Jan-Feb Faith for All of Life
A Crown of Thorns: Reigning Through Suffering
Christopher J. Ortiz
The kingdom of darkness utilizes a two-fold strategy to undermine the Kingdom of Light: neutralizing righteousness while advancing wickedness. We typically think of Satan as only increasing wickedness, but he is successful because he also neutralizes our ability to advance righteousness. In other words, he looks to weaken his opponent’s ability to fight while beating him to the ground... Read more.
The Beatitudes
R. J. Rushdoony
Our Lord, seeing the multitudes, went up into the mountain; this mountain is not identified for us, but our Lord’s act does give us an identification. God gave the law through Moses on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19); from Mount Ebal, the curse of God upon disobedience to His law was pronounced; and, from Mount Gerizim, His blessing upon faithfulness was declared (Deut. 27:11–28:68). All three mountains are recalled in the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the blessings of the Beatitudes, and ends with the judgment and curse upon the house not built upon the Rock, Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:26–27). That accursed and fallen house is unbelieving Judah and Israel... Read more.
None Dare Call It Phariseeism
Martin G. Selbrede
In Matthew 15, a well-known collision between the Pharisees and the Lord is precipitated by a question over table manners. Christ’s disciples didn’t wash their hands prior to eating bread. To fail to wash hands was to “transgress the tradition of the elders” (v. 2). This transgression of the received tradition ignited and shaped the criticism leveled against Christ and His disciples... Read more.
Christopher J. Ortiz
The kingdom of darkness utilizes a two-fold strategy to undermine the Kingdom of Light: neutralizing righteousness while advancing wickedness. We typically think of Satan as only increasing wickedness, but he is successful because he also neutralizes our ability to advance righteousness. In other words, he looks to weaken his opponent’s ability to fight while beating him to the ground... Read more.
The Beatitudes
R. J. Rushdoony
Our Lord, seeing the multitudes, went up into the mountain; this mountain is not identified for us, but our Lord’s act does give us an identification. God gave the law through Moses on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19); from Mount Ebal, the curse of God upon disobedience to His law was pronounced; and, from Mount Gerizim, His blessing upon faithfulness was declared (Deut. 27:11–28:68). All three mountains are recalled in the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the blessings of the Beatitudes, and ends with the judgment and curse upon the house not built upon the Rock, Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:26–27). That accursed and fallen house is unbelieving Judah and Israel... Read more.
None Dare Call It Phariseeism
Martin G. Selbrede
In Matthew 15, a well-known collision between the Pharisees and the Lord is precipitated by a question over table manners. Christ’s disciples didn’t wash their hands prior to eating bread. To fail to wash hands was to “transgress the tradition of the elders” (v. 2). This transgression of the received tradition ignited and shaped the criticism leveled against Christ and His disciples... Read more.
