The third test John provides is a difficult one. In chapter 2, verses 9-11, he wrote, “If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause…
Month: July 2013
How to Know That You Know:: 2
Picking up where I left off yesterday, John offered three tests in the second chapter of his first epistle that help us know whether or not we know God. The first test that John offers is a heartfelt desire to obey God. “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his…
How to Know that You Know:: 1
Are you a “name dropper?” Do you know any name droppers? You know the kind. They are always bringing up who they went to school with or who they recently met for lunch. In the course of normal conversation, a name dropper will find a way to share something they said to or did with…
Are Religious Progressives Gaining Among Millennials??
Robby Jones of the Washington Post wrote a fascinating article yesterday titled The Coming Rise of the Religious Left, claiming that religious progressives are out gaining theological conservatives among millennials. Included in the article is a soft prediction that there is hope in the future for America’s mainline denominations. This one is worth your time.
What to Do with Our Sins:: 3
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins…
Six Types of Atheist
Lest we assume all atheists are the same, this report from CNN.com cites six variations of atheism. You can read the article HERE.
What to Do with Our Sins:: 2
I think we’re clear on the fact that we are sinners by nature and by choice. Enough has been said about that. The trick is to determine where we go from there. I believe that every Christian needs to be familiar with this important verse in the Bible. “But if we confess our sins to…
What to Do With Our Sins
The other day I was waiting in line for my name to be called. Seated behind me was a grandmother accompanied by her four year old granddaughter. As I waited, the grandmother continually scolded the little girl. As a parent, I have learned that there is a difference between a child behaving like a child…
God is Light:: 2
1 John 1:7 states that if we walk in God’s light, two things are true. First, we have fellowship with one another. In other words, we don’t just walk in God’s light, we walk in God’s light together. Which brings me to an important question. Do we value Christian community? We never sin in isolation….
God is Light
The creation account in Genesis chapter 1 states that the first thing God created was light. Light exposed darkness and became the divisor between day and night. From that point forward, light is an important metaphor in the Bible. It is used 139 times in the Old Testament, and its impact is carried forward into…