Christian Living

By Al Felder Children need to learn kindness. Kindness is not weakness. It is not merely being polite. It is not pretending that wrong does not matter. Biblical kindness is goodness in action. It is a heart trained to treat others with patience, mercy, compassion, gentleness, and helpfulness because God’s will governs the way we treat people. Children are not born knowing how to be kind. They must be taught to share, speak gently, consider others, forgive, help, listen, and s

By Al Felder Children need to learn how to work. That may sound simple, but it is one of the most important lessons parents can teach. Work is not merely about earning money, completing chores, or staying busy. Work teaches responsibility, discipline, patience, service, stewardship, and faithfulness. A child who is never taught to work may grow up expecting life to serve him. He may become careless with time, unwilling to finish difficult tasks, resentful of responsibility, a

By Al Felder Children need to learn modesty. That lesson should not begin when they are nearly grown. It should begin early, in simple, age-appropriate ways, as parents teach their children how to think about the body, clothing, attention, purity, shamefacedness, and respect for God’s design. Modesty is often treated as if it only concerns clothing. Clothing matters, but modesty reaches deeper than fabric. It begins with the heart. It involves humility, self-control, reverenc

By Al Felder Children need to learn respect for authority. This lesson begins in the home, but it reaches far beyond the home. A child who learns to respect rightful authority is being prepared to respect God’s authority, parental authority, civil authority, congregational leadership, and the responsibilities that come with marriage, work, and daily life. Respect for authority is not popular in a world that often celebrates self-will. Many children are taught, directly or ind

By Al Felder Children need to understand sin. That does not mean parents should burden young children with matters beyond their maturity. It does mean children must be taught, in age-appropriate ways, that sin is real, God defines it, and every person is accountable for his own choices. Many people today avoid the word “sin.” They may call sin a mistake, a weakness, a struggle, a lifestyle, a personal choice, or simply being human, but parents must not let the world soften wh

By Al Felder Children need moral clarity. They are growing up in a world where right and wrong are often treated as matters of opinion. Many people speak as if truth changes with culture, morality changes with feelings, and each person has the right to decide for themselves what is good. However, parents must teach their children something far better: right and wrong are determined by God. This lesson must begin early. Children need to know that some things are right because

By Al Felder Truthfulness must be taught early. Children need to learn that telling the truth is not merely a way to stay out of trouble. It is part of living before God. A truthful heart is important because God is true, His word is true, and He calls His people to walk in truth. Lying is often one of the first sins parents must correct in a child. A child may lie to avoid punishment, to shift blame, to gain attention, to protect pride, or to get something he wants. Sometime

By Al Felder Responsibility is not learned all at once. It is formed through daily instruction, correction, expectation, and practice. A child learns responsibility when he is taught to finish what he starts, tell the truth, care for what has been entrusted to him, accept correction, admit wrong, keep his word, and understand that choices have consequences. Parents should not wait until children are nearly grown before teaching responsibility. By then, many habits may already

By Al Felder Every parent teaches something. Some lessons are spoken plainly. Others are taught by habit, example, discipline, priorities, tone, worship, conversation, and daily choices. Children learn what matters by watching what their parents love, what they fear, what they excuse, what they pursue, and what they refuse to compromise. That is why one of the most important things parents can teach their children is the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is not merely be

By Al Felder Forgiveness is one of the most comforting truths in Scripture, but it is also one of the most often misunderstood. Many people want forgiveness without change, mercy without repentance, and peace without truth. They want the blessing of a canceled debt while continuing to live as though the debt never mattered. But biblical forgiveness is never separated from the truth about sin. God’s mercy is real. His grace is abundant. The blood of Christ is sufficient. Yet S

By Al Felder Being hurt by another person is one of the hardest places to practice Christianity. It is one thing to talk about forgiveness in general. It is another thing to forgive when the wound has a name, a face, a memory, and a history. Someone lied. Someone betrayed trust. Someone spoke cruelly. Someone spread gossip. Someone acted selfishly. Someone sinned and left damage behind. In those moments, forgiveness is not theoretical. It becomes a test of faith, humility, ob

By Al Felder Many people want forgiveness to mean that everything goes back to normal immediately. Once the words “I’m sorry” are spoken, they expect consequences to disappear, trust to return, relationships to reset, and accountability to end. But Scripture gives a more careful picture. Biblical forgiveness is real, powerful, and beautiful. When God forgives, He truly releases the sinner from guilt. When Christians forgive others, they release personal vengeance and bitterne

By Al Felder Many people struggle with forgiveness because they confuse it with reconciliation. They assume that if they forgive someone, the relationship must immediately return to what it was before. They think forgiveness means trust must be restored, consequences must disappear, and everything must go back to normal. But Scripture gives a more balanced picture. Forgiveness and reconciliation are related, but they are not identical. Forgiveness concerns the release of pers

By Al Felder Debt is a word everyone understands. A debt stands against a person. It must be paid, released, or carried. It can weigh on the mind, limit freedom, and create fear about what is coming. That is one reason the Bible’s language of forgiveness is so powerful. Scripture often describes sin as a debt. When we sin, we do not merely make a mistake or experience a personal struggle. We become guilty before God. Something stands against us. Something must be addressed. T

By Al Felder One of the greatest misunderstandings about forgiveness is the idea that forgiving someone means pretending the wrong did not matter. Many people struggle with forgiveness because they think it requires them to minimize evil, ignore pain, erase consequences, or act as though trust was never broken. But that is not biblical forgiveness. The Bible never teaches that forgiveness means calling sin harmless. God does not forgive by denying sin. He forgives by dealing

By Al Felder Forgiveness is one of the most beautiful words in Scripture, but it is also one of the hardest commands to obey. Many people talk about forgiveness as if it were simple: “Just let it go.” “Move on.” “Don’t think about it anymore.” But anyone who has been deeply wounded knows forgiveness is not that shallow. Forgiveness is difficult because sin is real. Wrongdoing leaves wounds. Guilt leaves a burden. Betrayal damages trust. Hurt can settle into the heart and temp

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