We’re not always told why we’re commanded to do something. But in Matthew 5:45, Jesus tells us why we are commanded to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors, and the reason points us to a glorious, climactic reality. He says, “So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”
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“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” It’s hard to imagine how controversial that one little command would have been when Jesus first spoke it. We saw in a previous post that the Jews in the first century had twisted God’s Word to justify their hatred for the gentiles—even to the point of letting gentiles drown instead of helping them.
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There is only one true God, and He demands exclusive worship. That is the essence of the first commandment God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. It is also the unshakable and unchanging truth about God from eternity past to eternity future.
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“If God is real, why doesn’t He show Himself to me?” “Where is the evidence of God’s existence?” “I need proof of God—where’s the proof?” We’ve all heard those questions—or perhaps more precisely, objections—before. But we should never be intimidated by them. Rather, we ought to follow the pattern Scripture lays out.
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Many people acknowledge Jesus at Christmas in a way they wouldn’t the rest of the year. They might tip their hats to His existence or even nod their heads to His exemplary life. But for the masses, He remains the still depiction of the baby in a manger, as they hurry by nativity scenes to attend the...
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Of all the extraordinary women in Scripture, one stands out above all others as the most blessed, most highly favored by God, and most universally admired. Indeed, no woman is more truly remarkable than Mary. She was sovereignly chosen by God—from among all the women ever born—to be the singular instrument through which He would at last bring the Messiah into the world.
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What is the first thing that comes to mind when you worship God? Is it His infinite wisdom, His unlimited power, or His ultimate sovereignty? Is it some attribute or characteristic you find particularly appealing, awe-inspiring, or comforting?
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Modern writers, agnostic academics, and liberal theologians always stress the kindness and gentleness of Christ. Their Jesus—not the One found in Scripture, but the one concocted from their own imaginations and preferences—is effectively an ideological and theological pacifist. He preached only love and self-sacrifice, never judged or discriminated, and wasn’t dogmatic about the truth.
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The notion of a Trojan horse originates from a physical battle over three thousand years ago, but it applies to the never-ending spiritual war as well. In fact, Jude makes this point in his letter: “Certain persons have crept in unnoticed . . . ungodly persons who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). Scripture is clear, ungodly people ...
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The world has never been more obsessed with marketing than now. Individuals and corporate organizations alike pay brand advisors and social media platforms to boost their visibility. Websites use cookies to collect user data so that advertisers can target their products at the kind of people they think will buy them.
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