The gospel starts with a promise: a relationship in the Spirit. It is pictured as a meal and a washing: the Lord’s Table and baptism. It is rooted in a unique action supplying a unique need: the cross. It is inaugurated as a gift that is the sign of the arrival of the new era: Pentecost. It is affirmed in divine action and Scripture: God working uniquely and inseparably through Jesus. It is embraced in a turn that ends in faith: invoking the name of Jesus. It involves a different kind of power and is designed to be a way of life: Reconciliation and the power of God unto salvation. (Darrel Bock, Recovering the Real Lost Gospel)

by Richard Shin

And here we are with another set of weekly links. Hope you enjoy these expressions of God’s grace!

• Justin Taylor introduces the Report of the Creation Study Committee, published by the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). It shares the different ways members of the PCA interpret Genesis 1-3. He gives a preview in his blog post, but you can read the full document here.
• If you’ve been following the Weekly Links for a few months, you know that I shared about the passing of Denise, R.C. Sproul Jr.’s late wife. R.C. shares with us the sermon he almost preached at his wife’s memorial service.
• For several weeks, Mike Riccardi has been sharing a series of posts on Learning to Suffer Well. I was going to wait for the series to come to a close before sharing it, but I didn’t want to rob you of the joy. You can find them here, here, and here, in chronological order of posting.
• Paul Tautges shares a convicting post on laziness. Many, if not all, struggle with this sin. I hope this encouraging post enables you to act otherwise.
• Jonathan Leeman from 9Marks shares the idea behind baptism’s being a requirement for church membership. That’s precisely what we teach here at Lighthouse Bible Church.
• Nathan Bingham shares an excerpt from Steven Lawson’s The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon on how Calvinism ought to evoke a passion for evangelism.
• Ray Ortlund has a monster post on why right now counts forever. Indeed, it does.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Coram Deo