Pen in hand and a fresh scroll in front of him, Luke assayed to address his longtime acquaintance, Theophilus, concerning the strange happenings in the last while. Where to begin? Though not an eyewitness, Luke had numerous contacts with those who were, along with an accurate knowledge of historical events that reinforced the veracity of […]
At twenty-five years old, Phil Vischer had a simple goal. He wanted to blend the love of his faith with his love of filmmaking. Each profitable VeggieTales video meant he could afford to delight children with a new Bible-inspired story. Then his goal got bigger. Captivated by the concept of adopting a goal so big, […]
The theme of reconciliation is as old as humanity itself. Because of sin, humans damaged their relationship not only with God but also with their neighbor. Because of the Fall, communion between Adam and Eve was lost, giving rise to individualism. Both covered themselves with fig leaves, which they had not needed before: “I was […]
In the last “Spotlight” we examined Revelation 21 and the new creation that began in Christ and the ministry of reconciliation. This time we focus on the new covenant. Just before Paul communicates that reconciliation is a God-given ministry and that we are ministers of God (2 Corinthians 5:18; 6:4), he writes that God has “also […]
If the Ten Commandments are for Christians, why aren’t the feast days? With many Christians, we view the Ten Commandments, summarized in the Great Commandment of Jesus to love God and neighbor, as God’s will for all people at all times. The Ten Commandments, written on stone, held a central place in the old covenant, […]
How do we know what is abolished from the old covenant? Is Leviticus 19:19 still binding? We should recognize a basic tension in the New Testament. On one side, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable . . . for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). And Jesus says, “It […]
I can’t believe God really cares about what we put in our mouths. Aren’t the unclean meat laws so old covenant? The Bible is a big book with many pieces of truth. As we study to fit its various pieces dealing with food into a harmonious whole, we avoid over emphasizing one truth-piece while […]
What’s new about the new covenant? Among God’s formal agreements with men, the old and new covenants take up the most space in Scripture. Let’s compare and contrast them here. The old covenant was given by God to the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These Israelites were led out of Egypt, through the Red […]
