Boasting in Christ Alone

  • Jesus as Our Ladder, Lawgiver, and Tabernacle

    One of my favorite things about the Gospel of John is how it depicts the exalted status and nature of Jesus Christ. John 1 famously begins with a verse that unequivocally declares that Jesus was “with God” from the beginning and himself “God. (John 1:1) Jesus is also depicted as the one through whom “all…

  • Temple Work and the Sale of Indulgences: A Common Pattern of Exploiting our Compassion for the Dead

    One of the sparks that ignited the Protestant Reformation was the sale of indulgences. These indulgences promised that the living could, by making a financial contribution, contribute to their ancestors escape from purgatory. Martin Luther responded with indignation to Johann Tetzel’s declaration that “As soon as the gold in the casket rings the rescued soul…

  • Mormonism is like an Artificial Sugar

    As I reflect on my time in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I often find myself struggling for a proper analogy or framework for talking about my time in the Church. I can’t deny the many positive experiences I had, nor can I deny that there are many significant similarities between my…

  • Books that Shaped and Changed Me a Pt 1

    Over the past few years, my worldview and perspective have shifted in so many profound ways. While nothing has impacted me more than the word of God, there have been a lot of really significant books that have shaped my perspective and understanding. These are all books that I highly recommend. I want to write…

  • “Paul does not have a doctrine of the cross in the Book of Acts” — Bart Ehrman’s Absurd Claim

    I recent came across a claim by Prof. Bart Ehrman that struck me as sufficiently weak that one didn’t need to be a scholar to refute it, just be ;a careful reader of the New Testament. As part of a recent argument against the Historicity of the Book of Acts on the popular channel Paulogia,…

  • Marriage and Family as an Idol

    The Bible speaks piercing clarity about our human capacity to generate idols to worship other than the true and living God.  Paul talks about this process in Romans 1 where human beings exchange “the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.”…

  • Son of Righteousness — Evidence the Book of Mormon was Originally Written in English

    The original language of a text will often preserve evidence of puns, word play, homonyms, alliteration, or other literary devices that do not translate easily into other languages. In the case of the Book of Mormon, one of those noteworthy word plays is the fact that the Book of Mormon relies on the similar sound/spelling…

  • The Book of Mormon and the New Testament

    One of the challenging issues that believers in the Book of Mormon as an authentic historical text face is the existence of extensive quotations, allusions, and references to New Testament texts throughout the book. The existence of these references is problematic because the New Testament was either not yet written or was not accessible to…

  • The Theological and Personal Significance of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

    The Theological and Personal Significance of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

    The hymn “Come Thou Font of Every Blessing” holds deep significance for a former Latter-day Saint turned Evangelical. It delves into the composer’s life and the theological differences between the two beliefs. The heartfelt analysis showcases the hymn’s profound impact and reflects a journey of spiritual transformation and understanding.

  • At the Throne of God

    At the throne of GodI am undoneAll my pretensionsAnd self-religiousnessMelt awayWoe is meA man of unclean lipsFilled with prideAnd all manner of wickedness Woe is me For I thought that I was something But now I seeI am but dust and vapor Vanity of vanities For I was not there When the angelic hosts shouted for joyAnd I cannot comprehend The laws…