The above quote is often used to reprimand "un-Christlike" Christians. Ghandi had first hand experience with this. For example, he was once turned away from a church service because he was not white. Certainly, we Christians have often failed to live up to the ideals of our Savior. I make no excuses for that either … Continue reading The “Politically Incorrect” Teachings of Jesus →

In Part 1 of our study, we have discussed God's command for all Christians to live holy lives. In Part 2 we discussed the wonderful experience of sanctification and how the work in making us holy is ultimately God's, not ours. As we conclude, the next question becomes "What does a holy life look like?" … Continue reading Holy Living 3: Legalism- Counterfeit Holiness →

Can Jesus be your savior without being your lord? The so-called "Lordship Salvation" debate has become one of the most divisive issues in the modern church. While both sides raise some valid points, I have concluded that the answer is much more nuanced than it may appear on the surface. In this continuation of our … Continue reading Holy Living 2: The Sanctification Factor →

Originally published on James and Dave's Bible Page " One of the disturbing things about Christianity is that very few Christians ever advance beyond their first revelation." Lester Sumrall¹ Walking with God is (or at least, should be) an unfolding process in which we get to know Him better and better. As we discussed before, … Continue reading What Is a Full Gospel Christian? →

Originally published on James and Dave's Bible Page The act of water baptism (being immersed in water in response to receiving salvation) is a very important first step in the Christian life. In Matthew 3:13-17, we see the Lord Jesus Himself coming to Hiscousin John to be baptized, in order to "fulfill all righteousness." He … Continue reading Why Water Baptism? →

Originally published on James and Dave's Bible Page The message of Biblical prosperity is a precious blessing which more and more Christians are learning to walk in. This doctrine is discussed at length in our previous study, Prosperity: A Biblical Overview. However, there is another side to the issue, one which we must not neglect … Continue reading Prosperity 2: Checks and Balances →

Mention the word "doctrine" among church circles, and you will get a variety of different responses. On one hand, there are those who treat doctrine as if it were a dirty word. To them, doctrine is not "politically correct." The basic idea they uphold is that "It really doesn't matter what you believe, as long … Continue reading Confronting Doctrinal Disputes Biblically →

The act of water baptism (being immersed in water in response to receiving salvation) is a very important first step in the Christian life. In Matthew 3:13-17, we see the Lord Jesus Himself coming to His cousin John to be baptized, in order to "fulfill all righteousness." He then went on to establish baptism as … Continue reading Why Water Baptism? →

This was a paper I wrote for a Political Science class I took back in the early 2000s. While the issues today are different, the underlying issues are very much the same. The inscription on our nation’s beloved Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, gives us a stirring exhortation to "Proclaim Liberty throughout the land, to all … Continue reading The Ten Commandments and Religious Liberty →

There is a well known quote from CS Lewis that says "It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true word of God." Yes and no. Lewis was right to point out that Jesus is the Logos, the incarnate Word of God. But he was also very wrong to downplay the fact that … Continue reading Jesus and the Scriptures →