Christian Living

By Al Felder It is one thing to speak about the Word becoming flesh in Jesus Christ. It is another thing to ask what that truth should produce in those who follow Him. The incarnation is not only something to admire. It is something meant to transform. The Word came into the world in visible form, full of grace and truth. Now those who belong to Christ are called to live in such a way that His character is seen in them. This does not mean that believers become divine, nor doe

By Al Felder Righteous Living Includes Order When Paul describes the righteous life in Ephesians, he does not limit righteousness to private devotion or internal character alone. Righteousness shows up in relationships—especially in the places where life is most demanding: the home and the daily responsibilities of society. That is why the Scriptures give clear teaching about an ordered life. God is not the author of confusion. He is the God of purpose, design, and peace. And

True Piety What Real Devotion Looks Like The word piety is often misunderstood. Some people use it to describe a religious “look”—the right vocabulary, the right habits, the right outward image. But Scripture teaches that true piety is deeper than appearance. It is devotion that is sincere, steady, and shaped by the will of God. In Ephesians 5:15–21, Paul ties the Christian life to careful, intentional living. He urges God’s people to walk wisely, redeem the time, understand

By Al Felder Faithfulness Is a Required Response Ephesians begins by describing God’s blessings for the church—blessings prepared by God, secured in Christ, and offered to all who come to Him. But Paul does not end the letter by leaving those blessings as mere information. He closes by calling the church to live in a way that matches what God has given. Unity. Righteousness. And finally, faithfulness. Faithfulness is not simply a personality trait. It is an obligation placed

By Al Felder Called to Live Differently When Paul turns to the practical section of Ephesians, he makes it plain that the blessings of salvation are meant to change the way God’s people live. The church is not only called to believe certain truths. It is called to walk in a way that reflects those truths. That is why one of the great obligations laid upon the church is righteousness. This obligation is rooted in the character of God Himself. God is holy, and the people who be

By Al Felder Called to Walk Worthy Ephesians 4 begins with a call for God’s people to live in a way that matches the grace they have received. Paul had already explained what God had done through Christ. Now he turns to what God expects from His people in response. One of the clearest obligations placed upon the church is the obligation of unity. This is not a minor issue. Unity is not an optional extra for especially peaceful Christians. It is part of walking worthy of the c

By Al Felder Brought to Life by the Mercy of God Ephesians 2 begins with a hard truth about the condition of man apart from Christ. Paul does not describe sinners as merely wounded or struggling. He says they were dead in trespasses and sins. That is the real condition of every person outside of Christ. Sin separates man from God, leaves him under condemnation, and places him in a condition he cannot fix by his own power. Paul describes that old life in unmistakable terms. It

By Al Felder “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12) God never designed the church to be carried by a handful of people while everyone else watches. He designed it as a body—many members, one life, one purpose, one Lord. In that body, no member is unnecessary, no faithful work is wasted, and no Christian can thrive in isolation. The question is not whether the chu

By Al Felder “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ… to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:8–10). The church is not an afterthought in God's mind. Before the world was made, God had already purposed redemption in Christ, and the church stands at the center of tha

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 2:5 The Lens That Shapes Everything Every person has a worldview—a way of interpreting life, truth, and reality. It’s the foundation beneath every choice we make, every opinion we form, and every belief we hold. For Christians, the question is simple yet profound: Is our worldview biblical or secular? Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30). There is no neutral ground. Our vie

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” — James 5:7–8 The Power of Patience Patience isn’t just a virtue—it’s a spiritual necessity. Without it, no believer can endure faithfully to the end. Impatience leads to discouragement, re

“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” — Ezekiel 18:21–23 The Astonishing Grace of God Forgiveness is one of the most powerful—and perplexing—truths in Scripture. It’s hard to believe that no matter what a person has done, God is willing to forgive. Some people struggle with this, not because they doubt God’s power, but because they cannot

“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity... in them shall he die.” — Ezekiel 18:24, 26 The Tragedy of Spiritual Decline Few things grieve the heart more than watching a faithful Christian lose their way. We read about such falls in Scripture, but the reality strikes hardest when it happens to someone close—a parent, sibling, friend, or fellow believer. Like the prophets who wept over Israel’s rebellion, we mourn when a once-devoted

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” — Romans 12:18 Winning the Peace, Not the War When conflict arises, our natural desire is to win. We want to prove we’re right, receive an apology, or expose the other person’s fault. Yet the Apostle Paul challenges us to seek something higher — peace. The goal isn’t simply to silence the enemy, but to destroy the evil that divides us. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called

“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.… Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:14–21 The Challenge of Loving Those Who Hurt Us Loving our enemies may be one of the most complex commands in all of Scripture. Yet God calls every Christian to practice it—not because it’s easy, but because it reveals His nature in us. Romans 12:14–21 gives us a roadmap for how to live at peace with all people, even those who have wronged us. Paul doesn

“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.… Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:14, 21 When Love Feels Impossible If you’ve ever been deeply hurt, betrayed, or mistreated, you know how unnatural it feels to love your enemies. Yet this is precisely what God calls us to do. Most conflicts—between spouses, families, friends, coworkers, or even church members—stem from broken relationships and lingering offenses. Our instinct is to stri

“Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.” — Exodus 10:26 Nothing Left Behind When Moses told Pharaoh that “not a hoof” would be left behind, he revealed more than a refusal to compromise—he demonstrated complete readiness to serve God. The Israelites would take everything—family, possessions, and livestock—because they

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek… to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” — Isaiah 61:1–3 From Ashes to Beauty Ashes are the universal symbol of sorrow and loss. Job sat among ashes in his grief. Tamar put ashes on her head after her violation. Daniel prayed and fasted in sackcloth and ashes. Ashes represent devastation—th

“Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself… and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” — Matthew 12:44–45 The Danger of an Empty Heart Jesus’ parable of the unclean spirit teaches a powerful truth: it is not enough to remove sin from our lives. If we do not replace it with God’s Word, sin wi

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” — Genesis 50:20 Joseph’s Story of Struggle and Faith The life of Joseph, recorded in Genesis 37–50, is one of the most remarkable accounts of resilience and faith in the Bible. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, forgotten in prison, and finally elevated to a place of power in Egypt—Joseph’s story shows us that fa