’s translation into the third heaven was a singular event in the history of the church, as if to suggest that no one else in any other era has ever experienced a similar encounter. But I’m ...Read More ➔
My Podcast with Acts 29 on Spiritual Gifts
By: Sam Storms
My Podcast with Acts 29 on Spiritual Gifts
By: Sam Storms
I recently recorded a podcast with Jeff Medders of the Acts 29 network. We talked extensively about the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. I think you’ll enjoy it. You can find it here....Read More ➔
A Defense of Singing Songs from Bethel and Hillsong
45By: Sam Storms
A Defense of Singing Songs from Bethel and Hillsong
By: Sam Storms
Perhaps you saw an article that appeared online recently in which Mackenzie Morgan, a worship leader at Refine Church in Lascassas, Tennessee, announced that she and her church would no longer sing songs that come from Bethel Church in California or Hillsong Church in Australia. After examining some of the teaching from both Bethel and Hillsong, she concluded that to sing any song that originated with or was composed by someone from either of these local churches was dan...Read More ➔
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Two)
By: Sam Storms
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part Two)
By: Sam Storms
As I read the Bible, I’ve often tried to envision myself in the position of certain characters, especially those who experienced profound supernatural encounters with the Lord. How would I have reacted? Would I have been puffed up with an inflated sense of my own importance? Or would I have felt crushed by the immediate disclosure of my own comparative insignificance? Or would I, preferably, have been so captivated by the brilliance of God’s glory that thinki...Read More ➔
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part One)
2By: Sam Storms
Rapture into the Third Heaven and Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (Part One)
By: Sam Storms
What are we to make of the many claims made by certain individuals that they have “visited” heaven and have seen and heard things of what life and experience are like there? I want to be careful in passing judgment on the sincerity and motivation of such people, but I think we can gain insight as to whether or not they are telling the truth by looking closely at one man’s undeniable “rapture” into the third heaven. With this in mind, I want...Read More ➔
Insecurity and Pastoral Bullies Re-Visited
By: Sam Storms
Insecurity and Pastoral Bullies Re-Visited
By: Sam Storms
In a previous article I spoke of the danger of pastoral bullies in the local church (1 Peter 5:1-4). One of the factors that can often contribute to this approach to ministry is personal insecurity. I posted this article several years ago but thought it might be helpful for us to examine it one more time. Consider the dangers of an insecure pastor (of course, each of the following applies equally well to all Christians). Insecurity makes it difficult to acknowledge and...Read More ➔
Pastoral Bullies Re-Visited
By: Sam Storms
Pastoral Bullies Re-Visited
By: Sam Storms
I don’t know closely you have followed several recent developments in the world of so-called “celebrity evangelical pastors,” but the plague of pastoral bullying seems to be reaching epidemic proportions. I don’t hear a lot these days of pastors being removed from their churches because of sexual immorality or financial embezzlement. That isn’t to say, it never happens. But I’m hearing more and more of highly visible, “celebrity&...Read More ➔
My podcast with Jennie Allen on Spiritual Warfare
1By: Sam Storms
My podcast with Jennie Allen on Spiritual Warfare
By: Sam Storms
I recently recorded a podcast with Jennie Allen concerning my book, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan, 2021). You can access it here. ...Read More ➔
What is Critical Race Theory?
2By: Sam Storms
What is Critical Race Theory?
By: Sam Storms
It is virtually impossible to log onto any news website without seeing something said about Critical Race Theory. There is considerable debate about this subject that gives no signs of diminishing anytime soon. So, what is CRT? I’ve read numerous articles and explanations, but none better than the one by Greg Koukl that he posted on his website on July 1, 2021. The title to the article is, Critical Race Theory: Civil Rights Upside Down. You can read the whole thing...Read More ➔
My Hour-long Conversation with Susie Larson on Spiritual Warfare
2By: Sam Storms
My Hour-long Conversation with Susie Larson on Spiritual Warfare
By: Sam Storms
If you would like to listen to my conversation with Susie Larson of Faith Radio on the subject of spiritual warfare and my new book, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan), go here and scroll down a bit. This interview took place yesterday, Wednesday, July 8. Blessings, Sam...Read More ➔
Three Principles of the Christian Life
2By: Sam Storms
Three Principles of the Christian Life
By: Sam Storms
One of my spiritual and theological mentors was Russ McKnight. Not many will have heard of that name, but Russ’s influence on me and numerous others, including a dozen or more men now in full time ministry, was monumental. Russ was a layman who served as an Elder at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. I first met Russ in 1969 on the campus of the University of Oklahoma. Russ was teaching a Bible study on Romans every Saturday morning in the Student Union ...Read More ➔
Who and Whose are You?
By: Sam Storms
Who and Whose are You?
By: Sam Storms
If there is one great and pressing need for every Christian, it is embracing who and whose we are as followers of Jesus. The apostle Paul had no hesitation in affirming that he is “a servant of Christ Jesus” (Romans 1:1). Although Paul might have appealed to his educational credentials, his reputation, his other literary works, or some special accomplishment to distinguish himself in the eyes of the first-century world, he is first and foremost a bondservant ...Read More ➔
Providence and the Counterintuitive Wonders of God
By: Sam Storms
Providence and the Counterintuitive Wonders of God
By: Sam Storms
It’s only one word, Providence, but it is indescribably rich and complex and challenging and comforting. It is also the title to John Piper’s most recent book (Crossway, 2020, 751pp.). Piper defines providence as God’s “purposeful sovereignty.” In other words, it is more than mere sovereignty. It is more than power or oversight. It is the way in which God directly and intentionally brings about his ultimate aim of glorifying himself. One o...Read More ➔
The Absurdly Ridiculous and Profoundly un-Christian Accusation of Heresy against the new President of the Southern Baptist Convention
1By: Sam Storms
The Absurdly Ridiculous and Profoundly un-Christian Accusation of Heresy against the new President of the Southern Baptist Convention
By: Sam Storms
Last week was the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville. Some 16,000 were present. I watched on-line most of the meeting, even though I am no longer affiliated with the SBC. My reason for writing this article is to respond to the accusation of heresy brought against Ed Litton, the new president of the SBC. I’ve never met Ed Litton. But he does not deserve the derogatory and derisive statements made about him by certain so-called “dis...Read More ➔
His Nearness to Us, Our Dearness to Him
By: Sam Storms
His Nearness to Us, Our Dearness to Him
By: Sam Storms
One of the more precious passages in all of Scripture to me is Psalm 16:11. Here David speaks of the presence of God and the inimitable pleasure and power that flood the soul of those who experience it. Knowing this ought to instill in us a ravenous hunger for intimacy with God. What surprises many is to discover the immense practical benefit of such desire. I first saw this in something said by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews. In the opening verses of chapter ...Read More ➔
Podcast on the Convergence of Word and Spirit
By: Sam Storms
Podcast on the Convergence of Word and Spirit
By: Sam Storms
I recently recorded a fairly long podcast with Craig Roters and his daughter Moriah, of Tucson, Arizona. Craig is the pastor of a Calvary Chapel local church. You can find the podcast here. I hope you enjoy it. Sam...Read More ➔
Was the Apostle Paul a Universalist?
2By: Sam Storms
Was the Apostle Paul a Universalist?
By: Sam Storms
Some people have drawn a false and unbiblical conclusion from something Paul says in Romans 5:18. There the apostle says that “as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” Did you see that? “All men.” The conclusion some draw is that Paul is teaching universalism, the notion that when all is said and done, every single human being will be saved. Just as every single huma...Read More ➔
Spurgeon on the Eternal Security of the Believer
By: Sam Storms
Spurgeon on the Eternal Security of the Believer
By: Sam Storms
Few theological issues are as fraught with as much controversy and rancor as that of the security of the believer in Jesus Christ. I continue to marvel at how energetic people are on both sides of this issue when it comes to defending their cherished view. Without delving into the subject in exegetical detail, I would like to cite the words of Charles Spurgeon. His zeal for the truth of eternal security is deserving of our careful and prayerful consideration. “I...Read More ➔
What is a Cult, and How Might We Know?
1By: Sam Storms
What is a Cult, and How Might We Know?
By: Sam Storms
The existence and influence of religious cults is not something of by-gone days. They still exist today and continue to exert a nefarious influence on many. But what is a cult? Often we answer that question by pointing to virtually any religious body, group, or sect that differs from us on some point of doctrine. But that is profoundly unhelpful, and horribly divisive. Several definitions of a cult are available to us by those who’ve studied them far more deeply t...Read More ➔
Savoring the Supremacy of Christ in the Aftermath of Pentecost Sunday
By: Sam Storms
Savoring the Supremacy of Christ in the Aftermath of Pentecost Sunday
By: Sam Storms
Yesterday, May23rd, was Pentecost Sunday, the day on which the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh. The results and fruit of Pentecost are many: speaking in tongues, dreams, visions, prophecy, healing, and the salvation of 3,000 souls (Acts 2:41), among other glorious realities. But one more product of Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit is the exaltation of the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said that the Spirit will come to “glorify me” (J...Read More ➔
Revelation 3:10 and Seven Reasons why I don’t believe in a Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church
2By: Sam Storms
Revelation 3:10 and Seven Reasons why I don’t believe in a Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church
By: Sam Storms
Will there be a “Rapture,” a moment in time when all living saints are resurrected and “caught up” both physically and spatially to meet Christ in the air? Yes (1 Thess. 4:13-18), but as you will soon discover, I believe this event is simultaneous with and inseparable from the Parousia or the Second Coming of Christ itself. Before I go any further into this issue, I need to make it clear that, in my opinion, the so-called “Great Tribulation...Read More ➔
Do “Miracles” continue but not the Spiritual “Gift” of Miracles?
2By: Sam Storms
Do “Miracles” continue but not the Spiritual “Gift” of Miracles?
By: Sam Storms
As we seek to answer this question, I direct our attention to Galatians 3:1-5. Here the apostle Paul clearly describes both the initial reception of the Spirit at the moment of salvation (v. 2) and the on-going supply and provision of the Spirit throughout the course of the Christian life (v. 5). The initial gift of the Spirit to the Galatians (and to us as well) is described in v. 2 – “Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law ...Read More ➔
“Love is Love!” Or is it?
2By: Sam Storms
“Love is Love!” Or is it?
By: Sam Storms
There is a new slogan that I regularly see emblazoned on T-shirts and on the bumper stickers of cars, and on placards held high at certain rallies. “Love is Love!” My first reaction, as you might guess, is to ask a question of the person promoting this philosophy: “Please, define ‘love’.” The answer in return would likely be something along the lines of: “I just did. I said, ‘love is love.’” Aside from the absu...Read More ➔
Pentecostals, Charismatics, and the Third Wave. Who Believes What? Part Two
1By: Sam Storms
Pentecostals, Charismatics, and the Third Wave. Who Believes What? Part Two
By: Sam Storms
In the previous article we looked at the historical and theological origins of the classical Pentecostal movement and the many denominations it produced. But today we also hear of so-called Charismatics, as well as the Third Wave movement. How do these differ, or do they? The Beginnings of Neo-Pentecostalism or the Charismatic Movement Neo-Pentecostalism or as some prefer, the Charismatic movement, refers to the penetration of the Pentecostal experience into the mainli...Read More ➔
Pentecostals, Charismatics, and the Third Wave. Who Believes What? Part One
3By: Sam Storms
Pentecostals, Charismatics, and the Third Wave. Who Believes What? Part One
By: Sam Storms
I recently read an article on-line that referred frequently to people who identify as Pentecostal. In the same article reference was made to Charismatics, as if to suggest these two are one and the same. Although not mentioned by name in this article, people also are often heard referring to the Third Wave. What do these labels mean? To whom do they refer? It’s important that we know the difference, assuming there is any, among these three related groups of Christ...Read More ➔
The Life and Death of Jack Taylor
3By: Sam Storms
The Life and Death of Jack Taylor
By: Sam Storms
I only learned on Monday morning that my friend, Jack Taylor, had passed away and entered the presence of his Lord and Savior, early Sunday morning, April 25. He was 87 years old. What a truly remarkable Christian man he was. Most of you probably don’t know him, but he was one of the more instrumental figures in bringing the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit into the lives Southern Baptists. I can’t remember when I first met Jack, but he would often visi...Read More ➔
Introduction to Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide
1By: Sam Storms
Introduction to Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide
By: Sam Storms
[My book, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide was released by Zondervan two weeks ago. Here is the Introduction to it.] Both the complexities of spiritual warfare and the controversies that it provokes have made me hesitant to write this book. It has taken several years for me to overcome my reluctance and finally to put words on a page. Two things in particular contributed to this decision. First, no matter how hard one may try, it is quite simply i...Read More ➔
Why Should April 18 Matter to You?
1By: Sam Storms
Why Should April 18 Matter to You?
