Evil is real. A few minutes of CNN provide ample evidence that there are people on this planet who take pleasure in destruction.
While no one is without sin (1 John 1:8), Psalm 36 describes a special breed of sinner. The “wicked” surrender themselves to sin, dismissing any claim God has on their lives. For them, evil morphs from temptation to obsession – “sin is all they think about,” day and especially night.
Read More trust, goodness, evil
God, being good and upright, does all things that are consistent with what is just, loving and rooted in what is eternally established as true. All persons hold equal status before him. Fairness and justice are therefore core qualities considered indispensable for a person, family or people who would bring honour to their Lord.
Read More goodness, openness
Read Reflect “God is on the side of every good person. You may spoil the plans of the poor, but the Lord protects them.” Insert sigh of relief here, because, boy, those are heartening words to hear. But wait – are they? What if I’m not one of the good people, but instead lumped into […]
Read More goodness, evangelism, Saviour
Two millennia before the concept of individual learning styles became prominent in teaching, Paul emphasized the importance of truth being seen and experienced, as well as heard. Having enthralled the Philippians with the wonder of their salvation and hope of glorious future transformation, he earths his words in gritty practicality and pastoral warmth.
Read More joy, beauty, reconciliation, gentleness, goodness, thanksgiving
A sense of estrangement permeates the book of 1 Peter. It addresses its readers as exiles and aliens, people who don’t fully belong in the place where they live. Ethnicity and geography were factors, no doubt. Even more significant is how communities centred on gospel grace are at odds with the culture in which they live.
Read More goodness, exile, desires, suffering servant