Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.
Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.
The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.

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God is a judge, but unlike you, God is just!
By the end of this prayer of wrestling, David finally has the strength to claim victory over his lying enemies.
This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
Nature ends in stinging judgment from its Creator.
The one who delights in the law of the Lord learns to fear his own good works and trust God outside of them.
Steven Paulson shares the meaning (and grace) found in All Saints Day
This week we are taking a closer look at 1 Corinthians 15:14-19 and what we lose if Christ has not been raised from the dead.
Who would ever want all these screamers and haters? It turns out that Christ does.
Faith is like a horse with blinders because it only beholds God’s promise. It is obsessed with what God has already said.