Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Getting Motivated series |


* How Does God Define Success?
* What If I Don’t Succeed? (Fear of Failure)
* What if I’m Not the Best?
* What’s Our Motivation?
* Why Am I in a Dry Season?
* We Need Spiritual Hunger
* Revelations that Change Us
* God’s Glory Concealed
* Hope in Heaven
* Why Did Paul Say YOLO?
* What Is Hope
* Can Society Be An Idol?
* Have We Idolized Reason?
* Why is Good So Good?
* Why is Faith the Answer to Sin?
* Is the Pill Pro-Life?
* Pro-Life Family Planning Guide
* What Does Judging/Helping Look Like?
* Judgement That’s Loving
* Don’t Judge… Help!
* Don’t Judge.
* IVF Guide Discussion
* How to Stay Engaged in Quiet Times

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Getting Motivated series |


* What’s Our Motivation?
* What if I’m Not the Best?
* What If I Don’t Succeed? (Fear of Failure)
* How Does God Define Success?







Inadequacy vs. Fear of Failure



In our struggle for motivation, a lot of things can stand in our way. Not least of which is fear, particularly the fear of failure. We all feel it, and to be honest, it’s a fairly rational fear. The reality of this world is that even if we try our hardest, even if we are diligent and thoughtful, failure may still find us. This is because of a very simple truth, so many things are outside of our control, even important things. We can do everything right with regards to the inputs (our efforts) and still find that the outputs (the results) are nevertheless lacking.



In this series on Getting Motivated, we talked last time about how to overcome feelings of inadequacy that can hold us back, gaining insight from the Parable of the Talents. If I could characterize the difference between feelings of inadequacy and a fear of failure it would be with a similar description: When we feel inadequate, we feel we’re not able to provide the needed inputs; when we feel a fear of failure, we fear that even with the proper inputs we still won’t achieve the output/results we want. Whereas the servant with two talents taught us how to respond to feelings of inadequacy last time, I saw answers to our struggle against the fear of failure in the story of the servant with just one talent.



The Servant with Only One Talent



In the Parable of the Talents, the master of the house gave talents to his servants based on their ability before going on a journey. To one he gave five, to another two, and to the third he gave just one talent. The first two servants worked hard with what they were entrusted, trading with them to make a return. The third servant, however, didn’t follow their example but “went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money”. But… Why?



Why did he do this? He explains his reasoning when he’s asked to give an account for what was entrusted to him:



“Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.” (Matthew 25:24-25, emphasis added)



Notice how he said, “so I was afraid”. In a way, what he’s describing here is a fear of failure. More particularly, because this statement follows his description o...

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Getting Motivated series |


* What’s Our Motivation?
* What if I’m Not the Best?
* What If I Don’t Succeed? (Fear of Failure)
* How Does God Define Success?







When we’re considering whether we should do something, whether we should work hard at it, the first question that often enters our mind is this: “Will I be any good at it?” To consider that question, we’ll look at the people who are the best at it and make the honest assessment: “I’ll never be as good as them”. To make matters worse (forgive my honesty) there’s a good chance we’re right.



Before I started writing for Loving Theology, I looked at all the Christian speakers and writers who were incredibly gifted and successful and came to the very accurate conclusion that I would never be that good.



Here’s what’s happening: Because of the way we consider the question, we aren’t just asking if we will be any good at it; we’re really asking if we will be the best at it. We trick ourselves into thinking we won’t be any good at it because we know we won’t be the best at it. There’s no more sure way to kill any motivation than this line of thinking. But what, specifically, is wrong with it? Does the Bible give us a better way to think about it?



Is God Calling Me?



I had this idea in my mind (and I suspect I’m not alone) that because I wasn’t going to be the best at it, I probably hadn’t found what God was calling me to do. I felt there was some niche calling for me out there that God had uniquely gifted me to be the best at if I could just find it. While we might not all acknowledge it in those words, I think this thought affects all of us, making it difficult to feel confident in what God has called us to.



This line of thinking led me to a conclusion: Since I’m not going to be the best, I probably haven’t found my calling and I need to keep searching. God corrected me for the pride in my heart that was underlying this way of thinking. It’s uncomfortable to admit, but He showed me that my own delusions of grandeur were holding me back from embracing His calling because it was more modest than what I had built up in my mind.



