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The LORD Our Maker

July 11, 2018 by Peter Dubbelman Leave a Comment

The Christian knows God as “the LORD our Maker,” a name that is different from the Creator who creates “from nothing.” God invites us to join with him, as he both does good and makes good things. When someone does good, whether by a service rendered or a good produced, they participate with God, who is good. Scripture displays God as an architect and builder, composer and performer, carpenter and mason, metalworker and potter, garment-maker and dresser, farmer, winemaker and gardener. Read More »

By His Wounds We Are Healed.

June 27, 2018 by Peter Dubbelman Leave a Comment

The Psalmist declared, “In your name I will hope, for your name is good” (Ps 52:9). This post is one of many on the names of God. Clement of Alexandria declared, “Each name by itself does not express God, but all together are indicative of God.” Each of these names represents a dimension of God still exhibited today—somewhere, somehow. Read More »

Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now

June 9, 2018 by Peter Dubbelman 2 Comments

The title of this book sums up nicely a key theme of Sabbath, which Brueggemann expounds upon in an easily understood manner: “[Sabbath] declares in bodily ways that … we will not be defined by busyness and by acquisitiveness and by the pursuit of more, in either our economics or our personal relationships or anywhere in our lives. Because our life does not consist in commodity.” Read More »

New Creation Life

March 23, 2018 by Peter Dubbelman Leave a Comment

So many Christians have a “form of godliness” but do not experience God’s life-changing reality. Yet the Apostle Paul wrote that the gospel “is the power of God” (Rom 1:16). I believe that by this gospel, God commissions and ethically empowers a person to turn his or her heart affectionately to both God and neighbor. For the Spirit of God creates a new heart in the person who believes in Christ. Read More »

The Way of the Lamb

November 24, 2017 by Peter Dubbelman Leave a Comment

This book’s opening quote, by Eugene Peterson, and closing quotes, by Augustine and others, help tether its consistent line of thought that is held by two opposing questions: Do you seek applause, self-importance, influence, control, and winning—using people in the process? Do you take on the way of the Lamb, find God’s power in weakness, and lay down your life for others? Read More »