“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” These words in Matthew 26:39 came from the lips of Jesus as he groaned in agony to his Father over what he was about to endure in the crucifixion. And ponder the words he uttered right before this. “My soul is very sorrowful,…
Tag: Christianity
Total Depravity and Clinical Anxiety
During my senior year of college, I was lying down on my bed one evening reading some tweets from a Christian theologian. As I continued scrolling, suddenly I began to feel extremely cold. As the coldness set in, my heart — from out of nowhere — started to pound like I had just run a…
Why We Preach the Law
There was an old interview that Joel Osteen did–I think it might’ve been with Oprah–where he was responding to criticism that he doesn’t preach enough, or at all, on sin. The citation escapes me, but he said something like, “You know, I want to encourage people. I want to make them feel better. People already…
Yes, There is Only One Way to Heaven (No, That’s not Unfair)
One of the most despised doctrines of the Christian faith is the doctrine of the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. Western culture hates it. Even some within the church shy away from it because they don’t want to offend or cause conflict. It’s not popular. However, the lack of popularity doesn’t mean we should back down…
Are you Kind, Gentle, and Self-Controlled?
Kindness. Gentleness. Self-controlled. These three traits should all be prevalent in Christians.
Welcomed Hearts Become Welcoming Hearts
When society rejects, Christians should welcome. When culture ostracizes, believers should embrace. When the world “cancels,” followers of Jesus should look past mistakes.
How Do We Train for Godliness?
“Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV) For most of my life I exercised, since…
Disagreement Doesn’t Equal Hatred
There’s a hilarious episode of The Office where an employee–ahem–uses the bathroom in Michael Scott’s office. While waiting for it to be cleaned, Michael looks over at Stanley (who is African American) and says: “I am a victim of a hate crime. Stanley knows what I’m talking about.” To which Stanley, rather annoyed, retorts: “That’s…
Ministry Shouldn’t be Entered Hastily
About two years after I became a Christian, I sensed the tug on my heart to be in pastoral ministry. Early on as a new Christian, I desired to not only preach God’s Word, but to counsel God’s people. For me, however, the latter has always been tough for me, since I’m naturally an introvert….
What does the Bible say about the death penalty?
The other day I thought to myself, “I haven’t published a blog in awhile that was controversial.” And then I decided to write on capital punishment. No, I’m kidding. But the thought did occur in my mind that writing on this would be interesting. Though this is a controverisal topic, my intention is not for…
Theology & Life 