the new self created in the likeness of God
Chapter 1 centered around the ascension of Jesus, the Son of God returning to the Father and being given dominion over all things as He sat at the Father’s right hand (see Daniel 7.13-14; Mark 16.19; Ephesians 1.20-23). But even though Jesus had left this earth, He only did so after preparing the apostles to... Continue Reading →
Acts 1 brims with anticipation. The chapter begins with Jesus working with his closest followers, but He would not remain with them for long. Furthermore, He instructed His followers to not “depart from Jerusalem” but to wait for the promised Spirit (vss. 4-5,8). Jesus’ ascension occurs in the middle of the chapter (vss. 9-11), but... Continue Reading →
Proclaiming The Kingdom If we had individual copies of the 27 books which comprise the New Testament, we likely would arrange them a little differently. Perhaps we would arrange Paul’s letters chronologically, rather than by length. We likely would group all of John’s writings (1 gospel, 3 letters and 1 apocalyptic vision) together. Definitely, we... Continue Reading →
Having described the kind of people in His Kingdom and the exceedingly high standard of righteousness which Kingdom citizens must follow, Jesus began issuing an invitation for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven... to enter life (7.13-14). He then warned against dangers which could lead us off the narrow way, namely false teachers (7.15-20)... Continue Reading →
Only by following the narrow way can we reach our desired destination: eternal life (Matthew 7.13-14). Thus, it makes sense that after Jesus exhorts us to follow the narrow way, He warns against false prophets who would seek to divert our path (vss. 15-20). But false teachers are not the only danger, so Jesus warns... Continue Reading →
The "way" to eternal life is, according to Jesus, narrow. And certainly it must be, for it has one aim: to become "perfect, as you heavenly father is perfect" (5.48). There can be no deviation from this path, for any straying would lead us away from His nature, and thus away from Him. Thus, truth... Continue Reading →
"Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom..." (Matthew 4.23). The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is our most complete account of the message Jesus proclaimed, the gospel of the kingdom. Within the sermon Jesus reveals what kind of people are in the Kingdom (5.3-12)... Continue Reading →
Upon first reading, vss. 7-12 might seem to consist of "random" teachings which find no cohesion with what Jesus said earlier in the sermon. However, upon close examination we can pick up the thread of Jesus' argument. In vss. 1-5 Jesus dealt with what many would classify as a Pharisaical mindset. That is certainly a... Continue Reading →
Given that Jesus already rebuked the psuedo-righteousness of the Pharisees several times in His sermon (see 5.20; 6.1-2,5,16), it may be that He had them in mind when issuing His warnings regarding judging others in 7.1-5. After all, the Pharisees were quick to point out the sins and faults of others while they themselves were... Continue Reading →
Most times we assume materialism is a problem reserved for the rich, or at the least for those with "comfortable" lives. The Scriptures certainly warn these to be on their guard against "the love of money" (1Timothy 6.10), that they not "fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches" (1Timothy 6.17) and that they "store... Continue Reading →
Built By Him 