The Favorite 500

In light of the recent discussions about the role of bloggers on social media, I’ve compiled a list of blog posts and articles that I’ve most enjoyed writing–either for this blog or for other online publications–over the past 8 years. I started blogging 12 years ago; and, have written somewhere around 2000 posts or articles over that time. As the years have progressed, I’ve sought to make the content of many of the posts more substantive in nature for the simple reason that I believe that many are willing to, in fact, spend time reading longer posts and articles online. Blogs continue to play a crucial role in the propagation of truth–whether in the form of doctrinal, exegetical, historical or practical theology. To that end, here are 500 posts that I have most thoroughly enjoyed writing over the past 8 years, that have gotten the most readership and that I hope will have, in some small way, been beneficial to the readers.

1. Welcome One Another (Tabletalk)
2. Legalism Defined (Tabletalk)
3. Faithfulness and Fruitfulness (Tabletalk)
4. What is Brotherly Love? (Tabletalk)
5. How Jesus Read the Scriptures (Tabletalk)
6. How Jesus Brings Peace (Tabletalk)
7. What Did Jesus Mean by “The World”? (Tabletalk)
8. The Cross and the Believer’s home (Tabletalk)
9. Disarming the Devil (Tabletalk)
10. The Vertical Dimensions of the Cross (Tabletalk)
11. Why is the Substitutionary Atonement Essential (Tabletalk)
12. Why We Need a Priest (Tabletalk)
13. How Does Jesus’ Temptation Link Him to Israel? (Tabletalk)
14. The Blessed Repetition of Redemptive History (Tabletalk)
15. Who is the True Israel? (Tabletalk)
16. The Gift of Entertainment (Tabletalk)
17. Holy War Jesus-Style (Tabletalk)
18. The Idol Crushing King (Tabletalk)
19. The Ark of the Covenant (Tabletalk)
20. Take Heed (Tabletalk)
21. The Deep Things of Christ (Tabletalk)
22. The Allurement of Christ (Tabletalk)
23. A Sinless Life (Tabletalk)
24. Mercy Triumphs Through Suffering (Tabletalk)
25. A Life of Blessing and Rest (Tabletalk)
26. The Secret of Sanctification (Tabletalk)
27. Fear of Man (Tabletalk)
28. The Peril of Wandering (Tabletalk)
29. It’s the Little Things (Tabletalk)
30. The Inner Ring (Tabletalk)
31. Signs and Wonders: Christ’s Gifts of the Spirit (Modern Reformation)
32. The Role of the Spirit in Current Trinitarian Controversies (Modern Reformation)
33. The Sin-Bearing, Curse Removing Second Adam
34. The Sin-Bearing, Curse Removing True Israel
35. The Obedience of the Second Adam and True Israel
36. A Biblical Theology of the Clouds
37. A Biblical Theology of Food and Drink
38. A Biblical Theology of Burial
39. A Biblical Theology of Time
40. A Biblical Theology of Locusts
41. A Biblical Theology of Mountains
42. A Biblical Theology of the Tribe of Judah
43. A Biblical Theology of Light and Darkness
44. A Biblical Theology of Exile and Restoration in the OT Prophets
45. A Biblical Theology of Burial
46. A Biblical Theology of the Trees of the Garden
47. A Biblical Theology of Clothing
48. A Biblical Theology of Glory
49. A Biblical Theology of Oil
50. The Cursed and Blessed Ground (A Biblical Theology of the Ground)
51. The Curse Reversed
52. A Brief Redemptive History of Animals
53. A Match Made in Heaven
54. The Church Comes First
55. As Seems Best to Them
56. Intramural Battle Wounds
57. The Reciprocal Wisdom of Proverbs 31
58. Father-to-Son Talks
59. 6 Thoughts on Sacred Space
60. 7 Thoughts on Sacred Time
61. A Divine Division
62. The Theological Significance of the Eighth Day
63. The New Creation Spirit of Christmas
64. The Son Hung on a Tree (A Biblical Theology of Trees)
65. The Noahic Covenant and Redemptive History
66. The Righteous One of Psalm 1
67. Jesus: True Israel of the First Gospel
68. Jesus: The Breath of Life
69. Jesus: Antitypical Sojourner and Exile in a Foreign Land (A Biblical Theology of Sojourning)
70. Everlasting Types and Ordinances of the Everlasting Christ
71. Christological Principles of Typology
72. Old Testament Personal Types and Shadows of Christ
73. The Clean for the Unclean (A Biblical Theology of Ceremonial Cleansing)
74. The Resurrection Power of Jesus
75. Gospel Justice
76. Fostering Relationships Between Church Leaders
77. Symbols of Christ in the Wilderness
78. Christ and the Tent in the Wilderness
79. The Ark of the Covenant and the Empty Tomb
80. The Last of the Levites
81. The Firstborn, the Levites, Substitution and the Redemption Money
