From the earliest days of colonialism, American slaves were hindered, proscribed, and persecuted. Like their ancient Christian predecessors, they bore witness to the Christian gospel despite the threat of punishment and even death at the hands of fellow Christians. Some slaves suffered willingly. With deep faith in God, they brought their sufferings to Him and experienced the amazing transformation of their sadness into joy. This paradoxical combination of suffering and joy permeated slave religion, as the spirituals attest.
Scriptures referenced include Matthew 5:10 and 2 Timothy 3:12.
Thomas recalls the final evening he spent with Jesus before the crucifixion, when Jesus told the disciples that He was going away to prepare...
In the second chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul challenges believers to adopt the "mind of Christ," a mindset characterized by humility, obedience, and...
In John 13:34-35, Jesus gives his disciples a ‘new commandment.” In so doing, he lays the foundation for the formation of a group of...
