Genesis 1:1 tells us, unsurprisingly, that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. There is nothing especially shocking in that statement. However, the statement that follows has raised some eyebrows: the earth was without form and void (Genesis 1:2). The Hebrew tohu is typically translated as “without form” or “formless,” and bohuContinue reading “Without Form and Void”
Category Archives: Exposition
The Amen of Jesus
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation’ ” (Revelation 3:14, NIV). The book of Revelation contains an impressive array of titles that apply to Jesus. Among these is John’s unique usage of the word, Amen, asContinue reading “The Amen of Jesus”
Is It Cruel to Ask Women to Keep Their Unborn Child?
Despite their emphasis on choice, the pro-choice movement leaves many women feeling that they have no choice but abortion. Abortion is constantly portrayed as the preferred choice. After all, a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy wonders, what’s the alternative? Raise a child she seemingly can’t afford, and who will disrupt her life choices like goingContinue reading “Is It Cruel to Ask Women to Keep Their Unborn Child?”
Before You Post It
In her book The Writing Life, Annie Dillard describes writing as making several thousand close judgment calls. William Zinsser concurs in his famous book On Writing Well: “Professional writers rewrite their sentences over and over and then rewrite what they have rewritten.” Dillard and Zinsser have in mind the thousand literary micro-decisions involved in perfectingContinue reading “Before You Post It”
Proud to Be a Loser
To be an American Christian today is often to be a cultural loser. This is true both as a matter of demographics and regarding the influence and respectability of traditional Christian beliefs. There are fewer Christians in neighborhoods, and our neighbors think less of us. We are increasingly outsiders. And how we respond to thisContinue reading “Proud to Be a Loser”
Be Done with It
“Thy will be done” is one of the requests in the Lord’s Prayer. In part, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10). Jesus Himself pleaded for God’s will to be done inContinue reading “Be Done with It”
Door One, Door Two or Door Three
Jesus said the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke10:27; Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37). Repeatedly throughout the Bible, God commands His people to love Him with all their hearts and serve Him aloneContinue reading “Door One, Door Two or Door Three”
Absolutely
In order to understand absolute or universal truth, we must begin by defining truth. Truth, according to the dictionary, is “conformity to fact or actuality; a statement proven to be or accepted as true.” Some people would say that there is no true reality, only perceptions and opinions. Others would argue that there must beContinue reading “Absolutely”
It’s Not an Animal
Dogma is defined as “a belief or set of beliefs that is accepted by the members of a group without being questioned or doubted.” In Christianity, dogma is the body of biblical doctrines proclaimed by and accepted by Christians. The dogma of the Christian religion is that which is preached from the pulpit, taught byContinue reading “It’s Not an Animal”
Don’t Mind Me
There are a great many words in both Hebrew and Greek that are translated “mind.” In the Old Testament, the word that is often translated “mind” is the word for “heart.” Sometimes the word heart refers to the actual physical organ, but many times it refers to the inner being—the seat of the will andContinue reading “Don’t Mind Me”
