The denial of Jesus by his closest followers is one of the most puzzling and troubling episodes in the New Testament. According to the Gospel accounts, Peter, the most prominent disciple, denied Jesus three times on the night of his arrest, while the others fled or hid. Jesus foresaw their betrayal and even warned them
An introduction to the Jewish Passover As a Christian, it helps to understand the Jewish Passover celebration, especially since it plays out the Bible several times, including Jesus and the Disciples' Last Supper. Unlike our Christian Christmas celebration, Passover is deeply rooted in the Bible with a single intent - to celebrate God's gift of freedom
Recently I wrote about the consequences of Christians' association with radical right-wing supporters and the anger it fostered in those outside our religion. As a result of this unfortunate alliance, we are entering an era of anti-Christian rhetoric, unlike anything seen in modern times. An example of this anticipated anti-Christian rhetoric appeared this week from
For four years, many Christians watched in horror as fellow Christians and evangelist leaders publicly and proudly supported a President that represented the antithesis of Christian ideals. Supporters misread Trump's bravado and bullying as strength, then argued that they supported Trump’s policies, not Trump himself. Still, they cheered Trump on with bravado, and made a
Elder abuse has reached "unprecedented levels" during the coronavirus pandemic I've found I'm one of those people that must see or experience things firsthand in order to truly understand its impact on others. It's not something I'm proud of - it's just the way I'm wired. I never truly comprehended child abuse until I adopted an
One of the most debated stories in the Bible is the Exodus story of Moses and the ten plagues bestowed upon Egypt for their refusal to release the Israelites from slavery. It has been proposed that the ten plagues were nothing more than natural phenomena. It would certainly be within God’s realm to bring the
It’s not often you hear “Christian” and “fight” in the same sentence. The words inherently exemplify opposite emotions – love and hate. Yet winning back the souls of Gen Z atheists will require both Christian attitude and an epic battle that some Christians may not be willing to undertake. The rise in Gen Z atheism The rise
Matthew 18:21 tells us that Peter approached Jesus and asked: “How many times should I forgive someone who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus responded: “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus point is that there is no end to how much we should forgive. It’s is a major Christian doctrine. It’s even emphasized in the Lord’s
People believe their parents are their birth parents, that their flight will reach its destination, and that they will survive the day. This trust that something will occur or is true, without any hard evidence to support it, is called faith. Christian faith works in a comparable manner. Faith is believing or trust. It’s not irrational
Most people have heard the familiar Christian catch phrases. Give your heart to Jesus. Confess your sins. Accept Christ as your savior. But what do these expressions really mean? Exactly what does it take to become a Christian? Peter answered this question in Acts 2:37 – 38 when he responded to a group of sinners who