Among the ancient nations that the Bible is concerned about, there was a peculiar and widespread religious belief. Simply stated, this belief is that the gods were thought to be deities of certain places. I have mentioned this before in …
As the American mainstream continues to become more politically liberal, as recent election results indicate, long-held conservative beliefs seem to be facing increased marginalization. For instance, as minorities in the United States …
The frenzied pace at which we live takes its toll. Stress, anxiety, pressure, and busyness are the norm in our Western, civilized nations. The demands of life leave many—perhaps even most—adults gasping for breath and struggling to …
(8) Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. (9) For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (10) Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
In these verses, Paul injects love into the context of law, showing that it is the sum of all duties. He does not say love ends the need for law but that it fulfills —performs or accomplishes—the law. Notice love's …
Back in 2004, when Hurricane Frances was bearing down on Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach resident and talk-show host Rush Limbaugh joked, paraphrasing, "Since Palm Beach County has voting irregularities like a Third World nation, maybe God decided Palm Beach County should be devastated to be, in fact, Third World." Many in his audience probably laughed and promptly forgot about it. His observation, however, has a serious side that modern, sophisticated, and predominantly secular Americans never consider, at least seriously. They snicker at insurance policies that refer to …
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