The Parable of the Talents



When God first corrected me in this way of thinking, He brought me to the Parable of the Talents which is found in Matthew 25. It starts like this:



“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Getting Motivated series |


* What’s Our Motivation?
* What if I’m Not the Best?
* What If I Don’t Succeed? (Fear of Failure)
* How Does God Define Success?







The good news of the gospel is that our righteousness, our position with God, our spot in heaven is not based on what we’ve done. On the cross, Christ gave us all this and more when He gave us His relationship with the father as a free gift (check out our post Peace with God). In many ways, this is what makes Christianity so unique: we don’t get ourselves to heaven. But, if we’re totally honest, this encouraging truth can sometimes make it hard to be motivated.



I mean, if what Isaiah said was really true and “all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isaiah 64:6), then why go through the trouble of doing what’s right? If we’re already saved and we can’t add to our righteousness, it can be hard to get motivated to endure the self-sacrifice of, for example, living generously.



So, What’s in It for Me?



Now this is one of those thoughts we aren’t supposed to have, one of those questions we aren’t supposed to acknowledge crossed our mind. Maybe you’ve found a better (less selfish, more “Christian”) way to word it, but when I’m struggling to find motivation, somewhere in the back of my mind I’m asking, “Why should I go through all this trouble?”. As terrible as it sounds, I’m kind of asking, “What’s in this for me?”



It can be tempting to feel like this isn’t a Christian thought. We sometimes imagine Christianity is about taking what we want out of the equation. It might surprise you to hear that this idea of “emptying ourselves of desire” is actually Buddhist, not Christian. Consider just this small sample of verses:



Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.Psalms 37:4



May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!Psalms 20:4



How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Revelations and Glory series |


* God’s Glory Concealed
* Revelations that Change Us
* We Need Spiritual Hunger
* Why Am I in a Dry Season?







We have all gone through dry seasons where we feel disconnected from Him, seasons where we don’t see revelations like we used to. Why does this happen? What causes these seasons to sneak up on us? Whereas we have seen why we want to overcome these seasons, today we’re going to look for how we do that by understanding what keeps us there. Whereas we saw the encouragement in Scripture to desire to pursue Him, now let’s see the exhortation to actually do it.



Last time we saw that Paul’s instructions about what keeps a person from being able to eat food were also given to teach us about God’s principles for spiritual food (revelations from God) as well. We saw the theme of these instructions was that we must be willing to work if we want to eat. We must be willing to “seek with all our heart” if we want to find. But the rest of this passage gets so specific and shows us four things that keep us in these dry seasons.



For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now we command and exhort such persons in the Lord Jesus Christ to work peacefully and eat their own bread. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, NASB)



Discipline



First, Paul describes those who are “leading an undisciplined life”. That word for “undisciplined” can more directly be understood as “lacking proper order”. I can think of no more perfect word to describe the pattern that I slip into over and over, where I slowly forget the importance of spending time seeking revelation from His word in His presence. I’ve forgotten the “proper order” of things and reduced the importance of what is essential to my spiritual health. What’s more, over time I eventually see and feel the effects this has on every aspect of my health.



When we’re in a dry season, this is the first question we can ask: Have I forgotten the importance of spending time with Him, spending time meditating on His Word?



Idleness



Paul goes on to describe these people as “doing no work at all”. When we think of applying this to spiritual food, it reminds us of something that’s easy to forget: Revelation does not come without work. I can certainly attest to that.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Revelations and Glory series |


* God’s Glory Concealed
* Revelations that Change Us
* We Need Spiritual Hunger
* Why Am I in a Dry Season?







We have all felt lost at times. We’ve all struggled with questions about our purpose. Ever found yourself asking “Why am I here?” or “What’s the point?” We could describe this as a sense of dissatisfaction. We are no longer satisfied with where we’re at, with what life has to offer. While it might be unpleasant, this is the first step in an amazing and powerful journey. We’re feeling the first hint of a desire for something more. We’re becoming aware of an appetite we have, a hunger not for physical things like food but for spiritual things like meaning and purpose.



