The nature of the atonement is central to Christian life and theology. Questions concerning the person and work of Christ, the relationship between God and man, the resolution to the problem of sin and the overarching story of redemptive history are all bound up in this discussion. At the heart of this conversation, the nature of the atonement concerns what Christ came to accomplish, what he actually accomplished, and why the atonement is necessary. If we get the atonement wrong, we cannot get the gospel right because the cross is at the center of this good news. Misunderstanding the cross leads to a false doctrine of God, man, sin, salvation, and the overarching message of the Bible.

These days have been hard on the church. They have been specifically hard on the little church that I serve. We have lost loved ones—brothers, husbands, uncles, mothers, and friends. We have seen various families touched by tragedy. It has also been difficult for my own family.

Do you remember the feeling of freedom we had as children? Our imaginations ran wild and flowed unimpeded by the dams of the daily grind! Do you remember the fun of playing ball or hide and seek? How about pretending that you were a caped crusader or some other hero or heroine?

Despite our desire for unfettered freedom, even we knew there had to be structure, there had to be rules. Every game we played had some set of laws and many times, the rules were defined by the one who owned the ball and the bat. My ball. My rules! This dictatorial rule of decree was often argued but seldom overturned. Sometimes there was a cry from one of the older, wiser kids: “Guys, can’t we all just get along?”

For most of my young life, I thought that “revival” required a big tent, and a loud preacher. A preacher who really knew how to make you feel bad about your sin, and convince you that you needed Jesus, and that you needed him now! “Turn or burn!” That description may not be all that far off from what you have thought to be true of “revival.

“And they were not ashamed…”

These were the last words of a world unstained by sin in Genesis 2:25, a world uncorrupted by deceit and treachery. Things were just as they should have been at that moment. It was the sound of peace between God and Man. A sound that echoes regret in the space between the Garden and the Cross. The irony is breathtaking.

Of all the passages or themes in the Bible, (that are least understood and most overlooked) there are few that rival the Israelite acts of genocide against the Canaanites. There will even be some who cringe at the way I have presented it here. Perhaps it would be much easier to deal with if it wasn’t explicitly commanded by God. The failure of the church to handle these passages well has been a great obstacle to defending the faith. But I believe that this failure is a greater problem than the passages themselves.

Is anybody out there?

Have you ever felt like God has left you on your own? I am sure most of us have been there at some point. Some might describe it as feeling like their prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. Others might just feel as if God is absent.

God is unchanging. His Word, like Himself, is immutable. Unfortunately, the ways of the world in which we live are not so. The opinion of the day wins the prize for the obedience of the nations. The winning thought varies depending on the source. This opinion is invariably at odds with the will of God. Likewise, the criterion for such opinions is ambiguous.

Have you ever gotten so caught up in the tasks or the demands of “today” that you have forgotten how you got “here” or where you will go from “here?” It happens to all of us. Whether it is the stress and strain of running a business, keeping up with job responsibilities, cramming for your next exam or parenting, we have all been there. For most, it is a place in which we can find ourselves far too often if we are not careful.