Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
As a lifelong single I see the marriages of my friends and family as a gift for learning more about life in Christ. Here is why. Marriage is not an end in itself but offers a picture of the ultimate marriage. Throughout the Bible God uses marriage to explain what it means to be united …
Read More Marriage and MinistryIn most relational settings we are free either to give or to take—to be consumers or to be resources. Whatever we do is a litmus of our standing with Christ—a conspicuous signal of real faith over against a mere profession. In Christ we regularly prefer giving over taking because our hearts have been reoriented by …
Read More Give or Take?Most of us, I suspect, assume that God’s love is best measured by the way he treats us. We look to our circumstances as evidence of God’s delight and approval. Enriched, gifted, or attractive folks are on God’s good side; those whose circumstances or abilities are marginal to poor must be on his bad side. …
Read More Measuring God’s LoveThis weekend all Christ’s followers remembered his death and resurrection once again. Yet the world at large retains its smothering skepticism about our claims that he is risen. We can hardly be surprised. Even his forewarned disciples doubted the first reports of an empty tomb as when Jesus scolded two of his disciples on the …
Read More A Healthy SkepticismI fear that too often Christianity is the product of social compliance rather than the fruit of Christ’s love in us. Wherever this is true the church loses her impact on the world. The solution? We need more stubborn lovers who are ready to dismiss a life of safe compliance in favor of a risky …
Read More Christian Compliance or Stubborn Love?I was reminded by Peter’s sermon tonight that blind people often have better sight than do the sighted. In Mark 10 the blind man, Bartimaeus, knew enough to call out to Jesus for healing and Jesus responded. The story of the man born blind in John 9 is another example. Jesus loves to give sight …
Read More Eye Opening ThoughtsThis week I’m in pause as Peter Mead and I invited Dave Bish to follow up on his recent blog-based book review of a book by Rob Bell. He agreed and his article is now available on the Cor Deo site. Please take a look if you like. It’s an important issue. Debate has raged …
Read More Love really does winBobby Grow recently put me on to a book by John Webster called Holy Scripture: A Dogmatic Sketch, and I’m much obliged to him for the lead. The book has many virtues. One I very much appreciate is Webster’s view that a person’s moral alignment with the Bible message is critical to being able to …
Read More Humility and the BibleUsually when someone says “I’ve changed my mind” we can take the shift as a passing matter. It depends on context, of course, but changes of mind are common. I might say, for instance, “I know I said I can meet for coffee at ten but I’ve changed my mind because of a deadline I’m …
Read More A Changed HeartJesus said that a sign of his nearing return would include an increase in lawlessness with the result that “the love of many will grow cold” [Matt. 24:12]. It’s not that a loss of love for God is only found in the end times. The problem was also cited in Ephesus where, although true doctrine …
Read More Lost Love