Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. (Romans 11:22)
angels, unawares
As we rather shakily tried to unwind from this nightmare with coffee and breakfast, up rolled a mini-van, and out spilled a little girl who tried to put a spell on us with her fairy wand. It worked.
Divine Sovereignty & Human Responsibility in 2 Kings
God is the author of all of
John 15
This would seem to support the thesis of Christ’s parable of the soils. It also brings to the forefront the major theme of John's writing: abiding in Christ. Abiding in the true vine is essential for those who have once been cleaned by the word of God.
The Parable of the Soil
It is only the last soil that would be called “saved” in the eschatological sense. These are those predestined to preservation and perseverance. What then is the proper terminology for the other soil?
The World is "Ready to Hand"
We are more-fully immersed and integrated into this world than our Descartian thinking-habits would like to admit.
House Rules for Language
My daughter said "What the hell?" because of my passion of Penguins hockey. My son says "too" and "also" from the natural environment of the home. Why isn't developing Christian language in the house as easy?
What Were the Pharisees' Goals?
To be certain, the Jews were in sin, they were misreading the story, they rejected their messiah. However, the sin of the jews and the Pharisees were not necessarily the same as the sins of our own day. We can certainly learn from the foolishness and pride of the Pharisees but it will impossible to do so if we insist on turning them into
A Mighty Voice Shaking
Heaven and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline;
But, while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.
"You" Before "I"
The consequences are dire when the church adopts a modern/liberal anthropology to determine it’s ecclesiology and discipleship. Unfortunately, this is the case in all too many churches. In many
Video Review: When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey
When Sinners Say I Do is replete with Scripture and well presented. Though short, the video series highlights the fundamentals of marriage from a Christian perspective within a structure that adapts itself for Sunday School, bible studies, and personal study.
Book Review: The One O'Clock Miracle by Alison Mitchell
Eager cries of “read this one!” can be heard, with multiple voices clamoring to recite the story alongside the descriptive pictures and actual text.
Re-baptism: A Sad Form of Unbelief
Re-baptism only occurs when concern over the hands pouring the water trumps the hands that created the water.
Jealousy and the Zero-Sum Game
We tend to be like the unfaithful servant in the parable of the three servants in Matthew 25:14-30. Our master has given us gifts to sow and invest. However, we are afraid that these resources that God has given us might run out so we go and bury them.
redacted
but you don’t come back in
and
you were never here
Nine? Try NoMarks: A Response to Jonathan Leeman (Part 2)
The Scriptures teach moral responsibility from the womb. They teach faith from the womb. God can save at any age because salvation is a restored relationship to God not one's mental comprehension of Him.
Nine? Try NoMarks: A Response to Jonathan Leeman (Part 1)
With respect to Leeman's attempt at piety over the role parents I wish he would quote some Scripture. Instead I will mention some.
Church as Family
The confession-oriented churches (credobaptism) have dispensed with this unity for a modernist community of convenience and exclusion.
Unto the Glory of God
The goal for Christians should always be, first and foremost, to be Godly people no matter what systems they find themselves in. At the same time, Christians should never be content to allow faithlessness toward God to exist in systemic ways.
Genesis 1 and the Framework Interpretation
Growing up in a conservative background, the default, the “biblical”, position was six literal 24-hour days. “The bible says day so it means day” was the logic. While admirable for taking the bible seriously as the inspired, inerrant Word of God, such literal biblicism misses the point that the creation narrative is not a scientific how-to guide for creation, it is a story portraying the creational work of God; it is a historical narrative.