Will We Ever Know Why We Suffer?

Suffering is inevitable. The testing of our faith is guarantee for those who walk with Jesus. The book of James tells us that we encounter trials of various kinds (James 1:2). Most of them will catch us off guard, while there are some that we can probably see a mile away.

When suffering comes, most people want to why is this is happening to them? What did I do to deserve this? There are times when our suffering is known. Why you have lung cancer? Because you smoke 3 packs of cigarettes per day. Why are getting a divorce? Because you committed adultery. 

What about the ones we cannot wrap our heads around. A cancer diagnoses when you have been healthy for majority of your life. A child that wanders from the faith. The loss of a job that you are very successful in. 

There are people in the church that believe we will know why we went through suffering. They think that God will explain His reasons for letting our suffering take place. I think one of the reasons is from Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God, which states that we will never know the truth of our suffering until we hear from God. Blackaby believes that Christians can hear the voice of God. If not, you are in trouble at the heart of the Christian experience. 

This teaching from Blackaby is problematic because it says Christians who do not hear God speaking to them are probably not saved. I have known believers who have never heard the voice of God, yet they are faithful to Christ. Blackaby saying God speaking about the reasons for our suffering adds more problems because it certainly does indicate that God owes us an explanation, which He does not.

When spoke to Job, He never told him why he went through the suffering he did. Why would God tell us about the suffering we have gone through? What makes us better than Job or anyone who has gone through suffering in the past centuries or in today's world.

We may or will never know the truth about our suffering, but one thing is clear: God allows our suffering for His glory and our good. The Apostle Paul wrote:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers; and those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified (Romans 8:28-30, LSB).

What is the good mentioned in Romans 8:28? The good is being conformed to the likeness of Christ. Suffering is to help us mature in Christ. We suffer to bring God glory and to grow in our faith. As painful as it can be, it is beneficial. 

My Thoughts on Petra's New Album

 I was around 10 years old when I was introduced to the Christian band, Petra. My first album that I got to listen to was "This Means War," and the rest is history. Petra has been my go-to band for listening to while driving, working out, and even mowing the yard. I was sad to learn that Petra was no longer going to be making music after 2005, but they still continued to tour with their latest tour being called, "The Best for Last."

I never had the chance to see Petra in concert until June 2025 with my son in Arlington, Tx. I have to admit; my inner teenager was coming out including attempting to headbang in a couple of the songs which was an epic failure only because I had short hair. As the concert progressed, there two words that came from the band I never thought I would hear again: new album. I was excited to hear that my favorite band was coming out with a new album, which happened on January 6th. 

Petra released a new album titled, "Hope," which is their first studio album in over 20 years. The reason is they wanted to encourage the church with a message of hope in a chaotic world. Like most of Petra's music, they are supported by scripture. I am not going to do a thorough review of this album but just share a few thoughts. 

First, this album was a breath of fresh air. Petra's new album was something that was needed in the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) world. Yes, there are other decent bands in CCM, but Petra tends to bring in those who love rock and pop together. Their concerts have been brought old and young together, which I saw in Arlington. The song "Oxygen" was surprising because it felt like you were listening to Jimmy Buffet or the Beach Boys in the beginning.

Second, though backed by the Bible, you may not agree with all of the lyrics to their songs. Their first single, "Deliver Us" addresses binding every power that opposes which is a little charismatic lingo. These songs are not worship songs. This is just a group of Christian musicians who want to give encouragement to the body of Christ. 

Finally, as a long time Petra fan, this one was worth the wait. They may not be as hard rock as they were with "This Means War" or "Beyond Belief," but it was great hearing new songs from them. I hope (no pun intended) Petra will continue to make more albums. I know they are getting up in age, well three of them, but they still got it. 

Virgil Walker Addressing Race, Identity, and DEI

Book Review: The Promise of the Messiah by Ethan Jago

It has been nearly a month since we celebrated Christmas. Most Christians love this time of the year because we remember what God did by sending His Only Begotten Son born of a virgin. What's sad is many Christians after Christmas will forget all about the incarnation of Christ till next Christmas, which is less than 12 away for those who are keeping track. 

