Back when I was a brand new pastor, there was one kind of phone call I got more than any other. “Hi Paul, do you have the number for John (or Jane or Joe)?” I thought people would ring me for counseling or to draw upon my wisdom. But most of the time they just wanted someone’s number. All those calls at all hours – it used to drive me bonkers. “You know we have a church directory, right?” “Yeah, but I lost it.” I understand why people rang me. Being the pastor meant I was the most connected guy in the church. I was a glorified switchboard operator. I don’t get those kinds of calls anymore. Ins ..read more

Ever broken a promise, failed to keep your word, or been late for an engagement? Of course you have. Now you know why many Christians are worried sick that they may disappoint God. After all, isn’t the Bible full of exhortations to hold fast, continue, and endure to the end? Uncertainty is a faith-killer. If you are uncertain about your eternal position how can you trust God? If the issue of your eternal security isn’t settled in your heart you’ll lie awake at night wondering whether you are good enough or have done enough to impress him. And then you’ll set aside grace by taking out a little ..read more

When I read a book in the Bible, I like to list my favorite verses and words in that book. As you may know, I spent much of the past year diving deep into Ephesians. My favorite words from Ephesians pretty much all came from this one verse: But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us… (Ephesians 2:4). It’s a small verse, easily missed. But it contains enough truth to change the world. I want to look at two words, three words, and then five words from this passage. The two words are… But God These two words are surely the Bible’s most redemptive phrase. The Sa ..read more

The story of my life: I made a plan and God laughed. Because I am a pastor’s kid, many assumed I would become a pastor. “Not me. No way. No how.” Then I became a pastor. Because I blog about grace, some said I should write a book. “Not going to happen.” It happened. Because I love unpacking scripture, some suggested I make a Bible commentary. “Not a chance.” And now I’m writing a commentary. It’s funny how life works out. Despite my initial reluctance to do these things, I have learned that God’s plans are always better than my own. Truly, he knows us better than we know ourselves. Take the Gr ..read more

When I was a kid, my favorite moment in the school year was the minute the last exam finished. “Time’s up, pens down. Please remain seated until your paper is collected.” Can you remember the sweetness of that moment? All the work and the study were behind you; all the tests had been done. Into your mind came one of the sunniest thoughts a young person can have: School’s out for summer! This is how it is for the believer when the gospel of righteousness takes root in their heart. The first reaction is one of sweet relief. “Really? Jesus did it all? I don’t have to work to impress him? I can st ..read more

Ephesians may be the most important letter Paul ever wrote. In this epic epistle Paul covers the full sweep of God’s plan to rescue you, restore creation, and reunite heaven and earth under one head. Ephesians is packed with power and wisdom. It unveils mysteries and stirs our faith. It explains what God is doing and how he is doing it. Ephesians answers important questions: What is truth? How do we find peace? How do we become more fully human? How do we have strong marriages, happy families, and healthy churches? Ephesians has been called the crown of Paul’s writings, but it can be a little ..read more

I have visited hundreds of churches, and I have discovered that some churches may have “grace” in their name, but not in their DNA. They don’t provide what they’re advertising. Which is a shame, because grace is what the world desperately needs. Grace is Christianity’s defining characteristic. Grace is what separates us from every manmade religion and philosophy. By definition, every church has a measure of grace. It’s just that some dilute grace with other things. They mix grace with law and end up lukewarm. How do you tell if a church is preaching grace or law or some unholy mixture of both ..read more

The “check engine” light had been showing on my dashboard, so last week I took my car in to get checked by the mechanic. Turns out my car has been running lean. Too much air and not enough gas was being injected into the engine. I didn’t think that was a problem. Air’s a good thing, right? I’m saving the environment by burning less gas. Apparently it’s not good at all. “You gotta get the balance right,” said the mechanic. That got me thinking about what might happen if Christians had check engine lights. The light comes on, you run a test, and learn that you’ve been ingesting too much law. “Bu ..read more

Back in the 1980s, I smuggled Bibles into China. I can remember the tears of joy that Chinese believers shed had when they received their first Bibles. Until they got a Bible, Chinese believers mostly relied on copied bits of scripture. Many of us take the Bible for granted. We don’t really read it. We skim our favorite bits and ignore the rest. If a scripture seems tricky or the language is archaic, we just skip ahead to something we understand. Which is a shame, because Paul did not say “Parts of scripture are useful for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). We need all of it. Imagine yo ..read more

If you are worried about losing your salvation, here’s a question: When you were born again, did you do it? Did you remake or re-create yourself? Did you somehow join yourself in spiritual union with the Lord? You did none of those things. You were born again, saved, sanctified, and put in Christ by the Holy Spirit (see John 3:5–6, Gal. 3:3, 2 Th. 2:13). God did it all. Once upon a time, you were dead in your transgressions… …but God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us … made us alive together with Christ … and raised us up with him, and seated us with him ..read more