J. Gresham Machen (1881–1937) was a towering figure in early 20th-century American Christianity, particularly within the Reformed tradition. A brilliant scholar and principled defender of orthodoxy, Machen was born in Baltimore, Maryland, into a devout Presbyterian family. He studied at Johns Hopkins University and then at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he would later teach New…
Book Review: Created in God’s Image by Anthony A. Hoekema
Created in God’s Image by Anthony A. Hoekema is more than a theological treatise on biblical anthropology—it is a robust defense of the dignity, nature, and divine purpose of human beings made in the image of God. This book is a thoughtful and reverent exploration of who man is, why man matters, and how man…
How Can a Man Know What It Feels Like to Be a Woman?
A friend asked a thoughtful and penetrating question: “How does a ‘trans woman’ know what it feels like to be a woman, so that he can verify that he is a woman based on his feelings?” It is a simple question, yet it exposes the soft underbelly of gender ideology, which claims subjective feeling is…
Essential Christianity – The Doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is not a peripheral teaching but a central, non-negotiable doctrine of the Christian faith. From the earliest creeds of the church to the eschatological hope of believers today, the return of Christ stands as a cornerstone of Christian hope, judgment, and consummation. In an age of scoffers and skeptics…
Essential Christianity – the Humanity of Christ
The humanity of Christ affirms that Jesus of Nazareth, the eternal Son of God, became truly and fully human. Without ceasing to be God, He took on a real human nature—body, mind, emotions, and will. This doctrine teaches that Jesus was like us in every respect, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). His humanity is not…
Essential Christianity – an Overview
Throughout church history, believers have faced countless challenges to their faith—from heresies in the early church to modern assaults on biblical truth. Yet across the centuries and denominations, certain truths have always defined the boundaries of true, biblical Christianity. These are not peripheral preferences or denominational distinctives, but the essential doctrines—the non-negotiable foundations that all…
The Unpardonable Sin – A Biblical and Theological Examination from Mark 3
The concept of the “unpardonable sin” is perhaps one of the most sobering and misunderstood teachings in the New Testament. Rooted in Jesus’ response to the accusations of the scribes in Mark 3:22–30, this warning has gripped the minds and hearts of countless believers. Some fear they may have committed it, others wonder if certain…
Biblical Christianity vs. Islam – a Worldview Comparison
Islam began in the 7th century A.D. in the Arabian Peninsula, founded by Muhammad, who was born in Mecca around A.D. 570. Raised as an orphan in a polytheistic culture, Muhammad was exposed to various religious influences, including paganism, Judaism, and Christianity. Around A.D. 610, he claimed to receive revelations from the angel Jibril (Gabriel),…
The Two Realms: God’s Sovereignty, Earthly Powers, and the Christian Mandate
The Christian life unfolds simultaneously in two realms—one earthly, one heavenly. These are not parallel realities running independently; they are interconnected theaters of a single cosmic drama. The visible world is shaped by invisible powers. The spiritual realm, where Christ reigns supreme and His angels carry out His will, overlaps with the corrupted dominion of…