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Lives of Faith and Grace Series
Why Did Jacob Wrestle with God? (Genesis 32)
What is in view in Genesis 32 is a monumental struggle for Jacob, a struggle he cannot win but which he is determined not to lose.
Tough Passages
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Why Were Ananias and Sapphira Killed? (Acts 5)
The account of Ananias and Sapphira causes understandable trouble for readers who believe their punishment to be harsh, but we should read it in the context of the description of the believing community.
Why Was a Man Killed for Touching the Ark of the Covenant? (2 Samuel 6)
God provides solemn reminders of the need to avoid impious infractions of the requirement to “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28–29).
Is There a Difference between Pastors and Elders? (1 Timothy 3)
Besides having good character, what qualifications must one meet in order to oversee others in the church?
Should Christians Always Submit to the Government? (Romans 13)
Paul’s counsel in Romans 13 assumes a government acting within its God-appointed parameters. When it does not, other measures may be in order.
Are Christians Prohibited from Getting Tattoos? (Leviticus 19)
Sometimes people read a statement about tattoos in the Old Testament and wonder if it applies today. Leviticus 19:28 is an example of this.
Does Baptism Save? (1 Peter 3)
God uses the water of baptism to save us—only in that it links us to Christ and his victory and promises.
Should Christians Sue Each Other? (1 Corinthians 6)
Paul’s main charge in this passage is that believers who have legal disputes with fellow believers should settle those disputes before believers and not take them to the law court before unbelievers.
Why Would Jesus Weep Right Before Raising Lazarus? (John 11)
No one knows better than Jesus what is going to happen in this episode. No one is better at mourning with those who mourn than Jesus. Jesus loves people, so he weeps with them, and over them.
Can Christians Lose Their Salvation? (Hebrews 6)
We must respond to the terrifying possibility of irreversible apostasy and the comforting evidence of God’s heart-transforming, love-producing grace
Why Did Paul Publicly Rebuke Peter? (Galatians 2)
This passage clearly teaches that this subtle but very common problem in the church is a serious distortion of the gospel and needs the corrective rebuke of the apostle Paul.
Why Did the Lord Seek to Put Moses to Death, and What Is a “Bridegroom of Blood”? (Exodus 4)
“Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, ‘Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!’” What is going on in this passage?
Did Jesus Descend to Hell? (Ephesians 4)
God is the Divine Warrior who ascends to his throne after defeating his enemies. Here, Christ is the victorious conqueror who ascends to his throne in heaven after defeating the spiritual forces.
What Is New about the New Covenant? (Jeremiah 31)
Since the old covenant could be broken by disobedience, the new covenant will impart a greater ability to obey. The result will be the kind of covenant relationship that Yahweh has always sought with his people.
Did a Faithless Gideon Use a Fleece to Test God’s Will? (Judges 6)
It is always in the context of human weakness that the Lord achieves his greatest victories, even the weakness of his own Son’s death on the cross.
Who Were the Nations in Nebuchadnezzar’s Prophetic Dream? (Daniel 2)
A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.
Does Rahab Show Us That It's Sometimes Okay to Lie? (Joshua 2)
Although sparingly told—or perhaps because it is sparingly told—the tiny drama has exercised a fascination out of all proportion to its size.
Should the Sick Be Anointed with Oil? (James 5)
James instructs the church elders to “anoint” the sick person with oil “in the name of the Lord.” Throughout the centuries, Christians have struggled to understand and apply this verse.
Why Does Paul Tell the Church to Deliver Someone to Satan? (1 Corinthians 5)
God’s church must be unleavened or pure. Tolerating unrepentant sexual immorality ruins the whole church’s purity.
Why Did God Send Bears to Attack a Group of Boys? (2 Kings 2)
Is this a shocking incident? Yes it is. But this incident is also one that fits perfectly with the flow of 2 Kings 1–2, in which we see very clearly how God not only works in the darkness but will not be silenced.
Do Exodus and Numbers Justify Abortion? (Exodus 21 and Numbers 5)
Some abortion advocates appeal directly to Scripture to make their case for elective abortion. But this argument is flawed on several counts.
What Is the Unpardonable Sin? (Matthew 12)
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Why Did Jesus Tell People Not to Bury Their Father or Say Goodbye to Their Family? (Luke 9)
Disciples have a more important calling and responsibility: heralding the good news of the kingdom.
Why Is Love Called the Greatest of These? (1 Corinthians 13)
Love is not a spiritual gift. It is essential for using spiritual gifts, and it is more important than spiritual gifts.
Is It Okay to Pray a Curse on My Enemies? (Psalm 5)
Prayers of this sort generally carry the unstated assumption that the evildoers will not repent and seek forgiveness; should they turn, these prayers are reversed as well.
Why Were There Such Strict Dietary Laws in the Old Testament? (Leviticus 11)
The first topic of Israel’s discipleship is how to eat in holiness by distinguishing between clean and unclean animals. A variety of approaches have sought to explain these dietary laws.
Will the Unsaved Suffer Eternal Judgment? (2 Thessalonians 1)
Salvation comes by grace through faith to believers, who consequently display their faith as they continue to trust in Jesus, heedless of suffering and persecution in this life.
Is It Fair for God to Judge Those Whom He Predestined? (Romans 9)
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Is the Story of Jonah and the Whale a Historical Account or a Parable? (Jonah 1 and 2)
Jesus often taught in parables and expected his hearers to learn and act on the truth the parables conveyed. But is “parable” the best approach to Jonah?
Is the Story of Job Historical? (Job 1)
Was there really a man named Job? Did he live in a land called Uz? Was he perfectly righteous with a perfectly blessed life? Put simply, did the author of Job create the whole drama?