Category Archives: Theology

Posted on

One Word That Makes Christianity Different From All World Religions

One word can make all the difference.

It certainly did for me this past week…

Last week my older brother lost his battle with cancer. At just 40 years old, he was way too young. He fought hard and outlasted all of the predictions for stage 4 melanoma. He was courageous and positive. I am grateful he is no longer suffering, but I will miss him deeply. I will miss all the years we could have experienced together.

But as we talked often these past few months, we were confident that this life would not be the end. In a word, we had hope. Not wishful thinking mind you, but solid hope in a future reality.

And it is this one small, but exceedingly powerful word that sets Christianity apart from all world religions.

A Living Hope

No other religion offers genuine hope. But it’s at the heart of Christianity:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” — 1 Peter 1:3-7

Hope provides the ability to suffer well.

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” — Romans 15:4

God’s Word gives us hope because we see how God has acted in the ordinary lives of men and women of faith in the past.

“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.” — Hebrews 6:17-20

In the everyday circumstances of life our soul can wonder or want to shrink back, but we have an anchor of the soul to take hold of. Many times this anchor holds us.

Hope.

The Basis Of Our Christian Hope

The basis of our hope is the character of God and the reality of the resurrection. That is one of the lessons Easter teaches us. God does not lie and he has proven that this life is not all there is by raising Jesus of Nazareth from the dead.

sunriseMoreover, this life is not even our greatest good. Our greatest good is to know God and love him forever. My brother is now experiencing this in a way that I cannot yet. But one day we will share that experience. As will all who are a part of God’s forever family.

Islam does not offer hope because one could never be sure that one has a secure future and relationship with God.

Buddhism does not offer hope because desire is snuffed out along with your personal identity. You–quite literally–cease to be. Desire is then severed from hope itself and also your hope.

Only Christianity can offer genuine hope for the future.

I like how Gandalf puts it in the Lord of the Rings:

“End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it…White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.”

I am sad and hopeful. I grieve and am confident. So even as we live in a world full of not the way it’s supposed to be…take heart. As J.I. Packer puts it, “Though the Christian life is regularly marked more by suffering than by triumph…our hope is sure and our mood should be one of unquenchable confidence: we are on the victory side.”

Christianity is true. Jesus is risen. Our hope is secure…no matter what comes our way.

If you found this post helpful, you would enjoy Why Does Truth Matter?

Listen to the latest Think Christianly podcast: Subscribe with iTunes I RSS

Enjoy what you read today? Never miss a post! Sign up to receive my blog updates directly in your inbox.

Posted on

The Sweetness of Doctrine (Adoption)

Sometimes theology and doctrine get a bad rap. And sometimes for good reason! Cold, long, dry lectures on theology as if someone were attempting to solve a particularly tricky geometry problem. Ugh. But doctrine does not exist for us to “solve” God. We are called to know God.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.” – Jer. 9:23-24

Knowing God means learning about him (who he has revealed himself to be) and experiencing relationship with him. Both are vital.

Sometimes in our heart of hearts we wonder…could this really be true? Is God really this good? This wonderful? Am I really this loved and accepted?

The sweetness of doctrine says yes. And it is the sweetness of this understanding that allows us to press more deeply into God and experience his love. Trusting that he is who he says he is. That is walking by faith in the every day of life. Because of God’s past faithfulness, we can trust him for an unseen future.

Recently as I have been walking through circumstances that are painful and sad I have been reminded again and again of God’s goodness.

No matter what happens, I am an adopted son. And my heavenly Father loves me more than I could ever know. My status as an adopted son is the basis for and the lens through which I should view my relationship with him.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:14-16

Theologian J.I. Packer captures the heart of adoption this way:

“Justification is the basic blessing, on which adoption is founded; adoption is the crowning blessing, to which justification clears the way. Adopted status belongs to all who receive Christ (John 1:12). The adopted status of believers means that in and through Christ God loves them as he loves his only-begotten Son and will share with them all the glory that is Christ’s now (Rom. 8:17, 38–39).” (emphasis mine)

Wow. That is sweet. Knowing God in Christ is essential for thinking Christianly and walking in wisdom.

If you enjoyed this post, you would enjoy this podcast episode on the importance of doctrine.

Listen to the latest Think Christianly podcast: Subscribe with iTunes I RSS

Sign up to receive our blog updates and resources via email

sugar

Posted on

What Does the Authority of the Bible Mean?

When we talk about authority we are raising the “who says so” question. Authority is what the FBI agent has when he shows you his badge. Frankly, we all have a cosmic authority problem; we want to do things the way we want, when we want, and how we want. But if God exists and has spoken, then he wins the “who says so” argument hands down:

“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19)

When Scripture speaks, God speaks. Because the source of Scripture is God, it bears his authority. John Stott captures this sentiment well:

“If it is a word from God, it has authority over men. For behind every word that anybody utters stands the person who speaks it. It is the speaker himself (his character, knowledge and position) who determines how people regard his words. So God’s Word carries God’s authority. It is because of who he is that we should believe what he has said.”

Paul celebrated when the Thessalonians came to understand this great truth. “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

As we conclude this brief discussion of the authority of Scripture, it is also critical to note that Jesus of Nazareth submitted to the authority of God’s Word. And if he did, how much more so should we?

Listen to the latest Think Christianly podcast: Subscribe with iTunes I RSS

Order your copy of Questioning the Bible today!

FBI

Posted on

How Does God Reveal Himself?

“Knowing God is the most important thing in life. God created people fundamentally for relationship with himself. This relationship depends on knowing who he is as he has revealed himself. God is personal, which means he has a mind, will, emotions, relational ability, and self-consciousness. Because he is personal, and not merely an impersonal object, God must personally reveal himself to us. He has done this in general revelation (the world) and special revelation (the Word of God).” – Erik Thoennes

Why Theology Matters (Audio)