After King Agrippa has heard Paul‘s defense (which seems to have struck a nerve with him – Acts 26:26-28), he tells Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar (v. 32). Perhaps he is faulting Paul’s strategy in appealing to Rome (he knows nothing of the plot againstContinue reading “The Regret That Brings Life”
Tag Archives: Paul
Looking For The Intersection
Whatever else we might see when we look in the mirror in the morning, we don’t see the Apostle Paul staring back at us. That’s because whatever self-illusions we might have, we don’t confuse ourselves with him. Neither did people in the first century. When you think about it, Paul was a very singular individual.Continue reading “Looking For The Intersection”
Fear, Faith, And Focus
When I was growing up, we had a white Siamese cat named Charlie. I don’t know how much breeding goes into a white Siamese, but I know this—Charlie was thoroughly domesticated. He was a household cat with a capital “H.” Yet every once in a while, Charlie got the itch to see what was onContinue reading “Fear, Faith, And Focus”
Disciples And Hardships
I think it was Bobby Knight, the mercurial coach of Indiana men’s basketball for many years, who spoke about the player who shows up on game day saying, “I’ll do whatever it takes to win the game today.” He said that was good but who he really wanted was the player who shows up forContinue reading “Disciples And Hardships”
A Question About Our “Rights”
Kevin wants to know about Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 9:21 concerning becoming all things to all people—is it permissive or limiting? My understanding is that it is both a permissive and limiting text. When I was growing up, our mother would always tell us before we went somewhere to “Have fun and behave.” AContinue reading “A Question About Our “Rights””
The Range of Redemption
The Corinthians understood they had been redeemed through Jesus, but like some disciples today, they didn’t grasp how wide-ranging that deliverance was. If you ask people today about their salvation many will tell you something to the effect of “my soul has been saved.” That’s gloriously true and worthy of the highest celebration—it just doesn’tContinue reading “The Range of Redemption”
Staying on the Same Page (2)
When I was in elementary school, we played a game on the playground called Red Rover. The rules were simple. The class divided into two groups. Each side formed a line by holding hands and the two lines faced each other with about ten yards between them. One group would call out the name ofContinue reading “Staying on the Same Page (2)”
The Greatest of These
The situation at Corinth wasn’t so different than what we find today—at least in general terms. Those who were gifted in regard to knowledge, the ability to prophesy, speaking in tongues or something else had become puffed up and arrogant in regard to their status in the community of disciples. They believed their gifts meantContinue reading “The Greatest of These”
Not Relevant for Today?
I suppose it’s difficult for us to work up much passion when it comes to the subject of meats sacrificed to idols. After all, it hasn’t been an issue for a couple thousand years. Still, it would be a mistake to be casually dismissive of it. After all, the subject has a presence in ScriptureContinue reading “Not Relevant for Today?”
Building on Jesus
The immaturity of the disciples at Corinth was anchored, to a large degree, by their infatuation with worldly wisdom (the words “wisdom” and “wise” appear 28 times in the first four chapters). Despite the eighteen months Paul had spent there and the letter he had written to them (5:9), they were stubbornly clinging to theirContinue reading “Building on Jesus”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 