Sharper Iron
@sharperiron.org
Theology, ministry, culture, philosophy, ethics.
We know that many—we might say most—followers of Jesus lived moral lives, embraced solid doctrine, and were fine Christians. Still, it seems most churches were riddled with problems, conflicts, splits, and desertions.
Were First Century Christians That Much Better? | SHARPER IRON
(From the archives)One of the most interesting words in the English language is hagiography. One of its definitions is the one I have in mind, an “idealizing or idolizing biography.” The idea is that…
sharperiron.org
January 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM
We know that many—we might say most—followers of Jesus lived moral lives, embraced solid doctrine, and were fine Christians. Still, it seems most churches were riddled with problems, conflicts, splits, and desertions.
Five Ways to Beat Bitterness: #2 - Escape Rejecting pointless cycles of painful, self-defeating rumination is not the same thing as running away from important but unpleasant responsibilities or refusing to work through difficult questions. buff.ly/YDaVAD9
January 28, 2026 at 12:15 PM
Five Ways to Beat Bitterness: #2 - Escape Rejecting pointless cycles of painful, self-defeating rumination is not the same thing as running away from important but unpleasant responsibilities or refusing to work through difficult questions. buff.ly/YDaVAD9
Some otherwise solid bible teachers say that Jerusalem’s “rebuilding” is really about the “spiritual kingdom” of God advancing in the world.... There’s no good reason to dismiss the straightforward interpretation that Jerusalem means Jerusalem here. buff.ly/RAdQ1Rs
January 28, 2026 at 7:58 AM
Some otherwise solid bible teachers say that Jerusalem’s “rebuilding” is really about the “spiritual kingdom” of God advancing in the world.... There’s no good reason to dismiss the straightforward interpretation that Jerusalem means Jerusalem here. buff.ly/RAdQ1Rs
“The Christian faith is a singing faith…. when you consider the sum of singing commands and the role singing plays at so many critical points in redemptive history, we easily come to the conclusion that our God really, really likes to hear his people sing.” - Baptist Press buff.ly/FdvcDmh
January 27, 2026 at 7:53 AM
“The Christian faith is a singing faith…. when you consider the sum of singing commands and the role singing plays at so many critical points in redemptive history, we easily come to the conclusion that our God really, really likes to hear his people sing.” - Baptist Press buff.ly/FdvcDmh
"Blaising and Bock recognize that methodology is definitive in the formation of PD, and acknowledge that PD is the result of a methodological departure from the hermeneutic of classical and revised dispensational thought" - Christopher Cone
Five Difficulties for Progressive Dispensationalism | SHARPER IRON
There are at least five reasons that progressive dispensational (PD) represents a departure from a normative hermeneutic (literal grammatical historical) and reading of the Bible. The first two…
sharperiron.org
January 26, 2026 at 6:12 AM
"Blaising and Bock recognize that methodology is definitive in the formation of PD, and acknowledge that PD is the result of a methodological departure from the hermeneutic of classical and revised dispensational thought" - Christopher Cone
“I want to think for a bit about the characteristic excellencies that help someone mature and deepen in their encounter with the Christian faith and their ability to communicate it. There are three characteristics... virtues, that I want to commend to you” - Jake Meador
On Communicating Truth, Goodness, and Beauty | SHARPER IRON
“First, I want to think for a bit about the characteristic excellencies that help someone mature and deepen in their encounter with the Christian faith and their ability to communicate it. There are…
sharperiron.org
January 23, 2026 at 8:14 AM
“I want to think for a bit about the characteristic excellencies that help someone mature and deepen in their encounter with the Christian faith and their ability to communicate it. There are three characteristics... virtues, that I want to commend to you” - Jake Meador
"We know that Mark writes his Gospel for a Gentile audience because he explains defiled hands and the elders’ tradition in verses 3–4. Defiled hands, Mark tells us, mean unwashed hands. What is the problem with unwashed hands? Jesus doesn’t seem to mind. Why do the Pharisees?"
Unmasking the Idolatry of Traditionalism | SHARPER IRON
By David Minnick
sharperiron.org
January 22, 2026 at 5:15 PM
"We know that Mark writes his Gospel for a Gentile audience because he explains defiled hands and the elders’ tradition in verses 3–4. Defiled hands, Mark tells us, mean unwashed hands. What is the problem with unwashed hands? Jesus doesn’t seem to mind. Why do the Pharisees?"
“As much as I rarely speak about current events and politics....there are also those moments where your conscience just compels you to speak up, as is the case for me now, because I’m concerned that we’re crossing a line here that is both dangerous and immoral.” - Gavin Ortlund
The Greenland Crisis and Just War Theory
Gavin Ortlund argues that President Trump's recent speech about Greenland is contrary to traditional just war theory.
Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance…
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January 22, 2026 at 7:59 AM
“As much as I rarely speak about current events and politics....there are also those moments where your conscience just compels you to speak up, as is the case for me now, because I’m concerned that we’re crossing a line here that is both dangerous and immoral.” - Gavin Ortlund
This is the first of three articles about the great prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27. This prophecy is very complicated and very important. One writer called it “the key to prophetic revelation.”
Understanding Daniel’s 70 “Weeks” Prophecy (Part 1) | SHARPER IRON
This is the first of three articles about the great prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27. This prophecy is very complicated and very important. One writer called it “the key to prophetic revelation.”1 Many…
sharperiron.org
January 20, 2026 at 7:11 AM
This is the first of three articles about the great prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27. This prophecy is very complicated and very important. One writer called it “the key to prophetic revelation.”
Discover Life After Anti-Wokeness – TGC Review: ‘Post Woke’ by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer
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sharperiron.org/filing/46816
Discover Life After Anti-Wokeness – Review: ‘Post Woke’ by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer | SHARPER IRON
“Discussions around ‘wokeness’ generate heat, but evangelicals need more light to provide clarity for anxious conversations about race, sexuality, and power. To that end, Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer…
sharperiron.org
January 20, 2026 at 4:16 AM
Discover Life After Anti-Wokeness – TGC Review: ‘Post Woke’ by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer
sharperiron.org/filing/46816
sharperiron.org/filing/46816
"The mindset of new evangelicalism was such that if evangelical Christians could shed their embarrassing fundamentalism and its unwillingness to bend, then liberalism would be willing to let them sit at the table as equals." - Richard Bargas
Fundamentalism, Modernism, and the Dangerous Middle (Part 2) | SHARPER IRON
In my last post, I laid out an abbreviated history of the fundamentalist/modernist controversy and a working definition of what I mean by fundamentalism. You can read my first part here. In part 2, I…
sharperiron.org
January 19, 2026 at 6:00 AM
"The mindset of new evangelicalism was such that if evangelical Christians could shed their embarrassing fundamentalism and its unwillingness to bend, then liberalism would be willing to let them sit at the table as equals." - Richard Bargas
As I kept reading, I wondered, “Will this book ever end?” I do not typically feel that way about books that I choose to review. Recker’s manipulations of the Scriptural texts and continual rants against traditional American values grow tiresome after 100 pages or so.
Review of Brian Recker’s ‘Hell Bent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love’ | SHARPER IRON
I have never read a book that I would categorize as a “Satan-breathed”; a book where the author defends the devil’s dogmas of “ye shall not surely die” and “ye shall be as gods” by using the words of…
sharperiron.org
January 16, 2026 at 6:36 AM
As I kept reading, I wondered, “Will this book ever end?” I do not typically feel that way about books that I choose to review. Recker’s manipulations of the Scriptural texts and continual rants against traditional American values grow tiresome after 100 pages or so.
“When pastoral plagiarism and the stealing and lying inherent recently became a topic of conversation due to a New York Times article on the matter... I thought it would clean things up pretty fast. People were being exposed and then disciplined, sometimes even fired. But no.”
When You Should Know It’s Plagiarism | SHARPER IRON
“When pastoral plagiarism and the stealing and lying inherent recently became a topic of conversation due to a New York Times article on the matter that created a bit of a stir within Christian…
sharperiron.org
January 15, 2026 at 3:29 AM
“When pastoral plagiarism and the stealing and lying inherent recently became a topic of conversation due to a New York Times article on the matter... I thought it would clean things up pretty fast. People were being exposed and then disciplined, sometimes even fired. But no.”
“David was no stranger to chaos or change or grief or challenges. He suffered through far more than I can imagine, yet he experienced peace. He knew that deep, lasting rest doesn’t depend on us or our circumstances. It depends on God.” - TGC buff.ly/tOgy2kK
January 14, 2026 at 3:37 AM
“David was no stranger to chaos or change or grief or challenges. He suffered through far more than I can imagine, yet he experienced peace. He knew that deep, lasting rest doesn’t depend on us or our circumstances. It depends on God.” - TGC buff.ly/tOgy2kK
For Christian conservatives, it ought to be obvious that “is it legal?” is not the only question. It's not even the primary question.
Trump’s Venezuela Takeover: Is It Legal? Is It Right? Is It Wise? | SHARPER IRON
First, some context. I’m not writing as one who thinks he knows the answers to the questions I’m raising here. I don’t consider foreign policy opinions to rightly belong only to experts, but at the…
sharperiron.org
January 12, 2026 at 2:53 PM
For Christian conservatives, it ought to be obvious that “is it legal?” is not the only question. It's not even the primary question.
The attitudes of worship see God’s perfections vividly—not just in the abstract, but relative to ourselves. And that has a way of compressing bitter thinking into a smaller and smaller space. For a while, at least, it can’t dominate.
