-
Rethinking Political Anxiety: God isn’t Limited by Evil
Election season 2024 is ramping up in the United States, and thus Christians will be faced with many occasions to be anxious about who will be in charge of the nation. This is certainly not a phenomenon limited to Americans. It is a very human reaction to worry about who is in charge. It is also a good desire to want a good, just, and wise ruler. But as Christians, it is important to remember that God doesn’t need a Christian in the White House to accomplish what He wants to do. Or to put it another way, God can just as easily direct through unbelievers as believers. Our Desire for Righteous Rulers We rightfully desire righteous rulers. In fact, Proverbs 29:2 says that when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice! It is easy to see how justice can be administered by those who hold to God’s righteous…
-
Dealing with Conflict Wisely as a Christian
Every relationship known to mankind has the potential for conflict. Thank Adam and Eve for that. Granted, some conflicts can be minor, but sadly, some also can be major. The pressing issue in relationships is not if there is conflict, but rather how to deal with it so that only minor conflicts remain. Whether we are helping a friend, helping ourselves, or teaching a small group at church—we need to know how to deal with conflict and help others through it. Scripture gives important instruction on dealing with conflict, and there are a variety of applications from the text. For example, one of the best verses on dealing with conflict is Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Speaking with kindness is essential to avoid escalating conflict. There are so many high-powered conflicts that could have been avoiding if both parties would…
-
When the Lovingkindness of God Leads to Disobedience
We often rightly rejoice in the lovingkindness of God. We see His goodness all over the place. His love for us is what compels the believer to obedience (cf. 2 Cor 5:14). It should go without saying that the lovingkindness of God is one of the most powerful themes of the entire Bible. In fact, in the Old Testament, when God reveals His own character, He specifically zeroes in on His own compassion and lovingkindness as definitional characteristics He wants His people to know about. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and…
-
Jealousy is Not Always Wrong
Paul labels jealousy as a work of the flesh in Galatians 5:20, and we ought to view jealousy as a wicked sin. However, some people might assume jealousy is always a sin. But there are times jealousy is not a sin. Yes, you read that accurately—jealousy is not always a sin! In fact, jealousy can sometimes be good. If that surprises you, then we definitely need to look at the biblical evidence. A Deeper Look at the Concept of Jealousy We tend to think of jealousy (sometimes used as a synonym for envy) as wanting what someone else has or being resentful of them (and that is wrong). However, in biblical language the Hebrew and Greek words for jealousy are often synonymous for the idea of zeal. For example, in Psalm 69:10 the psalmist says, “Zeal for your house has consumed me.” Yet the same word can be used for…
-
Does Jesus Want Christians to be Pacifists?
A pacifist believes that a Christian should not engage in violence. To the pacifist, Christ’s command to love one’s enemy prohibits them from acting in violence toward them (cf. Matt 5:44). After all, it is kind of hard to love your enemy while you are beating him up or killing him. To the consistent pacifist then, there is never any justification for aggressive self-defense or for fighting in wars. There are many modern examples of pacifism, some of them very extended in their treatment. Certain theological movements are marked by pacifism, such as Seventh Day Adventists. There are also variations, where some Christians are against forms of personal defense, while at the same time allowing for police or military involvement. As is typical of these articles, I don’t wish to write an exhaustive examination of the issue as much as I want to present a few considerations on the issue…
-
10 Hallmarks of Humility for the Christian
When Jesus was asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He responded by pointing to a small child. In explanation He said, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:4). Humility is linked with true greatness in the kingdom of God. The importance of humility was not just a one-time message by the Savior. It was a regular part of His teaching from start to finish. The first recorded sermon we have from our Lord in the book of Matthew starts with the admonition, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). And on the night Jesus was betrayed He instructed His disciples that the greatest among them must be servants of the others (Luke 22:26-27). Humility is a crucial pursuit for the believer. In a day marked by social media grandstanding…
-
Are We Living in the Last Days?
The concept of the “last days” or end times captivates the imagination of many Christians. It conjures up vivid images of the rapture, the Antichrist, and apocalyptic events preceding Christ’s return. But what does the Bible actually teach about the last days, and are we living in them now? Intriguingly, the Bible declares we are living in the last days (but not in the last of the last days). Why We are Currently Living in the Last Days Thankfully, the Bible talks quite a bit about the issue of the last days. The Old Testament speaks about it prophetically, and the New Testament authors make it very clear that we are currently living in the last days. For example, in his sermon at Pentecost, Peter declares the dawn of the last days by quoting the prophet Joel: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will…
-
Beyond Earthly Logic: The Riches of Giving More Than Receiving
As we navigate the Christian life and seek to follow the teaching of Scripture, we often are faced with what seems to be paradoxical teachings. For example, the Bible teaches that the first shall be last, suffering leads to glory, the poor in spirit receive the ultimate riches of the kingdom, etc. These apparent paradoxes beautifully draw our attention to the counter-cultural nature of the Christian life. Living like a Christian stands out against the way the world lives. It is counter-cultural. One of the clearest (and yet often undervalued) counter-cultural teachings is the paradoxical lesson that, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). We are taught to rejoice and be happy over what is given to us. How many times and opportunities are we asked about what we received as gifts, or what we ourselves bought? We are trained to pursue the accumulation of wealth…
-
Supporting Others in Times of Tragedy: Practical Guidelines for Helping Others
Knowing how to respond to someone experiencing tragedy can be challenging, but as members of a local church community, it is our responsibility to share in one another’s crises. Scripture provides valuable guidance in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, which encourages us to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. These principles serve as a foundation for practical applications when speaking to someone in a crisis. But how does this look in practice? This article aims to provide three practical ways that we can comfort and support fellow brothers and sisters during difficult times. We Can Engage in Conversation Despite not fully understanding what someone is going through, we can still reach out to them and convey our love and care. It is natural to feel hesitant when addressing individuals who have experienced the loss of a loved one, fearing that we may evoke painful…
-
Starting with Jesus is Terrible for Your Theology
It is good that we recognize Jesus as the sovereign Lord. But is it justifiable to start with Jesus when it comes to forming theology? Many Christians assume that is the place to start. For example, I was once listening to a podcast and the subject was raised about how we formulate our theology. One speaker said something like, “We must get our theology from the life and person of Jesus who is God incarnate. If your theology does not match with who he is, then go back to him and start over.” This is such a popular idea, there is even a book available that is entitled, Let’s Start with Jesus: A New Way of Doing Theology. In the previously mentioned podcast, one of the reasons this particular individual wanted to start with Jesus was to circumvent the validity of other parts of Scripture that seem to be quite…