82. The Presence of God Promised and Typified in the Death of Jacob and Joseph
83. Boaz: The Law-Keeping/Debt-Paying Redeemer
84. The Aroma of Christ
85. The Circumcision of Christ
86. On the Sabbath, Ceremonial Sabbaths, the Lord’s Day and the Day of the LORD
87. The Parable of Three Lost Sons
88. The God Who Loves Finished Work
89. The Wisdom of the Son (Seeing Christ in the Proverbs)
90. A Covenantal Approach to the Song of Songs
91. The Songs of the Son (Seeing Christ in the Psalms)
92. A Law-Keeping Redeemer is Born
93. The Serpent on the Pole and the Cross of Christ
94. Jesus, the True and Greater Gardener
95. Jesus’ Ark
96. The God of Typological Recapitulation
97. Eternalizing the Old Testament
98. The Symbolism of the Rainbow
99. Baptized with the Transgressors
100. Guardian Angels? 
101. A Sense of the Love of Christ
102. Four Gospels?
103. Vos on Old Testament Theophanies
104. Grace Is a Person
105. Christ, The Tree of Life
106. Grace Is a Gift
107. The Internal Witness of Scripture
108. Our Shield and Reward
109. Cities of Refuge
110. A Mountain Range Christmas
111. God Has Spoken
112. The Role of the Spirit in the Life of Christ
113. Jonathan Edwards on Adam and the Tree of Life
114. The Offices of Christ and the Marks of the Church
115. Imagining the Image of God
116. The Justification of Imputation
117. James and Justification: Which Court?
118. Maintaining Unity in the PCA
119. The Most Important Overlooked Doctrine (Part 1)
120. The Most Important Overlooked Doctrine (Part 2)
121. Taking Up the Hammer and the Nails (A Theology of Apostasy)
122. Which Systematic Theology is Best?
123. Satan Bound?
124. Manhood and Resurrection
125. Jesus Christ: Savior or Example
126. Modern Judaizers
127. You’ll Meet Them All
128. Sainthood
129. Work and Rest
130. Is the Fourth Commandment Required for Christians?
131. The Scriptural Witness to the Historicity of Adam
132. The Third Use of the Law and the Finished Work of Christ
133. Understanding the Law and its Uses
134. Three Ways the New Testament Writers Quote the Old Testament
135. How Redemptive-History and Example Meet in the Book of Hebrews
136. The Church: Organizism or Organization
137. The Gospel of the Forty Days
138. Jesus’ Compassion for Sinners
139. A Thanksgiving Jesus
140. The Human Growth of Jesus
141. The Hardest Week
142. The Great Redemptive Multi-Tasker
143. The Grace of Remembering
144. Mansions in Glory?
145. A Faith that Triumphs and Suffers
146. No Greeting From the Holy Spirit?
147. Jesus on the Inerrancy and Infallibility of Scripture
148. The Covenant of Grace in Time and Eternity
149. When God Swears to God
150. Taking Up the Hammer and the Nails (A Theology of Apostacy)
151. Jesus’ Compassion for Sinners
152. The Real Miracle
153. Jesus’ Miracles: Types of Spiritual Realities
154. 5 Important Theological Pairs
155. Heir of All Things
156. The Flesh/Spirit Distinction in Paul
157. Did Jesus Descend into Hell?
158. The Elemental Principles of the World
159. The Transmission and Identification of the Inerrant Text
160. Noah, Jesus and Preaching to Spirits
161. The “Signs” of Tongues and Prophecy in 1 Cor. 14:20-25
162. The Holy Spirit Says…
163. Jesus and the World to Come
164. On Headship, Hats, Hair and Historical Context
165. The “Not I, but the Lord…I say, not the Lord” Sayings of Paul
166. Suffering, Chastisement and the Fatherly Love of God
167. John’s Use of the Song of Songs in the Book of Revelation
168. No More Consciousness of Sin
169. Uncommon and Courageous Conviction
170. Life-Changing Sermons
171. A Year-End Self-Evaluation
172. The Kinsman Redeemer
173. Low Expectations…
174. Joseph Did You Know?
175. Sinful Anger: Its Cause and Cure
176. The Minister’s Grit
177. The Future of Emptiness
178. When the Father Sacrificed the Son
179. The Spirit in the Old and New Testament
180. A Redemptive Historical Lamb
181. The Covenant of Works, the Law and the Mosaic Covenant (Geerhadus Vos)
182. Geerhardus Vos on Supra- and Infra- Lapsarianism
183. Luther and Calvin on Galatians 5:6
184. Calvin and Edwards on Works of the Law
185. Edwards on Spiritual Pride
186. Jonathan Edwards on the Demand and Curse of the Law
187. Jonathan Edwards on Adam and the Tree of Life
188. Warfield, Biblical Doctrines and Confessionalism
189. 10 Must Read Pre-Reformation Works
190. The Sorrow and Joy of Imputation (Hugh Martin)
191. 6 Ingredients of Jesus’ Bitter Cup (Isaac Ambrose)
