Put yourself in this situation: you are chopping wood in a field when your ax head flies off and accidentally kills someone. Now imagine that this is a tribal land where due process has not yet been established for situations like these. Instead of a court of law, the custom is that the family of … Continue reading Seeing Jesus in the Cities of Refuge
Daniel chapter seven opens with a vision of four beasts, each more terrifying than the one before, but the Ancient of Days eclipses them all. The first beast was like a lion with eagle's wings, but its wings had been plucked off. It was lifted from the ground and made to stand on two feet … Continue reading Four Beasts and the Ancient of Days
Just because we are free to do something in the Christian life does not mean we should. There are limits to Christian freedom, but how do we know what those limits are? Paul is quite clear in 1 Corinthians: anything not deemed sinful by the Word of God is permissible. He says, “All things are … Continue reading 3 Limits to Christian Liberty
We often live as if we deserve mercy from the hands of the Lord. Some seem to believe He is obligated to provide it to us. Many people seem to assume he is at fault if he does not give equal mercy to all. All of these assumptions are wrong. A god who is required … Continue reading God’s Mercy Truly is Mercy
If you are burdened with heavy responsibilities or battles, you will find encouragement in the book of Joshua as the Lord fights for Israel. You may be in over your head, unable to match the strength of what is before you, but you have a heavenly Father who can effectively act on your behalf. Right … Continue reading The Lord Will Fight for You
We are all vulnerable to deception. Even the church, which has the truth of God's word and clear commands, can make poor choices if we do not seek the Lord's guidance. An illustration of our vulnerability can be found in the story of Israel and the Gibeonites in Joshua chapter 9. God had commanded Israel … Continue reading Avoiding Gibeonite Deception in Modern Churches
When the author of Hebrews makes the negative case concerning the blood of Christ, its significance is far-reaching. Throughout the book, he makes the positive case that Christ’s blood can cleanse us from dead works. Still, later he says, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin” (Heb. 9:22). By saying it this way, he cuts off any other options we think we might have, yet we live in a world that believes there are many roads to God. CLICK TO READ OR LISTEN
A fascinating three-part argument regarding the forgiveness and unforgiveness of willful sin runs through Hebrews chapters 9 and 10. It is one of those arguments that displays the sophistication of the book, but if you are not paying attention, you will miss it. The recipients of the book of Hebrews seem to have been Christians … Continue reading The Forgiveness and Unforgiveness of Willful Sin
Every one of us, unless Christ returns, is going to face death. Some of us may already be feeling its effects. We cannot do many things we used to be able to do; the older we get, the more illness and health issues we deal with. When death becomes more of a reality, to whom will we turn and place our hope? To priests who still die? -CLICK TO READ MORE-
The following is by Pastor Rob Golding of First Artesia Christian Reformed Church. He also writes for the Westminster Theological Seminary Magazine. What is the book of Ephesians all about? The goal of this post is to help you remember just that. To do this, we will use the acronym P.U.R.E.L.Y to recall the main point of … Continue reading A Summary of Ephesians [+ Infographic]
The Fight of Faith 