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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Dave weaves together music, movies, and documentaries to illustrate all the ways we seek relief—and then, full and free, he connects our need to Christ’s gift.
In response to the Lord's undeserved love, Manasseh looked to him as the true God.
Jesus is very difficult to bring down. That’s the power of it.
Luther’s famous treatise contains great consolation for Christians struggling with grace, suffering, and hope.
The addict’s condition speaks a hard truth: that we are all beggars before God, every one of us bent toward the grave.
I realized that no matter where I call "home," I won't be able to shake the feeling of homesickness.
It is impossible to live our lives in a way that would convince God of our value because he already knows our value. He is the one who gave it to us.
Instead of a “how-to” manual, the Bible is a “what-you-didn’t-do” story.
The one who delights in the law of the Lord learns to fear his own good works and trust God outside of them.
It is your privilege—we may even say “right”—to call upon this Father and to call him Father.
I have to believe that grace - God’s grace - will be waiting on the other side.
Five promises were seemingly all those apostles, staring into the sky, had to go on. Five promises that were more than enough.