As Athenagoras examined Christianity in the second century, he found it utterly absurd. A religion about a man who was executed as a criminal and returned in a resurrected body? How primitive, he thought! Following Plato, any respectable philosopher knew that the body was a temporary shell for the s
Every good parent at some point worries about who her child is spending time with. We know “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33, ESV),[1] and so we don’t want our children hanging out with any ne’re-do-wells. The book of Proverbs opens with a father and mother exhorting their child: “My
“An Apple a Day…” Among other hobbies, I enjoy subjecting my loved ones to proverbial malaphors. “We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it.” “Get all your ducks on the same page.” “Too many cooks killed the cat.” Et cetera. Saner minds spend time studying actual proverbs, since they are designed to
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What does it mean to be “poor in spirit?” We learn by contrast. Consider what “poor in sprit” does NOT mean. It does NOT mean that: What then is “poverty of spirit?” The Greek word translated “poor” in Matthew 5:3 is ptwcoi
The Beatitudes offer some compelling directives for how our lives ought to be structured as Christians. The name itself simply means “Blessedness,” or even, “Supreme Blessedness,” and from Matthew 5:1-12, Jesus outlines several ways that His people can experience the greatest blessings imaginable. W
It’s likely that some of you feel like you barely made it through the holidays. It was your first year without a loved one around the table. The unwanted divorce loomed on the horizon. Unemployment kept you from buying those extra presents for your kids. Sickness canceled your travel plans to see fa
“Worlds are colliding! George is getting upset!” These words are shouted by George Costanza, a character in the popular sitcom, Seinfeld. In his words, “Relationship George” and “Independent George” must be kept separate for each to flourish. As extreme and unhealthy as this example is, most of us,
Some people were surprised when I said I was writing a biography of Herman Bavinck for kids. Although his name is gaining greater recognition even outside Reformed circles, most people see Bavinck primarily as an academic author of extensive works such as his four-volume Reformed Dogmatics. He studi
You can find the first four reflections here. Reflection 5: This Doctrine Should Lead Us to Humble Worship and Gratitude The proper response to the doctrines of election and reprobation is not speculation, fear, or pride but worship. Paul himself ends his discussion of God’s sovereign purposes with
In the Beatitudes (opening Christ’s Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5), the King of Kings proclaimed the blessed benefits of denying worldly citizenship serving in His heavenly Kingdom.[1] They anticipated antithesis, assuring Christians of enjoying blessings for being Christ’s and living out Christi
