Articles for tag: Shalom

March 1, 2023

What Is Grace?

By Mark E. Moore Question: What do we have to do to be saved? Every religion has its own answer to this question. Some encourage sacrifice; others, service; others, rituals of purification or meditation. What all (but one) have in common is some human effort to achieve favor with God. This may include knocking on doors with pamphlets, giving away wealth, self-flagellation, or confession and restitution. The common thread, however, is human effort to reach God’s height. Grace Is God’s Salvation Christianity alone moves in the opposite direction. Rather than us climbing upward, Christianity asserts that God moved downward. Salvation

March 8, 2021

Christian Standard

Bible Study Theology & Bible

Mar 14 | The Beginning of Wisdom

Mark Scott writes: The main part of this week’s text features an alternating pattern of command (Proverbs 3:1, 3, 5-6a, et al.) and reward (3:2, 4, 6b, et al.). When God’s people begin with God’s wisdom, they can . . .

July 10, 2016

Christian Standard

Theology & Bible

The Gospel: God”s Better Story

By Rubel Shelly The BibleÂ is a six-actÂ dramaÂ reflectingÂ the lightÂ of our Creator. Ivan Illich (1926″“2002) was an Austrian philosopher and former Catholic priest. As he became increasingly critical of modern education, consumerism, health care, and Western social values in general, he pondered the larger question of how to change society. When asked whether violent revolution or gradual reform was the better way to effect change, he replied: Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society, rather you must tell a new powerful tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story, one so inclusive

January 10, 2012

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Community Outreach

In Just One Year: Love Your City

Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then.Â * * * By Jon Ferguson Last fall my family moved to the north side of Chicago””we love this city. We love Chicago for its sports teams, architecture, and history, but most of all, we love Chicago for its people: hard-working, unpretentious, and good-natured””as long as you don”t take their parking space

December 17, 2006

Brian Lowery

Devotionals

Still Unto Us

A reflection on Christmas amid a world marked by anger and violence. Through Matthew’s birth narrative and Isaiah’s promise, we remember the Prince of Peace and the steady settling-in of shalom.