192. Thomas Boston on the Glory of Man at Creation and Redemption
193. Samuel Miller Publications Online
194. Archibald Alexander Publications Online
195. Vos on the Typical Role of Moses and the Exodus
196. Adolphe Monond on Jesus, the Mystery of Godliness
197. Luther on Seeing the Savior in a Poor, Beggar Baby
198. Machen on Getting as Little Truth as Possible
199. Vos on the Difference Between a Prophet and a Priest
200. Spurgeon on Expositional Reading and Preaching in the Worship Service
201. C.S. Lewis on the Right of Private Judgment
202. Because There Was No Sun (Calvin on Gen. 1:11)
203. A Pastor’s Love for Christ
204. Machen on Getting As Little Truth As Possible
205. The Patriotic Church
206. The Heart of the Reformation
207. Losing Loved Ones and Having Regrets
208. Fear and Sonship
209. A Pastor’s Love for Christ (Tabletalk)
210. A Romantic View of Ministry
211. The Fine Line (Tabletalk)
212. Preach the Gospel to Yourself?
213. Mini-Sermons for the Soul to Sing
214. Pastoral Ministry and Spiritual Warfare
215. The Pastor and Social Media
216. The Complexity of Pastoral Care
217. Learning to Think for Yourself
218. 4 Kinds of Pastors
219. Pastoral Reality: Ecclesiastes-Style
220. Extemporaneous Preaching
221. Ecumenical Fences
222. Handling Contentions in the Church
223. From the Text to the Table
224. A Faithful Seminary
225. Leadership Principles and Pastoral Ministry
226. Sing Your Heart Out
227. 6 Ways to Become a Welcoming Church
228. 7 Wrong Reasons for Joining a Church
229. “Top Down” or “Grass Roots” Ministry
230. 7 Characteristics of Spiritually Beneficial Friendships
231. The Race is Not to the Swift
232. Working on Learning to Rest
233. The Rare Jewel of Christian Commitment
234. Perspective is Key
235. The Dangers and Duties of Confessing Sin to One Another
236. The Theological Driver Seat and a M-16
237. Time for a Spirit Check
238. Teaching One Another In…
239. Back to School, Back to the Bible
240. Don’t Waste Your Grill
241. Stipulations for Mercy Ministry
242. Contentment in the Ministry
243. The Gracious Judgment of Charity
244. The Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper
245. The Importance of Time Management
246. 7 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Pastoral Ideologue
247. How Jesus Confronted and Corrected Others
248. 5 Reasons to Join (Or Not Join) a Church Plant Near You
249. Why We Fear Grace
250. The Internet: The Great Evangelical, Op-Ed Tabloid
251. A Church’s Coming of Age
252. Ministering to the Mobile
253. Dividends and Drawbacks of Small Groups
254. Marks of Orthodoxy?
255. A Multiplicity of Mentors
256. Reestablishing Ministry Goals
257. Singing the Mediatorial Praises of Jesus
258. 7 Ways to Care for Your Wife
259. Picking Up Sticks in the Service of Jesus
260. When They Walk Away
261. Did God Ordain Evil?
262. Jesus Loves the Rich
263. Teachability
264. Gospel Motivations for Gospel Ministry
265. When Christians Hurt You
266. Interpretive Indecisiveness
267. Of Ministers and Marriages
268. The Reach of the Gospel
269. Being Professional in Ministry
270. The Roller Coaster Effect of Ministry
271. Old Man, New Man; Dead Man, True Man
272. The Weight of the Church
273. The Digital Sermon
274. A Spiritual Inheritance
275. The Greatest Book Never
276. Destroying the Good for the Better
277. Reading God’s Providence
278. When the Preaching is Bad
279. Diagnostic Decision Making
280. Nothing to Complain About
281. The Sitting Christ
282. The Ministerial Decrease
283. The Unhypocritical Jesus
284. Gospel Poetry at the Table
285. The Family Idols
286. The Last Cry of Dereliction
287. Doctrine, Denominations and Division
288. Criticizing Our Camp
289. The Prophet and the Prophets
290. When Speaking About Jesus’ Bride
291. The Social Media Echo Chamber
292. The Judgment-Mercy of God
293. On Being a Lifelong Learner
294. Nothing Should Surprise Us
