Boasting in Christ Alone

Tag: jesus

  • The True Ancient of Days: God’s Glory, Not Adam’s

    The prophet Daniel received a majestic heavenly vision: “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat… his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool.” (Daniel 7:9) Daniel then sees “one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.” He…

  • When the Box Distracts from the Pearl: Psalm 27 and Finding the Presence of God Beyond the Temple

    For many years one of my favorite parts of the Bible was Psalm 27. I would read this Psalm in the Celestial Room of the LDS temple every single time I went. As someone who faced family opposition when joining the LDS Church, David’s words of confidence in God in the midst of loss stirred…

  • Hollywood Retcons and the LDS Restoration

    If you’ve ever watched the Star Wars sequels, you know the feeling of a frustrating retcon. You thought the story had a clear ending with Anakin redeemed, the Emperor defeated, balance restored. But then you discover in The Rise of Skywalker that Palpatine was somehow alive the whole time. Suddenly the heroic sacrifices of the…

  • Gavin Ortlund, Infant Baptism, and the Irenic Spirit Missing from Moroni 8

    Gavin Ortlund is one of my favorite Christian content creators. He is incredibly erudite and well-read in church history and theology. But even more importantly, I love the way he carries himself with an irenic spirit of humility and mutual respect. Gavin recently released a phenomenal video on the history of infant baptism (paedobaptism) in…

  • Of Right Hands and Wrong Priorities: Legalism and the Sacrament

    “Members partake with their right hand when possible.”—General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 18.9.3 Imagine this: An apostle of God visits your church meeting. He tells you that God has impressed something specific on his heart—something he feels prompted to say, just for you. You lean in, expecting a…

  • What K-Pop Demon Hunters Gets Right — and What It Misses Without Christ

    (Image created with OpenAI’s ChatGPT) My kids have been playing K-Pop Demon Hunters on repeat this week, and as I have watched and rewatched it, I have been struck by the films surprising spiritual depth. While the film is not a Christian film, its themes still resonate with Biblical truths especially regarding the nature of…

  • The Great Apostasy that Wasn’t: Acts 20:28-31 and the Church in Ephesus

    One of the passages I frequently cited when teaching about the Great Apostasy as an LDS missionary was Acts 20:28–31: “Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after…

  • If Heavenly Mother Exists, Why Don’t Mormons Worship Her?

    Just today, someone posted a clip of President Dallin H. Oaks speaking in what appears to be a recent sacrament meeting. In the clip, Oaks bears his testimony: “We know that we are children of heavenly parents. So we know that we have a Heavenly Mother—or mothers.” Unsurprisingly, the line is getting attention—especially for its…

  • A Tale of Two Testimonies: From “I Know the Church Is True” to “Jesus Saved Me”

    A Tale of Two Testimonies: From “I Know the Church Is True” to “Jesus Saved Me” How LDS and Evangelical Christians Use the Word “Testimony” Very Differently This evening we went to a baptismal service at a local church. Before each person was baptized, they were asked to share their “testimony.” Each one, without exception,…

  • The God Who Cannot Lie—or the One Who Threatens with Coal?

    Coal in the Stocking: A Harmless Bluff? Every December, parents everywhere tell their kids that if they misbehave, Santa will leave coal in their stockings instead of presents. It’s an empty threat, of course. The coal never comes. Eventually, the kids realize it was just a bluff—a tool to encourage good behavior during the holidays.…