We saw last time that the solution to this journey is found in the way that God reveals Himself, reveals His glory to us. He doesn’t tell us everything plainly but asks us to press into the hunger as we pursue revelation from Him. We saw the promise of how we will be changed when we “search things out”. As we behold His glory, we are transformed into His likeness and experience the fulfillment of our purpose, that we were made in the image of God.



The pattern that’s demonstrated here begins with our desire to search things out and ends with a promise that we will be satisfied. But this isn’t the only time we see this promise in Scripture.



The Promise to the Hungry



Notice the similarity to the promise in Jeremiah 29:



You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13



Like we discussed in the first post, this displays God’s glory by showing us His character, that in His unapproachable glory He has chosen to be approachable. What’s required of us to approach though? What’s required of us to receive revelation? It’s not intelligence or wisdom (see Luke 10:21), because (as we’ve seen) this revelation does not come from our own reading of the Scripture, but from His willingness to reveal the truth to us as we seek.



If not intelligence, what must we have to receive revelation? Spiritual hunger: a relentless desire to know Him. God has made it so simple. To know Him, we must simply want to know Him. In this way, access to God is not reserved for the smartest or wisest among us but all of us have just as much opportunity to receive it. He is so good! He is so kind!



We’ve seen here that as we pursue Him we are changed. That there is a promise to us when we “search things out”. Jesus used the illustration of hunger several times in His ministry to show us ...

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Revelations and Glory series |


* God’s Glory Concealed
* Revelations that Change Us
* We Need Spiritual Hunger
* Why Am I in a Dry Season?







“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” Proverbs 25:2



Last time we began to see the truth in the first part of this verse about the glory of God. This time let’s explore the way that we are changed as we search out what God has concealed.



The Power of Revelation



Truth in the Bible is profound and full of mystery. When we read a verse, it often tells us a simple truth that is helpful to us. But, as we behold that same verse, meditating on it, God begins to reveal a deeper truth that agrees with the first, but provides a fuller understanding of its eternal meaning. It goes something like this:



The first glance we take at the verse is like looking at a picture, flat and still. It tells us something, but we don’t always understand the context. As we stare at it longer, it begins to take shape and we see there’s more than just a surface meaning, but a depth to the truth. It’s like looking at a sculpture, still motionless but now more comprehensive in its significance. As we meditate on it, we see that this truth isn’t static and inert, but alive and breathing. It is filled with the power to change us, and it is still unfolding today, awaiting its fulfillment in nothing short of eternity.



This is a process that depends on Him entirely. While we can read the Bible without Him, we can only receive revelation through Him. Moreover, it is only through the experience of revelation that our hearts are moved to be more like Him. If we had merely read the truth then it might affect our minds for a time, but it would never reach our hearts and it is from the heart that true, consistent change flows.



He Is the Source



So, the truth is not something we simply find, but something that must be sought. In His divine wisdom, He chose not to tell us everything plainly. Instead, He leads us to the truth as He slowly reveals it to us when we seek. This process of revelation, it surprises us, it inspires us. We see Him in a new light; we see how glorious He really is, and it inspires us to be more like Him.



This is the reason this leads to our glory, not because we have any glory on our own, but because this process of revelation inspires us to be like Him, and He is glorious. Paul explains this, how revelation relies on Him and how His glory affects us when we see it, in 2 Corinthians 3:

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Revelations and Glory series |


* God’s Glory Concealed
* Revelations that Change Us
* We Need Spiritual Hunger
* Why Am I in a Dry Season?







God’s Glory Concealed



When we study the Scripture, we begin with a mystery that is concealed and, through the process of meditation on His word, God reveals the truth to us. Why did God do it this way though? What does this show us? Solomon explained it this way in Proverbs 25:



“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” Proverbs 25:2



So, “it is the glory of God to conceal things”. But why? In what way does this demonstrate His glory? As I contemplate that question, I’m overcome with all of the ways this demonstrates His glory. Oh, how does it not! Let me try to do this justice; let me try to illustrate it for us.



Understanding Glory



First, we need to start with a fresh foundation because, you see, the word “glory” doesn’t always settle well for me (and I suspect I’m not alone). When I think of the word “glory” I think of something visible, something that’s on display for everyone to see, something we want everyone to know. Here’s what’s happening: we often mistaken the word “glory” for what would better be described as “fame”. God is glorious whether or not we are aware of His glory.



