Introduction to Mark’s Gospel
Some think Mark was the first Gospel written and that Matthew and Luke used Mark to write their Gospels. I don’t agree. I think the evidence shows that all four Gospels were written independently, without each other having seen the works of the other writers. How do we explain, then, all the common wording in […]
Hospitality to the Lonely
It’s been 17 years since Robert Putnam’s best-selling book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community sounded the alarm about societal changes driving new levels of isolation and alienation; by now, most of us know that loneliness isn’t a problem to be laughed off. Researchers warn that we are in the midst of […]
Paul Preached Repentance and Faith (Acts 20:21)
We are nearly done with the final proofing of the second edition of our one-volume NT commentary. (The first edition came out in 2010, and we sold the last copies in January of this year.) We hope to have it in print by December 19. I’ve been going through changes that Al Valdes made in […]
Alexander Strauch on the Potential Impact of Christian Hospitality
What does a practical “Christian spirituality” look like? That’s what I’m seeking to understand as I seek to follow the Lord more closely and to raise my kids to do the same. The problem those of us in the Free Grace movement typically realize is that so much of today’s teaching about “spirituality” assumes a […]
Saved Yet Through Fire, Part 2 (1 Corinthians 3:5-17)
Here is a powerful passage about the church, eternal rewards, and temporal judgment. There is much in this passage for every believer. Rewards are in view. After all, Paul says “he will receive a reward [misthos, wages].” However, there are some well-intentioned misunderstandings which can be quickly eliminated. Misconception #1: This Means There Will Be […]
Saved, Yet Through Fire, Part 1 (1 Cor 3:15)
A friend sent me this excellent question: I am teaching on 1 Cor 3:10-17 Sunday. What is weird is I have not seen anyone handle the part of 3:15 that says, “but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” Everyone comments on “suffer loss.” My problem is that everyone, no matter how […]
Some Strong Language About Sanctification and Sin
What does it mean to be sanctified? What’s supposed to happen to the sin in your life? As I’ve been meditating on that subject—wondering to what extent Scripture describes sanctification as a process, or as an event, or as both—I noticed some of the verbs that Paul uses to describe what has happened, or what […]
Something Else to Give Thanks For (Hebrews 13:7)
We just finished the Thanksgiving weekend. It was a time when most of us spent time with family and had a ton of food at our fingertips. It is appropriate that we call the holiday “Thanksgiving.” We have a great deal for which we should be thankful. Usually at Thanksgiving, we focus on certain things […]
Jesus on How Not to Pray (Matthew 6:5-7)
The Lord’s Prayer may be one of the most famous prayers in the world. The vast majority of Christians—from Catholic to Charismatic—say it regularly. It’s something we can all agree on, isn’t it? But what if the vast majority have managed to get it wrong? Right before Jesus gave us that model prayer, He emphasized […]
The Way the Children of God and of the Devil Are Manifested (1 John 3:9-10)
“Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not […]