Lots of Christians look for Satan behind every bush. Wake up in a sour mood? Must be Satan. Argue with a family member? The Devil strikes again. Bad weather wreaks havoc on the commute? Who else could be working in that? No one but Satan! Those who see Satan in all of life’s negatives often […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: Sin
Erosion
I remember only two things from my high school chemistry class. First, I got rid of a wart on the back of my right hand through applications of sulfuric acid for thirty-three consecutive days. Second, I watched the slow death of a frog in an unforgettable experiment. My teacher placed the hapless creature in an […]
Read MoreConforming or Transforming
Romans 12:1 deals with the physical, our bodies. Romans 12:2 deals with the metaphysical, our minds. Jews focused all of their attention on the ethical, public behavior of a person, which is good in many ways. However, Jesus was not satisfied with mere external, physical obedience. He called for His followers to have clean hearts […]
Read MoreThe Sweetest Prayer
Repent! For some the word conjures up fiery preachers with piercing eyes; a bony finger pointed in the face of a “sinner in the hands of an angry God.” But repentance isn’t always like that. Sometimes it means a quiet acknowledgement that things aren’t right, and a humble resolve to change our thinking. Either way […]
Read MoreMoral Purity
Holiness sounds scary. It need not be, but to the average person it is. Our tendency is to think that holiness would never find its way into the office of a salesperson—certainly not that of an aggressive and successful athletics coach. Nor would a mother of small children be that concerned about holiness, nor a […]
Read MoreIt Brought Down a King, It’ll Do the Same to You
Sometimes I learn things in strange ways. And I annoy the people around me because I get so excited about the things I learn and the weird ways I learn them that I just have to tell all about it. For example, I had a couple of thoughts the other day while watching an episode […]
Read MoreSins That Stifle Love and Unity
The specific sins in 1 Peter 2:1 are the most frequent barriers to mutual support, so they deserve a closer look. Malice: The Greek word kakia is a general word for “evil.”1 In this passage, it characterizes those who are entrenched in the world system. Deceit: The Greek word dolos means “cunning” or “treachery.”2 It […]
Read MoreHow to Handle Straying Saints
Have you ever rescued someone from drowning? If so, you know how victims often fight their rescuers in the hysteria of that terrifying moment. The same is often true when an attempt is made to rescue those who are floundering spiritually because their faith has suffered shipwreck. Author and teacher Howard Hendricks tells the story […]
Read MoreMorality Is Not the Point
Morality is not the point. Now stay with me. I bet you’ll agree when I’m finished. For a while now I’ve been asking the elementary-age kids I know, “What do you think God wants most from us?” Most of the time the answers are something like, “God wants us to be good” or “God wants […]
Read MoreMorality Is Still Not the Point
The best questions to ask often have surprising answers. This is especially true in the Christian life. Much of Christianity is counterintuitive, even upside down from “common sense.” For instance, God’s Word states that it is better for one “to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). This idea is not one that any of us […]
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