Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 6

The One Thing in My Marriage I Wish I Could Do Differently

Yesterday (May 27th, 2024) was Emily’s and my 18th wedding anniversary. If it were a human, our marriage would now be legally eligible to vote.1

I think about marriage a lot—what it takes to have a healthy one, specifically. This is something I care a lot about because, Emily and I work very hard to have a healthy marriage. And there isn’t really a great secret to it, a sure-fire multi-step strategy, or anything like that. We just talk to each other, intentionally spend time together, and tr...

The Starting Point of the Sermon on the Mount

What’s the first word or phrase that comes to mind when you hear “Sermon on the Mount”? When I come to Matthew 5-7, I always jump to one word: grace. Despite containing some of the most difficult teachings you’ll find in the entire Bible, the Sermon on the Mount inspires so much joy. Why? Because it reminds me that, with Jesus, grace always comes first.

Those who know their need for grace

The sermon opens with the Beatitudes, where Jesus describes those to whom the kingdom belongs as “ble...

The Trinity, Analogies, and Accidental Heresies

When it comes to mysteries in the Bible, it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” After all, God doesn’t tell us everything about how certain things work. This is why we have questions about how his sovereignty and our moral agency work together, or the problem of evil, or even the existence of evil at all. And the same is true of mysteries around his nature, like the Trinity.

What is the Trinity?

While the word “Trinity” doesn’t appear in Scripture, as you can see, the concept does. But that d...

Let’s stop talking foolishly about ADHD and mental health

Sometimes, the most pastoral thing you can do is say, “That is not my area of expertise.” I wish more pastors would remember that, especially when dealing with questions they are ill-equipped to address. At a recent conference, a celebrity pastor was asked for his take on mental illness. The question was motivated by concerns over the seeming increase in diagnoses among younger people and children. His response was there is no such thing as conditions such as PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and the like. They...

If we believe God’s Word is good, we need to read it

There is so much to love in the Psalms. This book of the Bible speaks to (and reveals) the heart of God’s people in a very special way. But one of my favorites, one I keep coming back to time and again, is Psalm 19, a song celebrating God’s revelation—the way he makes himself known to us. The first half rejoices in his making himself known through creation. The second half turns from creation to a more specific form of revelation: Scripture.

The Goodness of God’s Word

In Psalm 19:7–11, Da...

If you want to know if God is real, go outside

Whether we realize it or not, search engines are a window into our hearts and minds. What we search for often reveals something about our hopes, dreams, and fears. Something I do on occasion is type the beginning of a big question into the search bar on Google to see what it suggests. Not too long ago, I started with, “If God is real.” There were, of course, some common questions like “why is there war,” “why do bad things happen,” and “why do we suffer.” But one that stuck out to me was this: ...

Follow Jesus the YOU are Meant to (Not the Way Someone Else is)

There are certain phrases that Christians use that I struggle with. These phrases typically fall within the category of Christianeses, bits of insider language that lack clarity without preexisting knowledge. Many of these phrases are found in Scripture but entirely divorced from context and are therefore used incorrectly (ie, “hedge of protection,” Job 1:10). Others, like “follow Jesus,” are significantly less peculiar but can still lack clarity, especially if you’re unfamiliar with Christiani...

I’m Going to Seminary (Again)

For the last few years, I’ve sat with my cursor hovering over the “submit” button but could never push it. Something always felt like it was holding me back. And maybe something was. But was it fear? The Holy Spirit? Honestly, I can’t say for sure. But for years, I’ve wanted to continue the seminary journey I began way back in 2015.

This week, I’m finally doing it as I begin working toward a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies through Redemption Seminary.

Why did I wait so long?

Rea...

Love Means Love (Even When the Greek Words are Different)

The longer I study the Bible, the more I appreciate how challenging it can be to translate the text effectively, especially into English. Where we might have one word for a particular object or emotion, Greek might have four. They all mean the same thing, but they have nuances—a range of meanings that, together, give us a comprehensive picture than our one English word can.

Love is a great example of this. Throughout the Bible, there are several different words that are translated as love. A...

The Epilogue and the Invitation

My church has been studying John’s Gospel together for more than a year. Every week, we’ve explored how this book lives up to its purpose: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31, NET).

I almost wish the book ended with these words. After all, they carry a powerful weight. But if the book ended there, we would miss out on something else, something beautiful in John 21. This chapter serves as the epilogu...