“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.” (John 2:3-5, ESV) 1 John 2:1 –  “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an...

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7, ESV) This is often presented as using God’s name when cursing. However, it is much more expansive than that. In fact, the primary sin in this commandment would be to claim God’s will for doing what is your personal preference. Scripture tells us “God is for us” (Romans 8:31), but...

As we are slowly unwrapping the dynamic between the truth and the lie in the Genesis narrative of the fall, we have found that the lie about God and the lie about us is overcome by the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. God warned Adam and Eve that eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would bring death. Consequently, Adam and Eve passed from the realm of life, which is relationship with God, into the realm of death,...

We cannot know and love the truth about God without knowing and loving the truth about ourselves and our neighbors The very act that brought a false judgment about God also brought a false judgment about Adam and Eve, and thus about all of humanity. We cannot reject the truth about God without thereby rejecting the truth about ourselves and our neighbors. And we cannot refrain from loving God without thereby refraining from loving ourselves and...

Letter 13 Themes: Genuine repentance; pains and pleasures; individualism; increased apathy towards goodness. Screwtape-Letters_-13Download Letter 14 Themes: Genuine humility; pride; false modesty; self-forgetfulness; anguishing too much over sin. Screwtape-Letters_-14Download Letter 15 Themes: Anxiety about the future; living in the “real” present with eternity in mind; exaggerated optimism....