BCL Online Picks — July 9, 2026

July 9, 2026/BCL/
Image Credit: Raphael (1483-1520), St Paul Preaching in Athens (1515); image from Wikimedia Commons.

Image Credit: Raphael (1483-1520), St Paul Preaching in Athens (1515); from Wikimedia Commons.

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The unstoppable advance of the gospel, learning to lose well, biblical modesty, religious liberty, race, righteous judgment, and more are featured in this week’s online picks!

1. The Unhindered Gospel

God never promised the Christian life in this world would be easy, nor that the church’s mission would be free from suffering. Writing for Modern Reformation, pastor Zach Keele reflects on the early chapters of Acts, showing how opposition, suffering, and even persecution became the means by which God advanced the unstoppable gospel to the ends of the earth. Read it here →

2. Ready to Lose

Are you prepared to lose? Writing on his blog, Reformed Theology in Piety, Practice, and Preaching, theologian J. V. Fesko explains why setbacks and disappointments often reveal our character and how Christians can respond with humility, grace, and confidence in God’s providence. Read it here →

3. Murder in Disguise

What happens when compassion is redefined to justify ending innocent human life? Over at WORLD Opinions, theologian Carl R. Trueman argues that as support for assisted suicide grows, Christians must recognize how our culture increasingly uses the language of love and mercy to defend practices that ultimately undermine the dignity of the most vulnerable. Many thanks to The Heidelblog for bringing this article to our attention. Read it here →

4. Watching What We Wear

Christians often treat modesty as a complicated issue, but pastor and theologian Kevin DeYoung argues it really isn’t. Writing for Clearly Reformed, he offers a balanced, biblical case for modesty that avoids both legalism and cultural permissiveness while reminding believers that the way we dress should honor God and love our neighbors. Read it here →

5. To Judge or Not to Judge

What did Jesus really mean when he said, “Judge not”? This Monergism article explains the difference between hypocritical condemnation and righteous biblical discernment, showing why Christians are called to judge with humility, wisdom, and fidelity to God’s Word. Read it here →

6. The Christian Position on Race Will Offend Almost Everyone

How should Christians think about race in a culture shaped by competing ideologies? Writing on his blog, My Bible Thoughts With Pastor Rich, Rich Bitterman argues that Scripture rejects both racial pride and racial division by teaching that all people bear God’s image, share a common ancestry, and find their ultimate unity in Christ. Many thanks to The Aquila Report for bringing this article to our attention. Read it here →

7. On Independence from the Established Church

Why wasn’t religious liberty explicitly included in the Declaration of Independence? Over at The Heidelblog, theologian R. Scott Clark examines the founders’ approach to religion and what it can teach Christians about religious liberty today. Read it here →