rebelling against low expectations
In this article, I will attempt to briefly take part in a rich, detailed, and historical debate involving aspects of biblical exegesis, systematic theology, and philosophical inquiry. The intimately intertwined topics of discussion are God’s sovereignty, man’s will, and the relationship between them. These are matters which are heavily laden with conflict, confusion, mystery, and emotion. But...
“Rejection hurts,” would be an understatement. Rejection claws at our very soul, sucking out all life. This monster tells lies and does its best to capture our minds. It tells us we’re worthless, ugly, useless, a mistake. I’ve experienced a great deal of rejection in my own life… While the world portrays the Christmas season as one filled with only joy and peace, that’s not always the case...
Against the Law Much of what I write is driven by concerning patterns I observe within the Church that need to be corrected by Scripture. And these days, there seems to be a popular, yet unbiblical, trend within American evangelicalism of believing that Christians should “unhitch” themselves from the Old Testament and, more specifically, from the Law of God within the Old Testament. Some say our...
Author’s note: I originally wrote this article as a 21-year-old single girl. I deeply desired a biblical marriage but was disheartened by what culture presented as the norm in relationships. Nearly three years later, I’m happily married to a wonderful, godly man, who, by God’s grace, has sought after purity of heart and mind. I’m deeply thankful for God’s work in my husband and the convictions He...
God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, calling the people of Israel to lead a life pursuing justice for the vulnerable and oppressed: “Is this not the fast that I choose: To release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the ropes of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke?” – Isaiah 58:6 This call to pursue justice is for everyone who claims the name of Christ today, not...
Lately, I’ve learned a lot about myself. God has made me see the power I have in him, but I’ve also realized just how evil and corrupt I can be. It hurts to see the sin inside my heart. As Christians, our souls long to be to be free from the anger, lust, depression, addiction, and hatred in and around us. In a poem by John Newton called I Asked the Lord that I Might Grow, the narrator asks God to...
What is freedom? Today, freedom is defined as: “1) The power or right to act, speak or think as one wants. 2) The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. 3) The state of not being subject to or affected by something undesirable.” (Oxford dictionary) Is this what freedom really is? Have we gotten so far in life as to be able to call freedom ‘power’ over others? Not according to...
rebelling against low expectations
