Christian hope is not centered on escaping the body or reaching a final resting place in an immaterial heaven. When Paul speaks of his desire “to depart and be with Christ” in Philippians 1:23, he offers comfort and confidence to believers facing death. Yet, this is not the complete picture. In the same letter, Paul makes... Continue Reading →
Matthew 6:21, What you treasure shapes you
We like to think we are rational creatures, measuring options, weighing outcomes, and making deliberate choices. But more often than not, our lives are not led by logic. They are led by love. Or, more accurately, by what we treasure. Jesus said it plain: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”... Continue Reading →
Thinking Carefully About Biblical Language
When we read the Bible on topics like modesty, sexuality, or human dignity, it can be tempting to build arguments on the meaning of a single Hebrew or Greek word. However, biblical languages rarely work with that kind of precision. Translation always has an edge of interpretation, and meaning often shifts depending on context, genre,... Continue Reading →
Romans 12.2 – Renew Your Mind
I used to think that change was something that happened to me. Life, circumstances, and even faith felt like forces by which I was either swept up or pushed down. But what if the transformation God invites us into is far more personal and deeply participatory? In Romans 12, Paul calls us to offer our whole selves to... Continue Reading →
Posture and Character
I have been in rooms where the Bible was read like a shield, held tight against anything unfamiliar. I have also been in rooms where it was opened like a well, quietly, reverently, expectantly, by someone who had drawn water from it in the dry seasons. The difference was not in the reading plan. It... Continue Reading →
Phillip W. Martin 