What is the gospel? It is, simply, good news. It is the good news that God loves us so much that he sent his only son to die in our place (John 3:16). It is the good news that through Jesus our sins are forgiven and we are justified in the eyes of God (2 Cor. 5:19-21; Romans 5:1). It is the good news that Jesus has risen from the dead and has inaugurated his Kingdom and has invited us to enter into these joys with him (Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:5-6). All of this is wonderful, glorious news for us! The gospel is good news, but it is also in…
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The Sun’s Rising And Its Setting
If you were watching the sunset knowing it would never rise again, the experience would be terrifying. No matter how beautiful, there would be panic and dismay as you watched the light slowly fade to final darkness. The setting sun is beautiful because you know it will rise again. So it is with the one who is in Christ. Of course, the analogy isn’t perfect; humanity has an innate sense that there is brokenness in death. The silence of human fellowship and the light of life, no matter how temporary, seems to us a burden, and rightfully so. But for those in Christ, the promise of resurrection allows us to…
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The Power and Danger of If
The word “if” can be both powerful and dangerous. I’ve recently been enjoying a Japanese animated movie that explores this idea. The movie, entitled “Fireworks,” is about a boy named Norimichi who accidentally discovers a way to rewind time for the express purpose of taking a different path in a specific situation. In particular, Norimichi likes a girl named Nazuna, but various obstacles keep preventing their time together. After he realizes he can turn back time and get a do-over, he uses this ability to extend his time with Nazuna. His choices, however, are not without consequences. This movie has caused me to reflect a lot on the word, “if.”…
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Written On The Heart
We all know Proverbs as a book of wisdom which shares important guidance for Godly living. Many of the proverbs contained with the book are simple and concise: “a slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (10:4); “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps things covered” (11:13); “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps” (14:15). These are typically the ones that stand out in my mind as I try to apply the wisdom of Proverbs to my life. However, even within a book like Proverbs, there are statements that point us to some…
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Jesus’ Resurrection: Traditional vs. Transitional
Introduction One of my favorite topics to study in the Bible is the resurrection of Jesus. Of course, it is central to our faith, so that makes sense. However, both personally and academically, the study holds great interest to me, especially in regards to its historicity. My final paper in grad school was on the Pauline Apologetic For The Resurrection from 1 Cor. 15, and it is my studies on the resurrection that most helped me when dealing with a phase of intense doubt about the truth of Christianity in my early 20s. I am convinced that the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection is an important topic, and one that needs…
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The Destroyer Of Christian Community
“Those who love their dream of Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community.” Thus wrote (in paraphrase) Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book “Living Together.” Bonhoeffer understood something which many of us struggle to accept – Christian community isn’t easy. Especially in a modern society so used to material comfort, we don’t like when our Christian communities get uncomfortable. We want things to be easy and without conflict. Nevertheless, real, authentic Christian community is going to be messy and challenging. That is because real, authentic Christian community is like a family. We get angry at family. We disagree with family. We get hurt by…
