Has anyone ever lived in times that were normal? Probably not, I suppose. Every time and every context has its peculiarities, I’m sure. Regardless, there’s no doubt that we are currently living in unusual times—in what seems like a transitionary phase during which old traditions, old morals, and old ways of understanding the world are giving way to new. There are new questions, new concerns, and new challenges to those who want to live well in a world like this one.

Where do we go to learn to live well in new times? There is no better place to turn than to old wisdom—to the very same book that guided our forebears as they lived through the challenges that defined their own eras. The Word of God is, after all, living, active, and powerful, able to teach and to guide us no matter our times and no matter our circumstances.
In The Christian Manifesto, Alistair Begg takes an extended look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain (which, though it bears certain similarities, should not be confused with his longer Sermon on the Mount). “This sermon,” he says, is “Jesus’ invitation to you to experience life at its very best. It is his description of what life in his kingdom—a kingdom where all that is wrong is being put right—looks like as we live in this world.”

In this book, we’re going to look at what can be helpfully seen as a “Christian manifesto.” A manifesto is a public declaration or proclamation issued by a monarch or head of state, or by a representative of a company or organization. Here is a manifesto for the Christian life, straight from the lips of Jesus… It is a manifesto that is not oriented towards the political arena, but towards the relational and individual one.

That’s not to say this sermon (and therefore this book) has nothing to say about how we live and relate to others in the political arena, but that this is not its primary purpose. Rather, it is a manifesto that calls us to live significant, meaningful, and distinctly Christian lives in our everyday affairs and our very normal interactions with others.
An especially important word in this manifesto is “blessed,” one we all recognize from the Sermon on the Mount. In this context “blessed” means “How happy!” “How fortunate!” or “How privileged!” Being a follower of Jesus Christ unlocks a happy, fortunate, privileged life and this Manifesto is aimed at helping us achieve it—to live the kind of blessed life Jesus offers.
The Christian Manifesto is simply an extended exposition of the Sermon on the Plain, and one written by an especially skillful and proven expositor. Though the book may have had its genesis in a series of sermons, it has been well adapted for the new medium. Begg shows how Jesus calls us to so reverse the values we hold dear that they became practically upside down to what they were before. He calls us to an exceptional kind of love—a love that would be impossible if it was not first modeled by Jesus Christ. He helps us understand how to live by the Golden Rule and how to freely and genuinely grant forgiveness, even when it is costly and even when it seems impossible. Along the way he writes with passion and conviction, often pausing to help the reader do some appropriate application. He is vulnerable about his own life, his own struggles, and his own tendencies to fail to do what Christ commands. It makes for a powerful product.
“We are not called to be like the world,” he insists, “and the world does not need us to be like the world.”

We have something better to say because we have someone better to follow. That means the call of Christ to you and me is both greatly exciting and deeply challenging. The call is not to be comfortable but to be Christ-like—to discover the surprising means of experiencing real blessing, and in doing so to point others the way to it too.

This book, and the great sermon that lies behind it, provide a powerful manifesto for living well, living courageously, and living in a way that honors God in uncertain times. I would encourage you to read the sermon, to read the book, and to apply them both deliberately and prayerfully.

It’s a question each of us will have to face if we haven’t already—should I use another person’s preferred pronouns? For some the question will come up in a context that is innocuous, and the decision may involve no negative repercussions. But for some the question will come up in a context in which they stand to lose something as substantial as respect, a job, or even a relationship with a child. The authors of the book The Gender Revolution speak to the subject of so-called “pronoun hospitality” along with the pressure to tell others your own preferred pronouns and provide their guidance.

