Many people wonder: Is God kind and compassionate, or angry and accusing? We all would like to think he is loving because we hear that he is. But does he really love us, or is this just an advertisement to get people to join a religion or a church? How do we really know? We know by looking at Jesus Christ, the One who is God in the flesh, and by Christ’s compassion for all he met.
Some people claim that since we can’t see God, finding him is impossible, so we shouldn’t waste our time seeking him. For them, God is just an interesting discussion topic. But many throughout history have claimed to have sought God and found him. All throughout Scripture God tells us to seek him. Why would God invite us to seek him if it’s impossible to find him?
The Pharisees and Sadducees play a very large part in the story of the gospel. Who were they and what did they believe? Why did Jesus confront them so strongly? And can we learn anything from this history? Are there any groups today who think and act in the same way?
“What is truth?” Pontius Pilate’s infamous question to Jesus during his trial seems sarcastic, maybe even cynical. Was he asking to find ultimate truth? No, probably not. But it’s a legitimate question—what is truth? Is it real, or just an illusory concept? Are there really absolutes as opposed to just ideas? And what is Christ’s kingdom of truth?
The cross has always been the symbol of the Christian faith. Everyone knows it symbolizes the death of Christ. In the historical record, it was the means by which the Romans executed their criminals. So what did Jesus mean when he told us to carry our cross? In the popular view today, it’s a metaphor for any form of discomfort, like having to put up with people we don’t like, or having a responsibility we really don’t want. But in the Bible, in its simplest and purest form, the cross means unjust suffering and death.
In the ancient world and even in many parts of the world today, farmers used animals to do the heavy work of plowing fields, carrying loads, and pulling carts. A wooden yoke connected the animal to the plow or load. When two animals were used, they were joined together by the yoke. Jesus used this most familiar farm implement to describe the relationship he has with those who trust and serve him.
God established boundaries that define the world we live in and provide structure to our lives. They keep us living in the real world, not an imaginary world of our own making. God’s commands are ancient boundaries that keep us on safe paths and provide blessing in our lives. But those who cross them or ignore them do so at their own peril. God set spiritual and moral boundary stones as monuments that, even today we can get our bearings on to keep us on the right paths.
What kind of sins can God forgive? Is there any sin that God cannot forgive? What is the “unforgivable sin” we read about in the Bible? Is this the same as the sin against the Holy Spirit, or the eternal sin that Jesus warned us about? Many people wonder about these questions, and they all have fairly simple answers.
Many people are confused about the causes of poverty. As humans, we have a tendency to prejudge people and the cause of their condition. The more liberal sector of society believes most poverty is caused by injustice. Many conservatives, and even some religious people, believe people are poor mostly because they’re irresponsible. But both Scripture and observation show there are many causes of poverty. Before we address solutions, we must understand the causes.
As Jesus was dying, he uttered his final words from the cross: “It is finished.” The sacrifice that provided for the salvation of the world was complete. Christ gave himself—his own life—as payment for our sins. But did Christ’s sacrifice apply only to those after his death? Did Jesus come just for us today? What about those who lived before his death and resurrection? Could those people also find salvation? If so, on what basis?
