The Ripple Effect of Achan's Sin
As the Israelites are making their final preparations to conquer the land of Canaan—the land that God had promised them—their main threat was not someone or something from the outside. It was not the “giants” or the “fortified cities” that would be their primary competition. It was someone on the inside. What was to be a joyous, celebratory occasion turned into a sad, sorrowful story because many lives were lost due to the sin of one man, Achan. The Israelites were given expl
Situational Christianity
Situational ethics says I can do whatever I feel is the right thing to do according to the situation I am in at the time. My decision-making is based on the context and the set of circumstances I am facing. And, if there is a right and wrong, it is determined by the desired outcome of the situation. Doesn’t that sound like our society today? Sadly, it does, and unfortunately, this line of thinking is finding its way into the everyday lives of Christians. But the question we m
James 2: Showing Partiality
We all have things to which we’re partial, whether it is sports teams, restaurants, movies, a brand of vehicle, clothing, appliances or even laundry detergent. Those preferences could simply be because of habit, experience, advertising or just personal reasons. But taking this idea even deeper, there are racial, social, political and religious prejudices. One issue that can plague the church is passing judgments based on physical appearances; thus, it is not surprising that t
