Reasons
People say they have reasons not to follow Jesus: bad churches, hypocrisy, science, etc. Reason implies logic, and logic is the wrong starting point for Big Questions. From inside God's kingdom, nothing seems more unreasonable than to claim that the way of manipulation and might is better than the way of love and freedom. Frameworks of reason and logic follow a decision to trust. Who is worthy of my trust?
Fulfillment
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. — Rom. 13:8-10
Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matt. 5:17). How? By commanding the royal law (James 2:8). Jesus is the fulfillment of the law (God is love). And the ways of Jesus fulfill the law.
Word for Word
Translators of languages approach their craft using 'word-for-word' and 'thought-for-thought' techniques. Bible translations tend to tip one way or the other. The most important thing is to get the message right. One Greek word for 'word' is logos. It refers to a message, reason, logic, or revealed wisdom. The scriptures are what God has to say in written form. Jesus is what God has to say in living form. It's quite possible to get bogged down in phrases (we call them verses) and miss the message. It's also possible to encounter the message and distance ourselves from it.
- love
- Holy Spirit
- humility
- church
- politics & society
- mission & witness
- holiness
- parable & metaphor
- identity
- eternal life
- doubt & deconstruction
- leadership
- grace
- justice
- scripture
- spiritual life
- advent & christmas
- poverty & compassion
- imagination & creativity
- technology & ai
- knowing God
- human dignity
- faith & trust
- incarnation & cross
- kingdom of God
- community
- reconciliation
- spiritual formation
- epistemology
- prayer
- gratitude
- culture
- creation & nature
- discipleship
The God of the Bible looks like Jesus, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. It would be just like him to go to the cross.