“I know that my Redeemer liveth,” declared Job. He believed, in the midst of excruciating pain and bewilderment, that there was One who was on his side. One who would eventually come to his rescue. Job’s faith in a divine redeemer foreshadows the faith of the Christian who rests his hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus is not only Savior, but Redeemer. The “plan of salvation” is the “scheme of redemption.” But redemption says some specific things about the wonderful manner in which we have been saved.

    What Redemption Is. “Sing of my Redeemer, with His blood He purchased me.…

Cultural Mantras

Our modern culture is filled with short sayings, motivational quotes, and mantras
that sound wise and uplifting. For most, they are easy to remember, comforting
in times of stress, and often repeated as though they line up with truths we can
find in God’s word. But many of them do not come from God’s Word at all. Some
even actually contradict it. Paul warned in Colossians 2:8: “Beware lest anyone
cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of
men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
If we want…

Twenty years ago today, Americans were focused on the scene in New Orleans, which had just been hit by Hurricane Katrina. In terms of damage done, it remains the costliest U.S. storm ever.

One memory that stands out to me: watching the early news from the flood-ravaged city, I was mystified by reports that a few stranded residents were actually shooting at rescue workers. What on earth would make you shoot at someone who’s trying to help you? Then again…

When Jeremiah was called to prophesy, God told him,…

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The Golden Mean

The Temple of Apollo at Delphi contained the inscription: “Nothing In Excess”
This is what Greek philosophers referred to as “The Golden Mean” – the virtuous
middle between two extremes. Aristotle gave as an example, “Courage is the
mean between cowardice and recklessness.”
More importantly to us, this avoidance of extremes is also a biblical principle,
found in both the Old and New Testaments. For example, Prov 30:8-9:
Give me neither poverty nor riches . . . lest I be full and deny Thee
and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be in want and steal.

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In The Beginning . . .

In his book, “12 Choices: Life-Changing Decisions You Must Make,” Wilson
Adams makes an observation about how the book of Genesis begins:
Isn’t it interesting how the Bible begins? One might expect Scripture to
lead off with a detailed explanation about God, His nature, and a
definitive apologetic as to why you should believe in Him. It doesn’t.
The Bible begins with an assumption: assuming that rational people will
grasp the obvious: a Supreme Being superior to man did all this!
Brother Adams’ point becomes all the more relevant when we compare the
opening words…

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Do Not Be Deceived

Those who are in Christ Jesus have been saved by grace through faith to the glory
of God. We didn’t earn or merit anything (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our redemption is a
gift through the incredible sacrifice of Christ (Romans 5:15; 6:23). What’s more, if
we sin, Christ continues to advocate for us before the Father (1 John 2:1). In light
of this incredible gift we can develop a dangerous attitude if we are not careful.
Consider the following passages:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom
of God? Do not be deceived. Neither…

The (other) Ethiopian Eunuch

There are two Ethiopian eunuchs mentioned in Scripture. One is the more
famous one from Acts 8, who was converted by the apostle Phillip whilst
returning home from worshipping in Jerusalem. The other Ethiopian eunuch is
from much earlier in the Bible, and unlike the one in Acts 8, he is named in the
text. Known as Ebed-Melech, he was a servant in the court of King Zedekiah, the
final king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, and all descriptions of him come
from the book of Jeremiah.
As a side note, some translations may indicate that…