Wes McAdams's Blog, page 2

How the Bible Defines a Miracle

Modern religious people tend to believe miracles are instances when God intervenes in human events by doing something that violates the laws of nature. However, definitions like this do not actually fit the Bible’s definition of a miracle. So, how does the Bible define a miracle? Let’s take a look.

God is Actively Involved in the World

Unfortunately, modern Christians have been heavily influenced by secular thinking. We tend to think of the universe as a big machine that has been prepr...

How Does the Birth of Jesus Bring Peace on Earth?

“Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King: peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!'” These are the words of a well-known carol by Charles Wesley. The song describes the scene in Luke 2, in which angels are announcing the birth of Jesus. The angels declared, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (vs. 13-14). But does the birth of Jesus really mean peace on earth? If so, why is there still war and conflict? And if...

What is Cultural Christianity and What are the Dangers?

What is cultural Christianity and what are the dangers? A cultural Christian is someone who identifies as a Christian, but whose religious ideas and practices come more from popular culture than from Christ. A cultural Christian, of course, does not recognize he or she is practicing cultural Christianity. To put it bluntly, they are self-deceived. They think they are following Jesus when they are really just following a nominally religious crowd.

What is Cultural Christianity?

Cultural...

Disregard the World’s Shame

Christians should follow the example of Jesus and disregard the world’s shame. What does that mean to disregard (some translations use the word, “despise”) shame? As we continue our honor and shame series, it is important to know that the world shames followers of Jesus. We have to be prepared to deal with this shame as Jesus did and as his apostles taught the church. Are you prepared to disregard the shame of the world?

The World’s Shame

In Scripture, “the world” can refer to:

the...

The Shame of History

How do you feel when you read about the 10-12 million African souls who were sold through the transatlantic slave trade? And what are your feelings on the 4,743 lynchings that took place in the United States between 1882 and 1968? What about the 3,000 Native Americans who died along the “Trail of Tears,” after being forcibly removed from their ancestral land? Depending on your heritage, perhaps you feel a twinge of what some call, “guilt.” I would like to suggest that, regardless of your heritag...

The Proper Use of Shame

In this, “Honor and Shame” series, we have talked briefly about some of the negative aspects of shame. But does shame have any redeeming value? Is there a proper way to use shame? Apparently, Paul thought there was. He wrote to the Corinthian church, “I say this to shame you” (1 Corinthians 5:5, NIV) and, “I say this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34). So, what is the difference between good shame and bad shame?

What is Shame?

Shame is an emotional tool, used to get people to conform...

Seek Honor from God, Not Man

This is the second post in our “Honor and Shame” series. In the previous post, we acknowledged that the church is feeling some of our honor being stripped away. In order to navigate this moment well, we need to acknowledge where honor comes from in the first place, why losing honor can actually be a good thing, and how to receive honor from God.

Glory, Honor, and Loyalty

The ideas of glory, honor, and loyalty are closely related. Glory refers to someone’s elevated social status, specif...

Honor and Shame for Christians

This post is the first in a new series on honor and shame. This subject is so important right now because many Christians are feeling attacked. Specifically, we feel attacked by secular progressives in academia, government, and entertainment. We are not being physically attacked, but our honor is definitely being attacked. We are even being shamed for our beliefs and ethical standards. Thankfully, Scripture has so much to say on this subject of honor and shame.

What is Honor?

Honor is ...

The Day of the Lord: What the Bible Says About Heaven (Part 5)

What will happen on “the day of the Lord”? Will we float on a little cloud forever? Will God completely destroy the material universe? This is part five of our “What the Bible Says About Heaven” series. In today’s post, I want to explore the phrase, “the day of the Lord” and its significance in understanding what the Bible says about heaven.

Apocalyptic Literature

The word, “apocalypse” has come to mean the end of the world. However, the word originally meant, the revealing or uncoveri...

New Creation: What the Bible Says About Heaven (Part 4)

I believe it is far more accurate to say that new creation, rather than going to heaven, is the ultimate hope for God’s people. This is the fourth post in our “What the Bible Says About Heaven” series. In this post, we will explore the idea of new creation and its connection to heaven. What does the Bible say about new creation? What does it mean for God to make his creation new? And why should Christians care about new creation?

The Redemption of Creation

Some people understandably fe...