The use of preferred pronouns and ‘neopronouns’ (such as ‘ze’ and ‘zir’) is highly contentious, even among like-minded Christians who agree about other aspects of this issue. Some see it as a matter of courtesy to accede to the use of a person’s preferred pronouns and to state your own. This is based on a belief that even if you disagree with the ideology driving the use of alternate pronouns, a willingness to use them can be a way of preserving a relationship and avoiding unnecessary offence. Christian psychologist Mark Yarhouse says, “It is an act of respect, even if we disagree, to let the person determine what they want to be called. If we can’t grant them that, it’s going to be next to impossible to establish any sort of relationship with them.
Preston Sprinkle calls this approach “pronoun hospitality”, and believes that “using the pronouns a person identifies with should be a matter of common courtesy, not a legal demand”.
Others would take the opposite view, seeing the use of pronouns as evidence that you agree with, and are a willing participant in, transgender ideology’s underlying assumptions about gender. By signalling this acceptance, you become complicit in the ideology’s regressive belief system, thereby helping to legitimize and promote it. While other concessions could be made to avoid offence and to preserve relationships, speaking something that is untrue by calling a woman ‘he’ or ‘him’, or a man ‘she’ or ‘her’, is a bridge too far for many. As Andrew Doyle, author of the book The New Puritans, points out: “When you ask someone to declare pronouns, you are doing one of two things. You are either saying that you are having trouble identifying this person’s sex, or you are saying that you believe in the notion of gender identity and expect others to do the same.”
We do not recommend the use of preferred pronouns—either in personal discourse, or when speaking to others about someone who has requested new pronouns. In our view, it is not compassionate because it reinforces a falsehood. We recommend that when communicating with someone who has changed their identity, you avoid using pronouns and instead use their name all the time. (We do not object to using a person’s preferred name—[something they cover later on in the book].) So, instead of saying ‘he’ or ‘she’,‘zhi’ or ‘zher’, we recommend constantly saying ‘John’ or ‘Jane’. This may make communication more difficult and awkward—but, in a sense, that’s the point. Adopting a transgender identity doesn’t make anything better; it only makes things worse.
In offering this advice, we are disagreeing with Mark Yarhouse and Preston Sprinkle, who are both faithful Christians and thoughtful contributors to the larger conversation. … [They then recommend reading those authors’ rationales to ensure they have been fairly presented.]
But what about situations in which you are asked to provide your pronouns?
Choosing to share your pronouns is one thing. Being required to state your pronouns is far from an innocuous act. It is an implicit endorsement of transgender ideology and its erasure of the significance of biological sex. Biologist Colin Wright is correct: “Coercing people into publicly stating their pronouns in the name of ‘inclusion’ is a Trojan horse that empowers gender ideology and expands its reach”.
He also suggests that the forced use of the word ‘cisgender’ (a person who is not transgender) fits into this same category and has the same effect.
The Sex Matters website has a range of useful advice on dealing with this issue. In particular, they offer this helpful summary of what to do when asked to share your pronouns:
The simplest thing to do is to politely decline. Refrain from putting pronouns in your biography or your email signature and don’t announce them at meetings. If invited to, say “No thank you” and if asked why, say something bland like “It is not a practice I follow”.

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

There is a great batch of Kindle deals to work through today. The highlight might be Alex DiPrima’s Spurgeon: A Life which is brand new and a fraction of its usual list price. Besides that, there’s a collection of books for women and a good selection for scholars.

As Black Friday approaches, remember that I’ve got a collection of Kindle books and a separate collection of print books from various booksellers that I’m adding to day by day.

I really appreciate what J. V. Fesko says here about confessionalism and fundamentalism (and the superiority of the former over the latter).

This is a situation we all run into from time to time, isn’t it? “When someone senses that we have goodwill and respect for them, it enables them to lower their defenses and really hear what we are saying. Sincere kindness can therefore help us make progress in a disagreement. It helps unmake caricatures and promote understanding of what the other side is saying. Someone once said, in the context of preaching, that ‘unless love is felt, the message is not heard.’ So it is in our conversations.”

Looking for faith-inspired Christmas gifts for your loved ones (or yourself)? A great place to start is the Christmas Gift Guide from 21Five, Canada’s gospel-centered Christian bookstore. Explore hundreds of unique Christian books and products for everyone on your list! (Sponsored)

I take this as a helpful reminder that even while we continue to value apologetic instructions and tactics, there is also great value in personal testimony.

This is a perennial question, isn’t it? Kevin DeYoung answers it well.

Aaron talks about some unexpected evidence that he is growing as a Christian.

Wyatt is right that sexual ethics stand or fall upon our doctrine of God. He uses a recent book to illustrate the point.

Some critics will be well-intentioned while others will be bent on destruction; some will be attempting to do the right thing (even if in a ham-fisted way) while others will be attempting to wreak havoc. Yet the prideful and troubling temptation can be to treat them all the same. 

God’s providence is like God’s nature. Among the stars there are no haphazard movements. The sun never rises late. No star sets too early. So in providence, everything comes in its set time. God’s clock is never a second slow.
—J.R. Miller