In a previous post we asked the question, what is faith? Feel free to go back and review that post in preparation this follow up question, how does faith work? We are aware of the significance of faith in the Scriptures. Habakkuk 2:4 contains a familiar passage, “The righteous will live by his faith.” So …
Author Archives: joslund1
What is faith?
One of the most foundational terms in Christianity (and other world views for that matter), I am astounded with how often faith is referenced but neither defined nor taught about in modern times. Jesus and others spoke/taught about faith on a regular basis, but today we seem to assume everyone instinctively understands what faith is …
What are You doing Here, Elijah?
Elijah has long been one of my favorite figures in the Old Testament. As a prophet of God, Elijah was privileged to not only speak God’s truth to the Israelites, but also to bear witness to many astounding miracles. In what may be his “crowning moment,” Elijah arranged a showdown on Mount Carmel with 450 …
Grace for All
Have you noticed how some people seem to focus chiefly on what differentiates themselves from others? “Those fitness freaks…” or “The 1% snobs…” or “The blue-collar, white-collar, no-collar, etc.” In some cases these differences can be good things. They might facilitate a stronger bond with others of similar interests (sewing circles, sport leagues, car …
Despicable Generosity
In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus presents a parable to help explain the nature of the kingdom of heaven, and indeed the nature of God Himself. It is the time of harvest so a landowner rises early in the morning to hire day laborers. (These would compliment the landowner’s full-time staff, who might otherwise be overwhelmed …
Literary Context
One of the most common mistakes I see when it comes to misunderstanding a particular Biblical passage comes down to a misunderstanding of its context. While there are many categories of context, one that is often forgotten is literary context – that is, understanding the type of literature in question. The arrangement and ordering of …
Practical Polytheists
From time to time I’ll overhear someone talking about how sophisticated we are in the modern era – particularly in comparison with the superstitious simpletons of the past. Those old cavemen went around worshipping the sun and hitting things with clubs. And so we can appreciate the first couple of commandments given to Moses and …
A Peaceful Triumph
As we’ve just completed our annual celebration/observance of the events of Holy Week (Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, The Crucifixion and the The Resurrection) I’m struck with how easy it is to simply “go through the motions” of observance, and in so doing to run the risk of missing the plethora of significant revelations and …
Context and Prooftext
I’ve written before on context and prooftext, and have quoted the adage, “A text out of context becomes a pretext for a prooftext.” And as a reminder, a prooftext is when we misread or misinterpret a text so as to take away the wrong meaning. I come across these on occasion when transitioning from …
To Prooftext or Not to Prooftext
A prooftext is when we misread or misinterpret a text so as to take away the wrong meaning. “Well then why on earth would anyone do that?” you might ask. Simply put, we usually do this sub-consciously. Our brains are hard-wired for efficiency, which is wonderful in many regards. We develop neurological “short cuts” …
Just for a Closer Walk 