A recurring theme in our Bible Study group is the concept of God’s grace. I define “grace” as getting something we haven’t earned and/or don’t deserve, as opposed to “mercy” which is when we don’t suffer punishments or consequences we do deserve. I often cite Paul’s letter of encouragement to the church in Ephesus when he writes, “God saved you ...
I’m not quite sure why my Bible Study group has lately been concerned with more theological questions, but I suspect it’s because we have some relatively new believers who are discovering new questions they haven’t thought about before! It’s certainly true that as we navigate faith in a complex world, we often encounter profound truths that stretch ...
There is a question that pops up from time-to-time in my Bible Study group that looks, at first glance, like it may be problem or inconsistency in the way God deals with sinners. That is, how do the Old Testament characters, like Abraham, Moses, or David become worthy of eternal life, since they were obviously sinners like the rest of us, and Jesus ...
Scripture relates uniquely to the life of the mind and the spirit and draws a meaningful line between education—the acquisition of knowledge, wisdom, and practical instruction—and edification—the building up of character, faith, and community in alignment with God’s purposes. Education equips us with understanding, ...
It is a paradox that we are often best defined by how we treat those who mistreat us.
In His radical manifesto known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave a command that cuts directly against human nature: “But I say to you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:44, NLT). Note that Jesus not only tells ...
Economics is often called “the dismal science” because it tries to understand how best to manage finite and scarce resources. So, in our world governed by scarcity, we are trained to measure, hoard, and ration. We operate under the constant anxiety that there is never quite enough time, money, energy, or affection to go around. Our human ...
It is election time again, and I find myself frustrated by the prevalence of division, hatred, and strife, not just in the world in general, but in my local community. How should scripture guide me in selecting a representative who will help bring God’s Kingdom to fruition not just where I live but between countries and cultures? I am reminded of ...