- Written by Steven Amis
As Christians, one thing all of us are guaranteed to experience in one form or another in this life is adversity. Regardless of what directly causes the various trials to come our way, we know that God is the one who ultimately causes all things to work together according to His eternal decree. Many Christians cite Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” as their favorite Bible verse. To avoid any misunderstanding, I think this is a great passage to memorize and Christians most certainly have liberty to make it their “life verse”; however, there is also a lot of misapplication of this verse that needs to be addressed.
- Written by Steven Amis
“Come on! You can do it! You’re almost there!” the bystanders shout as I near the end of a competitive road race. As a distance runner, I know how agonizing the last mile always is, when everything inside of me wants to slow down, catch my breath, and give my battered legs a much-needed break. Yet, I somehow manage to push even harder, knowing that the finish line is quickly approaching and will soon be within my line of sight. I know that once I cross that finish line, all the pain and displeasure will be immediately replaced with feelings of joy and satisfaction from completing the race and receiving the reward. Whether it is a personal record time, a medal of completion, or an age group award, there is a goal in mind for every race participant, and he/she will willingly and patiently endure whatever agony it takes to obtain it.
- Written by Steven Amis
The book of Romans has many wonderful and memorable passages, and the “golden chain” of salvation in chapter 8 is undoubtedly one of its key highlights. And what a glorious chain it is…all of it points to God as the sole initiator of our salvation! But, there is also another “chain” of salvation that Paul elaborates on later in his epistle which focuses more on the human side of salvation. In other words, the chain of salvation in chapter 8 emphasizes the eternal perspective of our salvation, whereas the chain of salvation in chapter 10 is more focused on our salvation from our temporal experience. Here, Paul writes these remarkable words: