Does our faith alone bring about salvation? Or are good works also required? Some scriptures tell us that we are saved ‘by grace through faith’ (like the letters of Paul), where others seem to suggest that good works are also needed (like the book of James). So, what gives? Firstly, the very phrase ‘faith alone’ is perhaps a misleading one. Faith is an active thing. There is simply no such thing as a totally … [Read more...]
Are We Meant to ‘Follow’ the Whole Bible?
There are many passages in scripture that I find deeply troubling. One example is Psalm 137:8-9: Oh Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks. Let that sink in for a moment. Smashing babies against rocks. Exactly what are we supposed to do with a Psalm like this? Granted, it’s an … [Read more...]
Your Worship is True, Even When It’s Not
On Sunday, I watched as our worship leader sang his way through what seemed a challenging pair of songs. Something was just a little… off. The band mostly held it together, but our usually-effortless songster seemed to slightly push against his songs rather than flowing with them. Worship was great despite this, and I messaged him later to encourage him. Anyone can have a down day. But it turns out something … [Read more...]
Does Jesus Demand My Poverty?
As Christians, many of us have an awkward relationship with our money. We don’t like to talk about it, but deep down we worry that we’re supposed to give more of it away. Or, maybe we’ve been taught something else — maybe we’re convinced that God only ever desires for our personal wealth to increase, being the loving father that he is. He’d never hold back more blessing from his treasured children, right? If we just … [Read more...]