The Bible explains that we have all been created in God's image, but that His image in us has been damaged by sin. This seems evident when we look at the world around us. Some, however, find it offensive to hear that they are sinners.
The Bible spends almost no time on whether God exists. Instead, most of what we read expresses God's character. In a world of competing religions, polytheism, and syncretism, there was no real need for answering atheism.
Christians need to read the Bible. More than that, we need to study the Bible. It should be our primary source for information about God, and about how we should live. Below is a list of articles to help you read, and study, the Bible.
How often do we settle for just 'good enough'? It's easy to become complacent, especially with regard to specific sins that may be difficult to overcome. Following Jesus closely doesn't leave room for us to settle for less than His best... we need to train ourselves to be godly.
Dr. Doug Groothuis offers some help in choosing a quality study Bible.
This is one of the underlying themes throughout all of Scripture: despite our own unfaithfulness, God remains faithful. An appropriate response to God's unending grace and generosity is wonder. Peterson contrasts Jesus' words (why hast thou forsaken me?) with our own: why hast thou accepted me?
Entropy is the principle that, in a closed system, disorder increases over time. Without intervention from an outside organizing force, maximum disorder will result. If our universe, or the earth itself, is a closed system, this implies that the universe is not eternal... that it must have been created by an outside force.
Christians are often encouraged to share what Jesus has done for them. That's a good thing to do. Unfortunately, personal testimonies may be entirely unconvincing. Depending on the situation, it may be more effective to share the evidence that Christianity is actually true.
Jerusalem is under siege by the Babylonians and Jeremiah is imprisoned by King Zedekiah yet, according to God's instructions, he buys land from a relative. This suggested a hopeful future for Israel (and may have symbolized the redemption offered by Jesus).
The Bible speaks of imitation: imitating Christ, imitating Paul as he imitates Christ, and - by implication - imitating the life and faith of those who have gone before us. Read about imitation, and the dangers to be avoided.
Dr. Ben Witherington is the guest for this episode of the Naked Bible Podcast. Author of more than sixty books, he is one of the best-known and most well-respected biblical scholars in the world. Topics include his recent book Who God Is: Meditations on the Character of Our God, his blogging ministry, and his fiction works.
Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica about a man he called 'the lawless one.' Who was he? What do we know about him, and what does this teach us about spiritual counterfeits?