By: Sam Storms
In case you missed it, and I hope you didn’t, yesterday, April 18, 2021, was a massively significant anniversary. Of what, you ask? I’m glad you asked. Yesterday, April 18, 2021, was the 500th anniversary of what may well have been the most significant event in more than 2,000 years of church history. That may strike you as an outlandish statement, but I believe it may well be true. I’m sure we could identify other significant occasions and turning poi...Read More ➔
My Foreword to Dave Harvey’s book, The Plurality Principle
2By: Sam Storms
My Foreword to Dave Harvey’s book, The Plurality Principle
By: Sam Storms
My friend Dave Harvey has just released an excellent book on why and how churches should be led by a plurality of Elders. He asked me to write the Foreword to it. In fact, this week I’ve been in Indianapolis for the Gospel Coalition national conference where I sat on a panel with Dave and two other pastors to discuss this book. Here is the Foreword. I urge you to get the book and read it closely. Really? An entire book on why our local churches should be led by a ...Read More ➔
My new book, “Understanding Spiritual Warfare”, releases Today!
2By: Sam Storms
My new book, “Understanding Spiritual Warfare”, releases Today!
By: Sam Storms
Back in September of 2020, my book Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan) was released. Today I’m pleased to let you know that the sequel, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan), is now available for purchase. Although the notice at Amazon says the release date is April 27, the book is already in stock and ready for shipment. Here are endorsements of it from Wayne Grudem, Matt Chandler, Michael Brown, and J. P. ...Read More ➔
The Foreword to my book on Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Clint Arnold
By: Sam Storms
The Foreword to my book on Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Clint Arnold
By: Sam Storms
There are a lot of books out there on spiritual warfare, but none are quite like this. I have been looking for one “go to” book that I could recommend to people on this important topic and this will be it. Sam Storms approaches spiritual warfare with the heart of a pastor, the skill of a biblical exegete, a sensitivity to the work of the Spirit, and the wisdom of a leader who has had significant experience in this arena. The result is a book that is truly we...Read More ➔
We Cannot Overestimate Heaven, or Lessons on Happiness from Jonathan Edwards
By: Sam Storms
We Cannot Overestimate Heaven, or Lessons on Happiness from Jonathan Edwards
By: Sam Storms
[First published at www.desiringgod.org on Monday, March 29, 2021] One of the more destructive threats to the human soul and the purposes for which God created and redeemed us is boredom. We were not made for boredom. Our hearts are hardwired by God for delight and discovery and ever-increasing joy and satisfaction in all that God is for us in Jesus and in all that God has created and does. This is why boredom is the devil’s delight. It is his playground. He take...Read More ➔
My “Vision” of Redemption from Sin
1By: Sam Storms
My “Vision” of Redemption from Sin
By: Sam Storms
This past Sunday at Bridgeway we spent time in Romans 3:21-26, looking primarily at three words: justification, redemption, and propitiation. As a way of illustrating the truth of redemption, I retold the story of Hosea and Gomer in the OT. You may recall that Gomer was an unfaithful wife, indeed, she was a harlot, running from one adulterous lover to another. She eventually was sold into slavery and found herself on the auction block, available to the highest bidder. E...Read More ➔
Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide
By: Sam Storms
Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide
By: Sam Storms
My new book, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan), is now available for pre-order at Amazon. The book should be available in a couple of weeks. This is a sequel, of sorts, to my book Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide, that came out in September of last year. Both books, around 350 pages, cover a wide range of issues related to our battle with Satan and the gifts of the Spirit. I’ll have more to tell you about the bo...Read More ➔
Check out my programs on Remnant Radio
1By: Sam Storms
Check out my programs on Remnant Radio
By: Sam Storms
If you aren’t familiar with Remnant Radio, you should be. You can go to YouTube and type it in and find numerous excellent programs. I’ve appeared on Remnant Radio with Josh Lewis and Michael Rowntree several times. Below are links to the programs. The first is on spiritual gifts, the second on spiritual warfare, the third on eschatology, specifically amillennialism, and the fourth on speaking in tongues. Enjoy! Spiritual gifts Spiritual Warfare Amil...Read More ➔
My “Vision” for Pastoral Ministry at Bridgeway Church
2By: Sam Storms
My “Vision” for Pastoral Ministry at Bridgeway Church
By: Sam Storms
Although most of the NT epistles were written to address unique circumstances and challenges in each city, there are at least two texts that I believe reflect the Apostle Paul’s “vision” for his ministry and for all the local churches in which he served. In Ephesians he articulates the purpose for God having gifted leaders in the local church. It was so that the saints would be equipped “for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Chris...Read More ➔
Announcing the Launch of My New Podcast
2By: Sam Storms
Announcing the Launch of My New Podcast
By: Sam Storms
I’m truly excited to let you know that I have just launched my new podcast with the title, Exploring Word and Spirit. If ever the church of Jesus Christ stood in need of a convergence between the life-changing truths of God’s written Word, the Bible, and the supernatural power of God’s Holy Spirit, it is now. For far too long Christians have given themselves to one to the exclusion of the other. We’ve been lied to. We’ve been told you can&rs...Read More ➔
Heaven is a World of Love
1By: Sam Storms
Heaven is a World of Love
By: Sam Storms
Crossway has recently launched a series of short books under the heading, Crossway Short Classics. The most recent one is the essay by Jonathan Edwards, Heaven is a World of Love. They asked me to write the Foreword to it, which you will find below. I can’t think of anyone who was more productive during the course of his earthly life than Jonathan Edwards. One need only glance at the Yale University Press edition of his collected works to verify this as fact. And ...Read More ➔
A Tribute to Larry Crabb (1944-2021)
2By: Sam Storms
A Tribute to Larry Crabb (1944-2021)
By: Sam Storms
Yet another of the more influential men in my life has gone to be with Jesus. I can’t begin to describe what Larry Crabb meant to me and my approach to pastoral ministry. Larry entered heaven on February 28, at the age of 77. I first met Larry in 1987. I was a deeply burdened pastor who had hit a wall, not knowing how to minister to the needs of people who were deeply wounded and hurting. I heard about a week-long seminar that Larry and Dan Allender were hosting a...Read More ➔
No. The Spiritual Gift of Prophecy is not the same as Preaching
1By: Sam Storms
No. The Spiritual Gift of Prophecy is not the same as Preaching
By: Sam Storms
One of the arguments that I often hear from my cessationist friends is that the gift of prophecy is simply another way of referring to what we typically understand to be the preaching or teaching of God’s Word. When defined this way, the cessationist can affirm that “prophecy” is still valid today without having to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is revealing truths to believers above and beyond (but never contrary to) what we find in Scripture. But i...Read More ➔
God Knows What You’re Thinking
1By: Sam Storms
God Knows What You’re Thinking
By: Sam Storms
The gospel is, by definition, good news. But included in the good news of what happens when one believes is the bad news of what happens when one rejects Christ. That is why Paul says in Romans 2:16 that it is “according to” the gospel that God will judge people by Christ Jesus (v. 16). This judgment will expose “the secrets of men,” the hidden thoughts, fantasies, wicked plans and ulterior motives of all humanity. That God’s judgment will ...Read More ➔
Are we Supposed to Forgive God?
2By: Sam Storms
Are we Supposed to Forgive God?
By: Sam Storms
I’m hearing more and more these days about the purported therapeutic value in “forgiving God.” For those who have suffered greatly, healing comes, at least in part, when we are enabled by God’s grace to forgive those who have sinned against us. On occasion we also hear of the importance of forgiving “ourselves” (which, I must confess, strikes me as lacking biblical sanction; but that is for another time). What concerns me most is when ...Read More ➔
Could Certain Kinds of Abuse also be Grounds for Divorce and Remarriage?
2By: Sam Storms
Could Certain Kinds of Abuse also be Grounds for Divorce and Remarriage?
By: Sam Storms
Two years ago, I sat with my good friend Wayne Grudem in his home in Phoenix as we talked about his research into the subject of divorce and remarriage. In his excellent book, Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning (Crossway, 2018), for which I wrote an endorsement, he argued for the traditional view that divorce and remarriage were permissible (but never mandatory) on the grounds of adultery and abandonment. Wayne shared with me that his view was...Read More ➔
What Happens when Revival Comes?
3By: Sam Storms
What Happens when Revival Comes?
By: Sam Storms
Everyone, it seems, has their own definition or description of revival. Here I want to identify ten features of biblical revival. Among the many who have influenced my thinking on this topic, I have to mention J. I. Packer, on whom I am greatly dependent. This week at Bridgeway we embark on four days of prayer and fasting. There are many things for which we are praying and seeking God, chief among which is a revival of his people and his church. So, here is what happens ...Read More ➔
Another Example of Blatant Hypocrisy and Utter Moral Inconsistency
6By: Sam Storms
Another Example of Blatant Hypocrisy and Utter Moral Inconsistency
By: Sam Storms
Every so often the blatant hypocrisy and utter moral inconsistency of certain political figures in our country is more than I can take. Today I want to share with you the most recent case in point. I do not write this in order to indict any political party or person, but simply to point out how blind and irrational some people can be, especially when it comes to the issue of abortion. In an article in USA Today on Friday, January 29, several people were objecting to the...Read More ➔
A Word in Response to Sarah Silverman
1By: Sam Storms
A Word in Response to Sarah Silverman
By: Sam Storms
In a video posted to social media on Friday, January 8, in a clip from her weekly podcast, the secular Jewish comedienne and actress Sarah Silverman claimed that there is no hell. She said that she wanted to alleviate the fears of those who believe in eternal punishment. “If you’re in the range of my voice right now,” said Silverman, “and you’re someone who believes [in] and fears hell, let me release you of that fear right now. There is no ...Read More ➔
Some Thoughts on the “failed” Prophecies concerning Donald Trump and the 2020 Election
9By: Sam Storms
Some Thoughts on the “failed” Prophecies concerning Donald Trump and the 2020 Election
By: Sam Storms
What are we to make of the many “failed prophecies” of Trump’s election to a second term? That was the question asked of me on Friday by a religion reporter from the New York Times. Her article should be published sometime this week. There are several things that I said in response. First, why is everyone making such a big deal of this? No one prophesies with 100% accuracy. The apostle Paul said that in this present age we prophesy “in part&rdquo...Read More ➔
Should we take Covid-19 Vaccines that contain the Cells of Aborted Babies?
3By: Sam Storms
Should we take Covid-19 Vaccines that contain the Cells of Aborted Babies?
