A La Carte: Talarico, John Perkins, The Chosen, Sin, and More (March 16)

Good morning. Grace and peace to you. Thanks to all those who entered the draw for the Westminster Books. I notified the winner yesterday.

Today’s Kindle deals include some really helpful books related to counseling and understanding common sins and vices.

If you prefer reading on paper, be sure to consider this deal from Westminster Books on two books meant to help you better understand and apply Scripture.

James Talarico Represents Christianity’s Past, Not Its Future

Carl Trueman writes about James Talarico in this opinion piece at The Washington Post. He describes Talarico’s support of the gender non-binary and says, “it reflects one of the oldest habits of the liberal Protestant tradition to which Talarico belongs: championing progressive social causes just as they are losing favor with the public. Talarico is not a sign of where America is heading but where it has been.” (See also Alan Shlemon on Fishy Reasons to Deny the Sex Binary.)

Through ‘The Doorway of Heaven’: In Honor of John M. Perkins

Thaddeus Williams has a sweet tribute to his friend John Perkins who recently went to be with the Lord. “In one of my longest and last conversations with Brother John, he talked much of death. Hear his words: ‘I’m living at the doorway of heaven…. aware that any day could be my last. Joy is all around me. My heart overflows with gratitude for this joy. It has not diminished over time. It grows more radiant each and every day, with the promise of heaven set before me.’”

“The Chosen”: A Tale of Two Christs?

Joshua Budimlic penned a lengthy and charitable explanation of why Christians should think twice before watching The Chosen. He draws out the important point that it is hardly novel among Protestants to purposely avoid portrayals and images of Christ. “I am keenly aware that some of my readers, many close friends and family among them, will disagree with me on this issue—perhaps even rather vehemently. So be it. However, amidst our disagreements, let us remain gracious and charitable, seeking to honor others above ourselves (Romans 12:10) and in so doing, honor Christ above all.”

Sincerity, Sarcasm, and the Memeification of Life

I appreciated reading this article from T.J. Holland who laments the memeification of life, which he takes to be a sign of how unseriously some people treat life today. “We are in danger of eroding our capacity for the serious, the severe, the sensible, and the seismic. This process is already seen in the decrease of attention span associated with screens, the first warning signs of the impending death of our ability to engage with anything requiring thought, effort or time.”

The Bad News We Still Need

“The doctrine of sin is frequently ignored in the secular West, replaced by self-confidence and therapeutic models of self-help. Many churches, though not ignoring sin, nevertheless treat it superficially, as if sin were a problem only of behavior and not also of thought and desire. In a biblical understanding, however, sin is the moral heart-sickness at the center of our rebellion against God. When recovered, the doctrine has significant implications for personal discipleship and preaching, challenging pastors to uphold the glory of God’s holiness and boldly proclaim the good news of his grace.” Writing for Desiring God, Pierce Taylor Hibbs explains the bad news we still need. (On a somewhat similar note, here’s Roland Barnes on How Do I Know If Something Is a Sin?)