Flesh: Good or Bad

The Greek word sarx, “flesh,” has a wide range of meanings—some positive and some negative. Positively, it can mean simply the physical body (Acts 2:31), humanity in general (John 1:14), or all living creatures (1 Peter 1:24). As part of God’s creation, “flesh” in this sense is good. However, Paul most often used the term […]

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Melchizedek as a Type of Christ

Few persons in the Bible are shrouded in more mystery than Melchizedek, king of Salem. After the battle against the five kings in Genesis 14:17, Melchizedek stepped into the narrative as if out of nowhere . . . then vanished again. We know nothing of his ancestry, his family, or his exploits. All we know […]

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The Pre-Incarnate Son

Throughout the Old Testament, we encounter a mysterious figure referred to as “the angel of the LORD” (Genesis 16:7), “the word of the LORD” (15:1 NASB; Jeremiah 1:4 NASB), or even the “presence” of the LORD (Exodus 33:14). This figure sometimes takes human form (Genesis 16:7), comes as a voice from heaven (22:11), or appears […]

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The Problem With Prayer

For many, there appears to be a problem with prayer. “It’s a one-way conversation.” “It doesn’t seem to work.” “God takes too long to answer.” “God does what He wants anyway.” Crushed between the mortar and pestle of life, it’s easy to think there’s a serious problem with prayer: God. When God doesn’t answer according […]

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Time for Parenting

“Can you read me a book?” “Will you play Legos with me?” “Can you color with me?” “Could we go to the park now?” My wife and I get requests like this from our kids all day long. If you’re a parent, you know what I mean. The barrage of demands seems unending. In the […]

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Finding a Middle Way through the Midway

With excitement in her eyes, Sarah kissed her parents goodbye. John and Judy’s decision to let their sixteen-year-old daughter attend the girls’ summer art camp wasn’t difficult. They had heard great things about the program and believed it was an excellent opportunity. Then John and Judy learned the famous art camp was a magnet for […]

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When the Bible Sinks In

The call to my desk came out of the blue. After a harried introduction to the urgent problem, my wife put my 3-year-old son, Lucas, on the line. He had scribbled on our new living room sofa with a ballpoint pen, and she called me to engage in the uncomfortable ritual of tele-discipline (in other […]

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Sins That Stifle Love and Unity

The specific sins in 1 Peter 2:1 are the most frequent barriers to mutual support, so they deserve a closer look. Malice: The Greek word kakia is a general word for “evil.”1 In this passage, it characterizes those who are entrenched in the world system. Deceit: The Greek word dolos means “cunning” or “treachery.”2 It […]

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Was Jesus Married?

For decades, pseudo-historians, false teachers, and fiction writers have occasionally asserted that Jesus of Nazareth actually had a wife. Controversial works such as The Last Temptation of Christ; Holy Blood, Holy Grail; and The Da Vinci Code all argue for the same fanciful version of history. Often, people will appeal to Jesus’s true humanity to […]

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The Trinity and Salvation

You can easily zip through 1 Peter 1:2 and miss the Trinity in the work of salvation. Many Christians forget—or at least fail to appreciate—the fact that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together in perfect harmony to secure our eternal destiny. One author writes, “Each person of the Godhead plays a distinct role: […]

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