Tag: Christian living

Morning Musing: Romans 12:2

Leave a comment

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”‬‬ (CSB – Read the chapter) 

One of my favorite worldview teachers, John Stonestreet, likes to ask this question when talking about culture: Why shouldn’t you ask a fish about water? When asking that question to an audience of teenagers once someone shouted back, “Because fish can’t talk!” True though that may be, you shouldn’t ask a fish about water because it doesn’t know what that is. In the same way, culture is the water in which we swim each day. If we’re not intentional and careful, it is easy to just be wet and not know it. Paul here calls us to another way. 

Read the rest…

Morning Musing: Romans 3:28 and James 2:26

Leave a comment

“For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”
– ‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:28 (CSB – Read the chapter)

‬‬”For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”
– ‭‭James‬ ‭2:26‬‬ (CSB – Read the chapter) 

Paul and James were two of the brightest lights in the early church. James became the leader of the flagship church in Jerusalem and was ultimately martyred by the Jewish religious authorities when Rome had their political back turned. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles and was almost singularly responsible for the expansion of the church into Europe. The church was in many ways built on their backs. And yet in this pair of verses, they seem to be deeply at odds with each other. What gives? 

Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Leave a comment

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”‬‬ (CSB – Read the chapter) 

Have you ever watched a caterpillar come out of its chrysalis as a butterfly? It’s a pretty remarkable thing to see. Actually, remarkable doesn’t quite cover it. It’s absolutely amazing. What goes into that cocoon is not the same thing that comes out of it. I can’t think of another creature that undergoes such a complete and total physical transformation as that. I can think of another creature, however, that experiences an equally dramatic transformation: Us. 

Read the rest…

Morning Musing: 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Leave a comment

“For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If one died for all, then all died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.”‬‬ (CSB – Read the chapter) 

What does it mean that Jesus died and rose again? That’s kind of a big question. There have no doubt been whole books written on the matter. I’m aiming for this to take less than five minutes of your time, though, so what can we say right now? Paul gives us one really good thing here. Let’s talk about it. 

Read the rest…

Morning Musing: 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

Leave a comment

“Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”‬‬ (CSB- Read the chapter)

At the end of the last post I started talking about what we do in light of the fact that we have this assurance of life after death as followers of Jesus. Paul goes there next too. 

Read the rest…