[First written in 2017.] I hardly ever offer advice to strangers, let alone biblical advice, but today I swam into those dangerous waters. Picture a small waiting room with four chairs against a wall. I grabbed the chair closest to the door, and a lady sat with a two-year-old child at the other end in…
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The Diversity and Unity of the Body – 1 Corinthians 12
Paul begins a series of three chapters concerning spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no…
Chosen and Called to Be Saints
The thoughtful reader will recognize a difference between someone who is “called a saint” and one who is “called to be a saint.” The first indicates an external title; the second has to do with a state of being. Those in Christ belong in the second category. We are called to be saints. The verb…
Do You Celebrate Christmas?
Christmas, to my parents, was not to be celebrated. My father told us some at church thought it was wrong to celebrate Christmas, so we did not even decorate the house for fear of making someone stumble or offending a brother in Christ. We even had a separate holiday we made up for our family…
A Conversation about the Gospel
The following fictitious conversation is contrived, but I hope it is helpful. If you can visualize having a conversation with a friend of yours, perhaps this can serve as a model of how to share the gospel with someone in a simple way. Obviously, you could use many other verses and teach the gospel—this is…
Will Jesus Say “I Don’t Know You”?
Once as Jesus traveled towards Jerusalem, someone asked, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” He answered: “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin…
Must I Believe Jesus Is God?
What do Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, and Jews all have in common? They all agree Jesus was a real historical figure, they all agree he was a great man and teacher, and they all agree he was not God. God expects us to believe on His Son, Jesus Christ. What does that mean? At he…
The Godless vs. the Godly
People can be downright evil. In fact, most people are downright evil. When we think of evil people, we tend to think of the most evil—like dictators who wipe out major portions of their countries’ populations or the guys who flew planes into the World Trade Towers. Those were evil, right? But Paul wrote of…
Have I Put Safety Over My Brethren?
Matt. 25.34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed…
The Lord’s Day or Coming Out Day?
I found out that October 11 has been titled “Coming Out Day” when I heard an interview on NPR’s It’s Been a Minute yesterday morning. It also happens to be the Lord’s Day, as Christians call the first day of the week. I listened as Sam Sanders, the host, interviewed comedian Joel Kim Booster on…