In my experience, one of the most overlooked distinctions in Scripture is the difference between being clean and being holy. We often assume these categories are interchangeable. The Bible does not. Recovering this distinction does more than clarify Israel’s cultic (religious) system—it sheds fresh light on covenant membership, the role of baptism, and the status … Continue reading Clean Is Not Holy: Covenant Membership, Baptism, and the Formation of God’s People.
Why Christians Should Think Twice About Celebrating Hanukkah
Friends, the child born in Bethlehem—descended from a forgotten line of kings—came to take back the throne every other dynasty stole
Peace and Purity: Why the Church Cannot Have One Without the Other
When a church tolerates false teaching or unrepentant sin, it violates the very conditions necessary for peace. It’s like ignoring infection in the name of “keeping the body calm.” Sooner or later, the whole body suffers.
Was Jesus an “Undocumented Immigrant”?
We would be wise (and probably better defenders of the Gospel!) if we would pay more attention to the purpose of the text, and less to the ways that we can use the text to make a point.
Why Deuteronomy Is Not A List of Rules
Living with the mind of Christ demands thinking through the process that formed the law, not just the end result of the law.
When God Tests His People with a Prophet
The miracle alone is not the validation, the message is.
Heracles Bow, Church Hurt, and the Sin of Communal Isolation
The enemy loves isolated Christians.
A Call For Discernment
A generation of Christians raised on devotionals, soundbites, and inspirational slogans often lacks the grounding in the whole counsel of God necessary to discern truth from half-truth.
The Prodigal Son: Coming Home to the Father’s Joy–Part 3
We’ve taken two steps through the parable of the prodigal son: Part 1 showed that this is not just a generic salvation story. It’s Israel’s story. The prodigal represents wayward covenant members—the “sinners and tax collectors” who had squandered their inheritance. The older brother represents the Pharisees, angry at God’s mercy. The father represents God Himself, … Continue reading The Prodigal Son: Coming Home to the Father’s Joy–Part 3
The Prodigal Son and Calvinism: Not A Foil, but A Friend (Part 2)
This post is a continuation of thought from a previous post "The Prodigal Son: It's Not About You (Or Me)--Part 1." In Part 1, we explored how the parable of the prodigal son is not just a generic salvation story but a covenant drama. The prodigal represents Israel’s “tax collectors and sinners” (Jews) returning to … Continue reading The Prodigal Son and Calvinism: Not A Foil, but A Friend (Part 2)
Weston Blaha 