The Incarnation of Christ is not something we should study around Christmas time. It should be something that we study, read, and know for all times of the year. I am delighted to recommend a great resource from G3 Press written by Ethan Jago, titled, The Promise of the Messiah: A Theology of Christmas. 

Jago does a wonderful job showing his readers that the coming of the Messiah was something God promised all the way back to the beginning in the garden of Eden. He also points out that while Christmas is a time to reflect on the birth of Christ, it is also time where we anticipate His return. Christ's first coming should always make us consider that one day He will return.

Jago continues to point out that Christ never ceased to be God. Jesus went through everything a man could go through yet was without sin. He was tempted so that He can be a Great High Priest that can sympathize with us in our weakness. Jesus did not earn righteousness or salvation but came to fulfill the Father's will. Jesus was already the Son of God and He delighted to do the will of God.

Jesus did not come just to be a good teacher, as Jago says in the book, or a miracle worker. He came to bear the sins of the world so that we can have righteousness from God by faith in Christ. Christ lived a perfect life because we could not. 

Jago concludes that the fulfillment came when Christ took our place on the cross so that He can pay for our sins. He also was raised on the third day and will physically return one day. As Christians today, we must share this good news to all. Christ's incarnation is not something that should be celebrated just during Christmas time, but in every season of the year. Not saying we should bust out the Christmas decorations, but we should remember that God loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son as John 3:16 boldly proclaims.

This is a great resource for all studying on the incarnation of Christ. This is also a useful tool to be used for Christmas time when doing a Sunday School lesson or sermon on the incarnation.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review. 

Jon Benzinger Speaks with a Former Muslim Regarding If Islam is a Religion or a Political Power

On the Redeeming Truth Podcast, Jon Benzinger is joined by Dan Burmawi, who is a former Muslim, about his upbringing, how he came to faith in Christ, how Christians can stand for truth, and other topics. 

Scott Aniol and James White Discuss Islam in America

With Islam in the news especially with its growth in America, what are Christians to do. In this video, Scott Aniol is joined by James White to discuss what Islam believes and the challenges American Christians face in reaching them with the gospel.

Recommended Resource:

What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an by James White

The Euangelion in the New Testament

When we come to the New Testament, we find three distinct ways in which the term gospel is used. First, we have four books in the New Testament that we call Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These books are biographical portraits of Jesus. Gospel in this sense describes a particular form of literature. Second, during the earthly ministry of Jesus, the term gospel was linked not particularly with the person of Jesus but with the kingdom of God. John the Baptist is introduced as one who comes preaching the gospel, and his message is “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 3:2). Jesus did the same in His parables, proclaiming, “The kingdom of God is like . . .” On the lips of Jesus, the gospel was about the dramatic moment in history when, through the long-awaited Messiah, the kingdom of God had broken through in time and space. The good news was the good news of the kingdom. Third, by the time the Epistles were written, particularly the Pauline epistles, the term gospel had taken on a new shade of understanding. It had become the gospel of Jesus Christ. Gospel had a clear content to it. At the heart of this gospel was the announcement of who Jesus was and what He had accomplished in His lifetime. 

In addition to the person and work of Jesus, there is also in the New Testament use of the term gospel the question of how the benefits accomplished by the objective work of Jesus are subjectively appropriated to the believer. First, there is the question of who Jesus was and what He did. Second is the question of how that benefits you and me. That is why Paul conjoins the objective account of the person and work of Jesus (particularly to the Galatians) with the doctrine of justification by faith alone, which is essential to the gospel. 

In preaching the gospel we preach about Jesus, and we preach about how we are brought into a saving relationship with Him. The gospel is under attack in the church today. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get the gospel right and to understand both the objective aspect of the person and work of Jesus and the subjective dimension of how we benefit from that by faith alone. 

Application 

In what ways have you seen the gospel attacked in the church or in society? Is the objective or subjective dimension of the gospel attacked more frequently? Now consider your role in the kingdom to defend the gospel and take some time to reflect on these two dimensions. Rehearse a succinct gospel presentation that incorporates both aspects and anticipates the common attacks that you have heard.

