I most commonly hear truth and love treated as binary, opposites, or ends of a spectrum. Pastors speak of our tendency to choose one or the other and exhort us to find balance, to hold them in tension. But I'm not satisfied with this. I'm on a quest for clarity.
Faith
Abide in Jesus Because His Spirit Abides in Us
Too often I treat my spiritual life like a charging station. I refuel every morning (or at least as often as possible) through a study of the Bible or a devotional reading. But then I act like I’m an electronic device and I unplug, trusting in my fuel to get me through the day. But the Lord Jesus himself has told me to constantly abide in him.
Be Confident in Prayer: Go Ahead and Ask
The apostle John speaks often about confidence, boldness, assurance. He wants believers to know that they know they are in Christ. But he also exhorts us to know that we can come to God with our requests. Because we know that we believe in Jesus and have eternal life, we can approach God confidently.
Everyone Born of God Overcomes the World
Some days all the shiny stuff around me demands my affection and it's hard to resist. But the apostle John says I, as a believer in Jesus, have overcome this world.
The What, Why, and How of Agape from the Apostle of Love
The apostle John is the real expert on true love. He writes about it more than any other author in the Bible. He alone records Jesus's new commandment to love one another in a new way—like Jesus loves us (John 13:34–35). In 1 John 4:7–21 alone, love (agape in Greek) is mentioned 27 times.
Suffering Produces Beauty and Growth
I avoid suffering because it’s uncomfortable. I don’t like pain. It can make me wonder if God loves me. But beauty and growth come through fire, pressure, pruning, molding, and darkness.
Balance and the Center of Biblical Tension
My seminary president, Robertson McQuilkin, drilled into me a profound maxim: “It seems easier to go to a consistent extreme than to stay at the center of biblical tension.” More recently, this same concept was reiterated by my Bible study teacher, JoAnn Hummel: “You and others will benefit as you “hold the rope” of tension in the Scriptures.” The prophet Isaiah offers us many opportunities to put this guiding principle into practice since his writing contains much tension.
The Lord Bares His Strong Arm
I love WWII posters depicting Rosie the Riveter baring her strong arm. I applaud the women who rolled up their sleeves and got to work to help the troops on the front lines. Isaiah also refers to God way. He previously used the metaphor of his righteous right hand. Now he speaks about the arm of the Lord.
