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…
Tag: sin
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.
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…
Who — or What — is Discipling You?
The other day I started to think about how easily Christians are influenced. We don’t just live in the culture but we are, by every indication, being discipled by it. I wouldn’t imagine this is intentional, as I can’t fathom a Christian wanting to follow the waves of the culture rather than the firm foundation…
Guarding our Mouths
“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Proverbs 13:3 ESV) Sarcasm is my second language. Whether I am at work, in church, or simply at home with my family, many times I respond with sarcasm. And sometimes it’s not the most appropriate way to respond. With…
Is Recreational Marijuana Sinful?
The other day I saw a clip from the 2014 Shepherd’s Conference and the video was about the entitled question. Todd Friel, after rambling on and being his sometimes-dramatic self, asked the panel the simple question: is smoking pot a sin? The panel said Yes across the board—and rightfully so. But I was intrigued. I…
Why Believing You’re a Bad Person is a Good Thing
One of the most effective ways to witness to people is asking them a few questions related to the Ten Commandments. Of course, it’s the best way to do it because Jesus did it in the story of The Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-30). What were these questions Jesus asked? Have you ever committed murder?…
Fighting Sin the Right Way
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 ESV Lamentably, the concept of fighting sin has been neglected in evangelicalism today. Not as a whole, of course, but a large part ignores this…
Theology & Life 