Echoes of Grace

  10 Things Jesus Didn’t Die For             Evangelist Ray Comfort once remarked that he didn’t feel confident in his knowledge of the Bible when he simply knew what it said, but rather knew what it did not say. In that spirit I find that so many non-Christians feel alienated or soured by the impression of Christianity that they receive from their Christian friends and contacts, as well as misconceptions of Christendom as a whole. There really is a lot of truth to the idea that Christians are their own worst enemies. I would love to sit here and write to you and tell you what Christianity is, and what Jesus actually taught and gave His life for, but I know that nobody would read it. Instead, I want to borrow your attention for the next few minutes to help dispel some myths and stereotypes to help you learn just what Christianity isn’t, (and yes, many of these people flock to the local congregations while exudin...

  A Fresco in Rome Michelangelo has always been my favorite artist and, in my opinion, his skill is completely unparalleled by any artisan to ever grasp a bush or chisel. His sculptures Pietà , Cristo della Minerva , and Moses make up the most exquisite in the world, as well as his most famous masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel, that attracts millions each year to Catholicism’s most holy place. One part of the Sistine Chapel that has always struck a specific nerve with me is The Creation of Adam . The center of this fresco shows God stretching down toward Adam with all of His body, while Adam is laying down, leaning away with his hand nonchalantly dangling with indifference toward his holy Creator. I never understood the meaning of this image, partly explaining my distaste for it, and only after studying biblical covenants and the nature of God am I able to fully appreciate the integrity behind Michelangelo’s work. The Midnight Promise The well-known covenant ...