Ask Pastor John

Does faith bring about the new birth, or does the new birth bring about faith? Pastor John offers three reasons why getting the order right matters.

Does God delight in his people based on Christ’s work alone, or does his delight also depend on our own holiness?

When God makes much of us, he does it for his sake, not ours. And that makes his love far greater than we could have imagined.

Some shame condemns and destroys, and some shame heals and restores. So how can we tell the difference between misplaced and well-placed shame?

In his letters, Paul speaks not only of teachings he delivered to the churches, but also of traditions he passed on. What kind of traditions does he have in mind?

Many nominal Christians go to church, believe God loves them, and yet are on their way to hell. So what marks the born again from those who only think they are?

In America, there are hundreds of thousands of frozen embryos, left over from in vitro fertilization. How might Christians weigh the decision to adopt one of them?

What kind of person does Romans 7:14–25 describe? Pastor John offers nine reasons to read Paul’s description as part of the Christian experience.

The church of Acts often gathered together to praise God and intercede for his people. So what might we lose if we pray only by ourselves?

God gave us a book about Jesus, not a video. So how might Christians think about dramatic portrayals of Jesus’s life in television or movies?

If God’s wrath comes against evil desires, and not only evil behaviors, why will his wrath not come against Christians, who still battle evil desires?

A lack of love for other people doesn’t show that we’re trying too hard to please ourselves — it shows that we’re far too easily pleased.

How can we turn our attention away from regrets, dreams, and other consuming thoughts so that we can set our minds on things that are above?

If two spouses agree that they do not want to have more children, would it be sinful to pursue permanent forms of birth control?

How do I follow God’s lead in my daily decisions? I know he’s my shepherd, and that he’s leading me, but how do I know if I am following him?

To be a Christian is not only to trust Christ and treasure Christ, but to be indwelt by Christ. And that new identity transforms all our relationships.

God still answers prayers for physical healing today. But how should Christians evaluate the claims of so-called healing ministries?

We know that Jesus has purchased both our forgiveness and our physical healing at the cross. But what kind of healing can we expect in this life?

If all our sins are forgiven — past, present, and future — does ongoing confession show that we doubt Christ’s finished work?

If our sinful flesh was crucified with Christ when we first believed, why do we keep sinning like we do?

How do we make sure the good we do is not done in vain? Listen to Pastor John’s answer more than thirty years ago, just weeks after becoming a pastor.

When we look around at our world of horrific suffering, how can we keep believing in an all-good, all-wise, totally sovereign God?

Some self-denial exalts self and feeds sin, and some self-denial exalts Christ and kills sin. So how can we practice the right kind?

Every Christian battles excessive and distorted desires. And in Christ, God gives every Christian daily forgiveness, hope, and strength to keep fighting.

At the cross, Paul says, God “disarmed the rulers and authorities.” So what weapons are no longer in Satan’s hands?

How can Christians pursue education without being taken captive by worldly thinking? Pastor John reflects on Paul’s warning against “philosophy” in Colossians 2:8.

In 1938, a small publishing ministry began distributing gospel tracts. Today, that ministry has spread millions of tracts, books, and Bibles all over the world.

Paul says that God has reconciled to himself “all things” in heaven and on earth. Does that mean even unbelievers and demons will be saved in the end?

How should Christians respond to divisions in the church? Don’t make light of them, for they are tragic. And don’t make death of them, for they are predicted.

Under God, musical worship can mobilize the church to finish the Great Commission. The gladness of Godward singing sends lovers of Christ to the nations.

Scripture includes stories of angels talking with humans through dreams and visions. So should Christians expect, and even pursue, conversations with angels today?

When God puts the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, giving us a spiritual sight of his fatherly care in Christ, we can’t help but cry, “Abba! Father!”

The freest people in this world are those most in love with the next. If our hope is safe in heaven, we can afford to take risks on earth.

Colossians 1:23 says the gospel “has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven.” Does that mean the gospel has already reached the entire world?

If our final salvation rests on the condition that we persevere in faith, how can we know that we really will make it to heaven?

Unless we become mature in our thinking, we will regularly be blown about by the winds of subtle, clever, politically correct language.

In creation, God made Adam and all the animals from the ground. So why, when God made Eve, did he take a rib from Adam’s side?

All good gifts are from God, through God, and to God. But in his providence, those gifts often come to us through others, who rightly deserve our thanks.

Pastor John commends Tony Reinke’s new book — a panoramic, penetrating theology of technology, tethered to God’s infallible Scriptures.

How can Christians live faithfully in the day of Big Tech? In ‘God, Technology, and the Christian Life,’ Tony Reinke explores God’s relationship to the innovations of our age.

Does the story of David and Bathsheba suggest that Bathsheba was a willing partner in his adultery, or that David took her against her will?

God made some Christians to enjoy spending a lot of time alone. But what makes the difference between a Christian loner and a self-centered loner?

The God of the universe cares about every problem you have, no matter how small. And he wants to draw you up into purposes far greater than your problems.

Pull-tabs and scratch games incentivize risky, destructive behaviors, especially among those who can least afford to play.

What might it look like for a Christian with significant disabilities to live a productive, spiritually fruitful, God-glorifying life?

Should I become a preacher? Pastor John’s own road to the pastorate shows that God often makes preachers in unexpected ways.

If Scripture doesn’t obligate parents to leave a financial inheritance to their children, how might Christians decide what to do with their money?

God will never leave or forsake his children. But for our lasting good, he may sometimes hide his face and allow us to walk through seasons of darkness.

When we memorize and meditate on God’s word, we create a deep, transforming connection between the Bible, our minds, and our hearts.

The Bible describes idols as actual objects people worship, but today many use the language of “idolatry” more broadly. So what is an idol?