Author: Michael Coughlin

A Tribute to my Bride

Posted by | May 19, 2010 | , |

What can I say? I owe you! Erin, I love you!

Being your husband means so much to me. I can’t do what I do without you!

I go to work, and I don’t worry about my kids. I don’t worry about my house being clean. I don’t worry about my meals being cooked. I don’t worry about the groceries. I don’t worry about our finances, or you running around on me, or leaving me. I focus on work, and can be successful. (Prov 12:4, Prov 31:11-12)

I stay up late reading the bible and writing. I go out late to evangelize. I coach three kids sports…year round. You clean all our clothes, you have them ready and laid out and ironed for us. Snacks packed, bookbags ready for school, lunch packed for work, shirt and tie picked out. You are my treasure, you are my sanctuary in this world that Christ gave me to love and honor and serve. I do not do those things enough for His sake, nor for all you do for me.

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Judge not, that ye be not judged. Matthew 7:1

Posted by | May 19, 2010 | , , |

What a tough verse to ponder! It sounds simple, but if you’ll bear with me, you’ll see that there must be more to this verse than what appears plain from a simple reading. Out of context, and all by itself, this verse seems to be a command not to judge…but in context, and using legitimate rules of interpretation and sound logic, I’ll show that this verse commands something different, and nearly opposite of that! When I’m finished, we will understand why false converts, false teachers and nonbelievers everywhere are shouting this verse from the rooftops, and you’ll be ready to defend your faith when you are accused of not being Christlike, because you are “judging.”

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Genesis 1:31

Posted by | May 14, 2010 | , , , |

What a simple verse, truly! But as always, God’s text is packed with meaning, and in this case, utterly under attack for centuries now. Sadly, it is professing Christians who have likely done the most damage with attempts to put meaning here that is not inherent in the text. Notice I did not call those attempts “well-intentioned,” as a truly well-intentioned attempt at interpreting the Bible will start with a biblical worldview and a belief that scripture is the ultimate authority.

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1 Corinthians 10:31

Posted by | May 9, 2010 | , , |

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Can a Christian smoke? Should a Christian drink “socially?” What’s ok before marriage? These are common questions, and they are good questions, for immature believers to ask, that is. How do they relate to the 1 Corinthians 10:31? I’ll try to show how.

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