509 results for tag: Brad Jersak

Q&R with Brad Jersak – “Leave your gift at the altar” (Matthew 5:24)

Question: In Matthew 5:24, Jesus says, "Leave your gift at the altar." What does that mean in context? Does it mean we need to go and apologize to those we've hurt, or God won’t talk to us? Response: Let's begin with the context, as you suggested. This is a section of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) where he is citing the Law of Moses and explains how the spirit of the law goes deeper than external conformity to obvious rules against murder or adultery (for example). God's intent is to transform our hearts so that in following Jesus Christ, grace will weed out the roots of murder and adultery while they are still inward hatred or ...

Q&R with Brad – “Can God feel anger even if he’s not an ‘Angry God'”?

Question: I listened to a recent podcast on your thoughts, breaking down the "angry God" worldview. You couched it in the language of "worshiping Molech," which was a sharp wake-up call to me, even though I have been moving away from the "Angry God" view for some time. It got me wondering about something and I am hoping that you might be able to provide some context for it. Even though God is not the "Angry God" of modern Evangelicalism ... is it still possible for God to have the emotion of anger? Case in point ... the cleansing of the temple. What do Jesus' actions in the temple reveal to us about the nature of the Father? ...

July 2023

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Articles: Mental Health Care: A Christian Response – pg. 1 Show Your Cards, Not Your Trophies – pg. 2 Two Ships that Pass in the Night – pg. 5 Elevator Dogmatics – pg. 7 Quotes & Connections – pg. 8

“Drop Your Stones” – Brad Jersak

“Drop your stones.”  Did you catch the reference? Many readers will recognize that phrase as an allusion to John 8, where Jesus’ opponents drag a woman into the Temple—they’ve caught her (or framed her) on the charge of adultery. Under the law, they could stone her to death. But in fact, the plan was to trap Jesus in a double bind. “Shall we stone her?” If he says no, he’s guilty of abolishing the Law of Moses. And if he says yes, he’s abandoned his prophetic stand for the law of mercy. You may remember his beautiful one-liner: “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Jesus kneels beside the woman and ...

Q & R: Does John 10:35 Teach Inerrancy?

Question: I am wondering what Jesus meant when he said, “The Scriptures cannot be broken” in John 10:35. I have heard this bit of a verse used as proof of inerrancy. I would like to hear an explanation of the context of Jesus’ words, and especially how it relates to Psalm 82:6.  Response: Such an important question! Let’s begin with the phrase itself. The “Scriptures” to which Jesus refers are indeed the Psalms, part of the Jewish holy books of his day. And these Scriptures, he says, “cannot be luthenai.” That precise word is used in this form three times in the New Testament: Luke 13:16 — ...

Healing Weary Words: Sin, Repentance and Justification – Brad Jersak

Healing Weary Words: Sin, Repentance and Justification We’re often told “sin” refers to “missing the mark” but then left to assume the mark has to do with moralistic perfection. Rather, the mark, goal or telos of human design and destiny is none other than love union with Trinity, with each other and with our world. To sin (every kind of sin) is to misuse our God-given freedom/energies to turn away from self-giving, other-welcoming love in favor of self-will. As it turns out, our forays into self-centeredness are also self-destructive—a turn from love and life into a wasting disease that would ultimately prove fatal apart from the ...

The Love that Raises Us from Slavery to Friendship with God – Brad Jersak

I recently stumbled upon an interesting quote by a certain George Calciu, which I'll cite and then follow up with an explanation of why it fascinates me: You have avoided choosing Jesus as your friend for too long... but Jesus has chosen you to hear his voice. He did so long ago: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16). The choice was made long ago, for Jesus has always loved you, young friend, but now you have responded to his call. In responding you are ordained to go and bear fruit that will remain. To be a prophet of Christ in the world in ...

Invite Them—Bring Them—Compel Them: The Escalating Compulsion of Grace – Brad Jersak

The Parable of the Great Supper 15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’  18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask ...

“Shirley, Goodness & Mercy” by Brad Jersak

Psalm 23 (NKJV) 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. My Three ...

Q&R: When Jesus ‘Spews’ – Brad Jersak

Question: Some people in my life refer to the Bible verse about not being "lukewarm" in what feels like a really hurtful way. They leave me wondering if I am getting this faith thing right. Am I lukewarm? Will god spit me out? Is there perhaps a misunderstanding here? Can we read this in other ways that don't feel so discouraging, like either you're in or you're out? Response: That's such an important question. I recall the many times when it was used as a heavy-handed "clobber verse" used to contrive conviction and manipulate a response. It was a classic revivalist rhetorical technique. It might help if we start by reading it in ...