Adapted from The Power of the Gospel: A Year in Romans with R.C. Sproul

The Euangelion in the Old Testament

For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how without ceasing I make mention of you, always in my prayers earnestly asking, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you (Romans 1:9-10).

…Paul identifies himself as one separated as an Apostle and called by God to preach the gospel. I said that the phrase “the gospel of God” (v. 1c) did not mean the gospel about God, but rather the gospel that is the possession of God. God owns that gospel. He is the One who invented the gospel and commissioned Paul to teach it. The gospel did not originate with Paul; it originated with God. Here, Paul uses the same structure to refer not to the gospel of God but to the gospel of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The gospel is the possession of Jesus, but even more, Jesus is the heart of the content of the gospel. 

The word for “gospel” is the word euangelion. It has that prefix eu-, which comes into English in a variety of words. We talk about euphonics or euphonious music, which refers to something that sounds good. We talk about a eulogy, which is a good word pronounced about someone at his or her funeral service. The prefix eu- refers to something good or pleasant. The word angelos or angelion is the word for “message.” Angels are messengers, and an angelos is one who delivers a message.

This word euangelion, which means “good message” or “good news,” has a rich background in the Old Testament. There, the basic meaning of the term gospel was simply an announcement of a good message. If a doctor came to examine a sick person and afterward declared that the problem was nothing serious, that was gospel or good news. In ancient days when soldiers went out to battle, people waited breathlessly for a report from the battlefield about the outcome. Once the outcome of the battle was sure, marathon runners dashed back to the people to give the report of the conflict. That is why Isaiah wrote, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news” (Isa. 52:7).

The watchman in the watchtower would look as far as the eye could see into the distance. Finally, he would see the dust moving as the runner sped back to the city to give the report of the battle. The watchmen were trained to tell by the way the runner’s legs were churning whether the news was good or bad. If the runner was doing the survival shuffle, it indicated a grim report, but if his legs were flying and the dust was kicking up, that meant good news. That is the concept of gospel in its most rudimentary sense. 

Application 

Have you ever had to deliver bad news? It’s difficult. But imagine yourself like one of those marathon runners whom Isaiah pictured. In Christ, you’ve been given a message of good news, an announcement of victory, that Jesus has defeated sin, Satan, and death in His triumph on the cross. Imagine the rush of Isaiah’s messenger. May this be true of us when we reflect on and share the gospel.

Adapted from The Power of the Gospel: A Year in Romans with R.C. Sproul

Darrell Harrison on the Truth about Gender and Gender Identity

Justin Peters and Jason Lisle Discuss the Evidence of a Young Universe

Ethan Jago on the Impact of Church Hurt

Let’s talk about church hurt—not the light kind you can brush off with Church folks be church-folkin’—but the kind that hits your chest, makes you question God, and has you halfway out the door every Sunday, at least on the inside. Church hurt is pain that happens in the context of spiritual community, through pastors, leaders, members, systems, or even theology used and applied the wrong way. It hits differently because you didn’t just trust these people with your time; you trusted them with your soul. You tied their words and actions to God’s name, so when they failed you, it felt like God had failed you, too. If nobody else gets why you still wrestle with it, I do.

The tricky thing about church hurt is that it doesn’t stay at the old church; if you aren’t careful, it packs its bags and moves with you to the new one. You walk through new doors with walls, not just wisdom. You find yourself scanning everything: How do they handle money? Who really has the power here? What do they believe about leaders, about women, about accountability? When people are kind, you become skeptical, wondering what they really want. Wisdom is a gift, but living in suspicion all the time is exhausting. Scripture says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov 4:23). Guarding your heart is not the same as locking it behind concrete and barbed wire so no one ever gets close again.

Without even meaning to, you start to isolate yourself while calling it “being cautious.” You come late and leave early. You avoid small groups and serving because those spaces require vulnerability. You keep the conversation on the surface: work is fine, God is good, life is okay. On the outside, you say, “I’m just observing,” but on the inside, what you really mean is, “If I don’t attach, you can’t abandon me.” The enemy loves that, because isolation makes your unchallenged thoughts sound more and more like the truth. God designed you for connection, not constant self-protection, which is why the Bible encourages believers not to give up meeting together, but to encourage one another (Heb 10:25). Community isn’t just a church program; it’s part of your spiritual survival.

Read the entire post here.

Book Review: A Little Theology of Exercise by David Mathis

As the new year begins, I am sure many of you have made New Year's resolutions. If I had to guess which resolution most will have their list, I would say losing weight or exercise more than last year. There is nothing wrong with that goal yet some many give up within a month, a week, or even a day of trying. 

There are some that say exercising is not that big of a deal in the Christian life. Some would say our spiritual growth is more important. So, the question is our spiritual health more than important than our physical well-being or are both important? David Mathis addresses this question and others in his latest book, A Little Theology of Exercise.

Mathis points out that our spiritual formation and maturing in Christ is vitally important but caring for our bodies are essential as well. He said, "We train our souls through conditioning our bodies. and what we do with our souls can greatly affect our bodies." Mathis is not being legalistic here. What is saying that the body does matter and we should do our best to take care of it. Not caring for our bodies does affect us in various ways.

Mathis goes on in the book saying we can make exercise Christian as we seek to honor the Lord as we take care of it. Mathis points us various passages of Scripture regarding our bodies. Mathis shows his readers that God has made our bodies even though sin has seized it. Jesus came in a human body and God dwells in the body through His Spirit. The body is not something God cast to the side. He made it to honor Him. 

Mathis shows us we honor God by caring for our bodies and it does help condition us spiritually. While physical health is important, it does not mean it is more important than spiritual growth. As the Apostle Paul wrote that "bodily training is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8, LSB). 

There are not many Christian books on exercise that I am aware of. If there are any, it is usually from a worldly point of view. Mathis gives a Biblical worldview on exercise that does not make anyone feel guilty because they have not done enough exercise in their lifetime. So, take, read, and then go for a walk to the glory of God.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

 

Josiah Grauman - The Mystery of Godliness

A Conversation Regarding A.I.

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) was once a concept in Science Fiction. Now these days, it is the talk of the town. You cannot escape conversations about A.I. and it seems people use it for simple tasks. 

In video, Scott Aniol talks with Dr. Brian Dellinger, a professor of Computer Science, on how we should approach A.I. from a Biblical Worldview. 

MacArthur on the Roman Catholic View of Justification

Roman Catholicism blends its doctrines of sanctification and justification. Catholic theology views justification as an infusion of grace that makes the sinner righteous. In Catholic theology, then, the ground of justification is something made good within the sinner—not the imputed righteousness of Christ. The Council of Trent, Rome’s response to the Reformation, pronounced anathema on anyone who says “that the [sinner] is justified by faith alone—if this means that nothing else is required by way of cooperation in the acquisition of the grace of justification.” The Catholic council ruled “Justification . . . is not remission of sins merely, but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man, through the voluntary reception of the grace, and of the gifts, whereby man of unjust becomes just.” So Catholic theology confuses the concepts of justification and sanctification and substitutes the righteousness of the believer for the righteousness of Christ. 

This difference between Rome and the Reformers is no example of theological hair-splitting. The corruption of the doctrine of justification results in several other grievous theological errors. If sanctification is included in justification, then justification is a process, not an event. That makes justification progressive, not complete. One’s standing before God is then based on subjective experience, not secured by an objective declaration. Justification can therefore be experienced and then lost. 

Assurance of salvation in this life becomes practically impossible because security can’t be guaranteed. The ground of justification ultimately is the sinner’s own continuing present virtue, not Christ’s perfect righteousness and His atoning work. Those issues were fiercely debated in the Reformation, and the lines were clearly drawn. Reformed theology to this day upholds the biblical doctrine of justification by faith against the Roman view of justification by works/merit.

Adapted from The Gospel According to the Apostles by John MacArthur

Jon Benzinger on the State of Theology

Gary Gilley on John Mark Comer

John Mark Comer was just a name on a few books that I have come across with no interest in reading. Lately, he has been in a series of discussions regarding his beliefs in Penal Substitutionary Atonement that has caused some red flags to be raised.

