The criminal who preached the gospel as he was dying
Many Christians are familiar with the penitent thief on the cross next to Jesus in Luke 23. But do we grasp the profound depth of what he said? When you examine his words, you see the gospel.
Ark of the Covenant found! So what?
The news that the CIA may have found the Biblical Ark of the Covenant is a good time to remember what it was, what it looked forward to, and why we don’t need it.
A parable of Jesus blows up beliefs about healing, miracles
Two things some Christians believe are 1. God always wants us to be healed in this life, and 2. The gospel needs miracles to be effective. One parable of Jesus destroyed both of those ideas.
Meet the first health and wealth preacher in the Bible
Some charismatic Christians think it’s our fault if we suffer. That’s what Eliphaz wrongly thought about Job. He was the first health-and-wealth preacher, and we see in that book what God thinks of such beliefs.
‘Salt and light’ is about holiness, not preservation
Some Christians interpret Jesus’ teaching on salt and light in Matthew 5 to mean preserving traditional values in society. But His own words show that He’s actually talking about His followers’ holiness.
The prodigal son teaches us how not to repent
Some take Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son as a model of Christian repentance, but it’s not. Our focus should be on the father’s unconditional love, grace, mercy and joy in unilaterally restoring his son.
Christian, you are a gift from the Father to the Son
One of the most wonderful truths of the Bible is that Christian believers are a gift from God the Father to Jesus, who treasures that gift so much that He keeps it for all eternity. Read about this astounding love in John 6.
Jesus punched right, and so should Christians
Most Christians’ political and cultural outrage is directed toward the other tribe – leftists and Democrats. But the Bible consistently teaches us that we should punch first and hardest in the other direction – ourselves.
How ‘Peace on earth’ distorts the meaning of Christmas
The ubiquitous Christmas phrase “Peace on earth” may be derived from Scripture, but it’s a difference in wording that’s significant enough to obscure the good tidings of great joy that the angels proclaimed the night Jesus was born.
Why most nativity scenes and movies are probably wrong
Was it really an “inn”? This may be nitpicking, but a study of the Scriptures shows that the birth of Christ might not have happened the way it’s depicted in most traditions, nativity sets, plays, and movies.
Why I changed my mind and celebrate Christmas
Some Christians say we shouldn’t celebrate Christmas because its origins and traditions are pagan. I used to think that way, but not anymore; here’s what changed my mind.
Fear. Hell. Hate. Division. The hard sayings of Jesus
In a four-chapter stretch in Luke, Jesus says several things that would shock the “winsome” sensibilities of those who think Christians should try not to offend anyone in order to attract as many people as possible. Was He being unwise, religious and divisive?
Are everybody’s sins already forgiven? Why people go to hell
One issue in the debate over the extent of the atonement is the question of why unbelievers go to hell. Is it the penalty for our sins, or are everybody’s sins already forgiven and we can still refuse eternal life? The Bible seems to land pretty hard on one of those options.
Who hated Jesus? More than just the Pharisees
Ever hear people say things like we need to be more like Jesus so that more people will like us, because only the Pharisees hated Him? That’s not what we see in Scripture, including the words of Jesus Himself.
How Jesus reacted to an oppressive, godless regime
Imagine your most hated enemies slaughtering your countrymen. Would you want to fight? That happened in Jesus’ time, and His reaction was, you’re no better.
The Biblical case for God’s sovereignty over man’s will
Here are hundreds of examples in Scripture of God exercising control or influence of men’s will and/or actions. It’s an overwhelming case for God’s sovereign power over whatever, and whomever, He pleases.
We don’t grasp how amazing Peter’s story is
Do we really get the magnitude of Peter's denial? Do we grasp how amazing the Lord’s grace and mercy toward him was? This may make you see Peter’s story like you haven't before.
Christ the Divider: How Jesus breaks the unity of humanity
For many people, including some Christians, unity is the highest virtue, and division is the worst offense. But that’s not what we see in the Bible, especially in the words of Jesus.
The absolute, universal, inevitable corruption of power
The axiom "power corrupts" has been fulfilled throughout Scripture and history, even in God’s people. Why, then, do Christians still crave the world's power, when we have an infinitely and eternally superior power working through us?
‘On earth as it is in heaven’ does not mean healing now
Some Christians believe that “on earth as it is in heaven” means we should be healed now, since there’s no sickness in heaven. What the Bible says about our bodies on earth obliterates that idea.