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Adoption

In 1 Peter, Bible Study, Blog on
November 21, 2022

A Chosen People

In my opinion, one of the most rewarding parts of studying the Bible is when you discover a connection between the Old and New Testaments. You’ve read a passage dozens or possibly even hundreds of times, but then one day you read it again, and suddenly a lightbulb goes off, and everything just seems to click. I’ve always loved to solve puzzles and decipher mysteries, so when I feel like I’ve made sense of some mysterious verse in the Bible—whether I discover how an Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled in the New or I recognize when the New Testament is clearly quoting or referring to the Old—I get really excited.

This happened to me a few months ago as I was studying 1 Peter using a Bible study written by Lydia Brownback. I read a pair of verses that I had no doubt read countless times before. All of a sudden, the lightbulb went off, and the passage now had a much deeper and richer meaning than before.

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In Blog, Holy Spirit, Theology on
October 30, 2022

The Holy Ghost

Today is Halloween—the day where it’s all of a sudden acceptable to encourage your kids to stay out after dark and take candy from strangers. I grew up in a conservative, southern Baptist home, so I never really celebrated Halloween. I attended a handful of fall festivals in my childhood years, but I never went trick or treating, or walked through haunted houses, or decorated with spiderwebs and tombstones.

However, I once saw a Halloween decoration that I think my parents could get on board with. It was an outdoor sign made of different pieces of wood that were all painted in a variety of fall colors, and it read, “The only ghost that lives in this house is the Holy Ghost.”

The Holy Ghost, aka the Holy Spirit, can sometimes be a mystery to many believers. Who exactly is the Holy Spirit, and what exactly does He do in the world and in our daily, personal lives? Well, gang, it’s time to hop in the Mystery Machine and grab your Scooby Snacks because we’re about to discover that this Ghost is not as mysterious or daunting as He may seem.

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In Attributes of God, Blog, Theology on
June 12, 2022

God the Father

Father’s Day has always been a good day for me. It’s a day when I can intentionally remember, appreciate, and celebrate my own father. My dad has always been there for me, always encouraged me, and always provided for me. All my life, I’ve known that I can trust him and rely on him. But I know for many of you, this has not been the case. Father’s Day has always been a difficult day for you. It’s impossible for you to remember, appreciate, and celebrate a man who abused you, who abandoned you, who ignored you, who disappointed you. He wasn’t there for you, and he didn’t protect you as he should have. He was a man who could not be trusted or relied on.

If you’ve dealt with this kind of experience in your life, it may seem strange to you when God is described as a Father in Scripture (Isaiah 63:16, Jeremiah 3:4, 2 Corinthians 6:18). It may even cause you to question God’s character. Will God abandon me? What if God doesn’t come through? Can God really be trusted? It’s understandable that we may have the feelings, thoughts, and questions when our only reference of a “father” is our sinful, earthly ones. What does the Bible mean when it calls God our Father? It means He does six key things.

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In Blog, Common Questions, Theology on
May 24, 2021

Is Everyone a Child of God?

Christian music artist Tauren Wells released a song called “All God’s Children” this past December. It’s a beautiful song that brings awareness to the human trafficking that is happening all around the globe and reminds us that no person, and especially no child, deserves this kind of treatment. Every person is created in God’s image and worthy of love and freedom. The song goes,

“We are all God’s children, made in His image. Perfectly loved, worthy of freedom. All God’s children, made in His image. Perfectly loved, worthy of freedom. Held and treasured every soul together. All God’s children, made in His image. Perfectly loved, worthy of freedom.”[1]

“All God’s Children” really is a great song with a great message. But is it actually biblically and theologically accurate? You may be thinking, “Well, of course it is!” After all, loving people who are created in the image of God is something we are commanded to do in Scripture (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39, Galatians 5:14). But is everyone a child of God?

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In Bible Study, Blog, Galatians on
October 7, 2019

Crucified with Christ

What makes up your identity? Perhaps you have blonde hair, brown hair, black hair, or red hair. Perhaps you are light-skinned or dark-skinned. Perhaps you have green eyes, or brown eyes, or blue eyes. Perhaps you are tall or short. Perhaps you’re quiet or outspoken. Perhaps you’re organized or you fly by the seat of your pants. Perhaps you like to read, or to cook, or to play an instrument, or to play a sport, or to care for animals, or to take pictures, or to write, or to create art, or to hike. Perhaps you’re a mother, sister, daughter, or friend. Perhaps you’re a Christian or just seeking more about what this Jesus thing is all about.

All these things make up our identity. They make up who we are. But those who are Christians have an identity that is far more important and valuable than their eye color or their favorite hobby.

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