Posts by M. R. Conrad
The Inevitability of the Resurrection
Jesus’ tomb was empty. But why? How? Who? So many questions filled the mind of Cleopas and his friend as they slowly walked the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. In the aftermath of their Savior’s crucifixion, they could not fathom the inevitability of the resurrection. Encounter with a Stranger Just that morning, a normally…
Read More6 Reasons Colossians 2:11–12 Does Not Allow for Infant Baptism
Nowhere in the New Testament do we find either a command to baptize infants or even an instance of babies being baptized. No verse hints at this practice in the first century church.1 So, Christians who hold to this ritual try to forge a link between Jewish circumcision and Christian baptism. The lone New Testament passage…
Read MoreFour Reasons Acts 2:38–39 Does Not Imply Infant Baptism
Fifty days after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit and led by Peter, ignited a gospel movement that spread from Jerusalem to the uttermost parts of the world. Acts 2 records the riveting historical account of timid followers of Jesus leaving their hiding places and boldly preaching to crowds gathered…
Read MoreHas Our Passion for the Cross Inadvertently De-Emphasized the Second Coming?
Bible-preaching churches today rightly focus on the cross. The gospel is central to all that we do. We look back and remember Jesus’ death and resurrection each time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. But have we forgotten that we observe this ordinance “till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26)? Almost as a reflex, you might answer,…
Read MoreBearing God’s Image: Why the Image of God is Not Abstract Art
You’re staring at the painting, pretending to appreciate it like those around you in the museum. Maybe they are pretending too? You’re not sure. What is this picture? Why do so many people like it? What’s the big deal? Maybe this is how you feel about the image of God. How does knowing you are…
Read MoreImage Bearers: Have We Lost the Image of God?
The mirror shattered. When first made, the mirror perfectly reflected its Maker. A clean, clear picture revealed Him. But when the pit of that fruit struck the glass, snaking cracks distorted His image. Blurring obscured what He intended His creation to see. God’s image remained but not as He designed it to be. Original Image:…
Read MoreImage Bearers: Ways You Are Made Like God
No, you are not omnipotent, and you never will be. You are not a god, and you cannot ascend to that level. That’s been tried, and the devil and his angels got condemned forever for it. Yet, God made you like Him. You bear the image of God. Genesis 1:26 records how God created human…
Read MoreThe Last Hymn at the Last Supper
The Passover meal had ended. Judas was well on his way to betray the Son of God. Bellies full, the remaining eleven prepared to sing the psalms they always sung before heading out for the evening. Matthew 26:30 reports that “when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” What…
Read MoreThree Reasons Why the Exclusivity of the Gospel Causes Offense
Have you been there? You’re just trying to obey God and be a good witness for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8). But suddenly, your pleasant conversation turns combative. This was not your intention, but there you are. The friend you care about is upset, and you feel like it is your fault. All you did was…
Read MoreTime Out: Do Clocks Keep Ticking in Eternity?
Nope. That’s what I thought growing up in church. When the end of the world comes, all clocks will stop. Revelation 10:6 seemed clear on this point: “There should be time no longer.” Then, at church, we often sang “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.” The answer to the question leapt from the hymnal:…
Read More