When I was a child, my family would visit my grandparents on Sundays at their home. As we departed in the evening, my grandfather would give me a bear hug and instruct me to “be a good listener” in school. I heard this admonition hundreds of times over the years. The importance of listening and […]
In the last issue of the Bible Advocate I began a series of six articles exploring 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 with a question: “What motivates you?” That article discussed the power of Christ’s love that compels us, and concluded with a call for us to join God’s redemptive mission in the world. Cosmic courtroom However, […]
What compels you? What drives you to do what you do? What motivates you to act? These questions arise whenever I read 2 Corinthians 5. This passage so captivates me that I plan to write six articles on it in this year’s Bible Advocate. It’s compelling, not the least because it begins with Paul saying […]
The story is told of a busy father who wanted to occupy his toddler so the boy wouldn’t distract him. The father tore a world map into several pieces and sent the little boy to his room to put it back together, instructing him not to return until the job was done. Surprised by his […]
“I’d like to be baptized someday, but I don’t think I’m ready yet. I need more time.” I’ve heard statements along these lines several times. Those who speak them wrongly believe that they must first be good enough before receiving the salvation that Christ offers them. Some have parents imposing this false belief on them. Others […]
Jerusalem, ad 33. The fledgling church had been given a mission, a call that would challenge social norms, upend religious traditions, and identify her members as a group of radicals. It was a call they ran from. Yes, the disciples had seen Jesus resurrected. They had heard Him speak and watched Him ascend. But that […]
We are besieged in our culture with messages about situational ethics and moral relativism. “If it feels good, do it,” we have been told for decades. And where did that get us? What if God has a different message for His children? Peter emphasizes that God’s plan for us is holiness. Quoting Leviticus, Peter reminds […]
Is it possible to experience a church environment with singing, reading Scripture, preaching, and celebrating every Sabbath, without fully experiencing the lordship of Jesus Christ? “Really?” you say. “How could you not know the Lord Jesus?” Jesus on the sidelines isn’t so far-fetched! Did you know that happened in the first century? The church community […]
Biblical reasons to celebrate our good God.
Why does our Statement of Faith (#10) on Christian Living in This We Believe keep repeating “As a result — not a cause — of redemption, believers should. . . .“ Doesn’t this water down the importance of obedience? With you (the questioner), the Church of God affirms the high value Scripture places on […]