By: Sam Storms
I hope that all of you regularly listen to the Ask Pastor John podcast at www.desiringgod.org. In a recent episode he addressed a question that many are asking, the question posed in the title to this post. Piper’s response is clear and persuasive. I urge you to read it carefully. Let me make four kinds of observations, and hope and pray that these will give some guidance to our thinking and our feeling and our acting. And I think all three of those really matter,...Read More ➔
The Three Most Encouraging Biblical Words for 2020 and 2021
1By: Sam Storms
The Three Most Encouraging Biblical Words for 2020 and 2021
By: Sam Storms
This past Thursday, the day after the horrible events that took place in our nation’s capital, I shared with our entire staff at Bridgeway what I believe are the three most important words from the Bible as we leave behind 2020 and enter into 2021. Those three words aren’t what you would expect. They aren’t, “God is love,” although he certainly is. They aren’t, “Christ is risen,” although he certainly is. They are three si...Read More ➔
Beholding the Glory of Christ in Scripture in 2021
By: Sam Storms
Beholding the Glory of Christ in Scripture in 2021
By: Sam Storms
Many of you are already well on your way to reading through the Bible in 2021. Like every other year, you’ve heard the call: “Let’s read through the Bible together this year.” Sadly, though, the resolve to read lasts for about a month or two. Then life’s demands and the pressures of each day suppress the commitment we earlier made. How can we not let that happen again this year? I want to suggest that our failure to maintain our pledge to r...Read More ➔
A Review of “Operating in the Courts of Heaven”, by Robert Henderson, Part Two
1By: Sam Storms
A Review of “Operating in the Courts of Heaven”, by Robert Henderson, Part Two
By: Sam Storms
Robert Henderson has written a series of books defending his thesis about the nature and power of prayer. My review is limited to the first and foundational book in this series, Operating in the Courts of Heaven (2014). Should I discover that in those subsequent volumes he reverses or corrects what was written in the first volume, I will write whatever retractions are required. Before I finish my review of Henderson’s first book, I need to say something about pray...Read More ➔
A Review of “Operating in the Courts of Heaven”, by Robert Henderson, Part One
By: Sam Storms
A Review of “Operating in the Courts of Heaven”, by Robert Henderson, Part One
By: Sam Storms
I don’t enjoy writing critical reviews. But sometimes it is necessary. I was alerted to this book by Robert Henderson some time ago, and the book itself was published in 2014. Evidently its influence is beginning to spread. You’ve often heard the expression, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” That’s probably a good policy to follow. But in this case my judgment was formed not by the cover of the book but by its sub-title, which honest...Read More ➔
The Epiphany of Grace and Glory
1By: Sam Storms
The Epiphany of Grace and Glory
By: Sam Storms
You may find it rather strange that I have chosen to write about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ during that time of year when everything and everyone are focused on the First Coming of Christ. But I have two very good reasons for doing so. My first reason is personal. I can’t recall a time in my life when I have so deeply and passionately longed for the return of Christ as I have in 2020. At times, the feeling has been overwhelming. It’s even been so inte...Read More ➔
Think You Know the Christmas Story? Here are Five Common Misconceptions
2By: Sam Storms
Think You Know the Christmas Story? Here are Five Common Misconceptions
By: Sam Storms
[My friend, Michael Kruger, President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC, has written an excellent analysis of certain beliefs about Christmas that you need to hear.] Bah, humbug. That’s probably one of the most well-known lines in literary (and now, cinematic) history. Everybody immediately recognizes the curmudgeonly voice of Ebeneezer Scrooge as he pours cold water all over our Christmas spirit. And his point is still made today by some, albeit...Read More ➔
My interview with Steven Bancarz
By: Sam Storms
My interview with Steven Bancarz
By: Sam Storms
I was recently interviewed by Steven Bancarz on my book, The Singing God. You can access it on YouTube here....Read More ➔
Christmas sale of “Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide”
By: Sam Storms
Christmas sale of “Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide”
By: Sam Storms
Understanding Spiritual Gifts is on sale this week! Get the softcover for 50% off bit.ly/2KpFABi or the eBook for $3.99 amzn.to/39ZFueu. Deals end December 21st. ...Read More ➔
Best Books of 2020
By: Sam Storms
Best Books of 2020
By: Sam Storms
The time has come once again for me to identify what I consider to be the best books of 2020. This year’s list is an odd assortment. Although most on the list are works of deep theological reflection, there are a couple that you may find a bit out of place for someone like me. That is especially the case with my selection for best book of the year. So, let’s get started. (10) How to Read Theology for All Its Worth, by Karin Spiecker Stetina (Zondervan Academ...Read More ➔
Rejoicing that our God is Able
By: Sam Storms
Rejoicing that our God is Able
By: Sam Storms
“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3). When was the last time you thanked God simply for being able? I can’t imagine anything more disheartening and depressing than believing in a God who lacks the power to fulfill his purposes, whose energy wanes in the heat of battle or whose strength diminishes in a moment of crisis. Good intentions notwithstanding, if God can’t carry out his plans and can’t fulfill his g...Read More ➔
Personal Integrity in an Age of Corruption
1By: Sam Storms
Personal Integrity in an Age of Corruption
By: Sam Storms
Both leading up to the election and in its wake, we have heard countless voices complaining about corruption and deceit. Regardless of which candidate you preferred, there is no escaping the fact that corruption and dishonesty and self-serving deceitfulness are rampant in our world. But does it matter? Is it all that big of a deal? The psalmist answers: “O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does ...Read More ➔
The Fragrance of Gratitude
By: Sam Storms
The Fragrance of Gratitude
By: Sam Storms
I can’t see as well as I used to, especially without my glasses. There are times when I don’t hear everything going on around me. And I must admit that I have a finicky sense of taste. But I’m proud to say that I have a marvelous sense of smell. And believe it or not, so too does God! Of course, I’m speaking anthropomorphically when I say that God has a perfect sense of smell. And few things smell as good to him as gratitude. In the book of Levi...Read More ➔
Spiritual Warfare on Remnant Radio
1By: Sam Storms
Spiritual Warfare on Remnant Radio
By: Sam Storms
I recently did an hour-long interview with Remnant Radio on spiritual warfare. You can link to it here. We cover a wide array of topics related to spiritual warfare, in anticipation of the publication of my book, Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide. This will be released by Zondervan in April, 2021....Read More ➔
Edward Snowden: Why the President should Grant him a Full Pardon
2By: Sam Storms
Edward Snowden: Why the President should Grant him a Full Pardon
By: Sam Storms
News broke a few months ago that President Trump was giving serious consideration to granting a pardon to Edward Snowden. Some of you may not recognize that name, so let me give you a brief summation of why he is important. At 22 years of age, Snowden got his first top secret clearance from the NSA. Less than a year later he was at the CIA, working as a systems engineer “with sprawling access to some of the most sensitive networks on the planet” (Permanent R...Read More ➔
The Sovereignty of God in 2020
3By: Sam Storms
The Sovereignty of God in 2020
By: Sam Storms
Few things are more controversial among Christians than the sovereignty of God. Is God truly sovereign over everything, including calamity, natural disasters, death, and demons, or is his sovereign control restricted to those things we typically regard as good, such as material blessing, family welfare, personal salvation, and good health? This is an especially relevant question for pastors and biblical counselors who regularly seek to help those who have suffered great...Read More ➔
The Abominable “Equality Act”
3By: Sam Storms
The Abominable “Equality Act”
By: Sam Storms
The following is an excerpt from an article by Rod Dreher at the website https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/ October 29, 2020 Joe Biden said today that if he’s elected (and assuming he has a Democratic Senate behind him), he will sign the Equality Act within the first hundred days. I believe him, too. This is an issue that the Democratic Party is united on. The only reason it’s not the law now is because the Republican Senate would not pass it. ...Read More ➔
I’m Voting!
3By: Sam Storms
I’m Voting!
By: Sam Storms
In my recent article where I interacted with John Piper’s comments on the current election, I hinted that I was giving serious consideration to voting for neither Trump nor Biden. Whereas I still believe that this is a legitimate option for Christians, I have decided that it is not a legitimate option for me personally. I’m not saying for whom I’m voting, but I’m voting in the presidential election. I simply cannot justify, to the satisfaction of ...Read More ➔
A Word of Encouragement
2By: Sam Storms
A Word of Encouragement
By: Sam Storms
At the close of John Piper’s recent controversial article on the election, he had this word of counsel to pastors and church leaders. I hope you find this helpful. I certainly did. It seems especially appropriate in our current season when circumstances outside of our control have been imposed so forcefully on us. I know that all those who serve in ministry roles feel frustrated in not being able to do what we think needs to be done. But seize this opportunity. Don...Read More ➔
A Brief Reflection on John Piper’s Recent Article concerning the Presidential Election
47By: Sam Storms
A Brief Reflection on John Piper’s Recent Article concerning the Presidential Election
By: Sam Storms
Most of you are aware that I regard John Piper as one of my dearest friends. We’ve known each other for over 35 years and I’ve had the privilege of sitting on the board of Desiring God and partnering with John in the advance of what we call Christian Hedonism. He has also exerted a tremendous, life-shaping influence on me theologically. What follows is not designed to disagree with the substance of what he wrote in his article. You can read the article here....Read More ➔
When God Calls You His Beloved
By: Sam Storms
When God Calls You His Beloved
By: Sam Storms
In Romans 1:7 Paul describes those to whom this remarkable letter is addressed. He refers to them as those “who are loved by God.” You may not think that anyone else cares anything at all for you. I don’t believe that’s true, but you may be convinced that it is. Satan is trying to convince you that it is true. He wants you to feel excluded, unloved, uncared for, and unnoticed by others. You aren’t. But hearing me reassure you probably won&r...Read More ➔
“You are not your own” (living as slaves of Christ)
By: Sam Storms
“You are not your own” (living as slaves of Christ)
By: Sam Storms
The apostle Paul had never been to Rome. He knew only a handful of believers there. So one might reasonably think that he would introduce himself to the church in that city by pulling out his resume and reeling off a list of accomplishments: inspired letters that he had written, signs and wonders he had performed, famous people that he knew, or perhaps that he alone had been translated into the third heaven and given the privilege of seeing things that are too glorious t...Read More ➔
The Remarkable, Christ-Exalting Life of My Mother
7By: Sam Storms
The Remarkable, Christ-Exalting Life of My Mother
By: Sam Storms
Doris Tsianina Storms was born on April 12, 1920. She entered into glory on October 3, 2020. Her life spanned more than 100 years, and she lived every minute of it to the glory of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Mom’s early life was unimaginably challenging. In the midst of the Great Depression her parents separated, but never divorced. Her father was a kind and loving man, but an alcoholic. My grandmother had no choice but to put my mother and her three younger...Read More ➔
Why Did God Heal Me? Lessons from an Unexpected Miracle
By: Sam Storms
Why Did God Heal Me? Lessons from an Unexpected Miracle
By: Sam Storms
By Darren Carlson [This article first appeared at www.desiringgod.org] January 12, 2019, was just another day in pain. For nearly four years, my body had betrayed me. Unexplained headaches. Numbness. A broken metabolism. The need for a two-hour nap every afternoon. And worst of all, significant digestive problems that made it impossible for me to stand up for longer than twenty minutes. I was forced to alter local travel plans, stop preaching, stop coaching youth sport...Read More ➔
The Ruthless Pursuit of Holiness
1By: Sam Storms
The Ruthless Pursuit of Holiness
By: Sam Storms
Do you strive for holiness, or is your approach to Christian living one of laid-back passivity, a let-go-and-let-God philosophy? In his introduction to the spirituality of Jonathan Edwards, Kyle Strobel argues that “for the believer, this striving is not for salvation, but from within salvation. Furthermore,” building on Edwards’s understanding, “the nature of holiness leads one to desire more and more of it – communion with God satisfies e...Read More ➔
Was Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, Genuinely Converted to Saving Faith in the God of Israel?
1By: Sam Storms
Was Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, Genuinely Converted to Saving Faith in the God of Israel?
By: Sam Storms
In the previous article we looked briefly at the strange case of Nebuchadnezzar who appears to have been disciplined by God with a case of boanthropy. The discipline apparently worked, as the King lifted his eyes to heaven and experienced the restoration of reason (Dan. 4:34). He proceeded to bless God, praise and honor him. Is this an indication that he experienced a change of heart and had trusted God for forgiveness? This would appear to be the case, especially in li...Read More ➔
250 Theological Essays at the Gospel Coalition
By: Sam Storms
250 Theological Essays at the Gospel Coalition
By: Sam Storms
As you may know, I serve as a member of the Council of The Gospel Coalition. Today came the announcement of a series of 250 articles covering virtually every important theological and doctrinal subject. I had the privilege of writing five of these essays. They are all easily accessible and free. Here is the link. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/tgc-essays/...Read More ➔
Boasting, Boanthropy, and the Strange Case of Nebuchadnezzar
By: Sam Storms
Boasting, Boanthropy, and the Strange Case of Nebuchadnezzar
By: Sam Storms
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, presents us with a couple of challenging questions. Was he eventually converted to a genuine faith in the God of Israel? Perhaps. I’ll take that up in a subsequent article. But here I want us to look briefly at his boastful arrogance and the judgment God brought upon him. If he was later truly converted, it was this rather odd disciplinary procedure that likely accounts for it. One day, as he was walking on the roof of his royal pa...Read More ➔
Does Paul Require the Complete Silence of Women in Church? A Study of 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35
2By: Sam Storms
Does Paul Require the Complete Silence of Women in Church? A Study of 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35
By: Sam Storms
When some wish to insist that women should remain silent in church, they typically appeal to 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35. There Paul wrote: “As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church” (1 Cor. 14:33b-35). ...Read More ➔
My interview on Remnant Radio
By: Sam Storms
My interview on Remnant Radio
By: Sam Storms
My Interview with Remnant Radio The link below is of my interview of over an hour with the hosts of Remnant Radio. I’ve done this before on other topics with Josh and Michael, but this may be the longest and most in-depth of all. They asked questions of me related to my new book, Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan) that was released on September 1. I hope you enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HSdH7jHr9U&feature=youtu.be ...Read More ➔
Still More Endorsements of Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide
By: Sam Storms
Still More Endorsements of Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide
By: Sam Storms
If you are wanting an introduction to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, this book is for you. If you are already knowledgeable in the gifts of the Spirit, this is the book for you as well. It is a source book for the seasoned Christian. You should secure extra copies to give away. No one is more able to produce a balanced book like this than Dr. Sam Storms. With a solid background in the Word and the Spirit, he has written a book that will be edifying and God-honoring. R. T...Read More ➔
More Endorsements of Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide
By: Sam Storms
More Endorsements of Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide
By: Sam Storms
“Sam Storms has given the Body of Christ a gift in, Understanding Spiritual Gifts, A Comprehensive Guide. This is without doubt, the best book I have ever read on the subject. Sam brings clarity to this often misunderstood subject, awakening us to the necessity of spiritual gifts in order to live the fruitful lives God has designed for us, and to fulfil the mission he has assigned to us. It is time for the Body of Christ to function as a whole, healthy, and strong ...Read More ➔
My interview with Faithlife on Spiritual Gifts
By: Sam Storms
My interview with Faithlife on Spiritual Gifts
By: Sam Storms
A couple of days ago I joined Scott Lindsay of Faithlife (Logos) for an hour-long interview on my new book, Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan). Here is the link in case you’d like to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4DuQxbZM00&list=PLVacgImttbO8kRONNrh_VKfDLil3q69PT ...Read More ➔
Endorsements of Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan)
By: Sam Storms
Endorsements of Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide (Zondervan)
By: Sam Storms
Sam Storms has written the most comprehensive book on spiritual gifts I have ever seen. I can’t think of a question about the gifts that he does not address. And his answers are based on the simple statements of Scripture, not preconceived theory about the gifts. Although Sam is a scholar, this book is not a scholarly, theoretical examination of spiritual gifts. It is an eloquent, easy to read, practical explanation of each of the twenty-one spiritual gifts and why...Read More ➔
10 Questions about Spiritual Gifts
2By: Sam Storms
10 Questions about Spiritual Gifts
By: Sam Storms
[This article was first published on September 5, 2020, at www.crossway.org.] Q: What are spiritual gifts? Where are they found in Scripture? A: The primary texts where spiritual gifts are explicitly mentioned are Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:11-14; and 1 Peter 4:10-11. There are numerous other texts, mostly in Acts, where we read of certain gifts being exercised (see also Gal. 3:5; 1 Thess. 5:19-22; 1 Tim. 1:18; 2 Tim. 1:6; Heb. 2:3-4; James 5:13-18...Read More ➔
The Foreword to "Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide", by Craig Keener
By: Sam Storms
The Foreword to "Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide", by Craig Keener
By: Sam Storms
Because the Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, learning to depend on the Spirit is crucial to the Christian life. And because biblical teaching about gifts of the Spirit points us to dependence on God’s Spirit to empower us to serve one another in the various ways that God equips us, it is teaching crucial for today’s church. Few things could be more central than learning to depend on God, in our various distinctive ways, to build up fellow believers ...Read More ➔
Will Some Christians Smell Like Smoke on Judgment Day?
