In his book A Concise New Testament Theology, I. Howard Marshall writes, “The focus of the New Testament writings is to be found in their presentation of Jesus as the Savior and Lord send by God, through whom he is acting to bring salvation to the world. More specifically, they are the documents of a…
Month: October 2009
Suffering and Hope: 1 Peter Three
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong…
When God Doesn’t Heal our Hurts: part 3
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer…
When God Doesn’t Heal our Hurts: part 2
“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.” – 2 Corinthians 12:8 (NLT) When suffering strikes our lives our first response is usually to try to eliminate it. It’s quite natural. After all, who among us hasn’t dropped everything when we have obtained a splinter to find the tweezers and pull it…
When God Doesn’t Heal Our Hurts: part 1
One of the clearest biblical passages that deals with the purposes that suffering works out in our lives is Paul’s autobiographical discussion of his “thorn in the flesh.” 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 states, “This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. I…
When Innocent People Suffer: Part 3
In this final post, I’d like to offer four thoughts on applying the story of Job to our lives. First, focus on what you affirm to be true about God. Those who know me are aware that I have a deep distaste for cliché Christianity and “pat answers.” I think those things should be categorically…
When Innocent People Suffer: Part 2
I suppose volumes could be written on Job and his suffering. I think that the 30,000 foot view of the book as a whole provides some helpful insights regarding the broken places in our lives. Observation One: Job insisted that his suffering was within the framework of the sovereignty of God. In chapter 2:10 he…
When Innocent People Suffer: Part 1
“He (Job) was blameless — a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” (Job 1:2; 1:8; 2:3, NLT) Any time we discuss the problem of evil and suffering, we are going to face challenges. Those challenges are never more poignant than those times in which the particular suffering strikes us…
Suffering and Hope: 1 Peter Two
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond…
Suffering and Hope: 1 Peter One
“This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed…
