trust God. He will do a better job of dispensing justice than you will. In the meantime, do good to those who hurt you. The result is that you will heap burning coals on their heads.   Big Idea: When faith brings hostility, bless, pursue peace, and leave justice to God. Imagine someone taking a... Continue Reading

The Spirit illumines us to the meaning of Scripture, not only so our minds will grasp the meaning, but so that meaning will permeate our lives and transform us from the inside-out. God has given the Spirit to Christians so we might know, understand, and experience the things He has freely given us in the... Continue Reading

There is tension and mystery in the relationship between the divine and the human in the choices we make. Scripture usually emphasizes the divine or the human side of the equation. Sometimes both perspectives are placed side by side. In either case, the two always go together. God is completely sovereign, and we are responsible... Continue Reading

Christians are no longer characterized by hypocrisy.…salvation entails a genuine inward change so that a person’s outward religious life matches, to a significant degree, what is happening on the inside.   You’ve heard it before. One reason people give for not being a Christian is that the “church is full of hypocrites.” Why believe the... Continue Reading

The study of church history informs us about our predecessors in the faith, those who have helped shape our Christian communities and thus make us what we are.   Human beings are historical beings. Our lives are inextricably tied to the past, our own immediate past obviously but also that of other humans. As V.... Continue Reading

Discerning and voicing truth is not an enemy of love. Because no human being can live without forming opinions, we must learn to distinguish the unavoidable evaluation of human practices from the unjust, prideful condemnation of human hearts.   In my previous post, I isolated a deductive argument regarding the biblical restrictions on attending same-sex... Continue Reading

Try to figure out what you’re thinking while in the midst of temptation. What do you really want? What do you think this immoral act will give you? This is difficult because immorality is not particularly logical. But your thinking provides the avenue to your heart. You and I must identify the lies before we... Continue Reading

As the head of the church, the beginning and firstborn from the dead, Jesus is not to have the preeminence in some things, but in all things. Let us give Him that honor by putting Him first in every area of life.   In the United States, we show respect for the highest office by... Continue Reading