I think we make a mistake by believing we are keeping this commandment by not bowing down to images. Of course, there are modern controversies that could be discussed, such as the Catholic practice of veneration of saints and the use of icons. There is also the distinction that some have made between religious worship... Continue Reading

When you move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, you encounter the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and he seems to be the opposite of the son depicted in Deuteronomy 21:18–21. Whereas the son in Deuteronomy 21 wouldn’t obey the voice of his father or mother (Deut. 21:18), Jesus was an obedient son... Continue Reading

God is not the author of sin. God ordains free agency. God allows for the attribution of events to more than one cause, though ultimately it is His own will. “But I don’t understand,” you may protest. You are in good company. Even John Calvin admitted as much. In his commentary on Romans, written early... Continue Reading

Jesus’s lament comes in a covenantal context, a context in which he is the messianic Son chosen by Yahweh to deliver his people Israel by suffering on their behalf. God pours out his wrath on Jesus, yes, but as his anointed Son who suffers in his people’s place. Further, if we consider the other crucifixion... Continue Reading

Our hope lives because Christ lives. Our hope cannot fail because Christ cannot die. He lives and reigns in victory. The writer of Hebrews describes our hope in objective terms in reference to the finished work of Christ.    “… according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope” (1 Peter... Continue Reading

The resistance to socialist ideology remains powerful in the West, ironically,  especially among the “Proletariat,” the working class. Roughly half the electorate in the US is anti-socialist or “reactionary.” Some recent European elections appear to be in part a repudiation of internationalism, if not socialism per se, though the two go hand-in-hand.And the most powerful... Continue Reading

Christ is the basis of reality itself, and thus disentangling oneself from Him necessarily means moving further and further toward madness and pandemonium. As has been noted before, it truly is Christ or chaos and the proof is in the cultural rodeo-circus unfolding all around us. That being the case, the Church’s task remains the same,... Continue Reading

As Christians, we need to let our redemptive imaginations go a bit and recognize that our work is a way of blessing people, even if we don’t see it, because we trust that God is a God who cares for those in need. And, one of the ways he cares for those in need is... Continue Reading

To speak of “God’s purpose of election” (Rom 9:11) involves speaking of those who are not the elect—those whose fate should bring great sadness to our hearts. We should also remember that, as mysterious and incomprehensible as it is to us and our finite minds, God justly holds unbelievers accountable not on the basis of... Continue Reading

James’ problem with the rich is not their money but their master. In serving money they oppressed the poor, ran roughshod over the helpless, and exploited whomever they could for their own gain. Rejecting the model of the Master, they sought to be served rather than to serve.    FAITH AT WORK: Devotions through the... Continue Reading