Q&R – When were the Gospels written? Brad Jersak

Question: When were the four Gospels written? And by whom? Some claim they were a late invention of the church, generations even after the apostles, discounting their reliability as trustworthy witnesses to the life and teachings of Christ. When I read them, is it just the religious fiction of people trying to make Jesus into a religion? Response: What I notice about those who set late dates for the Gospels and discount the authorship of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John is an underlying bias toward skepticism that wants or even needs to discredit the Gospels. But far from bringing an objective analysis to their discipline, they betray ...

June 2023

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Greg Albrecht: He Is Who He Says He Is – pg. 2 Laura Urista: 25 Father's Days – pg. 4 Brad Jersak: This God Comes Down – pg. 7

Q&R: Romans 6:23 – What ‘death’ is this?

Question: I have often heard people quote this verse only partially and then to imply that death is a metaphor for a place of eternal conscious torment and their justification for hell. I know death represents an end of physical life, but what are the other aspects that Paul is trying to convey metaphorically, especially in light of the rest of the verse? Response: Thank you for that all-important question. First of all, I'm thrilled that noted how half the verse (Romans 6:23) is so often excised in order to create a misreading that actually distorts the gospel. Let's do the due diligence of at least recalling the whole verse and ...

Sinead O’Connor: “Take me to church, but not the ones that hurt …” by Brad Jersak

  "Take me to churchbut not the ones that hurt'Cause that ain't the truth"Sinead O'Connor Just because someone has been hurt badly or offended greatly in the context of a 'church' (whatever that means) and has stormed away in anger and wailed and railed about ... does not mean they have renounced love or forgiveness or the need for a safe place to belong. It does not mean they've shut out their own conscience or have no regrets about harm they've done. It does not mean they've let go of their own beautiful song ... songs of love and joy and lament and healing. Within Sinead O'Connor's beautiful repertoire, ...

Q&R with Brad Jersak – A More Christlike Way

Question: I am finally getting around to reading A More Christlike Way. I’m curious about what you wrote on page 64, “We might go further to describe love as God’s heart and ours working as one because in Christ, God and humanity are united forever.” When you say, “in Christ, God and humanity are united forever,” can we assume that includes everyone who lived before Jesus? And if so, was it true for them during their lifetime or is it only true retroactively? Maybe the root of this question is this: theologically speaking, do you think there has ever been any separation or “un-united-ness” between God and humanity—in light of the ...

New – Questions & Response Page

Keep checking back for more questions. Plain Truth Ministries and Christianity Without the Religion have received hundreds of questions from readers like you over the years. We thought it might be helpful to bring many of these questions and their response together in one resource page Q & R - (Question & Response). If you have questions or just want to see what other people are asking about, check out our new resource page. Click here for Questions and Response PTM’s Question & Response feature addresses actual questions on various topics sent to us from all over the world. Greg Albrecht and Brad Jersak answer as many ...

Heretics & Whetstones – Brad Jersak

"OUR HERETICS" For the record, I believe the word "heretic" has been weaponized as a dismissive label, a pejorative employed for condemning anyone who disagrees with the one making the accusation. As a tool of debate, we call attacks directed at the person rather than their position "ad hominem," and these are regarded as "logical fallacies." In simple English, calling someone a heretic because they don't agree with you is evidence of nothing, other than rudeness. Before accusing someone of heresy was a way to exclude, exile or martyr those who didn't conform to status quo religion, it was at least a little kinder. For one, "heretics" were ...

Q&R with Brad Jersak – Should we fear God?

Rather, from Genesis (26:24) to Revelation (1:17), God consistently answers with a word of comfort, “Fear not!” His people “walked (i.e., lived daily) in the fear of the Lord AND the comfort of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:31). Note the both/and in that verse.   

When “Never” means Never-ever” Brad Jersak

On at least four occasions, the Scriptures record God's promise, "I will never leave you or forsake you." The first occurrences are specific to God's promise to Israel that they would find their place in "the Promised Land": Twice in Deuteronomy 31:6-8 "Be valiant and strong, do not fear nor be afraid of them [the Canaanites], nor be terrified before them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes before you and with you and among you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Then Moses called Joshua and said to him before all Israel, "Be valiant and strong, for you must go before this people to the land the Lord swore to ...

Why we say ‘Christ IS risen’ – Brad Jersak

"Christ is Risen!"  In the aftermath of Easter celebrations across the globe, the phrase "Christ is risen!" has been expressed with enthusiasm, perhaps 100s of millions of times by Jesus' followers of innumerable languages, nations and cultures. I was particularly struck by an image I saw here on Instagram... the wooden candlestand to the right, carved by an artisan in Malawi, Africa. The main figure is the risen Christ, and his body is comprised of people ("the Body of Christ") united with Christ in his death and raised with him in his resurrection. Above them, Christ holds up the “celestial village” (the kingdom of God). From ...