New Horizons

April, 2018: Why Be Good?

Contents Why Be Good? by Dennis E. Johnson Resurrection-Birth in First Peter by Peter Y. Lee The Resurrection Touch by D. Patrick Ramsey

The entire issue is available in the following formats: PDF  ePub  and  Mobi 

Why Be Good?

by Dennis E. Johnson

Five centuries ago, the Protestant Reformers confronted a pastoral challenge that is still with us today. Actually, the same challenge confronted the Apostle Paul in the first century. As the Preacher said, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9).

The challenge, in a nutshell, is this: “If Jesus did it all, why should I try to be good?” Read more

Resurrection-Birth in First Peter

by Peter Y. Lee

The resurrection of our blessed Savior gives us extraordinary hope of eternal life and a “joy unspeakable” as we suffer through the trials of this fallen world and face the final enemy of death. However, what we may not realize is that his resurrection also helps us to understand the nature of our salvation.

The purpose of this article is to show that, according to 1 Peter, our salvation—our new birth in Christ—is in fact a resurrection from the dead. Read more

The Resurrection Touch

by D. Patrick Ramsey

In Greek mythology, a king named Midas was given by the gods a gift of much wealth: whatever he touched turned to gold. His gift came to be called the Midas touch, or the golden touch. In a similar way, we could say that Jesus has the “resurrection touch.”

Jesus has come and has conquered sin and death by his own death and resurrection, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Whatever Jesus touches is given life—and not just life, but resurrection life, because he has power over death. Read more