Cornfield Theology

Should the babies be baptized or does a person need to wait until adulthood? We discuss the various views on baptism and attempt to provide a persuasive argument for confessional baptism.

Dumbing Down Forgiveness

As a father of children, I find myself running interference from time to time. When one child takes advantage of the other, I have to set this situation straight. Who did what? And why? Siblings know how to press the buttons of the other. At times, a situation requires forgiveness because of sin. After attempting to shepherd my kids’ hearts, one may need to seek forgiveness of the other, and inevitably, I hear, “I am sorry ____.” I am sorry has become the new “please forgive me.” And it’s not just the kids. Christian adults adopt the “I am sorry” phraseology. 

The question I have is this: what are we losing by not using the word forgiveness? Is “I am sorry” sufficient to express the pardoning of one person’s sin against another? Or are we dumbing down forgiveness?

The Culture and Forgiveness

The word forgiveness is mostly absent from American culture. Even if you substitute the word forgiveness with another word, the meaning of forgiveness is foreign. Forgiveness is a formal release from an obligation or debt, especially understood as a debt of sin. In other words, when a person extends forgiveness to another person, the offending party is released from the sin debt. The sin is no longer held against the person. I do not think “I am sorry” captures the gravity of forgiveness. 

Another word that captures the meaning of forgiveness is absolution. When a person is absolved, the guilt of sin is released from the offending part along with the punishment. Indeed, a person can be forgiven and still suffer the consequences of sin, but absolution is essential, especially when we consider what the Bible says about forgiveness. 

But wait, there is more. The culture has not only jettisoned the meaning of forgiveness, but it’s now against forgiveness. 

Anti-Forgiveness

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the anti-forgiveness movement in America. Oh, you haven’t heard of the anti-forgiveness moment? But wait, I think you have heard of this movement. It exists under the guise of cancel culture. 

Cancel culture has become a buzz phrase, but it’s disgusting, and it’s anti-Christian. Cancel culture is the opposite of biblical forgiveness. Instead of pursuing reconciliation, a person is canceled because of a past mistake or sin. Why is this happening? The answer is simple. If you do not fall in line with woke ideology, you are fair-game to be canceled. 

The anti-forgiveness moment isn’t concerned with the exchange of ideas or pursuing a path forward through compromise. Instead, the anti-forgiveness moment will mine Twitter accounts to find one unsavory Tweet from high school so that a person will be shut down. A person can be fired for holding a reasonable position because it’s not in agreement with woke ideology. Actors and actresses are fired because they are unwilling to capitulate.

If you disagree with the prevailing woke ideology, there is no penance you can make. There is not even an “I am sorry.” And there is no forgiveness. And here is the reality. Because all people have sinned (Romans 3:23), everyone will eventually be canceled. Just wait. You’ll see.

The Christian Response

Christianity offers a better way forward. The American culture would do well to readopt the principle of forgiveness. Instead of canceling people who disagree, we can pursue unity through forgiveness. If there have been wrongs or sins, there can be gracious confrontations. Jesus had something to say about the importance of forgiveness. We

Is it ok for a pastor to plagiarize a sermon? At present, there is a lot of chatter on the topic. Some are trying to justify plagiarism, and it’s maddening. Watch or listen to this episode of Cornfield Theology to hear our thoughts on the topic.

Monday Morning Musings is a hodgepodge of contemplations as I begin a new week. Check-in on Monday morning to receive a myriad of thoughts from my vapid brain. The written and audio can be found at www.cornfieldtheology.com

Every Book and Every Word Matters

When is the last time you read and studied 3 John? Not John 3 but 3 John. Several years ago, another pastor and I preached through the short books of the Bible. I was tasked with 2 and 3 John. They are the two shortest books. I recently re-preached my sermon on 3 John. I don’t re-preach sermons often unless I am a guest of another church. But due to travel leading up to the 4th of July, I made an exception. In my study of 3 John, I was reminded how every book and every word in the Bible matters. Every word and every book has something to teach. If you believe all of God’s Word is sufficient, reading Romans and 3 John is an opportunity to be instructed by God. 

What’s the Point? 

You might be wondering, what’s your point? Good for you that God reminded you that every book of the Bible has significance. Well, when’s the last time you read through 3 John or Leviticus? Leviticus isn’t the most exciting book in the Bible. But it’s still valuable. Leviticus is still able to instruct. Leviticus helps build out the greater story arc of the Bible. Here is a verse from Leviticus that has had staying power. 