Are there concerns regarding John Mark Comer that Christians should take note? Gary Gille, pastor of Southern View Chapel in Springfield, IL, has written a few articles on Comer and his theology:

John Mark Comer and the Comerism of Christianity

John Mark Comer: Practing The Way

John Mark Comer's Theology

John Mark Comer Takes on PSA

Need a Bible Reading Plan?

Happy New Year!!! As 2026 begins and you make those New Year's Resolution or break them after one hour, hopefully one thing that you have a planned is to have a good Bible reading plan. Maybe you already have one whether with your church, small group, or just you are doing yourself. Whatever you have, praise God.

What if you do not have a Bible reading plan? I got you covered. 

Here are a few places to check out for your next Bible reading plan:

A list of Bible reading plans from Ligonier Ministries.

A reading plan based on The MacArthur Daily Bible, which is the same plan used in the LSB Daily Reading Bible.

Three Year Bible Reading Plan.

Cory Marsh on the Misconceptions of Biblicism

Like “fundamentalist / fundamentalism,” the terms “biblicist / biblicism” are not too popular among the evangelical elite. Because a biblical fundamentalist can also be called a biblicist in the right context, the idea of biblicism for how I and others understand it should be explained.

For some scholars, biblicism conjures up images of selective proof texting to justify one’s orthodoxy. For others, it gives the impression of an “ahistorical mindset” that devalues all insights and formulations from Christian thinkers throughout history. And still others view biblicism as an extreme form of literalistic interpretation, “with no respect for Scripture’s poetic devices or Aristotelian rationalism.” One dictionary even conflates “biblicism” with “bibliolatry,” the latter being a pejorative term to castigate those who value Scripture to the extent of apparently idolatrizing the Bible. If being a biblicist relates to any one of these views, it’s not surprising that astute Christian thinkers would want to stay as far from it as an identity as possible!

Now, I must admit that there are people in this world who probably fit within one of those descriptions. That said, I believe it’s unfair to tag a group people with a label that is used entirely differently by those who intentionally self-identify as biblicists and contribute to the academic community. Unfortunately, scholars who push a version of the label onto others who define it differently tend to be the most published and influential within academic evangelicalism and therefore become the standard bearers of what they believe a word should mean despite what it did mean before them. These are often voices within the current Reformed evangelical trend of returning to a form of catholicity that can (not always) resemble the medieval scholasticism justifying the “dark ages” when the Roman Catholic Church kept the light of God’s word from their people. I say it’s better to go directly to those who are informed from the inside and self-identify with a label, and consult their definition for how they use the term. Doing so reveals a more accurate portrayal of biblicism that looks much different than those given above.

Read the entire post here

My Top 15 Books for 2025

Another year is about end. So, it is time to share with you my top books for 2025:

15. Introducing the Apostolic Fathers by William Varner

14. The Cross, Our Glory by Charles Spurgeon

13. Great Doctrines of the Bible: God the Father, God the Son; God the Holy Spirit; The Church and the Last Things by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

12. The Vanishing Conscience by John MacArthur

11. Out of Formation: The Infiltration of the Spiritual Formation Movement and Its Impact on Evangelicalism by Gary Gilley

10. The Battle for the Beginning by John MacArthur

9. Fight Like a Man: A Bold, Biblical Battle Plan for Personal Purity by Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne

8. A Biblical Theology of Climate Change by Darrell Harrison & Virgil Walker

7. The History and Theology of Calvinism by Curt Daniel

6. Resting In Sovereign Grace: How To Have Assurance of Salvation by Joshua Banks

5. Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace in the Character of God by Jonny Ardavanis

4. Cultivating Spiritual Growth: Striving for Maturity in Christ by Conrad Mbewe

3. The Fruit of Godly Suffering: 30 Truths Every Christian Ought to Lay Hold of When Trials Come by Wesley Cooper

2. The Honor of God by Grant Castleberry

1. The Beauty of Prayer by Jeffrey Johnson