John van Rij

Can you really trust God’s promises, given that there are many who have rejected him? This is a question that first century jews would have asked, especially since so many jews didn’t believe in Jesus. In Romans 9, Paul responds by affirming that Jesus really is faithful. This is a challenging text but the assurance […]

Its a question children can answer, but can be hard to answer as adults. When difficulties arise we can cry to God “Do you really love me?” Romans 8:31-34 gives us a clear answer. John explains.

This is a mistake that many people in the church make. When it comes to our behaviour and whether God will judge us, we can be tempted to pretend that it’s not going to be a problem. That things will work out ok in the end. That our behaviour is not that sinful. That because […]

We are often rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. This was a problem for Judah in the 620s BC, and it is a problem for many today. A focus on other things, while ignoring God. God makes it clear that we cannot ignore or dismiss him forever, because he is coming. John explains.

We often try to live in an imaginary world where our actions have no consequences. As technology helps us escape from physical reality it can reinforce our disconnection from cause and effect. But just like a warning label on a cigarrette package, Zephaniah presents the consequences for sin in stark terms. He uses strong language […]

Many people think that if we can just control our environment, then people will do what is right. The reality is that the struggles that all humans share come from the inside, not the outside. Jesus makes this clear in Mark 7:14-23, as John explains. (Note that there is a problem with the quality of […]

We would all agree that something has gone wrong with the world. We don’t live in Genesis chapter 1 or 2. The Christian answer is found in Genesis 3: Humans rebelled against a good God, and the effects are still felt today.

How is it that the world is broken? Why is there conflict, pain and sadness? Genesis 3 answers that the first humans sinned against God. When we fail to understand that sin is bad and God is good, this can lead us to follow the same sinful path as Adam and Eve. John explains.

This week we started a new series in Genesis at chapter 1. This chapter sends the context for the rest of the bible, and history. John explains.

When we mess up, sinning against God, there is a temptation to hide our mistakes. Psalm 32 points us away from hiding in the dark towards forgiveness and blessing in acknowledging our failures and receiving grace from God.