295. Trusting Christ to Provide
296. 7 Areas of Unbiblical Conscience Binding
297. 5 Reasons to Keep the Kids in
298. Teaching Our Children the Raw Parts of Scripture
299. Sophisticated Temples of Modern Idolatry
     
300. Redeeming our Reading
301. Grace and Wisdom for Mercy Ministry
302. A Tribute to R.C. Sproul
303. Social Sin, Social Media, and Social Interaction
304. Overcoming Discouragement in Ministry
305. Grown-Up Churches in an Age of Adolescence
306. Jesus: The Measure of a Man
307. Pastoral Reality: Ecclesiastes-Style
308. “…And Everything Else Will Follow”
309. Communicating and Connecting in Ministry
310. An Angel’s View of Christmas
311. Deacons and the Poor in the Church
312. …Until We Contemplate the Face of God
313. Plagiarizing and Quoting in Preaching
314. Not-So-Great Expectations
315. Church Planting Mathematics: 10 x 100 > 1 x 1000?
316. The Blessing of Teaching the Children
317. Giving and Receiving Criticism in Ministry
318. A Marathon Mentality for Ministry
319. 5 Rules of Social Media Engagement
320. An Ides of March for Every Cesar
321. Unity in Multi-Categorical Diversity in the Church
322. Ecclesiastical Antinomianism
323. Tuned in Parents on the Technological Frontier
324. Refuting Theological Error
325. Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
326. Jesus and the General and Special Revelation of God
327. It’s Not Until…
328. The Least Mentioned Sin
329. No Special Providence
330. The Missing Strings of Sanctification
331. Misplaced Presumptuous Tenderness
332. By Some Means
333. The Household Baptist
334. Gifts of Grace For Jesus
335. Everyone Packages Knowledge
336. When Your Spouse Won’t Join a Solid Church
337. Three Act Night
338. Little Eternal Beings
339. Nuggets of Truth
340. The Hard Job of Interpreting Job
341. The Unique Church
342. Six Ways to Redeem Thanksgiving
343. The Serpent Conquering Last Adam and True Israel
344. Bringing Our Children to the Table
345. What are You Waiting For?
346. Don’t Waste Your Commute
347. A Spiritual Brotherhood
348. The Patient God
349. Discovering Christ in the Psalms
350. The Extra Ministry Mile
351. Giving and Receiving Commendation
352. It’s All About the Recovery
353. When We Worship Our Worship
354. Keeping Short Accounts
355. The Importance of Being a Pastor/Theologian
356. Preaching the Funeral of an Unbeliever
357. 10 Outstanding Theologians (Of Whom You May Not Have Ever Heard)
358. The Importance of an Inquirer’s Class
359. The Story of Redemption
360. Thoughts to Avoid in Public Prayer
361. Taking a Vacation from God
362. Making Changes in a Church
363. Killing Envy
364. What Would Jesus Buy
365. How Then Should We View the Children
366. 10 Essential Pre-Reformation Writings
367. The Spirituality of the Church Speech
368. He Won’t Be Silent Forever
369. Let’s Make Wisdom Great Again
370. Hell to Pay
371. Love and Anger at the Cross
372. The Growing Christ
373. A Merry Luther Christmas
374. Virgins Don’t Conceive, Unless…
375. Souls Always Need More Curing
376. Jesus and Racial Bias
377. Luther, Law and Love
378. Even the Smallest Sin…
379. Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
380. ‘Til Kingdom Come
381. Retribution and Redemption
382. Content to Know Enough
383. Understanding Opponents
384. Van Mastricht on the Scholastics
385. Smells Like Teen Spirit
386. Only for a Time
387. Low Visibility
388. Legalism, Lawlessness and Pastoral Ministry
389. God’s Special People
390. Imagine There’s No Hell
391. The Exception and the Rule
392. Private and Personal or Public and Ecclesial
393. Unorthodox Christology
394. Insider Language and the Mission of God
395. Pitying Criminals or Imprisoning Society
396. The Power of Biblical Thinking
397. A Functional Imperfect Perfectionism
398. When Everything is a Gender Question
399. The Last Judgement
400. The Incomparable Conjunction of Love and Wrath
