Category: Theological Issues

Free Indeed!

Have we really been set free from sin? Is that possible? The truth is, God has done far more for us than most Christians have ever heard of. We may have difficulty feeling free or experiencing freedom from the things that endlessly derail us (e.g. contempt; anger; lust; pride;...

Why Practical Matters of Doctrine Truly Matter

Understandably, many laypersons are reluctant to take the deep dive into theological discussions. If highly educated theologians cannot agree on many of the most basic concepts of Scripture, then what would be the point of the average layperson trying to sort through all that? Not to mention that many...

Learning from Adam and Eve

Just wanted to share an excerpt from The Truth About Lies and Lies About Truth: Unfortunately, the real value of Adam and Eve’s story has long been obscured because we have focused on the outcome and minimized the process. Grenz is typical of many theologians when he characterizes the...

Is God in Control?

When bad things happen to us, one of the most common responses I hear from Christians is some form of the idea that we do not have to worry because “God is in control.” Now I agree that God is going to work all things for good and that...

The Gospel in Two Chairs

Here is a link to a fascinating picture of the Gospel, demonstrated by an active metaphor of two chairs. It takes a few minutes to watch, but it is truly worth the time. (You can skip the first 5:30 minutes of intro material without missing anything)....

A Gospel of the Kingdom

I was struck today by how much the book of Colossians says about the Kingdom. It seems to be Paul’s dominate theme in the letter. All throughout the text he uses Kingdom language to encourage and challenge his readers. “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and...

Cleansing

"According to the law, all things are cleansed with blood … but if the blood of lambs could have truly cleansed those who offered them, the people would have stopped making sacrifices. Now Jesus died once, because he has truly cleansed those who believe." (Heb.9-10, paraphrase). For a long...

The Only Way?

Jesus said, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me" (Jn:14:6). For many people, this is a real stumbling block. Often their objections are captured in a question like, "How can you say that only Christians are going...

Good and Bad Side of Legalism

Warning: The following definition of legalism may upset some people. Legalism is not just "going through the motions" of the Christian life, nor is it only a problem in the church down the street which has more rules than we do.  Legalism, is the belief and attempt to become more...