I think sometimes we can have the impression that God’s priority when He created the world was seeking His own glory; it isn’t. In fact, just a little later in Proverbs 25, the Scripture tells us plainly that it is not “glorious to seek one’s own glory.” (Proverbs 25:27)



God does, on occasion, make His glory known, but that is not His priority. His glory is actually demonstrated in Proverbs 25:2 by just the opposite. His glory is demonstrated by the fact that He isn’t seeking to be known but concealing Himself. I think this is the first way we can understand this verse: God is glorious (in part) because fame isn’t His priority.



Why is this glorious? Consider how many beautiful and glorious astronomical objects (e.g., search “NGC 6357”) were hidden from us for thousands of years. Consider how many more remain hidden now. Their beauty alone demonstrates God’s glory, but does it not add to His glory that He allowed them to be concealed.

| Hope series |


* What Is Hope
* Why Did Paul Say YOLO?
* Hope in Heaven







Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS







Hope enables us to experience the good promises God has for us even while we’re surrounded by the troubles of this life. We saw last time that the Christian life was never meant to be (and frankly cannot be) done without a very tangible, daily hope in the promise of eternal life. It’s in this hope that we can experience joy in all circumstances because the promise of heaven is always present, regardless of what’s happening around us. In many ways, the key to joy, the key to being happy is this kind of hope. But how can we have a hope like this that sustains our joy?



What’s Heaven Going to Be Like?



In simple terms, to have hope in heaven we have to know a little about what it’s going to be like. To get excited about heaven we have to know what’s worth getting excited about. If we’re honest, I think our idea of heaven is one that sounds like it could get a little old. If it really lasts forever, is it maybe, possibly, going to get boring?



Let’s get honest and explore the Scriptures together. We’ll start with what we know about heaven.



God Himself Will Be with Us



“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3, emphasis added)



The first and most foundational fact about heaven is this, God Himself will be with us fully and continually. Now, that either sounds like the most amazingly, overwhelmingly exciting thing you could possibly imagine, or it, well, doesn’t.



If words like exciting, moving, exhilarating don’t come to mind for you when you hear this, I don’t want that to make you feel bad. It should, however, make us wonder why. To understand what’s missing, we need to know why it would be exciting.



The truth is that this is only exciting when you really know God. When we truly know Him, what He’s like, through a genuine relationship/friendship with Him, the thought of finally, truly, fully, continually being with Him is enough to short-circuit our emotions. He is the truest friend I have ever had. Every kind of love I have seen and felt in this world pales in comparison to any single taste of His love He has shown me, even in rebuking me. When I think about how loved, how peaceful, how joyful, how cared for, how cherished, how satisfied, how fulfilled I have been in just one moment of feeling His companionship. That’s what makes this thought so exciting.



If you haven’t experienced Him in this way, I want this to encourage you that you don’t know what you’re missing. If you want to experience Him like this,

| Hope series |



* What Is Hope
* Why Did Paul Say YOLO?
* Hope in Heaven







Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS







Why Did Paul Say YOLO?



… “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”1 Corinthians 15:32



Life can be difficult. Sometimes it’s just a season and sometimes it’s hard to see when it hasn’t been difficult. But somehow, we are called to have joy through it all. How is that even possible? We saw last time that the answer is hope, that:



“Hope enables us to enjoy the good God has for us even while we are surrounded by the bad that sin has caused”



But in the darkest hours, what hope do we have? What can we hope in when trials and afflictions have overcome us to the point that there seems little good left on the table?



The Promise of Troubles



The first thing that can serve as a foundation for our hope is a promise we were given. But probably not one of the promises you’re thinking of: the promise that we will experience tribulations, persecutions, and hardships. Consider this example where Jesus is “encouraging” the disciples:



“In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33



Jesus does this over and over with the disciples where He warns us about the realities of Christianity. That while there is good for us in following Him, it comes with a cost. Like in Mark 10:29-30, Jesus tells us we’ll be asked to give up a lot but assures us we will gain more than we lose even in this life. As if that wasn’t hard enough, He goes on to warn that even what we gain in this life will come “with persecutions”. Um… thanks Jesus?



