Posts Tagged ‘repentance’

My last post was inspired by the following quotation from G. K. Chesterton.  “Men do not differ much about what things they will call evils; they differ enormously about what evils they will call excusable.”  I reflected on how we criticize sins in others that we aren’t susceptible to but excuse those which we are more inclined to commit.  I also pointed out how strongly Jesus condemned this kind of self-justifying personal hypocrisy. 

This time I’d like to look at the issue of institutional hypocrisy or the way in which political “liberals” and “conservatives” often agree on evils but find different ones excusable.  Read the rest of this entry »

Recently I was struck by Paul’s description of conversion.  “… You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who saves us from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).

We evangelicals claim to be biblical.  Indeed, the very name “evangelical” is derived from the Greek word for “gospel.”  Nevertheless, our gospel proclamation emphasizes the benefits of receiving forgiveness or personal healing.  Now, forgiveness and healing are part of the gospel, but Paul’s preaching centered on challenging people’s idolatry, the need to serve God, and hoping in the coming of Jesus Christ. Read the rest of this entry »