Paul Ellis's Blog, page 15

Why Does Jesus Hate Divorce?

In the modern church we think we treat women well. We tell ourselves that we are enlightened, educated and respectful. But in the very next breath we tell women they can’t preach or teach and it would best if they remain silent in our services.

What’s wrong with that picture?!

God made Eve a queen, yet we don’t treat her daughters like princesses. Just look at the shame we dispense to those who are divorced.

A pastor who goes to prison for manslaughter can be rehabilitated and welco...

What to do When You’re Facing Death

If you are facing a sentence of death – a bad report, a scary diagnosis, the loss of a business – you would do well to read Christ’s letter to the church at Smyrna. It’s the shortest of the seven Revelation letters, yet death is mentioned three times in four verses.

(Bonus fact: the name Smyrna means myrrh, which is also the name of a spice we associate with death. Myrrh was one of the spices used to prepare Christ’s body for burial (John 19:39), and myrrh mixed with wine was also the...

Introducing The Grace Bible

For years, people have been asking me, “Paul, what’s your favorite Bible?” That’s a tough question, like asking me to pick my favorite child.

What people really want to know is, “Which Bible is free from mixture and will help me grow in grace?”

There hasn’t been a good answer to that question… until now.

(Okay, I was aiming for drama, but that came across as a little cocky. Humor me.)

For the past few months I’ve been working on something called “The Grace Bible.” The tagline is, “Th...

How Do We Keep the Word of His Perserverance?

You know that warning about not adding words to the Bible? I think of it whenever I read passages like this:

You have kept my command to endure patiently… (Revelation 3:10a)

That’s from the NIV translation and it conveys the idea that you have been commanded to endure life’s struggles with fortitute and long-suffering. That is NOT what Jesus is saying here.

Read that passage in a literal translation or a word-for-word translation such as the NASB and it says this:

Because you hav...

Who has Authority in a Marriage?

Who has the authority in a marriage, the husband or the wife?

For much of human history, the men were in charge, and their wives were considered little more than property. Strangely, Paul seems to support this archaic arrangement when he tells the Corinthians:

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. (1 Corinthians 7:4a)

In other words, she belongs to him. (Can you see the rabbis and philosophers nodding in agreement?)

But then Paul follows up wit...

Two Lies About Sin

The worst disease to ever afflict the human race is not Covid or cancer, but sin. Sin is not merely breaking the rules or acting immorally. Sin is much more serious than that.

God offers us his divine life but we fall short. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The gap between our broken and bruised lives and his whole and glorious life is called sin.

Now that we have a Biblical definition of sin, we can look at two lies we have been told about sin.

...

Doers of the Law Will be Justified?

Was the Apostle Paul confused when he wrote Romans 2:13? Because this verse doesn’t seem to belong in the Bible:

For it is not the hearers of the law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13)

Doers of the law will be justified?!

Was Paul having a senior moment? Did he forget to insert the word NOT?

There is an easy explanation for this strange verse, which we’ll get to in a minute. But first, let’s be clear: we are justified by faith alone...

What is the Sin Leading to Death?

There are different types of sin, and some more serious than others. Apparently we should pray for those who do the lighter sins, but not waste time praying for those who do the bad ones.

Ever heard that? It comes from this verse:

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. (1 John 5:16)

Wh...

What Does it Mean to Fall from Grace?

“Did you hear about that celebrity pastor and his secretary? What a fall from grace!”

The fall-from-grace phrase is sometimes used to describe famous people who have fallen into sin, but that is not what fall from grace means in the Bible.

When you sin you don’t fall from grace but into grace. It’s not possible to sin yourself beyond the reach of God’s love. His best is better than your worst, and his grace is greater than your sin (see Rom. 5:20).

You have been severed from Christ...

What is the Definition of Sin?

What is sin?

Some define sin as transgression of God’s law. “We need to keep the law because ‘sin is lawlessness’” (see 1 John 3:4). Okay, but which law?

“We have to keep all of the commands.”

Including the ones about not wearing poly-blend clothing or eating bacon?

“Well, not those ones. But at least the Ten Commandments. Plus everything Jesus said.”

But the Bible says we are not under law (see Rom. 6:14). Which means we can’t use the law to define sin.

“What…?”

And si...