“I Haven’t Come to Abolish It, But Fulfill It”
In one of the most important statements in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).Those words are absolutely foundational for understanding not only the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, but really the entire Bible. Many Christians today struggle to understand the relationship between the Old Testament and the coming of Christ. If Jesus fulfilled the law, what does that actually mean for New Testament believers today? Does the Old Testament still matter?
Taming the Tongue
Every week in our church staff meeting, one of our pastors or staff members brings a devotion for us to spend time in the Word together. This past week’s devotion was especially impactful for me, led by one of our support staff, because it focused on the tongue and the power of our words.
What is God’s Will (Pt3)
In the first two posts in this series, we considered an important truth that many Christians struggle to grasp: God’s will is not a hidden code that must be cracked. God has revealed His will clearly in His Word. We do not have to chase mystical impressions, signs, or inner voices in order to know what God desires from us. Scripture is sufficient to guide the Christian life.
But that raises another question. What about all the practical decisions we face every day? Where should I go to college? What career path should I choose? Whom should I marry? Should we move? Should I take this job? Should we buy this house?
What is God’s Will (Pt2)
Last week I asked the question: What is God’s will? Is it something that can actually be known? Is it clear or hidden?
The resounding answer from Scripture is “yes” : God’s will can be known. God has not left us in the dark. He has clearly revealed His will to us in His Word. While there are aspects of His will, His hidden purposes, and decrees, that remain beyond our understanding or ability to know, what He does require of us and what He wants us to know about Himself has been made plain. We must distinguish between God’s hidden will (what He has not revealed) and God’s revealed will (what He has made known in Scripture). Our responsibility is not to speculate about the former, but to obey the latter.
What is God’s Will (Pt1)
I am sure this is a question Christians have struggled with for as long as there have been Christians. How can I know God’s will for my life? What is God’s will in this particular situation? I was recently reading Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, that they would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will (Colossians 1:9). That is a striking request! Paul is not praying for better circumstances or greater comfort, but for clarity. He wants them to know God’s will. And yet, this knowledge is not hidden or reserved for a spiritual elite. It is not mysterious in the sense that it is inaccessible.
Flee Sexual Immorality
In 1997, a bombshell book was released in the evangelical world. It sold more than a million copies and became enormously influential among young Christians. The book was Joshua Harris’s I Kissed Dating Goodbye. In it, Harris pushed back against the normal cultural patterns of dating and expressed concern about the dangers of our hyper-sexualized culture. He argued for a different model, often called courtship, as a way of resisting the sexual sin that was prevalent, and still is prevalent, even within evangelical dating culture. This was, of course, in the wake of the “True Love Waits” movement of the 1990s.
The Dishonorable Exchange
We continue our series on biblical sexuality by turning this week to one of the clearest passages in all of Scripture on the theological roots of sexual sin. Over the last few weeks, we have looked together at the beauty and glory of God’s design for us as male and female. We have seen that God made us in His image, that He stamped upon us the dignity of being image-bearers, and that He created us distinctly as men and women. Both are equal in value, dignity, worth, and significance before Him. We have also seen that God gave men and women important differences and complementary roles, so that together we might reflect His glory.
Biblical Manhood & Womanhood
There are certain issues that press themselves upon the church because they are so prominent in the culture around us. Biblical sexuality is one of those issues. Over the next few weeks, I will be looking at some of these pertinent cultural issues addressing sexuality.
Created By God’s Design
There are certain issues that press themselves upon the church because they are so prominent in the culture around us. Biblical sexuality is one of those issues. Over the next few weeks, I will be looking at some of these pertinent cultural issues addressing sexuality.
Questioning God’s Love
Few passages in all of Scripture are as beloved and comforting as Romans 8:28-30. For many Christians, Romans 8:28 has become a treasured promise, memorized in childhood, clung to in times of suffering, and quoted in the darkest valleys of life.