The Complexity of Applying the Speeches of Job’s Friends
That closing stanza of Eliphaz’s third speech (Job 22:21-30) is one of the loveliest poems in the book.
Job suggests that silence will be their best wisdom (Job 13:5), and he sarcastically proclaims they have a corner on the market of godly wisdom (Job 12:2). Elihu burns with anger at their failure to answer to Job’s defense (Job 32:3). Yahweh declares they have not spoken of him what is right (Job 42:7). Does... Continue Reading
Be All the More Diligent to Make Your Calling and Election Sure
Peter tells us that we are to make every effort to supplement our faith.
However, our sanctification is the will of God; therefore, we are to grow more and more humble as our pride is put to death. This makes us become Christlike. Only genuine Christians can overcome the world and deny their flesh. Everyone can make temporary decisions to do something or stop doing something, but that is... Continue Reading
5 Good Things to Remember in Times of Sudden and Excruciating Loss
Even in the midst of tribulation, we have the peace and love of our Father in heaven because of Christ our Savior.
If you’ve lived long enough, you know from experience that some past events or circumstances that didn’t make sense at the time had a purpose after all and brought about some good. We see a clear example of this in the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis (see Gen. 37-47). Throughout the hardships... Continue Reading
The Glory of the God-man: Cur Deus Homo?
Jesus is not only the covenant Lord come in the flesh, but He is also the faithful covenant servant, performing our duty for us.
Evangelicals often speak of the Christian faith as being about a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” While this is often reflective of warmed over emotionalism and sentimentalism, it isn’t far from what the Gospel actually teaches when correctly understood. Indeed, we have the most personal and intimate of relationships with the God of the universe... Continue Reading
What Apostates Don’t Say
The road to apostasy is paved with indifference to the glory of Christ.
The truth is, people don’t often turn away from the faith and talk much about Jesus. He is neither impugned nor discredited. They may talk about the church. They may wince at the Bible’s teaching. They may talk about their personal journey. But Jesus? He remains as he was before Pilate. When people walk away from Christianity,... Continue Reading
10 People in the Bible Who Remembered to Thank God
Ten people in the Bible who remembered to thank God, encouraging us to follow their excellent example.
Ten lepers came to Jesus and asked him to heal them. Jesus sent them to the priests, and they were all healed along the way. Only one of the ten healed people returned to thank Jesus, and that person was not even a Jew. He was a Samaritan who was considered to be a foreigner... Continue Reading
God Will Be Good Again Tomorrow
Taste and see that he really is good — and trust him for that grace to come again tomorrow.
God knows the suffering you carry, he knows the hurdles you face, he knows how insufficient and insecure you feel, and he knows exactly what you need. It may not always be safe or pain-free or clear to you in the moment, but he will bring you to a faith and joy and life through... Continue Reading
How to Know What Happens After You Die
Those who trust in Christ as their Savior shall be raised even as he was raised.
The Christian’s confidence and knowledge of the afterlife depend not upon the ability to gaze into the future, like some palm reader, but on looking back at the past to just two thousand years ago in the small region of Palestine. There, a man named Jesus claimed to be God—and proved it. Most religions... Continue Reading
Is Christianity Feminine?
Scripture is replete with references to our marriage to our groom, Christ.
From Genesis to Revelation, the theme of marriage to Christ persists throughout Scripture, being an introduction and conclusion to our spiritual life. Far from being an obscure them, we are meant to be virgin brides to our groom. We are meant to have a distinctly feminine characteristic to our faith. A primary metaphor for our... Continue Reading
Greater Works than the Son?
We will do greater works than Jesus? Is that what the Lord is saying?
Passages like this one wait for us at the end of the day. They beckon us to ponder them after our daily duties. They encourage us to probe and ponder. So, what does it mean? Well, we first must ask, what does it say? Some Bible passages are perplexing. That may be an understatement.... Continue Reading