1By: Sam Storms
Will Some Christians Smell Like Smoke on Judgment Day?
By: Sam Storms
[This article was originally published at the website of the Gospel Coalition on August 29, 2020] Many Christians get nervous whenever the subject of rewards is raised. To speak of praise for specific deeds performed or a life well-lived—or conversely the loss of rewards—strikes them as inconsistent with salvation by grace alone. But no amount of anxiety can justify ignoring the clear teaching of Scripture. And numerous biblical texts speak of rewards for o...Read More ➔
My New Book, "Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide", is now Available!
By: Sam Storms
My New Book, "Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide", is now Available!
By: Sam Storms
Finally, my new book on spiritual gifts is now available. Perhaps the best place to get it is on Amazon. Some of you may wonder how this book differs from my earlier volume, The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Gifts. The latter volume, originally released in 2002 (174 pages) and then again in a slightly revised version in 2012 (219 pages), was truly only a “beginner’s” guide. This new volume is a massively expanded treatment not simply of the nine g...Read More ➔
Spiritual Appetites Need No Bounds
1By: Sam Storms
Spiritual Appetites Need No Bounds
By: Sam Storms
One of the more fascinating and instructive of Jonathan Edwards’s sermons is rooted in Song of Solomon 5:1. Here is Edwards’s translation of the text: “Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.” Although most today believe that the Song of Solomon explicitly addresses the love relationship between husband and wife, Edwards stood in the tradition that dominated church history for its first 1,800 years. He argued that it was somethin...Read More ➔
Salvation as Partaking of the Divine Nature
By: Sam Storms
Salvation as Partaking of the Divine Nature
By: Sam Storms
No one ever probed the depths of what it means to be saved as intently and insightfully as Jonathan Edwards. He especially drew from this statement by the apostle Peter: “[God] has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:4). Edwards was careful to deny that the Christian partakes of ...Read More ➔
Blessed are the Persecuted. Really?
1By: Sam Storms
Blessed are the Persecuted. Really?
By: Sam Storms
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). Seriously? Did Jesus really mean what he said? Yes. Let’s look closely at this stunning statement. Thi...Read More ➔
The Holy Spirit, by Gregg R. Allison and Andreas Kostenberger
By: Sam Storms
The Holy Spirit, by Gregg R. Allison and Andreas Kostenberger
By: Sam Storms
Numerous books have been written on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Some have been helpful, but most have fallen far short of what the church needs. I’m delighted to let you know of the publication of what I believe is the best and most comprehensive treatment of the Holy Spirit yet to appear. Gregg Allison and Andreas Kostenberger have partnered to produce a 543-page treasure trove of biblical and theological truth about the Spirit (B & H Academic). H...Read More ➔
The Conclusion of Christian Living, or, How to End Well
By: Sam Storms
The Conclusion of Christian Living, or, How to End Well
By: Sam Storms
So when can we quit? Is there a point in the Christian life when we can take our foot off the pedal, throw our lives into neutral, and happily coast into heaven? After all, isn’t that what the world counsels? Retire. Relax. Amuse yourself. Indulge in whatever pleasures you were denied in your working years. You’re on the shelf, so take it easy. The end is in sight. J. I. Packer only recently entered into glory. During his final years he grew increasingly wea...Read More ➔
The Holiness of God
By: Sam Storms
The Holiness of God
By: Sam Storms
Here is a link to my podcast with Gary Wilkerson of World Challenge. The focus of our discussion is the holiness of God. Enjoy! https://wcm.link/gwp79ss ...Read More ➔
Blessed are the Merciful!
1By: Sam Storms
Blessed are the Merciful!
By: Sam Storms
This week at Bridgeway we looked at our Lord’s declaration, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7). In this brief article I want to share with you the most biblical example of mercy that I’ve ever seen. I’ve written about Jackie Pullinger many times before, but I make no apology for speaking of her yet again. I first met Jackie in January of 1991 in California. I had dinner with her and listened for two hours a...Read More ➔
My new book on Spiritual Gifts!
By: Sam Storms
My new book on Spiritual Gifts!
By: Sam Storms
It’s almost here. My new book on spiritual gifts (and most likely, my last book on the subject) will be released by Zondervan in a couple of weeks. If you want to learn more about it, see the endorsements by Max Lucado, Christine Caine, Jack Deere, and Mike Bickle, and pre-order your copy, go to the website, www.understandingspiritualgifts.com. This is just about everything I know on this topic. The book is approximately 385 pages and covers the wide range of issu...Read More ➔
The Life of J. I. Packer (1926-2020)
By: Sam Storms
The Life of J. I. Packer (1926-2020)
By: Sam Storms
I don’t think it an exaggeration to say that I owe much of what I am as a pastor and theologian to the combined influence of a schoolyard bully and an inattentive bread truck driver. Such are the mysteries of divine providence that largely account for the remarkable spiritual influence, not only on me personally but on the whole of the evangelical world, of one James Innell Packer. I’m not alone in this assessment of Packer’s impact, as the readers of C...Read More ➔
‘Jim’ Packer, Man of Immutable Integrity
By: Sam Storms
‘Jim’ Packer, Man of Immutable Integrity
By: Sam Storms
[J. I. Packer entered into glory on Friday, July 17th, five days short of his 94th birthday. A couple of months earlier I was contacted by the Gospel Coalition and asked to write a personal tribute to him. At the time of the request, it appeared that his days on earth were drawing to a close and they wanted to have everything in place to honor this man once the Lord had called him home. I encourage you to visit the Gospel Coalition website at www.thegospelcoalition.org w...Read More ➔
My Reflections on the Life and Legacy of J. I. Packer
3By: Sam Storms
My Reflections on the Life and Legacy of J. I. Packer
By: Sam Storms
As you probably know by now, J. I. Packer went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, July 17, five days short of his 94th birthday. Below is a link to a podcast where I talk about his life and theology and the influence he had on me and countless others. https://www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-the-life-and-legacy-of-j-i-packer-sam-storms/...Read More ➔
Why Bridgeway Church Chose Not to Apply for or Receive PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) Funds
3By: Sam Storms
Why Bridgeway Church Chose Not to Apply for or Receive PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) Funds
By: Sam Storms
On Wednesday of last week numerous news outlets disclosed the many Christian churches and ministries that applied for and received substantial funds from the PPP program. Several of the larger and more prosperous mega-churches in the country received anywhere from $5 to $10 million. Others are listed as having received from $2 to $5 million. I won’t mention their names, as my aim in this article isn’t to criticize them or to accuse them of sin. My aim is to e...Read More ➔
A Podcast on why I left Cessationism and Embraced Continuationism
1By: Sam Storms
A Podcast on why I left Cessationism and Embraced Continuationism
By: Sam Storms
Episdoe 63 / Christian Cessationist Now Believes In Continuation of Charismatic Gifts / The 180 Cast - with Georgi Boorman https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episdoe-63-christian-cessationist-now-believes-in-continuation/id1457346132?i=1000474823506 Christian theologian and author Sam Storms rejoins the podcast to talk about why he ceased to be a cessationist and now believes the charismatic gifts of the Spirit, such as prophecy and speaking in tongues, are present ...Read More ➔
Heavenly Healing and Happiness
1By: Sam Storms
Heavenly Healing and Happiness
By: Sam Storms
People are coping with the current crisis in differing ways, most of which are only making matters worse. I have long held the belief that the best way to manage the anxiety and fear that arise from earthly chaos is by meditating on the peace and blessings of heaven. And there is no better place for us to see this than in Revelation 7:13-17. Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?”...Read More ➔
A Link to my Podcast on the Attributes of God (Part Two)
By: Sam Storms
A Link to my Podcast on the Attributes of God (Part Two)
By: Sam Storms
Last week I posted a link to the first half of a two-part podcast that I did with Gary Wilkerson of World Challenge. The subject is the attributes of God. Here is a link to part two. Enjoy! https://wcm.link/gwp74ss ...Read More ➔
Sober Reflections on the Social Unrest and Racial Hostility Today
3By: Sam Storms
Sober Reflections on the Social Unrest and Racial Hostility Today
By: Sam Storms
Let me first ask for your patience. It is incredibly difficult to know when to speak and when to be patient and silent on such matters that currently confront us as a society. Many would criticize me for not speaking sooner. I understand their frustration. Others would criticize me had I chosen to speak early on in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, thinking that to speak before all the evidence is known is both premature and unwise. Then there are those who w...Read More ➔
Podcast on the Attributes of God
By: Sam Storms
Podcast on the Attributes of God
By: Sam Storms
If you'd like to watch or listen to my podcast on the attributes of God with Gary Wilkerson, here is the link. Blessings, https://worldchallenge.org/podcast/preeminent-passion-heart-god?utm_campaign=gwpodcast&utm_medium=guest&utm_source=SamStorms ...Read More ➔
Peace be with you! Your Sins are Forgiven!
1By: Sam Storms
Peace be with you! Your Sins are Forgiven!
By: Sam Storms
One of the more enigmatic statements made by Jesus came on the day of his resurrection from the dead. His disciples were hiding out in the upper room, behind locked doors, terrified of what might soon befall them. Jesus suddenly appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you.” He then repeated himself and said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and ...Read More ➔
Our God is a Mighty Fortress in the Midst of Chaos and Unrest
2By: Sam Storms
Our God is a Mighty Fortress in the Midst of Chaos and Unrest
By: Sam Storms
Ein feste burg ist unser Gott! Say what? Well, that’s how Martin Luther would have written it in his famous hymn: “A mighty fortress is our God,A bulwark never failing;He, amid the floodOf mortal ills prevailing.” There can be no doubt but that Luther’s sturdy, unshakeable, unflappable confidence in God as his refuge, his strength, his mighty, impenetrable fortress is what ultimately accounted for what he was able to accomplish in bringing a...Read More ➔
My Interview on Spiritual Gifts at The Layman’s Lounge
By: Sam Storms
My Interview on Spiritual Gifts at The Layman’s Lounge
By: Sam Storms
I recently engaged with the leaders of The Layman’s Lounge as they asked me numerous questions about spiritual gifts. Here is the link. https://thelaymenslounge.com/spiritual-gifts-often-faked-often-bizzare-but-very-much-needed/...Read More ➔
If the Kingdom is Here, Why is the World in such a Mess?
3By: Sam Storms
If the Kingdom is Here, Why is the World in such a Mess?
By: Sam Storms
I don’t know how all of you feel in the wake of the events that have transpired in our country these past few weeks. And no, I’m not talking solely about the death of George Floyd and the resultant protests in our streets. I’m also including in this the pandemic that has proven so devastating in so many ways for so many people. So, I will only speak for myself when I say that I find it easy at times to identify with the perplexity of John the Baptist b...Read More ➔
Face to Face
By: Sam Storms
Face to Face
By: Sam Storms
Sometimes profound truths are tucked away in obscure and neglected places. That is certainly the case with what we see in 2 John 12. My guess is that many of you have never bothered to read 2 and 3 John, perhaps thinking that epistles so short could hardly say much of value. Oh, how wrong you would be! As we prepare to regather on June 7 as the family of God at Bridgeway here in Oklahoma City, I want to draw your attention to something the apostle John said at the close...Read More ➔
The Only Lasting Solution to the Racial Hostility in our Country
4By: Sam Storms
The Only Lasting Solution to the Racial Hostility in our Country
By: Sam Storms
I’ve read and heard so many responses to the horrific murder of George Floyd that my heart is shattered and my head is spinning. I don’t know if there is anything more that can be said, but to remain silent is simply not an option. The issue that has erupted once again in our land is not primarily political, social, economic, or educational. It is spiritual. Racism is an expression of the depravity of the human soul. It is one of many symptoms of the corrupt...Read More ➔
Jack Deere’s new book is now available!
By: Sam Storms
Jack Deere’s new book is now available!
