How do we connect personally, emotionally, spiritually, passionately, faithfully and fully that, in accordance with the word and will of God, we are, through faith in Christ, slaves of Christ Jesus, called to mission, and separated for the gospel? How can we really experience the reality Paul describes for us in the day to day...
In this series on Paul's introductory words to the church in Rome (Romans 1:1-7), we've looked at the "what" of the passage. We've identified the unique identity every Christian has who puts their faith in Christ and lives in faith and obedience to Him. We are doulos (slave), kletos (called), and aphoridzo (separated) to Christ...
The first post in this miniseries drew attention to the fictional "Borg," an alien species in a television show whose cultural uniqueness was absolute, unquestioned, irresistible conformity. Among the Borg, all sense of individuality was sacrificed to the reality of the whole. The Borg were not plural, though there were millions of them. The Borg...
When I was a kid and we were playing games, we had a saying for when one person excelled in an action over someone's counter-action. We would say the losing player "got owned" by the prevailing player. I can tell you, no one wanted to get "owned." It was embarrassing, disappointing, undesirable. Given that we...
Romans 1:1 (ESV) 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God . . . In only eighteen words in the English text of Romans 1:1 the apostle Paul summarizes his whole life. Those eighteen words can be further condensed to four (three in the Greek...
It is one thing to tell someone how to become a Christian. It is another thing to explain to someone how to be a Christian. The first is a presentation of the gospel and a call to faith in Christ. The latter is a lifelong series of intentional teaching and intervention the Bible refers to...
Freedom is no alien concept to the word of God. Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 (ESV) and So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36 (ESV). In the city of Pisidian...
Remember the Borg? They were a race of aliens in the Star Trek movies and television series. Like extraterrestrial locusts they traveled the galaxy, consuming entire civilizations, absorbing the distinctives of each conquered culture into their own. The Borg shared a hive mind: one thought, one value, one direction, one goal. Uniqueness belonged to all...
Yesterday we sang the hymn, "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say." This morning, in the providence of God, I discovered a short video from The Master's Seminary, publisher of the Hymns of Grace hymnal we are using, that provides some background to the hymn as well as a beautiful performance of the hymn. You...
I am posting here a copy of a response to current events that I wrote on Facebook on January 6, so that those who are not on Facebook have opportunity to interact with how I am processing the events that have occurred in the culture around us. This is not a final statement on my...