Why did Jesus tell us all of this? Was He just weeding out the class to those who were serious? Maybe that was part of it, but the verse from John 16 was just the core 12 disciples, so we know there’s more to it. Jesus actually tells us why:



“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.” John 16:1



He said these things because they were true, because He didn’t want us to be surprised. So,

| Hope series |


* What Is Hope
* Why Did Paul Say YOLO?
* Hope in Heaven











Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



What is hope? How is hope different from faith? What are the benefits hope has to offer? Did you know that hope leads to joy and enables patience? I wouldn’t mind a little more joy and I know I could use a little more patience. As we kick off this new series on hope, let’s start with a solid foundation about hope.



Hope Is About the Future



Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:24-25



Let me start with a simple story. During advent this past Christmas, I sat my toddlers down to explain the concept of hope. I wanted them to really understand it, not just memorize a definition but be able to recognize it. I wanted them to experience hope and remember that experience. So, I started by telling them, “I’m going to give you ice cream”. I’m sure you can imagine the way a smile grew on each of their faces as they realized what I said. That is hope. Quite simply, hope is being excited about something that’s coming.



Don’t worry, I gave them the ice cream I promised; after all, I want them to know they can trust me when I say something. But let’s imagine for a minute that they didn’t trust me, that they didn’t believe me about the ice cream. Imagine if the first thought that crossed their mind after I promised ice cream was, “Suuuuuure, we’ve heard that before…”. Do you think their faces would have lit up in the same way? They wouldn’t have gotten excited because they didn’t believe it.



Hope Depends on Faith



May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.(Romans 15:13, emphasis added)



Hope is built on the foundation of faith. In a chapter on the faith of Abraham, Paul explained this about Abraham’s hope:



In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God,

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Modern Idolatry series |


* Why is Faith the Answer to Sin?
* Why is Good So Good?
* Have We Idolized Reason?
* Can Society Be An Idol?







Society Can Be an Idol



We’ve seen that God alone defines good and evil. Anytime we decide for ourselves what’s good and what’s evil, we repeat the sin of Adam and Eve when they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Anything we allow to subtly influence our understanding of what is good, we allow to hold a position that’s reserved for God alone, making it an idol in our lives. Last time we saw that, in this context, we often allow our own reason to become an idol when we reason our way to choosing what’s good rather than relying on God’s definition and direction. In this way, we allow ourselves to define what’s good rather than looking to God.



We also often allow others to influence our definition of good. This is one of the most common forms of modern idolatry: allowing society to influence our understanding of right and wrong. The problem is that society is a blind guide for morality; only God, not man, has a clear view of what’s truly good for us.



We Get It Backwards



Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!Isaiah 5:20



Earlier in this series, we saw why getting good and evil straight is so important because when God calls something good it’s because it’s good for us; when He calls something evil it’s because it does us harm. Last time we saw that when we take something that’s actually evil and call it good, we are endorsing something that’s harmful to us. We make the opposite mistake as well, condemning something that’s actually helpful. Make no mistake, society gets it wrong in both ways, let’s take a look at one example today.



Being “Nice” Isn’t Always Loving



Our culture has its own definition of love (something good) and hate (something evil). But, like we’ve seen, when people try to define these things, we inevitably get it wrong. Society’s definition goes something like this: “It’s loving to tell someone what they’re doing is good. By contrast, it’s hating to tell someone what they’re doing is bad.” More simply, society tries to indoctrinate us with these ideas of “nice” and “mean” as the definition for “good/loving” and “evil/hate”.



So much of our morality (especially what we’re taught as children) is based on this idea.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Modern Idolatry series |


* Can Society Be An Idol?
* Have We Idolized Reason?
* Why is Good So Good?
* Why is Faith the Answer to Sin?







We don’t often find ourselves tempted to bow down to a wooden statue but make no mistake, idolatry is very much alive and well in our culture. Idolatry happens any time that we allow something other than God to take on one of His roles in our life. As I’ve said before, because God plays so many roles in our lives, the temptations for idolatry are endless.



In this series we identified one of the most important roles that God has in our life: the definer of good and evil. In fact, we saw that the sin in the Garden was exactly this form of idolatry. When Eve chose to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, she did so to become “like God, knowing good and evil”. Every time we sin, we choose our own evaluation of good and evil over God’s, repeating the serpent’s words: “I will not surely die”. In this way, this form of idolatry is perhaps the most fundamental: making an appearance every time we sin.



