Substitution and Divine Love
The New Testament presents God’s gift of his Son to die as the supreme expression of his love to men.
Christ’s death for me guarantees my preservation to glory. Christ’s death for me is the measure and pledge of the love of the Father and the Son to me. Christ’s death for me calls and constrains me to trust, to worship, to love, and to serve. The penal substitution model has been criticized for depicting... Continue Reading
Your Depression Is Not Demon Possession
If a person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the Bible tells us clearly they cannot be demon possessed.
In the clearest terms possible, 1 John 5:8 says that believers are kept by the power of God and the evil one does not touch them. It seems clear enough just from these scriptures that the believer, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, cannot be demon possessed. Almighty God is not going to share space in a believer’s... Continue Reading
5 Essential Traits of Teachable People
True teachability is actually one of the rarest of qualities in the hearts and lives of people.
A truly humble man or woman will have thoughtful formed opinions and strong convictions; however, he or she will always be ready to have those opinions and convictions challenged–first by God’s word and then by those whom God may bring across their paths. One of the great goals, to which each of us should... Continue Reading
Really Dead for Three Days?
Counting the time between Jesus's death and resurrection.
On Friday, Jesus was crucified. That’s the first day. On Saturday, Jesus rested on the Sabbath in the tomb. That’s the second day. On Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead. That’s the third day. The Gospel accounts, and subsequent church tradition, confirm this ordering and counting of events. Not everyone is convinced that Jesus died... Continue Reading
What Is a Woman?
Numerous definitions for “woman” have surfaced over the last few years. They’re either circular, absurd, or accurate.
Though our culture is confused, we don’t have to be in doubt. You can know the truth and not be pressured into adopting modern reinventions. God has made the definition of a woman clear through both special revelation (Scripture) and general revelation (creation). He made her. He made him too. Male and female he created... Continue Reading
How a Little-Known Editor Made God a Bestseller by Helping Americans Let Go of Religion
A chance encounter at a party led religion professor Stephen Prothero to rediscover the story of Eugene Exman, a longtime book publisher who helped transform American religion.
“People see religion as a personal matter. They think it’s about feeling and experience more than it is about dogma or doctrine or ritual. They don’t think it takes place inside institutions. They think it takes place in the human heart. How does that idea make its way into contemporary American consciousness? I think one big... Continue Reading
A Constant Dying
Living for Christ requires a sustained courage that beats back the devil and the flesh daily.
Most of us will not be called to physically die for Christ. Even so, in light of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us lay down our lives for him. Let’s be living martyrs, constantly dying in order that we might find our life. Martyr stories have always encouraged me. It... Continue Reading
Why Do We Think New Is Better?
Truth, goodness, and beauty are transcendent, universal, absolute principles rooted in the nature and character of God. And they are very old, they are permanent, they are eternal.
The fact of the matter is that the Christian faith is very old, and that is what the Church has been called to preserve and transmit to future generations. Let us not get caught up in the cultural frenzy of “newness” in our Christian ministry. New and improved! Fresh! The latest! Exciting! You don’t... Continue Reading
Consider Jesus: An Orientation to Hebrews
Imagine that you are a Jewish Christian in the first century gathered for worship with your fellow Christians on the Lord’s Day.
Seeing the persecution taking place elsewhere (especially through ministering to the imprisoned Timothy) and receiving word from the other elders of your church’s fears, your pastor wrote down a word of exhortation, a sermon to be read to his beloved congregation. Holding that sermon in his hands, the elder begins to read: “Long ago, at... Continue Reading
A Few Words on the Christian and History
Anyone who claims to follow the God of the Bible must root their faith in history.
The real, bodily life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ as detailed in history is the foundation of faith, and the wellspring of Christian living. All biblical imperatives can find their root in the historic person of Christ. For this reason, we who claim faith in Christ, above any other system of beliefs, ought to study,... Continue Reading
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