He Is Attracted to the Impossible

Surely the blind man, whose eyes had not functioned properly since birth, must have assumed there was no hope that he would see. It would be one thing if he had lost his vision from disease as a child or because of an injury as an adult. Then he would know what he was missing,Continue reading “He Is Attracted to the Impossible”

Heaven and Hell By Any Other Name

The different terms used in the Bible for heaven and hell—sheol, hades, gehenna, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham’s bosom—are the subject of much debate and can be confusing. The word paradise is used as a synonym for heaven (2 Corinthians 12:3–4; Revelation 2:7). When Jesus was dying on the cross and one ofContinue reading “Heaven and Hell By Any Other Name”

The Slavery That Knows No Time

Have you ever tried to help an addict? Maybe it was a drug addict, a porn addict, a gambling addict, or an alcoholic. You’ve tried everything and yet it’s getting no better, only worse. So many false dawns, so many disappointed hopes. How can we beat addiction? Or maybe it’s yourself. You’re in the gripContinue reading “The Slavery That Knows No Time”

When You Think You Are the Only Ones Going to Heaven

When people ask my wife and me how we met, the story of how Christ met us inevitably takes over. It’s unavoidable from the moment I say, “Well, we actually met in a polygamous Mormon cult.” Eyes grow wide, and folks eventually find a few words like, “Wait . . . what?” Their questions leadContinue reading “When You Think You Are the Only Ones Going to Heaven”

Can We Lose Our Salvation?

I do not believe that Hebrews 6:4-6 teaches that we can lose our salvation. In my opinion, this deals with the Hebrews who were claiming to be Christians and did not know how to integrate Old Testament Biblical revelation with the New Testament teachings. They rejected the fullness of Jesus’ work and so cannot beContinue reading “Can We Lose Our Salvation?”

How to Know God

I walked in the sunshine with a scholar who had effectively forfeited his prospects of academic advancement by clashing with church dignitaries over the gospel of grace. “But it doesn’t matter,” he said at length, “for I’ve known God and they haven’t.” The remark was a mere parenthesis, a passing comment on something I hadContinue reading “How to Know God”

Is There a Difference between Sin, Iniquity and Transgression?

In Psalm 32:5, the psalmist says, “I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’” In this one verse, “sin,” “iniquity,” and “transgression” are all mentioned. Basically, the three words communicate the same idea: evil and lawlessness, as defined by GodContinue reading “Is There a Difference between Sin, Iniquity and Transgression?”