Why did the scribes, Pharisees, chief priests, and other religious leaders have Jesus killed? Did they kill Jesus because he was blunt, rude, and unkind? Did they put Jesus to death because he was “trolling” them and they were offended by his harsh teaching? From time to time I will hear Christians suggest that Jesus was killed for being unkind. I suspect this argument is made in an effort to justify our own harsh rhetoric. So, let’s examine the Scriptures and ask, why did they really kill Jesus? Was Jesus Harsh and Unkind? Jesus certainly said things that were offensive to the religious leade ..read more

I believe Christians can vote, engage in political conversations, and be passionate about policies and issues. I don’t believe we should sit idly by while our neighbors suffer if we can contribute something helpful to the collective conversation. However, when we engage in political conversations, we should avoid becoming partisan. What does it mean to be partisan and what are some of the negative consequences of partisan politics? What Does It Mean to Be Partisan? The dictionary defines partisan as, “feeling, showing, or deriving from strong and sometimes blind adherence to a particular party ..read more

Sometimes we use the terms “idols” and “false gods” interchangeably, but there is nuance to those words that might prove helpful. In fact, identifying our “idols” can sometimes help us recognize the “false gods” we didn’t even realize we were worshiping. So, let’s spend a few minutes thinking about the false gods and idols that are prevalent in our world (and perhaps, in our own hearts). False gods vs. Idols There is certainly quite a bit of overlap between “false gods” and “idols,” but generally, an idol is something that can be seen. In other words, an idol is something visible. Idols in the ..read more

Does every verse in the Bible point to Jesus? Well, yes and no. Yes, there is a sense in which every verse in the Bible points to Jesus, but probably not the way many people think. Let’s learn how to appreciate every passage in context and also how every passage points to Jesus within the big picture of the Bible. Authorial Intent When studying the Bible, we must always show appreciation for “authorial intent.” In other words, we have to try to answer the question, “What did the author of this book intend to say to the people of his day? How did he intend for them to understand it?” Unfortunat ..read more

At funerals, it is not unusual to hear someone say, “He has received his new body.” I certainly understand the impulse to say comforting and encouraging things for the sake of those who are grieving. Furthermore, I don’t believe every cliché or platitude, which has no basis in Scripture, needs to be corrected or addressed. However, we must make sure our words don’t undermine the truth of the Gospel. Body and Spirit There shouldn’t be any controversy about the word, “body.” The word “body” refers to something that is physical, tangible, and material. A person’s present body is what is being bur ..read more

I don’t know who coined the phrase, “I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist,” but I would like to suggest that Christians stop repeating it. People use this phrase because they find the claims of atheism to be far-fetched and hard to believe. Which, of course, I understand. However, I would like to point out several problems with this phrase. What Atheists Believe Everyone has a belief system, including atheists. At the center of their belief system is typically a materialistic philosophy. Materialism is the “theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality.” In other words ..read more

As Christians, we have a tendency to express very spiritual-sounding ideas. These ideas seem very religious and very reasonable. However, many of them reveal some flaws in our thinking about spirituality. They also contradict the life and teachings of Jesus. He is the most spiritual human being who has ever lived. So, we need to actually listen to him and stop trying to out-spiritual Jesus. Here are a few examples… “All We’re Going to Do is Sing Forever” Growing up, preachers told me that someday we would fly away to heaven, where we would sing forever and ever. Of course, that sounded better ..read more

Should Christians rule the world? It’s easy for Christians to think we should be the ones ruling and governing the nations of the world. After all, shouldn’t Christians be equipped to make better, more just, laws than unbelievers? And, if the leaders and rulers of the world were Christians, wouldn’t God be more likely to bless the nations? It may surprise you to know that Christians are already ruling the world, and we will continue doing so forever…but not the way you might think. How the World Rises to Power Rulers and leaders of the world rise to power by destroying their enemies. Worldly l ..read more

What is the Holy Spirit’s relationship to our feelings? Many of us have been taught never to trust feelings. We have been told that logic is trustworthy, but feelings will lead us astray. To underscore this idea, Jeremiah 17:9 is typically quoted, which says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” But there are several common misunderstandings that need to be addressed on this subject. The “Heart” in Hebrew Scripture In English, we typically make a distinction between the heart (the seat of emotions) and the mind (the seat of logical thought). H ..read more

“This world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.” I’ve sung these words my entire life. There is certainly biblical truth to the idea that Christians should not feel at home in the world. But I’m afraid we have greatly misunderstood what Scripture means in this regard. What should we mean when we say the world is not our home? This World Is Not My Home The word “world” does not always mean the same thing every time it appears in Scripture. Sometimes it means planet Earth (1 Peter 1:20). At other times, it means all the individual peopl ..read more