True Christian unity must be able to allow variations of practice and conviction within the breadth of fidelity to the gospel and the authority of Scripture, not because we are willing to compromise the truth, but because each of us is humble enough to recognize that our interpretations, judgments, or practices are not the same thing as the truth itself.

A rebellious Christian may come home at last and say to his heavenly Father, “Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight,” and be welcomed with embrace and kisses, clothes, shoes, and a ring, and, and have a party thrown by a Father who had compassion before the son ever got close enough to say a word. But what could what would happen to him at church? I wonder if it might take awhile to earn the robe, shoes, ring, and party

Remember – our feelings aren’t necessarily the truth. We don’t have to obey them. Jesus has broken the enslaving power of our old sin nature. And the Holy Spirit empowers us to obey God’s commands.

Some problems are universal, but this one is for those who are spiritually mature. It happens to people who are earnestly seeking God, and only the mature do such things. And though anger toward God might flash occasionally, it isn’t the real issue. The real problem is that you feel you no longer know him

There was no redistribution of permanently owned houses in the cities. There was no redistribution of wealth gained through leasing land. The profit from bountiful harvests remained in the hands of the leaser. Only land in the country was returned to its original owners

Declarations of adolescent unbelief often are exactly what Hax argues they are not: rejections of “church or family or tradition or virtue.” Hax does offer some legitimate insights, suggesting that honesty is to be preferred to dishonesty and that such adolescent statements are often indications of a phase of intellectual questioning or just trying on a personality for style.

I have a friend who wants me to be authentic. She wants to know about my arguments with my husband, the sin of my children, and what I dislike about church. For her, authenticity seems to involve not only removing my own mask but exposing the sins of others, too. This is unkind. Everything that is done in the name of authenticity must also be done in the name of a holy Christ

So how will your girlfriend do after the vows? Because this is just a sampling of the ways that a wife can bless or curse her husband. The effects are far reaching, long lasting, and either wonderful or difficult. Of course, there is no perfect woman. But there are amazing ones. And it’s better to be single for life than to marry someone who will make your life a burden

“Well, who can blame them when their prophet or holy book is desecrated.” But we can still blame them, and we ought to. Jesus is mocked in a thousand public ways every day in this country (and in most countries). This is wrong and deeply offensive to Christians. But it gives us no right to riot and threaten and murder.

In the summer of 2003, Pope John Paul II devoted a series of Sunday Angelus addresses to this political issue that transcended politics. He made arguments akin to those made by the American Founding Father: It is crucial for citizens living under a constitution to understand the ultimate source from which their rights derive. Their... Continue Reading