By: Sam Storms
I’m happy to announce that Jack Deere’s new book is now available for purchase at Amazon.com. The title is, Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heals Today (Zondervan, 320 pages). If you’re wondering if this is a reprint of his earlier best-selling book, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, the answer is No. Although there is much here that appeared in that earlier volume, Jack has written a new work tha...Read More ➔
Yes, the Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation Have Been Opened
1By: Sam Storms
Yes, the Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation Have Been Opened
By: Sam Storms
In the previous article I outlined my understanding of the structure of Revelation. I argued that the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments have already been unleased in the earth and will occur, in varying degrees of intensity, all the way up until the time of the return of our Lord. In other words, they are descriptive of the commonplaces of human experience, both in the past, present, and yes also in the future. In this article we’ll look at the identity and meanin...Read More ➔
Yes, the Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation Have Been Opened
By: Sam Storms
Yes, the Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation Have Been Opened
By: Sam Storms
My good friend, Michael Brown, recently posted an article posing the question of whether or not the seven seals of Revelation have been opened. His conclusion is No. I hope my response and how I understand Revelation will be of some help in answering this pressing question. Perhaps the single greatest controversy surrounding Revelation and the most important issue when it comes to interpreting the book, is the question of its structure. Many, perhaps most, evangelicals ...Read More ➔
Why the Prophets Did Not See the Coming Pandemic
5By: Sam Storms
Why the Prophets Did Not See the Coming Pandemic
By: Sam Storms
There seems to be no end to the hyper-critical, cynical comments coming from many cessationists in the professing Christian world. One of the more virulent threads I keep seeing on the internet is the mocking tone that asks why the many prophets in the charismatic world did not foresee the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, let me be clear about one thing. This brief response is not an unqualified defense or vindication of the many names that are mentioned in this regard. Some of ...Read More ➔
A Prayer to Pray in a Pandemic
By: Sam Storms
A Prayer to Pray in a Pandemic
By: Sam Storms
What should I pray during this pandemic of Covid-19? What requests should I bring to the throne of grace? What do I need most at this critical time in our country? When I asked myself that question, the Spirit directed my heart to Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). “But Sam. That’s someone else’s prayer. That&rsq...Read More ➔
Podcast on Why I Became an Amillennialist
3By: Sam Storms
Podcast on Why I Became an Amillennialist
By: Sam Storms
I recently joined Georgi Boorman on her program where she interviews people who have changed their minds on certain theological topics. Here is the link to my conversation with her on why I changed my view on biblical eschatology. I hope you enjoy it. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/180-cast-ep-61-premillennialist-embraces-amillennial/id1457346132?i=1000473293080 ...Read More ➔
The Good Shepherd in the Time of Covid-19
1By: Sam Storms
The Good Shepherd in the Time of Covid-19
By: Sam Storms
What do we need most in times like these? If we have Jesus, nothing. At least that is what David would have us believe in Psalm 23. Aside from John 3:16, Psalm 23 may well be the most famous and oft-quoted passage in all of Holy Scripture. I’ve seen it printed on greeting cards, embossed on plaques, written on T-shirts, sewn into quilts, and even parts of it have appeared on bumper stickers of cars! I attribute this to its remarkable and powerfully reassuring port...Read More ➔
True Spirituality is Physical: A Personal Word of Exhortation and Encouragement to the People of Bridgeway Church
3By: Sam Storms
True Spirituality is Physical: A Personal Word of Exhortation and Encouragement to the People of Bridgeway Church
By: Sam Storms
There is a lot that I could say to encourage you in this season of uncertainty and extraordinary stress. Perhaps I will at a later time. But my heart is burdened right now with this “thing” that many are calling “virtual church.” Let me be as clear and to the point as I can. There is no such thing as “virtual church.” There are sermons and announcements that we can provide for you by means of modern technology. But these are no substit...Read More ➔
Theologians on the Christian Life: J. I. Packer
By: Sam Storms
Theologians on the Christian Life: J. I. Packer
By: Sam Storms
A little more than 18 months ago I participated in an event hosted by Crossway Publishers that was held at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Along with a half dozen others who had contributed to Crossway’s series of books, Theologians on the Christian Life, I had the opportunity to speak on the subject of my book, J. I. Packer. Here is the YouTube video of that brief session. I hope you enjoy it. https://youtu.be/1etWhxYAUH8 ...Read More ➔
The Goodness of God, Adversity, and the Coronavirus
2By: Sam Storms
The Goodness of God, Adversity, and the Coronavirus
By: Sam Storms
Over the past two months there has been a never-ending stream of articles posted on the Internet trying to decipher God’s role in the Coronavirus. No, I’m not going to add to the list. But reading these articles took me back to something my friend Andrew Wilson wrote a while back. Andrew was asked what he thought about Bethel and Bill Johnson. His response was both biblical and fair, highlighting both some theological concerns and an expression of appreciatio...Read More ➔
An Example of Persevering Faith
2By: Sam Storms
An Example of Persevering Faith
By: Sam Storms
In a recent sermon here at Bridgeway I told everyone about a remarkable man, or better still, a man with a remarkable God. In these challenging days when we complain and become embittered with an ever so slight inconvenience, we need to hear the story of Pat Bickle. On Saturday, May 5th, 2007, at the age of 50, Pat Bickle departed this life and entered into the presence of his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Most of you will probably never have heard the name of Pat Bick...Read More ➔
I Raise a Hallelujah!
By: Sam Storms
I Raise a Hallelujah!
By: Sam Storms
In the face of Covid-19 and the uncertainty that it brings, we should all pause and raise a Hallelujah to our great and awesome God. If you don’t know the story behind this song, it concerns a young boy named Jaxon Taylor who almost died. As you watch the video and rejoice for all that God has done, be aware that the little blonde-headed boy in his daddy’s arms and eventually on his daddy’s shoulders is Jaxon. Be blessed and worship the Lord! https://y...Read More ➔
Abiding in Christ in the Age of Covid-19
By: Sam Storms
Abiding in Christ in the Age of Covid-19
By: Sam Storms
In Colossians 4:5 the apostle Paul speaks of “making the best use of the time.” Older translations render it “redeeming the time.” These are wise words for us today, as so many, confined to home, are trying to fill each day with meaningful activities. May I recommend the words of Jesus in John 15 in which he exhorts us to “abide” in him? What better time than now to press into the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, with an undivided and s...Read More ➔
What No Virus Can Take
By: Sam Storms
What No Virus Can Take
By: Sam Storms
[Encouraging words from John Piper during this unsettling season of life.] John Piper Romans 8 — “the great eight” — is a text I think everybody in this isolation period should be memorizing. I’m making that as a suggestion: it’s the best thing you could do with your time. Romans 8 gives greater foundations for this fearlessness than anything in the world — than anything the world has to offer. I’ll mention four: 1. For ...Read More ➔
How a “You do You” Culture Has Made Us Vulnerable to the Coronavirus
1By: Sam Storms
How a “You do You” Culture Has Made Us Vulnerable to the Coronavirus
By: Sam Storms
Michael Kruger / March 19, 2020 [Michael Kruger, President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a fellow-member of the Executive Committee of the Evangelical Theological Society, recently wrote this insightful article at www.michaeljkruger.com.] “You do you.” Perhaps there’s no phrase that captures our current cultural moment better. Back in 2015, Colson Whitehead of the New York Times Magazine, lamented this phrase, arg...Read More ➔
Coping with Coronavirus by means of Good Theology!
1By: Sam Storms
Coping with Coronavirus by means of Good Theology!
By: Sam Storms
Bridgeway Church likely is no different from other gospel-centered churches when it comes to the frequency and variety of suffering that people endure. On top of all it all, we can now add the emotional instability and, on the part of some, panic that has set in as we watch the spread of Covid-19. I’m inclined to think the best way to respond to such personal tragedies, such as the sudden and inexplicable death of a loved one or an extended illness or the loss of ...Read More ➔
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (4)
By: Sam Storms
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (4)
By: Sam Storms
This is our final study of Isaiah 6. The practical application we find in this encounter with the holiness of God is profound. There are five things to note: (1) Personal holiness begins with an awareness of who God is. (2) An awareness of who God is leads to an awareness of who we are. (3) An awareness of who we are leads to personal confession and repentance. (4) Repentance leads to forgiveness and cleansing. (5) Forgiveness leads to mission. We must never forget that...Read More ➔
Kissing the Wave
By: Sam Storms
Kissing the Wave
By: Sam Storms
I know that many of you are reeling in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, seeking something to lay hold of and bring some measure of hope and stability into your life. May I suggest, no, may I strongly urge you to watch this short, 5-minute video of Rachel Wilson, wife of my good friend, Andrew Wilson? Andrew posted it today. It may turn out to be the most encouraging 5 minutes of your day. https://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/kissing_the_wave ...Read More ➔
A Podcast on my Journey with the Holy Spirit and his Gifts
By: Sam Storms
A Podcast on my Journey with the Holy Spirit and his Gifts
By: Sam Storms
I recently recorded an hour-long podcast with Alexis Busetti, focusing on my spiritual journey and how I came to believe in the contemporary validity and operation of all spiritual gifts. Alexis tells me that it is “also available through iTunes, GooglePlay, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, basically everywhere podcasts are available.” Her podcast is called, That Makes Total Sense, and here is the link. https://cisternandgrove.com/podcast/episode-030-sam-storms/...Read More ➔
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (3)
By: Sam Storms
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (3)
By: Sam Storms
In the previous article we took note of his reaction when Isaiah first saw God and then the angels that surrounded the throne. Today we look at the third thing Isaiah saw: himself (Isaiah 6:5-8). Seeing God does not produce rapture or giddiness or religious flippancy. It produces terror and self-loathing. Isaiah does not respond with pride or elitism, boasting that he alone has experienced this wonderful privilege. He is undone! He sees himself as insufferably unrighteo...Read More ➔
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (2)
By: Sam Storms
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (2)
By: Sam Storms
In this article we continue our study of Isaiah 6 and what it tells us about the Son of God, whose “glory” Isaiah saw (see John 12:41). A careful reading of this passage will show that Isaiah saw three things: the Lord, the angels, and himself. Isaiah sees the Lord We are told in v. 1 that he saw “the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up’ with the train of his robe filled the temple.” I don’t know what Isaiah meant when he sa...Read More ➔
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (1)
1By: Sam Storms
A Personal, Initially Painful, but Ultimately Pleasing Encounter with the Holiness of God (1)
By: Sam Storms
One of the more surprising texts in the Gospel of John comes on the heels of the apostle’s explanation for why so many people denied and defied Jesus. In order to account for this rejection of the Messiah, John appeals to the words of Isaiah 6:1-10, where God himself had declared that although they in one sense “see”, yet in another they are blind. In one sense they “hear”, yet in another they are deaf. It then that John makes this remarkabl...Read More ➔
Some Thoughts on the Convergence of Word and Spirit
2By: Sam Storms
Some Thoughts on the Convergence of Word and Spirit
By: Sam Storms
Most are probably unaware of this, but I frequently speak with people who are new to Bridgeway and I hear one of three observations. Almost all of them are somewhat surprised by what they encounter and experience here. It certainly wasn’t what they expected. First of all, there are those who have come to Bridgeway because they are desperately hungry for the truth of God’s Word. They have spent considerable time in a church, or perhaps several churches, where...Read More ➔
Why Bridgeway Church Exists
1By: Sam Storms
Why Bridgeway Church Exists
By: Sam Storms
We recently revised our Mission Statement at Bridgeway Church, expanding it by adding a simple but spiritually profound phrase. Previously our statement said: “We exist to exalt Christ in the City.” We still do! But now it reads: “We exist to exalt Christ in the City through joyful satisfaction in Him!” Every Christian, wherever they may live, believes that our ultimate aim should be to exalt and glorify God. But not everyone agrees on the most b...Read More ➔
Are Christians Obligated to give 10% of their Income to the Church?
3By: Sam Storms
Are Christians Obligated to give 10% of their Income to the Church?
