The church is described in various ways in the New Testament. One of these metaphors is a temple, a dwelling of God in the Spirit that is described in Ephesians 2:19-22. In verse 19 the church is pictured as a family or community. This partially describes the closeness God intends for His people, but the picture of the…
Excerpted from Forgiveness: The Possible Impossibility Forgiveness is, literally, at the heart of Christianity. Its meaning is not difficult to understand, but “to forgive” as a way of life is not something one does naturally. Forgiveness means “to cancel a debt” or “to set aside.” It is not based on feelings but, instead, involves a choice…
Excerpted from Forgiveness: The Possible Impossibility Forgiveness is at the heart of Christianity and means “to cancel a debt” or “to set aside.” The awesome demonstration of God’s love—the sacrifice of Jesus—is the perfect example of forgiveness that sets the standard by which God’s children are to forgive others. Ephesians 4:32, Be kind to one another,…
God’s love is one of the characteristics of His very Being (God is love . . . 1 John 4:8). His love is obviously perfect and beyond our full comprehension in this life. Only when believers are in the presence of Jesus in the life to come will we be able to fully understand and…
Biblical Perspectives in Everyday Life Today I saw two wildly differing views of God’s involvement in our lives. One man, in a local newspaper, referred to God as “the guy that lives a bazillion miles away up in the sky.” The other viewpoint was displayed in a poem on a website that was sent to…
There are few aspects of life more misunderstood or neglected than forgiveness. By God’s grace, this study will give biblical insight into the following aspects of forgiveness: COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FORGIVENESS THE BASIC DEFINITION OF FORGIVENESS THE BIBLICAL CONTEXT OF FORGIVENESS—SACRIFICIAL LOVE THE EXAMPLE AND STANDARD OF FORGIVENESS CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS TRAITS OF BIBLICAL FORGIVENESS…
There are not many reliable avenues to gain insight into the “real you” . . . but your words, like a mirror, reflect what is in your heart. Jesus stated that reality in Luke chapter 6. Luke 6:45, The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person…
Every person has shortcomings, but how many of us want our personal failures told to others? Yet, one of the easiest habits to acquire—and one of the hardest to break—is to broadcast the sins of others. On the one hand, no one likes his/ her faults to be broadcast; yet, on the other hand, the…
Matthew 18:15-17 You demonstrate biblical love when you take steps to restore a fellow believer overtaken in sin. This not only encourages a fallen believer to return to his/her first love of Jesus Christ, but it also gives others involved in the restoration process ongoing opportunities to examine the depth of their love to the Lord…
Medical experts can evaluate a person’s physical condition by reliable observation and testing. In the spiritual dimension, a biblical diagnosis can also reveal the spiritual health of the church (ekklesia) when key aspects of Body Life are examined. THE BODY LIFE OF WHICH CHURCH? The results of a biblical diagnosis of Body Life can vary considerably according to the…