I get asked this question often, and I was inevitably asked this question during my Michigan District interview as part of the process in applying for the LCMS seminary. When it comes down to it, I really just have a simple answer: Because of Jesus. Of course, that’s not a satisfactory answer for one probing at…
Philippians 2:5-11, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He…
1 Corinthians 3:1-9, But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while…
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law.” The fruit of the Spirit, goodness, is not our goodness, but God’s. No one is good except God alone (Luke 18:19; Ecclesiastes 7:20), but faith requires action for the Christian. James 2:17, “Even…
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law.” Peace is the common goal for all humanity. Mankind desires world peace, but when we examine history we see that the more we strive for peace, the farther we’re driven away…
1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” Conduct is our next example for Christian youth. Other translations say “life,” but that’s far too ambiguous. “Conduct” is closer to the Greek. It is easy to say,…
Consider the Interests of Others In part one of this series, I discussed 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15. In this second and final part of the series, I’ll be discussing a couple other passages, the first one being Philippians 2:3-4, which says, “Do nothing in rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look…
