"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) What are you afraid of? For me, one of my main fears over the years was the fear of heights. For years I …
Becoming True-Hearted in God
"There is sprung up a light for the righteous, and joyful gladness for such as are true-hearted." (Psalm 97:11) I love that rendering of the very end of Psalm 97:11 in Miles Coverdale's Psalter. Where other translations say "upright in heart" (NIV, ESV, RSV, NRSV, KJV), "true-hearted" points me in a slightly different direction. To …
One Faith for One Body: Theological aspects of unity and diversity
Yesterday, I explored how Paul urges the believers in the area of Ephesus to focus on Jesus and to put on the character of Christ. But Paul doesn't stop there. Now he addresses our theology, urging the believers—and us—to keep first things first. "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called …
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Putting on the Character of Christ in Divided Days
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." (Ephesians 4:1) In Ephesians 4:1, Paul urges the Ephesians—and us, through them—to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. The unity of the church in divided times is tied into putting …
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Crying to God from the Depths: learning to pray with Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;Lord, hear my voice.Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (Psalm 130:1-2) The word translated in Psalm 130:1 as ‘depths’ refers literally to the deep places of the sea. In Isaiah 51:10, for example, the prophet asks the Lord: “Was it not you who dried up the …
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Matthew Erickson 