When God is at the center of our theology and Christ is at the head of our lives we begin to understand the Bible as it was intended to be understood. Approaching Scripture as God’s self-disclosure instead of our tool for self-improvement will undoubtedly open up an entirely new experience of Bible study. It is not hard to see the extreme difference
Truth is not always popular. Depending on the environment, statements that reflect absolute truth can be downright offensive to many. That is one reason the Bible instructs us to make sure our hearts are centered on pleasing God even before we open our mouths. We need to keep in mind the ultimate goal of our conversation so we don’t get entangled in personal…
Some chide us for “checking our brains in at the door” when we come to a place of trusting in Christ for forgiveness and new life. But that is not how Christianity is presented to us in Scripture. The New Testament evangelists never asked anyone to stop thinking, stop inquiring or stop analyzing the claims of Christ and the Apostles. No one was asked to just…
The Bible, unlike some religious texts, calls its individual adherents to battle for truth with theology, not swords. In our daily lives Christians are called to fight ideas, not people. This proper understanding of New Testament Christianity has historically allowed…
Without an unswerving resolve to affirm that God has inscribed his authoritative voice on the pages of Scripture we are hopelessly lost on…
Our feelings are fickle but God’s word is unchanging. There may be several factors, righteous and otherwise, which will influence our emotions, yet the Bible stands as our unalterable source of divine information providing eternal clarity regarding God’s values and priorities. This is why the Bible must…
Some naively presume that good preaching should leave the congregation feeling good. But most seasoned Christians have come to realize that the best, most meaningful and effectual sermons usually sting, if not wound. God warned that the Scriptures are…
One of the great things about real Christianity is that it calls us to sincerely engage our minds and always check out the facts. Unlike those who say that “faith is something that is to be embraced in spite of the truthfulness of the particulars,” the Bible tells us
Jesus told us that we are to love God “with all of our mind” (Mt.22:37). Of course, he listed other aspects of our humanity with which we are to love God, but this one (our mind) may seem odd, especially in a day when…
As C. S. Lewis said about Jesus’ claims (i.e. he is either a lunatic, a liar or Lord), something similar could be said about the choices we face when we consider the book in which those claims are recorded. Either the Bible is a collection of error-laced letters penned by delusional authors…
With so many religions out there, how can you say Christianity is the only way to God?
Pastor Mike talks about the importance of delivering the whole counsel of God’s Word. We don’t pick and choose what we like and don’t like about the Bible, and especially when it comes to the Gospel.
We are commissioned to bring the message of salvation to everyone, mindful that God will sovereignly choose to effectually empower our efforts as we are faithful to accurately relay the biblical gospel.
The veracity of the bodily resurrection of Christ is seen in the fulfillment of prophecy, its massive influence on the world, and the transformative impact the risen Christ has countless people in every generation.
Knowing many people are interested in Christ for all the wrong reasons, we must be vigilant about maintaining a thoroughly biblical view of God and the Christian life amid all voices to the contrary.
We must seek to be zealous enough for God’s honor that we find ourselves selflessly grieving over those who reject the truth (with all its commensurate consequences) and sincerely rejoicing over those who repent.
We must recognize human culpability before God when people ignore and reject his saving message because they stubbornly refuse to hear the truth since it is not what they want to hear.
We must understand the reason people respond in a hostile way toward the truth, prayerfully and lovingly warning of the multiplied consequences of rejecting it.
We must prepare to expose and respond to our generation’s resistance to the truth – foundational truths of the gospel that God continues to clearly communicate to every generation.
We must seek to be confidently assured regarding the truth about Christ regardless of the perennial religious confusion in our world due to its sin and rebellion.
Our careful learning and obedient response to truth has a lasting & profound impact, and should remind us of our stewardship to become thoughtful evangelists & caring teachers of truth.
Knowing we have a spiritual enemy who seeks to obscure, twist, and deprioritize the truth of the Bible we must continue to boldly present it, obey it, and pray for God to let it be heard.
We may at times respond with negativity to the accurate preaching of the truth, but God has called all Christians as his messengers to be faithful to God’s message regardless of the response.
We must allow the benefits of standing with Christ and his people to overshadow the painful relational consequences that will inevitably come from doing so.
The Creator and Sustainer of life has inscribed his will in the Bible which should be diligently pursued as the source of truth, direction, and counsel for our lives.
God wants to use your research and study of the claims of Christianity to boldly and lovingly persuade and convince others of its truthfulness.