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.– Leviticus 19:18

I understand that the Law in Leviticus isn’t the most exciting read, but it’s still a part of the Bible. God spoke, and He continues to speak through the Book of Leviticus. 

Cherry Picking

Listen, I love Romans. Paul’s ability to frame a theological argument in Romans is second to none. We are currently going through the Book of Ephesians at Redemption Hill Church. Ephesians is a treasure trove of rich theology, especially chapters 1-3. But there is more to discover and learn, and Bible readers need to resist the temptation to constantly cherry-pick what they read. There is more to God’s Word than your favorite books and verses. Yes, your favorite books and verses will serve your soul, but there is more. Don’t stop after the Book of Exodus, but slug through the remainder of the Pentateuch. Don’t stop after 1 John, but turn the page to 2 John, and then the next page to 3 John. You can spend a lifetime reading the Bible, and there will always be more. 

A Journey Toward Confessionalism

When God poured out the Spirit on my cold dead heart in my early 20s, I immediately plugged into a church. The church affiliated with a network of other like-minded churches, but many considered it nondenominational. It was also charismatic or quasi-pentecostal. I was not discerning at the time, so I accepted the practice and theology of the church.

One day I decided to read the church’s “Statement of Faith.” It took 3 minutes to finish. It was concise, but I am sure a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness could affirm the statement. It wasn’t unorthodox, but it told me nothing about the theology of the church, along with what distinguishes this church from other churches. Instead, the focus is on values or vision. Now, I am down with values and vision, but values and vision should flow from theology. This church wanted its theology to fit its valu

In recent years a new concept has entered the church. It’s called “deconstructionism.” In this podcast, we define deconstructionism and how it’s leading people away from the church, and from the Christian faith.

Is the Son of God eternally subordinate to the Father? In this podcast, we provide an overview of the debate along with a few varying opinions.

In this episode we discuss Section 4 of our Confession of Faith, God is the creator of the world! We also talk around the edges of the more controversial points of biblical creation.

Blog Audio

The Beginning of Faith

When I first became a Christian there was a fire lit in my soul. On Easter morning the church that I was attending had an invitation at the end to either give yourself to Christ for the first time or to rededicate yourself to the faith. Although I thought I was in the latter group at the time, looking back I now realize that I was never a Christian before that moment. From that day onward I was determined to live a holy life and to dedicate myself to the scriptures. I decided to pursue theological education. This led me to attend Bethany Global University, then transfer to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and move down to Iowa to help plant Redemption Hill Church in the Des Moines metro.

Learning the Grace of God

The Call to Holiness

Early on in my faith, I knew one thing that God has called all Christians to is to live holy lives. We are not to live like we once did, instead, we are to live to God’s standard. The apostle Peter says in his first letter,

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.1 Peter 1:15-16

Peter not only gives us the command to be holy, but he also gives us the reason why. Christians are to be holy because God is holy. God has saved us from our sin and his coming wrath and has now called us to be like him.

Grace in the fight for Holiness

One thing I was quickly taught was the grace of God in the area of holiness. Christians though saved by grace still battle with sin. If the Christian heart is like a kingdom then Jesus Christ is the one who rules it. However, inside the kingdom, there are pockets of rebellion (sin) that Jesus is working to crush in the process of sanctification. For now, the sin is still there, but we will ultimately be made perfect.

Like many Christians, when I fail to live in holiness and I sin I can feel like I have failed God. I can feel like he is not only disappointed in my actions but hates me for them. I can feel like his grace is going to be withdrawn and I am going to be lost and forsaken. This is not only untrue but it is a common lie of the devil. It can be tempting to condemn ourselves, but Paul encourages us in his epistle to the Romans that,

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.Romans 8:1-2

He also tells us that,

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Romans 5:20-21

Not only is there no condemnation for the Christian, when we sin God is pleased to give us even more in the continual forgiveness of our sins. These truths should lift the great burden of perfectionism from the Christian heart. Though we may still sin in our fight for holiness God still loves his people. He still forgives them. He never forsakes the Christian.

Keep on Sinning?

Tempted to Abuse Grace

If the devil fails to tempt the Chris

It might surprise you to learn that the Bible talks about your vocation. It matters to God that you work hard and that you see your job as an opportunity to glorify God. Join us as we journey through the Bible to see what it says about vocation.

When you read the Bible, God’s decree pops off the page. God is sovereign, yet not all people rightly understand God’s decree. In this episode, we attempt to explain section 3 of our Confession of Faith while also answering a few objections.