Jesus’ last will and testament
“And he took bread, . . . saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ . . . He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup…
Please explain: Whom do we blame for bad things?
Whom do we blame for bad things? Jeffrey L. Samelson It’s a question the disciples asked Jesus, and it’s not an unusual one: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his…
Ever been tempted like that?
We are all tempted and often fail. Only Jesus has been perfectly obedient. Have you ever fasted 40 days and 40 nights out in the wilderness? Have you ever been…
Q&A: How can we say that the Old Testament God is the same as the New Testament God?
The God of the Old Testament wiped out the world with a flood, sent plagues on the Egyptians, and commanded his people to kill the Canaanites. He revealed himself only…
President’s message: What’s love got to do with it?
From time to time I receive questions about why our synod puts a particular doctrine into practice the way we do. I had such a question recently about closed (or…
Confessions of faith: Holly Vaden and the Thorsons
The Holy Spirit used individuals, life circumstances, and a yearning for clarity to draw three friends around God’s Word. More than 20 years ago, Holly Vaden and Anna Thorson became…
A man with unclean lips
The word “hell” keeps popping up in my reading these days. No, I’m not talking about my daily study of Scripture. I’m talking about the newsfeeds on my smartphone. These…
Bible study: God has not grown soft on sin
David Scharf God certainly showed himself to be holy and willing to punish sin and disobedience in the Old Testament. At the same time, he also desired the salvation of…
A thought: The Christ
Christianity is not just a label, a category, or a space to be filled in for some pollster. We are named after Christ. The shepherds heard the angels identify the…