In the Margins - 1/28/26
Things I Read
I recently read this article on burial vs cremation by John Piper. I tend to agree that the symbolism of burial more fittingly corresponds with a biblical theology of the body, but I am also eager not to make anyone feel guilty about something that is not explicitly taught in Scripture. I was thinking about this while studying Genesis 23, which is the account of Sarah's death and burial.
Things I Listened To
I'm sure you already know this album, but it's been one of my favorites for the past couple years. "Almost Home: The Hymns of Matt Boswell and Matt Papa (Vol. 2)"
Things I Watched
A little bit ago I watched this evangelical assessment of Eastern Orthodoxy by Michael Reeves. Eastern Orthodoxy is growing in popularity, and needs to be addressed theologically, and many (myself included) have not had a grasp on its distinctives. This talk was helpful.
Things I Thought
Because Ashley and I look at our budget at the beginning of every year and because of the biblical finances core seminar, I have been thinking about how important budgeting is if we want to be faithful stewards. Imagine if Jesus showed up and asked, "Wait, how much money are you spending on _________." And we said, "Uh, ya know, Um...I don't know." Faithful stewards keep a close watch on how they're spending the Lord's money. If you've never set up a budget, do it. If you don't know how, talk to me or any of the elders.
Quotes to Ponder
“As we become soft and lazy in our bodies, we tend to become soft and lazy spiritually. When Paul talked about making his body his slave, so that after having preached to others he himself would not be disqualified, he was not thinking about physical disqualification, but spiritual. He knew that physical softness inevitably leads to spiritual softness. When the body is pampered and indulged, the instincts and passions of the body tend to get the upper hand and dominate our thoughts and actions. We tend to do not what we should do, but what we want to do, as we fellow the cravings of our sinful nature.”
Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness
