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Eating to the Glory of God At his office cubicle, Bill often listened to music that his colleague John hated. When John complained, Bill answered with a Latin phrase: De gustibus non est disputandum. It means, “In matters of taste, there can be no disputes.” This is often how we view our disputes over Christian liberty. It is tempting to...

The Selfish Supper At a recent church potluck, Betty lingered for several minutes chatting with friends and cooing over babies. By the time she reached the tables laden with casserole dishes and trays, only some tuna casserole, green beans, and potato chip crumbs were left. Paul’s description of the Corinthian church’s method of observing...

Worthy Eating In an article in The Atlantic titled “Why Americans Now Dress So Casually,” Deirdre Clemente observes, “Americans began the 20th century in bustles and bowler hats and ended it in velour sweatsuits and flannel shirts—the most radical shift in dress standards in human history.” Dressing for church used to mean dresses, suits,...

Come to the Water “Our kitchens and other eating places more and more resemble filling stations, as our homes more and more resemble hotels,” author Wendell Berry observes. “‘Life is not very interesting,’ we seem to have decided, ‘Let its satisfactions be minimal, perfunctory, and fast.’” As we close this month’s study with Christ’s invitation...

Mature Faith: Contrasting Examples The mission statement of the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago is to “serve with the compassion of Christ and minister with the transforming message of the Gospel.” For over 140 years, America’s oldest rescue mission has reached out to the hungry and the homeless with food, clothing, shelter, medical care,...

Mature Faith Does Not Show Favoritism Symbols of social status in America tend to be material goods. The person at the wheel of the sleek sports car is powerful. The one wearing expensive designer clothing is wealthy. The individual with the latest piece of pricey technology is ahead of the curve. The people seated in box seats or first class...

Mature Faith Is Seen in Good Deeds Commentator Zane C. Hodges described the relationship between faith and good works: “[W]orks are in fact the vitalizing ‘spirit’ which keeps one’s faith alive, in the same way that the human spirit keeps the human body alive. Whenever a Christian ceases to act on his faith, that faith atrophies and becomes...

Mature Faith and Self-Control in Speech The Yik Yak app, now thankfully defunct, allowed users to post anonymous comments and to agree or disagree with other users’ comments within a five-mile radius. For example, students on a university campus could share opinions about teachers, courses, or classmates. The app’s anonymous posts degenerated...

Mature Faith, Good Deeds, and Godly Wisdom What is wisdom? It dwells with God, meaning that our wisdom depends upon our relationship with Him. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10). The phrase “fear of the Lord” signifies reverence, worship, and obedience. “The fear...

Mature Faith Submits Humbly to God The narrative climax in John Milton’s Paradise Lost is the choice made first by Eve and then by Adam to give in to the serpent’s temptation and disobey God. In Milton’s Paradise Regained, the story’s climax is Jesus’ perfect resistance to the Devil’s temptations in the wilderness (Luke 4:1–13). Christ’s...