401. Decerebrated Frogs, the Straight Line and Cultural Accommodation
402. Are Some Sins Worse than Others
403. The Church Jesus Attends
404. Why We Love New Beginnings
405. A Better Jerusalem
406. Creation, Incarnation and the Immutability of God
407. Hollywood, Capitol Hill and the Human Heart
408. The Old Perspective on the Works of the Law
409. The Great Pope Within
410. Closely Connected Care
411. Love the Sinner as You Love Your Sinful Self
412. Game of Dethroning Sexual Sin
413. Why Did Jesus Need the Holy Spirit
414. The Christ-Haunted Song
415. Military Cases of Conscience
416. Justifying a Non-Repeatable Justification
417. In Defense of the Sabbatical
418. Expect the Unexpected
419. Luther and Calvin’s Quiet Discussions in Heaven
420. If Christ is Not Risen…
421. The Greek Orthodox Answer Man
422. Identity, Affinity and Christ
423. The Ecclesiastical Pendulum Swing
424. Redemptive History, Union with Christ and the Liturgical Calendar
425. Jesus and the Victim Card
426. To Be a Diaper Changer
427. Striving to Escape the Fall
428. Proverbs 8:23, the Eternal Generation of the Son and the History of Reformed Exegesis
429. Running the Race of Redemption
430. More Mercy in Christ than Sin in Us
431. Scripture, Slavery and Social Activism
432. Laying R.I.P. to Rest
433. The Need for a Ministerial Breakdown
434. The Missing Message
435. Desiring to Rule Over Genesis 3:16
436. Wisdom and Biblical Principles of Complementarianism
437. The Savior at the Well
438. Christ in Flesh and Spirit
439. The Seed of Scripture
440. Two Went Up to Pray
441. The Resolved Parent
442. Best Face Off
443. To Whom Should We Pray?
444. In All Circumstances
445. A Man of Constant Sorrow
446. The Redemptive-Historical End Zone Verse
447. The Doctrine of the Standing or Falling Church
448. Crossing the Finish Line
449. The Hope of Forgiveness
450. God’s Metrics
451. It Only Takes One
452. The Glory of the Son
453. From the Sea to the Conquest
454. Planning, Planting and Pastoral Ministry
455. Which World View
456. Calmer Than You Are
457. Keeping the Cross in Focus
458. The Mechanistic Church
459. Faith to Dry Up Puddles
460. The Doubting Believer
461. The John Murray Collection
462. The Genesis of Theology
463. Dan’s Invasion and Idolatry (He Reads Truth)
464. Gideon Pursues the Kings of Midian (He Reads Truth)
465. Return to Your God (He Reads Truth)
466. The Ascension: Where is Jesus Now? (He Reads Truth)
467. What Forgiveness Requires (He Reads Truth)
468. The Incense Altar (He Reads Truth)
469. Jesus and Humanity (He Reads Truth)
470. Restoration (He Reads Truth)
471. The Faithful Manager (He Reads Truth)
472. The Coming of the Holy Spirit (He Reads Truth)
473. Wisdom from Above (He Reads Truth)
474. The Road to Damascus (He Reads Truth)
475. The Lord Rises Up (He Reads Truth)
476. Christ Heals Injury and Illness (He Reads Truth)
477. Guilty as Charged (He Reads Truth)
478. From Groans to Glory (He Reads Truth)
479. Samuel’s Final Speech (He Reads Truth)
480. David’s Song of Thanksgiving (He Reads Truth)
481. The King Honors Mordecai (He Reads Truth)
482. Israel Blessed (He Reads Truth)
483. From Exile to Victory (He Reads Truth)
484. Tell the Truth (He Reads Truth)
485. The Two Foundations (He Reads Truth)
486. The Root and Branch of David (He Reads Truth)
487. Mary Visits Elizabeth (He Reads Truth)
488. The Lord Provides in the Wilderness (He Reads Truth)
489. Build Each Other Up (He Reads Truth)
490. Jesus’ Ministry Begins (He Reads Truth)
491. Making the Ark (He Reads Truth)
492. See the Lord’s Salvation (He Reads Truth)
493. Encounters with Christ (He Reads Truth)
494. Sin and Redemption (He Reads Truth)
495. Our King (He Reads Truth)
496. The Coming of the Holy Spirit (He Reads Truth)
497. God’s Judgment (He Reads Truth)
498. Return to Your God (He Reads Truth)
499. Loving the World (He Reads Truth)