Studying the knowledge of good and evil (a subject called ethics) sounds virtuous on the surface, but the story in the Garden demonstrates that it leads to death. Today we’re going to explore why our reason cannot define good and evil for us.



The Problem with Ethics



I can recall sitting in my college ethics class discussing how to make the right decision. The purpose of the class was to present tools we could use to help us decide between right and wrong. The main tool we were given was analysis (reason). We were taught to consider everyone who was affected by the decision and to weigh how the decision would affect them.



Here’s the problem: This type of analysis is where we use reason and knowledge to decide between good and evil. Sound familiar? It’s when we chose our own knowledge of good and evil, that we chose sin for the first time. Fundamentally, this is because we are choosing to reject God and put ourselves in His place. To make matters worse, when we choose for ourselves what is good and evil, the only possible option is that we will get it wrong. Why? Because we are not God.



To make matters worse, when we choose for ourselves what is good and evil, the only possible option is that we will get it wrong. Why? Because we are not God.



When we rely on our own definition of good and evil, we often so badly misunderstand something that’s good (beneficial) that it becomes evil (harmful). When we serve as our own guide, something valuable becomes harmful because wisdom is simply beyond our grasp. Let me give one example:

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Modern Idolatry series |


* Can Society Be An Idol?
* Have We Idolized Reason?
* Why is Good So Good?
* Why is Faith the Answer to Sin?



More Than Righteousness



There are some verses in the Bible that challenge our use of the word “good”. I think we often get confused, thinking that “good” is the same as “righteous”. There are so many verses in the Bible that show us that there’s so much more to the story than rules and “righteousness”:



For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.Romans 5:7



Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?Ecclesiastes 7:16-17



If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.Colossians 2:20-23



Throughout the story of creation, God repeatedly declares that things are good without mentioning anything about rules. There is so much more to “good” than rules. God intentionally used a word that should get us interested/excited (“good”) not a word that feels weighty and difficult (“rules”). Whereas our idea of “righteousness” emphasizes following the rules as the goal, “good” instead is meant to emphasize our benefit as the goal.



What Happens When We Get Good Wrong?



We saw last time that God alone defines good and evil. Anytime we decide for ourselves what’s good and what’s evil, we repeat the sin of Adam and Eve when they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Whenever we try to take on God’s role and decide good and evil we will inevitably miss the mark.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Modern Idolatry series |


* Why is Faith the Answer to Sin?
* Why is Good So Good?
* Have We Idolized Reason?
* Can Society Be An Idol?







Sometimes it feels like the Scripture is full of paradoxes. Two things we know are true, that operate side by side but are hard to reconcile. Among the most fundamental of these is works and faith. We know that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8-9). But we also know that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). We have all read the sobering verses that if we practice sin, ranging from sexual immorality to lying, we will not receive eternal life (Revelation 21:8). But, ironically, we also know we would be lying if we said we don’t sin (1 John 1:8).



I have good news: this paradox is not some unanswerable mystery. In fact, understanding it flows very naturally when we have a proper understanding of sin and faith. When we see why faith is the answer to sin, we understand how faith and works are intertwined. I think that we have misunderstood the concept of “sin” as it’s explained to us in the Bible. Let’s go deeper, moving beyond quick answers so that we can receive revelation that transforms the way we think.



The First Sin



What is sin? What makes something sinful? What is the origin (cause or source) of sin? To understand the origin of sin, let’s start with the original sin. I want to read this story as if it were for the first time:



And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,



“You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17



The first hint that there’s more to this story is the name of the tree. It surprised me that it’s not called the tree of sin or the tree of evil, but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I mean… that kind of sounds like a good thing doesn’t it?



the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.



To know good and evil, to know the difference between right and wrong: isn’t that what we try to tea...

| Pro-Life Family Planning guide |



* Pro-Life Family Planning Intro* Understanding Fertility* Pro-Life Options for Family Planning* Is Hormonal Birth Control Pro-Life?* Timing Intercourse to Avoid Conception







Birth control works using 3 mechanisms of action:



* Preventing ovulation (before conception) * Hindering sperm reaching egg through in crease in cervical mucus (before conception) * Preventing implantation through thinning of uterine lining (AFTER CONCEPTION)



Ok, sure but that probably rarely happens! NO! 1 million children die every year from the pill alone (not including other forms of hormonal birth control) and that’s only in the US! Watch to hear how including all the evidence and statistics!



