Here’s a roundup of profitable articles and blogs that I have read over the past couple of weeks. Perhaps one will interest you.

The Tragedy of IVF by Carl R. Truman

Carl Trueman discusses the tragedy of IVF, an issue that Christians should pay much more attention to. “While I do not deny the humanity of the child born by IVF or surrogacy, the procedures do. The child in the womb is treated not as a person but as a thing, not as a subject but as an object, not as intrinsically valuable but as having value only as instrumental to some other end. This is something that many Christians fail to see.”

When the Blind See and the Seeing are Blind by Mitch Chase

The Bible frequently uses physical maladies to illustrate spiritual maladies. Mitch Chase delves into how Scripture uses physical blindness to reveal spiritual blindness. “A person’s spiritual perception—or lack thereof—is revealed in how they respond to Jesus. The man who confessed Jesus is the one who truly sees. And these Pharisees, these teachers and leaders in Israel, are blind.”

The Doctrine of the Bible and a Pastor’s Ministry by Andreas Kosteberger

The Bible is crucial for effective, fruitful, and productive ministry. Andreas Kostenberger provides a brief overview of why this is the case. “The Bible is unlike any other book. It is a library of 66 books. And it is not just an ancient artifact; it is alive! Through the Bible, God still speaks today. At the same time, the Bible contains diverse literary genres and thus requires careful interpretation. Yet the Bible is not a law book but a story about God’s love in Christ. The Bible is sufficient for all of life and espouses the life-giving truth of God.”

The Harvest is Plentiful and the Workers Won’t Stay by Krista Horn

I knew there was always a need for more missionaries, but I was unaware that many of those who are sent do not stay in the field for very long. “Although the lack of workers for the harvest has been a persistent problem since the time of Christ, nowadays there is a new and noticeable trend in missions: those who go don’t necessarily stay. The definition of what it means “to stay” will differ from one person to the next. I won’t attempt to argue that point since I don’t have a concrete answer myself. What I’m pondering is the noticeable shift in less missionaries staying for an entire career or even a lifetime, compared to our predecessors throughout history.”

We Won’t Do Nothing for Eternity by Benjamin L. Gladd

Many people lack understanding about the eternal state, particularly concerning what glorified saints will do for all of eternity on the New Earth. Thankfully, Benjamin Gladd provides us with some clarity. “According to a recent survey, roughly 73 percent of adults in the United States believe in heaven. Drilling down further, about 60 percent believe the afterlife entails a future free of suffering where we’ll have “perfectly healthy bodies.” But I suspect the majority have thought little about what they’ll do in these bodies for all eternity. This article considers what activities the church will perform for eternity as described in Revelation 22.”

10 Theories of the Atonement by Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung goes over 10 theories of the atonement. I was unaware of half of them! “Over the centuries, theologians have articulated several different theories or models of the atonement. Most of the models get something right, though some are much closer to the mark than others. We will look at ten models, concluding with penal substitution, which is at the heart of the atonement and the “theory” that holds all the biblical insights of the other theories together.”