Phinheas was a hero in the Old Testament. There are only two figures in Israel’s Scriptures about whom it is said that something was “reckoned to him as righteousness”: Abraham and Phinehas. What made Phinheas a hero? He saved the Israelites from God’s wrath. How? In his zeal for God, he killed an Israelite man who had taken a Midianite woman, with his spear (Num 25:8). This act of killing stopped an epidemic that God had brought on the Israelites for their disobedience. Why is this story important? What does it have to do with Paul and with us?
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How Thai history helped me understand the Gospel better
The famous New Testament scholar N.T. Wright doesn’t get tired of proclaiming that the Gospel is that Jesus is king. The gospels tell the story of how Jesus became king. But what does that mean? Why is the world still filled with evil if Jesus is truly king already? King Naresuan the Great (1555 – 1605) was one of the greatest monarchs of Thailand. His fascinating story helped me understand better what it means that Jesus is king.
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Understanding the Book of Revelation
What comes to mind when “The Book of Revelation” is mentioned? Here are some words and phrases that are often heard in association with it: the end . . . the rapture . . . 7 . . . four horsemen . . . the antichrist . . . 666 . . . judgment . . . vengeance . . . the second coming . . . heaven. Interestingly, two of the words in this list most associated with Revelation—rapture and antichrist—do not even appear in Revelation. Some of the most important words in Revelation, such as witness, throne, and lamb, do not come to mind as quickly, yet they are central to Revelation. This article will give a quick overview over the 4 ways that the book of Revelation has been understood throughout the centuries and will give some helpful principles for understanding this last book of the Bible.
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Book Review: In—Incarnation & Inclusion, Abba & Lamb (by Bradley Jersak)
How is the exclusive claim that Jesus is the only way compatible with Abba’s all-inclusive love? That is the question that Bradley Jersak tries to answer in his book “In—Incarnation & Inclusion, Abba & Lamb”. Every chapter is packed with insight covering treasures from the Bible, testimonies, and helpful comparisons. Due to a large amount of excellent content this review will cover only a few selected highlights from the book.
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Is my son more merciful than God?
As a father of 4 children, I have learned countless valuable spiritual lessons from being a father and having children. When my youngest daughter bit her brother, I was amazed at how he reacted. It made me wonder about the picture so many Christians have about God and how they understand his mercy, love, and justice. And it led me to many questions: is my son more merciful than God? Can God simply forgive? What is God’s justice like?
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God wants to save everyone, and he can, so he will.
Some Christians (e.g., Calvinists) believe that God doesn’t want to save everyone. Some (e.g., Arminians) believe that God can’t save everyone. In this article, I argue from the Bible that God wants to save everyone, that he can save everyone, and that therefore he will save everyone.
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Notes from an interview with Ilaria Ramelli
Prof. Dr. Ilaria Ramelli is one of the leading experts on early Christianity. She earned several degrees in this field and taught at many universities worldwide on the topic. Her studies of the church fathers led her to embrace the belief in apokatastasis (the belief that one day God will reconcile and restore everything and everyone). This article features my notes from an interview that Peter Hiett conducted with her in 2016. I recommend watching the full interview (the link is at the end of the article). My notes are only supposed to summarize the interview at a glance.
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Enemy Love for Dummies
At the center of the teachings of Jesus is love—cross-like, non-violent, non-judgmental, enemy-embracing, all-inclusive, self-sacrificial, scandalously beautiful love. Jesus modeled this love to us through his life and especially by loving and forgiving his enemies, and he called us to follow his example (Mt 5:44). But enemy love is not easy, no easy solutions exist. This article suggests some practical steps that will help you on your journey to love even your worst enemy.
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