At Christmas time we celebrate that God became incarnate in Jesus Christ and walked amongst us. This is an amazing, world-altering idea. God in flesh. For years before Jesus, if you wanted to be in God’s presence you would have to go to the temple...
C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity, reflects on Jesus’s incarnation with this: “Did you ever think, when you were a child, what fun it would be if your toys could come to life? Well suppose you could really have brought them to life. Imagine turning a...
God is more interested in your holiness than your happiness. This goes against the grain of common culture. Common culture tells us to pursue happiness. Pursue your dreams. Aim high. Shoot for the stars. Do what makes you happy. Only pursue a career...
Not long ago I visited the State Tretyakov art Gallery in Moscow. On display were hundreds of works of art ranging from Ivan Aivazovsky’s (1817–1900) masterful seascapes, to Orest Kipreksy’s (1782–1836) famous portrait of Alexander Pushkin...
I’m thankful that God is holy. All non-biblical worldviews are founded on the idea that there is continuity between the physical and spiritual realms. What is true in the physical world is also true in the spiritual world and vice versa. The...
The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church is indispensable. Without the Holy Spirit, the Church has no breath, no life, no vitality. Without the Holy Spirit, the Church fails to fulfill its mission to embody the reign of Christ to the...
The prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 43:18, “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” In a similar vein, Paul says, “Beloved, I do not consider that I...
In Matthew 12:31 Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” This verse causes problems for many because it seems to contradict other passages in...
Most people know that one of the Ten Commandments is to observe the Sabbath Day. Exodus 20:8–11 says, “Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.”...
Does the Old Testament have authority for New Testament believers as scripture? One of the most common questions that my students ask is “What’s the difference between the covenant in the Old Testament and the covenant in the New Testament?” Often...