By: Sam Storms
There are few questions that plague Christians more persistently than the issue of whether we are morally and biblically obligated to give 10% of our income to the local church. If not 10%, then how much should we give, and how might we know? Are Christians in the age of the New Covenant required to abide by laws given under the Old Covenant? Other related issues, especially for pastors, include a proper salary for ministers of the gospel, whether or not it is ok to ask...Read More ➔
Praying for a Resurrection from the Dead
4By: Sam Storms
Praying for a Resurrection from the Dead
By: Sam Storms
Enough time has passed since the controversy at Bethel regarding praying for a resurrection that I thought I would share a few brief comments. Simply put, is it biblical and prudent for us today to pray for a resurrection of the dead? To come straight to the point: Yes, it is. This issue was everywhere in the news when Olive Heiligenthal, two-year old daughter of worship leader Kalley Heilingthal, died in her sleep. Bethel Church in Redding, California, came together f...Read More ➔
A humble (I hope) reply to my good friend John Piper on the question of whether it is biblically permissible to refer to a woman as a “pastor”
2By: Sam Storms
A humble (I hope) reply to my good friend John Piper on the question of whether it is biblically permissible to refer to a woman as a “pastor”
By: Sam Storms
In the fall of 2019, I wrote several articles on my blog arguing that the NT allows for the possibility of a woman being referred to as a “pastor”. My friend Denny Burk responded to each one on his blog, to which I posted a friendly response yet again on mine. You can read those earlier articles here on my blog. More recently, my good friend John Piper took up where Denny left off and argued that it is “misleading,” “unwise,” and &ldq...Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Theology of Martin Luther
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Theology of Martin Luther
By: Sam Storms
A while back I wrote an article on ten things you should know about the life and ministry of Martin Luther. This was followed by two posts on the life of John Calvin as well as his theology. So it only seems fitting that we should also devote an article to the theology of Martin Luther.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Trinity
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Trinity
By: Sam Storms
As someone once said of the doctrine of the Trinity: "Try to explain it, and you'll lose your mind. But try to deny it, and you'll lose your soul!" With this in mind, let’s examine 10 things we should all know about the Trinity.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Vicarious Confession/Repentance Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Vicarious Confession/Repentance Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
This theory of the atonement will likely strike most Christians as bizarre, and rightly so!Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Virgin Birth of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Virgin Birth of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent, so it only seems fitting that we should turn our attention to the glorious message of Christmas. We will do that by devoting today’s article to 10 things all of us should know about the virgin conception and birth of Jesus.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Welsh Revival of 1904-06
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Welsh Revival of 1904-06
By: Sam Storms
On Sunday, Christmas Day, 1904, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, pastor of Westminster Chapel in downtown London, England, delivered a somewhat unusual sermon. Contrary to his normal practice of expounding a passage of Scripture, he proceeded to tell his people about the remarkable things that the Holy Spirit was doing at that very time in Wales.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Work of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Work of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
In an earlier article we looked at 10 things we should know about the person of the Holy Spirit. In this article we turn our attention to the work of the Spirit.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Wrath of God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Wrath of God
By: Sam Storms
Many would prefer that we only speak of God’s love and grace. But apart from the reality of divine wrath neither love nor grace makes much sense. We’ll see this as we explore ten things that every Christian should know about the wrath of God.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Thomas Aquinas
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Thomas Aquinas
By: Sam Storms
We Protestants often fail to take note of the unique and sometimes profitable contributions of Roman Catholic theologians of the past. So today we look at 10 things we should know about Thomas Aquinas.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Tithing under the Mosaic Covenant
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Tithing under the Mosaic Covenant
By: Sam Storms
Today we take up the issue of tithing, especially as it was mandated under the Law of Moses. Here are 10 things we should know.Read More ➔
10 Things you should Know about Total Depravity
By: Sam Storms
10 Things you should Know about Total Depravity
By: Sam Storms
With this article I’m launching a series that will appear every Monday for the foreseeable future. It will focus on 10 things that every Christian needs to understand about particular theological truths from Scripture. I start the series today with 10 things you and I should know about the doctrine of total depravity.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about God’s Will(s)
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about God’s Will(s)
By: Sam Storms
There is a reason I said God’s “Will(s)” (plural) instead of God’s “will” (singular). My focus in this installment of 10 things you should know is the question of whether or not there are two senses in which God may be said to “will” something.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about what Happened on Easter Sunday Morning
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about what Happened on Easter Sunday Morning
By: Sam Storms
There has been considerable controversy over the differences between Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and their respective descriptions of what happened on Easter Sunday morning. But the differences are not discrepancies. In other words, all four accounts, in my opinion, are complementary and perfectly compatible with one another. When we compare and align the four gospel accounts we derive the following ten truths.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about what the Roman Catholic Church believes regarding Mary
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about what the Roman Catholic Church believes regarding Mary
By: Sam Storms
In our continuing series on 10 things every Christian should know, we turn our attention to the Roman Catholic Church and its beliefs about the Virgin Mary.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about whether Women should be Elders in the Local Church
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about whether Women should be Elders in the Local Church
By: Sam Storms
Although some argue that there is no consistent pattern in the NT for local church government, I disagree. I believe the NT portrays for us a virtually air-tight case for governance by a plurality of Elders. However, it is important to realize that even if this is not the case we can still determine whether or not women should be appointed to positions of senior governmental authority.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Women as Deacons in the New Testament
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Women as Deacons in the New Testament
By: Sam Storms
Whereas the NT is quite clear that the office of Elder is restricted to qualified men, there is considerable and on-going dispute among evangelicals on the question of whether women can serve in the office of Deacon. Here are my reasons for saying Yes to this question.Read More ➔
“10 Things You Should Know” now available!
2By: Sam Storms
“10 Things You Should Know” now available!
By: Sam Storms
I’m happy to inform everyone that my series of articles, 10 Things You Should Know, is now available at this website. Some of you may recall that over the course of a couple of years I posted nearly every week an article under the title, 10 Things You Should Know about . . . The series covered multiple topics in theology, church history, local church life, and daily Christian living. These articles can now be found in one place on the website. Simply click on Reso...Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Exclusivity of Jesus Christ or the “Scandal of Particularity”
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Exclusivity of Jesus Christ or the “Scandal of Particularity”
By: Sam Storms
That there is no salvation apart from a conscious faith in Jesus Christ is considered by many to be scandalous. Here are ten things to remember about this critically important issue.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Second Coming of Christ
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Second Coming of Christ
By: Sam Storms
There is in the New Testament a plethora of information and detail regarding the second coming of Christ. I couldn’t begin to cover it all in one short blog post. So, in this article I will only draw your attention to what we are told in Revelation 19:11-21, one of the more graphic portrayals of who Jesus is and what the second coming will mean for unbelievers in particular.Read More ➔
Ten Things You Should Know about the Sovereignty of God
By: Sam Storms
Ten Things You Should Know about the Sovereignty of God
By: Sam Storms
Few things are more controversial among Christians than the sovereignty of God. Is God truly sovereign over everything, including calamity, natural disasters, death, and demons, or is his sovereign control restricted to those things we typically regard as good, such as material blessing, family welfare, personal salvation, and good health? Today we turn our attention to ten things we should all know about God’s sovereignty.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Spiritual Gift of Interpretation of Tongues
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Spiritual Gift of Interpretation of Tongues
By: Sam Storms
As Paul delineates nine of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, the last on his list is “the interpretation of tongues.” Later in that chapter he again refers to interpretation in his denial that any one gift is granted to all Christians (v. 30b). In his instruction on how believers are to arrive at any particular corporate assembly, he says that whereas one may come with a hymn, another with a word of instruction, another with a revelation from God, another with a tongue, one may also come with “an interpretation” (1 Cor. 14:26).Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Nature of Expository Preaching
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Nature of Expository Preaching
By: Sam Storms
In two previous installments of “10 things you should know” we looked at ten reasons why preaching in general has fallen on hard times, as well as ten reasons why biblical preaching is critically important. Today we look at the nature of expositional preaching and why it is, in my opinion, the far superior approach to making known the written Word of God.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Necessity of Biblical Preaching
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Necessity of Biblical Preaching
By: Sam Storms
In last week’s installment of our ten-things-you-should-know series I focused on the causes for the demise of biblical preaching. Today I want to focus on why it is so critical that pastors be committed to the exposition of the Word.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Theology of John Calvin
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Theology of John Calvin
By: Sam Storms
Last week we looked at ten things all of us should know about the life of John Calvin. Today we turn our attention to ten things concerning his theology. Our primary, but not exclusive, source for these truths about Calvin’s theology come from the Institutes of the Christian Religion, the first edition of which in 1536 contained only 6 chapters. The final edition of 1550 had 80 chapters.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Recapitulation Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Recapitulation Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
Of the many theories of Christ’s atoning sacrifice that emerged in church history, this is the one least known by contemporary Christians.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Protestant Reformation in England
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Protestant Reformation in England
By: Sam Storms
With the English Reformation we come to the fourth major tradition to emerge from the events of Oct. 31st, 1517 (Lutheran, Reformed [Calvinistic], and Anabaptist being the other three).Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
When I say the “relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit” I’m not talking about the internal dynamics that exist eternally among the three persons of the Trinity. What I have in mind is the relationship that Jesus sustained to the Holy Spirit during the time of his earthly ministry. Here are ten things to keep in mind as you reflect on this question.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Salvation of those who Die in Infancy
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Salvation of those who Die in Infancy
By: Sam Storms
What becomes of those who die in infancy, before reaching an age of intellectual and moral development that would make it possible for them to understand and respond to the revelation of God in the gospel and in creation? This question also applies to those who grow into adulthood suffering from such severe mental impairment that they are incapable of moral discernment, deliberation, or rational decision-making. If human nature is corrupt and guilty from conception, the consequence of Adam’s transgression (Ps. 51:5: Eph. 2:1ff.), are those who die in infancy lost? Here are ten things that will help us respond to this issue.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Satisfaction Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Satisfaction Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
What is known as the satisfaction theory of the atonement is most closely associated with the name of St. Anselm. Here are ten things to know about how he conceived of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Lord’s Supper from 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Lord’s Supper from 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
By: Sam Storms
The primary biblical text on the nature and meaning of the Lord’s Supper/Table, also known as Communion or the Eucharist (from the Greek word for the giving of thanks) is 1 Corinthians 11:23-34. Here are ten brief observations on what we see in this text.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship Salvation Controversy
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Lordship Salvation Controversy
By: Sam Storms
Your first response to this title may well be: “What controversy?” One doesn’t often hear much any more about the so-called “Lordship Salvation” controversy, but it is most assuredly an issue that needs to be addressed.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Moral Influence and Example Theories of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Moral Influence and Example Theories of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
Subjective theories of the atonement are those which envision the focus or aim of Christ’s sufferings to be the human soul rather than God himself. This model is referred to either as the moral influence theory or the example theory.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Most Famous Verse in the Bible
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Most Famous Verse in the Bible
By: Sam Storms
The most famous verse in the Bible, at least among Christians, is John 3:16. But do we really understand what it means. Here are ten things to keep in mind as you reflect on it.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Necessity of Prayer
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Necessity of Prayer
By: Sam Storms
There is a reason why I speak of the “necessity” of prayer and not simply ten things to know about prayer. I want us to consider the necessity of prayer in terms of what we stand to lose if we don’t pray. Sadly, prayer for many who profess faith in Christ has become a meaningless ritual. They have lost sight of the fact that God suspends great and glorious blessings on our asking for them. So let’s take a look at ten reasons why prayer is necessary. Or perhaps we could say, let’s consider what we otherwise stand to lose if we choose not to pray.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the New Covenant
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the New Covenant
By: Sam Storms
During Holy Week, on the night when Jesus gathered with his disciples in the upper room, he declared that through his shed blood there would come into existence a “New” covenant, a glorious reality described in some detail in Hebrews 8. Here are some ten things about the New Covenant that all Christians should know.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the New Heaven and New Earth
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the New Heaven and New Earth
By: Sam Storms
Where will believers in Jesus spend eternity? It won’t be on a cloud or a star in some distant galaxy. It will be on the sanctified and redeemed soil of the new earth. Here are ten things you should about what eternal life will be like in the new heaven and new earth. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Nicolaitans
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Nicolaitans
By: Sam Storms
Last week I wrote about the Montanists and probably caused many of you to scratch your heads wondering, “Who in the world are the Montanists?” Today we turn our attention to another odd group known as the Nicolaitans. There is at least one profound difference between the two: the Montanists were most likely genuine believers in Jesus; the Nicolaitans were most assuredly not.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Person of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Person of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
Today we turn our attention to the person of the Holy Spirit. We’ll follow up next week by looking at the work of the Spirit.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Postmillennial View of the Kingdom of God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Postmillennial View of the Kingdom of God
By: Sam Storms
Before I delineate the 10 things all of us should know, let’s look at a definition of postmillennialism by one of its advocates, Lorainne Boettner.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Protestant Reformation
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Protestant Reformation
By: Sam Storms
Today, October 31st, is the 499th anniversary of the launch of the Protestant Reformation. It was on this day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg as a protest against the abuse of the sale of indulgences. So today we look at ten things that everyone should know about the Protestant Reformation.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Puritans
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Puritans
By: Sam Storms
Despite Queen Elizabeth's efforts to unify the people of England (she ruled from 1558-1603), some did not think the spirit of the Reformation had gone far enough.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Kenosis Controversy
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Kenosis Controversy
By: Sam Storms
That title may have put you off, but if you are still reading, I trust you will recognize how critically important this issue of Kenosis is to our understanding of the person of Christ and the incarnation.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Kingdom of God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Kingdom of God
By: Sam Storms
