Our spiritual journey can sometimes feel overwhelming, particularly when we grapple with concepts deeply embedded in our faith, like sin. Often seen as a heavy burden, sin can lead us to feelings of despair rather than liberation. Today, let's change the conversation and focus on sin, death, and what Jesus proclaimed he accomplished for us. Understanding Sin: A Starting Point Sin is often portrayed as a punishment, as if we are keeping a cosmic ledger filled with our transgre

Philippians 2 says that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess — and this truth echoes throughout scripture. I think of 1 Corinthians 15:22-23: "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." It's right there. This is some of the foundation that has shifted my life. I’ve shared before how the revelation of God as Father changed everything. There’s a revelation of who God truly is — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — in perfect union. That “great dance,”

When Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” , He wasn’t just quoting Psalm 22—He was stepping fully into our brokenness. Into our darkness, our lonesomeness, our failures, and even the feeling of God-forsakenness. He was entering into our human condition. Psalm 22, which begins with those very words, is a powerful prophetic picture of Jesus’ suffering. It describes the crucifixion in vivid detail—His hands and feet pierced, His bones expose

Origen of Alexandria (c. 184–253 AD) From Treatise on the Soul  (cited in Patrologia Graeca): “There is not one baptism only. … Another is the baptism of suffering, whereby each is cleansed by his own blood. … This fire whereby involuntary and casual sins are burnt away … is different from that which the Lord assigned to the devil and his angels, of which he says, Enter into everlasting fire.” This distinction highlights Origen’s view: punishment ( kolasis ) is corrective and

The early Church Fathers—especially those writing in Greek—did not always interpret the word aiōnios  to mean "eternal" in the sense of "never-ending." Many understood it in the context of “age-long”  or “pertaining to an age”  (from aiōn, meaning age , eon , or epoch ), and they applied this nuanced meaning to both eternal life and judgment/punishment. Here’s a look at how a few notable early theologians interpreted aiōnios : 1. Origen (c. 184–253 AD)  – Alexandria One of th

For many of us raised in Western Christianity, the word “hell” conjures images of eternal flames, demons with pitchforks, and unending conscious torment. But what if I told you that the original languages of Scripture—Hebrew and Greek—don’t support this imagery the way we’ve been taught? Let’s take a closer look at the words translated “hell” in the NASB (New American Standard Bible), and how their actual meanings reveal a different picture. Old Testament: The Hebrew Word She

“We were dead because of our sins, but he brought us to life with the king – it's grace, you see, that saved us! He raised us up with him, and made us sit with him – in the heavenly places, in King Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:5–6, NTE Pause and Reflect At the heart of the gospel is not just the promise of life after death, but the bold announcement that we are already alive — now —with the risen Christ. This is not something we earn or climb toward; it is the gift of grace . Grace

Face to Face Have you ever thought about how God sees you? In a previous post I talked about this powerful truth: God’s unfolding plan is union. Our union with Jesus isn’t some afterthought—it’s the very heart of His purpose and pleasure. Let’s look again at Ephesians 1:4, especially in the Passion Translation. It says: "And he chose us to be his very own, joining us to himself even before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so t

We’re exploring a mystery today—some strangely good news. It’s a divine plan, a purpose that flows from the pleasure of God’s own heart. A plan that gathers all things into one, both in heaven and on earth, all in Christ. This idea can be hard to grasp, especially in light of traditional teachings many of us grew up with: the belief that we were born into this world separated from God, condemned, and doomed to a devil’s hell if we didn’t do something about it. But here's the

“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” — Revelation 20:14–15 This powerful vision from the final chapters of Revelation has stirred centuries of theological reflection. Early Church Fathers wrestled with what it means for Death and Hades to be “thrown into the lake of fire,” and whether this fiery lake symbolizes etern

I've been thinking a lot lately… About life. About what it really means to live in Christ. My friend Larry and I have been talking through some deep truths—truths that are starting to shift the way I see everything. This isn’t about religion. It’s about origin . Identity. Union. And something the gospel tells us: You’ve always belonged. Life Didn’t Begin at Salvation—It Began in Christ “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” — John 1:4 The life we live is not s

The Power of Life Through Christ: 2 Timothy 1:9–10 (TPT) “He gave us resurrection life and drew us to himself by his holy calling on our lives. And it wasn’t because of any good we have done, but by his divine pleasure and marvelous grace that confirmed our union with the Anointed Jesus, even before time began! This truth is now being unveiled by the revelation of the Anointed Jesus, our Life-Giver, who has dismantled death, obliterating all its effects on our lives, and has

Christ Lives in You: Colossians 1:26–27 (TPT) “There is a divine mystery—a secret surprise that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded, and manifested for every holy believer to experience. Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to kn

"I Never Knew You": Known Only in Christ Reflections on Matthew 7:23 Matthew 7:23—where Jesus says, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”  This is a heavy one, especially when read through a lens of fear or exclusion. But I’d love to offer a perspective rooted in what I’ve come to see as the eternal gospel of Jesus—the gospel of our inclusion in Him from before the foundation of the world. Here’s my short take: Each person is known in Christ before c

Micah, I’m going to try to answer your question without getting bogged down, so bear with me. This isn’t something I just woke up one day and decided—“I’m going to start believing this and stop believing that.” I’ve been on a journey with Jesus, and I truly believe He has been—and still is—showing me His Father… whom I love to call Papa. I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world! Not a potential  Savior, not a partial  Savior—He is the Savior. Whi

Awesomeness! I hope you’re still with me. I’m just sharing what I believe God is showing me. I know I’m not the only one on this journey, but for the last ten years or so, I’ve been walking through this ongoing revelation: God was in Christ . And it all centers around the Incarnation —that God Himself became a man. But here’s the powerful part: He set it all up before He ever created anything.  That’s how we know we’re included—because Jesus is the last Adam. In Adam, All Die

When floods rise, when earthquakes shake the ground, when hurricanes leave behind splintered homes and shattered lives—many of us ask the question: Where is God in this? Is there meaning in natural disasters, or are they random, senseless acts of nature? N.T. Wright, the respected New Testament theologian and author of Evil and the Justice of God , offers a view that neither downplays evil nor defends a distant deity. Instead, he reframes the whole question within the larger

David Bentley Hart on Evil, Nature, and the Christian Hope When the Indian Ocean tsunami struck in 2004, killing over 200,000 people, theologian David Bentley Hart responded not with explanations, but with a piercing clarity: some things should not be explained—only resisted, mourned, and ultimately overcome . His reflections, captured in The Doors of the Sea , offer a distinctively Christian response to evil, especially the kind that comes not from human hands but from natur

I pray you’re enjoying all that Papa has for you. There’s a passage of Scripture that came to mind—Ephesians chapter 3. Let me read it real quick: “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.”  —Ephesians 3:14-15 (NASB) That’s what I wanted to get at. What’s your last name? Mine is Alderman. I received that name from my father. That’s how it works—names come from fathers. And Scripture says every family, in

Afternoon. Good evening. I’ve had some things rumbling around in my spirit and in my heart that I’ve been wanting to share with you. I’ve been thinking about this all day, and I pray that I’ll be able to say something coherent. I worked a little late today, got home, and was just so ready to make this video. I haven’t had supper yet—so hopefully I can get this out before diving into some deer chili. It’s definitely deer chili weather. I pray this finds you blessed, and more t