One That Finds Unity Irresistible …
The most compelling principle of the Restoration Movement has always been our commitment to live in the tension between truth and unity.
Articles for tag: John 1:2
January 20, 2025
“If I Had a Dollar …”
Because of The Savior's all-sufficient sacrifice, we are set for life—eternal life.
December 16, 2024
A Peace for Every Season
The Communion table may be considered a “peace table,” for by these symbols of the bread and the juice we remember what the Prince of Peace accomplished, “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:20).
July 15, 2024
THE LORD WILL PROVIDE
God provided a substitute in his Son Jesus so that people would not have to die in their sins.
May 1, 2023
10 Personal Practices That Will Lead to Greater Unity
By Rubel Shelly How can you and I “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3)? Here are 10 practices each of us should consider: • Pray for the unity of the church. If Jesus prayed for the unity of all who would believe in him through the apostles’ message (John 17:20-26), how dare we not pray for it as well? Pray for Christians you know from various backgrounds. Pray for the “tribes” other than your own. Don’t pray for them to change but for God to let you love them.
April 5, 2023
Easter Meditation 3: Roman Soldiers
In his third of six devotions in the week leading up to Easter, former editor Mark A. Taylor shares thoughts about the Roman soldiers who mocked and abused Christ . . . "Missing God" (Matthew 27:27-31; John 19:23-24).
January 16, 2023
Staying Cross-Eyed
Communion gives us the opportunity each Lord’s Day to refocus our spiritual vision.
November 1, 2022
Peace for All Seasons
By Douglas Redford (This article, reprinted here with minor updates, first appeared in Christian Standard on December 22, 1985.) During the Christmas season in 1984, an event occurred which served as a revealing commentary on the times. Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, an Anglican church leader, was in Oslo, Norway, to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. But the presentation was held up for more than an hour after an anonymous telephone caller told an Oslo newspaper that a bomb had been placed in the reception hall and would explode in 10 minutes. Although a careful search turned up nothing,
September 1, 2022
The Church’s Identity Issue
By Michael C. Mack Never has our culture been more perplexed about how to answer the seemingly simple question, “Who am I?” It’s hardly a surprise: The more the world drifts from the Creator, the more people struggle with their identity. We lose our sense of who we are when we forget whose we are. Satan is complicit, of course, in this case of identity theft. In this issue, we address various matters of identity today. Our writers look at identity biblically, speaking truth in love, with a positive, humble attitude. And we hope our readers will have a similar
December 9, 2021
THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘There Is Peace on Earth’ (1941)
Here is a front-page Christmas editorial that appeared two weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into World War II.
November 1, 2021
illumiNations: A Bible Translation in Every Language by 2033!
By Greg Pruett Consider the chaotic world around you. You might conclude we live in dark times. But in the less visible world of God’s kingdom, this could be God’s finest hour! We live in that historic moment when God’s Word will soon reach every language community on earth. In the 1940s, the visionary originators of the Bible-translation movement first started gaining traction with the idea that everyone should have Scripture in their own language. They had no idea the coming generations would document more than 7,300 languages in the world. Brave men and women gave their lives in rural
October 11, 2021
He Himself Is Our Peace
It was anything but peaceful when peace came to this world. . . .
August 30, 2021
Sept. 5 | Jesus Is Superior to Prophets and Angels
If Galatians and Colossians addressed a “Jesus-plus” type of faith, then Hebrews addressed a “minus-Jesus” type of faith. Hebrews says that any step away from Jesus is regression. The reason is simple: Jesus is superior to anyone and anything. Four lessons highlight this superiority.
June 14, 2021
JUNE 20 | APPLICATION
Death is a persistent intruder. It casts a dark shadow. . . . At times, it looks like death has the final word. But if you read the Gospels, you’ll see that God has other ideas.
March 29, 2021
Apr 4 | Application
Jesus spoke often about his own resurrection, but its full impact didn’t dawn on the disciples until after it happened.
March 1, 2021
What Breaks God’s Heart?
Last year, Trevor DeVage challenged our church to pray every day for a week, “God, break my heart with the things that break your heart!” That’s not a safe or easy prayer. It’s not consistent with the God-please-bless-me-and-take-care-of-my-needs-and-answer-my-prayers-the-way-I-want-you-to Christianity that many American believers have grown accustomed to. I can’t claim to know everything that breaks God’s heart, but I know one must be when I try to hide from him and go my own way—as Adam and Eve did in the garden. If I wrote about everything that breaks God’s heart, this would be a very long article! But I’d
January 29, 2019
Debatable Issues
By Michael C. Mack As you read this issue, you may not agree with every writer’s viewpoint. Several articles contain debatable issues, and, in one case, we go “In the Arena” on a highly contentious matter: women’s involvement in teaching and leadership in the church. We believe it’s helpful to provide a forum in which readers can consider both sides of debatable issues. In churches large and small, leaders are discussing these issues, and we hope to provide biblical perspectives from others who have already done the hard work of studying, applying, and even teaching on these matters. I ask
June 20, 2017
The Restoration Ideal Still Works
By Ben Merold The Missouri River””the “Big Muddy”””runs past the city of Omaha, Nebraska. If we wanted to get pure, unpolluted water from this river, we have two basic choices. We might, as Omaha has done, install a filter to remove the mud that has accumulated in the water during the river”s meandering path south and east. But that treats only a small portion of the water, and the great body of the river runs on as muddy as before. If, however, we go to the source, we would find pure water that comes fresh from the wellspring. Similarly, if
March 1, 2016
“˜If a Man Die, Shall He Live Again?”
This Easter editorial was written by Sam E. Stone, CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s 10th editor. It first appeared in the March 30, 1986, issue of the magazine. ____ By Sam E. Stone When Eve stood with tear-filled eyes beside Abel”s grave, the question of the ages must have been in her heart. Will I see him again? Is there life beyond the grave? But it remained for that patriarch whose name is synonymous with human suffering to ask, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). All of us have thought about this. We think of it when we stand
January 26, 2015
Dying to Self and Discovering Much More
By Jan Johnson Would I or wouldn”t I say it? My friend had just bought a new specialty Bible (one with notes) and was showing me what she liked about it. But I couldn”t hear her because my mind was jammed with thoughts of telling her that I had written many of that Bible”s notes and introductory articles. When she asked me a question, I realized I was too busy listening to the argument in my mind to hear my friend. So I looked directly into her eyes, knowing she wanted my attention. Loving her meant letting go of my