The Kingdom of God is a massively important topic and spoken of throughout the Word of God. So reducing its essence down to only ten things feels silly, if not impossible. But here goes anyway.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the “Lamb’s Book of Life”
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the “Lamb’s Book of Life”
By: Sam Storms
On several occasions in Scripture we come across reference to something called “the book of life” or “the Lamb’s book of life.” What is it and why is it important that we know?Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Life and Theology of Huldrich Zwingli
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Life and Theology of Huldrich Zwingli
By: Sam Storms
In previous installments of our 10 things you should know series we’ve been looking at the more important figures in the Protestant Reformation. Thus far we’ve examined the life and theology of both Martin Luther and John Calvin. Many are unfamiliar with the name of Zwingli, and yet he was a primary contributor to the emergence of reform in Switzerland. So, here are ten things you should know about his life and theology.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Life of John Calvin
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Life of John Calvin
By: Sam Storms
Everyone everywhere is talking about Martin Luther in 2017. It is, as you know, the 500th anniversary of the “launch” of the Protestant Reformation. But we would do well to give equal consideration to John Calvin. So today we look at 10 things everyone should know about his life. I will later follow up on this with 10 things we should know about his theology.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Lifting of Hands in Worship
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Lifting of Hands in Worship
By: Sam Storms
Worship involves our bodies as well as our hearts and minds. Our posture tells a story. It makes a statement to God and to others about the state of our souls and the affections and passions of our heart.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about The Filling of the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about The Filling of the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18
By: Sam Storms
Today we continue our weekly series on 10 things you should know. Our focus is on being filled with the Spirit as Paul describes it in Ephesians 5:18.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the First Great Awakening / First Phase (1734-36)
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the First Great Awakening / First Phase (1734-36)
By: Sam Storms
On May 30, 1735, Jonathan Edwards (1703-58) wrote a letter of eight pages to Dr. Benjamin Colman (1673-1747), pastor of Brattle Street Church in Boston, in which he described the nature of the revival he was seeing. Colman forwarded a substantial portion of the letter to a friend in London where news quickly spread about religious events in the Colonies. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the First Great Awakening / Second Phase (1740-42)
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the First Great Awakening / Second Phase (1740-42)
By: Sam Storms
In a previous article I spoke of the first wave of the First Great Awakening, a revival that fell upon New England in 1734-36. Today we turn our attention to the second wave of the Spirit’s work and the events that can generally be dated 1740-42.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Gospel
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Gospel
By: Sam Storms
As much as we hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ one would think that everyone is on the same page when it comes to defining this word. Sadly, that is not the case. So just what is the gospel? How might we define it? Here are ten things to keep in mind.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Governmental Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Governmental Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
Yet again today we try to understand a little-known theory of the atonement that has actually re-emerged in our own day.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Great White Throne Judgment
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Great White Throne Judgment
By: Sam Storms
It is all too easy to become discouraged and disheartened by the rampant presence of evil and injustice in our world today. It leaves us wondering: Will anything ever be done to bring to justice those who have perpetrated such wickedness? Will anything ever be done to reward those who are righteous? The answer is Yes! We have this assurance because of what we read in Revelation 20:11-15 concerning the final judgment. Here are ten things to keep in mind.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Healing Ministry of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Healing Ministry of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
Today we turn our attention to 10 features of the healing ministry of Jesus.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Heavenly Intercession of Jesus Christ
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Heavenly Intercession of Jesus Christ
By: Sam Storms
Right now, without ceasing, Jesus Christ is interceding for all those who know him. It is a wonderful truth indeed. Here are ten things to keep in mind when you think of Christ’s heavenly intercession.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the History of Christian Theology
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the History of Christian Theology
By: Sam Storms
History, according to one cynic, is nothing but “the succession of one d___ thing after another.” Unfortunately, many Christians would agree, although one hopes they wouldn't use precisely the same terminology! The fact is, people wonder why the history of Christian theology is worthy of our time and energy. Facts, dates, and dead people do not inspire much excitement, and many doubt the practical value of spending time on something that cannot be changed.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
By: Sam Storms
Many are under the false impression that the Holy Spirit is absent from the Old Testament. These ten things will serve to correct this misunderstanding.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Imago Dei
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Imago Dei
By: Sam Storms
The Imago Dei, Latin for “image of God”, is crucial for our understanding of who we are as the direct creation of God. Here are ten things to guide our thinking.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Immutability of God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Immutability of God
By: Sam Storms
Some see the concept of immutability as a threat to the biblical portrait of God who appears in some sense to change. Others are equally concerned that a careless tampering with this attribute of God will reduce him to a fickle, unfaithful, and ultimately unworthy object of our affection and worship. It is imperative, therefore, that we proceed cautiously, and yet with conviction, in articulating these ten truths about divine immutability.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Imprecatory Psalms
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Imprecatory Psalms
By: Sam Storms
Most Christians love the Psalms, for in them we find heartfelt prayer, emotional vulnerability, and passionate praise of God.Read More ➔
10 Things you should Know about the Incarnation
By: Sam Storms
10 Things you should Know about the Incarnation
By: Sam Storms
We continue the series on 10 things all Christians should know about basic Christian doctrines. Today we look at the Incarnation of Christ.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Intermediate State
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Intermediate State
By: Sam Storms
I could have as easily entitled this post: ten things you should know about what happens when a Christian dies. So what happens when a Christian dies? The simple answer is that he/she enters immediately into what theologians call the intermediate state. It is called “intermediate” because it is what we experience in between the time of our earthly lives (now) and the time when we receive our glorified and resurrected bodies. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Jealousy of God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Jealousy of God
By: Sam Storms
We don’t typically understand jealousy as a good thing. How, then, can I dare suggest that God is characterized by jealousy? To many, that sounds virtually blasphemous. So let’s take a close look at this oft-neglected attribute of God.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the “Jezebel Spirit”
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the “Jezebel Spirit”
By: Sam Storms
Is there any such thing as the “Jezebel spirit”? If so, what is it, or who is it? And what relationship does it sustain to the spiritual gift of prophecy? To answer this we must turn our attention to the letter of Jesus to the church in Thyatira.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Judgment of the Believer
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Judgment of the Believer
By: Sam Storms
The single most explicit biblical text on the judgment that awaits every Christian is found in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. There Paul writes this: “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Second Corinthians
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Second Corinthians
By: Sam Storms
All of us have our favorite Bible verses. Some of us have our favorite Bible books. Mine is Second Corinthians. Perhaps that is due to the fact that it is so profoundly pastoral and describes in detail how Paul interacted with a church that treated him poorly. In any case, if you’ve never studied Second Corinthians I urge you to do so. Here are ten things about the letter that may help you get started.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Seeing Christ in all of Scripture
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Seeing Christ in all of Scripture
By: Sam Storms
Ours is a splintered, fractured world, that often in its differing political parties and conflicting ethical systems and its seemingly endless variety of opinions on virtually every imaginable subject holds out little hope for ultimate meaning. And yet in the midst of undeniable diversity and the differences that so often divide us, the Bible tells us that there is a single, overarching, unitary theme and purpose and goal to all of human history and experience.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Shame and Guilt
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Shame and Guilt
By: Sam Storms
Shame and guilt are often confused in people’s thinking. What are they, and how do they differ? More important still, how might we be set free from the debilitating effects of shame? Here are ten things to keep in mind.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Slavery in the Bible
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Slavery in the Bible
By: Sam Storms
We should acknowledge right from the start that the terminology of “slave” and “master” is highly offensive. And the reason is that our concept of “slavery” today is quite different from what existed, for example, in the time of Paul when he wrote Colossians 3:22-4:1. So let’s proceed carefully as we try to understand what the Bible actually says about this controversial topic. Needless to say, this is far from an exhaustive treatment. But I hope these ten observations will help.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Speaking in Tongues
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Speaking in Tongues
By: Sam Storms
The spiritual gift of speaking in tongues remains controversial in our day and is a subject deserving of our close attention. This short article is not designed to argue that tongues are still valid but simply attempts to describe the nature and function of tongues speech.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Spiritual Adoption
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Spiritual Adoption
By: Sam Storms
As glorious and wonderful as is the physical birth of a new-born baby, it pales in comparison with the spiritual re-birth of a person and the new life in Jesus Christ that they receive by God’s mercy and grace. I don’t mean to downplay the beauty of physical birth. It is truly a miracle and puts on display God’s creativity and power. But the second birth, being born again, as the NT describes it, is greater still. Physical birth only gives us physical life. Being born again gives us eternal life as the children of God. So let’s look at ten things we all should know about what it means to be an adopted child of God.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Suffering
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Suffering
By: Sam Storms
Suffering is an unpopular but essential topic for Christians to understand. And it is nowhere more clearly explained than in 1 Peter. So here are ten things we can learn about suffering from this letter.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the 144,000 in the Book of Revelation
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the 144,000 in the Book of Revelation
By: Sam Storms
Will the debate ever end about the identity of the 144,000 servants in Revelation 7? Perhaps not, but I hope these ten truths will contribute something to our understanding of who they are and what they do. We read that 12,000 are “sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel” (Rev. 7:4).Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Antichrist(s) in 1 John
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Antichrist(s) in 1 John
By: Sam Storms
There is hardly a more controversial and confusing topic in the Bible than that of the Antichrist: who or what is this? Is it a person or a symbol of corporate opposition to Christ, or perhaps both? In this article we’ll look only in John’s first epistle for helpful answers to this question.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Christian’s Responsibility to Human Government
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Christian’s Responsibility to Human Government
By: Sam Storms
In this installment of 10 Things You should Know we’ll turn our attention to Romans 13:1-7 (and 1 Peter 2) and the Christian’s responsibility toward human government.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Christus Victor Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Christus Victor Theory of the Atonement
By: Sam Storms
If the language of Christus Victor is foreign to you, it simply means Christ the Victor. The focus of this theory of the atonement suggests that the primary aim of Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the dead was the defeat of Satan and the powers of evil. In its earliest expression it took the form of the somewhat crude ransom to Satan theory. And it is there that we begin.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know About the Church
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know About the Church
By: Sam Storms
It’s both amazing and deeply distressing that I continue to hear of people who are supposedly “in love with Jesus” but not with the church. “We like you, Jesus, but we don’t care for your wife!” Really? The so-called “organized” church is for some reason offensive to them. Does the NT support such a notion? Is it possible for someone to be a Christian and remain opposed to his Bride, the church? I hope these ten truths about the church will forever put that misguided idea to rest.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Convergence Conference
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Convergence Conference
By: Sam Storms
The Convergence Conference: the Passionate Pursuit of Word and Spirit, is now only a few weeks away. I hope and pray you will give serious consideration to joining us here in Oklahoma City, October 5-7. Here are ten things you should know about the conference.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Cross of Christ
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Cross of Christ
By: Sam Storms
Not too long ago a book was published with the title: What was God doing on the Cross? It appears that there are two questions being asked, not one. First, “What was God doing on the cross?” Why was the God-man impaled on a Roman gibbet? It seems shocking that God should be crucified? Second, “What was God doing on the cross?” Once we've agreed that the God-man was on the cross, we wonder, “what was he doing there?” What was he accomplishing? To what end and for what purpose was Jesus, the God-man, suffering?Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Demise of Expository Preaching
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Demise of Expository Preaching
By: Sam Storms
Biblical preaching has fallen on hard times in the western world. There’s certainly no lack of speaking and sharing and shouting. And dramatic presentations and video clips are prevalent in pulpits across America. But there is precious little biblical preaching. The Bible makes a token appearance here and there, but rarely to be explained and expounded and acknowledged as authoritative for how we think and live. There are several reasons for this dearth of biblical preaching, ten of which I’ll mention.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Difference between Prophecy and Preaching
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Difference between Prophecy and Preaching
By: Sam Storms
A view frequently advocated by cessationists is that the spiritual gift of prophecy in the NT is largely identical with preaching. This is the position advocated, for example, by John MacArthur (and to a certain extent by J. I. Packer). One wonders what the motivation is behind this argument. I suspect that it is due, at least in part, to the discomfort that many cessationists feel with the idea of spontaneous revelation from the Holy Spirit in the present day. In any case, this provides the cessationist with the ability to affirm that prophecy is still valid insofar as it does not entail any revelatory work of the Spirit but is essentially indistinguishable from preaching.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about the Dispensational, Pre-Tribulational View of the Millennial Kingdom
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about the Dispensational, Pre-Tribulational View of the Millennial Kingdom
By: Sam Storms
The best way to describe the dispensationalist’s view of the millennial kingdom is chronologically, i.e., by means of the temporal order in which the events actually occur. Although there are variations among those who call themselves dispensationalists, I will focus here only on the majority view known as dispensational, pretribulational, premillennialism.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Election on Tuesday
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Election on Tuesday
By: Sam Storms
Well, we have arrived. Tuesday is Election Day, an election day, dare I say, unlike any other in the history of the United States. Never before in the history of our country have two more reprehensible candidates stood before us asking for our support. Some may be offended by that statement. But since this election campaign is one in which giving offense has been elevated to an art form, I thought I’d join in. In any case, here are ten things you should know about the coming election.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about the Empty Tomb of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about the Empty Tomb of Jesus
By: Sam Storms
It’s been a little more than a week since most Christians celebrated Easter, or Resurrection Day. But it would do us all well to continue to keep our focus on the reality of the empty tomb. Here are ten things that we need to know about efforts on the part of unbelievers to account for it.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Satan
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Satan
By: Sam Storms
Here are 10 things we should know about Satan.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Prophetic Worship
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Prophetic Worship
By: Sam Storms
All genuine, Christ-exalting, Christ-enjoying worship is in or through or by means of the Holy Spirit. This is what Paul meant when he said: “For we are the [true] circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3).Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Quenching the Spirit when You Preach
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Quenching the Spirit when You Preach
By: Sam Storms