This video is part of our larger Pro-Life Guide for Family Planning. Don’t forget to take a look at the other pages in that guide (outlined above). The information we cover in this video, including all of the references, can be found on one of the pages in that guide.

| Pro-Life Family Planning guide |



* Pro-Life Family Planning Intro (this page)* Understanding Fertility* Pro-Life Options for Family Planning* Is Hormonal Birth Control Pro-Life?* Timing Intercourse to Avoid Conception







Maybe you’re asking yourself, why are we talking about this? Does God really care about what we do for birth control? Does our faith really matter for deciding when we have kids and how many kids we’re going to have? So, let’s start with that: Does it matter and why?



Why It Matters



When conception occurs, a new person’s life begins. I’ve written elsewhere on conception’s significance scientifically and biblically. The scientific evidence is overwhelming that fertilization (conception) marks the point where an individual human [a person] is first alive (see When Does Life Begin Scientifically? and When Is a Person a Person Scientifically?). Perhaps more important for us though, the Scripture is even more clear. The Bible demonstrates that our life, our calling even, begins at conception (see When Does a Person’s Life Begin Biblically?).



In short, what matters is conception. Conception matters to God; after all the Father chose that Jesus would be conceived. More to the point of this guide though, what does this have to do with birth control? Some methods of family planning (birth control) operate after conception. In other words, the effectiveness of these methods depends on ending a life after conception. So, because conception matters, the decisions we make in family planning matter.



Before moving on, let’s double check this foundation. If you aren’t sure about this and find yourself wondering if an embryo is a baby from conception, that’s ok. It’s an understandable question, and it’s a question I want to help you resolve once and for all. But rather than recount all of the information here, I’d encourage you to look at our scientific overview and biblical overview of these discussions. From here on, this guide will instead focus on the application of this truth.



On another page, we’ll talk specifically about each of the methods of family planning and the relevant medical research. But I want to first establish the central guiding principle, the filter you can use in making these decisions. Let me also share our story so you can get to know my heart.



Our Story



When I was about to get married, a friend I respect brought up birth control and mentioned that he and his wife refused to use it. Without really meaning to, I just shut him down. Rather than let him explain, I just assumed he was going to tell me not to interfere with God’s plan for how many kids we would have. While I entirely respect that position and don’t want to talk anyone out of it, I don’t personally share it.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS



| Don’t Judge…Help series |


* Don’t Judge.
* Don’t Judge… Help!
* Judgement That’s Loving
* What Does Judging/Helping Look Like?







What do we do when we see someone struggling with sin? In this series we’ve focused on Matthew 7, where Jesus calls us first to not simply pass judgement on them, to condemn them for violating God’s law. But He didn’t stop at what we were called to NOT do, but what we were called TO do. By contrast, He calls us instead to help them overcome that struggle, to help remove the speck from their eye. We’ve seen how this process starts with taking the log out of our own eye and developing a heart to help.



Last time we saw how Jesus demonstrated this in the way that He relied on the Father’s judgement to accomplish His purpose which was not to judge the world but to save the world. But what does this all look like? And does it look the same for believers as for unbelievers? Let’s start with the first question. Jesus illustrated it for us with an inspirational demonstration in John 13.



Washing Our Feet



Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”John 13:8-11



Notice how Jesus connects being washed here with salvation, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me”. In speaking to Peter (a believer), Jesus says that he is already cleansed (i.e., of sin), that Peter is already bathed (i.e., baptized). By contrast, in referring to Judas, Jesus says, “Not all of you are clean.”



However, even as a believer, Peter still needed his feet washed. Even as believers we still struggle with sin, our feet still get dirty and need to be washed. This is a process called sanctification. Ephesians 5:26 describes how Jesus sanctifies the church similarly: “that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.” (Ephesians 5:26)



After Jesus demonstrates this by washing the disciples’ feet, He tells us to do the same: Show more...