One of the many wonders of a newborn child is wondering who he will be. What is his personality? Will he be more like his father or his mother? What will he look like? What will be his vocation? Who will he marry? How many kids will he have? Who will he grow up to… Read More »
While we celebrate Thanksgiving on earth below, what’s going on in heaven? We could answer this question in part by examining the three instances of the word “thanks” in the book of Revelation (Rev 4:9; 7:12; 11:17). This brief study can be one of the many ways whereby we are blessed to read and heed… Read More »
I was asked recently to give a list of 10 ways folks could pray for their pastor, which meant to me, “How can I pray for you?” I’ve tried to give this some careful thought, and the list below is the result. I’m sure a million requests could be added, but here are at least… Read More »
Probably with some sarcasm, King Agrippa once told Paul, “In a short time you persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Perhaps a question mark should be at the end of that verse, and maybe he had a wry smile of disbelief. Agrippa politely declined Christianity before Paul and the rest of the court.… Read More »
How does one sing about the incarnation, crucifixion, and Trinitarian truths in just nine lines? This question stems from Philippians 2:6–8, a passage many see as part of an ancient hymn. Some continue the hymn through Philippians 2:9–11. Seeing Paul’s usual grammar and logic in Philippians 2:9–11 (“For this reason… so that”), some stop short… Read More »
This post is a brief follow-up to my recent post, “A Brief Look at Complementarianism.” What happens when someone rejects complementarianism? The opposite of complementarianism is egalitarianism, understanding that men and women are not only created as equal in the image of God, but also in role and function. This belief holds that men and… Read More »
What is complementarianism? Complementarianism understands man and woman as complementary to one another, meaning that they are equally made in the image of God and yet distinct in their roles, completing one another as defined in Scripture. In past decades, sound theologians have thoroughly explored this issue. I don’t really have anything new to say.… Read More »
Suppose a man gives his life to speaking to large crowds. He talks to people one by one. Whether before one or one thousand, his message is incredibly effective. He rises to fame. Everyone sees his success everywhere he goes. He might be a young man, but he is a rising star. But not everyone… Read More »
As a pastor, I have presided over and preached for several funerals. These are bittersweet times. If it is a Christian who has died, we know that he or she is absent from the body but now present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8). Jesus Christ was always there for this person in life, there… Read More »
A friendly letter with a bunch of commands—this could be one way to caricature the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Looking more closely, we can better appreciate the rich context and content of this letter.1 As to context, Paul had just called himself an old man at this point in his life (Philemon 9).… Read More »