Last week I wrote an article that identified ten things we should all know about quenching the Spirit, or perhaps I should say ten ways to quench the Spirit that we must studiously avoid. Today I want to turn our attention to ten ways we tend to quench the Spirit in the act of preaching God’s Word.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Race and Racism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Race and Racism
By: Sam Storms
Anyone who thinks that we’ve made substantial progress in resolving the problem of racial disharmony and animosity in our society is simply not paying attention. The violent events that have filled our streets in the past week together with the response from both the white and African-American communities clearly demonstrate that mistrust, suspicion, and even hatred across the racial divide are rampant in virtually every sector in our society.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about being Reconciled to God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about being Reconciled to God
By: Sam Storms
We hear and say much about redemption justification and adoption and forgiveness of sins. But when was the last time you heard a sermon about the doctrine of reconciliation? What does it mean to say we are reconciled to God? What does it mean when we appeal to non-believers to be reconciled to God? In this post we’ll look at ten things we all should know about this glorious truth.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Religious Pluralism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Religious Pluralism
By: Sam Storms
We must acknowledge the fact that the vast majority of human beings in history have died without ever hearing the name of Jesus.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Repentance
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Repentance
By: Sam Storms
Repentance is a massively important spiritual issue that calls for careful study and clear articulation. Here are ten things to remember about what it means to repent of our sin.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Revival
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Revival
By: Sam Storms
Revival, both personal and corporate, is something about which the Bible often speaks and something all of us should desire.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Sanctification
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Sanctification
By: Sam Storms
We all hear a great deal about Christian sanctification, but what precisely is it, and how does it work? Today we look at ten things about this crucial biblical truth.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Quenching the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Quenching the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
Were it not for the fact that no less than the Apostle Paul himself commanded us not to quench the Spirit, who among us would ever have suggested that this is even within the realm of possibility? Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Marijuana and the Christian
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Marijuana and the Christian
By: Sam Storms
I’m not anything remotely close to being an expert on the question of whether or not marijuana should be made legal and available for use in cases of extreme medical distress. But I will give you my opinion.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Martin Luther
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Martin Luther
By: Sam Storms
Much will be said and written about Martin Luther in 2017, inasmuch as this is the 500th anniversary of his posting of the 95 theses on the church door at Wittenberg, an event that many believe launched the Protestant Reformation. But here are ten things about Luther you may not know.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Miracles
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Miracles
By: Sam Storms
The word miracle is used somewhat promiscuously to describe everything from healing a paralytic to finding a parking space at the mall on the day before Christmas. So we begin our ten things we should all know about miracles with a definition.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Montanism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Montanism
By: Sam Storms
About what? I suspect that many of you have never heard the name Montanism or the individual Montanus from whom the movement is named. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Mysticism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Mysticism
By: Sam Storms
Mysticism is an approach to Christianity that focuses on preparation for, consciousness of, and reaction to what can be described as the immediate or direct presence of God. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Open Theism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Open Theism
By: Sam Storms
In recent years there has appeared a radical departure from traditional theism that has come to be known as the Openness of God theory or Open Theism.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Original Sin
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Original Sin
By: Sam Storms
Original sin sounds so archaic, so pessimistic, so grimly medieval. For heaven’s sake, this is the era of the computer and the space shuttle. And haven’t the most learned psychologists and sociologists assured us that people are by nature good, having been turned to their evil ways not by some inner instinct but through the influence of a deviant culture and sub-standard education? These questions indicate how important it is for us to understand the biblical notion of original sin. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Paul’s Letter to Laodicea
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Paul’s Letter to Laodicea
By: Sam Storms
The title to this article may surprise you. What in the world is Paul’s letter to Laodicea? I thought Paul wrote only 13 of the NT epistles (14 if you include Hebrews, which he probably didn’t write). It’s an interesting question. Here are ten things we should know about this mysterious letter.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Pelagius and Pelagianism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Pelagius and Pelagianism
By: Sam Storms
Two weeks ago we looked at ten things all of us should know about Augustine. His principal theological opponent was a man named Pelagius. Today we turn our attention to what little we know about the person of Pelagius and especially what we should know about his theology.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Penal Substitution
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Penal Substitution
By: Sam Storms
Today we focus on 10 things that every Christian should know about the penal substitutionary atoning sacrifice of Jesus.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Post-Conversion Experiences of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Post-Conversion Experiences of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
Do we have reason to believe that subsequent to our born-again experience we may have life-changing, empowering, and transforming encounters with the Holy Spirit? Yes. Here are ten things that we should keep in mind.Read More ➔
The End Times Our Hope & God’s Promise Part Two
By: Sam Storms
The End Times Our Hope & God’s Promise Part Two
By: Sam Storms
I take no special delight in writing this material. But hell is real and people are going there. So let’s look closely at what the Bible has to say about it as well as the on-going debate over whether hell is eternal conscious punishment. I will summarize the issue in ten points.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Hurricane Harvey and the Sovereignty of God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Hurricane Harvey and the Sovereignty of God
By: Sam Storms
What may we conclude, if anything at all, about the tragedy in Houston? What lessons does the Bible teach us as we try to make sense of this event? What is the relationship of God’s sovereignty to the devastation of this hurricane? Here are ten things to keep in mind.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Ignatius Loyola and the Jesuits
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Ignatius Loyola and the Jesuits
By: Sam Storms
Although largely unfamiliar to Protestants, the name of Ignatius Loyola is widely known among Roman Catholics. Here are ten things you should know about him and the Society of Jesus that he founded.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Interpreting the Bible
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Interpreting the Bible
By: Sam Storms
Today we look at 10 things we should know about how to interpret the Bible (or conversely, how not to interpret it).Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Irresistible Grace
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Irresistible Grace
By: Sam Storms
Here we take up the concept of God’s saving grace as irresistible.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about J. I. Packer
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about J. I. Packer
By: Sam Storms
I recently participated with several other authors who contributed a volume to the Crossway series entitled, Theologians on the Christian Life. My book was devoted to J. I. Packer. Here are ten things you should know about him.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Jehovah’s Witnesses
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Jehovah’s Witnesses
By: Sam Storms
I read in the local newspaper today (5-18-18) that an annual Jehovah’s Witnesses convention is scheduled to convene here in OKC this weekend. It got me thinking once again about this unusual religious organization.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Jonathan Edwards’s Most Important Sermon
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Jonathan Edwards’s Most Important Sermon
By: Sam Storms
The first thing you should know (but not included among the ten) is that Jonathan Edwards’s most important sermon was not “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Jonathan Edwards
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Jonathan Edwards
By: Sam Storms
No one outside the biblical authors themselves has exerted the influence on me personally as has Jonathan Edwards. So here are ten things you should know about his life and ministry.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Joy
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Joy
By: Sam Storms
The words of the psalmist are forthright and unmistakable: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Judging Prophetic Words
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Judging Prophetic Words
By: Sam Storms
The Bible never encourages Christians to be gullible or naïve. We are to exercise discernment. Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Justification
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Justification
By: Sam Storms
The next installment of our “10 things you should know” series concerns justification.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Male Headship
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Male Headship
By: Sam Storms
In the on-going dialogue (debate!) between complementarians and egalitarians, there is considerable confusion about the meaning of male headship. Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Election
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Election
By: Sam Storms
Today I continue the weekly series on 10 things we should know about specific Christian doctrines. Our focus today is divine election.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Ephesians 5 and Mutual Submission
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Ephesians 5 and Mutual Submission
By: Sam Storms
We’ve been looking closely at some important principles to understand when it comes to male headship and female submission. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Fasting
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Fasting
By: Sam Storms
If there is a single driving force in our society today it may well be what I call instant self-gratification.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Forgiving Others
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Forgiving Others
By: Sam Storms
Forgiving others is counter-intuitive to human nature. It rarely seems to make sense. Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about General Revelation
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about General Revelation
By: Sam Storms
Because of our focus on the inspiration and inerrancy of God’s written revelation, the Bible (i.e., Special Revelation), we often tend to ignore the other ways in which God has made himself known more generally to all mankind. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about God’s Creative Power
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about God’s Creative Power
By: Sam Storms
A week or so ago I was alerted to a video (https://vimeo.com/275908702) that focused on the amazing creative power of God, both in terms of the massive size of the universe as well as the incredibly small world of molecules and atoms.Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about God’s Omniscience
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about God’s Omniscience
By: Sam Storms
The psalmist declares that our Lord is great “and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5). Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about God’s Omnipresence
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about God’s Omnipresence
By: Sam Storms
The word “omnipresence” refers to the truth that God is everywhere: from here in the room where I sit to beyond the galaxies that the Hubble telescope is able to probe. Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about God’s Omniscience
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about God’s Omniscience
By: Sam Storms
The psalmist declares that our Lord is great “and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5).Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about God’s Power (in you)
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about God’s Power (in you)
By: Sam Storms
On October 5-7, we hosted some 1,400 people in OKC at the Convergence Conference where we focused on the passionate pursuit of both Word and Spirit in the Christian life and in the local church. Read More ➔
10 Things you should Know about Grace
By: Sam Storms
10 Things you should Know about Grace
By: Sam Storms
We continue our series of articles on ten things you should know about certain biblical doctrines. Today, we look at the subject of grace.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know About Augustine
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know About Augustine
By: Sam Storms
Was Augustine (the emphasis is on the second syllable, hence aw-GUS-tin, not AW-gus-teen) the greatest theologian in the history of the Christian church? Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Beauty, our Aesthetic Sense, and the Glory of God
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Beauty, our Aesthetic Sense, and the Glory of God
By: Sam Storms
Today we turn our attention to the issue of beauty. What is it? Can it be defined? What does it mean to have an aesthetic experience? Is God beautiful, and if so, how does it relate to his glory?Read More ➔
10 Things You should Know about Being Born Again
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You should Know about Being Born Again
By: Sam Storms
Here we take up the issue of the new birth, or what we often refer to as regeneration or being born again.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
In an earlier installment of the “10 Things You Should Know” series, we looked at Ephesians 5:18 and what it says about being filled with the Spirit. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Inerrancy
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Inerrancy
By: Sam Storms
What do we mean when we affirm the inerrancy of the Bible? The importance of that question has not diminished in the least.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Worship
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Worship
By: Sam Storms
Worship is a subject on which everyone has a personal opinion.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
By: Sam Storms
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in three of our four gospels. It is found in Matthew 12:22-32; Mark 3:22-30 and again in Luke 12:10.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should know about Christian Hedonism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should know about Christian Hedonism
By: Sam Storms
Christian Hedonism often goes misunderstood and thus maligned. Let’s look closely at ten things that bring clarity to what is meant by the label.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Christian Meditation
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Christian Meditation
By: Sam Storms
The word “meditation” has developed something of a bad reputation in certain Christian circles. In this article, I want to reclaim it as one of the essential spiritual disciplines for all believers.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Church Discipline
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Church Discipline
By: Sam Storms
The fact that your immediate and instinctive response to this topic is probably somewhat (or considerably) negative reflects how far removed we are today from the spirit of the New Testament.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Church Membership
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Church Membership
By: Sam Storms
Membership in a local church is very much in the minds of Christians these days. Is it biblical? Is it necessary? Is it helpful? These and other questions lead to the following ten things you should know about what church membership means and entails.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Common Grace
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Common Grace
By: Sam Storms
We should acknowledge from the outset that the adjective “common” does not appear in the Bible as a modifier of the noun “grace.” But we are justified in making use of it in view of how God’s dealings with non-Christian people are portrayed for us in Scripture. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Complementarianism
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Complementarianism
By: Sam Storms
I’m a bit hesitant about posting this article, for the simple fact that there are differing versions of what is known as complementarianism. Although there are several foundational truths that all complementarians embrace, differences emerge when it comes to application in the local church and in para-church ministries. So be aware that not all complementarians will necessarily agree with the way I articulate the concept.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Deacons in the New Testament
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Deacons in the New Testament
By: Sam Storms
As we are in the process of building a diaconate at Bridgeway, I thought it would be helpful to mention a few important things to keep in mind.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Demons
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Demons
By: Sam Storms
Last week we looked at ten things we should know about angels. Our focus was on good and holy angels, those who persevered in their obedience to God.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Eastern Orthodoxy
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Eastern Orthodoxy
By: Sam Storms
News broke this past week that Hank Hannegraaf, of the Bible Answer Man radio program, was chrismated on Palm Sunday at Saint Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Jesus Christ
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Jesus Christ
By: Sam Storms
It actually sounds a bit silly, even irreverent, to speak of only ten things we should know about Jesus.Read More ➔
10 Things You Should about Pride and Humility from Jonathan Edwards
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should about Pride and Humility from Jonathan Edwards
By: Sam Storms
No one has spoken with greater clarity on the nature of both pride and humility than Jonathan Edwards. Read More ➔
10 Things You Should Know about Suicide
By: Sam Storms
10 Things You Should Know about Suicide
By: Sam Storms
The number of suicides among people we know, at least by name, has been increasing with disturbing regularity.Read More ➔