The Prophet Amos, the Day of the Lord, and Us
From the prophet Amos we read a prophecy against the northern kingdom of Israel that would have greatly surprised them. The warnings of judgment were first delivered against seven nations surrounding Israel: six Gentile nations as well as Judah. The Gentile nations didn’t have a covenant with God, but they were condemned for lack of […]
What Is the Gospel?
Let me start by stating the simplified answer to the question, “What is the gospel?” The “gospel” is an expression in Scripture that simply means “good news.” It is best to think of the gospel in three related parts. The Gospel – Jesus is the Messiah, the promised saving King described in Scripture. He came […]
What Is Unity in the Bible? (It’s Far More Important Than I Thought.)
And the first prize for most unifying religion goes to… Easy answer, right? Obviously, the answer is supposed to be Christianity, isn’t it? And yet the church isn’t always very unified—at all. At last count, there are over 45,000 Christian denominations globally. Narrow it down to just one denomination, and chances are that even that […]
What Is the the Resurrection of the Dead?
Although this article is about the final resurrection, let’s think about the future God promises his people. What will the new heaven and new earth be like? One common depiction is that we will be floating on clouds for eternity, perhaps strumming on harps and singing songs. Yet such a caricature makes it seem like […]
Did the Gospels Borrow from Pagan Mythology?
Mythology in the Greco-Roman world had dying and rising god-men—Apollo, Asclepius, Hercules, Tammuz. Serapis was called Lord. Half the Greek gods were said to be born of virgins. Hercules ascended to heaven. Just how unique is Jesus’ deity? What’s original about Jesus as being born of a virgin and being the Son of God? Is […]
Encountering God’s Amazing Grace
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV) Literary editors claim that the phrase “free gift” is redundant. They say the idea of free is implicit in the definition of “gift” and so is unnecessary to mention. However, Paul […]
Is God Silent? Making Sense of “Divine Hiddenness”
Is God silent when we can’t sense him? Although many who seek God find him, others experience him as hidden and absent. What are we to make of this “divine hiddenness”? Often, we struggle to believe in and trust God, not necessarily because we fail to recognize His existence or suppress evidence of His existence, […]
Was It Loving to Affirm My Sin?
Years ago when I abandoned God and embraced sin, several Christians demonstrated their “loving like Jesus” by affirming my right to make my own choices, rallying around me as a “caring, non-judgmental” support system, and never once confronting my sin (or even implying that my adultery, drunkenness, and the like were sin). If someone accidentally […]
