The Bible in Context
I’m not a big fan of statements of faith, which attempt to summarize the Bible. It’s difficult to condense a one-thousand page book into a few propositions. What should be included? What should be excluded? And what arrangement should be used? I prefer to stick with statements of faith that come straight from the Bible. … Read more
Pride is a problem, even for Christians, or should I say, especially for Christians. And this problem goes all the way back to the first century. In Romans 11, Paul addresses Gentile believers with the purpose of humbling them which can be seen in the direct prohibition, “do not become proud” (v. 20) and in … Read more
Who’s the most passionate person you know? Do you know what they’re passionate about? Of course you do. Passionate people can’t hide their passion. At some point, their passion is going to come out. In this article I want to highlight Paul’s passion—the desire that drove his ministry. I think this is an overlooked area … Read more
Great teachers ask a lot of questions. Just consider the frequent use of questions in the teaching of Socrates, Confucius, and Jesus. Paul’s letters are also peppered with questions. And Paul not only asks questions, he also answers them. Take a look at the breakdown of Romans 9 below. (At the bottom of this post, … Read more
If someone asked you, “What must I believe to be a Christian?” what would you say? Perhaps you would answer by referring to your church’s statement of faith. Perhaps you would take the questioner through one of the Christian creeds. Perhaps you would quote a popular Bible verse that sums up the Christian faith. Since … Read more