Five Ways to Beat Bitterness: #1 – Worship | SHARPER IRON
Bitterness often begins as a normal—maybe even healthy—response to the losses, disappointments, failures, and unfairnesses of life. In that sense, the term “bitterness” is pretty much synonymous with…
sharperiron.org
January 8, 2026 at 11:10 PM
The attitudes of worship see God’s perfections vividly—not just in the abstract, but relative to ourselves. And that has a way of compressing bitter thinking into a smaller and smaller space. For a while, at least, it can’t dominate.
"The more I studied these thinkers, the more I realized that this older tradition—rooted in moral realism, respect for law, and concern for human dignity—is largely forgotten in our polarized age." - Joel Shaffer
Sheep in Wolves Clothing? Or Calling Out Our Own? | SHARPER IRON
The phrase “sheep in wolves’ clothing” caught me off guard when a friend recently used it to accuse me of being a political progressive in disguise—a supposed infiltrator pretending to be a…
sharperiron.org
January 7, 2026 at 6:22 AM
"The more I studied these thinkers, the more I realized that this older tradition—rooted in moral realism, respect for law, and concern for human dignity—is largely forgotten in our polarized age." - Joel Shaffer
The notion of appeasement is not only shared among politicians. Unfortunately, in a world that requires vigilance and sometimes engagement in theological battles, there are those who would seek appeasement and compromise for the sake of “peace in our time.” - Richard Bargas
Fundamentalism, Modernism, and the Dangerous Middle (Part 1) | SHARPER IRON
In the 2017 World War II movie, The Darkest Hour, Winston Churchill cries out in frustration, “You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth!” Although these words are more than…
sharperiron.org
January 6, 2026 at 6:15 AM
The notion of appeasement is not only shared among politicians. Unfortunately, in a world that requires vigilance and sometimes engagement in theological battles, there are those who would seek appeasement and compromise for the sake of “peace in our time.” - Richard Bargas
“Work is the meaning of life. Got your attention? Your identity is tied to what you do. I bet I have it now.” - Collin Hansen
Work and the Meaning of Life | SHARPER IRON
“Work is the meaning of life. Got your attention? Your identity is tied to what you do. I bet I have it now.” - Collin Hansen
sharperiron.org
January 6, 2026 at 12:21 AM
“Work is the meaning of life. Got your attention? Your identity is tied to what you do. I bet I have it now.” - Collin Hansen
"There’s no sense beating yourself up about lost opportunities. Lost opportunities are a built-in part of used opportunities."
Hindsight, Opportunity Cost, and Mr. Regret | SHARPER IRON
Editor’s note: Reposted from 2023, comments included. Comments are still open if you have any thoughts to add. I was engaging in a bit of year-end reflection the other day. As usual, since reaching…
sharperiron.org
January 3, 2026 at 1:31 AM
"There’s no sense beating yourself up about lost opportunities. Lost opportunities are a built-in part of used opportunities."
SermonAudio celebrated 25 years of broadcasting the Word of God around the globe on Friday, Dec. 12, with a beautiful banquet held in the Davis Room on the campus of Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C.
SermonAudio Celebrates 25 Years | SHARPER IRON
SermonAudio celebrated 25 years of broadcasting the Word of God around the globe on Friday, Dec. 12, with a beautiful banquet held in the Davis Room on the campus of Bob Jones University in…
sharperiron.org
December 31, 2025 at 9:24 AM
SermonAudio celebrated 25 years of broadcasting the Word of God around the globe on Friday, Dec. 12, with a beautiful banquet held in the Davis Room on the campus of Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C.
"Fellowship is talking to one another about our relationships with Christ, and our struggles, and our victories, and our experiences. It’s encouraging one another as we walk the path of discipleship together." - Dan Olinger
On Building Spiritual Muscle, Part 5 | SHARPER IRON
Read the series. We’ve looked at two of the exercise machines that build spiritual muscle. There’s one more.
sharperiron.org
December 30, 2025 at 8:15 AM
"Fellowship is talking to one another about our relationships with Christ, and our struggles, and our victories, and our experiences. It’s encouraging one another as we walk the path of discipleship together." - Dan Olinger
"This is real prophetic history painted in fantasy hues. And it all kicks off with the Savior born in Bethlehem on Christmas morning. This is how it will all end. This is what the boy from Bethlehem will do. This is why Christmas is so beautiful."
Goodbye, Dragon | SHARPER IRON
The traditional Advent theme is that Jesus is on the way. Old covenant prophesies tell us so. Today, I offer something a bit different—a sketch of how Jesus defeats Satan.
sharperiron.org
December 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM
"This is real prophetic history painted in fantasy hues. And it all kicks off with the Savior born in Bethlehem on Christmas morning. This is how it will all end. This is what the boy from Bethlehem will do. This is why Christmas is so beautiful."