Category: Bible Basics

The Gospel and the Law

In discussions of so-called “same sex marriage,” Christians are frequently accused of hypocrisy for taking the passages in the Law of Moses dealing with homosexual behavior literally but ignoring for example those concerning eating shellfish or wearing clothing made of two different kinds of fiber.  The accusation might

The Believer’s Three Callings, Part 3

Dominion in Proper Context In the previous articles in this series, I discussed the Great Commandment and the Great Commission and argued that these were two of the three things God has called us to do. The Great Commandment, with a focus on loving our neighbor, means seeking

The Believer’s Three Callings, Part 2

In the previous article, I argued that a fully-formed biblical worldview recognizes three callings on the life of the believer: the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and the Cultural Mandate. Of these, the Great Commandment is the most important, and the other two flow from there. For a

The Believer’s Three Callings, Part 1

When evangelical Christians think about God’s purpose for the church and for their lives, they often think almost entirely in terms of evangelism. Growing in personal integrity and holiness of life also fits in, but sharing the Gospel is frequently seen as the single most important thing we

The Practical Importance of the Spiritual Disciplines

Your body is central to your spiritual life. In fact, to say it’s the locus of your spiritual transformation is not an understatement. Lately, I’ve noticed an odd disconnect, though. A growing emphasis on healthy lifestyles is leading to a fitness revolution, especially among young people in North

3 Questions to Put Our Fear Into Perspective

Lately, I can’t stop thinking about Jesus asleep in the boat. The storm is surging; the vessel is filling with water; the disciples are scurrying. This is a historic scene, not some vivid illustration, but let’s pause for a moment to acknowledge its fittingness as a metaphor for

Life Beyond Death: What Can We Know?

This live recording of a discussion with Ken Boa (moderated by Michael Stewart) addresses a topic that affects all of humanity: what happens after we die? What do we know about the afterlife from the Bible? This talk occurred at GraceLife Church (Pineville, NC) on in September 2018 as part of its In Question series.