The Seeming Paradox of Timothy and Titus
Paul’s guidance around the question of circumcision seems puzzling until we consider it in the light of the paradox of Christian freedom.
Paul’s guidance around the question of circumcision seems puzzling until we consider it in the light of the paradox of Christian freedom.
In this life, there will be disagreements, as was evident in the early church. Our aversion to confrontation and our natural propensity to react by employing “fight or flight” can be overcome as we learn how to manage disagreements in a Godly and constructive manner.
In Acts 15 we read of a conflict that would ultimately result in a clear defining of two distinct covenant communities, the old covenant community of the Jews and the new covenant community of Christians. The question that arose was whether or not Gentile believers needed to be circumcised and be part of the old covenant community. The […]
John’s words about Jesus…”I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”, are indicative of the vast difference between those awaiting the arrival of the Messiah in the first Advent and those of us living in the second Advent. The incredible effects of Christ’s baptism make our experience so much more purposeful.
The last prophet of the Old Testament declared that the coming of the Messiah would be preceded by the return of Elijah. Jesus was unequivocal in identifying John the Baptist as an Elijah figure. Both “Elijah’s” had a very clear message for their lost generation…REPENT AND BE SAVED! How do we perpetuate this message to our lost generation?
Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, was God’s last voice to Israel before a period of silence that lasted over 400 years. God’s “silent treatment” showed His displeasure and desire to get Israel’s attention. We celebrate the end of the silence at Christmas but would do well to see if the reasons for His […]
After being stoned to the edge of death in Lystra, Paul, accompanied by Barnabus, moved on to Derbe to continue their work of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. Then, at great risk of being attacked again, they decided to go back to Lystra to encourage those who had responded to the gospel. Their […]
I doubt any of us have been mistaken for gods like Paul and Barnabus were in Lystra. Their visceral and demonstrative disavowal of any such notion is a powerful reminder to us of the dangers of giving pride a foothold and emphasizes the essential nature of humility in our relationship to God and man.
This Remembrance Day we commemorate the 100th anniversary of one of Canada’s most gruesome battles, The Battle of Passchendaele. This WW1 battle in Belgium has come to symbolize the brutality of that horrific war and has been characterized as an exercise in futility. It would be easy for Christians today to look around at the many fronts […]
As Paul and Barnabus travelled around the Roman Empire spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, they were met with fierce opposition from the Jewish leadership who refused to embrace change even when it had all of the hallmarks of being rooted in truth. This posture of “digging in our heels” can be found in the […]