The Cross and Pen

             The Book of Genesis identifies the first husband and wife as Adam and Eve, and it depicts the natural order of marriage, i.e. between a man and a woman. In Genesis 2:18, God stated, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him” (NIV). Boice (1982) noted, “In these verses we learn that the woman was for man; she was made from man; and she was given to man – the greatest of all God’s gifts” (p. 107). Genesis 2:24 states, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” ( NIV ). The word marriage occurs forty-five times in the Bible. Boice (1982) observed, “He [God] also established marriage as the first and most basic of human institutions” (p. 113). Hebrews 13:4 supports this observation, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” ( NIV ). It is clea...

In  response to the question that serves as the title of this essay, many people might be inclined to answer quickly, perhaps even prematurely, in either the affirmative or negative depending on their interpretation or understanding of the Bible. As I considered this question, a memory from my youth intruded. The year was 1977, and Star Wars was a cinematic sensation. As viewers will recall, in the scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi is struck down by Darth Vader, Obi-Wan says, “If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” While it is a stretch to use Star Wars as an analogy for the crucifixion, I cannot help but think there is an applicable element in its use.      Was Jesus powerful before his death? Certainly his miracles indicate a measure of power incomprehensible to man. But did he become more powerful after his death? One could argue that since Jesus was God incarnate, and since God is omnipotent, that, no, Jesus did n...

            One of the problems many believers face is dealing with their non-believing friends. The topic of faith and religion is often pushed aside in order to maintain the friendship and avoid those ‘awkward conversations.’ Previously I wrote about this in a title called My Friend. However, last night as I was searching the Internet, I discovered a former shipmate had taken his own life. That got me to thinking about my previous post. While I made the point about sharing the Gospel, I believe my position could be bolstered.             As Christians, we’re not called to be everyone’s friend. We often think of ourselves as the ‘good ones,’ the people who should be setting the example. As such, we don’t rock the proverbial boat, opting instead to maintain peace. In a day when everyone is offended by everything, the last thing we want to do is offend others, right? Wrong! Th...