• The FAQs: Supreme Court Ruling Protects Faith-Affirming Foster Care. Joe Carter writes “On June 17, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia, an important religious-liberty case involving faith-based foster care and adoption providers. The unanimous decision of the Court is that Philadelphia violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment by refusing to contract with Catholic Social Services (CSS) for foster care unless it agreed to certify same-sex couples as foster parents.
• A Particular Disapproval of Gay Pride. John Piper writes “Biblically faithful Christians do not disapprove of Gay Pride the way non-Christians do. Christian disapproval is peculiar. It is rooted in, sustained by, and aimed at realities for which non-Christians have no taste: the cross of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the glory of God. It is Trinitarian: God the Son, God the Spirit, and God the Father.”
• Should the Church Support the Total Abolition of Abortion? Abortion is one of the greatest sins that has ever marred the history of civilization. How should Christians respond to this evil and work toward bringing it to an end? From one of Ligonier’s live events, Sinclair Ferguson and Burk Parsons respond.
• Voddie Baucham at NRB on “Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement”. Eric Metaxas interviews Voddie Baucham about his excellent new book Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe, which I’m reading and discussing with a few friends.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

• More interesting article links
• Favorite Quotes of the Week

• We’re Called to Make Disciples, not Simply Converts. R.C. Sproul writes “When we’re involved in discipleship, we do not graduate until we get to heaven. Discipleship is a lifelong experience of learning the mind of Christ and following the will of Christ, submitting ourselves in complete obedience to His lordship.”
• Help! I’m Feeling Anxious about . . . Everything. David Murray writes “When you’re anxious about everything, look at God’s creation, listen to God’s questions, rest in God’s caring control, and follow God’s priorities for peace instead of worry.”

• What are the “Elementary Principles of the World” in Galatians 4:3? What are the “elementary principles of the world” that once enslaved us, according to Galatians 4:3? From one of the Ask Ligonier events, Sinclair Ferguson describes how our relationship to God’s law changes when we come to Christ.
• Does Romans 7 Depict a Jew Under the Law or a Believer Struggling with Sin? In the second half of Romans 7, is the Apostle Paul describing his past as an unconverted Jew living under the law or his present struggle with sin as a believer? From one of Ligonier’s live events, Derek Thomas and Steven Lawson place this passage in context.
• Should Christians Visit Cemeteries? On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “What should Christians accomplish and take away from cemetery visits?”
• Why Should Christians Study the Old Testament? So much of what we know about Jesus and His redeeming work is rooted in the Old Testament Scriptures. From one of the Ask Ligonier events, Robert Godfrey underscores the importance of studying the Old Testament for a fuller understanding of the Christian faith.
• Who is the Disciple Jesus Loved? On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “In John 21:7we read about a ‘disciple whom Jesus loved.’ Can you tell me who this is? And why is he referenced like this? I assume Jesus loved all his disciples. Is there any takeaway for us in the love designation directed to this one disciple?”
• Are Arminians Saved? Arminian theology has serious consequences on the life and thinking of a professing Christian. From one of Ligonier’s Ask C.events, R.C. Sproul explains why we should be glad that many Arminians are inconsistent in their doctrine.

• Christians, Beware the Blame Game. Carl Trueman writes “The church’s exile from mainstream culture is going to be hard, but the Bible makes it clear that she wins in the end. The gates of hell shall not prevail against her.”
• It’s Not About You: How Biblical Theology Transforms Bible Study. On this episode of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast we hear a workshop recorded live at The Gospel Coalition 2021 National Conference. Nancy Guthrie works through seven ways biblical theology transforms Bible study, as well as ways teachers can develop a deeper grasp of biblical theology.
• How Do I Know That God Is for Me? Sinclair Ferguson writes “We can be sure that God is for us because this God, the God of the Bible, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up to the cross for us all.”
• God Is Always at Work for Us and for Our Good. Robert Godfrey writes “This psalm (Psalm 18) reminds all of us that God is always at work for us and for our good. In the New Testament, the Apostle John makes the same point: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). We do not need to fear, for God will save us in His good time. We should praise God for His mercy and help as this psalm does.”

Other Interesting Links

• The Most Effective Technology on the Planet to Block Pornography. Justin Taylor shares about Canopy, a tool that uses the most effective technology on the planet to block pornography.
• The Refreshment of Unlikely Friendship: Why John Owen Needed John Bunyan. John Tweeddale writes “Their lives remind us as Christians that we all “stand in need” of friendship. We stand in need of each other’s gifts, even when they are far different from our own, and we stand in need of each other’s help and encouragement, especially in the most trying times.”
• The Song John Piper Wants Played at His Funeral. In this series from Justin Taylor, John Piper writes that a song he wants played at his funeral is Steve Green’s “God and God Alone”.
• American Catholic, American Culture: A Conversation About Religion and American Public Life with Historian D. G. Hart. On this episode of the Thinking in Public podcast, Albert Mohler visits with D.G. Hart, author of American Catholic: The Politics of Faith During the Cold War, which chronicles the intersection between Roman Catholicism, conservatism, and American nationalism at a crucial time in the nation’s history.
• Race, the Bible and the Christian Life: A Conversation with Tim Keller and Anthony Bradley. From Redeemer Downtown: “We had the privilege of having Dr. Tim Keller and Dr. Anthony Bradley join us for the last session of our six-part series on “Race, the Bible and the Christian Life”. Dr. Tim Keller is the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church and Dr. Anthony Bradley is an author and professor of religion, theology and ethics at The King’s College. During this conversation, we reflected on what we’ve learned throughout this series, discussed some of the challenges that remain and how we can move forward together as a church committed to justice and the flourishing of all people.”
  

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• Because of Jesus, there is always hope, even in the darkest moments of your life. Tim Keller
• It is not your hold of Christ that saves you, but his hold of you. Charles Spurgeon
• Hardship should never be interpreted as the absence of your Lord. Paul Tripp
• God is not like a chess player casually moving us pawns around on a board. Nor is it usually clear until years later, if ever in this life, what good God was accomplishing in the difficulties we suffered. Tim Keller
• Prayer is hard because dying to self, humbling ourselves, coming to the end of ourselves and admitting we’re helpless is hard. Burk Parsons
• If you seek righteousness first, you get happiness through contentment. If you seek happiness first, you get none of them. Tim Keller
• Your goal in biblical study is not just to master its theology, but to have every area of your life mastered by the One who is at the center of that theology. Paul Tripp
• Doing justice for our neighbors, whether they believe in Christ or not is, paradoxically, one of the best recommendations for the faith. Like Jesus, we must be mighty in both word and deed (Luke 24: 19). Tim Keller
• Let our present privileges awaken us to present duty, and now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus. Charles Spurgeon